Headwear including crown having an opening for hair

Abstract

Headwear provides a comfortable fit and hair protection for individuals having hairstyles with significate hair volume (e.g., ponytails, braids, dreadlocks, twists, etc.) that traditional headwear is unable to accommodate. The headwear includes a crown without a small button (i.e., squatchee) having an opening configured to allow an accumulation of hair to pass through the crown, where the opening has a non-circular shape. The non-circular shape may include an elongated ellipse-like shape, a V-shape, a narrow-elongated ellipse-like shape, and a broad-elongated ellipse-like shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A headwear comprising:
 a crown configured to cover a portion of a person's head, the crown includes
 a front, 
 a rear disposed opposite of the front, 
 a center positioned an equal distance from the front and the rear, 
 a centerline axis transversing from the front through the center to the rear, 
 an opening configured to allow an accumulation of hair to pass through the crown, the opening has a non-circular shape having an axis of symmetry superposing a segment of the centerline axis and is positioned such that the center superposes a portion of the opening. 
   
     
     
         2 . The headwear of  claim 1 , the crown further including a hair protector defining a periphery of the opening, the hair protector is connected to the crown and is configured to allow the accumulation of hair to pass through the crown. 
     
     
         3 . The headwear of  claim 2 , the crown further including a plurality of panels connected to form the opening and an enclosure configured to cover the portion of the person's head, each panel in the plurality of panels has a proximal end and a distal end, where the opening is located at the distal end and the enclosure is located at the proximal end of each panel. 
     
     
         4 . The headwear of  claim 3 , the hair protector envelops the distal end of each panel in the plurality of panels. 
     
     
         5 . The headwear of  claim 4 , the hair protector includes a hair-sensitive fabric having a smooth surface for reducing friction against the accumulation of hair. 
     
     
         6 . The headwear of  claim 5 , the hair-sensitive fabric includes satin, polyester, nylon, spandex, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The headwear of  claim 4 , the hair protector includes a flexible material configured to expand the opening resulting from the accumulation of hair exerting a force on the hair protector. 
     
     
         8 . The headwear of  claim 2 , each panel having an exterior surface and an interior surface, where the exterior surface includes a fabric material and the interior surface includes a fabric material. 
     
     
         9 . The headwear of  claim 8 , the fabric material includes satin, polyester, nylon, spandex, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The headwear of  claim 1 , the crown further including a closure having a fastening mechanism system configured to secure the headwear to the person's head. 
     
     
         11 . The headwear of  claim 10 , a fastening mechanism is selected from a group of the following: buckle closure, hook-and-loop fastener, Velcro® closure, snapback closure, elastic band, strap and buckle, drawstring, or stretch fit. 
     
     
         12 . The headwear of  claim 2 , further including a brim connected to the crown and disposed adjacent to the front of the crown. 
     
     
         13 . The headwear of  claim 1 , the non-circular shape of the opening is selected from a group of the following: an elongated ellipse-like shape, a V-shape, a narrow-elongated ellipse-like shape, or broad-elongated ellipse-like shape. 
     
     
         14 . A headwear comprising:
 a crown including:
 a front, 
 a rear disposed opposite of the front, 
 a center positioned an equal distance from the front and the rear, 
 a centerline axis transversing from the front though the center to the rear, 
 an opening having a non-circular shape with an axis of symmetry superposing a segment of the centerline axis and is positioned such that the center superposes a portion of the opening, 
 a one or more panels connected to form the opening and an enclosure configured to cover the portion of a person's head, each panel has a proximal end and a distal end,
 wherein the opening is located at the distal end and the enclosure is located at the proximal end of each panel, and 
 
 a hair protector defines a periphery of the opening, the hair protector is connected to and envelops the distal end of each panel, the hair protector is configured to allow an accumulation of hair to pass through the crown. 
   
     
     
         15 . The headwear of  claim 14 , further comprising a brim connected to the crown and disposed adjacent to the front of the crown. 
     
     
         16 . The headwear of  claim 14 , the non-circular shape of the opening is selected from a group of the following: an elongated ellipse-like shape, a V-shape, a narrow-elongated ellipse-like shape, or broad-elongated ellipse-like shape. 
     
     
         17 . The headwear of  claim 14 , the crown further includes a closure having a fastening mechanism system configured to secure the headwear to a person's head. 
     
     
         18 . A headwear comprising:
 a crown including:
 a front, 
 a rear disposed opposite of the front, 
 a center positioned an equal distance from the front and the rear, 
 a centerline axis transversing from the front though the center to the rear, 
 an opening having a non-circular shape with an axis of symmetry superposing a segment of the centerline axis and is positioned such that the center superposes a portion of the opening, 
 a plurality of panels connected to form the opening and an enclosure configured to cover the portion of a person's head, each panel in the plurality of panels has a proximal end and a distal end,
 wherein the opening is located at the distal end and the enclosure is located at the proximal end of each panel, 
 
 a hair protector defines a periphery of the opening, the hair protector is connected to and envelops the distal end of each panel in the plurality of panels, the hair protector is configured to allow an accumulation of hair to pass through the crown; and 
   a brim connected to the crown and disposed adjacent to the front of the crown.   
     
     
         19 . The headwear of  claim 18 , the non-circular shape of the opening is selected from a group of the following: an elongated ellipse-like shape, a V-shape, a narrow-elongated ellipse-like shape, or broad-elongated ellipse-like shape. 
     
     
         20 . The headwear of  claim 18 , the crown further includes a closure having a fastening mechanism system configured to secure the headwear to a person's head.