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Specialty hatRelated Patent Categories: Apparel, Head CoveringsSpecialty hat description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060010566, Specialty hat. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] (1) Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention pertains to a specialty hat that is constructed with one or more holes through the hat, and decorations that are positioned adjacent the holes. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a hat having a crown with one or more holes through an upper portion of the crown, where the holes are dimensioned to receive a portion of the hat wearer's hair that is positioned through the hole. In addition, decorations are interchangeably and selectively removably attached to the crown adjacent the holes where the decorations appear to be attached to the hair positioned through the holes. [0003] (2) Description of the Related Art [0004] Casual hats such as baseball-type caps and golf visors are often worn by individuals when participating in or observing sporting events, or as part of their casual attire. Wearers of such caps and visors that have longer hair often bundle their hair up beneath the crown of the cap, or wear their hair in a ponytail. Hat wearers having ponytails often wear their hat with the hat band extending over the ponytail. However, this can detract from the usual comfortable feeling of the hat on the wearer's head. In addition, the hat band engaging around the ponytail often detracts from the secure fit of the hat on the wearer's head. This can result in the hat being easily blown from the wearer's head by a sudden gust of wind. [0005] As a result of the uncomfortable feeling of a hat band engaging around a wearer's ponytail, and the insecurity of the hat being easily blown from the wearer's head, hat wearers that keep their hair in a ponytail often resort to the baseball-type cap that has an opening in the hat band at the rear of the cap, and adjustable straps that extend across the opening. This type of cap is worn on the wearer's head with the ponytail extending through the back opening and over the adjustable straps. However, this type of cap is considered by many to be less attractive in appearance than the conventional, fitted-type baseball cap that does not have the back opening. [0006] What is needed to overcome the above-described disadvantages of casual hats for hat wearers having longer hair is a hat designed to easily accommodate the wearer's hair kept in a ponytail or pigtails, where the hat also has a more decorative or appealing appearance than the conventional baseball-type hat. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The present invention provides a casual hat, for example a baseball-type cap or a bucket hat, that is specifically designed to be comfortably worn by a wearer having longer hair that desires to wear their hair in a ponytail or pigtails. In addition, the hat is provided with a variety of different types of decorations that are removably attachable to the hat where the decorations appear to be attached to the hair of the hat wearer. [0008] In the various configurations of the hat, for example a baseball-type cap configuration or a bucket hat configuration, the hat is basically comprised of a crown constructed of flexible material. A hat band surrounds an opening of the crown that is dimensioned to receive a portion of the hat wearer's head. The crown has an interior surface surrounding an interior volume of the hat, and an opposite exterior surface. [0009] In a baseball-type cap configuration, a bill projects from the hat band. In a bucket hat configuration, a brim extends around the hat band. [0010] One or more holes are provided through the hat crown. In the preferred embodiment, each hole is spaced from the crown peripheral edge and is positioned more toward a central portion of the crown than the crown peripheral edge. Each hole is dimensioned to receive a portion of the wearer's hair positioned through the hole, enabling the wearer to pass a ponytail through the hole of a hat having only one hole, or pass pigtails through the holes of a hat having a pair of holes. [0011] A plurality of various different types of decorations are provided that are removably attachable to the hat crown. Two-part fasteners, for example snap fasteners or hook and loop type fasteners removably attach the decorations to the hat crown. A first part of the fastener is attached to the crown exterior surface adjacent the hole in the crown. The second part of the fastener is attached to the decoration. Connecting the first and second parts of the fastener removably attaches the decoration to the crown in a position adjacent the crown hole where the decoration appears to be attached to the portion of the wearer's hair passed through the crown hole. [0012] In one embodiment of the invention, the plurality of decorations are formed as bows of ribbon or other similar material. The bows are removably attached to the crown exterior surface at a position adjacent the crown hole where the bows appear to be attached to the portion of the hat wearer's hair positioned through the crown hole. By providing the decorations as a plurality of ribbons or other similar types of decorations, the decorations can be removably and interchangeably attached to the hat as desired by the hat wearer to give the hat a plurality of different appearances. [0013] In a further embodiment of the invention, the decoration is provided as a decorative cord having an elastic length between opposite first and second ends of the cord. Each of the first and second ends of the cord is removably attachable to a post positioned on a central portion of the hat crown. The length of the cord can be extended around the crown hole, with the cord opposite ends being removably attached to the post. This gives the appearance of the cord extending around the portion of the hat wearer's hair positioned through the crown hole. In addition to the cord decorating the portion of the hat wearer's hair, the cord also functions to support the portion of the wearer's hair so that the portion of the hair extends outwardly from the crown hole. [0014] The specialty hat of the invention has a simplified construction that enables manufacturing the hat in a minimum number of manufacturing steps. Basically, the hat is formed from a piece of flexible material positioned on a hat block to form the material into the crown of the hat. The material is held in the crown configuration by a band positioned around the hat block, as is conventional. [0015] These steps are performed by an embroidery machine that has been modified with a surging apparatus used to cut the hole or holes through the hat crown. A novel feature of the specialty hat's simplified method of construction involves performing both a cutting operation forming the hole through the hat crown, and a stitching operation embroidering the edge of the crown hole on the same manufacturing apparatus. In prior art hat constructions having holes such as vent holes, the surging and boring, or cutting and stitching steps were performed in two separate steps on the crown material as it lay flat. The material was then subsequently formed into the crown. The method of the invention enables these two steps in the hat's manufacturing to be performed at the same manufacturing site, thereby simplifying the manufacturing method. [0016] Once the crown hole or holes have been manufactured, the removable decorations are then added to the crown exterior, completing the manufacturing of the hat of the invention. One or more different types of decorations can be provided with each hat as a kit, thereby adapting the hat for having many different appearances depending on which decorations are selectively, removably attached to the hat. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] Further features of the present invention are set forth in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, and in the following drawing figures wherein: [0018] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the specialty hat of the invention; [0019] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the hat of FIG. 1, with the removable decoration removed; [0020] FIG. 3 is a side view of the hat similar to that of FIG. 2, but showing the removable decoration attached; [0021] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a further embodiment of the specialty hat with a removable decoration attached; and Continue reading about Specialty hat... Full patent description for Specialty hat Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Specialty hat patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. 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