Title: An Accessory for a Peak

Technical field of the invention

This invention relates to an accessory for a peak.

Background to the invention

The applicant is aware that headwear such as caps have a peak for keeping the sun out of the wearers eyes. Such peaks do not protect sides of a wearers head from direct sunlight and sunburn. Despite limited protection against the sun, peaked caps have an aesthetic appeal and have been popular for many years. It is an object of this invention to provide an accessory for a peak which provides additional protection against the sun and does not, at least not permanently, alter the general aesthetic appearance of headwear having such peaks. The applicant is also the inventor of an accessory for a peak as described in PCT/ZA06/00099, which accessory fits to a peak by means of a slit through which the peak fits however, this invention is not suitable for low cost once-off promotional items and it is an object of this invention to provide an accessory for a peak which can be manufactured from low cost material such as paper with a low cost manufacturing process.

General description of the invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an accessory for a peaked cap, which accessory includes: a generally half-moon or crescent shaped sheet of material shaped and configured to fit to a cap by means of flaps along the inner edge of the sheet to fold over and/ or under the cap and/ or peak, and wherein the opposed free ends of the crescent shaped sheet may extend for a length that will cover a wearer's ears, in use.

The sheet may be of resiliently flexible material.

The sheet may preferably be of any material such as plasties material or preferably of paper material. The paper material may be of the laminated type or plasties impregnated type.

The sheet may be of plasties material such as polycarbonate, for example. The sheet may be coloured, preferably transparent. The sheet may filter ultra violet rays from the sun.

The sheet may include a pair of opposed foldable flaps proximate the opposed free ends of the crescent shaped sheet. It will be appreciated that the flaps can be folded underneath a person's cap and when the cap is fitted on a person's head, the flaps and sheet will be fixed in place.

Alternatively, or in addition, the sheet may be provided with a pair of opposed partial cut out shapes which are positioned and shaped to catch a portion of the cap and or peak of the cap. Typically, the partial cut outs may be a pair of opposed generally semi circular cut outs to provide fold out type flaps to capture opposed parts of the peak of the cap above or below the sheet.

The accessory may include promotional indicia printed thereon.

The invention also extends to a die configured to cut or perforate a blank for an accessory for a peak as described above from sheet material such as paper or plastics material.

The invention also extends to a perforated or stamped blank of sheet material from which the accessory as described above can be removed.

The blank may also include promotional indicia printed or embossed thereon. It will be appreciated that the blank also provides additional space for promotion, information or advertising for a promotional event.

It will be appreciated that the main objective of the accessory is to protect against sunburn while not detracting from the aesthetic appeal of peaked headwear such as the popular caps with a low cost and disposable product. This objective is reached by the accessory since it is removable and temporarily attached to the peak and can also be manufactured from low cost material such as paper with a low cost manufacturing process. The accessory can be disposable and can particularly be used for once-off promotional purposes for open air events with appropriate printing and branding.

Detailed description of the invention

The invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a plan view of an accessory for a peak, in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 2 shows diagrammatically a perspective view of an accessory for a peak, fitted to a cap.

Referring now to the drawings, the accessory for a peak, in accordance with the invention, is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The headwear with peaks is indicated by reference numeral 12 and the peak with reference numeral 14.

The accessory 10 includes a generally half-moon or crescent shaped sheet 16 of paper shaped and configured for attaching to headwear with a peak such as a cap 12 such that the sheet provides shade for a person's ears, in use. The opposed free ends 14 of the crescent shaped sheet extends for a length that will cover a wearer's ears, in use.

The sheet 16 includes a pair of opposed foldable flaps 18 on the opposed free ends 14 of the crescent shaped sheet. It will be appreciated

that the flaps can be folded along the line 19 underneath a person's cap and when the cap is fitted on a person's head, the flaps and sheet will be fixed in place, as shown in Figure 2.

In addition to the flaps, the sheet 16 is provided with a pair of opposed generally semi circular cut outs 20 to provide fold out type flaps 22 to capture opposed parts of the peak of the cap below the sheet.

In use, a person such a golf spectator who wears a cap 12 will fit the accessory 10 (See Figure 2) to his cap while he is exposed to the sun and, if the person wishes to, remove it as soon as he is not exposed to the sun. The accessory is particularly cost effective to manufacture to be disposable.

It shall be understood that the example is provided for illustrating the invention further and to assist a person skilled in the art with understanding the invention and is not meant to be construed as unduly limiting the reasonable scope of the invention.