Combination hat retention device and ornamental jewelry apparatus

Abstract

A hat retention device and ornamental jewelry apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a necklace and a leash formed of a material and design similar or complimentary to the ornamental design of the necklace. First and second connectors are carried on opposite ends of the leash and are selectively attachable to a hat worn on the head of a wearer and to the necklace. The leash functions to maintain the hat in close proximity to the wearer in the event that the hat is separated from the head of the wearer; providing an ornamental appearance complementary to the design of the necklace.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hat retention apparatus for retaining a hat in close proximity to a wearer in the event the hat is separated from a wearer's head, the hat retention apparatus comprising:
 an ornamental necklace with a necklace base disposable in a loop about a wearer's neck;   a leash formed of an ornamental jewelry material; and   first and second connectors, coupled to the opposite ends of the leash, for connecting the leash to the necklace to be worn around the wearer's neck and to a hat to be worn on a wear's head.   
     
     
         2 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first connector comprises:
 one of a fixed, a slidable and an adjustably fixedly positionable connector. 
 
     
     
         3 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 2  wherein:
 the first connector is a fixed connector non removably attached to the necklace base. 
 
     
     
         4 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the first connector is a slidable connector including a first ring having a larger diameter than a diameter of the necklace base or decorative elements carried on the necklace base. 
     
     
         5 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the first connector comprises:
 an adjustably positionable connector having a ring about which the necklace base is wrapped; and 
 a collar slideably mounted on two portions of the necklace base wrapped around the ring, the collar adjustably positionable along portions of the necklace base, engaged with the ring to tighten or loosen the necklace base extending from the ring as the collar is moved relative to the ring. 
 
     
     
         6 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second connector comprises: one of a fixed position connector and a movable connector. 
     
     
         7 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the leash forms a continuation of the necklace base; and 
 the first connector defined by one end of the leash coupled to an intermediate portion of the necklace. 
 
     
     
         8 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 at least one of the first and second connectors includes a openable clasp between the leash and the one of the first and second connectors to enable at least one end of the leash to be removably coupled to and separated from the at least one of the first and second connectors. 
 
     
     
         9 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the leash and the necklace have at least one of identical or complimentary ornamental jewelry designs. 
 
     
     
         10 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a separable breakaway element carried by one of the necklace base and the leash to allow separation of the necklace or at least a portion of the leash from the wearer. 
 
     
     
         11 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 ornamental elements carried on a portion of the necklace base to be disposed on a wearer's chest and acting as a counterweight to forces acting on the hat after the hat is separated from the head of the wearer while still retained by the leash to the necklace. 
 
     
     
         12 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 openable clasp having first and second sections respectively coupled to opposite ends of the necklace base to secure the necklace base around a user's neck; and 
 the first connector is fixably connected to one of the first and second sections of the clasp. 
 
     
     
         13 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising:
 the necklace including ornamental elements carried on the necklace base and disposed adjacent to the clasp; and 
 one end of the leash passing through at least one ornamental element adjacent to the clasp before a connection to the clasp to direct the leash off center relative to the clasp on the necklace. 
 
     
     
         14 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the second connector having a flat planar profile. 
 
     
     
         15 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the second connector has one of a pierce connection engagable with an underside of a hat and a clip on connection to one of a hat head band, a hat label and a loop on an underside of a hat. 
 
     
     
         16 . A hat retention apparatus for retaining a hat in close proximity to a wearer in the event the hat is separated from a wearer's head when the wearer is wearing an ornamental necklace, the hat retention apparatus comprising:
 a flexible leash formed of an ornamental jewelry material; and   first and second connectors, coupled to the opposite ends of the leash for connecting the leash to a necklace to be worn around a wearer's neck and hat to be worn on a wear's head.   
     
     
         17 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the first connector comprises: one of a fixed connector, a slidable connector and an adjustably positionable connector. 
     
     
         18 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the second connector comprises:
 one of a fixed position and a movable connector. 
 
     
     
         19 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 16  wherein:
 the leash forms a continuation of a necklace to be disposed around a wearer's neck; and 
 the first connector defined by one end of the leash coupled to the necklace base. 
 
     
     
         20 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 16  wherein:
 at least one of the first and second connectors includes an openable clasp between the leash and the one of the first and second connectors to enable at least one end of the leash to be removably coupled to and separated from the at least one of the first and second connectors. 
 
     
     
         21 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 16  wherein:
 the first connector is a fixed connector non removeably attachable to a necklace base. 
 
     
     
         22 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the first connector is a slidable connector including a first ring having a larger diameter than a diameter of a necklace base or decorative elements carried on a necklace base. 
     
     
         23 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the first connector comprises:
 an adjustably positionable connector having a ring about which a necklace base is wrapped; and 
 a collar slideably mounted on two portions of a necklace base wrapped around the ring, the collar adjustably positionable along the two portions of a necklace base with respect to the ring to alternately tighten or loosen the two portions of a necklace base extending from the ring. 
 
     
     
         24 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising:
 an openable clasp having first and second sections respectively coupled to opposite ends of the necklace base to secure the necklace base around a user's neck; and 
 the first connector of the leash is fixably connected to one of the sections of the clasp. 
 
     
     
         25 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising:
 one end of the leash passing through at least one decorative element carried on a necklace adjacent to the clasp for connection via the first connector to the clasp to direct the leash to necklace connection off center relative to the clasp on the necklace. 
 
     
     
         26 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising:
 the second connector having a flat planar profile. 
 
     
     
         27 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 17  wherein:
 the second connector has one of a pierce connection engageable with an underside of a hat and a clip on connection to one of a hat head band, a hat label and a loop on an underside of the hat. 
 
     
     
         28 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a separable breakaway element carried by one of the necklace base and the leash to allow separation of the necklace or leash from the wearer. 
 
     
     
         29 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising:
 ornamental elements carried on a portion of the necklace base to be disposed on a wearer's chest and acting as a counterweight to forces acting on the hat after the hat is separated from the head of the wearer while still retained by the leash to the necklace. 
 
     
     
         30 . A hat retention apparatus for retaining a hat in close proximity to a wearer in the event the hat is separated from a wearer's head when the wearer is wearing an ornamental necklace, the hat retention apparatus comprising:
 a flexible leash;   first and second connectors, coupled to the opposite ends of the leash for connecting the leash to a necklace to be worn around a wearer's neck and hat to be worn on a wearer's head; and   the second connector having a flat profile to fit within an underside of a hat and a wearer's head.   
     
     
         31 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 30  wherein:
 the second connector has one of a pierce connection engagable with an underside of a hat and a clip on connection to one of a hat head band, a hat label and a loop on an underside of the hat. 
 
     
     
         32 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 30  wherein the second connector comprises:
 one of a fixed position connector and a movable connector. 
 
     
     
         33 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 30  wherein:
 openable clasp coupled between the leash and the second connector to enable one end of the leash to be removably coupled to and separated from the second connector. 
 
     
     
         34 . The but retention apparatus of  claim 30  further comprising:
 a separable breakaway element carried by one of the necklace base and the leash to allow separation of the necklace or at least a portion of the leash from the wearer. 
 
     
     
         35 . The hat retention apparatus of  claim 30  further comprising:
 ornamental elements carried on a portion of the necklace base to be disposed on a wearer's chest and acting as a counterweight to forces acting on the hat after the hat is separated from the head of the wearer while still retained by the leash to the necklace.