| Hat part made of synthetic material -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
  Hat part made of synthetic materialUSPTO Application #: 20060179543Title: Hat part made of synthetic material Abstract: A hat part made of a plastic material, which maintains its form below a first temperature and is deformable above the first temperature, characterised in that the plastic material has a softening temperature of from 60° C. to 140° C., the material being formable above the softening temperature and remaining in its formed shape below the softening temperature. (end of abstract) Agent: Vidas, Arrett & Steinkraus, P.A. - Minnetonka, MN, US Inventor: Michael Burmester USPTO Applicaton #: 20060179543 - Class: 002171000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Apparel, Head Coverings The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060179543. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The present invention is related to a hat part, a hat flap or a visor cap in particular, made from a plastic material. [0002] From the German utility model G 19 26 448, a protective hood with a bonnet visor, consisting of plastic material, is known. The bonnet visor is made in one piece with a forehead sweat ribbon and a forehead portion. The forehead portion is angled at 90.degree. with respect to the horizontal part of the bonnet visor. [0003] From DE 31 00 095, a hat with an interchangeable flap portion is known. Hat and flap portion are connected to each other by means of a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, so that the flap portion is detachably connected with the hat. [0004] From DE 1 946 478, a bonnet visor made from plastic material is known, in which a vertically angled forehead portion is attached to a visor portion. Visor portion and forehead portion are made in one piece of acrylonitrile-butadien-styrene in the plastic injection moulding method. [0005] From U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,094, a sun visor is known, which can be worn like a frontlet. The sun visor consists of a visor portion and a forehead portion, which is realised in one piece with the visor portion. [0006] From U.S. Pat. No. 2,057,915, a fabric cap is known, the visor of which is made of a thick, heavy canvas. [0007] From U.S. Pat. No. 1,964,919, a visor cap is known, the visor of which is made of a rigid material. [0008] From U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,279, a visor cap is known, in which a visor insert is covered on both sides with a fabric material. The visor insert is made from a plastic material which constantly maintains that form which was established during the manufacturing operation. [0009] The present invention is based on the objective to provide a hat part which can be adapted to a desired form by the user without difficulty. [0010] According to the invention, the objective is resolved by a hat part with the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous forms of realisation are the subject matter of the subclaims, the transportation container according to claim 13 being provided for the transportation of hats, caps, bonnets and the like which are provided with a hat part according to the present invention. [0011] The hat part according to the present invention is made from a plastic material, which has a reversible shape memory and which maintains its shape below a first temperature and is deformable above that temperature. The plastic material has a softening temperature of from 60.degree. C. to 140.degree. C. Above the softening temperature, the material becomes soft and can be deliberately formed by hand. When the material is then cooled again, it remains in the formed shape and maintains it until it is heated again. The softening temperature permits nondestructive deformation and adaptation of the hat part to the needs and wishes of the user. Such plastic materials are also denoted as reversibly thermoplastic materials. The advantage of using such plastic materials for parts of hats, caps or other head coverings is that the person bearing the hat can adapt this part quite selectively onto his/her needs. For the person bearing the hat, there is the possibility to heat the hat part, to bring it into the desired shape and to cool it in the desired shape consecutively. This procedure can be repeated without damage of the material. [0012] As such a plastic material, a thermoplastic polyurethane, which is based on polyether or polyester, is preferably used. Thermoplastic urethane materials have proven to be particularly advantageous, just in view of the processability and of the fastness of the plastic material. In particular, these materials have also good impact- and tear resistance, so that they may be also applied without any danger for the user in sport caps, for instance. Also, it has been found that an impact strength is present up to -60.degree. C. with thermoplastic urethanes, so that breaking of the hat part does not take place even at very low temperatures. Furthermore, thermoplastic urethanes are normally odour-free and recyclable. [0013] A hat flap is preferably provided as the hat part, which has a portion resting against the head of a person bearing the hat and a portion distant thereof, the hat material being attached to the resting portion. [0014] In this, the person bearing the hat can newly define the shape of the portion resting on the head by heating, as well as the position of the flap can be newly formed by heating. [0015] In a further form of realisation, which proves to be very advantageous, a visor part for a cap with visor is provided as the hat part. In the following, each kind of bonnet and/or cap provided with a visor is to be understood as a visor cap, sport caps in particular, like baseball caps and the like, for instance. As the hat part, a protective sighting screen with or without shading may also be provided. [0016] Preferably, the plastic material is partly or completely metallised. In order to obtain special optical effects, coloured foils can be injected into the plastic material completely or partly, imprinted foils are also designated as so-called in mould labels (IML). Also, special effects can be achieved in the hat part by incorporating pigments, namely in particular dye pigments, effect pigments, phosphorescing and/or fluorescing pigments, metallic and/or glittering pigments and Irodin.RTM.-pigments. Furthermore, an UV absorbing material for UV-A, UV-B and/or UV-C may be provided, so that protection according to UV400 is also obtained. [0017] In a preferred form of realisation, the plastic material is realised as being partially or completely transparent. A very particular effect is achieved in the plastic material by injection moulding it. In contrast to known hat parts from plastic materials, injection moulding permits the production of hat parts with a particular thickness. The thickness can be 0.2 mm up to 20 mm, for instance. Also, it is possible to produce the hat part in a varying thickness, through which particular optical and aesthetic effects are generated. The realisation with varying thicknesses and wall cheeks permits to give the hat part a certain basic shape, which limits the deformation of the plastic material in the softened state. [0018] For the practical application, it has proven to be advantageous that the plastic material is flexible and/or elastic even below the first temperature, so that breaking or other destruction of the hat part is not possible. [0019] In practical tests it was found that a plastic material with a VICAT-softening temperature, in particular the softening temperature for VICAT A with 50 N, of from 60.degree. C. to 140.degree. C., preferably from 70.degree. C. to 95.degree. C., is particularly suitable. Just with these temperatures, it was revealed that they can be easily obtained by a water bath, so that the user can newly define the shape without that change of the shape takes place in the normal use. [0020] Also, it has come out for practical use that that a plastic material with a heat deflection temperature, in particular at a bending stress of 0.45 MPa, in the range between 50.degree. C. and 170.degree. C., preferably between 62.degree. C. and 101.degree. C., has particular advantages. [0021] After their production, the described hat parts are transported to a bonnet-maker or hat-maker, respectively, which provides the hat part with a hood part. The thus completed head cover is again transported hereafter. In the use of the above-described thermoplastic material, it has proven to be advantageous to use a transportation container with at least one accommodation compartment, into which at least one hat part is inserted and rests completely or partially against the inner side of the walls in the inserted state. Thus, the hat part is kept in its desired shape by the walls. [0022] Preferably, the accommodation compartments are realised so as to accommodate visor parts, the visor parts being put into the accommodation compartments. In a preferred form of realisation, more than one visor part is put into the accommodation compartment, preferably, three visor parts are disposed in the accommodation compartment. [0023] Preferably, the accommodation compartments run in a fashion to be disposed parallel to each other, and two accommodation compartments are separated from each other by a common dividing wall. Preferably, the transportation container is made from a foamed material, from Styropor.RTM. in particular. [0024] In an alternative form of realisation, the accommodation compartments are formed by groove pairs facing each other, which keep the hat parts to be accommodated, the visor parts in particular, in the desired position. Continue reading... Full patent description for Hat part made of synthetic material Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Hat part made of synthetic material patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Hat part made of synthetic material or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Breastfeeding indicator bracelet with time indicator and method of use Next Patent Application: Tube hat Industry Class: Apparel ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Hat part made of synthetic material patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 3.74457 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Medical: Surgery , Surgery(2) , Surgery(3) , Drug , Drug(2) , Prosthesis , Dentistry |
||
