Eyewear Accommodating Hat

Abstract

An eyeglass-accommodating hat includes a crown portion having front and back panel sections and a pair of opposing side panel sections that interconnect the front and back panel sections. Each side panel section includes conforming triangular inner and outer sheets that are peripherally interconnected to form a receptacle between the sheets. Forward and rearward entry slots are formed into the receptacle through forward and rearward vertical seams interconnecting the inner and outer sheets. Glasses are supported on the hat by inserting respective temples through the entry slots and into the receptacles of the respective side panel sections.

Claims

1. A hat for accommodating eyewear, which eyewear has a pair of elongate supportive frame elements, each supportive frame element including at least one of a temple and an earpiece, said hat comprising: a crown defined by a plurality of interconnected panel sections, which include forward and rearward panel sections and a pair of opposing side panel sections, each said side panel section interconnected between said forward and rearward panel sections; each said forward, rearward and side panel section including at least one flexible sheet having a generally tapered shape that converges from a relatively wide end at a bottom of said crown to a vertex at a top of said crown; each said side panel section including a flexible outer sheet and an underlying flexible inner sheet, said outer sheet including a generally horizontal lower edge fastened to a corresponding lower edge of said underlying inner sheet and a pair of upwardly converging vertical edges, each said upwardly converging vertical edge fastened for a portion of its length to a corresponding upwardly converging vertical edge of said underlying inner sheet; a segment of said upwardly converging vertical edge of said outer sheet being detached and separated from said corresponding converging vertical edge of said underlying inner sheet to define forward and rearward entry slots into a receptacle between said outer sheet and said underlying inner sheet, whereby at least one of the temple and the earpiece of a respective supportive frame element of the eyewear is receivable by a corresponding said receptacle to support the eyewear on the hat.

2. The hat of claim 1 further including a bill that is secured to said forward panel section of said hat, said bill for mounting the eyewear thereon when at least one of a temple and an earpiece of the eyewear is received by a respective said receptacle of said hat.

3. The hat of claim 1 in which said crown includes a pair of interconnected forward panel sheets and a pair of interconnected rearward panel sheets, each of said forward and rearward panel sheets being directly attached to a respective said side panel section.

4. The hat of claim 1 in which each said panel section has a generally triangular shape.

5. The hat of claim 1 in which each said outer sheet is peripherally secured to an underlying said inner sheet by a pair of upwardly converging vertical side seams and a bottom seam that extends between said upwardly converging vertical side seams.

6. The hat of claim 5 in which each said upwardly converging vertical side seam extends for a majority of the span between said vertex and said bottom of said crown.

7. The hat of claim 6 in which a seamless gap is formed in each said converging vertical side seam between said inner and outer sheets to define said entry slots into said receptacles of said hat.

8. The hat of claim 1 further including a pad mounted within said receptacle and carried said inner sheet to provide frictional adherence to at least one of the temple and the earpiece and enhanced retention of the eyewear within said receptacle of said hat, and to cushion interengagement between the eyewear and a wearer's head.

9. The hat of claim 1 in which said inner and outer sheets of said side panel sections have substantially conforming shapes.

10. The hat of claim 5 in which each said side panel section is joined to said forward and rearward panel sections along respective said converging vertical side seams.

11. The hat of claim 1 in which said inner and outer sheets of said side panel sections have generally conforming triangular shapes.

12. The hat of claim 1 in which each said upwardly converging vertical edge of said outer sheet is fastened continuously for a majority of its length to said corresponding upwardly converging vertical edge of said underlying inner sheet.

13. A hat for accommodating eyewear, which eyewear has a pair of elongate supportive frame elements, each supportive frame element including at least one of a temple and an earpiece, said hat comprising: a crown defined by a plurality of interconnected panel sections, which include forward and rearward panel sections and a pair of opposing side panel sections, each said side panel section interconnected between said forward and rearward panel sections; each said forward, rearward and side panel section including at least one flexible sheet having a generally tapered shape that converges from a relatively wide end at a bottom of said crown to a vertex at a top of said crown; each said side panel section including a flexible outer sheet and an underlying flexible inner sheet, said outer sheet including a generally horizontal lower edge fastened to a corresponding lower edge of said underlying inner sheet and a pair of upwardly converging vertical edges, each said upwardly converging vertical edge fastened for at least a portion of its length to a corresponding upwardly converging vertical edge of said underlying inner sheet; a relatively short segment of a forward said upwardly converging vertical edge of each said outer sheet being detached and separated from said corresponding converging vertical edge of said underlying inner sheet to define a forward entry slot into a receptacle between said outer sheet and said underlying inner sheet, whereby at least one of the temple and the earpiece of a respective supportive frame element of the eyewear is receivable by a corresponding said receptacle to support the eyewear on the hat.

14. A hat for accommodating eyewear, which eyewear has a pair of elongate supportive frame elements, each supportive frame element including at least one of a temple and an earpiece, said hat comprising: a crown defined by a plurality of interconnected panel sections, which include forward and rearward panel sections and a pair of opposing side panel sections, each said side panel section interconnected between said forward and rearward panel sections; each said forward, rearward and side panel section including at least one flexible sheet having a generally tapered shape that converges from a relatively wide end at a bottom of said crown to a vertex at a top of said crown; each said side panel section including a flexible outer sheet and an underlying flexible inner sheet, said outer sheet including a generally horizontal lower edge fastened to a corresponding lower edge of said underlying inner sheet and a pair of upwardly converging vertical edges, each said upwardly converging vertical edge fastened for at least a portion of its length to a corresponding upwardly converging vertical edge of said underlying inner sheet; a relatively short segment of a rearward said upwardly converging vertical edge of each said outer sheet being detached and separated from said corresponding converging vertical edge of said underlying inner sheet to define a rearward entry slot into a receptacle between said outer sheet and said underlying inner sheet, whereby at least one of the temple and the earpiece of a respective supportive frame element of the eyewear is receivable by a corresponding said receptacle to support the eyewear on the hat.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Other objects, features and advantages will occur from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a preferred version of the eyewear-accommodating hat in accordance with this invention with a pair of eyeglasses/sunglasses supported right-side up on the front of the cap;

[0025] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the hat with a pair of glasses supported upside down on the back of the hat;

[0026] FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the eyeglass-accommodating hat and particularly depicting a representative side panel section of the hat that is stitched to include front and rear entry slots into the interior receptacle defined by the inner and outer sheets of the side panel section;

[0027] FIG. 4 is an elevational side view of a ball cap with the outer sheet of the side panel section omitted to depict the eyeglass temple adhering pad secured to the corresponding inner sheet of the side panel section;

[0028] FIG. 5 is an elevational side view of the hat with the outer side panel sheet superposed over the corresponding inner side panel sheet and with the outer sheet partially lifted to expose the temple-adhering pad carried by the inner sheet;

[0029] FIG. 6 is a view of the hat as shown in FIG. 1 with a pair of glasses supported by the hat in an inverted position on the bill of the hat; and

[0030] FIG. 7 is a view of the hat as shown in FIG. 2 with a pair of glasses supported in an upright position on the back of the hat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] There is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 an eyeglass-accommodating hat comprising a baseball style cap 10 for supporting a pair of sunglasses or eyeglasses 12. It should be understood that glasses 12 can be quickly, conveniently, securely and comfortably accommodated and supported by cap 10 whenever the wearer does not need to use the glasses. This can be during outdoor or indoor (e.g. in the case of sunglasses) activities. Not only does hat 10 enable glasses 12 to be effectively supported by the cap, it permits the wearer to quickly and reliably store his or her glasses when they are not needed and to retrieve the glasses when they are needed. In either case, the wearer does not have to remove his or her cap, fumble about looking for a receptacle in the hat, or open/close a storage pocket closure to store or retrieve the eyewear.

[0032] It should also be understood that an important aspect of this invention is that the cap presents a very neat, clean and aesthetically attractive appearance whether or not it is supporting an accommodated pair of glasses. Indeed, when the glasses are removed, cap 10 resembles a normal hat or cap of this type, as the eyewear accommodating-receptacles and features of this invention are virtually imperceptible.

[0033] It should further be understood that cap 10 may be advantageously utilized with or without glasses for a virtually unlimited variety of activities and in many various environments. The cap is beneficial for use in both sporting and leisure activities, as well as in work environments and applications. The particular applications and environments in which cap 10 may be employed are not limitations of this invention.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 1-5, cap 10 includes a crown portion 14 that includes a plurality of generally triangular pieces or sheets preferably composed of flexible fabric and assembled in a standard manner (e.g. typically by stitching) to form the crown of the cap. In particular, cap 10 includes front panel section 15 comprising a pair of front panel sheets 16, 18 that are stitched together to join along a seam 40. A back panel section 17 comprises back panel sheets 20 and 22 joined along a seam 34. A pair of side panel sections 24 and 26 are formed on opposing sides of cap 10 between the front and back panel sections. Each of side panel sections 24 and 26 includes a generally triangular inner fabric sheet 29 and a conformably shaped outer fabric sheet 31 that is superposed on and covers inner panel sheet 29. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer sheet 31 of each side panel section 24, 26 is cut away to reveal underlying inner sheet 29. The outer sheet is fully removed in FIG. 4 and partially lifted in FIG. 5. As with front panel sheets 16, 18 and back panel sheets 20 and 22, each of the inner and outer sheets 29, 31 of side panel sections 24 and 26 includes a generally triangular shape with vertical edges that converge from the bottom 42 to the vertex or top button 44 of crown portion 14. A standard cap bill 46 is secured in a known manner to the front panel section 15 of crown portion 14.

[0035] The conforming inner and outer sheets 29 and 31 of respective side panel sections 24 and 26 are sewn or otherwise secured to one another peripherally and to the adjoining fabric panel sheets 16, 18, 20, 22 of the front and back panel sections, typically by stitching 50, which is best shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5. Such stitching is applied in a manner analogous to stitching techniques conventionally used in the assembly of ball caps and similar headwear. Adhesives and other forms of attachment may also be employed within the scope of this invention. The specific manner in which the adjoining vertical edges of corresponding inner and outer sheets 29, 31 are stitched in accordance with this invention is described below.

[0036] Side panel section 24 is secured to sheet 18 of front panel section 15 along a vertical seam 30 that extends from bottom 42 to top 44 of crown portion 14. Likewise, side panel section 24 is secured to rear panel section 17 along a vertical rearward seam 32. In a similar manner, opposite side panel section 26 is fastened to sheet 22 of back panel section 17 along a vertical seam 36 (FIG. 2). Stitching 50 is typically formed in a standard manner along each of the adjoining seams 30-40 of crown portion 14, as well as, along the bottom edge 42 of the crown portion. A conventional cap bill 46 is secured in a known manner to the front panel section 15 of crown portion 14. Ventilation holes 45 are formed through each of the panel sections 15, 17, 24 and 26. The inner and outer sheets 29 and 31 are typically stitched together circumferentially around the ventilation holes formed through the side panel sections.

[0037] A critical aspect of the present invention is the formation of a spacious eyeglass-accommodating receptacle 52 between the corresponding inner and outer sheets 29 and 31 of each side panel section 24, 26. Specifically, that receptacle is defined by the space between the peripherally interconnected and conforming triangular inner and outer sheets 29 and 31. As best shown in representative side panel section 24 in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, the stitching 50 that interconnects inner and outer sheets 29 and 31 of side panel section 24 extends vertically along only a portion of the length of each of the forward and rearward vertical seams 30 and 32 from top 44 to bottom 42 of crown portion 14. The vertical stitch pattern that interconnects the inner and outer sheets 29, 31 together is then interrupted and discontinued within side panel section 24 along a selected length or gap 54 adjacent each seam 30, 32. See FIG. 3. A stitching segment 50a (FIGS. 1 and 2) continues in line with stitching 50 in the folded edge of outer sheet 31 only, in order to provide that edge of outer sheet 31 with a finished appearance along gap 54. Inner and outer sheets 29, 31 are then stitched together at the bottom 42 of crown portion 14. More particularly, the panel length of a standard baseball-style cap from top button 44 to bottom 42 is approximately 6.5″, In such embodiments, the outer side panel sheet 31 is stitched (as shown by inner vertical stitch lines 50 within side panel section 24) or otherwise fastened to inner sheet 29 to extend downwardly from top 44 for a distance of approximately 4-5″ along each of seams 30 and 32. Such stitching of inner and outer sheets 29 and 31 is then interrupted or discontinued (see gaps 54 in FIG. 3) for approximately 2″ along seams 30 and 32 to the bottom 42 of the crown portion, where the inner and outer sheets are again stitched or otherwise secured to each other. A similar stitch pattern or other manner of attachment is employed for securing outer sheet 31 to inner sheet 29 in opposite side panel section 26 (FIG. 2). It should also be understood that each inner sheet is stitched continuously along its respective vertical edges to the front and back panel sections along the entire length of each intervening seam 30, 32, 36 and 38.

[0038] Stitching, sewing or otherwise fastening together the conforming inner and outer sheets 29, 31 of the side panel section 24 and 26 in the foregoing manner and, more particularly, interrupting or discontinuing the interconnective vertical stitch pattern across each gap 54 effectively defines a finished forward entry slot 58 and a similar rearward entry slot 60 into the receptacle 52 formed between corresponding inner and outer sheets 29 and 31 in each side panel section 24, 26. Entry slots 58, 60 allow the temples 62 and ear pieces 64 of glasses 12 comprising the standard pair of elongate supportive frame elements of the eyewear to be freely inserted into and received by the respective receptacles 52 of side panel sections 24 and 26 in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is important that virtually the entire triangular receptacle space between the conforming and interconnected inner and outer sheets of side panel sections 24, 26 be largely open and unrestricted so that the temples can be freely oriented within respective receptacles 52 and the glasses 12 adjustably positioned and supported on cap 10 as desired. Stitched ventilation holes 45 formed in side panel sections 24, 26 present only a slight possible impediment to adjustment of the glasses within receptacle 52.

[0039] As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and as further depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, an oblong patch or pad 70 may be mounted within each receptacle 52 on the outwardly facing surface of a respective inner sheet 29. Pad 70 may comprise a synthetic fabric (e.g. vinyl) patch that is stitched or otherwise fastened to each inner panel proximate forward and rearward entry slots 58 and 60, respectively, of each receptacle 52. The pad provides frictional adherence for a respective temple 62 and/or earpiece 64 inserted into receptacle 52. This allows the eyewear to be held more securely onto hat 10. Pad 70 also provides additional cushioning for the wearer's head so that the eyeglasses can be supported more comfortably on the hat.

[0040] In use, the wearer is able to quickly, reliably, securely and comfortably remove his or her glasses and support them on cap 10 whenever he or she desires. Front and rear entry slots 58, 60 into receptacles 52 are positioned conveniently proximate lower ends of vertical seams 30, 32 and 36, 38 respectively and each entry slot is long enough (e.g approximately 2″) so that the user is able to quickly, conveniently and virtually automatically insert the two supportive temples and eyepieces of the glasses through the selected front or back entry slots, as desired, and into the relatively spacious receptacles formed between the inner and outer sheets of the side panel sections. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the glasses may be inserted through the front entry slots 58 to support the glasses upright on the bill 46 of hat 10. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, glasses 12 may be supported on the back of hat 10 by simply inserting the temples and earpieces of the two supportive frame elements of the glasses into respective receptacles 52 through rearward entry slots 60. The glasses are then able to be positionally and angularly adjusted as needed due to the spacious nature of the receptacles which extend almost entirely and continuously between the inner and outer sheets extending from the top button 44 to the bottom 42 of crown portion 14. The glasses may be inserted into either the front entry slots 58 or the rear entry slots and oriented upright or in an upside down or inverted condition.

[0041] Pads 70 effectively grip respective temples/earpieces of the glasses and provide an effective cushion against the wearer's head. It is also significant that hat 10 employs an inner panel that extends fully from the top to the bottom of the cap and thereby further insulates the wearer's head from direct contact with the temples and earpieces of the glasses, even when those components are shifted or adjusted within receptacles 52.

[0042] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate that glasses 12 that may be readily repositioned and supported in alternative orientations on the hat. Specifically, in FIG. 6, temples 62 of glasses 12 are inserted into respective front entry slots 58 of receptacles 52 such that the glasses are held upside down on bill 46. Similarly, the temples are inserted into rearward entry slots 60 of receptacles 52 in FIG. 7 such that the glasses are upright on the back of the hat. FIGS. 6 and 7 otherwise employ identical reference numerals to those depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively.

[0043] An additional significant benefit of the present invention is achieved by employing side panel sections featuring closely conforming inner and outer panels. The outer panel conforms with and is superposed in close proximity over the outer panel, and the inner and outer sheets are secured together in the above described manner such that the side panel sections visually appear to be virtually identical to the side panel sections employed in conventional caps. Indeed, when glasses are not accommodated by the cap, the differences between the hat of this invention and a standard ball cap are virtually imperceptible. The hat of the present invention presents an aesthetically attractive appearance and does not include awkward, gaudy or otherwise unattractive attachments to the cap for supporting a pair of glasses. The entry slots are formed precisely along the standard vertical seam lines of the cap and are difficult, if not impossible to notice when glasses are not supported on the hat.

[0044] The hat of this invention may be used to reliably and comfortably support the glasses in any of a known number of positions. The glasses are securely held in place during a wide variety of sporting events and many other vigorous work and leisure activities. Attaching the glasses to and removing the glasses from the hat is easy, quick and convenient. The hat does not have to be removed from and replaced onto the wearer's head. Snap, Velcro and other types of closures do not have to be opened and reclosed to store the glasses in an interior compartment, and the various problems and disadvantages associated with conventional hats are largely overcome.

[0045] Accordingly, the present invention relates to an eyeglass-accommodating hat. Although specific features of the invention are shown in some of the drawings and not others, this is for convenience only, as each feature may be combined with any and all of the other features in accordance with this invention.