Article of headwear

Abstract

An article of headwear includes a crown and a bill. The bill defines an inner edge that is operably coupled to the crown. The bill projects away from the crown and terminates at an outer edge. The bill includes a stiffener that stiffens the outer edge. The stiffener is spaced from the crown to define a cavity within the bill between the stiffener and the crown. The stiffener has a first longitudinal end that is adjacent the inner edge, a second longitudinal end that is adjacent the inner edge, an intermediate portion that is disposed between the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end, a top side, and a bottom side. A cross section of the stiffener is substantially constant in the intermediate portion between the first and second longitudinal ends, and one of the top and bottom sides is flat in cross section.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An article of headwear configured to be worn on a head of a wearer comprising:
 a crown that is configured for covering a portion of the head; and 
 a bill that defines an inner edge that is operably coupled to the crown, the bill also projecting away from the crown and terminating at an outer edge, the bill including a stiffener that extends along and that stiffens the outer edge, the stiffener being spaced from the crown to define a cavity between the stiffener and the crown, the stiffener having a first longitudinal end that is adjacent the inner edge, a second longitudinal end that is adjacent the inner edge, an intermediate portion that is disposed between the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end, a top side, and a bottom side, a cross section of the stiffener being substantially constant in the intermediate portion between the first and second longitudinal ends, and at least one of the top and bottom sides being substantially flat in the cross section of the stiffener, 
 wherein the stiffener is monolithic, and 
 wherein the stiffener includes a first zone and a second zone, the first zone and the second zone being resilient and compressible, the first zone having a first resistance to resilient compression, the second zone having a second resistance to resilient compression that is different from the first zone. 
 
     
     
       2. The article of headwear of  claim 1 , wherein both of the top and bottom sides are substantially flat in the cross section of the stiffener. 
     
     
       3. The article of headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end tapers in a direction moving away from the intermediate portion. 
     
     
       4. The article of headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the outer edge defines a forward area, a first lateral area, and a second lateral area, and wherein the bill is configured to receive perspiration from the crown and direct the perspiration generally away from the forward area and toward the first lateral area and toward the second lateral area. 
     
     
       5. The article of headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the bill includes a covering layer that encloses the stiffener within the bill, the cavity defined between the covering layer, the stiffener, and the crown. 
     
     
       6. An article of headwear configured to be worn on a head of a wearer comprising:
 a crown that is configured for covering a portion of the head; 
 a bill that defines an inner edge that is operably coupled to the crown, the bill also projecting away from the crown and terminating at an outer edge, the bill including a U-shaped stiffener that extends along and that stiffens the outer edge, the stiffener being spaced from the crown to define a cavity between the stiffener and the crown, the U-shaped stiffener having a first longitudinal end that is adjacent the inner edge, a second longitudinal end that is adjacent the inner edge, an intermediate portion that is disposed between the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end and that is spaced apart from the crown, a top side, and a bottom side, a cross section of the U-shaped stiffener being substantially constant in the intermediate portion between the first and second longitudinal ends, and at least one of the top and bottom sides being substantially flat in the cross section of the U-shaped stiffener, wherein the bill includes a covering layer that encloses the U-shaped stiffener within the bill, the cavity defined between the covering layer, the stiffener, and the crown; 
 a cavity between the covering layer and the crown; and 
 an insert that is received and enclosed within the cavity. 
 
     
     
       7. The article of headwear of  claim 6 , wherein the insert is resiliently flexible. 
     
     
       8. The article of headwear of  claim 6 , wherein the insert includes an upper surface, the upper surface and the top surface of the U-shaped stiffener being substantially aligned in a cross section of the bill. 
     
     
       9. The article of headwear of  claim 6 , wherein the insert has a thickness that is substantially equal to a thickness of the U-shaped stiffener. 
     
     
       10. The article of headwear of  claim 6 , wherein the insert includes a first edge that is adjacent a rear edge of the U-shaped stiffener, the crown further including a plurality of rows of stitches, the first edge of the insert and the rear edge of the U-shaped stiffener being disposed between neighboring ones of the rows of stitches. 
     
     
       11. The article of headwear of  claim 6 , wherein the U-shaped stiffener has a greater thickness than the insert. 
     
     
       12. The article of headwear of  claim 6 , wherein the bill defines a forward direction, wherein the insert includes a second edge that is adjacent a rear edge of the U-shaped stiffener, and wherein the second edge and the rear edge of the U-shaped stiffener are disposed at an acute angle relative to the forward direction. 
     
     
       13. The article of headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the crown includes a plurality of panels that are attached along at least one seam, and further comprising a tape that is attached to the crown to cover the at least one seam on an interior surface of the crown. 
     
     
       14. The article of headwear of  claim 13 , wherein the tape is adhesively attached to the crown. 
     
     
       15. The article of headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the crown and the bill cooperate to define a baseball hat. 
     
     
       16. The article of headwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a perspiration absorbing panel that defines a forehead covering portion of the crown. 
     
     
       17. The article of headwear of  claim 1 , the first zone and the second zone having at least one of a different durometer, and a different density. 
     
     
       18. An article of headwear configured to be worn on a head of a wearer comprising:
 a crown that is configured for covering a portion of the head; and 
 a bill that defines an inner edge that is operably coupled to the crown, the bill also projecting away from the crown and terminating at an outer edge, the bill including: 
 a U-shaped stiffener that extends along and that stiffens the outer edge, an intermediate portion of the U-shaped stiffener being spaced from the crown, the U-shaped stiffener including a top surface, a covering layer that encloses the U-shaped stiffener within the bill, a cavity defined between the covering layer, the U-shaped stiffener, and the crown, and 
 an insert that is received and enclosed within the cavity, the insert including an upper surface, the upper surface and the top surface of the U-shaped stiffener being substantially aligned in a cross section of the bill. 
 
     
     
       19. The article of headwear of  claim 18 , wherein the U-shaped stiffener also includes a bottom surface, and wherein the top surface and the bottom surface are substantially flat in a cross section of the U-shaped stiffener. 
     
     
       20. The article of headwear of  claim 19 , wherein the U-shaped stiffener has a first longitudinal end that is adjacent the inner edge, and a second longitudinal end that is adjacent the inner edge, and an wherein the intermediate portion that of the U-shaped stiffener is disposed between the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end, the cross section of the U-shaped stiffener being substantially constant in the intermediate portion between the first and second longitudinal ends. 
     
     
       21. The article of headwear of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one of the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end tapers in a direction moving away from the intermediate portion. 
     
     
       22. The article of headwear of  claim 18 , wherein the outer edge defines a forward area, a first lateral area, and a second lateral area, and wherein the bill is configured to receive perspiration from the crown and direct the perspiration generally away from the forward area and toward the first lateral area and toward the second lateral area. 
     
     
       23. The article of headwear of  claim 18 , wherein the insert is resiliently flexible. 
     
     
       24. The article of headwear of  claim 18 , wherein the insert includes a first edge that is adjacent the crown and a second edge that is adjacent a rear edge of the U-shaped stiffener, the crown further including a plurality of rows of stitches, the second edge of the insert and the rear edge of the U-shaped stiffener being disposed between neighboring ones of the rows of stitches. 
     
     
       25. The article of headwear of  claim 18 , wherein the crown includes a plurality of panels that are attached along at least one seam, and further comprising a tape that is attached to the crown to cover the at least one seam on an interior surface of the crown. 
     
     
       26. The article of headwear of  claim 25 , wherein the tape is adhesively attached to the crown. 
     
     
       27. The article of headwear of  claim 18 , wherein the crown and the bill cooperate to define a baseball hat. 
     
     
       28. The article of headwear of  claim 18 , further comprising a perspiration absorbing panel that defines a forehead covering portion of the crown. 
     
     
       29. An article of headwear configured to be worn on a head of a wearer comprising:
 a crown that is configured for covering a portion of the head; and 
 a bill that defines an inner edge that is operably coupled to the crown, the bill also projecting away from the crown and terminating at an outer edge, the bill including: 
 a U-shaped stiffener that extends along and that stiffens the outer edge, the stiffener being spaced from the crown, the U-shaped stiffener including a first longitudinal end that is adjacent the inner edge, a second longitudinal end that is adjacent the inner edge, an intermediate portion that is disposed between the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end and that is spaced apart from the crown, a top side, and a bottom side, a cross section of the U-shaped stiffener being substantially constant in the intermediate portion between the first and second longitudinal ends, both of the top and bottom sides being substantially flat in the cross section of the U-shaped stiffener, 
 a covering layer with an upper outer surface and a lower outer surface, the covering layer enclosing the U-shaped stiffener within the bill, a cavity defined between the covering layer, the U-shaped stiffener, and the crown, and 
 a resiliently compressible insert that is received and enclosed within the cavity, the insert having a thickness that is substantially equal to a thickness of the U-shaped stiffener, the insert including an upper surface, the upper surface and the top surface of the U-shaped stiffener being substantially aligned in a cross section of the bill, wherein the covering layer lies substantially smooth over the insert and the U-shaped stiffener.