U.S. patent application number 17/313975 was filed with the patent office on 2021-08-26 for eyewear retainer.
The applicant listed for this patent is Sunday Afternoons, Inc.. Invention is credited to Russell R. Hodgdon, James Stinson.
Application Number | 20210259346 17/313975 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005595679 |
Filed Date | 2021-08-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210259346 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hodgdon; Russell R. ; et
al. |
August 26, 2021 |
EYEWEAR RETAINER
Abstract
Embodiments are disclosed for headwear including an eyewear
retaining pocket. For example, the headwear may include a headwear
body, a first top opening disposed on a first side of the headwear
body and providing access to a first pocket formed at the first
side of the headwear body, the first pocket including a first inner
surface and a second inner surface, and a first bottom opening
disposed on the first side of the headwear, below the first top
opening, and providing access to the first pocket or to another
pocket formed at the first side of the headwear body, where the
first top opening and the first bottom opening are of unequal
size.
Inventors: |
Hodgdon; Russell R.;
(Talent, OR) ; Stinson; James; (Eugene,
OR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Sunday Afternoons, Inc. |
Talent |
OR |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005595679 |
Appl. No.: |
17/313975 |
Filed: |
May 6, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
16184875 |
Nov 8, 2018 |
|
|
|
17313975 |
|
|
|
|
14809055 |
Jul 24, 2015 |
10123581 |
|
|
16184875 |
|
|
|
|
62028772 |
Jul 24, 2014 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 1/22 20130101; A42B
1/247 20130101; A42B 1/009 20210101 |
International
Class: |
A42B 1/247 20060101
A42B001/247; A42B 1/22 20060101 A42B001/22; A42B 1/009 20060101
A42B001/009 |
Claims
1. Headwear comprising: a headwear body; a first top opening
disposed on a first side of the headwear body and providing access
to a first pocket formed at the first side of the headwear body,
the first pocket including a first inner surface and a second inner
surface; and a first bottom opening disposed on the first side of
the headwear, below the first top opening, and providing access to
the first pocket or to another pocket formed at the first side of
the headwear body, where the first top opening and the first bottom
opening are of unequal size.
2. The headwear of claim 1, further comprising a second top opening
disposed on a second side of the headwear body and providing access
to a second pocket formed at the second side of the headwear body;
and a second bottom opening disposed on the second side of the
headwear, below the second top opening, and providing access to the
second pocket or to another pocket formed at the second side of the
headwear body, where the second top opening and the second bottom
opening are of unequal size.
3. The headwear of claim 1, wherein the first top opening and the
first bottom opening are formed via a first slit disposed on the
first side of the headwear and a first tack provided at the first
slit, wherein the first slit has a top point and a bottom
point.
4. The headwear of claim 3, wherein the first top opening and the
first bottom opening being of unequal size includes the first tack
being positioned closer to the top point than the bottom point or
positioned closer to the bottom point than the top point.
5. The headwear of claim 3, wherein the first top opening and the
first bottom opening being of unequal size includes the first tack
being positioned closer to the bottom point than the top point.
6. The headwear of claim 3, wherein the first slit is angled such
that the top point is positioned closer to a front of the headwear
body than the bottom point.
7. The headwear of claim 3, wherein the first tack is the only tack
that is positioned at the first slit.
8. The headwear of claim 3, wherein the first tack is formed by
stitching, glue, RF welding, or a snap.
9. The headwear of claim 1, wherein the headwear body further
comprises a front region and a positioning panel coupled between
the front region and the first top opening and first bottom
opening, the positioning panel comprised of a reflective
material.
10. The headwear of claim 9, wherein the positioning panel is
triangular shaped.
11. The headwear of claim 9, wherein the positioning panel
terminates at the first top opening and the first bottom
opening.
12. The headwear of claim 9, wherein the positioning panel extends
into the first top opening and first bottom opening and at least
partially forms the first inner surface.
13. Headwear comprising: a headwear body; a first opening formed by
a first slit disposed on a first side panel of the headwear body
and providing access to a first pocket formed at the first side
panel of the headwear body, the first pocket including a first
inner surface and a second inner surface; a first tack provided at
the first opening; and a positioning panel coupled to a front panel
of the headwear body and terminating at the first slit.
14. The headwear of claim 13, wherein the positioning panel is
comprised of reflective material.
15. The headwear of claim 13, wherein the first tack is positioned
half-way between a top point and a bottom point of the first
slit.
16. The headwear of claim 13, wherein the first tack is positioned
between a top point and a bottom point of the first slit and is
positioned closer to the top point than the bottom point.
17. Headwear configured to be worn by a wearer, comprising: a
headwear body; and a pair of optics holders comprising a first
opening formed on a first side of the headwear body and providing
access to a first pocket, the first opening segmented by a first
tack at the first opening, and a second opening formed on a second
side of the headwear body and providing access to a second pocket,
the second opening segmented by a second tack at the second
opening, wherein the pair of optics holders is configured to hold
optics in a first position and a second position, wherein in the
first position, earpieces of the optics are configured to be
positioned above the first tack and the second tack and the optics
are configured to extend across the headwear body, and in the
second position, the earpieces of the optics are configured to be
positioned below the first tack and the second tack and the optics
are configured to extend across eyes of the wearer.
18. The headwear of claim 17, wherein the first opening has a first
top point and a first bottom point and the first tack is positioned
half-way between the first top point and the first bottom point,
and wherein the second opening has a second top point and a second
bottom point and the second tack is positioned half-way between the
second top point and the second bottom point.
19. The headwear of claim 17, wherein the first opening has a first
top point and a first bottom point and the first tack is positioned
closer the first top point than the first bottom point, and wherein
the second opening has a second top point and a second bottom point
and the second tack is positioned closer to the second top point
than the second bottom point.
20. The headwear of claim 17, further comprising a pair of
positioning panels, a first positioning panel of the pair of
positioning panels located adjacent the first opening and a second
positioning panel of the pair of positioning panels located
adjacent the second opening.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 16/184,875 entitled
"EYEWEAR RETAINER", and filed on Nov. 8, 2018. U.S. Non-Provisional
patent application Ser. No. 16/184,875 is a continuation-in-part of
U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/809,055
entitled "EYEWEAR RETAINER" and filed on Jul. 24, 2015. U.S.
Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/809,055 claims
priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/028,772
entitled "FORAGE HAT," and filed Jul. 24, 2014. The entire contents
of each of the above-listed applications are hereby incorporated by
reference for all purposes.
FIELD
[0002] The disclosure relates to a hat including an eyewear
retainer.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Headwear may be utilized to shield a wearer from
environmental hazards, such as sunlight, debris, rain, etc. A
wearer may also perform various activities while wearing headwear.
During some conditions and/or activities, a wearer may stow
eyewear, such as eyeglasses or sunglasses, away temporarily. In
order to allow quick retrieval of the stowed eyewear, some hats
provide openings to accept earpieces of eyewear. For example, U.S.
Pat. No. 6,671,885 (Viggiano) discloses slots in a side of a crown
of a hat that allow for insertion of earpieces of eyewear. However,
while performing activities, such as moving his/her head around or
down, a wearer may easily dislodge eyewear stowed in such
openings.
[0004] For example, the inventors have recognized some
disadvantages with the eyewear retainers of Viggiano. In Viggiano,
attempts to secure the eyewear are made by lining the openings with
a hook and loop material. However, in order to provide the intended
security, the wearer would continually adjust the openings by
detaching opposing segments of the hook and loop material to one
another to accept the eyewear, then reattaching opposing segments
of the hook and loop material to one another around the earpieces
of the eyewear. Furthermore, the hook and loop material itself does
not have any adhesive quality with respect to the surface of the
earpieces, but rather merely creates a smaller pocket for the
earpieces. Further still, the large area of hook and loop material
provided in the hat of Viggiano would create a dense region of
additional material along the crown of the hat, affecting
aesthetics, airflow, and flexibility/comfort of the hat.
[0005] Additionally, the eyewear retainers of Viggiano are designed
to accommodate eyewear when the eyewear is resting on a brim of the
hat and may not securely retain the eyewear when the eyewear is in
a different position. Further still, the hat of Viggiano does not
provide any guidance features on the outside of the hat that may
facilitate easy placement of the eyewear in the eyewear
retainers.
SUMMARY
[0006] The disclosure provides embodiments of an eyewear retainer
that mitigate the above-described issues. For example, headwear
according to the following disclosure may include a headwear body
including a crown, a hat brim extending from the crown, and one or
more slits disposed on a side panel of the crown, each slit
providing access to a pocket formed in the side panel of the crown,
the pocket including one or more strips of a retaining material
coupled to an inner surface of the pocket. By providing a lining
for an eyewear retaining pocket as described herein, the disclosed
embodiments enable eyewear to be inserted, secured, and removed
without adjustment of the retainer by the user. The disclosed
striping of retaining material in the pocket also promotes air flow
through the pocket to help cool a wearer and retains flexibility
and comfort of the hat. Further features of eyewear retainer
embodiments are described below.
[0007] In another example, headwear includes a headwear body, a
first top opening formed by a first slit disposed on a first side
panel of the headwear body and providing access to a first pocket
formed at the first side panel of the headwear body, the first
pocket including a first inner surface and a second inner surface,
the first slit including a top point and a bottom point, and a
first bottom opening disposed on the first side of the headwear,
vertically below the first top opening, and providing access to the
first pocket or to another pocket formed at the first side of the
headwear body, where the first top opening and the first bottom
opening are of unequal size. By providing two openings of unequal
size, eyewear (e.g., sunglasses) may be held securely in multiple
positions, including a position relatively low on the headwear such
that the eyewear may be retained via the headwear while in use
(e.g., across the eyes of the wearer of the headwear).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The disclosure may be better understood from reading the
following description of non-limiting embodiments, with reference
to the attached drawings, wherein below:
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a front isometric view of example headwear in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0010] FIG. 2 shows a rear view of example headwear in accordance
with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a rear isometric view of example headwear in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0012] FIG. 4 shows an example detail view of a size adjustment
mechanism in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 5 shows an example left side view of example headwear
in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0014] FIG. 6 shows an example right side view of example headwear
in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0015] FIG. 7A shows an example headwear with sunglasses secured to
a front of the headwear in a respective sunglasses holder in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0016] FIG. 7B shows an example headwear with sunglasses secured to
a rear of the headwear in a respective sunglasses holder in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0017] FIG. 8A shows an example interior view of an eyewear
retaining pocket in example headwear in accordance with one or more
embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0018] FIG. 8B shows an exploded view of an example eyewear
retaining pocket in accordance with one or more embodiments of the
present disclosure;
[0019] FIGS. 8C through 8G show example arrangements of retaining
material in an eyewear retaining pocket in accordance with one or
more embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0020] FIG. 9 shows a left side view of an example headwear in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0021] FIG. 10 shows a front view of the headwear of FIG. 9;
[0022] FIG. 11 shows a top view of the headwear of FIG. 9;
[0023] FIGS. 12A and 12B show eyewear being held in headwear in a
first position and a second position, respectively, via optics
holders according to embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0024] FIG. 13 shows a magnified view of an optics holder of the
headwear of FIG. 9;
[0025] FIG. 14 shows another example arrangement of retaining
material in an eyewear retaining pocket in accordance with one or
more embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0026] FIG. 15 shows a left side view of another example headwear
in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure; and
[0027] FIG. 16 shows a left side view of another example headwear
in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] An updated Sunglass Lock technology is included in the
disclosed headwear, which may provide the dual functionality of
increased security during eyewear storage and increased airflow to
a wearer's head. For example, an interior of a pocket and/or
channel formed in a side of the headwear may have an internal side
(e.g., closest to a wearer's head) that provides ventilation to the
wearer's head via ventilating material of a sweatband. The interior
of the pocket and/or channel may also have an external side (e.g.,
closest to an outer environment of the headwear, farther from the
head of the wearer than the internal side) that includes one or
more strips of retaining material (e.g., silicone in one
non-limiting example) to assist in gripping eyewear within the
interior of the pocket and/or channel. Therefore, when an earpiece
of eyewear is inserted into the pocket/channel, the strips may be
positioned on one side of the earpiece and the ventilation material
of the sweatband may be positioned on an opposite side of the
earpiece. In this way, one side of the pocket/channel may provide
retention features, while the opposite side of the pocket/channel
may provide ventilation access for increased air flow to a wearer's
head. The eyewear retainer may utilize various venting slit
sizes/segmentations and possible liners to make the eyewear "lock"
in even more securely. Additional features of an eyewear retainer
and/or associated slip stream venting are described and illustrated
in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 7A-8G.
[0029] A completely new sizing system, described and illustrated in
more detail below with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4, included in the
headwear utilizes no moving parts, and may be made of material with
more durability than plastics that might fail in the field in some
embodiments. For example, a sizing buckle may be stepped on in the
field, and the brittle materials of said sizing buckle may result
in breakage of the buckle, removing the ability to adjust the size
of the hat. Such malfunctioning gear in the field becomes a
liability. By removing the moving parts and brittle materials used
in some sizing mechanisms, the present disclosure provides a more
robust sizing mechanism that may be reliably used in even the
toughest environments.
[0030] The example headwear provided in this disclosure may provide
a silhouette that is similar to an early 20.sup.th century German
or Russian Forager Cap and may include a unique technical twist
with a plurality of technical features, as well as a flexible
application of trims and fabrics. For example, the headwear may be
configured with a material composition that is effective for
providing camouflage, blocking UV rays, transferring heat away from
the head, resisting and/or repelling water, etc. Structural
supports may be embedded in various regions of the headwear to
provide additional support of a biased shape of the headwear.
[0031] A tactical wearer of headwear may frequent locations such as
a shooting range and wear a traditional cadet/patrol style hat.
Such hats traditionally have a high front panel that carries around
the entire circumference. The present disclosure provides headwear
that maintains the traditional military style look in the front
with a lower profile appearance in the back. Wearing shooting ear
muffs (ear pro) all day may make more traditional military-style
hats bunch up on the sides and may generally be uncomfortable for
extended use. The present disclosure provides headwear with a crown
pattern that may include a one piece pattern with specifically
curved darts to match the natural curvature of a wearer's head in
the rear. The pattern differs from ball caps (traditional 6 and 5
panel caps) as well as performance hats (rounded in the front and
rear). The hat offers the wearer the traditional military style
silhouette with the comfort of a ball cap along with the
convenience of stowing sunglasses (eye pro) in a secure sunglass
lock system and features an unbreakable sizing system on the rear.
It is to be understood that the silhouette described above provides
just one example of headwear that may include the various features
described in this disclosure, and one or more of the features may
be interchangeable and/or included on various styles of
headwear.
[0032] These and other features (described in more detail below)
may be provided in various combinations of headwear embodiments to
provide a robust, flexible, and functional cap that performs well
in any environment and stands up to heavy use. Although illustrated
and described as a cap, it is to be understood that any one or more
of the features described herein may be included in any suitable
style of hat, including, without limitation, a charter hat, a sun
fedora, a boonie hat, a capotain, a gat, a hardee hat, a homburg, a
panama, a sombrero, a sun visor, a top hat, a legionnaire hat, a
flap hat, and/or any other suitable head covering.
[0033] FIG. 1 shows a front isometric view of an example headwear
100. Headwear 100 may include a foldable brim 102 (e.g., a visor)
extending from or otherwise carried by a hat body 104. Hat body 104
may include a multi-paneled crown in some embodiments, while in
other embodiments the hat body may be formed of a single panel or
piece of fabric (e.g., a unibody construction) forming any suitable
hat body shape. The crown may comprise a cap configured to extend
over a top of a wearer's head. In some embodiments, the crown may
include a plurality of panels extending around a circumference or
perimeter of the crown and intersecting at a central region (e.g.,
attaching to a top panel of the crown). In some embodiments, the
crown may not include a cap. For example, a cap may be defined as a
covering over the top of a wearer's head (e.g., providing material
in all areas of the crown). A crown without a cap may include a
crown that does not cover all of a wearer's head within the crown.
A visor is an example of a hat including a crown without a cap, as
a visor may allow a wearer's head to remain exposed to the
environment while wearing the hat.
[0034] In the illustrated example, a front panel 106 may be of a
generally rectangular shape (e.g., with parallel substantially
straight vertical sides, a substantially straight bottom side that
curves around a circumference of the crown of the hat, and a top
side that curves/extends upward) curved around the circumference of
the hat body. In some embodiments, each panel (or the entirety of
the hat body/brim) may include the same type of fabric or other
material. In other embodiments, one or more panels (or the hat
brim) may include a different type of material than the other
panels.
[0035] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the front panel 106
may be formed of felt or other loop or hook type of fabric,
enabling objects to be secured to the panel (e.g., via a hook/loop
fastening) as shown in more detail in FIG. 6. Such fabric may be
used as the front panel (e.g., with no other material positioning
in that location) or may be attached to one or more under layers of
material (e.g., material matching the remaining panels of the hat,
mesh lining, etc.). The front panel 106 and/or the outer material
of front panel 106 may be secured to the surrounding panels via
stitching along each side of the panel or by any other suitable
securing mechanism. Front panel 106 may be symmetric along an axis
formed approximately in the center of the foldable brim 102.
[0036] Headband 108 may form another panel of the hat body and/or a
junction between the hat body and the foldable brim 102. Headband
108 may extend around the circumference of the base of the hat body
and house the sizing mechanism 110 described in more detail below
with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4. In some embodiments, the headband
108 may extend around the entire circumference of the hat body
(e.g., formed from a single, continuous loop of material) and/or
may extend partly around the circumference (e.g., leaving an
opening in the back of the hat body). For example, headband 108 may
be formed from a substantially rectangular panel that includes
terminating ends that are spaced from one another. The size of the
hat may be adjusted by pulling the terminating ends closer to one
another (or farther apart) using sizing mechanism 110.
[0037] One or more additional panels may form the remainder of hat
body 104. The panels may be configured to provide a head-mapping
contour, allowing for a low-profile fit. For example, front panel
106 may include the highest point of the hat body, and the panels
along the side and top of the hat may converge toward one another
as the panels extend to the rear of the hat. This head-mapping
crown feature will be described in more detail below with respect
to FIG. 2.
[0038] Foldable brim 102 may be configured to fold inward, such
that the outer edges of the brim converge toward one another in a
downward direction (when the hat is oriented as illustrated in FIG.
1) when folded. The folding operation may be facilitated by a slit
112 formed in the generally rigid or semi-rigid material of the
brim substrate. The brim may be formed of one or more layers of
brim substrate covered in one or more outer layers of fabric (or
other flexible material), the brim substrate being more rigid than
the outer layers of fabric. For example, one or more portions of
the brim (e.g., the brim substrate) may include pre-curved polymer
material (e.g., 1.5 mm thick) that can be biased to retain a
particular shape and have a density that enables floatation in
water. In some embodiments, the material under the brim substrate
(e.g., facing a wearer's face) may be different than the material
above the brim substrate (e.g., facing away from the wearer).
[0039] In order to provide more robust folding operation, slit 112
may be reinforced by self-fabric exterior bias material (e.g., bias
material that is the same as the outer material of the brim). The
slit may be reinforced at an associated seam with grosgrain or
another suitable material to keep out debris and add lateral
strength. For example, a piece of fabric may be folded over each
edge of the slit. The additional reinforcement described above may
be provided by attaching a piece of material to the underside of
each seam (e.g., under the edges of each side of the slit), the
material stretching between the edges of the slit. Accordingly,
when folded, the piece of reinforcement material under the slit may
be exposed, rather than a brim substrate or other element. The
material under the slit may be formed of the same material and/or
have the same pattern as the material on the upper side of the brim
in some examples in order to provide a seamless transition between
the brim and the reinforced slit opening.
[0040] Headwear 100 may include one or more pairs of optics (e.g.,
sunglasses/glasses) holders 114 along the side of the hat body 104.
For example, a slit may be present in each of the side panels of
the hat body providing access to one or more pockets formed in the
panels. As used herein, it is to be understood that a pocket may be
formed of two or more materials coupled together in a manner that
enables elements to be inserted therein. For example,
earpieces/legs of the frames of the optics may be inserted into the
pockets as illustrated and described in more detail below with
respect to FIGS. 7 and 8. Accordingly, a pocket, as used herein,
may encompass a channel formed between two or more materials (e.g.,
two or more materials layered on top of one another and joined
along two opposing edges to form an opening therebetween with at
least two entrances to the channel), a partially-enclosed pocket
(e.g., two or more material layered on top of one another and
joined along at least three edges to form an opening therebetween
with only one entrance to the pocket, the pocket being segregated
from other material and/or closed at both or either end), and/or
any suitable variation thereof. It is to be understood that joining
or coupling, as used throughout the disclosure, may refer to any
suitable coupling mechanism, including but not limited to
attaching, stitching, gluing, adhering, chemical bonding, sewing,
etc. Particular coupling mechanisms may be performed to provide
advantages relating to that coupling mechanism, and disclosure of a
particular coupling mechanism to join two or more elements together
may be understood to also cover the disclosure of any other
suitable coupling mechanism to join those two or more elements
together.
[0041] In some examples, headwear may provide a different
silhouette from the illustrated silhouette while maintaining the
same core features (e.g., sunglasses holders 114, sizing mechanism
110, head-mapping crown as shown in FIG. 2, etc.). For example, the
silhouette of such headwear may provide a more cylindrical hat body
than the illustrated headwear 100, as opposed to the head-mapping
contour of the domed hat body of headwear 100. In this way, the hat
body of an alternative example headwear may include a front, side,
and rear region each having substantially similar height to one
another and a substantially rectangular two dimensional
projection.
[0042] FIG. 2 shows a rear view of headwear 100 illustrated in FIG.
1. FIG. 2 illustrates the contoured appearance of the head-mapping
crown for headwear 100. Panels 202 may be formed of different
pieces of material sewn together (or otherwise attached) and/or by
altering the material (e.g., sewing darts). For example, multiple
panels may be formed from one continuous piece of material by
providing one or more darts in the piece of material, creating
multiple seams to form the edges of the panels. Each panel may be
wider at a front end of the cap (e.g., toward the brim) and
narrower toward a rear of the cap (e.g., toward the opening and
sizing mechanism of the cap). The panels may terminate toward the
front of the cap at a front and/or side panel, and may terminate
toward the rear of the cap at an opening 204. For example, a side
panel of the cap may have a non-rectangular shape that tapers
inward toward a rear opening in a back of the cap.
[0043] The shaping of the head-mapping crown may be formed based on
anatomical structures of a head of a wearer (e.g., based on average
measurements and/or configurable in different measurements for
different sizes of headwear). For example, darts, stitching, and/or
panel measurements may be matched to regions of a skull of a
wearer. As an additional or alternative example, a central seam may
be aligned with a central region of a skull or head of a wearer,
and darts/seams may be positioned to be aligned with one or more
side regions of a skull or head of a wearer. Opening 204 may be
made larger or smaller by adjusting the sizing mechanism. Side
edges of the panels 202 may be formed by darts, stitching, or other
folding/attachment structures. It is to be understood that the
head-mapping crown may be utilized in any other suitable headwear
than those illustrated. For example, a full-brim hat (and/or a hat
with a larger brim that that illustrated in FIG. 1) may include a
crown having head-mapping contours as described herein.
[0044] FIGS. 3 and 4 provide detailed views of sizing mechanism 110
of FIG. 1. Sizing mechanism 110 may be provided to enable the
headwear to be size adjustable and conform to a variety of head
sizes and types. As illustrated, sizing mechanism 110 includes a
strap 302 extending from an inner region of the cap to an outer
region of the cap along a circumference of the hat body when
disposed in a locked position. For example, strap 302 may be housed
and secured to the cap within a pocket formed in headband 108
(e.g., sandwiched between at least two layers of material) at a
first end and attached to a sizing clip 304 at a second end,
opposite from the first end. In other embodiments, the strap may be
attached to an interior of the cap (e.g., exposed to a wearer when
placed on the head of the wearer and not within a pocket of
material) or an exterior of the cap at the first end. Strap 302 may
include and/or be composed of flexible material, such as an elastic
polymer, in order to provide a resilient tightening mechanism. In
one example, strap 302 may include sizing tape including webbing
with elastic extension (e.g., 3/4'' elastic).
[0045] A guiding loop 306 may be attached to an outer region of the
cap near a plurality of looped fasteners 308, also secured to the
outer region of the cap. Guiding loop 306 may be formed of flexible
material (e.g., material that is more flexible than the material of
strap 302 and/or looped fasteners 308) that may stretch to allow
the passage of the sizing clip 304 when the strap is directed
through the guiding loop toward the looped fasteners. The guiding
loop 306 may also provide an anchor to which the sizing clip may be
attached for additional size customization. The looped fasteners
may be made of the same material as strap 302 or of a different
material (e.g., with a different amount of flexibility). For
example, the looped fasteners may be formed by attaching a strip of
material to a headband of the cap (e.g., sewing vertical stitching)
in multiple locations along the strip while the strip is allowed to
loosely gather between attachments. The looped fasteners may be any
suitable size relative to the sizing clip 304. In some embodiments,
each of the looped fasteners may be a same size (e.g., have a same
opening area when not stretched and/or have a same width/height).
In other embodiments, one or more looped fasteners may be sized
differently from one or more other looped fasteners. Although
illustrated along a right side of the headwear, it is to be
understood that the looped fasteners and other sizing mechanism
elements may be located in any suitable region of the cap. For
example, the sizing mechanism may be mirror-reversed or have a
shifted location from the illustrated example and still fall within
the scope of this disclosure.
[0046] The sizing clip 304 may be formed of any suitable material.
For example, sizing clip 304 may be formed of metal or a metal
alloy for strength, plastic for weight reduction, and/or any
suitable combination of materials. As a more detailed example, a
combination of materials that may be utilized includes the stretch
of an elastic overlap stitched to a military grade 20MM webbing,
sewn to a nylon coated steel "G" hook that acts as the hook (e.g.,
sizing clip 304) that latches onto the webbing sizing loops (e.g.,
308) on the other side of the rear hat opening. The sizing clip may
include a first closed loop that is attached to an associated loop
of material from the strap 302 and a second, partially open loop
configured to be removably attached to a selected looped fastener
308. The partially open loop may include two substantially parallel
prongs (e.g., an innermost prong 402 of FIG. 4 forming a side of
the first closed loop and an outermost prong 404 of FIG. 4 spaced
from the first closed loop) attached at one end and opened at
another such that one of the prongs may pass through a looped
fastener. As described above, one of the prongs may be configured
to attach to guiding loop 306 in order to provide additional width
beyond that supplied by the looped fasteners.
[0047] In some embodiments, a hook 406 (illustrated in FIG. 4)
along the outermost prong 404 may be provided that is configured to
wrap around a lower edge of a selected looped fastener or guiding
loop for further securing the sizing clip to the fastener/loop. In
other embodiments, the hook may be absent in order to enable the
sizing clip to pass through a looped fastener more easily. In some
embodiments, a latch or other securing mechanism, represented by
dashed line 408 of FIG. 4, may be included on the hook to provide
an additional locking mechanism for locking the hook onto a
particular looped fastener or onto the guiding loop 306. In
additional or alternative embodiments, one or more additional
sizing hooks may be including in the sizing mechanism. For example,
utilizing a plurality of sizing hooks may enable the snapback force
of the elastic strap to be divided across each hook, reducing the
overall force on each hook and reducing the possibility that all of
the hooks will be pulled from out of the respective loops.
[0048] In some embodiments, the opening of the looped material for
each looped fastener may be sized to be close to a width of the
widest point of the prong of the sizing clip. For example, the loop
of the fastener may be sized such that the loop of the fastener
stretches during insertion of the prong and snap back to a tight
fit once the prong is in a locked position inside of the lopped
fastener. Any suitable number of looped fasteners may be provided.
A shock cord elastic sizing tape retention loop may be utilized for
the looped fasteners and/or the guiding loop.
[0049] FIGS. 5 and 6 show side views of headwear 100 of FIG. 1. As
illustrated, one or more panels may include curved or otherwise
non-uniform edges that may ultimately converge toward a rear of the
cap. FIG. 6 further illustrates an exemplary attachment of a badge
or other object 602 to a front panel 106. For example, object 602
may include a hook and loop or other attachment mechanism on a rear
(e.g., hat-facing) surface that is configured to connect to an
associated attachment mechanism on the front panel 106. Dashed
lines 604 represent any suitable connection mechanism. For example,
object 602 may be sewn, embroidered, glued/adhered, snapped, and/or
otherwise attached to front panel 106. Each of the caps illustrated
in FIGS. 5 and 6 may include a brim 102 that is biased or angled in
a downward direction in order to provide a large amount of
protection of the eyes and face of the wearer from debris,
sunlight, rain, or other elements.
[0050] FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate forward- and backward-facing
optics holder poses. In order to secure optics along the front
and/or the back of the cap, multiple openings and/or reverse-access
openings may be provided in a side panel of the cap. For example, a
pocket or channel 702 configured to house a portion of an earpiece
or other structure of an optical device 704 (e.g., sunglasses,
eyeglasses, reading glasses, safety glasses, goggles, etc.) may be
provided within a side panel of the hat (e.g., formed by a gap
between at least two layers of material). Although optical devices
are described as being inserted into the pocket, it is to be
understood that any suitable object may be inserted and retained in
the pocket. The pocket may be accessible by one or more slits 706
formed in the side panel. For example, a slit at a front of the
pocket (e.g., toward a brim of the cap) may provide access for an
earpiece of a forward-facing optic (e.g., as illustrated in FIG.
7A), while a slit at a back of the pocket may provide access for an
earpiece of a rear-ward facing optic (e.g., as illustrated in FIG.
7B). Accordingly, four or more slits may be present on the cap to
allow access to two or more pockets for holding optics in the
above-described embodiments.
[0051] In other embodiments, multiple pockets (e.g., pocket or
channel 702 and pocket or channel 703) may be included in the side
of the cap and a single slit (e.g., slit 706 that is positioned
between pocket or channel 702 and pocket or channel 703) may
provide access to each pocket, depending upon the direction at
which an object passes through the slit. In such an embodiment, two
or more slits may be present on the cap to allow access to four or
more pockets. It is to be understood that any number or combination
of slits and pockets may be used to secure optics or other objects
to the cap. The slit may also may segmented in some embodiments.
For example, horizontal stitching forming a dart or tack (e.g.,
707a, 707b, and 707c) may be provided across the slit in one or
more locations to create a more secure holding mechanism for the
optics when housed in a given pocket. For example, eyewear
including curved earpieces may be inserted above at least one dart
or tack, and the dart or tack may provide a security mechanism to
catch the curved region of the earpieces if the eyewear
inadvertently slides out of the pocket. In the illustrated example,
if optical device 704 includes curved earpieces, such earpieces may
be caught on dart or tack 707c upon inadvertent sliding out of the
pocket in order to keep the optical device retained until the
wearer can reinsert the device. The segmentation of the slits may
also provide differently sized openings for differently sized
optics. Furthermore, the segmentation of the slits may enable
earpieces or other frame elements to be inserted relatively high on
the crown of the hat (e.g., in an upper-most opening, above a
horizontal stitch) or relatively low on the crown of the hat (e.g.,
in a lower-most opening, below a horizontal stitch and the
upper-most opening). For example, sunglasses with larger
frames/lenses may be inserted into an uppermost opening of the slit
in order to allow the bottom of the sunglasses lenses/frames to
rest on the brim of the hat. The darts or tacks 707a-707c may be
any suitable size capable of extending across the slit 706. For
example, the darts or tacks may be approximately 1/4 inch long. As
illustrated in FIG. 7, optics 704 may be able to rest on the brim
when inserted into a lower opening of the slit 706 below the
horizontal stitching 707b.
[0052] Material may be inserted into the slits 706 and/or around
the opening/edges of the slits 706 to further prevent and/or
promote movement of the optics out of/into the pockets. For
example, material having a relatively more adhesive quality (e.g.,
rubber, texturized material for gripping, silicone, rough fabric,
etc.) may be utilized within a pocket and/or along an interior of
the edges of openings of the slits 706 to help retain inserted
optics within the pocket. Material having a relatively less
adhesive or slicker quality (e.g., metal, leather, smooth
plastic/fabric, etc.) may be provided along edges of the slits
and/or an outer region of the slits in order to promote insertion
of optics into the slits/pocket and/or guide the optics into the
slits/pocket.
[0053] One or more of the slits used for accessing an optics holder
may additionally provide ventilation for the cap. For example, the
slit may open to a mesh lining of the cap or otherwise provide a
path of airflow from an exterior of the cap to an interior of the
crown of the cap. Slits 706 may be positioned in any suitable
location or configuration on the headwear. For examples, the slits
may be positioned higher or lower on the crown, spaced further
apart from/closer to one another, shifted along a circumference of
the cap, and/or otherwise repositioned relative to the illustrated
examples without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
Further, it is to be understood that the optics holders described
herein may be utilized in any other suitable headwear than those
illustrated. For example, a full-brim hat (and/or a hat with a
larger brim that that illustrated in FIG. 1) may include one or
more of the optics holders described herein.
[0054] Examples of an eyewear retaining pocket that also provides
for slip stream venting are described in more detail in FIGS.
8A-8G. FIG. 8A shows an example interior view of an eyewear
retaining pocket 802 in example headwear 800. Headwear 800 may
include a crown 804 and a brim 806 extending from the crown 804.
The crown 804 may be largely formed from a sweatband or headband in
the illustrated example (e.g., where headwear 800 includes a
capless visor). However, it is to be understood that the example
embodiments of the eyewear retaining pocket described herein may be
included in any suitable location (e.g., a single pocket on each
side of a crown, two pockets on each side of the crown, etc.) of
any suitable hat (e.g., a baseball style cap, a visor, a
full-brimmed hat, an adventure hat, a sun hat, etc.), including but
not limited to those illustrated and described herein. For example,
retaining pockets with locking features as described herein may be
included on baseball style caps to allow wearers to stow eyewear
while performing sporting activities without worrying about losing
the eyewear.
[0055] As illustrated in FIG. 8A, the eyewear retaining pocket 802
may be accessed via a slit or other opening 808 in a side of the
crown. In some examples, the crown may be formed of multiple layers
of material, and the opening 808 may penetrate at least one layer
and allow the eyewear to rest behind the at least one layer and/or
be sandwiched between the at least one layer and at least one other
layer. The eyewear retaining pocket may include one or more strips
810 of retaining material. The strips may be of any suitable size
that is smaller than the width of the pocket (e.g., in a direction
extending circumferentially around the crown). An example retaining
material includes silicone or a silicone composite. Silicone may be
selected to provide comfort via the soft and flexible material, and
to have a minimal impact on the outward appearance of the hat.
Silicone may also stay tacky in both warm and cold weather, while
still allowing eyewear to be removed with a reasonable amount of
pulling tension. Silicone provides retention capabilities for a
variety of materials that may be utilized in eyewear, such as
metal, polymers, etc. Silicone is also resistant to dirt and oil
build up and easier to clean than other materials (e.g., hook and
loop material, which easily retains dirt and other debris within
both the hook and loop portions of the material), and the retention
properties of silicone are unaffected by perspiration from a
sweatband. Silicone also reduces interference with airflow through
the pocket to increase ventilation properties of the slits.
However, it is to be understood that any suitable material capable
of providing additional friction (e.g., beyond that provided by the
material of the crown and/or headband) for assisting in the
retaining of eyewear within the pocket may be utilized for hats
configured for different types of activities/environments. Although
shown as multiple strips having the same material, it is to be
further understood that only a single strip may be included in the
eyewear retaining pocket or multiple strips, all or some of which
being composed of different retaining material, may be included in
the pocket.
[0056] In the illustrated example of FIG. 8A, the strips 810 may be
provided on a rear/interior surface of an outermost layer of the
crown 804, such that eyewear may be positioned between the
retaining material and an inner layer of the crown (e.g., a layer
of the crown closer to the wearer's head than the outermost layer).
The illustrated positioning may enable the opening 808 to serve as
a vent for the headwear by allowing airflow through the opening to
the wearer's head via mesh or other venting material 809 forming
the inner layer of the crown. In other examples, the strips 810 of
retaining material may be provided on the inner layer of the crown
and the venting material 809 may be provided in between the strips
to maintain some airflow through to the wearer. In such examples,
the eyewear may rest on top of the strips 810 (e.g., with the
strips positioned between the eyewear and the inner layer of the
crown/the wearer), and an outermost layer of the crown (e.g.,
positioned on top of the eyewear to form the retaining pocket) may
be formed of mesh or other ventilation material in order to further
promote airflow through to the wearer's head.
[0057] FIG. 8B shows an exploded view of an example eyewear
retaining pocket 812. Eyewear retaining pocket 812 may be an
example configuration of eyewear retaining pocket 802 of FIG. 8A.
As shown in FIG. 8B, an outermost layer 814 of a crown may form an
outermost layer of the retaining pocket 812. For example, the
outermost layer 814 may be comprised of a material covering a
substantial majority of the crown of the headwear, and may include
any suitable fabric, leather, suede, elastomer, and/or other
material or composite material. In some examples, outermost layer
814 may include a breathable material that allows additional
airflow to flow through the pocket 812.
[0058] At a second layer, (in order from an environment to a
wearer's head), one or more strips 816 of retaining material may be
provided. The strips 816 may correspond to the strips 810 of FIG.
8A, and the disclosure provided above with respect to strips 810
may likewise apply to strips 816. Strips 816 may be coupled to an
inner surface of outermost layer 814 of the crown by any suitable
mechanism, including but not limited to heat transfer, stitching,
sewing, embroidering, gluing/adhering, snapping, and/or other
adhesive mechanisms. When inserted, an earpiece 818 of eyewear may
provide a third layer of the retaining pocket 812. The earpiece 818
may be sandwiched between the strips 816 and a ventilation material
820 (serving as the fourth layer of the pocket when eyewear is
inserted, or the third layer when eyewear is not inserted).
Ventilation material 820 may form a portion of a headband and/or
sweatband of a hat including the retaining pocket 812, and may be
composed of a material that allows more airflow through the
material than the outermost layer 814 and/or the strips 816. For
example, the ventilation material 820 may include mesh,
loosely-woven fabric, or another suitable material or composite
that allows air to flow through the material. Although the
illustrated example provides for ventilation material to serve as
the fourth layer of the pocket (e.g., a closest layer to the
wearer's head), the retaining pocket may additionally or
alternatively be formed using insulating material (e.g., material
that retains heat and/or has the same or lower ventilation
capabilities to allow the same or less airflow than the outermost
layer 814 and/or the strips 816, which may be utilized in a winter
hat, for example), material similar to the outermost layer 814,
elastomeric material, and/or any other suitable material included
in a sweatband/headband and/or layered thereon.
[0059] In constructing the pocket 812, the strips 816 may be
coupled to the outermost layer 814 (e.g., via heat transfer, sewn,
embroidered, glued/adhered, snapped, and/or otherwise attached to
the outermost layer). These combined layers may be sewn or
otherwise attached to another layer (as represented by dashed lines
823), which may include the ventilation material 820 and/or any
other intervening layer not illustrated. The attachment may leave
an opening along one edge of the combined layers to allow for
insertion of the eyewear therein.
[0060] FIGS. 8C and 8D show example arrangements of retaining
material 822 in an eyewear retaining pocket (e.g., as viewed from
an interior surface 824 of a channel, such as an interior surface
of an outermost layer 826 of a crown). In the example of FIG. 8C,
three evenly-spaced strips of the retaining material 822 are
provided on the interior surface 824. Each strip may be 4 mm wide
and spaced from adjacent strips and/or an edge of the pocket by 4
mm in one non-limiting example. The even spacing may allow for
distributed airflow and an ability to fold that portion of the
crown to maintain flexibility and comfort. However, it is to be
understood that any suitable arrangement of strips may be used to
provide other benefits. Additional arrangements are shown in FIGS.
8D-8G. For example, arrangements 828a and 828b of FIG. 8D show
retaining material (illustrated with crosshatching) in diagonal
arrangements around a central vertical strip and arrangements 828c
and 828d show uniform angular disposal of the retaining material.
Such angularity may promote additional retention for insertion in a
plurality of directions. As a horizontal arrangement may not
provide sufficient adhesion to the eyewear, the angularity of the
strips in arrangements 828a-828d may vary from approximately +/-80
degrees relative to the vertical arrangement illustrated in FIG.
8A.
[0061] For example, as described above, a pocket may be formed such
that eyewear may be inserted from a rear and/or a front of the
pocket in some examples. The differential angularity shown in
arrangements 828a and 828b may help to retain eyewear in the pocket
when inserted from either direction by angling toward the insertion
direction, for example. Headwear that includes separate pockets for
forward and rear insertion may utilize each of the arrangements
828c and 828d for the respective pockets (e.g., 828c for a forward
insertion pocket and 828d for a rear insertion pocket). In some
examples, different material may be used for different angles of
retaining material. For example, for a forward insertion pocket,
arrangement 828a may be used in which angulated material to the
right of the pocket are composed of slick material (having less
friction or adhesive qualities than the other retaining material)
to guide the eyewear into the pocket, while the angulated material
to the left of the pocket is composed of more adhesive material to
retain the eyewear in the pocket. In this way, the strips of
retaining material may work together to increase resistance within
the pocket and prevent eyewear from falling out during activity.
Other arrangements of retaining material may also be utilized,
including spiral, concentric circle, rectangular, and other
suitable arrangements of retaining material on crown material.
[0062] FIGS. 8E, 8F, and 8G show further example arrangements of
strips of retaining material disposed on an interior surface (e.g.,
interior surface 831 of arrangement 829a of FIG. 8E) of a channel
or pocket of a hat (e.g., pocket/channel 702 or 703 of FIG. 7A),
where, in each example arrangement, at least one strip of retaining
material has a different friction or adhesive quality than at least
one other strip of retaining material. For example, FIG. 8E shows
example arrangements 829a-829l of strips forming chevron shapes
(e.g., where each strip forms an upper or lower half of an
associated chevron shape, such as strip 832a, which forms an upper
half of chevron shape 832 and strip 832b, which forms a lower half
of chevron shape 832) that have different friction or adhesive
qualities. In the example of FIG. 8E, the different friction or
adhesive qualities in the strips may include a different amount of
retaining material (e.g., where the dotted strips such as strips
832a and 832b utilize less of a retaining material than the solid
strips such as strips 834a and 834b, as the dotted strips include
retaining material that is interrupted by space or other material
while the solid strips include uninterrupted retaining material).
In some examples, the strips 832a and 832b may include a different
type or composition of retaining material than strips 834a and
834b. In other examples, the strips 832a and 832b may be formed of
the same type or composition of retaining material as strips 834a
and 834b. In FIG. 8E, at least one strip in each arrangement is
positioned at a non-zero angle relative to at least one other strip
in the respective arrangement, and the chevrons formed by the
strips are oriented in the same direction. In FIG. 8F, example
arrangements 836a-836h include at least one strip that is
positioned at a non-zero angle relative to at least one other strip
in the respective arrangement, and at least one of the chevrons
formed by the strips is oriented in a different direction than at
least one other of the chevrons formed by the strips of a
respective arrangement.
[0063] FIG. 8G shows still further example arrangements 838a-838j
of retaining strips that have different friction or adhesive
qualities. In arrangement 838a, strip 840 is shown having a
different number and different size of spaces between deposits of
retaining material relative to strip 842, which may thereby provide
a different friction or adhesive quality. In arrangement 838b,
strip 844 is shown having a different (e.g., thicker) width than
strip 846, which may thereby provide a different friction or
adhesive quality. In arrangement 838c, both the width of retaining
material and the pattern of retaining material of strip 848 is
different than the width and pattern of retaining material of strip
850, thereby providing different friction or adhesive qualities in
the two strips. In arrangement 838d, a first strip 852 of a first
chevron shape includes differently-sized deposits of retaining
material relative to a second strip 854 of the first chevron shape.
In arrangement 838e and 838f, strips within each chevron are angled
relative to one another by different angles (e.g., the strips of
first chevron 856 are angled approximately 90 degrees relative to
one another, whereas the strips of second chevron 858 are angled
greater than 90 degrees relative to one another). In arrangements
838g-838h, different patterns of fill of the strips in the
arrangements represent different frictional properties that provide
different friction or adhesive qualities for the strips, which may
include any of the examples described herein (e.g., the strips
having different amounts, patterns, textures, compositions, and/or
other features of retaining material). It is to be understood that
any of the illustrated example arrangements of strips of retaining
material may be combined, rearranged, and/or reoriented for use in
a given channel without departing from the scope of this
disclosure.
[0064] Positions, orientations, types of material, textures, and/or
other features of the strips of retaining material may provide for
a retaining pocket that includes multiple locking positions for
inserted eyewear. A wearer may select a locking position for
eyewear based on a type of eyewear and/or activity being performed.
For example, while reading, a wearer may not be moving his/her head
extensively, however the wearer may be continually inserting,
withdrawing, and reinserting eyewear. In such an example, the
wearer may value ease of access of the eyewear above retention of
the eyewear, and thus may select a first locking position. For
example, the first locking position may correspond to the eyewear
being retained and/or in face-sharing contact primarily or only by
a first strip of retaining material and/or a first subset of strips
of retaining material (e.g., and may not be retained or in
face-sharing contact with other strips, such as strips not included
in the first subset). This first strip and/or subset of strips may
be configured for easy extraction/insertion of eyewear by being
composed of a less resistant/tacky/adhesive material, by having a
smoother texture, by having a first orientation, and/or by being
positioned in a first position closer to an insertion opening
(e.g., a slit) of the pocket/front of the headwear (or rear of the
headwear, if the pocket is configured for insertion from a rear of
the headwear, such as when the headwear is worn backward) than
other strips in the pocket.
[0065] When performing activities that subject the head to
frequent/intense movement and/or position the head downward (e.g.,
during gardening), a user may select a second locking position. For
example, the first locking position may correspond to the eyewear
being retained and/or in face-sharing contact primarily or only by
a second strip of retaining material, a second subset of strips of
retaining material, and/or a combination of the first and second
strips/subsets of strips (e.g., and may not be retained or in
face-sharing contact with other strips, such as strips not included
in the first and/or second subset). The second strip and/or subset
of strips may be configured for heavier retention of eyewear by
being composed of a more resistant/tacky/adhesive material, by
having a rougher/more varied texture, having a second orientation
(different from the first orientation, for example), and/or by
being positioned in a second position farther from an insertion
opening (e.g., a slit) of the pocket/front of the headwear (or rear
of the headwear, if the pocket is configured for insertion from a
rear of the headwear, such as when the headwear is worn backward)
than other strips in the pocket (e.g., such as the first strip
and/or subset of strips).
[0066] Although only two locking positions are described herein for
illustrative purposes, it is to be understood that any number of
locking positions may be provided in the retaining pocket of the
headwear. In some examples, the strips and/or other element in the
retaining pocket may include features for providing feedback
regarding successful locking in a selected position. For example,
notching, stitching, and/or other elements may be provided to
present a haptic and/or audible feedback upon insertion in a
selected locking position. In one example, a notch near and/or
within the strips for each locking position may enable a user to
determine when a desired locking position is achieved by providing
a haptic "snap" as the eyewear is inserted to each position (e.g.,
when the eyewear is inserted to a level that is deep enough to
ensure retention via all strips of that locking position).
[0067] FIGS. 9-17 show further examples of headwear including
optics holders as disclosed herein. As described in more detail
below, the example headwear may include positioning panels adjacent
to the slits of the optics holders. For example, the positioning
panels may be positioned in a way such that they terminate at the
respective slit of the optics holders, or the positioning panels
may extend at least partially into the respective pocket/channel of
the optics holders. Each positioning panel may help in guiding an
earpiece of the eyewear into the pocket/channel, thereby
facilitating easy placement of the eyewear in the optics holders.
The positioning panels may be made of a reflective material which
may provide a smoother and more rigid surface than the rest of the
headwear, which may act to facilitate insertion of the eyewear into
the pockets/channels of the optics holders as well as provide high
durability, excellent reflective brightness features, and enhanced
visibility in some embodiments.
[0068] The slits of the optics holders may be segmented by darts or
tacks, which may be formed by intersecting stitching or another
suitable mechanism across the slits. The intersecting stitching may
extend horizontally (e.g., parallel to the bottom circumferential
edge of the crown and perpendicular to the extent of the slits),
vertically (e.g., parallel to the extent of the slits), at an
angle, or a combination thereof. Since the positioning panels
terminate at the slits, a portion of the tacks may also overlap the
positioning panels. In some examples, each tack may be positioned
half-way between a top point and a bottom point of the respective
slit. In another example, however, each tack may be positioned
between the top point and the bottom point of the slit and closer
to the top point than the bottom point. In a further example, each
tack may be positioned between the top point and the bottom point
of the slit and closer to the bottom point than the top point. The
positioning of the tack may create differently sized openings
allowing insertion of differently sized eyewear and/or different
positioning of the eyewear relative to the headwear. This creates a
more secure holding mechanism for the eyewear when housed in a
given pocket of the optics holder.
[0069] While FIGS. 9-17 show tacks positioned at the slits in order
to form multiple openings of equal or unequal size, it is to be
appreciated that the tacks are exemplary and other mechanisms of
forming the openings without the use of tacks are possible without
departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, as
explained in more detail below, the side regions (e.g., side
panels) of the headwear body may include two or more layers of
material and the openings may be formed from cuts to at least the
top layer of material. In such an example, the top opening may be
differentiated from the bottom opening by uncut segment(s) of the
top layer of material.
[0070] FIG. 9 shows a left side view of an example headwear 900.
FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 show a front view and a top view of the
headwear described in FIG. 9, respectively. FIGS. 9-11 are
collectively described herein. Headwear 900 may include a brim 902
extending from or otherwise carried by a hat body 904. Hat body 904
may include a multi-paneled crown 905 in some embodiments, while in
other embodiments the hat body may be formed of a single panel or
piece of fabric (e.g., a unibody construction) forming any suitable
hat body shape. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the crown may be in
the form of a cap configured to extend over a top of a wearer's
head. In some embodiments, the crown may include a plurality of
panels extending at least partially around a circumference or
perimeter of the crown and intersecting at a central region (e.g.,
attaching to a top panel of the crown). In some embodiments, the
crown may not include a cap. For example, a cap may be defined as a
covering over the top of a wearer's head (e.g., providing material
in all areas of the crown). A crown without a cap may include a
crown that does not cover all of a wearer's head within the
crown.
[0071] In the illustrated example, the crown 905 may include a
front panel 906, a first side panel 908, and a second side panel
909. The front panel 906 may be formed of a first sub-panel 911 and
a second sub-panel 912 coupled via a third seam 996. In the
illustrated example, the front panel 906 may extend from the front
of the hat body (e.g., at the brim 902) to the rear of the hat
body. In some examples, the front panel 906 may be the same size as
the first side panel 908 and the second side panel 909. In other
examples, the front panel 906 may be a different size (e.g., larger
or smaller) than the first side panel 908 and the second side panel
909. In some examples, some or all panels of the multi-paneled
crown 905 may have a similar shape. In other examples, however, all
panels of the crown 905 may have a different shape.
[0072] In some embodiments, each panel (or the entirety of the hat
body/brim) may include the same type of fabric or other material.
In other embodiments, one or more panels (or the hat brim) may
include a different type of material than the other panels. The
front panel 906 and/or the outer material of front panel 906 may be
secured to the surrounding panels via stitching along each side of
the panel or by any other suitable securing mechanism. In the
illustrated example, a plurality of seams attaches the crown panels
together. For example, the front panel 906 is coupled to the first
side panel 908 via a first seam 994. The front panel 906 is coupled
to the second side panel 909 via a second seam 998. The first
sub-panel 911 and the second sub-panel 912 of the front panel 906
are coupled to each other via the third seam 996. Front panel 906
may be symmetric along an axis formed approximately in the center
of the brim 902. In the example shown, the headwear 900 includes a
size adjusting mechanism 910 positioned at the rear of the crown
905 (e.g., opposite the brim 902). The size adjusting mechanism 910
may be configured to adjust a size/circumference of the crown 905
to match a wearer's head and may be any suitable size adjusting
mechanism, such as a snapback mechanism, a pullable strap, a
ballistic mechanism, etc.
[0073] In the illustrated example, the brim 902 traverses around a
front of the crown 905. The brim 902 may extend across a first
portion 922 of the first side panel 908, the front panel 906, and a
first portion 924 of the second side panel 909 of the crown 905.
The brim 902 may be coupled to the front of the crown 905 along a
bottom circumferential edge of the first portion 922 of the first
side panel 908, a bottom circumferential edge of the front panel
906, and a bottom circumferential edge of the first portion 924 of
the second side panel 909. In some examples, the brim 902 may
traverse around the entirety of the crown 905. In other examples,
the brim may be omitted.
[0074] Similar to headwear 100, headwear 900 may include one or
more pairs of optics (e.g., sunglasses/glasses) holders 914 along
the side of the hat body 904. For example, a slit may be present in
each of the side panels of the hat body providing access to one or
more pockets formed in the panels. In the illustrated example, a
first slit 916 may be present on the first side panel 908 of the
crown 905 forming a first opening to provide access to a first
channel or pocket. The first channel or pocket may include a first
inner surface and a second inner surface (not shown in FIGS. 9-11).
A second slit 956 may be present on the second side panel 909 of
the crown 905 forming a second opening to provide access to a
second channel or pocket. The second channel or pocket may also
include a first inner surface and a second inner surface (not shown
in FIGS. 9-11). As used herein, it is to be understood that a
pocket may be formed of two or more materials coupled together in a
manner that enables elements to be inserted therein, as described
above with respect to FIG. 1 and FIG. 7A. For example,
earpieces/legs of the frames of the optics may be inserted into the
pockets as illustrated and described in more detail below with
respect to FIGS. 12A and 12B.
[0075] In the illustrated example, the first slit 916 on the first
side panel 908 of the crown 905 may comprise a top point 918 and a
bottom point 919. The top point 918 and the bottom point 919 may be
the coupling points of two or more materials forming the first
opening of the first channel/pocket of the optics holder 914 (e.g.,
the first slit 916 may terminate at the top point 918 and at the
bottom point 919). In some examples, the first slit 916 may be
angled such that the top point 918 is positioned closer to a front
of the hat body 904 than the bottom point 919. In other examples,
the first slit 916 may not be angled or may be angled such that the
top point 918 is positioned closer to a rear of the hat body 904
than the bottom point 919. The top point 918 may be positioned at
or adjacent the first seam 994 where the first side panel 908 is
coupled to the front panel 906. The bottom point 919 may be
positioned at or adjacent the bottom circumferential edge of the
crown, specifically the bottom edge of the first side panel 908. In
the example shown in FIG. 9, the bottom point 919 is positioned at
the bottom edge of the first side panel 908 where the coupling of
the first side panel 908 to the brim 902 terminates.
[0076] Headwear 900 further includes a pair of positioning panels
positioned toward the front of the hat body on each side of the hat
body. The pair of positioning panels may include a first
positioning panel 930 and a second positioning panel 960. The first
positioning panel 930 may be positioned on the first portion 922 of
the first side panel 908 in an area framed by the front panel 906,
the brim 902, and the first slit 916. The first positioning panel
930 may be shaped as a triangle, including a bottom edge that is
coupled to or extends along the brim 902, a first side edge coupled
to or extending along the front panel 906 from the bottom edge of
the first positioning panel 930, and a second side edge extending
along the first slit 916 from the bottom edge of the first
positioning panel 930. The first side edge and the second side edge
of the first positioning panel 930 may angle toward each other,
terminating at an apex of the first positioning panel 930 that is
positioned at an intersection of the first slit 916 and the front
panel 906. In this way, the first slit 916 may be positioned
adjacent to the first positioning panel 930, such that the first
positioning panel 930 may be present in front of the first slit 916
(e.g., closer to the front of the headwear). While the first
positioning panel 930 is described herein as terminating at the
first slit 916, in some examples, the first positioning panel 930
may extend into the opening created by the first slit 916 (which is
described in more detail below with respect to FIG. 14).
[0077] In the illustrated example, the second slit 956 on the
second side panel 909 of the crown 905 is the same as the first
slit 916 and thus may comprise a top point 958 and a bottom point
959. The top point 958 and the bottom point 959 may be the coupling
points of two or more materials forming the second opening of the
second channel/pocket of the optics holder 914. The second slit 956
may be angled or not angled in the same manner as the first slit
916. The second slit 956 may be positioned adjacent to the second
positioning panel 960, which is the same in size and shape as the
first positioning panel 930 and is positioned on the first portion
924 of the second side panel 909. The second positioning panel 960
may be positioned on the second side panel 909 adjacent to the
second slit 956, such that the second positioning panel 960 may be
present in front of the second slit 956.
[0078] Each of the first positioning panel 930 and the second
positioning panel 960, according to the present disclosure, may
serve as an optics guidance feature of the headwear 900. Each of
the first positioning panel 930 and the second positioning panel
960 may help in guiding a respective earpiece/leg of the frame of
the eyewear into the respective pocket/channel of the optics holder
914, thereby facilitating easy placement of the eyewear in the
optics holder 914. Additionally, each of the positioning panels
described above may be made of a reflective material. The
reflective material of positioning panels may generate less
friction when the earpieces/legs of the eyewear are placed into the
first and second slits relative to the material of the front panel
and/or side panels, which may help guide the eyewear into the
slits. Further, the reflective material may provide high
durability, excellent reflective brightness features, and enhanced
visibility in some embodiments. In some examples, the positioning
panels may be the only areas of the headwear 900 with reflective
material, such that the brim, crown, etc., are not comprised of
reflective material. In other examples, the majority of the crown
and brim may not include reflective material, but one or more
additional regions of the brim or crown may include reflective
material, e.g., reflective strips or panels may be included on the
sides of the crown, at the rear of the crown, etc.
[0079] Further, the triangular shape matches the shape of the
headwear at the regions where the positioning panels are located.
However, the positioning panels may have a different shape in some
embodiments, such as rectangular, circular, etc.
[0080] Similar to the optics holder 114 described above, each slit
of the optics holder 914 may also be segmented in some embodiments.
For example, a dart or tack may be provided across each of the
first slit 916 and the second slit 956 in one or more locations to
create a more secure holding mechanism for the optics when housed
in a given pocket, similar to darts or tacks 707a, 707b, and/or
707c. The darts or tacks may be formed from stitching that
intersects the first slit 916 (e.g., horizontal, vertical, or
angled stitching) or another suitable mechanism, such as glue, RF
welding, etc. In the illustrated example, two tacks are positioned
across each of the first slit 916 and the second slit 956. As
shown, a first tack 932 and a first bottom tack 934 may be
positioned across the first slit 916. The first tack 932 and the
first bottom tack 934 may be positioned perpendicular with respect
to the first slit 916, though other arrangements are possible
without departing from the scope of this disclosure, so long as the
first tack 932 segments the first slit 916 into multiple openings.
The first bottom tack 934 may be positioned at the bottom point
919, whereas the first tack 932 may be positioned closer to the top
point 918 of the first slit 916 than to the bottom point 919 in the
illustrated example. Since the first positioning panel 930 abuts
the first slit 916 (or extends into the opening/pocket created by
the first slit 916), a portion of each of the first tack 932 and
the first bottom tack 934 may also overlap the first positioning
panel 930. The first tack 932 and the first bottom tack 934 may
each have a suitable length, such as 1/4 of an inch.
[0081] As shown, a second tack 962 and a second bottom tack 964 may
be positioned across the second slit 956. The second tack 962 and
the second bottom tack 964 may be formed by intersecting stitching,
glue, RF welding, etc., and may be positioned similarly to the
first tack 932 and first bottom tack 934, e.g., perpendicular with
respect to the second slit 956 with second bottom tack 964 be
positioned at the bottom point 959 and the second tack 962
positioned closer to the top point 958 than the bottom point 959.
More details about the positioning of the tacks across the slits
will be presented with respect to FIG. 13. This segmentation of
slits creates a more secure optics holding mechanism and provides
flexibility of where the eyewear may be positioned relative to the
headwear. In one example, eyewear including curved earpieces may be
inserted into the slits (e.g., the first slit 916 and the second
slit 956) of the optics holder above the darts or tacks (e.g., the
tacks described above) across each slit, and the respective dart or
tack may provide a security mechanism to catch the curved region of
the earpieces if the eyewear inadvertently slides out of the
pocket/channel. In this position, the eyewear may be held in
position higher up on the crown/cap of the headwear (e.g., above
the brim). In other examples, the eyewear may be inserted into the
slits below the tacks and the tacks may provide a security
mechanism to prevent the earpieces from traveling or angling upward
toward the top of the headwear. In this position, the eyewear may
be held in position lower down relative to the headwear, such as
below the crown/cap, where the eyewear may be worn by the wearer
(e.g., across the wearer's eyes).
[0082] While the optics holders shown in FIGS. 9-11 each include
two tacks, the bottom tacks may be provided to maintain structural
integrity, prevent puckering of the side panels at the slits,
and/or create a target opening size, and may be omitted in some
examples. As such, each of the optics holders of FIGS. 9-11 form
only two openings. However, additional tacks may be included such
that more than two openings are formed (e.g., three openings may be
formed by including another tack at each slit, such another tack
positioned below the first tack). Further, the headwear 900 does
not include a headband and thus the slits (e.g., first slit 916)
extend to the bottom circumferential edge of the headwear where the
headwear terminates and/or couples to the brim. This positioning of
the slits may allow for eyewear to be secured in the optics holders
even when the eyewear is being worn across eyes of a wearer of the
headwear, as shown in FIG. 12B and explained in more detail below.
Further, in some examples, one or more structural tacks (e.g.,
similar to the bottom tacks) may be positioned elsewhere relative
to the slits.
[0083] As described above, each positioning panel may be triangular
shaped, which may result in each positioning panel being wider
across a bottom portion of the positioning panel than across a top
portion of the positioning panel. This shape may provide feedback
to the wearer of the headwear when inserting the earpieces/legs of
the eyewear into the optics holders, in order to allow the wearer a
better sense of whether the eyewear is being inserted above or
below the tacks. Further, it is to be understood that the optics
holders and positioning panels described herein may be utilized in
any other suitable headwear than those illustrated. For example, a
full-brim hat (and/or a hat with a larger brim than that
illustrated in FIGS. 9-11), a hat without a brim, a capless visor,
or an earband (e.g., a panel extending around the forehead/ears
without a brim or a top crown) may include the optics holders and
positioning panels described herein. Some of those examples are
described in subsequent figures.
[0084] FIGS. 12A and 12B show a pair of eyewear 1218 positioned on
a headwear 1201 in a first position 1200 and a second position
1250, respectively. FIGS. 12A and 12B are described herein
collectively. Headwear 1201 is a non-limiting example of headwear
900, though some features of headwear 1201 are different relative
to headwear 900.
[0085] In the illustrated example, the headwear 1201 is a brimless
cap, which may be referred to as a beanie or skullcap. A hat body
1204 of the headwear may include a top panel 1206 and a bottom
panel 1208. The top panel 1206 may comprise a cap configured to
extend over a top of a wearer's head. In some embodiments, the top
panel 1206 may include a plurality of sub-panels extending around a
circumference or perimeter of the headwear and intersecting at a
central region. However, in other embodiments the top panel 1206
may be formed of one or more pieces of material forming any
suitable hat body shape. Further, in some examples the top panel
1206 may be omitted, such that headwear 1201 forms an earband. The
bottom panel 1208 of the headwear may be attached to the top panel
1206 along a bottom circumferential edge 1240 of the top panel
1206. The bottom panel 1208 may be configured to be positioned over
the ears of the wearer when the headwear 1201 is worn.
[0086] The bottom panel 1208 may be made of multiple layers. In the
illustrated example, the bottom panel 1208 includes a first layer
1209 and a second layer 1211, where the first layer 1209 forms an
inner layer and the second layer 1211 forms an outer layer of the
bottom panel 1208. The first layer 1209 of the bottom panel 1208
extends around the entirety of the headwear, such that an entirety
of the bottom circumferential edge 1240 of the top panel 1206 is
coupled to the first layer 1209, while the second layer 1211 does
not extend around the entirety of the headwear or top panel 1206.
For example, the second layer 1211 may extend around a back of the
headwear 1201 and terminate on two sides of the headwear 1201. A
first terminating edge 1213 of the second layer 1211 of the bottom
panel 1208 is shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B. As an example, FIGS. 12A
and 12B may show a right side view of the headwear 1201. While not
shown, a second terminating edge of the second layer 1211 of the
bottom panel 1208 may be present on a left side of the headwear
1201.
[0087] Headwear 1201 may include one or more pairs of optics (e.g.,
sunglasses/glasses) holders along the side of the hat body 1204.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, an optics holder 1210
may be present on the right side of the headwear 1201 and may be
positioned on the bottom panel 1208. The optics holder 1210 may
include one or more openings or pockets for retaining an earpiece
of an eyewear. In the illustrated example, a pocket is formed
between the first layer 1209 and the second layer 1211 of the
bottom panel 1208. Because the second layer 1211 does not extend
fully around the circumference of the bottom panel 1208, a first
terminating edge 1213 of the second layer 1211 of the bottom panel
1208 creates access to (e.g., an opening for) the pocket for the
optics holder 1210. The first terminating edge 1213 may comprise a
top point 1212 and a bottom point 1214. The top point 1212 of the
first terminating edge 1213 may be coupled to the first layer 1209
of the bottom panel 1208 at or adjacent the bottom circumferential
edge 1240 of the top panel 1206, while the bottom point 1214 of the
first terminating edge 1213 may be coupled to the first layer 1209
of the bottom panel 1208 at or adjacent a bottom edge 1242 of the
bottom panel 1208. Thus the opening of the pocket of the optics
holder 1210 may terminate at the top point 1212 and at the bottom
point 1214. In some examples, the first terminating edge 1213 may
be angled such that the top point 1212 is positioned closer to a
front of the hat body 1204 than the bottom point 1214. In other
examples, the first terminating edge 1213 may not be angled or may
be angled such that the top point 1212 is positioned closer to a
rear of the hat body 1204 than the bottom point 1214.
[0088] As described previously with respect to FIGS. 9-11, the
optics holder 1210 may be segmented by a tack or dart positioned
across the opening, specifically positioned across the first layer
1209, the first terminating edge 1213, and the second layer 1211.
As depicted in FIGS. 12A and 12B, a tack 1216 may be positioned
across the opening of the optics holder 1210 between the top point
1212 and the bottom point 1214. The tack 1216 may be formed by
intersecting stitching, glue, RF welding, or other mechanism, and
may be positioned perpendicular, parallel, or any other orientation
with respect to the first terminating edge 1213. In some examples,
the tack 1216 may be positioned half-way between the top point 1212
and the bottom point 1214. In other examples, however, the tack
1216 may be positioned closer to the top point 1212 than to the
bottom point 1214, or closer to the bottom point 1214 than the top
point 1212. In the illustrated example, this segmentation of the
optics holder 1210 by placement of the tack 1216 creates two
openings, a top opening 1220 positioned above the tack 1216 and
below the top point 1212 and a bottom opening 1222 positioned below
the tack 1216 and above the bottom point 1214. The top opening 1220
and the bottom opening 1222 of the optics holder 1210 may or may
not be similar in size, depending on where the tack 1216 is
positioned. For example, if the tack 1216 is positioned half-way
between the top point 1212 and the bottom point 1214, the top
opening 1220 and the bottom opening 1222 of the optics holder 1210
may be of similar size. However, if the tack 1216 is positioned
closer to the top point 1212 than to the bottom point 1214, the top
opening 1220 may be smaller in size than the bottom opening 1222 of
the optics holder 1210. In this way, different sizes of the top and
bottom openings of the optics holder may allow differently sized
eyewear to be accommodated inside the openings.
[0089] While the optics holder 1210 of FIGS. 12A and 12B is
described herein as including two openings, it is to be appreciated
that the top opening 1220 and the bottom opening 1222 provide
access to a single pocket formed by the first layer 1209 and the
second layer 1211. However, in other examples, the top opening 1220
may provide access to a first pocket and the bottom opening 1222
may provide access to a second pocket that is at least partially
separate from the first pocket. Such a configuration may be formed
via the tack, which may extend further toward the rear of the
headwear than in the example shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B. For
example, the tack may extend one inch, two inches, three inches, or
more.
[0090] In still further examples, the second layer 1211 may extend
further around the circumference of the bottom panel 1208, such as
around an entirety of the circumference of the bottom panel 1208.
In such examples, rather than being formed from a slit and a tack,
the optics holder 1210 may be formed via two (or more) cuts into
the second layer 1211. For example, a first opening may be formed
via a first cut (e.g., a vertical or angled cut) extending
partially down the bottom panel 1208, terminating at, above, or
below the vertical midway point of the bottom panel 1208 (e.g.,
halfway between the top point 1212 and the bottom point 1214). A
second opening may be formed via a second cut (e.g., a vertical or
angled cut) extending partially down the bottom panel 1208,
starting at, above, or below the vertical midway point and
vertically below where the first cut terminates. The first and
second cuts may be formed in a suitable manner, such as via a
laser. Further, rather than being vertical cuts, the first and
second cuts may be angled with respect to a vertical axis. Such an
example may provide access to two openings of equal or
unequal/different size without the use of tacks, which may create a
more seamless appearance.
[0091] FIG. 12A shows the headwear 1201 is worn by a wearer 1202
and the eyewear 1218 is held in a first position 1200 on the
headwear 1201, such that an earpiece 1219 of the eyewear 1218 is
inserted in the top opening 1220 of the optics holder 1210. As
shown, when the eyewear 1218 is held in the first position 1200,
the eyewear 1218 may be positioned higher up on the headwear 1201
above the eyes of the wearer 1202 (e.g., on the bottom panel 1208
or on the top panel 1206 of the headwear 1201) and the eyewear may
extend across the headwear 1201 (e.g., across the bottom panel
1208). In this example, the earpiece 1219 of the eyewear 1218 is
positioned above the tack 1216 such that the eyewear 1218 is
prevented from inadvertently sliding out of the pocket and/or
sliding downward on the wearer's face.
[0092] FIG. 12B shows the eyewear 1218 being held in the second
position 1250 on the headwear 1201, such that the earpiece 1219 of
the eyewear 1218 is inserted in the bottom opening 1222 of the
optics holder 1210. As shown, the eyewear 1218 may be positioned
lower down relative to the headwear 1201 and can be worn
over/extend across the eyes of the wearer 1202, when the eyewear
1218 is held in the second position 1250. In this example, the
earpiece 1219 of the eyewear 1218 is positioned below the tack 1216
such that the eyewear 1218 is prevented from traveling or angling
upward toward the top of the headwear 1201. In the second position
1250, the eyewear may be held in place over the eyes of the wearer
without requiring the earpieces of the eyewear to extend over the
ears of the wearer or be in face-sharing contact with the ears or
neck of the wearer. In doing so, eye protection and/or vision
enhancement may be provided to the wearer by the eyewear without
the discomfort that can often be associated with wearing eyewear in
the standard manner, particularly when the eyewear is worn with
headwear that covers the ears and/or when additional apparel is
worn that includes ear loops, such as face masks.
[0093] While not shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, it should be
appreciated that headwear 1201 may include a second optics holder
on the left side of the hat body. The configuration of the second
optics holder may be similar to the optics holder 1210 as described
above. In the illustrated example, the eyewear 1218 is shown to be
positioned in the optics holder of a beanie. It may be appreciated
that the eyewear 1218 may be positioned in the optics holder of
other hats (e.g., a full-brim hat, capless visor, a messenger hat,
an earband, a headband, etc.) in a similar manner and that the
headwear 1201 may take on a different form than shown in FIGS. 12A
and 12B, such as the top panel 1206 being omitted (thereby forming
a headband). For example, eyewear may be worn in a similar first
position or second position via the optics holder 914 on the
headwear 900 of FIGS. 9-11, with the earpieces being held in upper
openings above the respective tacks in the first position and the
earpieces being held in lower openings below the respective tacks
in the second position. In some examples, the headwear 1201 may
include positioning panels adjacent to the optics holder along the
side of the hat body. The configuration of the positioning panels
may be similar to the first and second positioning panels described
previously with reference to FIGS. 9-11.
[0094] FIG. 13 shows a magnified view 1300 of the eyewear retainer
of the headwear 900 of FIG. 9. As described previously with
reference to FIGS. 9-11, two tacks (the first tack 932 and the
first bottom tack 934) may be positioned across the first slit 916,
thereby segmenting the first slit 916 into a top slit segment 916a
and a bottom slit segment 916b. The top slit segment 916a extends
from the top point 918 to the first tack 932 and forms a first, top
opening and the bottom slit segment 916b extends from the first
tack 932 to the first bottom tack 934 and forms a second, bottom
opening. In examples where the first bottom tack 934 is omitted,
the bottom slit segment 916b may extend to the bottom point 919. As
explained above with respect to FIGS. 12A and 12B, the top slit
segment 916a and the bottom slit segment 916b each provide access
to a single pocket formed in the first side panel 908. However, in
other examples, the top slit segment 916a may provide access to a
first pocket formed in the first side panel 908 and the bottom slit
segment 916b may provide access to a second pocket formed in the
first side panel 908.
[0095] The first slit 916 may have a length L extending from the
top point 918 to the bottom point 919. A mid-point 1302 of the
length L of the first slit 916 may be positioned half-way between
the top point 918 and the bottom point 919. In the examples shown
herein, the first slit 916 may be positioned at position 1304,
which may be located two-thirds of the length L from the bottom
point 919. Thus, the first tack 932 may be positioned closer to the
top point 918 of first slit 916 than the bottom point 919 of the
first slit 916. The first tack 932 may be positioned across the
first slit 916 below the top point 918 by a distance in a range of
30-35% of the length L of the first slit 916. In some examples,
however, the first tack 932 may be positioned at another suitable
position along the first slit 916 between the mid-point 1302 and
the top point 918, such as at the mid-point 1302 of the length L of
the first slit 916, halfway between the mid-point 1302 and the top
point 918, or another suitable position. Although not shown, the
second tack 962 may be positioned across the second slit 956 of the
optics holder 914 at the same position (relative to the second slit
956) as the first tack 932 (e.g., at a position two-thirds of the
length of the second slit above the bottom point of the second
slit).
[0096] The segmentation of the slits using one or more darts or
tacks may provide differently sized openings for accommodating
differently sized/shaped optics worn by the user. The segmentation
of the slits and the specific positioning of the dart or tack may
enable earpieces or other frame elements to be inserted relatively
high on the crown of the hat (e.g., in an upper-most opening, above
a stitch or tack) or relatively low on the crown of the hat (e.g.,
in a lower-most opening, below a stitch or tack and the upper-most
opening). For example, sunglasses with larger frames/lenses may be
inserted into an uppermost opening of the slit in order to allow
the bottom of the sunglasses lenses/frames to rest on the brim of
the hat.
[0097] As described above with respect to FIGS. 7A-8G, material may
be inserted into the slits and/or around the opening/edges of the
slits to further prevent and/or promote movement of the optics out
of/into the pockets. For example, material having a relatively more
adhesive quality (e.g., rubber, texturized material for gripping,
silicone, rough fabric, etc.) may be utilized within a pocket
and/or along an interior of the edges of openings of the slits to
help retain inserted optics within the pocket. Material having a
relatively less adhesive or slicker quality (e.g., metal, leather,
smooth plastic/fabric, etc.) may be provided along edges of the
slits and/or an outer region of the slits in order to promote
insertion of optics into the slits/pocket and/or guide the optics
into the slits/pocket. Any of the locking features described above
with respect to FIGS. 8A-8G may be included in the pockets of the
optics holders, or the pockets may not include additional locking
features. For example, the different sized openings described
herein may alleviate the need for additional locking features in
the pockets of the optics holders.
[0098] FIG. 14 shows another magnified view 1400 of the eyewear
retainer of the headwear 900 of FIG. 9 with an example arrangement
of retaining material in an eyewear retaining pocket in accordance
with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0099] As described previously with reference to FIGS. 9-11, the
first positioning panel 930 is positioned adjacent to the first
slit 916 and guides an earpiece of the optics to be inserted
through the first opening into the first channel/pocket formed by
the first slit 916. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 14, the
first positioning panel 930 may be configured to extend into the
first opening formed by the first slit 916, instead of terminating
at the first slit 916. For example, a first portion 1402 of the
first positioning panel 930 may extend inside the first opening and
the pocket/channel and may not be visible from an outside of the
headwear. In some examples, the first portion 1402 of the first
positioning panel 930 may partially form the first inner surface of
the first pocket formed by the first slit 916 (e.g., the inner
surface of the first opening closest to the wearer's head). The
first portion 1402 may extend into the first opening/pocket a
relatively small distance (e.g., 0.5-2 cm) or a longer distance
(e.g., 2 cm or greater) and may match the shape of the first side
panel 908 (as shown) or not match the shape of the first side panel
908. For example, the first portion 1402 may extend with a
continuous height rather than an increasing height as shown. A
second portion 1404 of the first positioning panel 930 may be
configured to remain outside of the first opening formed by the
first slit 916. The second portion 1404 may be sized and shaped as
described for the first positioning panel 930 with respect to FIGS.
9-11. Although not shown, the second positioning panel 960
positioned adjacent to the second slit 956 may have a similar
configuration with a portion of the second positioning panel 960
extending into the second opening formed by the second slit 956 of
the optics holder 914. In this way, the portion of a positioning
panel that is present outside and to the front of the slit may
serve to guide an earpiece of an optics to be inserted into the
opening formed by the slit, whereas the portion of the positioning
panel that is retained inside the slit may assist in placing the
inserted optics within the pocket securely.
[0100] FIG. 15 shows a left side view of another example headwear
1500 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
The headwear 1500 is an example of a full-brim hat showing a
positioning panel positioned adjacent to an optics holder as
described previously with reference to FIGS. 9-11.
[0101] A hat body 1504 of the headwear 1500 may include a crown
1505 and a brim 1502. The brim 1502 may be coupled to the crown
1505 along a bottom circumferential edge of the crown 1505 and the
brim 1502 may traverse around the entirety of the crown 1505. The
crown 1505 may be multi-paneled. The multi-paneled crown 1505 of
the headwear 1500 may be similar to the crown 905 of the headwear
900 as described previously with reference to FIGS. 9-11. The crown
1505 of the illustrated example shows a front panel 1506 and a side
panel 1508. The front panel 1506 may be coupled to the side panel
1508 via a seam 1594.
[0102] Headwear 1500 may include one or more pairs of optics (e.g.,
sunglasses/glasses) holders and positioning panels along the side
of the hat body 1504. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, an optics
holder 1514 and a positioning panel 1530 adjacent to the optics
holder 1514 may be present on the side panel 1508 of the crown
1505. The features of the optics holder 1514 and the positioning
panel 1530 may be similar to the features of the optics holder and
the positioning panel described previously in FIGS. 9-11. As
depicted in FIG. 15, a slit 1516 of the optics holder 1514 may be
present in the side panel 1508 of the crown 1505 providing access
to one or more pockets formed in the panel. The positioning panel
1530 may be positioned on a first portion 1522 of the side panel
1508 adjacent to the slit 1516 of the optics holder 1514, such that
the positioning panel 1530 terminates at the slit 1516. Moreover,
the positioning panel 1530 is shown to be present in front of the
slit 1516, thereby guiding an optics into the slit 1516 of the
optics holder 1514. The positioning panel 1530 may be composed of a
reflective material.
[0103] The slit 1516 may have a top point 1518 and a bottom point
1519. A first tack 1532 and a first bottom tack 1534 may be
positioned across the slit 1516 between the top point 1518 and the
bottom point 1519 for enhanced security of an eyewear. As shown in
the illustrated example, the first tack 1532 may be positioned
across the slit 1516 closer to the top point 1518 than the bottom
point 1519 of the slit 1516. For example, the first tack 1532 may
be placed two-thirds of a length of the slit 1516 above the bottom
point 1519. In other examples, however, the first tack 1532 may be
positioned half-way between the top point 1518 and the bottom point
1519 of the slit 1516, or the first tack 1532 may be positioned
closer to the bottom point 1519 than the top point 1518. In some
examples, the slit 1516 may provide access to a single pocket
positioned below the first tack 1532 and above the bottom point
1519. In other examples, the slit 1516 may provide access to two
pockets, a first pocket positioned above the first tack 1532 and
below the top point 1518 and a second pocket positioned below the
first tack 1532 and above the bottom point 1519. In still further
examples, the slit 1516 may provide access to a single pocket
extending from the top point 1518 to the bottom point 1519.
[0104] Additionally, a rectangular portion 1570 may be coupled to
the side panel 1508 of the crown 1505 or the rectangular portion
1570 may form a part of the side panel 1508. As shown in FIG. 15,
the rectangular portion 1570 terminates at the slit 1516. A seam
1572 coupling the rectangular portion 1570 with the rest of the
side panel 1508 may be aligned along the first tack 1532. The
rectangular portion 1570 may be comprised of a different material
than the remainder of the side panel 1508, for example the side
panel may include mesh material and the rectangular portion may not
include mesh, at least on an outside of the headwear (e.g., the
rectangular portion may include a mesh lining on the interior of
the headwear).
[0105] While not shown in FIG. 15, it should be appreciated that
headwear 1500 may include a second optics holder and a second
positioning panel adjacent to the second optics holder on another
side panel of the crown 1505. For example, the view shown in FIG.
15 may be a view of a left side of the headwear 1500, and a right
side of the headwear 1500 may include the other side panel with the
second optics holder and second positioning panel positioned
at/between the other side panel and the front panel. The second
optics holder and the second positioning panel may be similar to
the optics holder 1514 and positioning panel 1530.
[0106] FIG. 16 shows a left side view of another example headwear
1600 with an alternative positioning of the guidance feature of the
eyewear retainer in accordance with an embodiment of the present
disclosure. The headwear 1600 is an example of a capless visor
showing a positioning panel positioned adjacent to an optics holder
as described previously with reference to FIGS. 9-11.
[0107] In the illustrated example, a hat body 1604 of the headwear
1600 may include a crown 1605 and a brim 1602. The crown 1605 may
include a front panel 1606 and a side panel 1608. The crown 1605
may not cover the wearer's head, allowing a wearer's head to remain
exposed to the environment while wearing the hat. The brim 1602 may
be coupled to the crown 1605 along a bottom circumferential edge of
the front panel 1606 of the crown 1605. The brim 1602 of the
headwear 1600 may be similar to the brim 902 of the headwear 900 as
described previously with reference to FIGS. 9-11.
[0108] Headwear 1600 may include one or more pairs of optics (e.g.,
sunglasses/glasses) holders and positioning panels along the side
of the hat body 1604. For example, as shown in FIG. 16 an optics
holder 1614 and a positioning panel 1630 adjacent to the optics
holder 1614 may be present on the side panel 1608 of the crown
1605. Although some of the features of the optics holder 1614 and
the positioning panel 1630 may be similar to the features of the
optics holder and the positioning panel described previously in
FIGS. 9-11, the positioning of the positioning panel 1630 is
different in headwear 1600. As depicted in FIG. 16, a slit 1616 of
the optics holder 1614 may be present at an interface of the side
panel 1608 and the front panel 1606. The slit 1616 may provide
access to one or more pockets formed in the side panel 1608. The
positioning panel 1630 may be positioned adjacent to the slit 1616
of the optics holder 1614, such that the positioning panel 1630
forms a portion of the side panel 1608. In the illustrated example,
the positioning panel 1630 is positioned behind the slit 1616
rather than in front of the slit as described in previous
embodiments. This allows the positioning panel 1630 to be a part of
an outer portion of the material forming the pocket/channel. The
positioning panel 1630, in the illustrated example, may be composed
of a reflective material.
[0109] The slit 1616 may have a top point 1618 and a bottom point
1619. A first tack 1632 and a first bottom tack 1634 may be
positioned across the slit 1616 between the top point 1618 and the
bottom point 1619 for enhanced security of an eyewear. The
positioning of tack across the slit 1616 in this embodiment may be
similar to the positioning of tack described previously with
reference to FIG. 13. In some examples, the first tack 1632 may be
positioned half-way between the top point 1618 and the bottom point
1619 of the slit 1616. In other examples, however, the first tack
1632 may be positioned across the slit 1616 closer to the top point
1618 than the bottom point 1619 of the slit 1616 or closer to the
bottom point 1619 than the top point 1618. For example, the first
tack 1632 may be placed two-third of a length of the slit 1616
above the bottom point 1619 as shown in FIG. 16.
[0110] While the example shown in FIG. 16 includes the positioning
panels positioned to the rear of the optics holders, in some
examples, additionally or alternatively, a slit 1690 may be present
to the rear of the positioning panel 1630. One or more tacks may be
positioned at the slit 1690, as shown by the dashed lines in FIG.
16.
[0111] As used herein, the term "tack" may refer to intersecting
stitching as described above, but may also include virtually any
anchor mechanism that can delineate a top opening from a bottom
opening, including but not limited to an RF weld, glue, and
stitching other than horizontal stitching (e.g., vertical
stitching, a circular dot of stitching, etc.). Further, in some
examples, the tacks described herein may reversibly anchor one or
more top layers of material to one or more underlying layers of
material, and thus may include snaps, buttons, hook and loop
fasteners, etc. Additionally, as used herein, the term "headwear"
may include any article configured to be worn on a head of a
wearer, including caps, visors, earbands, etc. Headwear as defined
herein may include headwear with a brim, without a brim, with a
crown (that covers a top of a wearer's head), or without a
crown.
[0112] The example headwear described above provides many technical
advantages. For example, optic holders may allow a wearer to secure
protective eyewear in exterior crown slits and reduce chance of
losing glasses. If the wearer is wearing the hat backward (e.g.,
for spotting or scope use), the reverse-facing holders may be used
to still secure protective eyewear or other optics for easy access.
An arrangement of retaining material in a retaining pocket may help
to secure the eyewear while simultaneously allowing air to flow
through the pocket and to a wearer's head.
[0113] The disclosure also provides support for headwear
comprising: a headwear body, a first top opening disposed on a
first side of the headwear body and providing access to a first
pocket formed at the first side of the headwear body, the first
pocket including a first inner surface and a second inner surface,
and a first bottom opening disposed on the first side of the
headwear, below the first top opening, and providing access to the
first pocket or to another pocket formed at the first side of the
headwear body, where the first top opening and the first bottom
opening are of unequal size. In a first example of the headwear,
the headwear further comprises: a second top opening disposed on a
second side of the headwear body and providing access to a second
pocket formed at the second side of the headwear body, and a second
bottom opening disposed on the second side of the headwear, below
the second top opening, and providing access to the second pocket
or to another pocket formed at the second side of the headwear
body, where the second top opening and the second bottom opening
are of unequal size. In a second example of the headwear,
optionally including the first example, the first top opening and
the first bottom opening are formed via a first slit disposed on
the first side of the headwear and a first tack provided at the
first slit, wherein the first slit has a top point and a bottom
point. In a third example of the headwear, optionally including one
or both of the first and second examples, the first top opening and
the first bottom opening being of unequal size includes the first
tack being positioned closer to the top point than the bottom point
or positioned closer to the bottom point than the top point. In a
fourth example of the headwear, optionally including one or more or
each of the first through third examples, the first top opening and
the first bottom opening being of unequal size includes the first
tack being positioned closer to the bottom point than the top
point. In a fifth example of the headwear, optionally including one
or more or each of the first through fourth examples, the first
slit is angled such that the top point is positioned closer to a
front of the headwear body than the bottom point. In a sixth
example of the headwear, optionally including one or more or each
of the first through fifth examples, the first tack is the only
tack that is positioned at the first slit. In a seventh example of
the headwear, optionally including one or more or each of the first
through sixth examples, the first tack is formed by stitching,
glue, RF welding, or a snap. In an eighth example of the headwear,
optionally including one or more or each of the first through
seventh examples, the headwear body further comprises a front
region and a positioning panel coupled between the front region and
the first top opening and first bottom opening, the positioning
panel comprised of a reflective material. In a ninth example of the
headwear, optionally including one or more or each of the first
through eighth examples, the positioning panel is triangular
shaped. In a tenth example of the system, optionally including one
or more or each of the first through ninth examples, the
positioning panel terminates at the first top opening and the first
bottom opening. In a eleventh example of the headwear, optionally
including one or more or each of the first through tenth examples,
the positioning panel extends into the first top opening and first
bottom opening and at least partially forms the first inner
surface.
[0114] The disclosure also provides support for headwear
comprising: a headwear body, a first opening formed by a first slit
disposed on a first side panel of the headwear body and providing
access to a first pocket formed at the first side panel of the
headwear body, the first pocket including a first inner surface and
a second inner surface, a first tack provided at the first opening,
and a positioning panel coupled to a front panel of the headwear
body and terminating at the first slit. In a first example of the
headwear, the positioning panel is comprised of reflective
material. In a second example of the headwear, optionally including
the first example, the first tack is positioned half-way between a
top point and a bottom point of the first slit. In a third example
of the headwear, optionally including one or both of the first and
second examples, the first tack is positioned between a top point
and a bottom point of the first slit and is positioned closer to
the top point than the bottom point.
[0115] The disclosure also provides support for headwear configured
to be worn by a wearer, comprising: a headwear body, and a pair of
optics holders comprising a first opening formed on a first side of
the headwear body and providing access to a first pocket, the first
opening segmented by a first tack at the first opening, and a
second opening formed on a second side of the headwear body and
providing access to a second pocket, the second opening segmented
by a second tack at the second opening, wherein the pair of optics
holders is configured to hold optics in a first position and a
second position, wherein in the first position, earpieces of the
optics are configured to be positioned above the first tack and the
second tack and the optics are configured to extend across the
headwear body, and in the second position, the earpieces of the
optics are configured to be positioned below the first tack and the
second tack and the optics are configured to extend across eyes of
the wearer. In a first example of the headwear, the first opening
has a first top point and a first bottom point and the first tack
is positioned half-way between the first top point and the first
bottom point, and wherein the second opening has a second top point
and a second bottom point and the second tack is positioned
half-way between the second top point and the second bottom point.
In a second example of the headwear, optionally including the first
example, the first opening has a first top point and a first bottom
point and the first tack is positioned closer the first top point
than the first bottom point, and wherein the second opening has a
second top point and a second bottom point and the second tack is
positioned closer to the second top point than the second bottom
point. In a third example of the headwear, optionally including one
or both of the first and second examples, the headwear further
comprises: a pair of positioning panels, a first positioning panel
of the pair of positioning panels located adjacent the first
opening and a second positioning panel of the pair of positioning
panels located adjacent the second opening.
[0116] It will be understood that the configurations and/or
approaches described herein are exemplary in nature, and that these
specific embodiments or examples are not to be considered in a
limiting sense, because numerous variations are possible. The
subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and
nonobvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various
structures and configurations, and other features, functions, acts,
and/or properties disclosed herein, as well as any and all
equivalents thereof.
* * * * *