Launderable Cap Assembly And Method Of Use

Abstract

A launderable cap assembly allowing laundering of a cap without damaging its bill includes a crown and a bill. The bill comprises a sleeve and a panel. An upper piece of the sleeve is attached to the crown's front so that the sleeve's open end is positioned proximate to the crown's perimeter. The panel is insertable into the sleeve so that a leading edge of the panel is positioned proximate to a closed end of the sleeve and a trailing edge of the panel is positioned proximate to the perimeter of the crown. The panel is semirigid so that the bill extends from the front of the crown, where is can shade eyes of a user upon donning of the crown. The panel can be extracted from the sleeve, thereby positioning a user to first launder the crown and the sleeve and then to reinsert the panel into the sleeve.

1 . A launderable cap assembly comprising:
 a crown; and   a bill comprising:
 a sleeve having an upper piece and a lower piece, the upper piece being attached to a front of the crown, such that an open end of the sleeve is positioned proximate to a perimeter of the crown, and 
 a panel selectively insertable into the sleeve through the open end, such that a leading edge of the panel is positioned proximate to a closed end of the sleeve and a trailing edge of the panel is positioned proximate to the perimeter of the crown, the panel being semirigid, such that the bill extends from the front of the crown, wherein the bill is configured for shading eyes of a user upon donning of the crown, wherein the panel is configured for being extracted from the sleeve, positioning a user for laundering the crown and the sleeve and for reinserting the panel into the sleeve. 
   
     
     
         2 . The launderable cap assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the crown, the sleeve, and the panel are configured as a fitted hat, a flex fit hat, a snapback hat, or an adjustable hat. 
     
     
         3 . The launderable cap assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the crown, the sleeve, and the panel are configured as a fitness cap, baseball cap, or a trucker hat. 
     
     
         4 . The launderable cap assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the panel comprises plastic. 
     
     
         5 . The launderable cap assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the leading edge is convexly arcuate and the trailing edge is concavely arcuate. 
     
     
         6 . The launderable cap assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is formed such that the bill is concavely arcuate when viewed from the lower piece. 
     
     
         7 . The launderable cap assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is substantially planar. 
     
     
         8 . The launderable cap assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is selectively formable. 
     
     
         9 . The launderable cap assembly of  claim 1 , further including a band comprising:
 a medial portion attached by a lower edge to the lower piece; and   opposed side portions, each opposed side portion having an inner edge attached to a respective opposed end of the medial portion and a bottom edge attached to the crown proximate to the perimeter, such that the band is selectively positionable with an upper limit of the band on an inner face of the crown, wherein the band is configured for absorbing perspiration, wherein the medial portion is configured for grasping in digits of a hand of the user, positioning the user for exposing the open end of the sleeve for selectively extracting the panel from the sleeve and for inserting the panel into the sleeve.   
     
     
         10 . A method of laundering a cap comprising the steps of:
 providing a launderable cap assembly comprising:
 a crown, and 
 a bill comprising:
 a sleeve having an upper piece and a lower piece, the upper piece being attached to a front of the crown, such that an open end of the sleeve is positioned proximate to a perimeter of the crown, and 
 a panel selectively insertable into the sleeve through the open end, such that a leading edge of the panel is positioned proximate to a closed end of the sleeve and a trailing edge of the panel is positioned proximate to the perimeter of the crown, the panel being semirigid, such that the bill extends from the front of the crown, wherein the bill is configured for shading eyes of a user upon donning of the crown, wherein the panel is configured for being extracted from the sleeve, positioning a user for laundering the crown and the sleeve and for reinserting the panel into the sleeve; 
 
   removing the panel from the sleeve;   washing the crown and the sleeve;   drying the crown and the sleeve; and   inserting the panel into the sleeve.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further including:
 the launderable cap assembly comprising a band, the band comprising:
 a medial portion attached by a lower edge to the lower piece, and 
 opposed side portions, each opposed side portion having an inner edge attached to a respective opposed end of the medial portion and a bottom edge attached to the crown proximate to the perimeter, such that the band is selectively positionable with an upper limit of the band on an inner face of the crown, wherein the band is configured for absorbing perspiration, wherein the medial portion is configured for grasping in digits of a hand of the user, positioning the user for exposing the open end of the sleeve for selectively extracting the panel from the sleeve and for inserting the panel into the sleeve; 
   the method comprising a first additional step prior to removing the panel from the sleeve, the first additional step being grasping the medial portion of the band in digits of the hand of the user for exposing the open end of the sleeve; and   the method comprising a second additional step after inserting the panel into the sleeve, the second additional step being folding the medial portion of the band toward the inner face of the crown to cover the open end of the sleeve.