U.S. patent application number 11/300538 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-14 for novelty sports cap.
Invention is credited to Richard Henf.
Application Number | 20070130670 11/300538 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38137781 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070130670 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Henf; Richard |
June 14, 2007 |
Novelty sports cap
Abstract
A novelty sports cap. On the head of the wearer, the cap makes
the visual impression of a football helmet.
Inventors: |
Henf; Richard; (Sebastian,
FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SACCO & ASSOCIATES, PA
P.O. BOX 30999
PALM BEACH GARDENS
FL
33420-0999
US
|
Family ID: |
38137781 |
Appl. No.: |
11/300538 |
Filed: |
December 14, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/195.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 1/0182 20210101;
A42B 1/004 20130101; A42B 1/0186 20210101; A42B 1/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/195.1 |
International
Class: |
A42B 1/00 20060101
A42B001/00 |
Claims
1. A novelty baseball cap which simulates an appearance of a
football helmet comprising: a crown having a generally concave
shape including a front section and a back section, said crown
dimensioned to fit about an upper portion of a person's head, and
formed from a fabric material; a semi-rigid bill portion extending
from said front section along a portion of a peripheral edge of
said crown; a modified area defined on a portion of said crown
extending from said peripheral edge above said bill portion, said
modified area defining a simulated profile that corresponds to a
helmet profile of a portion of a football helmet face opening, at
least a portion of a surface of said modified area having a
contrasting color that is different from a color of an exterior of
said crown so as to create an illusion of a football helmet
interior; said surface of said modified area further includes a
graphic image consisting of an upper portion a football player's
face that is generally visible within a corresponding upper portion
of an actual football helmet face opening when a football helmet is
positioned on a football player's head.
2. (canceled)
3. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 1, wherein said
color is black.
4-5. (canceled)
6. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 1, wherein said
surface of said modified area has a texture that is different from
an exterior of said crown.
7. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 1, wherein said
surface of said modified area is recessed relative to an exterior
surface of said crown.
8. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 1, wherein at least
one surface discontinuity is defined around said edge of said
modified area, whereby said surface discontinuity enhances an
illusion that said edge corresponds to a helmet profile of a
portion of a football helmet face opening.
9. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 1, further
comprising at least one guard member attached to said bill portion,
said guard member comprising an elongated substantially tubular
element having a size and shape that simulates an appearance of a
portion of a football helmet face mask.
10. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 9, wherein said
guard member is attached along a peripheral edge of said bill
portion.
11. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 9, further
comprising at least one flap extending from a peripheral edge of a
concave shape defining said crown, said crown including at least
one ear vent portion therein.
12. A novelty baseball cap which simulates an appearance of a
football helmet comprising: a crown having a generally concave
shape including a front section and a back section, said crown
dimensioned to fit about an upper portion of a person's head, and
formed from a fabric material; a semi-rigid bill portion extending
from said front section along a portion of a peripheral edge of
said crown; a modified area defined on a portion of said crown
extending from said peripheral edge above said bill portion, said
modified area defining a simulated profile that corresponds to a
helmet profile of a portion of a football helmet face opening, and
at least a portion of a surface of said modified area having a
contrasting color that is different from a color of an exterior of
said crown, said contrasting color creating an illusion of a
football helmet interior; said surface of said modified area
further including a graphic image consisting of an upper portion a
football player's face that is generally visible within a
corresponding upper portion of an actual football helmet face
opening when a football helmet is positioned on a football player's
head and at least one guard member attached to said bill portion,
said guard member comprising an elongated substantially tubular
element having a size and shape that simulates an appearance of a
portion of a football helmet face mask.
13-14. (canceled)
15. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 12, wherein said
surface of said modified area has a texture that is different from
an exterior of said crown.
16. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 12, wherein said
surface of said modified area is recessed relative to an exterior
surface of said crown.
17. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 12, wherein at
least one surface discontinuity is defined around said edge of said
modified area, whereby said surface discontinuity enhances an
illusion that said edge corresponds to a helmet profile of a
portion of a football helmet face opening.
18. (canceled)
19. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 1, wherein said
graphic image is exclusive of a region of said person's face
comprising a mouth.
20. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 19, wherein said
graphic image includes a region of said person's face comprising
eyes and a nose.
21. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 12, wherein said
graphic image is exclusive of a region of said person's face
comprising a mouth.
22. The novelty baseball cap according to claim 21, wherein said
graphic image includes a region of said person's face comprising
eyes and a nose.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Statement of the Technical Field
[0002] The inventive arrangement relates to a novelty sports cap
that particularly relates to the game of football.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Sports fans often wear various forms of clothing to show
support for a particular sports team. Some articles of clothing
used include t-shirts, jerseys, baseball caps, and shorts that
contain distinctive markings associated with a particular sports
team.
[0005] In the game of football, many fans wear baseball caps to
demonstrate their support. Baseball caps are also practical to wear
since they are typically made from a substantially breathable
fabric material. Also, baseball caps provide adequate shade
protection during sunny days, allowing for improved visibility.
[0006] However, baseball caps, as its name aptly describes, relates
to the game of baseball, not football. Baseball players wear these
caps as part of their uniform when playing on the field. Football
fans, by contrast, do not have an article of headwear that closely
resembles football helmet gear, while providing all the comfort
advantages of a conventional baseball cap.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The invention concerns a novelty baseball cap. It can
include a crown having a generally concave shape including a front
section and a back section. The crown can be formed from a fabric
material and dimensioned to fit about an upper portion of a
person's head. The invention can also include a semi-rigid bill
portion extending from the front section along a portion of a
peripheral edge of the concave shape. Furthermore, the novelty
baseball cap can also include a modified area defined on a portion
of the crown above the bill portion. The modified area can have a
peripheral edge defining a simulated profile that corresponds to a
helmet profile of a portion of a football helmet face opening.
[0008] At least a portion of a surface that comprises the modified
area of the crown can have a contrasting color that is different
from a color of a remaining exterior of the crown. The contrasting
color can create an illusion of a football helmet interior.
According to one alternative, the contrasting color can be black.
Further, the surface of the modified area can include a graphic
image consisting of a portion of a person's face. The person's face
can correspond to a region of a football player's face that is
generally visible within the portion of an actual football helmet
face opening when positioned on a player's head.
[0009] The surface of the modified area can also have a texture
that is different from an exterior of the crown. According to one
alternative, the modified area can be made from a transparent
material. In addition, the surface of the modified area can be
recessed relative to an exterior surface of the crown. The novelty
baseball cap can also define one or more surface discontinuities
defined around the edge of the modified area. The surface
discontinuity can enhance an illusion that the edge corresponds to
a helmet profile of a portion of a football helmet face
opening.
[0010] The novelty baseball cap can further comprise one or more
guard members attached to the bill portion. The guard member can
comprise an elongated, tubular element having a size and shape that
can simulate an appearance of a portion of a football helmet face
mask. In particular, the guard member can be attached along a
peripheral edge of the bill portion. The invention can further
comprise one or more flaps extending from a peripheral edge of the
crown's concave shape. The cap can include one or more ear vent
portions therein.
[0011] Further aspects and objectives of the invention will be
apparent from the claims, the following detailed description and
the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a
novelty baseball cap that is useful for understanding the
invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a front view of a second embodiment of a novelty
baseball cap that is useful for understanding the invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a
novelty baseball cap that is useful for understanding the
invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a side view of a fourth embodiment of a novelty
baseball cap that is useful for understanding the invention.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a rear view of the first embodiment of the novelty
baseball cap shown in FIG. 1 that is useful for understanding the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] The invention concerns a novelty baseball cap that is sized,
shaped, textured, and colored to resemble a football helmet.
Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, four embodiments of a novelty baseball
cap 100, 200, 300, and 400 are illustrated that are useful for
understanding the inventive arrangements. Note that an element(s)
may be shared by more than one embodiment and identical elements
will be reflected as such using the same reference number
throughout the various embodiments. According to a first embodiment
shown in FIG. 1, the novelty baseball cap 100 is defined by a crown
101. The crown 101 can have a generally concave shape that is
defined by a front section 102 and a back section 103. The crown
101 can be formed from a fabric material, preferably one that is
breathable and washable. Suitable fabrics include, but are not
limited to brushed cotton, cotton twill, washed chino twill,
polyester mesh, brushed canvas, wool blend, open-cell polyurethane
foam, and other synthetic materials.
[0018] According to FIG. 5, the crown 101 can be dimensioned to fit
about an upper portion of a person's head. There are two main ways
to dimension the crown to fit about an upper portion of a person's
head: a fitted or an adjustable configuration. In the fitted
configuration, a peripheral edge 117 of the concave shape of the
crown 101 is fixedly dimensioned to fit a particular size of a
person's upper head. By contrast, the adjustable configuration,
shown in FIG. 5, includes a mechanism that allows the circumference
of the peripheral edge 117 to be widened or narrowed depending on
the size of the person's upper head portion. Typically, an
adjustable baseball cap has a half-moon shaped opening 518 at the
bottom of back section 103. A strap 519 made of either fabric or
plastic links one end of the opening to the other end of the same
opening. Suitable adjustable closures that are commonly known
include mating Velcro straps, buckle/strap, D-ring/T-slide/strap
buckle, and plastic snap closures.
[0019] The novelty baseball cap 100 includes a semi-rigid bill
portion 104 that extends from the front section 102, along a
portion of a peripheral edge 105 of the crown 101. Typically, the
bill portion of a baseball cap is semi-rigid due to it being
constructed of material such as cardboard or plastic that is
covered with fabric material. However, other embodiments of the
bill portion are possible. For example, the bill portion 104 can be
made of a plastic material that is not covered with fabric
material. If the bill portion 104 is made of uncovered plastic, the
plastic material of the bill portion 104 may be translucent,
tinted, or solidly colored. The bill portion 104 should be
substantially planar or slightly curved. Both crown 101 and bill
portion 104 can be formed of a fabric material, preferably one that
is breathable and washable. Suitable fabrics include, but are not
limited to brushed cotton, cotton twill, washed chino twill,
polyester mesh, brushed canvas, wool blend, open-cell polyurethane
foam, and other synthetic materials.
[0020] In addition, the baseball cap 100 can include a modified
area 106 that is defined on a portion of the crown 101 above the
bill portion 104. The modified area 106 has a peripheral edge 107
defining a simulated profile that corresponds to a helmet profile
of a portion of a football helmet face opening. The modified area
106 can be substantially rectangular in shape, preferably with
chamfered edges at the top right and top left corners of the
modified area 106. The modified area wraps around the front section
102 of the crown 101. The modified area 106 should also be
dimensioned such that it simulates the helmet profile of the
portion of the football helmet face opening. The bottom peripheral
edge of the modified area 106 borders on the portion of the
peripheral edge 105 of the crown 101 from which the semi-rigid bill
portion 104 extends.
[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, an exterior
surface portion 116 of the modified area 106 can have a contrasting
color that is different from a color of an exterior surface 108 of
the crown 101. The exterior surface 108 of the crown 101 is defined
as those portions of the crown 101 (excluding ear vent portions
115, discussed later) that are disposed outside of the modified
area 106. This contrast of colors between the modified area 106 and
the exterior surface 108 of the crown 101 is advantageously
selected so that the modified area 106 creates an illusion of a
football helmet interior. For example, the contrasting color of the
modified area can be black to simulate a dark helmet interior.
However, black is not the only color that can be used to contrast
the modified area 106 from the exterior surface 108 of the crown
101. Rather, any combination of colors may be used provided that
the contrast creates an illusion of a helmet interior.
[0022] Alternatively or in addition to the contrasting colors
described herein, there are a myriad of possible graphic images
that can be used in the modified area 106 to enhance the illusion
of a helmet interior. A graphic image 209 can consist of a portion
of a person's face as illustrated in FIG. 2. In particular, the
portion of the person's face can correspond to a region of a
football player's face that would generally be visible within a
corresponding portion of an actual football helmet face opening
when a helmet is positioned on a player's head. Further, the face
image need not be an ordinary human face. Instead a stylized or
mascot face could also be used. Besides face images, other graphic
images 209 can also be placed within the modified area 106, such as
a sports team's logo. According to two embodiments of the novelty
baseball cap 300 and 400 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4,
respectively, the modified area 106 may consist of a substantially
transparent material.
[0023] Contrasting color and graphics is not the only manner in
which to create an illusion of a football helmet interior. If
fabrics are used, the modified area 106 may have a different fabric
texture that is different from the exterior surface 108 of the
crown 101. There are numerous examples of fabric textures, which
include, but are not limited to shiny, matte, smooth, rough,
weaved, and lined textures. According to another alternative
illustrated in FIG. 3, the modified area 106 can be recessed
somewhat relative to the exterior surface 108 of the crown 101.
This recess can define a peripheral edge 107 that corresponds to
the helmet profile of the portion of the football helmet face
opening. Referring to FIG. 4, another alternative means for
enhancing the illusion is to dispose one or more surface
discontinuities 410 around the peripheral edge 107 of the modified
area 106. Such surface discontinuities 410 help to enhance the
illusion that the peripheral edge 107 corresponds to the helmet
profile of a portion of a football helmet face opening. One example
of surface discontinuities can include stitching that delineates
the modified area 106 from the exterior surface 108 of the crown
101. Other kinds of discontinuities can include a thin, tubular
material, as illustrated in FIG. 4, which outlines the top and side
portions of the modified area 106 to simulate the face opening
profile of a football helmet.
[0024] Referring back to FIG. 1, the novelty baseball cap 100 can
further include one or more guard members 111. According to one
aspect of the invention, the guard member(s) 111 can be attached to
the bill portion 104. For example, the guard member 111 can be
attached along a bill peripheral edge 412 of the bill portion 104.
According to one alternative shown in FIGS. 1-3, the guard member
111 can be defined by an elongated and substantially tubular
element that is sized, shaped, and colored to simulate the
appearance of a portion of a football helmet face mask. As another
alternative shown in FIG. 4, the guard member 111 may be delineated
by shading the bill peripheral edge 412 with a color that is
different from the color on the remaining portion 413 of the
bill.
[0025] Additional simulated guard members can also be added to
enhance the illusion of a football helmet. For example, additional
tubular elements can be interconnected to simulate different face
mask configurations. Face mask configurations largely depend on
what type of facial protection is desired for a player position.
Examples include, but are not limited to Oral Protection Only
(OPO), Jaw/Oral Protection (JOP), Nose/Oral Protection (NOP),
Nose/Jaw/Oral Protection (NJOP), and Eye Glass/Oral (EGOP). FIG. 3,
for example, shows this interconnection of tubular elements to
simulate an OPO face mask configuration. As shown in FIG. 3, a
portion of the guard member 111 is attached to the bill portion
104. In addition, portions of the guard member 111 may also be
attached substantially adjacent to the peripheral edge 107 of the
modified area 106. One or more conventional face mask fasteners 320
may be used to fasten portions of the tubular elements that are
disposed on the front section 102 of the cap 300. To provide a more
realistic football helmet simulation, a chinstrap 321 may be
attached to flap portions 114 (to be discussed in more detail).
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, each of the novelty baseball cap
embodiments 100, 200, 300, and 400 can further include one or more
flaps 114 that extend from a peripheral edge 117 of the concave
shape defining the crown 101. To maintain the overall appearance of
a football helmet, the flaps 114 should be preferentially made from
the same fabric material used for the crown 101. According to one
alternative shown in FIG. 2, the flaps 114 may be made of a rigid
or semi-rigid plastic material such that the flaps curve inward in
a concave pattern, simulating an actual football helmet. The
plastic material can have an outer covering that matches the
exterior of the crown 101. The flaps may be sewn attached to the
crown 101. Alternatively, the crown 101 and flaps 114 can be formed
of a seamless continuous fabric material. Suitable fabrics include,
but are not limited to brushed cotton, cotton twill, washed chino
twill, polyester mesh, brushed canvas, wool blend, open-cell
polyurethane foam, and other synthetic materials.
[0027] One or more ear vent portions 115 can be disposed on the
crown 101, preferably located on the flap 114. The ear vent portion
115 can be sized, shaped, bored, or colored to simulate the earhole
of an actual football helmet. For example, in FIG. 1, the ear vent
portion 115 has been shaded with a colored fabric material to
contrast with the rest of the exterior surface 108 of the crown
101. By contrast, FIG. 3 defines the ear vent portion 115 by a hole
that is made through the flap 114. Further still, FIG. 4 defines
the ear vent portion 115 by piece of transparent material. By no
means are the illustrated ear vent portion alternatives exhaustive.
The ear vent portion 115 may be comprised of a fabric material that
is recessed relative to the exterior surface of the flap 114. In
another example, the ear vent portion 115 may simply be defined by
a surface discontinuity that is disposed circularly or polygonally
to give the appearance of an actual football helmet earhole.
[0028] While the specific embodiments of the invention have been
disclosed, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
various modifications and alterations to those details could be
developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure.
Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be
illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention
which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and
any and all equivalents thereof.
* * * * *