Back to results
US 5,331,687 AGranted
Size adjustable headwear piece
AssigneeAmerican Needle
InventorRobert A. Kronenberger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A headwear piece having a crown defining an opening for reception of the head of a wearer, structure for varying the effective diameter of the crown opening to accommodate different size wearer heads, and an actuator for operating the crown opening varying structure. The actuator includes a switch which, in one form, is a dial that is rotatable about an axis to operate the crown opening varying structure to thereby effect the variation in the effective diameter of the opening in the crown. In another form, the switch is translatable to effect a variation in the diameter of the crown opening.
Claims18
A headwear piece comprising:
- a crown having an inside and an outside and defining an opening for reception of the head of a wearer,
- there being a sweatband on the crown to abut to a wearer's head;
- means on the crown for varying the effective diameter of the crown opening to accommodate different size wearer heads,
- said crown opening varying means residing at least partially outside of the sweatband;
- and
- actuator means for operating the crown opening varying means,
- said actuator means including an actuator switch comprising a dial that is rotatable about an axis to operate the crown opening varying means and reconfigure the sweatband to thereby effect a variation in the effective diameter of the crown opening.
4 more elements
A headwear piece comprising:
- a crown defining an opening for reception of the head of a wearer;
- means on the crown for varying the effective diameter of the crown opening to accommodate different size wearer heads;
- and
- actuator means for operating the crown opening varying means,
- said actuator means including an actuator switch comprising a dial that is rotatable about an axis to operate the crown opening varying means and thereby effect a variation in the effective diameter of the crown opening,
- wherein the crown opening varying means comprises an elongate flexible element on the crown that extends at least partially around the crown opening,
- wherein the crown includes an outer shell and the outer shell covers the crown opening varying means so that only the actuator means is visible from externally of said headwear piece.
4 more elements
A headwear piece comprising:
- a crown defining an opening for reception of the head of a wearer, there being a sweatband on the crown to abut to a wearer's head;
- means on the crown for varying the effective diameter of the crown opening to accommodate different size wearer heads,
- said crown opening varying means varying the effective diameter of the crown opening by reconfiguring at least one of the sweatband and the crown;
- and
- actuator means for operating the crown opening varying means,
- said actuator means including an actuator switch,
- there being cooperating means on the switch and at least one of the sweatband and crown for guiding movement of the switch between first and second postions,
- said crown opening having a first effective diameter with the switch in its first position,
- said switch causing the crown opening to have a second effective diameter that is different that the first effective diameter as an incident of the switch being moved from its first position into its second position and causing the crown opening to having said first effective diameter as an incident of the switch being moved from its second position into its first positon.
6 more elements
A headwear piece comprising:
- a crown defining an opening for reception of the head of a wearer,
- there being a sweatband on the crown to abut to a wearer's head;
- means on the crown for varying the effective diameter of the crown opening to accommodate different size wearer heads,
- said crown opening varying means varying the effective diameter of the crown opening by reconfiguring at least one of the sweatband and the crown;
- and
- actuator means for operating the crown opening varying means,
- said actuator means including an actuator switch,
- there being cooperating means on the crown and switch for guiding movement of the switch between first and second postions,
- said crown opening having a first effective diameter with the switch in its first position.
- said switch causing the crown opening to have a second effective diameter that is different than the first effective diameter as an incident of the switch being moved from its first position into its second position,
- wherein the crown opening varying means comprises an elongate flexible element on the crown that extends at least partially around the crown opening,
- wherein the elongate flexible element extends between the actuator means and a first location on the crown and there are means for connecting the flexible element to the crown at said first location,
- said actuator means comprising means for manipulating the flexible element to selectively vary the length of the flexible element between the actuator means and said first crown location.
10 more elements
A headwear piece comprising:
- a crown defining an opening for reception of the head of a wearer,
- there being a sweatband on the crown to abut to a wearer's head;
- means on the crown for varying the effective diameter of the crown opening to accommodate different size wearer heads,
- said crown opening varying means varying the effective diameter of the crown opening by reconfiguring at least one of the sweatband and the crown;
- and
- actuator means for operating the crown opening varying means,
- said actuator means including an actuator switch,
- there being cooperating means on the crown and switch for guiding movement of the switch between first and second positions,
- said crown opening having a first effective diameter with the switch in its first position.
- said switch causing the crown opening to have a second effective diameter that is different than the first effective diameter as an incident of the switch being moved from its first position into its second position,
- wherein the crown opening varying means comprises an elongate flexible element on the crown that extends at least partially around the crown opening,
- wherein the cooperating means on the crown and switch includes means for allowing the switch to be incrementally moved and releasably held in a plurality of different positions.
- wherein the cooperating means comprises ratchet means.
10 more elements
A headwear piece comprising:
- a crown defining an opening for reception of the head of a wearer, said crown having at least a portion thereof that is collapsible;
- means on the crown for varying the effective diameter of the crown opening to accommodate different size wearer head,
- said crown opening varying means being connected to the crown so that it effects collapse of the crown portion as the crown opening varying means reduces the effective diameter of the crown opening;
- and
- actuator means for operating the crown opening varying means,
- said actuator means including an actuator switch comprising a dial that is rotatable about an axis to operate the crown opening varying means and therby effect a variation in the effective diameter of the crown opening.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.