GB2464957A

GB2464957A - Bag or garment with hat carrier

Info

Publication number: GB2464957A
Application number: GB0819956A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Louise Hartford
Original assignee: ACCESSORY LAB Ltd; New Era Cap Co Ltd
Current assignee: ACCESSORY LAB Ltd; New Era Cap Co Ltd
Priority date: 2008-10-31
Filing date: 2008-10-31
Publication date: 2010-05-05
Also published as: GB0819956D0

Abstract

A bag or garment includes a band 5 under which the brim or peak 11 of a hat or cap 12 can slide; there is also a fastener 15 connecting the belt and another portion of the bag/garment which can pass over the crown or dome 9 of the hat to secure it. The fastener is preferably in the middle of the belt forming a T-shape and may include a catch 8 and/or straps 6 and 7. The belt may be integral with the bag/garment and preferably curves to follow a curve of the hat. Typically the hat is a baseball cap. The hat can have a waterproof covering. The bag/garment may be a backpack, jacket or coat. The belt may be on the waistband, hood or collar of a jacket or coat, possibly forming part of such a hood.

Description

Headgear Retainer This invention relates generally to a device for holding and retaining an item of headgear, and in particular it relates to a device for holding and retaining a baseball cap.

Baseball caps are now a ubiquitous item of fashion rather than merely a utilitarian item of headwear associated with sport. In particular, but not exclusively, since they are also worn by adults, baseball caps tend to be worn by teenagers and children.

Often, the baseball cap is adorned by one or more emblems or logos; these can be positioned anywhere on the cap, but often there is one situated at the forefront of the crown or dome of the cap. These emblems or logos are often related to a sports team, sporting goods manufacturers, fashion houses, designer labels or brands, and the wearer of the cap will be proud of the association that others will make in view of the particular emblem or logo on show.

The baseball cap has become a victim of its own success, and many institutions, in particular schools, have banned the wearing of baseball caps on their premises.

Consequently, a baseball cap wearer is obliged to remove their cap from their head upon entering a school, or other institution, where the wearing of such hats is prohibited. Conventionally, once the cap has been removed, the wearer would either fold the cap into a pocket of their clothing or place it into a school bag or the like.

Both of these options has the disadvantage of the wearer no longer being able to display their preferred emblem or logo, and in the case of the former option, there is the added disadvantage that the cap may become damaged or disfigured by repeated folding and concealment within the confined space of a pocket.

It is an object of the present invention to address partially, or in full, the aforementioned problems.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided an item of baggage, luggage or clothing including a headgear retainer comprising: a vent member for receiving the peak or brim of a headgear item; and at least one fastening member interconnected between the item of baggage, luggage or clothing and the vent member, said fastening member adapted to pass over the crown or dome of a headgear so as to hold said headgear in place in said vent member.

Preferably, the fastening member comprises a first fastening element releasabley lockable to a second fastening element via a clasp, catch, buckle, dog clip, knot or Velcro � device. The first and second fastening elements may be fabric straps, bands, chords, webbing or the like.

Preferably, the fastening member is attached to the vent member at a substantially midway position on the vent member, and the vent member is integral with the item of baggage, luggage or clothing and includes an arcuate edge portion providing an abutment for a corresponding arcuate portion of the headgear.

In a preferred embodiment the vent member and the fastening member of the headgear retainer are configured to form an inverted T-shape.

Any reference to headgear is generally meant to refer to any covering for the head, such as a hat or bonnet for example. Preferably, a headgear relates to a baseball or baseball-type cap. In an alternative embodiment, a protective cowl or other such waterproof covering covers the baseball cap.

An item of baggage or luggage can take the form of any type of bag or carrier, for example a backpack, small item bag or shoulder bag, gymsack, draw-string bag or handbag. However, it should be appreciated that this list is not an exhaustive one, and all types of luggage are envisaged. Alternatively, the cap retainer can form an integral part of an item of clothing or apparel. For example, the retainer can be included on the waistband or collar of a jacket or coat, or it may form part of an attached hood.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a b including a baseball cap retainer; Figure 2 shows a small item bag or shoulder bag including a baseball cap retainer; Figure 3 shows a backpack incorporating a baseball cap retainer; Figure 4 shows a protective cowl for a baseball cap; Figure 5 shows the gymsack or drawstring bag of Figure 1 without a captive baseball cap; Figure 6 shows the small item bag or shoulder bag of Figure 2 without a captive baseball cap; Figure 7 shows a hooded garment including a baseball cap retainer; Figure 8 shows a hooded garment with a baseball cap retainer positioned on the waistband; and Figure 9 shows a rear view of a jacket with a baseball cap retainer forming part of the collar.

Referring to Figures 1 and 5, a gymsack or drawstring bag 10 comprises a central body compartment 1 and a pair of shoulder straps 2. In use, at least one shoulder strap 2 will be looped over an arm of a user so that the gymsack or drawstring bag 10 can depend from a user's shoulder.

As shown, the gymsack or drawstring bag 10 may include one or more pocket compartments accessible via a zip fastener 3.

The gymsack or drawstring bag 10 shown in Figures 1 and 5 further includes a baseball cap retainer 4. The baseball cap retainer 4 comprises a vent member 5 and a fastening member 15 interconnecting the vent member 5 with the gymsack or drawstring bag central body compartment 1.

The vent member 5 comprises a strip of material extending across the front outer surface of the gymsack or drawstring bag 10. This strip of material is attached at opposing lateral ends 13 to the central body compartment 1 of the gymsack or drawstring bag 10. Since the vent member 5 is attached to the gymsack or drawstring bag only at opposing ends 13, it fonns a sleeve through which the baseball cap peak 11 can be inserted.

The upper edge 14 of the vent member 5 is arcuate in profile as shown.

Advantageously, this arcuate edge provides a stabilising abutment for receiving the correspondingly curved front portion of the crown of the baseball cap 9. In operation, the arcuate edge 14 tends to prevent sideways or lateral motion of the baseball cap.

The fastening member 15 comprises an upper fastening element 7, a lower fastening element 6, and a buckle 8 releasabley interconnecting the upper and lower fastening elements. The fastening elements are preferably woven or braided straps of any suitable material. However, it is envisaged that these elements could be in the form of cords, laces or any other such binding or restraint.

In a preferred embodiment, the buckle 8 is clasp of the type commonly used in backpacks, gymsack or drawstring bags and the like. These clasps comprise a multi-pronged male element that is resiliently and releasabley received in a female element.

The clasp is released by lateral inward pressure on the male prongs enabling the separation of male and female parts. However, it should be recognised that any clasp, buckle or tie can be employed to achieve the desired releasable union between the upper and lower fastening elements.

In use, the baseball cap wearer, when wishing to store their baseball cap, releases the upper fastening element 7 from the lower fastening element 6 by operation of the buckle 8. The baseball cap peak 11 can then be inserted into the sleeve formed by the vent member 5 and the gymsack or drawstring bag central body compartment 1. Once the cap is in place, the fastening member 15 is secured over the crown of the baseball cap 9 by reconnecting the upper and lower fastening elements 6,7 by re-engagement of the buckle 8.

In this way, the wearer of a baseball cap is able to store his or her cap whilst still maintaining visibility for the cap itself and any emblem or logo that is displayed on the crown of the cap.

Figure 2 shows a small item bag or shoulder bag 20 including a shoulder strap 22 and a baseball cap retainer 4. The baseball cap retainer 4 functions and operates in the same manner as describe above with reference to Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a backpack 30 including a baseball cap retainer 4 that operates and functions in the same manner as previously discussed.

Figure 4 shows a cowl 40 for covering a baseball cap prior to insertion into a baseball cap retainer 4. The cowl is constructed from a waterproof material and is intended to shield the baseball cap from the elements whilst being held in a partially exposed fashion within the baseball cap retainer 4. The cowl 40 comprises a central portion 42, for covering the crown of a baseball cap, and a peak portion 41 for receiving the peak 11 of a baseball cap.

Figures 5 and 6 show the gymsack or drawstring bag 10 and small item bag or shoulder bag 20 of Figures 1 and 2 respectively without a baseball cap retained within the baseball cap retainer 4.

Figure 7 shows an item of clothing 50, in this instance a hooded jacket, including a baseball cap retainer 4 positioned on the front of the jacket.

Figure 8 shows the jacket 50 of Figure 7 with the baseball cap retainer 4 in an alternative position. Here, the baseball cap retainer forms part of the rear of the jacket waistband.

In an alternative embodiment, and as shown in Figure 9, the baseball cap retainer 4 forms part of the hood 51 of the jacket. In another embodiment, the baseball cap retainer 4 forms part of the rear of the collar of a hoodless jacket.

Claims

S Claims 1. An item of baggage, luggage or clothing including a headgear retainer comprising: a vent member for receiving the peak or brim of a headgear item; and at least one fastening member interconnected between the item of baggage, luggage or clothing and the vent member, said fastening member adapted to pass over the crown or dome of a headgear item so as to hold said headgear item in place in said vent member.
2. An item of baggage, luggage or clothing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one fastening member comprises a first fastening element releasabley lockable to a second fastening element.
3. An item of baggage, luggage or clothing as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first fastening element is releasabley lockable to the second fastening element via a clasp, catch, buckle, dog clip, knot or Velcro � device.
4. An item of baggage, luggage or clothing as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the first fastening element and the second fastening element are straps, bands or chords.
5. An item of baggage, luggage or clothing as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the fastening member is attached to the vent member at a substantially midway position on said vent member.
6. An item of baggage, luggage or clothing as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the vent member is integral with the item of baggage, luggage or clothing.
7. An item of baggage, luggage or clothing as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the vent member includes an arcuate edge portion providing an abutment for a corresponding arcuate portion of the headgear.
8. An item of baggage, luggage or clothing as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the vent member and the fastening member of the headgear retainer are configured to form an inverted T-shape.
9. An item of baggage, luggage or clothing as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the headgear item is a baseball or baseball-type cap.
10. An item of baggage, luggage or clothing as claimed in claim 9, wherein the baseball or baseball-type cap includes a waterproof protective cowl or covering.
11. An item of baggage or luggage as claimed in claim 9, wherein the item is a backpack, small item bag, shoulder bag, drawstring bag, gymsack or handbag.
12. An item of clothing as claimed in claim 9, wherein the item is a jacket or coat.
13. An item of clothing as claimed in claim 12, wherein the headgear retainer is positioned on the waistband, hood or collar of said jacket or coat.
14. An item of clothing as claimed in claim 12, wherein the headgear retainer forms part of an attached hood of said jacket or coat.
15. An item of baggage, luggage or clothing as substantially hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.