Hat

Abstract

A hat comprising a crown for receiving a wearer's head, the crown having an aperture the length of which is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the hat, the hat further comprising: a first elastic panel extending across the crown so as to at least partially cover the aperture thereof, the panel being configured to be drawn to one side of the hat to reduce coverage of the aperture; and a second elastic panel extending across the crown and at least partially underlying the first elastic panel, the second panel being configured to be drawn to an opposite side of the hat such that, when both panels are drawn apart, an opening is defined therebetween through which a portion of the wearer's hair can extend out the aperture of the crown.

Description

[0001] Hat

[0002] Field of the invention

[0003] Disclosed herein is a hat provided with an aperture through which hair can extend.

[0004] Background

[0005] Hats are commonly worn for various reasons, including aesthetics, fashion, warmth, shade and protection. Commonly available hats are configured to fit snugly on one's head and this can limit the range of hairstyles that can be worn while wearing such hats, particularly if one has longer hair that is desired to be worn in a manner that is not comfortably accommodated by such hats, such as hair worn in a bun. It can be inconvenient and cumbersome to repeatedly undo and redo one's hair simply to wear a hat, and thus many people may sacrifice the warmth and / or protection offered by hats simply to maintain their hairstyle.

[0006] There is a need to address the above, and / or at least provide a useful alternative.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hat comprising a crown for receiving a wearer's head, the crown having an aperture the length of which is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the hat, the hat further comprising: a first elastic panel extending across the crown so as to at least partially cover the aperture thereof, the panel being configured to be drawn to one side of the hat to reduce coverage of the aperture; and a second elastic panel extending across the crown so as to at least partially cover the aperature , the second panel being configured to be drawn to an opposite side of the hat such that, when both panels are drawn apart, an opening is defined therebetween through which a portion of the wearer's hair can extend out the aperture of the crown, wherein a position of the opening is adjustable based on where along the length of the aperture each panel is drawn such that, when worn, the elastic panels close around a width of the portion of hair extending therethrough.

[0008] In certain embodiments, a size of the opening is adjustable based on the extent to which each panel is drawn such that, when worn, the opening is sized to close around the width of the portion of hair extending therethrough.

[0009] It is envisaged that one side of each panel is at least partially not secured to the crown, the respective unsecured sides being configured to be drawn so as to spread the panels apart to form the opening which permits passage of hair out the aperture.

[0010] In at least one embodiment, the first panel is secured to an interior of the crown. It is also envisaged that the second panel may be secured to an interior of the crown and / or the first panel.

[0011] Preferably, the panels are similarly shaped and at least partially overlap with one another to close the aperture when the panels are not drawn.

[0012] In at least certain embodiments, the aperture extends from a forward region of the crown to a rear thereof.

[0013] In embodiments of the present invention, the aperture is widest at a top of the crown to permit a hair bun to protrude through, wherein the aperture narrows toward the rear of the crown to permit a ponytail to protrude through.

[0014] In another embodiment, an intermediate portion of the first panel and an intermediate portion of the second panel are secured together to define: a first opening when the panels are drawn apart forward of the intermediate portion through which the wearer's hair can extend; and a second opening when the panels are drawn apart rearward of the intermediate portion through which the wearer's hair can extend.

[0015] Brief description of the drawings

[0016] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0017] Fig. 1A is a rear perspective view of two hats according to embodiments of the present invention, each hat having an aperture selectively covered by panels through which hair can protrude;

[0018] Fig. IB is a top view of the left-most hat of Fig. 1A, the panels thereof being drawn apart to reveal an opening therebetween via which hair can be threaded through the aperture;

[0019] Fig. 2A is a bottom view of the hat of Fig. IB wherein the elastic panels thereof are not drawn apart so that the aperture of the hat is substantially covered;

[0020] Fig. 2B is a bottom view of the hat of Fig. 2A wherein the elastic panels thereof are drawn apart to reveal the aperture;

[0021] Fig. 3A is a front view of the right-most hat of Fig. 1A, the hat providing sun protection while also allowing hair to extend therethrough;

[0022] Fig. 3B is a rear view of the hat of Fig. 3A;

[0023] Fig. 4A is a top perspective view of a hat according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

[0024] Fig. 4B is a top view of the hat of Fig. 4A with panels thereof drawn apart to reveal two openings therebetween via which hair can extend through.

[0025] Detailed description

[0026] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a hat, headwear, and other head coverings which are worn on the wearer's head and which allow at least some of the wearer's hair to protrude therethrough while worn. In this way, the hat may be worn relatively securely and snugly on one's head while accommodating a variety of hairstyles that need not be undone to wear the hat. While the Figures show two different hats, it is indeed the case that teachings of the present specification apply to other headwear, including, for example, caps, beanies and so on.

[0027] Fig. 1A shows two example hats 2 constructed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In the Figures, reference numeral suffixes 'a' and 'b' distinguish between the two depicted hats 2. Each hat 2 comprises a crown 4 shaped to receive and at least partially cover the wearer's head. However, the crown 4 is provided with an aperture 6 through which a length of hair 8 can protrude, as shown in Figs. 3A and 3B. In the depicted embodiment, the length of the aperture 6 is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the hat 2 and extends from a forward region of the crown to a rear thereof. In the depicted examples, the aperture 6 is generally widest (wl) at an upper region or top of the crown 4 to permit a larger width of hair to extend therethrough (e.g., hair buns), the aperture 6 extending rearwardly to a back of the crown 4 and narrowing, for example into a V shape (w2), to accommodate and more snugly receive narrower widths of hair (e.g., a ponytail). It is envisaged that the width of the aperture 6 at the top of the crown 4 may be between 3cm-llcm and that the front of the aperture 6 is approximately 7cm- 16cm from a front of the crown 4 portion of the hat 2 (that is, measured along the crown 4 from where a base thereof meets a brim 7 of the hat 2), though of course other dimensions and ranges are within the scope of the presence specification.

[0028] Referring also to Figs IB to 2B, the hat 2 also comprises a pair of panels 10, 12 that extend across the crown 4 to substantially cover or close the aperture 6. In this way, despite the size and position of the aperture 6 formed through the crown 2, the hat 2 still substantially covers the wearer's head since the panels 10, 12 substantially close the aperture 6. Advantageously, the panels 10, 12 may be provided with an aesthetically pleasing or attractive print or pattern to give the hat 2 a more eye-catching or distinctive aesthetic.

[0029] Preferably, each panel 10, 12 is formed from a relatively elastic material that can be manually drawn apart from one another to reveal an opening 14 therebetween, the opening being in communication with the aperture of the hat such that the user can thread their hair through the opening and out the aperture of the crown.

[0030] A functionality of the elastic panels 10, 12 will now be discussed with reference to Figs. 2A and 2B. In the depicted embodiment, the interior head-receiving portion of the crown 4 is provided with the pair of elastic panels 10, 12. In particular, there is provided a first or upper panel 10 arranged to extend across an upper interior of the crown 4 so as to substantially if not completely close the aperture 6, as seen in Fig 1A. In this way, the depicted upper panel 10 has a length that extends across the entire length of the aperture 6, and a width that extends across the entire width of the aperture 6, so that the upper panel 10 substantially covers or closes the aperture 6.

[0031] It is envisaged that a substantial proportion of the perimeter of the upper panel 10 (or at least certain edges and / or corners thereof) is secured to the interior of the crown 4 (e.g., via glue, stitching etc.). However, at least a portion of one side 16 of the upper panel 10 is not so secured such that the unsecured side 16 of the panel 10 can be manually drawn to an opposite side of the hat 2, thereby uncovering the aperture 6 and providing access thereto for passage of hair 8, as shown in Figs. IB and 2B.

[0032] The depicted hat 2 also comprises a second or lower elastic panel 12 arranged to underlie and at least partially overlap the first elastic panel 10. In at least one embodiment, the panels 10, 12 are arranged such that at least 1cm of their widths overlap with one another. In the depicted embodiment, both panels 10, 12 are similarly shaped and the second panel 12 may be similarly secured to the interior of the crown 4 and / or to the overlying first panel 10, wherein at least a portion of one side 18 of the second panel is not so secured such that the unsecured side can be drawn to an opposite side of the hat to provide access to the aperture of the crown. Preferably, and as can be seen in Fig. 2B, it is the opposite sides 16, 18 of the respective panels 10, 12 that are not secured and thus can be drawn apart from one another to define the opening 14 therebetween. For example, if it is the right side 16 of the first panel 10 that is not secured and which can be drawn toward the left side of the hat 2, then it is the left side 18 of the second panel 12 that is not secured and which can be drawn toward the right side of the hat 2. In this way, when the two elastic panels 10, 12 are drawn apart towards opposite sides of the hat 2, there is defined between the panels 10, 12 an opening 14 through which a width of hair 8 can extend out through the aperture 6 of the crown 4. In certain embodiments, the panels 10, 12 extend so that they are approximately 0cm-5cm spaced from an interior rear of the crown 4.

[0033] An advantage of having the elastic panels 10, 12 overlapping and oppositely drawn to define the opening 14 is that once hair 8 is threaded therethrough, the elasticity of the panels 10, 12 biases them towards the closed (undrawn) state, wherein the panels 10, 12 close around the width of hair 8 extending through the opening 14. In this way, the opening 14 between the panels 10, 12 is only as large as is required to snugly receive the width of hair 8 therethrough and no larger so that the remainder of the aperture 6 remains closed or covered by the panels 10, 12, so as to not compromise coverage of the wearer's head. This is an improvement over prior art hats having apertures the coverage of which is not similarly adjustable, resulting in hats having apertures that may be unnecessarily large and may not adequately cover the wearer's head.

[0034] Since the panels 10, 12 are elastic, the panels 10, 12 can be drawn or otherwise spread apart to different extents to create an opening 14 therebetween that is adjustable in size to snugly accommodate different widths of hair, whether it be a relatively thick hair bun or a relatively thin ponytail. Moreover, since the opening 14 can be formed anywhere along the length of the sides 16, 18 of the elastic panels 10, 12 that are not secured, it is envisaged that the opening 14 may be formed anywhere along the length of the aperture 6, extending from a top of the crown 4 to the rear of the crown 4. In this way, the elastic panels 10, 12 permit hair of different widths to extend out the hat 2 at different locations thereof, while also snugly closing around the hair and covering the remainder of the aperture 6 so as to not compromise coverage of the wearer's head.

[0035] To don the hat 2, one can manually spread the panels 10, 12 apart so as to insert one's hand through the aperture 6 and the opening 14 defined between the panels 10, 12 such that one's hand extends from outside the hat 2 into the interior head-receiving portion of the crown. With the hand inserted, one can then grasp the desired portion of hair and pull it through the opening 14 and aperture 6 so that the hair protrudes out of the hat 2. In pulling one's hand and thus hair out through the opening 14 between the panels 10, 12 and the aperture 6, the elasticity of the panels 10, 12 naturally allows the panels 10, 12 to close snugly around the width of hair extending through the opening 14.

[0036] Figs. 4A and 4B show a hat 2c according to another embodiment of the present invention having a crown 4c, and first and second panels 10c, 12c that can be drawn apart from one another to uncover an aperture 6c formed in the crown 4c. In this embodiment, the panels 10c, 12c partially cover the aperture 6c, the panels 10c, 12c extending from opposed sides of the crown 4c to about a longitudinal midline thereof. In the depicted embodiment, each panel 10c, 12c extends slightly past the midline, wherein a free end 18c of the second panel 12c underlies and overlaps the free end 16c of the first panel 10c so that the two panels 10c, 12c substantially close the aperture 6c of the crown 4c.

[0037] Referring to Fig. 4B, it can be seen that respective intermediate portions 20 of each panel 10c, 12c toward the unsecured sides 16c, 18c thereof are secured or fixed to one another (e.g., sewn) to help maintain the elasticity of the panels 10c, 12c, particularly when they are drawn apart from one another. In this embodiment, a first opening 14c can be formed when the panels 10c, 12c are drawn apart from one another at a location forward of the fixed intermediate portion 20, and a second opening 14c' can be formed when the panels 10c, 12c are drawn apart from one another at a location rearward of the fixed intermediate portion 20. Advantageously, the wearer's hair can be threaded through either or both openings 14c, 14c' formed between the panels 10c, 12c. For example, the forward opening 14c may be suitable for receiving a bun therethrough and the rearward opening 14c' may be suitable for receiving a ponytail therethrough. Many modifications of the above embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, while the panels 10, 12 are shown secured at an interior of the crown 4, it is also possible that one or both panels may be secured to an exterior of the crown. Of course, the shape and size of the aperture formed through the hat may vary to suit different hairstyles. There may also be two or more apertures with corresponding elastic panels to permit even more hairstyles; for example, one or more lateral apertures to accommodate pigtails, lateral hair buns and the like. Preferably, the elastic panels are made from a material that protects against ultraviolet radiation.

[0038] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

[0039] The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A hat comprising a crown for receiving a wearer's head, the crown having an aperture the length of which is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the hat, the hat further comprising: a first elastic panel extending across the crown so as to at least partially cover the aperture thereof, the panel being configured to be drawn to one side of the hat to reduce coverage of the aperture; and a second elastic panel extending across the crown so as to at least partially cover the aperture , the second panel being configured to be drawn to an opposite side of the hat such that, when both panels are drawn apart, an opening is defined therebetween through which a portion of the wearer's hair can extend out the aperture of the crown, wherein a position of the opening is adjustable based on where along the length of the aperture each panel is drawn such that, when worn, the elastic panels close around a width of the portion of hair extending therethrough.

2. The hat of claim 1, wherein a size of the opening is adjustable based on the extent to which each panel is drawn such that, when worn, the opening is sized to close around the width of the portion of hair extending therethrough.

3. The hat of claim 1 or 2, wherein one side of each panel is at least partially not secured to the crown, the respective unsecured sides being configured to be drawn so as to spread the panels apart to form the opening which permits passage of hair out the aperture.

4. The hat of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first panel is secured to an interior of the crown.

5. The hat of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second panel is secured to an interior of the crown and / or the first panel.

6. The hat of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the panels are similarly shaped and at least partially overlap with one another to close the aperture when the panels are not drawn.

7. The hat of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the aperture extends from a forward region of the crown to a rear thereof.

8. The hat of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the aperture is widest at a top of the crown to permit a hair bun to protrude through.

9. The hat of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the aperture narrows toward a rear of the crown to permit a ponytail to protrude through.

10. The hat of any one of the preceding claims, wherein an intermediate portion of the first panel and an intermediate portion of the second panel are secured together to define: a first opening when the panels are drawn apart forward of the intermediate portion through which the wearer's hair can extend; and a second opening when the panels are drawn apart rearward of the intermediate portion through which the wearer's hair can extend.

Images