Rollable Baseball Cap With Bistable Spring Bill for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional baseball caps are inconvenient to store and prone to damage when rolled, and their bills are difficult to clean and adjust to fit various head sizes.
Innovation Solution
A baseball cap with a bill made of bistable springs or a bistable spring sheet that can be rolled up compactly without damaging the bill, featuring a dual-style wearability and easy cleaning, and adjustable fit using a back-strap or fasteners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the cap is rolled side-to-side to compact it for storage, then the cap becomes easier to store, but the bill is damaged and deformed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rolling the bill side-to-side along its natural curvature (conventional method), the patent inverts the rolling direction to front-to-back along the longitudinal axis. This reversal of the rolling direction allows the bill to compact without exceeding its designed curve threshold, preventing damage while achieving compact storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dynamic rolling mechanism where the bill can transition between rolled and unrolled states. The crown is designed to naturally roll within the bill during storage, and the bill itself can be rolled forward or backward along its longitudinal axis, providing dynamic adaptability for different storage and wear configurations.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the bill is made rigid to maintain shape, then the bill structure is stable, but it becomes difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the bill from traditional rigid materials (plastic, pressed paper) to flexible materials that can be easily cleaned. The bill is made of flexible fabric or leather that can be removed from the crown and washed, while still maintaining adequate structural stability through the flexible material properties and construction method.
3Device complexity
If the cap is made with a single-functional back-strap, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adjust to different head sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The back-strap is segmented into multiple functional zones: an adjustable section with holes and fasteners for size adjustment, and a fixed section for securing. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of the strap length while maintaining the overall structural simplicity of the cap.
Solution Approach 2:
The back-strap is designed with multi-functionality: it serves as both a structural element for securing the cap and an adjustment mechanism for different head sizes. The strap includes multiple holes at different positions that can be selected based on head size, making the same strap structure adaptable to various users without requiring multiple different straps.
4Ease of operation
If the crown is made flexible to allow rolling, then the cap can be stored compactly, but the bill becomes prone to bending and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional rolling approach by changing the rolling direction from side-to-side to front-to-back. This allows the flexible crown to roll within the bill without causing the bill to bend beyond its damage threshold, as the rolling force is distributed along the longitudinal axis rather than laterally.
Solution Approach 2:
The bill is pre-configured with a natural curvature and structural reinforcement along its longitudinal axis that anticipates the rolling action. This preliminary structural preparation allows the bill to accommodate the rolling motion without damage, enabling the flexible crown to be rolled for compact storage while protecting the bill from bending damage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cap can be stored compactly without deforming the bill, provides easy cleaning, and offers adjustable fit and dual-style wearability, enhancing convenience and durability.
Implementation Method 1
the cap's bill, which can be formed of a series of bistable springs or a bistable spring sheet
Implementation Method 2
the one of a plurality of bistable springs or the bistable spring sheet are unrolled and the bill is in an extended configuration, and in a second position of the cap, the one of the plurality of bistable springs or the bistable spring sheet are rolled up and the bill is in a rolled configuration
Data Source
AI summary
A cap includes a crown; and a bill comprising one of a bistable spring sheet or a plurality of bistable springs; wherein, in a first position of the cap, the one of the bistable spring sheet or the plurality of bistable springs are unrolled and the bill is in an extended configuration, and in a second position of the cap, the one of the bistable spring sheet or the plurality of bistable springs are rolled up and the bill is in a rolled configuration.