Hat Or Cap Constructed For Air Circulation Therethrough

Abstract

A hat or cap having an outer crown structure containing a number of spaced apertures, and an inner element or elements located opposite the apertures in a relation shielding the user's head from the sun's rays while at the same time allowing free circulation of air into the interior of the hat or cap and to the user's head. Additional freedom for circulation is provided by supporting the hat or cap on the head at only a few circularly spaced locations, to allow movement of air upwardly into the hat or cap between those locations. SU BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improved hats or caps which are especially designed for maintaining the user's head as cool as possible, even while engaging in strenuous outdoor activity in open sunlight, as for instance while playing tennis, golf, or the like. The conventional cap or hat utilized by a tennis player, golfer, etc., though it may be capable of serving the basic function of shielding the user's head or face from the rays of the sun, usually has an accompanying disadvantage in that the mere presence of the hat or cap on the user's head causes the user to perspire heavily within the hat. The presence of this perspiration is very uncomfortable and unpleasant, and in addition often stains or otherwise destroys the appearance of the hat. As a result, a person playing tennis, for example, may in a single use soak a new cap to a condition in which it is no longer satisfactory for use. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a new type of hat or cap which is especially constructed to facilitate very free circulation of air into and out of the hat and to a location of direct contact with the user's head, so that perspiration can evaporate freely from the head without entrapment in the hat. This evaporation of the moisture acts by evaporation cooling to lower the temperature of the user's head and thereby increase his comfort. At the same time, however, the hat, though allowing the discussed free circulation of air to and from the head, is nevertheless designed to very effectively shield the head from direct exposure to the sun's rays. To attain the desired air circulation, the hat includes an outer crown or main body portion which contains one or more apertures of substantial size through which air can circulate between the surrounding atmosphere and the interior of the hat. Within this outer crown structure, the hat has an inner element or plurality of inner elements which are located opposite the mentioned apertures in the outer crown in a relation shielding the head against passage of the sun's rays directly through the apertures and to the head, but spaced from the outer crown in a manner forming an air flow path which is sufficiently circuitous to block the sun's rays while at the same time permitting open flow of air to the head. In one form of the invention, the inner element is shaped generally the same as the outer crown, and contains a number of air passing openings which are offset or staggered with respect to the apertures of the outer crown. In another form of the invention, the outer crown may contain one aperture at a generally central and top location, with a first baffle or inner element located opposite that opening, and with a second aperture or series of apertures extending generally annularly along the side wall of the cap, and being blocked insofar as the sun's rays are concerned by an inner baffle of generally annular shape located opposite and spaced inwardly from this annular series of side apertures. An additional feature of the invention relates to the preferred manner of mounting the cap or hat on the head of a user in a relation such that the head is contacted at only certain circularly spaced locations, and not continuously about the head, so that between those localized regions of contact there are gaps formed through which air may flow upwardly into the cap or downwardly from the cap. In one arrangement, this result may be obtained by providing a hat band which has a plurality of head contacting elements projecting inwardly therefrom, desirably two such elements at the front of the cap, and which may have a third region engaging the rear portion of the head and preferably including a strap which is adjustable to fit the cap properly to a particular person's head. In another arrangement embodying the invention, the hat or cap is mounted by a resilient frame structure carried in the hat and having spring arms which are deflectible away from one another to grip opposite sides of the head at localized areas but not therebetween.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The above and other features and objects of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the typical embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first form of cap embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the FIG. 1 cap, partially broken away to illustrate in section on line 2--2 of FIG. 1 the hat band region of the cap;

FIG. 2a is an enlarged detail view of one of the head contacting elements of FIG. 2 and the universal connection by which it is mounted;

FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hat constituting a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a central vertical transverse section taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front to rear section taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 3, and particularly to FIG. 1, I have shown at 10 a first form of cap embodying the invention and which may be especially desirable for use by golfers, tennis players, fishermen, and other outdoor sportsmen. The cap may in appearance be very similar to a conventional golf or tennis cap, and may have a bill 11 projecting forwardly from the front of the cap for shielding the eyes of the wearer.

The main outer crown part or body 12 of the cap is shaped and dimensioned to extend across the top of the user's head at 13, and to then curve downwardly at 14 to form a generally vertical portion at 15 which encircles the upper portion of the head. The lower edge of this downwardly projecting portion of the outer crown is suitably stitched or otherwise secured to the back edge of bill 11 at 16. At the back of the head, the outer crown element 12 may be cut away to form a rear opening 17 at which the size of the cap is adjustable sufficiently to enable it to be fitted to heads of different sizes.

Within the interior of outer crown element 12, the cap 10 contains an inner element or member 18, which is shaped generally the same as and is parallel to the outer crown part 12, but is spaced inwardly therefrom across the top and at all sides of the cap to provide a gap 19 between elements 12 and 18 through which air may flow with substantial freedom. The two elements 12 and 18 may be formed of a cloth or other material having sufficient stiffness to normally maintain the illustrated shape of these elements, and to maintain the gap 19 therebetween. Alternatively, the elements 12 and 18 may be formed of a soft and pliable material and be retained in the illustrated shape by provision of appropriate stays in both of these elements, typically extending along the radial seams designated 20 in FIG. 1.

At the lower essentially annular edge 21 of the outer crown part 12, the material forming this part may be turned inwardly in an approximately horizontal plane 22, to form a generally horizontal annular connector portion 23 whose inner edge may be suitably stitched to the bottom edge 24 of the inner element 18. The connector portion 23 contains a series of spaced air circulation openings 25 extending along the entire circular extent of the connector portion 23, to allow free flow of air upwardly into the space between elements 12 and 18, and downwardly from that space. To coact with connector portion 23 in securing elements 12 and 18 together, and in supporting the weight of crown element 12 from inner part 18, there may be provided at a series of circularly spaced locations a plurality of generally vertical flexible supporting straps 26 (FIG. 3), each stitched or otherwise connected at its upper end 27 to an upper portion of element 18, and each stitched or otherwise secured at its lower end 28 to a lower portion of crown part 12. These straps 26 may be formed of a suitable cloth tape or the like, desirably of a nonstretchable character.

The outer crown part 12 contains a number of spaced apertures 29 distributed across the top and all of the vertical sides of the cap, to allow flow of air into and out of the cap through these apertures from all directions. As seen in the figures, these apertures may typically include one or more (typically two) series of apertures extending about the top center button 30 in fairly close proximity thereto, and two additional circular series of apertures represented at 31 and 32 and formed in the lower more vertical portion 15 of the crown part. The inner element 18 similarly contains a number of spaced apertures 33 distributed across the area of the cap, but staggered with respect to apertures 29 of the outer crown part 12, so that an imperforate portion of inner element 18 is located opposite and bridges across each of the apertures 29 in the outer crown part, to prevent passage of any of the rays of the sun directly through both of the elements 12 and 18 and to the head of the wearer. It will of course be apparent that, in order to achieve this result, both of the elements 12 and 18 should be formed of an opaque cloth or other opaque or substantially opaque material. In the typical arrangement of FIGS. 1 to 3, the apertures in both the outer element 12 and inner element 18 are represented as of circular configuration, though it will be apparent that other shapes and other distribution patterns may be substituted.

With reference again to FIG. 3, the lower edge of inner element 18 carries an essentially annular hat band 37, which is circularly continuous except at the location of the previously mentioned rear interruption or cutaway 17 in elements 12 and 13. At this location, there may be provided an adjusting strap 38 (FIG. 2), which forms in effect a continuation of hat band 37, and which is stitched or otherwise secured at one end 39 to an end of the hat band, and then extends across the back side of the head for adjustable and detachable connection to a conventional fastener clamp 40 secured to the opposite end 41 of the hat band. As will be understood, the clamp 40 is releasable by swinging movement of one of its parts 42 to the broken line position 42' of FIG. 2 relative to the second part or section 43 of the fastener. When section 42 is in the broken line position, the adjustable strap 38 may be slid relative to fastener 40 to any desired adjustable length, and then may be clamped in that set position by swinging movement of part 42 to its full line position of FIG. 3 in which a series of teeth on element 42 bite into strap 38 and grip it tightly.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, the user's head is represented at 45. AS seen in FIG. 2, the hat band 37 is not a close fit on the head, but rather is dimensioned to be spaced outwardly from the head, and leave an essentially annular space 46 about the head and inside of the hat band through which air may circulate upwardly and downwardly. Means are carried by the hat band to contact the head at only a few circularly spaced locations, one of which is a point 47 at the back of the head at which the center of adjustable strap 38 engages forwardly against the head. Two other support points are provided by two pads 48 which are connected to the radially inner side of hat band 37 and project inwardly therefrom to engage opposite sides of the forehead. Each of these pads 48 may include an inwardly projecting essentially rigid element 49 to which a head contacting element 50 may be mounted by a universal or pivotal connection 51 for adjusting movement to automatically turn into a proper plane for engaging the contacted portion of the head in an optimum relation. The element 50 may be formed of a sufficiently soft material, or be covered with a sufficiently soft material, to assure against injury or discomfort to the wearer. The air circulation space 46 is open to upward and downward flow of air circularly between the two pad assemblies 48, and between each of those pad assemblies and the rear point of contact 47 of strap 37 with the back of the head.

In using the cap, a person first adjusts the length of strap 38 to fit the head in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2, so that the entire cap will be supported on the head by contact at only the discussed three points, formed by strap 38 at 47 and by the two contact pads 48. The crown part 12 and element 18 then serve together to shield the head from the direct rays of the sun while at the same time allowing very free circulation of air to the interior of the cap and to the head, so that perspiration may evaporate in a manner maintaining the head and cap cool and dry. More particularly, air can circulate into the interior of crown part 12 through apertures 29, then flow between the crown part 12 and element 18 to the apertures 33 in element 18, and then flow inwardly through those apertures to the head. Further, air may flow upwardly and downwardly through the spaces 46 between the three points of contact of the elements 48 and strap 38 with the head, and can flow upwardly and downwardly through apertures 25 at the bottom of the cap, all in a manner encouraging maximum evaporation of moisture while positively shielding the head from the direct rays of the sun.

FIGS. 4 through 7 show a variation of the invention typically taking the form of a brim type hat rather than a cap, and having a different aperture pattern. This hat 10a has an outer crown part 12a with an annular brim portion 11a instead of the forwardly projecting bill 11 of FIG. 1. The top generally horizontal portion 13a of the crown may contain a relatively large circular central aperture 29a having a baffle 18a located opposite aperture 29a and extending across its entire area (as desirably a short distance laterally therebeyond), but spaced downwardly from top 13a, to shield the head against the direct rays of the sun while at the same time allowing free circulation of air past the edge of baffle 18a, through an annular space 19a formed between the periphery of the baffle and the inner edge of the top wall 13a of the crown. The baffle 18a may be suspended in the illustrated position in any suitable manner, as by a series of circularly spaced generally vertical essentially stiff connector elements 269.

In the approximately vertical annular side wall portion 15a of outer crown part 12a, there may be formed an annular series of additional apertures 129a as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, to allow free circulation of air to the interior of the outer crown part 12a from all sides thereof. Inwardly opposite apertures 129a, a second baffle 118a may be provided, which like the part 12a and baffle 18a is opaque, and which extends upwardly and downwardly a short distance beyond the top and bottom edges of apertures 129a in an overlapping relation assuring against passage of any of the direct rays of the sun to the head through apertures 129a. The upper and lower edges of baffle 118a are spaced annularly from the opposed portions of vertical wall 15a of the outer crown part, to provide substantially annular airflow passages 119a through which air may flow between the interior and exterior of the crown part and pass the baffle 118a. This baffle may be held in the illustrated position of spaced relation with respect to the vertical portion 15a of outer crown part 12a in any appropriate manner, as by means of a series of circularly spaced typically substantially stiff connector parts 126a at the upper and lower edges of baffle 118a. In lieu of the several apertures 129a, there may if preferred be provided a single continuously annular aperture, with the upper and lower portions of the hat then being appropriately connected together in fixed relation, typically by giving baffle 118a and parts 126a sufficient rigidity and stiffness to attain this purpose, or by suitable vertical stays or other means.

The hat 10a of FIGS. 4 to 7 is held on a user's head in a manner maintaining all of the parts 12a, 18a, and 118a spaced from and out of contact with the head, to thereby permit free access of circulated air to and from the head, through apertures 29a and 129a and upwardly and downwardly between the head and the lower portion of ther vertical wall 15a. To thus mount the hat on the head, there may be provided an appropriate resilient gripping frame structure 51 suitably connected to the remainder of the hat, and preferably consisting of two identical wires 52 and 53 each having the U-shaped configuration illustrated in FIG. 5. More particularly, each of these wires 52 and 53 has an upper generally horizontal cross-piece portion 54 connected by appropriate straps, stitches, or the like at 55 and 56 to the top portion of outer crown part 12a, and carrying two downwardly projecting spaced spring arms 57 and 58 to grip inwardly against opposite sides of the user's head 59. The lower ends of arms 57 and 58 may carry soft contact pads 60, typically mounted at 61 for limited universal adjusting movement in order to align their inner first faces properly with the engaged portion of the user's head. Upwardly above the location of pads 60, arms 57 and 58 may be curved somewhat outwardly at 62, to avoid contact of the upper portions of the arms with the head, and thereby assure contact only at the desired pad regions. As will be apparent, the resilience of the spring arms 57 and 58 is such as to normally urge contact pads 60 inwardly toward one another to a spacing which is less than the width of the head for which the hat is designed, to thereby be forced outwardly by the head and assure effective gripping engagement therewith.

In order to stabilize the arms 57 and 58 against cocking movement, that is, movement in a leftward or rightward direction as viewed in FIG. 6, the two arms 57 of the two U-shaped members 52 and 53 may be secured rigidly together, as by two horizontal rigid connector wires 63 and 64, and a diagonal rigid brace member 65, all appropriately welded together as shown to form a rigid frame structure, with elements 63, 64, and 65 all desirably being bowed outwardly as seen at 66 in FIG. 7 to avoid contact with the head. When the hat 10a of FIGS. 4 to 7 is in use, the free circulation of air between the interior and exterior of the hat serves the same function as discussed in connection with FIGS. 1 to 3, of allowing rapid evaporation of perspiration and maintaining the head very cool by an evaporative cooling effect. The only contact of the hat with the head is at the locations of the four contact pads 60, with the result that the hat is extremely comfortable and cool and yet effectively shields the head from the rays of the sun.

It will of course be apparent that the arrangement of FIGS. 1 to 3 can be formed as a brim type hat rather than a cap, and that the second form of the invention can be formed as a billed cap rather than the illustrated hat. Also, any of numerous other aperture and baffle patterns can be employed, so long as adequate freedom for circulation of air is maintained. For this purpose, it is currently felt desirable for optimum sufficiently unrestricted circulation of air that the inner baffles such as elements 18, 18a, and 118a be spaced inwardly from the adjacent portions of the outer crowns at least about one-quarter of an inch, and preferably between about one-quarter and three-eighths of an inch. Also, it is preferred that the apertures in the outer crown part, and also the apertures (or equivalent air passing spaces) in the inner element or elements, have a dimension in every direction of at least about one-half inch. For example, with regard to the circular apertures 29 and 33 of FIGS. 1 to 3, this means that they should have a diameter of at least about one-half inch. For the rectangular apertures 129a of FIGS. 4 to 7, both their width and height should be at least about one-half inch. In the case of baffles 18a and 118a, the air passing spaces between the baffles should have dimensions in all directions of at least about one-half inch.

While certain specific embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed as typical, the invention is of course not limited to these particular forms, but rather is applicable broadly to all such variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A hat or cap comprising an outer crown structure shaped to extend across the top of a user's head and to extend downwardly about the head, an inner element shaped generally the same as said outer crown structure to extend across the top of the user's head and downardly thereabout, means connecting said inner element to said outer crown structure with said inner element spaced inwardly from said crown structure in a relation providing an air circulation space between the crown structure and inner element, said crown structure and said inner element having air circulation apertures of substantial size for passing air through the crown structure to said air circulation space and then through said inner element to the user's head, said apertures in the crown structure and inner element being offset from one another so that an aperture in the crown structure is opposite an unapertured region of the inner element and vice versa to prevent passage of the sun's rays directly to the user's head, said inner element having a hat band portion of its lower edge adapted to extend across the front of the user's head and rearwardly at its sides, a plurality of spacer elements projecting inwardly from said hat band portion and adapted to be received near the front of the head and to engage the head at localized regions and not therebetween and adapted to hold said hat band portion spaced from the head at locations between said spacer elements for circulation of air upwardly and downwardly within the hat band portion, and an adjustable length strap adapted to be received at the rear of the head forming an adjustable length connection between spaced portions of said hat band portion to vary the effective size of the hat band portion to different head sizes, said spacer elements having inner head contacting portions and universal connections mounting said head contacting portions for universal pivotal movement relative to said hat band portion of said inner element.

2. A hat or cap as recited in claim 1, in which said outer crown structure has a lower edge portion extending about and spaced outwardly from said hat band portion of said inner element and defining a lower portion of said air circulation space between the crown structure and inner element.

3. A hat or cap as recited in claim 1, in which said outer crown structure has a lower edge portion extending downwardly about said hat band portion of said inner element and spaced therefrom to define a lower portion of said air circulation space between the crown structure and inner element, said lower portion of said space being open downwardly for circulation of air thereinto.

4. A hat or cap as recited in claim 1, in which said outer crown structure has a lower edge portion extending downwardly about said hat band portion of said inner element and spaced therefrom to define a lower portion of said air circulation space between the crown structure and inner element, there being a wall interconnecting lower edges of said outer crown structure and said inner element about the user's head, and extending across the underside of said lower portion of said air circulation space, and containing a series of apertures through which air may circulate upwardly into and downwardly from said lower portion of said air circulation space.

5. A hat or cap as recited in claim 1, including a plurality of circularly spaced straps connected at upper ends to said inner element and at lower ends to said outer crown structure to support the weight of the outer crown structure from said inner element.

6. A hat or cap as recited in claim 1, in which said apertures have dimensions in every direction of at least about one-half inch.

7. A hat or cap as recited in claim 1, in which said strap has a first end connected to a first end of said hat band portion of said inner element and a second end detachably and adjustably connectible to an opposite end of said hat band portion.

8. A hat or cap comprising an outer crown structure shaped to extend across the top of a user's head and to extend downwardly about the head, an inner element shaped generally the same as said outer crown structure to extend across the top of user's head and downwardly thereabout, means connecting said inner element to said outer crown structure with said inner element spaced inwardly from said crown structure in a relation providing an air circulation space between the crown structure and inner element, said crown structure and said inner element having air circulation apertures of substantial size for passing air through the crown structure to said air circulation space and then through said inner element to the user's head, said aperture in the crown structure and inner element being offset from one another so that an aperture in the crown structure is opposite an unapertured region of the inner element and vice versa to prevent passage of the sun's rays directly to the user's head, said inner element having a hat band portion at its lower edge adapted to extend across the front of the user's head and rearwardly at its side, a plurality of spacer elements projecting inwardly from said hat band portion and adapted to be received near the front of the head and to engage the head at localized regions and not therebetween and adapted to hold said hat band portion spaced from the head at locations between said spacer elements for circulation of air upwardly and downwardly within the hat band portion, and adjustable length strap adapted to be received at the rear of the head forming an adjustable length connection between spaced portions of said hat band portion to vary the effective size of the hat band portion to different head sizes, said outer crown structure and said inner element both having apertures spaced across their tops and spaced about the front and the opposite sides thereof but offset to prevent passage of the sun's rays directly to the user's head, said outer crown structure having a lower portion extending about and spaced outwardly from said hat band portion of said inner element to define a lower portion of said air circulation space between the crown structure and inner element, there being a wall connecting and extending generally horizontally between lower edges of said outer crown structure and said inner element and containing a series of circularly spaced apertures through which air may circulate upwardly or downwardly, said strap having a first end connected to one end of said hat band structure and a second end detachably connectible to an opposite end of the hat band structure, fastener means carried by said opposite end of the hat band structure for detachably and adjustably retaining said second mentioned end of said strap, and additional flexible straps between said outer crown structure and said inner element having upper ends connected to said inner element and having lower ends connected to said outer crown structure near the level of said hat band portion, there being two and only two of said spacer elements projecting generally rearwardly from said hat band portion of said inner element at locations to contact the forehead of a user near opposite sides thereof, said spacer elements having head connecting portions and universal connections mounting said head connecting portions for universal pivotal movement relative to said hat band portion of said inner element to adjust to the contours of the user's head.

9. A hat or cap comprising a crown structure adapted to extend across the top of the user's head and downwardly about the user's head, and carrying a hat band structure adapted to extend across the front of the head and rearwardly at its sides, a plurality of spacer elements projecting inwardly from said hat band structure and adapted to be received near the front of the user's head and to engage the user's head in a relation holding the hat band structure in spaced relation thereto to allow for air circulation between the head and hat band structure, and an adjustable length strap adapted to be received at the rear of the head forming an adjustable length connection between spaced portions of said hat band structure to vary the effective size of the hat band structure to different head sizes, said spacer elements having head contacting portions and universal connections mounting said head contacting portions for universal pivotal movement relative to said hat band structure.