TITLE

HOOD AND HAT ATTACHMENT SYSTEM AND COMBINATION

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a hat and hood interconnection system, and more particularly to a system of adapting a preferably conventional looking billed hat for interconnection with a hoodie-type hood in a way that the conventional looking billed hat, or alternatively a jobsite construction helmet, is adaptable for interconnection with the hoodie for holding the hoodie in place attached to the cap, or helmet, when both are worn covering a wearer’s head.

BACKGROUND ART [0002] A popular article of clothing consists of a sweatshirt combined with a hood, which is commonly referred to as a ‘hoodie’. Such a hood is worn either up (covering head and neck portions of a wearer or user) or down (lying flat along the wearer’s upper back), according to the choice of the wearer. The choice may be dictated by the external environment where the hood provides additional warmth and some protection from the weather, and/or as a style option.

[0003] When wearing the hood in the ‘up’ position, the movement of the wearer, or the force of wind, may push the hood off from covering the head, requiring the wearer to re-position it or secure it in place. This has been annoying to wearers of such hoods. Further, when such a wearer has turned his/her head wearing just the hood alone, it has not been uncommon for the wearer to not be able to see well peripherally, because while the head of the wearer has turned, often times the hood has not turned, and thus the hood has stayed in place at least partially covering the wearers eye, or eyes, thus having obscured the wearer’s peripheral vision.

[0004] A method for securing hoods that are commonly built into hoods are drawstrings that encircle the openings of hoods, wherein each such drawstring may be drawn tight. This process results in a smaller opening for the wearer’s face, which though it may provide greater warmth for the wearer, it nevertheless has been undesirable from a personal comfort and style standpoint. Furthermore, such tightening with a drawstring has exacerbated the aforementioned problem of hoods obscuring peripheral vision when wearers have turned their heads. [0005] Another popular article of clothing consists of a baseball-style cap, consisting of a covering which can be fitted snugly to the wearer’s head and further comprising a bill attached to what is typically a front peripheral area of the cap (when worn), the bill extending forward from the forehead of the wearer when worn with such forwardly-oriented positioning. Such billed baseball caps are conventionally constructed with what appears to be a button on a centrally- located crown of the cap where several panels of fabric of the cap are joined. These conventional cap buttons are sometimes referred to as ‘squatchees’, and these squatchees are primarily decorative in nature, usually being covered with fabric of a matching or contrasting color to the cap. Such squatchees are ubiquitous among such billed caps, and while each such traditional squatchee often, or typically, may appear to be a functional button, in fact such traditional squatchees have not been buttons at all (not having been readily removable), but rather each traditional such squatchee has been a permanently-attached finishing member having had a well-accepted and highly desirable distinctive ornamental purpose, though not a functional purpose to serve as a button snap.

[0006] Such a traditional baseball-style cap has at times been worn at the same time as a hoodie, with the hood covering the head-covering portion of the cap and with the bill of the cap sticking out the front opening of such a hood. In such use, the cap, by itself, may provide enough warmth and protection from the weather to allow the wearer to keep the hood of the hoodie in the down position. But when the wearer has decided there has been a need to pull the hood into an up position, the bill of the cap may have served to push the opening of the hood and to have allowed the opening of the hoodie to move somewhat as the wearer has turned his or her head from side to side.

[0007] However, a problem has arisen in that the hood has often pulled off the cap and the wearer’s head, either through wind or through excess movement, thus having exposed the wearers neck, ears and back of head to the elements, and if to prevent such the drawstring has been drawn tight, the ability of the bill of the cap to move the opening of the hood has been lessened, thus having diminished the peripheral vision of the wearer. Still further, turning of the wearer’s head from side to side in such a scenario has also not been completely satisfactory, since peripheral side portions of the hood have still obscured wearer’s vision somewhat in accordance with such uses.

[0008] Thus, means have been proposed, as shown in US Patent No.

7,380,286, to Bryant, Sr., for Head Covering With Unobstructed Vision, to add a method of attachment between a billed cap and a hood that have permitted securing of a hood to the bill of a cap in an up position of the hood without utilizing a hood drawstring. This means, however, have employed an attachment element, or a plurality of attachment elements, fixed on the bill of the cap, which when the hood has not been in an up position, such attachment elements have comprised an extra visible set of male snapping members attached to the bill of the cap. Such extra visible male snapping members have thus detracted from the wearer’s satisfaction with the appearance and style of the cap. In other words, such a cap as disclosed in Bryant, Sr., hasn’t appeard to look like a traditionally- styled baseball cap when the hood has not been in an up position. Rather, such a cap obviously has looked as though it was adapted for attachment to another piece of clothing, such as a hood, and this has been disadvantageous because it has detracted from the overall stylisheness of the cap.

[0009] Further, the attachment location of the hood to the cap of Bryant, Sr., has brought the hood too far forward for purposes of maintaining optimal peripheral vision of the wearer.

[0010] Further, the choice of cap, and hoods, by wearers has been, and is, strongly dictated by style considerations, in color and logos, or printed messages for both the cap and the hoodie. Thus it has been, and is, important to some wearers that, whether the hood is in the up position or the down position, the stylish aspect of the cap is maintained. And, as already mentioned, even though having the hood attached to the cap as taught in Bryant, Sr. has allowed the wearer to keep his/her neck and ears warm, it nevertheless has unduly sacrificed peripheral vision for the wearer by teaching snapping of the hood to the cap too far forward on the bill of the cap. And this, also as described, has entailed a significant sacrifice in the styling of the cap standing alone without the hood - it being the case that extra buttons are unduly visible as attached to the bill in front of the head covering portion of the cap.

[0011] Thus, to date, a combination of cap and hoodie as proposed by Bryant, Sr. has required the wearer to make compromises on style when the hood has been worn in the down position, and the teaching of Bryant, Sr. has also resulted in reduced peripheral visibility when the hood of such has been maintained in the up position.

[0012] Another type of commonly available item of headwear has been a typical construction helmet. And while persons may have worn hoodie type hoods over a construction helmet in the past, there have been no attempts to secure the hood of the hoodie to the top of the construction helmet itself.

[0013] Therefore, there has been needed a means of securing a hoodie to a baseball-type cap, and/or a construction helmet, in an up position without sacrificing peripheral visibility, while allowing the drawstring for the hood to be loose, and conversely there has been needed preservation of the style of the baseball-type cap without additional exposed hardware used for securing the hood and when the hood has been worn in the down position.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [0014] In accordance with an aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided an apparatus and process for attaching a hat to the hood of a hoodie in such a way as to allow the wearer to maintain peripheral visibility, while preserving the style of the hat when the hood is worn in the down position.

[0015] In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises a male snap fastener mounted on the hat, for example in the case of a traditional cap in the place of an existing cap button, or squatchee, with a corresponding female snap fastener mounted in the hood.

[0016] In one aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, a prior, nonfunctional, squatchee on a traditional cap is removed and a male snap fastener is mounted to the cap in the location of the prior squatchee. The prior squatchee is then modified to remove any residual mounting hardware and a female snap fastener is mounted in the replacement male member, to form the new “squatchee” (hereafter referred to as the “new squatchee”.

[0017] In another aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, a female snap fastener is mounted in a new squatchee. The new squatchee with a female snap fastener may be attached to the male snap fastener on the cap as a means for preserving the cap with a traditional style and no exposed hardware.

[0018] In another aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, a female snap fastener is mounted on a hood as a means for attaching the hood to the new male snap fastener mounted on the hat (e.g., installed in a traditional cap). There may also be a plurality of female snap fasteners mounted on a hood as a means for the wearer to adjust the location of the hood in accordance with their preferences for style and protection from weather.

[0019] Thus, in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a snap-fitting hood and hat attachment system and combination, comprising: a hat comprising one of a traditional cap and a construction helmet; a first connector portion (a new connector) mounted on a crown portion of the hat in place of the prior non-functional squatchee (in the case of a traditional -looking cap); a traditional looking hoodie-type hood; and a second connector portion mounted inside the hood and adapted for being attached to the first connector portion during wearing of the combination on a wearer’s head. The apparatus in connection with this aspect of the disclosure is such that when the hood attached to the hat, it maintains protection of the wearer from wind and other weather elements without the need for other means of securing the hood in place. [0020] Further, in accordance with another aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, the hat preferably comprises a traditional looking cap, wherein the first connector portion comprises a snap connector mail portion mounted on the crown portion of the hat, and wherein the second connector portion comprises a snap connector female portion mounted inside the hood. Alternatively, there may be provided a plurality of female portions of snap connectors mounted inside the hood, allowing for multiple positions of the hood according to selection of the wearer.

[0021] In accordance with an aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, there is further provided an extra decorative snap connector female button portion adapted for attachment to the snap connector male portion located at the crown of the cap and allowing the cap to appear as a normal cap with a traditional button-type looking prior squatchee. The connector male and female portions may each be made of one of metal, plastic, and/or magnetized material. Further, it may be provided, wherein the hat is of a style of a cap that does not include a squatchee, that the male portion of a snap connector may be mounted to the crown of the cap.

[0022] In accordance with another aspect and embodiment of the disclosure the hat may comprise a traditional construction-type helmet, wherein the first connector portion comprises a magnet attached to the crown portion of the helmet, and wherein the second connector portion comprises a magnet mounted inside the hood. The first connector portion may comprise an aftermarket attachment device adapted for installation at a crown portion of the helmet, and the second connector portion may comprise an aftermarket attachment device adapted for installation at a crown portion of the hood. [0023] Further, in accordance with an aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, the first connector portion may comprise an aftermarket magnet attachment device adapted for attachment to the helmet, and the second connector portion may comprise an aftermarket stud-type attachment device further comprising a rivet-like-stud for piercing the hood at a crown portion of the hood, wherein the aftermarket stud-type attachment device further comprises a magnet portion adapted for attachment to the rivet-like-stud, the attachment devices adapted for releasably magnetically interconnecting the first connect connector portion and the second connector portion when the hood is worn with the helmet.

[0024] In accordance with an aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a snap-fitting hood and hat attachment system, comprising: a first connector portion adapted to be mounted on a crown portion of a hat (for example where otherwise there would traditionally be found a squatchee-type decorative member). The system further comprises a second connector portion adapted to be mounted inside a hood and adapted for being attached to the first connector portion during wearing of the hood and hat on a wearer’s head.

[0025] The system of of this aspect and embodiment of the disclosure is provided wherein the first connector portion comprises an aftermarket attachment device adapted for installation at a crown portion of the hat. Further, in accordance with this aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, the system may be provided wherein the second connector portion comprises an aftermarket attachment device adapted for installation at a crown portion of the hood.

[0026] In accordance with an embodiment of this aspect of the disclosure, there is provided that the hat comprises a construction-type hard hat, wherein the first connector portion comprises an aftermarket magnet attachment device adapted for attachment to the hard hat, wherein the second connector portion comprises an aftermarket stud-type attachment device further comprising a rivet- like-stud for piercing the hood at a crown portion of the hood, the aftermarket stud-type attachment device further comprising a magnet portion adapted for attachment to the rivet-like-stud, the system being adapted for releasably magnetically interconnecting the first connect connector portion and the second connector portion when the hood is worn with the hard hat.

[0027] Alternatively, in accordance with another embodiment of this aspect of the disclosure, there is provided that the hat comprises a traditional looking cap, wherein the first connector portion comprises an aftermarket magnet attachment device adapted for attachment to the cap, wherein the second connector portion comprises an aftermarket stud-type attachment device further comprising a rivet- like-stud for piercing the hood at an upper portion of the hood near the crown of the hood, the aftermarket stud-type attachment device further comprising a magnet portion adapted for attachment to the rivet-like-stud, adapted for releasably magnetically interconnecting the first connect connector portion and said second connector portion when the hood is worn with the cap.

[0028] In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a process of making a hat with a mounted snap connector male connector portion in place of a commonly used squatchee, comprising the steps of: a) constructing the cap in a manner commonly employed for baseball -type styles of cap, omitting the step of attaching the squatchee; b) creating a hole in the cap by punching or other means in the location otherwise commonly used for the mounting of the squatchee; and c) attaching the snap connector male portion to the crown of the cap using the hole created in the previous step.

[0029] In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is further provided a process of converting a cap with an existing squatchee to a cap with a mounted male snap connector in place of the existing squatchee comprising the steps of: a) removing the existing squatchee; b) creating a hole in the cap by punching or other means in the location otherwise used for the mounting of the squatchee; and c) ttaching the male portion of a snap connector to the crown of the cap using the hole thus created in the previous step.

[0030] In another embodiment, this latter process may be further enhanced by providing that the existing squatchee is converted to attach to the cap utilizing a snap connector comprising the additional steps of: a) separating a decorative covering of the squatchee from a remaining portion of the existing squatchee; b) firmly attaching by glue or other means a snap connector female portion in the decorative covering of the squatchee. Still further, a new snap connector female portion squatchee may be utilized in place of an otherwise existing non-snap- connector-type squatchee. Thus, in a situation wherein the hat is of a style of hat that does not include a squatchee, the male portion of a snap connector may be mounted to the crown of the hat to convert a hat to a hat adapted to be used in accordance with the disclosure.

[0031] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that there are various possible combinations of the above-described elements and sub-elements for various embodiments of the invention, whether such elements and sub-elements be combined in whole or in part, which may be employed without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.

[0032] The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following descriptions taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a traditional billed hat with a decorative fastening element otherwise known as a squatchee (i.e., a prior squatchee);

[0034] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a traditional hoodie;

[0035] FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of a hat with a male snap fastener portion replacing the prior squatchee and with a female snap fastener portion shown positioned above the male snap fastener portion of the snap- button attachment;

[0036] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the front of a hoodie-type hood with a female portion of a snap fastener button (adapted for being fastened to the male portion of another snap fastener button attached to the crown of a billed hat in place of a traditional squatchee on such a hat), the female portion of the snap fastener button being sewn or otherwise mounted into the inner periphery of the hood;

[0037] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of hood and snap fastener button portion combination attachable to a billed hat (with a corresponding female snap fastener button portion having been removed and retained for example in a wearer’s pocket) and a female snap fastener portion attached in a peripheral portion of a hood, with the combination of billed hat and hood depicted as being worn on a person’s head with the snap fastener button portions of each the billed hat and the hood being adapted for being snapped together to retain the hood relative to the hat when being worn by the wearer; [0038] FIG. 6 is is a perspective view of a traditional construction-type helmet with an attachment member, such as a magnet, attached to the helmet;

[0039] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a hood with a magnetized fastener or connector portion therein, as may be with a rivet-type-magnet portion installed near the crown of the hood, and in combination with and attachable to a magenetized connector portion attached on a traditional construction-type helmet, with the combination of helmet and hood depicted as being worn on a person’s head with the magnetized connector portions of each the helmet and the hood being adapted for being removably attached together to retain the hood relative to the helmet when being worn by the wearer;

[0040] FIGS. 8A-8C are side views of a traditional helmet showing various ways of attaching a magnet connector portion to the helmet;

[0041] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a traditional cap having a magnetized connector portion thereon;

[0042] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of hood and magnetized snap fastener button portion combination attachable to a billed hat (with a corresponding female snap fastener button portion having been removed and retained for example in a wearer’s pocket) with a magnetized fastener portion attached in a peripheral portion of a hood, with the combination of billed hat and hood depicted as being worn on a person’s head with the magnetized fastener button portions of each the billed hat and the hood being adapted for being magnetically connected together to retain the hood relative to the hat when being worn by the wearer; and [0043] FIG. 11 is a depiction of an attachment system where a magnet is installed within a male portion of a traditional snap, with the magnet and the male portion of the snap being capable of being hidden under a female snap-type cover to form a new squatchee.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION [0044] Referring to FIGS. 1-5, in accordance with one or more aspects of the invention, there is provided an apparatus compring: a cap 100 adapted with a cap male snap fastener 104 in place of a cap button (squatchee) 102, and a hood 112 adapted with a hood female snap fastener 108, which hood female snap fastener is adapted to be securely attached to the cap male snap fastener.

[0045] Referring specifically to FIG. 1, a traditional and commonly found cap is constructed with a cap button (prior squatchee) 102 on the crown of the cap. FIG. 1 does not directly address the invention, but shows the placement of the cap button (prior squatchee).

[0046] Referring specifically to FIG. 2, a traditional and commonly found sweatshirt with hood (hoodie) 110 comprises: a hood 112, a hood drawstring 114 for constricting or closing the hood opening 116. FIG. 2 does not directly address the invention, but shows the relative placement of the hood, hood drawstring and hood opening.

[0047] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3, it is noted that the cap male snap fastener 104 is mounted on the cap 100 in the location of the original cap button 102. In the case that the cap does not include a cap button 102 (prior squatchee), the cap male snap fastener is mounted on the crown of the cap or other hat. The cap button 102 (prior squatchee) in FIG. 3 is shown with the female snap fastener 106 mounted inside the cap button 102 as a means for attaching the cap button to the cap male snap fastener to form a new squatchee, with the effect of preserving the style of the cap and hiding any mounting hardware.

[0048] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4, it is noted that the hood female snap fastener 108 is mounted on the hood 112 on the upper portion of the hood near the hood opening 116. Alternatively, additional hood female snap fasteners 108 may be mounted at other locations, with the effect of giving the wearer the option of positioning the hood as per their personal choice.

[0049] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5, it is noted that the combination of the hood female snap fastener 108 and the cap male snap fastener 104, when connected, are the means for securing the hood 112 to the cap 100.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 6, there is provided at a traditional construction-type helmet 120 may be employed with a magnetic attachment device 118 attached to the helmet, which may be accomplished either with the magnetic attachment device to an outer surface of the helmet, or by including an attachment device within the surface of the helmet, or the inside the helmet, to which the attachment device may fixed or otherwise attached.

[0051] Then, referring to FIG. 7, ther is provided a perspective view of a hood 124 with a magnetized fastener 122 or connector portion therein and in combination with and attachable to a magenetized connector portion 118 attached on a traditional construction-type helmet 120. The combination of helmet 120 and hood 124 depicted as being worn on a person’s head with the magnetized connector portions of each the helmet and the hood being adapted for being removably attached together to retain the hood relative to the helmet when being worn by the wearer;

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 8A-8C, there are depicted side views of various ways in which a connector portion may be attached to a helmet 120, for example by having inner and outer magnets 118 holding each other in place as shown in FIG. 8A, or by having a magnet glued on the inside of the helmet as shown in FIG. 8B. Or, as shown in FIG. 8C, the magnet 118 may be glued to crown of the helmet 120, thus adapted the helmet for use with a hoodie 124 (FIG. 7), wherein the magnet 122 in the hoodie is adapted for attachment to the magnet 118 shown installed on the hat/helmet 120. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a more traditional cap 128 may also be retrofitted with a magnetized connector portion 118 thereon. [0053] And thus, as shown in FIG. 10 the hood 124 may be provided having a magnetized insert 122 adapted for interconnecting with the magnetized portion 118 (perhaps even through a female or other cover portion 132) of a new squatchee to having a magnetized snap fastener button portion 118, 132 combination attachable to a billed hat 128 (with a corresponding female snap fastener button portion 132 having been removed and retained for example in a wearer’s pocket - or otherwise being thin enough so as to not interfere with operation of the attachment of the two magnetized portions 118, 122). In this embodiment, the magnetized fastener portion 122 is attached in a peripheral portion of the hood 124, with the combination of billed hat 128 and hood 124 depicted as being worn on a person’s head with the magnetized fastener button portions 122, 132/118 of each the billed hat and the hood being adapted for being magnetically connected together to retain the hood relative to the hat when being worn by the wearer. [0054] Referring now to FIG. 11, there is provide an attachment system where a magnet 118 is installed within a male portion 130 of a snap, wherein the magnet 118 and the male portion 130 of the snap are capable of being hidden under a female snap-type cover 132 as shown. [0055] While preferred embodiments of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. For example, it will be appreciated that one of ordinary skill in the art may mix and match the various components of the various embodiments of the invention without departing from the true spirit of the invention as claimed. Thus, by way of example, it will be appreciated that this invention provides the ability of the wearer to wear the hood in the up position, as desired for comfort or style, while preserving the peripheral vision and ensuring that the hood will stay up under variable weather conditions and wearer movement. In addition, when the hood and cap are not attached, the wearer can maintain the style of the cap by attaching a female portion 132 of the new squatchee to avoid the detrimental appearance of uncovered mounting hardware. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.