Size adjustable headwear piece

Abstract

A headwear piece having a crown with a plurality of gores, including first and second gores, that are joined at a connecting line at a first circumferential location on the crown. The gores cooperatively produce an inverted, cup-shaped receptacle into which a user's head can be directed. The crown has a bottom portion that extends at least partially around a wearer's head to embrace the wearer's head. A sweatband on the crown engages a wearer's head. The first and second gores are stretchable circumferentially away from the connecting line to thereby increase the diameter of the crown. The sweatband has a portion that is locally non-stretchable at the first circumferential location so that the sweatband and first and second gores are circumferentially stretchable together away from the first circumferential location in response to the direction of a user's head, with at least a predetermined effective diameter, into the receptacle.

1 . A headwear piece comprising:
 a crown comprising a plurality of gores, including first and second gores that are joined at a connecting line at a first circumferential location on the crown, to cooperatively produce an inverted cup-shaped receptacle with a diameter into which a user's head can be directed with the headwear piece in an operative position,   the crown having a bottom portion that extends at least partially around a wearer's head to embrace a wearer's head with the headwear piece in the operative position; and   a sweatband on the crown that engages a wearer's head with the headwear piece in the operative position,   the first and second gores stretchable circumferentially away from the connecting line in response to direction of a user's head of at least a predetermined effective diameter into the receptacle so as to thereby increase the diameter of the crown,   the sweatband having a portion that is locally non-stretchable at the first circumferential location so that the sweatband and first and second gores are circumferentially stretchable together away from the first circumferential location in response to the direction of a user's head, with at least the predetermined effective diameter, into the receptacle.   
   
   
       2 . The headwear piece according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second gores have a first circumferential width at the first circumferential location that is non-stretchable circumferentially in response to direction of a user's head of at least the predetermined effective diameter into the receptacle, and the sweatband has a second circumferential width at the first circumferential location that is non-stretchable circumferentially in response to direction of a user's head of at least the predetermined effective diameter into the receptacle, the headwear piece further comprising a backing tape that is attached to the first and second gores either: a) at first and second spaced locations; or b) over a circumferential extent equal to the first circumferential width, the backing tape substantially non-stretchable in a circumferential direction. 
   
   
       3 . The headwear piece according to  claim 2  wherein the sweatband comprises a stretchable layer and backing tape that is attached to the stretchable layer either at: a) third and fourth locations spaced circumferentially a distance equal to the second circumferential width; or b) over a circumferential extent equal to the second circumferential width, the backing tape that is attached to the stretchable layer substantially non-stretchable in a circumferential direction. 
   
   
       4 . The headwear piece according to  claim 2  wherein the backing tape is attached to the first and second gores by first and second lines of stitching spaced circumferentially by the first width. 
   
   
       5 . The headwear piece according to  claim 3  wherein the backing tape that is attached to the stretchable layer is attached by third and fourth lines of stitching spaced circumferentially by the second width. 
   
   
       6 . The headwear piece according to  claim 3  wherein the first and second widths are substantially the same and circumferentially aligned. 
   
   
       7 . The headwear piece according to  claim 3  wherein the sweatband is attached at the bottom portion of the crown and folded into the receptacle so as to directly engage a wearer's head with the headwear piece in the operative position. 
   
   
       8 . The headwear piece according to  claim 1  wherein the headwear piece further comprises a rim/bill that is attached to the crown and projects in a forward direction away from the crown. 
   
   
       9 . The headwear piece according to  claim 8  wherein the rim/bill has a circumferential extent between first and second rim/bill ends and the sweatband comprises a stretchable layer that extends at least fully between the first and second edges of the rim/bill over a circumferential portion of the crown at which the rim/bill is not attached. 
   
   
       10 . The headwear piece according to  claim 3  wherein the stretchable layer has a vertical width with a top edge and a bottom edge and the backing tape that is attached to the stretchable layer extends over and around at least one of the top edge and bottom edge of the stretchable layer. 
   
   
       11 . The headwear piece according to  claim 10  wherein the backing tape that is attached to the stretchable layer extends over and around the top edge of the stretchable layer. 
   
   
       12 . The headwear piece according to  claim 1  wherein the crown has a closed top surface. 
   
   
       13 . The headwear piece according to  claim 1  wherein the crown has an open top. 
   
   
       14 . The headwear piece according to  claim 2  wherein the backing tape comprises a fabric material. 
   
   
       15 . The headwear piece according to  claim 1  wherein the gores are made from a uniaxially stretchable material. 
   
   
       16 . The headwear piece according to  claim 3  wherein the stretchable layer is made from a uniaxially stretchable material. 
   
   
       17 . The headwear piece according to  claim 1  wherein there are at least four gores that make up the crown. 
   
   
       18 . The headwear piece according to  claim 1  wherein the gores are joined by stitching along the connecting line. 
   
   
       19 . The headwear piece according to  claim 9  wherein the sweatband comprises a non-stretchable segment extending between the first and second rim/bill ends over a circumferential portion of the crown at which the rim/bill is attached. 
   
   
       20 . The headwear piece according to  claim 8  wherein the plurality of gores includes at least one gore that connects to the rim/bill and is non-stretchable in a circumferential direction.