System for Headwear Size Adjustment

Abstract

A mechanism to adjust the size of headwear is provided. Two engagement clips attach to either side of an open space on the headwear. A tooth/track connects the two clips. The clips may be adjusted to fit the size of the head.

Claims

1. A system for adjusting a size of headwear, comprising of: a track having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side comprises teeth thereon and the second side comprises a smooth face, wherein the track extends across an area of a back side of the headwear, wherein the teeth further comprises a plurality of adjustment teeth on the first side of the track and a stopper tooth on each end of the first side of the track, and wherein a height of the stopper tooth is greater than a height of the plurality of adjustment teeth; and two opposing engagement clips attached to the back side of the headwear, spaced approximately five inches apart, with the track in between the two opposing engagement clips, wherein the two opposing engagement clips interface with the teeth on the first side of the track for minor increments of adjustment sizes, and the system maintains structural integrity by not wearing out or losing its shape or flexibility over time.

2. (canceled)

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the track further comprises a smooth assembly tab on each end of the track.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the teeth on the first side of the track faces head when in use, and the smooth face of the track faces away from the head when in use.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein adjustments to the size of the headwear are made by pushing or pulling on the two opposing engagement clips without removing the headwear from the head when in use.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a fit of the headwear is adjusted symmetrically by pushing or pulling on the two opposing engagement clips.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the two opposing engagement clips contain a clip to secure to the track.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the two opposing engagement clips contain a hinge zone.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the two opposing engagement clips contain a negative pressure area.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein adjustments to the size of the headwear are made by pushing or pulling on the two opposing engagement clips without removing the headwear from head when in use.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a fit of the headwear is adjusted symmetrically by pushing or pulling on the two opposing engagement clips.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the track is made of plastic.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the two opposing engagement clips are made of plastic.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the two opposing engagement clips are sewn to the back side of the headwear.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the two opposing engagement clips are glued to the back side of the headwear.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein an entire structure of the track that comprises the teeth on the first side and the smooth face on the second side is used for size adjustment.

17. A system for adjusting a size of headwear, comprising of: a track having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side comprises teeth thereon, and the second side comprises a smooth face, wherein the track extends across an area on a back side of the headwear, and wherein the teeth further comprises a plurality of adjustment teeth on the first side of track and a stopper tooth on each end of the first side of the track, and wherein a height of the stopper tooth is greater than a height of the plurality of adjustment teeth; and two opposing engagement clips attached to the back side of the headwear, spaced approximately five inches apart, with the track in between the two opposing engagement clips, wherein the two opposing engagement clips interface with the teeth on the first side of the track for minor increments of adjustment sizes, the system maintains structural integrity by not wearing out or losing its shape or flexibility over time, and wherein adjustments to the size of the headwear are made by pushing or pulling on the two opposing engagement clips without removing the headwear from the head when in use, and a fit of the headwear is adjusted symmetrically by pushing or pulling on the two opposing engagement clips.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The following detailed description of the preferred embodiment(s) of the present invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not limited by the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 represents the tooth/track component of the cap size adjustment system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 represents the clip component of the cap size adjustment system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 3 represents the three components of the cap size adjustment system, at the fully open and fully closed positions, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The present invention is best understood with reference to the detailed figures and descriptions set forth herein. Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred compositions, embodiments and methods of the present invention, which constitute the best modes of practicing the invention presently known to the inventor. It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for any aspect of the invention and/or as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

[0016] All numerical quantities in this description indicating amounts of material or conditions of use are to be understood as modified by the word “about” in describing the broadest scope of the invention. Practice within the numerical limits stated is generally preferred. Also, unless expressly stated to the contrary: the description of a group or class of materials as suitable or preferred for a given purpose in connection with the invention implies that mixtures of any two or more of the members of the group or class are equally suitable or preferred.

[0017] It is also to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and methods described below, as specific components and/or conditions may, of course, vary. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is used only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to be limiting in any way.

[0018] It must also be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular form “a,” “an,” and “the” comprise plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, reference to a component in the singular is intended to comprise a plurality of components.

[0019] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims. The following description of the embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

Overview

[0020] Various types of headwear are common in the general population, both for aesthetics and practical uses such as protection. As stated above, current adjustment mechanisms for headwear are inadequate for a variety of reasons.

[0021] Various embodiments of the present invention provide a system that solves the abovementioned problems by allowing the user to have a consistent, comfortable, and sturdy adjustment of the user's chosen cap. As described with the present invention, caps have four areas—the front (Side A); the left side (Side B); right side (Side C); the back side (Side D). The cap size adjustment system of the present invention is located on Side D and incorporates three components—a centrally located track with teeth which extends across Side D and two opposing clip engagement components attached to Side D which interface with the track and hold the cap in an incremental size. To adjust the cap, the clips are pushed or pulled in any direction to move over the track, until the appropriate tooth is reached. Because the clips and track are never fully separated, the adjustment system always remains engaged and the user can adjust the size without taking off the cap.

[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates the track/tooth component 100 of the adjustment mechanism in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The track 101 is shown with a front view and top view. Track 101 has one side with adjustment teeth and stopper teeth, described below, and the other side is smooth. The front view is held within Side D, with the side of track 101 with the adjustment teeth held against the head and the smooth side facing away from the head. The track 101 is about five inches long, 0.75 inches wide, and 0.075 inches thick. Adjustment teeth 102 are located on the track and used for multiple sizing increments, ranging from about 5 inches when the track is fully open to about 0.75 inches when the track is fully closed, to allow for minor increments in size adjustment. The adjustment teeth 102 are about 17-18 mm long, about 0.075 inches (2 mm) tall, and about 0.075 inches (2 mm) wide. The adjustment teeth 102 are about 0.15 inches (4 mm) away from each other, center to center, which allows for minor increments in adjustment size of about 4 mm. The adjustment teeth 102 are rounded to provide smooth adjustment and increased comfort to the user's head. The track 101 has about thirty (30) adjustment teeth, which is about double the amount of adjustment sizes offered by prior art. The stopper teeth 103 are located one on each end of the track. The stopper teeth 103 are slightly higher than the adjustment teeth 102 such that the clip component, described in FIG. 2, can raise and lower along the track. The stopper teeth 103 are small enough to allow for assembly of the track system while large enough to not allow the user to adjust past the stopper teeth 103. Stopper teeth 103 are the last teeth in track 101 in the adjustment system and maximum in size of the adjustment teeth. Stopper teeth 103 are located so that the assembly tab remains inside the fabric portion of the hat for a clean and user-friendly experience. The assembly tabs 104 are located at each end of the track, and smooth, not ridged like the adjustment teeth 102 and stopper teeth 103. The assembly tabs 104 aid in putting the track through the engagement clip component at each end and maintain their position inside the portion of the cap. Further, by keeping the assembly tabs 104 within the portion of the cap, the track is unlikely to snag any portion of either the cap or the user's head during fit or adjustment.

[0023] The cap size adjustment system is engaged/locked when the two clip components are clipped along the track 101. The visible portion of track 101 from the exterior of the hat has a fit range of approximately 5 inches when fully open, 0.75 inches when fully closed. Open and closed views of the track 101 are shown in FIG. 3. The dimensions of the track 101, adjustment teeth 102, and stopper teeth 103 herein disclosed are representative of a preferred embodiment, and it should be understood by a person of ordinary skill that these dimensions can range without taking away from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates the engagement clip component 200 in accordance with the present invention. The engagement clip 201 is shown with a front view and top view. The engagement clip 201 consists of a hinge zone 202, clip 203 to engage the adjustment teeth, negative pressure area 204, and feed area 205 through which to feed the track 101. The engagement clip 201 releasably engages with the corresponding adjustment teeth 102 located within track 101. The hinge zone 202 is the area in which the engagement clip 201 and negative pressure area 204 can flex/hinge. Area 202 is where the user puts pressure in order to bend the plastic for adjustment; once pressure is released, the plastic bends back to its original state to keep the adjustment in place. Without area 202 the engagement clip would not be able to move into different size increments. The hinge zone 202 relies on the mechanical properties of plastic or other like materials to flex during sizing adjustment and return to normal during a resting state. This also allows the system to maintain its structural integrity, or shape and flexibility, and not wear out or stretch out such that it cannot be used. The negative pressure area 204 provides a negative force against the engagement clip 201. The negative pressure area 204 forces the engagement clip down for solid engagement. The negative pressure area 204 holds the components into a tight orientation for a responsive adjustment and comfortable fit.

[0025] The cap size adjustment system contains two of the engagement clip components 200, one on each side of Side D in which the track 101 is fed. The engagement clips provide significant engagement with the track so as to not become loose during regular wear. The engagement clips may ride along the track to a different size increment if the user applies pressure to the hinge zone 202. The engagement clip components 200 may be sewn, glued, or otherwise attached to the cap. In one embodiment, sewing holes 206 may be placed on the clip component 200 to attach 200 to the cap. The engagement clip components 200 may be made of plastic or other similar material. Unlike other adjustment systems, this enables the system to maintain its structural integrity over time, as it will not wear out, stretch out, or lose its flexibility. The system keeps its structural integrity by holding together during use over time, without deforming or changing the shape of the cap. The engagement clip components 200 is a symmetrical design, as in the exact same component is used on both ends of the track. This is important for many reasons previously mentioned, such as aesthetics and manufacturability.

[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates the entire cap size adjustment system 300 at the fully open and fully closed positions, including both track component 101 and engagement clip component 201. The front view 301 faces the head while the back view 302 faces the outside, away from the head. This allows the smooth area of 302 to be customized with colors, logos, names, and the like. The views 301a and 301b show the front view of the system in its fully closed and fully open positions, respectively. The views 302a and 302b show the back view in the fully closed and fully open positions, respectively. The system 300 is fully adjustable in all increments between the fully open and fully closed positions. This allows for minor incremental adjustments in size of about 4 mm, with a size range of about 5 inches when the track is fully open, i.e. the engagement clips are all the way to the end of each side of track, to about 0.75 inches when the track is fully closed and the engagement clips are next to each other on the track. As such this system contains more sizing options than the prior art; these sizing options likewise were not anticipated by the prior art, because there is no way with the peg/holes system that these small adjustments would fit. While the system does not need to remain exactly symmetrical during adjustment, the system will appear symmetrical in all exposed areas.

[0027] While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.