Paper-based hat and methods for making same

Abstract

Paper-based hats and methods for making same are disclosed. For example, a visor component and a crown component may be obtained from at least one paper-based material, such as a paper-based beverage carton. A crown-visor structure may be formed by affixing at least a portion of a non-exposed surface of the crown component to at least a portion of an upper portion of an exposed surface of the visor component. A band may be affixed to at least a portion of the crown-visor structure to support the paper-based visor on a head of a wearer of the paper-based hat. The visor component and/or the crown component may include images that were printed on the source paper-based material that are visible to an observer of the paper-based hat being worn by a wearer thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A paper-based hat comprising:
 a visor component and a crown component obtained from at least one paper-based material, at least a portion of a non-exposed surface of the crown component being affixed to at least a portion of an upper portion of an exposed surface of the visor component to form a crown-visor structure; and   a band affixed to at least a portion of the crown-visor structure and configured to support the paper-based hat on a head of a wearer of the paper-based hat.   
     
     
         2 . The paper-based hat of  claim 1 , wherein the paper-based material comprises at least one of the following: corrugated paper, cardboard, construction paper, paperboard boxboard, chipboard, carrier stock paper. 
     
     
         3 . The paper-based hat of  claim 1 , wherein the paper-based material comprises a beverage container. 
     
     
         4 . The paper-based hat of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of a visor edge of the visor component and at least a portion of a crown edge of the crown component are lined with an edging material. 
     
     
         5 . The paper-based hat of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of an upper portion of the visor component comprises a plurality of incisions configured to prevent creasing of the visor component when being affixed to the crown component. 
     
     
         6 . The paper-based hat of  claim 1 , wherein the visor component comprises a first portion of an image printed thereon and the crown component comprise a second portion of the image printed thereon. 
     
     
         7 . The paper-based hat of  claim 6 , wherein the visor component and the crown component are obtained from the at least one paper-based material such that the first portion of the image and the second portion of the image line up to form a substantially continuous image on the paper-based hat. 
     
     
         8 . A paper-based hat comprising:
 a crown component obtained from a first paper-based material and comprising at least one image element printed thereon and a crown edge lined at least partially with a crown edging material;   a visor component comprising a second paper-based material and having at least one image element printed thereon, the visor component being configured to have a plurality of incisions in an upper portion thereof and a visor edge lined with a visor edging material, wherein at least a portion of a non-exposed surface of the crown component is affixed to at least a portion of an upper portion of an exposed surface of the visor component to form a crown-visor structure;   a head interface structure affixed to a non-exposed surface of at least a portion of the crown-visor structure; and   a band affixed to the crown-visor structure and configured to support the paper-based hat on a head of a wearer of the paper-based hat.   
     
     
         9 . The paper-based hat of  claim 8 , wherein the paper-based material comprises at least one of the following: corrugated paper, cardboard, construction paper, paperboard boxboard, chipboard, carrier stock paper. 
     
     
         10 . The paper-based hat of  claim 8 , wherein the paper-based material comprises a beverage container. 
     
     
         11 . A method of making a paper-based hat comprising:
 providing at least one paper-based material;   obtaining a visor component from the at least one paper-based material;   obtaining a crown component from the at least one paper-based material;   forming a crown-visor structure by affixing at least a portion of a non-exposed surface of the crown component to at least a portion of an upper portion of an exposed surface of the visor component; and   affixing a band to at least a portion of the crown-visor structure to support the paper-based hat on a head of a wearer of the paper-based hat.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the visor component is affixed to the crown component using at least one of the following: glue, staples, tape, and thread. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising cutting a plurality of incisions in an upper portion of the visor component configured to prevent creasing of the visor component when affixing the visor component to the crown component. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the paper-based material comprises at least one of the following: corrugated paper, cardboard, construction paper, paperboard boxboard, chipboard, carrier stock paper. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising lining a visor edge of the visor component and at least a portion of a crown edge of the crown component with an edging material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the paper-based material comprises a beverage container having an image printed thereon. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the visor component comprises a first portion of the image printed thereon and the crown component comprise a second portion of the image printed thereon. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first portion of the image and the second portion of the image line up to form a substantially continuous image on the paper-based hat.