Headwear insert, system, and methods to define and control the shape of an article of headwear

Abstract

A headwear insert, system, and methods to define and control the shape of an article of headwear are provided which may be used to change the shape of an already manufactured cap to the shape of the insert, completely changing the shape and style, and the headwear insert may include an elongated body having a first end, a second end, an elongated upper surface, an elongated lower surface, an elongated first side surface, an elongated second side surface, and a curved body section. The elongated upper surface, the elongated lower surface, the elongated first side surface, and the elongated second side surface may each extend between the first end and the second end, and the curved body section may be formed by a first portion of the elongated upper surface having a convex curve shape and by a first portion of the elongated lower surface having a concave curve shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A headwear insert, the headwear insert comprising:
 an elongated body having a length dimension, a first end, a second end, an elongated upper surface, an elongated lower surface, an elongated first side surface, an elongated second side surface, and a curved body section, wherein the elongated upper surface, the elongated lower surface, the elongated first side surface, and the elongated second side surface each extend between the first end and the second end, wherein the length dimension describes a length of the elongated upper surface between the first end and the second end, wherein the curved body section comprises at least fifty percent of the length dimension, and wherein the curved body section is formed by a first portion of the elongated upper surface having a convex curve shape and by a first portion of the elongated lower surface having a concave curve shape.   
     
     
         2 . The headwear insert of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated first side surface and the elongated second side surface are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The headwear insert of  claim 1 , further comprising a linear body section, wherein the linear body section is formed by a second portion of the elongated upper surface having a planar shape and by a second portion of the elongated lower surface having a planar shape. 
     
     
         4 . The headwear insert of  claim 3 , wherein the second portion of the elongated upper surface and the second portion of the elongated lower surface are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The headwear insert of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the elongated lower surface having a concave curve shape has the concave curve shape defined by an arc length of between 60 and 80 degrees and a radius of between 3.0 and 4.2 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The headwear insert of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the elongated lower surface having a concave curve shape has the concave curve shape defined by an arc length of between 34 and 24 degrees and a radius of between 2.0 and 3.0 inches. 
     
     
         7 . A method of manufacturing an article of headwear, having a crown, a crown bottom perimeter, a crown top, and a visor, using a headwear insert, the method comprising:
 assembling the crown by coupling a plurality of crown segments together in side-by-side relationship with side edges of the crown segments extending upwardly from the crown bottom perimeter to the crown top and each crown segment being coupled to its adjacent crown segment along a crown seam adjacent to the side edges;   coupling the headwear insert to the crown proximate to a first crown seam of two adjacent crown segments so that the headwear insert is positioned between the first crown seam and seam tape covering the first crown seam, the headwear insert having an elongated body having a length dimension, a first end, a second end, an elongated upper surface, an elongated lower surface, an elongated first side surface, an elongated second side surface, and a curved body section, wherein the elongated upper surface, the elongated lower surface, the elongated first side surface, and the elongated second side surface each extend between the first end and the second end, wherein the length dimension describes a length of the elongated upper surface between the first end and the second end, wherein the curved body section comprises at least fifty percent of the length dimension, and wherein the curved body section is formed by a first portion of the elongated upper surface having a convex curve shape and by a first portion of the elongated lower surface having a concave curve shape; and   coupling the visor to the crown.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the headwear insert extends between 80 and 100 percent of a distance between the crown bottom perimeter and the crown top. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the elongated first side surface and the elongated second side surface are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising a linear body section, wherein the linear body section is formed by a second portion of the elongated upper surface having a planar shape and by a second portion of the elongated lower surface having a planar shape. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second portion of the elongated upper surface and the second portion of the elongated lower surface are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first portion of the elongated lower surface having a concave curve shape has the concave curve shape defined by an arc length of between 60 and 80 degrees and a radius of between 3.0 and 4.2 inches. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first portion of the elongated lower surface having a concave curve shape has the concave curve shape defined by an arc length of between 34 and 24 degrees and a radius of between 2.0 and 3.0 inches. 
     
     
         14 . A method of changing the shape of an article of headwear using a headwear insert, the article of headwear comprising a crown having a crown bottom perimeter and a crown top, the crown including a first crown segment and a second crown segment located in side-by-side relationship, with side edges of the first crown segment and the second crown segment extending upwardly from the crown bottom perimeter to the crown top and the first crown segment being fastened to the second crown segment along a crown seam with a seam tape coupled over the crown seam to the first crown segment and the second crown segment, the method comprising:
 inserting the headwear insert between the seam tape and the crown seam, the headwear insert having an elongated body having a length dimension, a first end, a second end, an elongated upper surface, an elongated lower surface, an elongated first side surface, an elongated second side surface, and a curved body section, wherein the elongated upper surface, the elongated lower surface, the elongated first side surface, and the elongated second side surface each extend between the first end and the second end, wherein the length dimension describes a length of the elongated upper surface between the first end and the second end, wherein the curved body section comprises at least fifty percent of the length dimension, and wherein the curved body section is formed by a first portion of the elongated upper surface having a convex curve shape and by a first portion of the elongated lower surface having a concave curve shape; and   positioning the elongated body of the headwear insert between the seam tape and the crown seam and between the crown bottom perimeter and the crown top.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the headwear insert extends between 80 and 100 percent of a distance between the crown bottom perimeter and the crown top. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the elongated first side surface and the elongated second side surface are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising a linear body section, wherein the linear body section is formed by a second portion of the elongated upper surface having a planar shape and by a second portion of the elongated lower surface having a planar shape. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the second portion of the elongated upper surface and the second portion of the elongated lower surface are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first portion of the elongated lower surface having a concave curve shape has the concave curve shape defined by an arc length of between 60 and 80 degrees and a radius of between 3.0 and 4.2 inches. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first portion of the elongated lower surface having a concave curve shape has the concave curve shape defined by an arc length of between 34 and 24 degrees and a radius of between 2.0 and 3.0 inches.