CAP SHAPING AND SECURING DEVICE

Abstract

A cap shaping and securing device includes a shaper bowl and a headband fastened to the shaper bowl. The shaper bowl has a concave inner surface, a convex outer surface, and a double-sided self-adhesive material that detachably adheres to a portion of the cap. The shaper bowl retains a shape of the cap and mounts on a wearer's head. A cap assembly includes the cap shaping and securing device and a cap mounted on the device.

Claims

1. A cap shaping and securing device, comprising: a shaper bowl having a concave inner surface, a convex outer surface and, a double-sided self-adhesive material operative to detachably adhere to a portion of the cap, wherein the shaper bowl is configured to retain a shape of a cap and to mount on a wearer's head; and a headband fastened to the shaper bowl by an attachment means.

2. The cap shaping and securing device of claim 1, wherein the double-sided self-adhesive material is selected from the group consisting of double-sided adhesive tape; carbon nano tube tape; poster tape; hook and loop closures; poster putty; and any combination thereof.

3. The cap shaping and securing device of claim 1, wherein the double-sided adhesive is present on the concave inner surface.

4. The cap shaping and securing device of claim 1, wherein the double-sided adhesive is present on the convex outer surface.

5. The cap shaping and securing device of claim 1, wherein the double-sided adhesive is present on the concave inner surface and on the convex outer surface.

6. The cap shaping and securing device of claim 1, wherein the attachment means is selected from the group consisting of: a clip, a hook and loop fastener, self-adhesive tape, holes operative to accommodate the headband, and any combination thereof.

7. A cap assembly, comprising: the cap shaping and securing device of claim 1; and a cap mounted on the cap shaping and securing device.

8. The cap assembly of claim 7, wherein the cap is an academic cap.

9. The cap assembly of claim 7, wherein the cap comprises a fabric portion operative to fold over a rim of the cap shaping and securing device and adheres to the double-sided self-adhesive material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a securing device for caps, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0009] FIG. 2 is an exploded view thereof;

[0010] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view thereof; and

[0011] FIG. 4 is a sectional view thereof, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

[0013] Broadly, one embodiment of the present invention is a graduation cap shaper reattachably adhered to a graduation cap with a self-adhesive strip. The shaper can be quickly and easily detached and quickly reattached to the graduation cap multiple times.

[0014] The cap shaper is fast to assemble and detach. It is cheaper to produce than currently available cap shapers as it has less components. The shaper disclosed herein can be used to secure other hats, such as military hats, fast food worker hats, decorative women's hats, etc.

[0015] The shaper bowl retains the shape of the graduation cap in a manner that allows it to sit on the head of the wearer without interfering with the wearer's hairstyle and negates the need of relying on an elastic band common with graduation caps, which is generally too loose or too tight. A re-adherable adhesive surface on the shaper bowl (inside, outside, or both) secures the graduation cap to the shaper bowl and also allows it to be quickly detached. For example, a double-sided self-adhesive material, such as nano tape or carbon nano tube tape, double-sided adhesive tape; poster tape; hook and loop closures; poster putty; and any combination thereof, etc. may be attached to the inside, outside, or both sides of the bowl. The adhesive material secures excess cap fabric around the shaper bowl.

[0016] A headband attached to the shaper bowl allows the wearer to secure the cap to the wearer's head. The means of attaching the headband to the shaper bowl may be selected from the group consisting of: a clip, Velcro hook and loop fastener, self-adhesive tape, holes through which the headband hooks, and any combination thereof.

[0017] The shaper device may be used as follows. The headband is attached to the shaper bowl. The shaper bowl is placed inside the graduation cap. The excess fabric of the graduation cap is placed inside the shaper bowl and adhered to the re-adherable adhesive strip on the shaper bowl. The graduation cap, containing the shaper bowl and headband, is placed on the wearer's head. When it is time to toss the hat, the shaper bowl is quickly detached from the graduation cap.

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, FIG. 1 shows a graduation cap 12 with a securing device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprising an arcuate headband 18B.

[0019] As seen in FIG. 2, the securing device further comprises a shaper bowl 14 having a concave surface and a convex surface, with an adhesive strip 16A around the rim of the concave surface. The headband is fastened to a headband clip 18A which is adhered to the shaper bowl 14 by way of adhesive 16B.

[0020] FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the securing device 10 in a use position within the graduation cap 12, with fabric from the cap 12 folded into the mouth of the shaper bowl 14 such that it adheres to the adhesive strip 16A.

[0021] It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.