Means for moveable bills or brims of caps and hats

Abstract

A unique fashion or sports hat or cap assemblage having a brim or bill/visor, distinctly designed with a sliding mechanism to rotate the brim or bill/visor up to 360 degrees without detachment from the crown of the cap or hat, including interchangeable and multiple options for the crown, body and visor portions and in which the sliding mechanism is attached to a headband and the headband in turn attached to an intermediate elastic material also attached to the periphery of the crown.

1. Headwear comprising a crown having a substantially circumferential body to fit on a wearer's head, at least one bill or brim extending substantially laterally away from the crown body and the wearer's head, and at least one slide means for connection of the bill or brim to the crown and for rotation of the bill or brim relative to the crown, the improvement in which the slide means comprises a first slide subassembly attached to the periphery of the crown body and extending at least a substantial portion around the circumference of the crown body, and a second subassembly attached to the bill or brim adjacent the crown body, the first and second subassemblies each having a channel member with means for interlocking and slidable engagement of the channel members relative to each other, the first subassembly comprising a headband having upper and lower sides with its channel member attached to the lower side, and an intermediate web having upper and lower sides with the upper sides of both the headband and the intermediate web attached to each other and the lower side of the intermediate web attached to the periphery of the crown body. 
     
     
       2. Headwear according to  claim 1  wherein the intermediate web comprises an elastic fabric. 
     
     
       3. Headwear according to  claim 1  wherein one of the channels members comprises a T-channel and another of the channels members comprises a U-channel, one of which channels is attached to the headband and is positioned between the crown body and the intermediate web, and the other channel is attached to the brim or bill and is detachably engaged with the one channel to enable both sliding engagement with and detachment from the one channel. 
     
     
       4. Headwear according to  claim 3  wherein both channels are made of a flexible semi-rigid material such as extruded polyvinyl chloride, and the T-channel circumscribes substantially the entire circumference of the headband. 
     
     
       5. Headwear according to  claim 3  wherein the T-channel forms a continuous track and the U-channel comprises a pair of inwardly extending spring-like lips which releasably retain a portion of the T-channel. 
     
     
       6. Headwear according to  claim 1  wherein the channel members are positioned between the headband and the intermediate web such that channel members do not touch the wearer's head. 
     
     
       7. Headwear according to  claim 1  wherein the intermediate web is a ventilated material to enable ventilation between the headband and the crown body. 
     
     
       8. Headwear according to  claim 1  wherein the intermediate web comprises a linking band of elastic fabric with sufficient stiffness to support the headband and the first subassembly channel member and with sufficient flexibility and elasticity to conform to the wearer's head with access to the sliding mechanism for purposes of changing and adjusting the bill or brim, and with sufficient porosity to permit passage of air and ambient moisture. 
     
     
       9. Headwear according to  claim 1  wherein intermediate web as attached to the crown body and headband defines a covered space between the crown body and the headband and by which the lower edge of crown body and intermediate web together form a circumferential flap under which is positioned the slide means for hiding the slide means from view. 
     
     
       10. Headwear according to  claim 1  wherein the crown body is comprised of at least two sections, and further comprising at least one other slide means for detachably connecting the two sections for enabling the sections to rotate relative to each other and to be detached from each other. 
     
     
       11. Headwear according to  claim 1  and further comprising at least one other slide means and at least a second bill or brim detachably and slidably engaged to the crown body by the other slide means. 
     
     
       12. Headwear comprising a crown having a substantially circumferential body to fit on a wearer's head, at least one bill or brim extending substantially laterally away from the crown body and the wearer's head, and at least one slide means for connection of the bill or brim to the crown and for rotation of the bill or brim relative to the crown, the improvement in which the slide means comprises a first subassembly attached to the periphery of the crown body and extending at least a substantial portion around the circumference of the crown body, and a second subassembly attached to the bill or brim adjacent the crown body, the first and second subassemblies each having a channel member with means for interlocking and slidable engagement of the channel members relative to each other, the first subassembly comprising a headband having upper and lower sides and an intermediate web having upper and lower sides with the upper sides of both the headband and the intermediate web attached to each other and the lower side of the intermediate web attached to the periphery of the crown body, the channel member of the first subassembly positioned between the headband and the intermediate web such that the channel members do not touch the wearer's head.