Open top fully adjustable disposable chef's hat

Abstract

An open top fully adjustable chef's hat preferably made of paper or paper equivalent. The hat comprises an upright preferably pleated sidewall adapted to be formed into a closed generally curvilinear shape. An adjustable headband is attached to the lower part of the pleated sidewall and adapted to adjustably fit a range of head sizes. A stiffening strip is attached to the upper part of the sidewall with at least part of the strip positioned in the interior of the hat when it is assembled. The free ends of the flap are adapted for overlapping telescoping fit of one end of the flap within the other. A foldable flap is provided on the headband to facilitate sliding assembly of one end of the headband inside the other.

I/we claim:  
     
         1 . An open top fully adjustable disposable chef's hat comprising: 
 a. an upright sidewall adapted to be formed into a closed generally curvilinear shape,    b. an adjustable headband attached to the lower part of the sidewall and adapted to adjustably fit a range of head sizes by overlapping engagement of the free ends of the headband,    c. a stiffening flap fixed to the upper part of the sidewall, said flap being adapted to extend into the interior of the hat, the free ends of the flap being adapted for overlapping telescoping fit of one end of the flap within the other whereby the top of the sidewall is open and can be formed into a closed, generally curvilinear shape of adjustable circumference.    
     
     
         2 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening flap is fixed to the outside surface of the sidewall and folded over the top margin of the sidewall into the interior of the sidewall when it is formed into a closed shape.  
     
     
         3 . An open top disposable chef's hat in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening flap is affixed to the sidewall so as to reinforce it.  
     
     
         4 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the hat is made entirely of paper.  
     
     
         5 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the headband includes a foldable flap at one end thereof, said flap being adapted to fold over the top margin of the overlapping opposing ends of the headband to facilitate sliding assembly of the free ends of the headband.  
     
     
         6 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 5  wherein the foldable flap extends from the top margin of the headband and is adapted to fold over the top margin of the opposing ends of the headband.  
     
     
         7 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 5  wherein the headband includes a longitudinally extending folded section at the top thereof and the foldable flap is formed by a transverse slit through the folded section.  
     
     
         8 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the sidewall is pleated.  
     
     
         9 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the headband includes a foldable flap at one end thereof, said flap being adapted to fold over the top margin of the overlapping opposing ends of the headband to facilitate sliding assembly of the free ends of the headband.  
     
     
         10 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the top of the hat is held in a closed shape by a device for holding overlapping parts of the hat together.  
     
     
         11 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 10  wherein said device is an adhesive.  
     
     
         12 . An open top fully adjustable disposable chef's hat comprising: 
 a. an upright sidewall adapted to be formed into a closed generally curvilinear shape,    b. an adjustable headband attached to the lower part of the sidewall and adapted to adjustably fit a range of head sizes by telescopically engaging the free ends of the headband,    c. a foldable stiffening flap fixed to the upper part of the sidewall, said flap being fixed to the outside surface of the sidewall and folded over the top margin of the sidewall to lay against the interior surface of the sidewall when it is formed into a closed shape, and said sidewall being folded along a line extending parallel to the top margin of the sidewall, said fold line being proximate said top margin of the sidewall, whereby the flap is entirely positioned within the interior of the hat when the sidewall is formed into said curvilinear shape.    
     
     
         13 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 12  wherein the headband includes a foldable flap at one end thereof, said flap being adapted to fold over the top margin of the overlapping opposing ends of the headband to facilitate telescoping assembly of the free ends of the headband.  
     
     
         14 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the foldable flap extends from the top margin of the headband and is adapted to fold over the top margin of the opposing end of the headband.  
     
     
         15 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 12  wherein the sidewall is pleated.  
     
     
         16 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the headband includes a longitudinally extending folded section at the top thereof and the foldable flap is formed by a transverse slit through the folded section.  
     
     
         17 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 12  wherein the top of the hat is held in a closed shape by a device for holding overlapping parts of the hat together.  
     
     
         18 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 17  wherein said device is an adhesive.  
     
     
         19 . An open top fully adjustable disposable chef's hat comprising: 
 a. an upright sidewall adapted to be formed into a closed generally curvilinear shape,    b. an adjustable headband attached to the lower part of the sidewall and adapted to adjustably fit a range of head sizes by overlapping engagement of the free ends of the headband,    c. a stiffening flap fixed to the upper part of the sidewall and projecting above the top margin of the sidewall,    d. a fold line in said sidewall extending generally parallel to the top margin of the sidewall, said fold line being proximate the top margin of the sidewall, and said sidewall being foldable along said fold line to cause the stiffening flap to project into the interior of the hat when the sidewall is formed into a curvilinear shape.    
     
     
         20 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 19  wherein the headband includes a foldable flap at one end thereof, said flap being adapted to fold over the top margin of the overlapping opposing ends of the headband to facilitate telescoping assembly of the free ends of the headband.  
     
     
         21 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 20  wherein the foldable flap extends from the top margin of the headband and is adapted to fold over the top margin of the opposing end of the headband.  
     
     
         22 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 19  wherein the sidewall is pleated.  
     
     
         23 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 21  wherein the headband includes a longitudinally extending folded section at the top thereof and the foldable flap is formed by a transverse slit through the folded section.  
     
     
         24 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 19  wherein the top of the hat is held in a closed shape by a device for holding overlapping parts of the hat together.  
     
     
         25 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 24  wherein said device is an adhesive.  
     
     
         26 . An open top fully adjustable disposable chef's hat comprising: 
 a. an upright sidewall adapted to be formed into a closed generally curvilinear shape,    b. an adjustable headband attached to the lower part of the sidewall and adapted to adjustably fit a range of head sizes by telescopically engaging the free ends of the headband,    c. a stiffening flap affixed to the interior side of the upper part of the sidewall,    d. a fold line extending parallel to the top margin of the sidewall, said fold line being proximate the top margin of the sidewall, whereby a top portion of the sidewall is foldable into the interior of the hat to bring the flap adjacent the interior side of the sidewall when the sidewall is formed into a closed curvilinear shape.    
     
     
         27 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 26  wherein the headband includes a foldable flap at one end thereof, said flap being adapted to fold over the top margin of the overlapping opposing ends of the headband to facilitate telescoping assembly of the free ends of the headband.  
     
     
         28 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 27  wherein the foldable flap extends from the top margin of the headband and is adapted to fold over the top margin of the opposing end of the headband.  
     
     
         29 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 26  wherein the sidewall is pleated.  
     
     
         30 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 27  wherein the headband includes a longitudinally extending folded section at the top thereof and the foldable flap is formed by a transverse slit through the folded section.  
     
     
         31 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 26  wherein the top of the hat is held in a closed shape by a device for holding overlapping parts of the hat together.  
     
     
         32 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 31  wherein said device is an adhesive.  
     
     
         33 . An open top fully adjustable disposable chef's hat comprising: 
 a. an upright sidewall adapted to be formed into a closed generally curvilinear shape,    b. an adjustable headband attached to the lower part of the sidewall and adapted to adjustably fit a range of head sizes by telescopically engaging the free ends of the headband,    c. at least one fold line extending parallel to the top margin of the sidewall, said fold line being proximate the top margin of the sidewall, whereby a top section of the sidewall is folded into the interior of the hat adjacent the interior sidewall of the hat when the hat is formed into a closed curvilinear shape thereby stiffening the top portion of the hat.    
     
     
         34 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 33  wherein the headband includes a foldable flap at one end thereof, said flap being adapted to fold over the top margin of the overlapping opposing ends of the headband to facilitate telescoping assembly of the free ends of the headband.  
     
     
         35 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 34  wherein the foldable flap extends from the top margin of the headband and is adapted to fold over the top margin of the opposing end of the headband.  
     
     
         36 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 33  wherein the sidewall is pleated.  
     
     
         37 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 33  wherein the headband includes a longitudinally extending folded section at the top thereof and a foldable flap is formed by a transverse slit through the folded section.  
     
     
         38 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 33  wherein the top of the hat is held in a closed shape by an adhesive.  
     
     
         39 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 33  wherein there are two spaced apart fold lines extending parallel to the top margin of the sidewall both proximate the top margin to define two sections foldable into the interior of the hat and to lie against the inside surface of the sidewall with the top most section being folded to lie between the two sections and directly against the surface of the sidewall.  
     
     
         40 . An open top fully adjustable disposable chef's hat comprising: 
 a. an upright pleated sidewall adapted to formed into a closed generally curvilinear shape,    b. an adjustable headband attached to the lower part of the sidewall and adapted to adjustably fit a range of head sizes by overlapping engagement of the free ends of the headband, and    c. a stiffening strip fixed to the upper part of the sidewall.    
     
     
         41 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 40  wherein the headband includes a foldable flap at one end thereof, said flap being adapted to fold over the top margin of the overlapping opposing ends of the headband to facilitate telescoping assembly of the free ends of the headband.  
     
     
         42 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 41  wherein the foldable flap extends from the top margin of the headband and is adapted to fold over the top margin of the opposing end of the headband.  
     
     
         43 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 41  wherein the headband includes a longitudinally extending folded section at the top thereof and the foldable flap is formed by a transverse slit through the folded section.  
     
     
         44 . An open top chef's hat in accordance with  claim 40  wherein at least one adhesive strip is provided proximate the top margin of the hat to hold overlapped ends of the top margin of the hat in an assembled condition.