US-20260123704-A1 - MODIFIED BASEBALL CAP AND CLOSURE LINER APPARATUS

US20260123704A1US 20260123704 A1US20260123704 A1US 20260123704A1US-20260123704-A1

Abstract

A baseball cap having a crown, a visor, and an inner band, further includes two side portions of the crown at laterally opposing sides that are folded upwardly into an interior of the crown such that a portion of the inner band is folded against itself at each side portion and the textile material of the crown overlaps the folded portion of the inner band at the interior of the crown at each side portion. The side portions raise the bottom peripheral edge of the cap and longitudinally stiffen the sides of the cap to improve fit and comfort at the sides of the head. When the cap includes first and second strap members forming an adjustable closure at the rear of the cap, a closure liner apparatus formed of a liner member secured along an inner surface of one of the strap members further improves comfort to the head.

Inventors

Daniel J. Kohanchuk

Assignees

Daniel J. Kohanchuk

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251031

Claims (20)

1 . A closure liner apparatus for a baseball cap including a crown for covering a top of a head of a user, a visor protruding from a front end of the crown, and a closure adjustably spanning a gap at a rear of the crown opposite from the visor such that a circumference of the crown about the head of the user is adjustable, in which the closure includes a first strap member defining studs thereon in a circumferentially extending first row and a second strap member defining sockets thereon in a circumferentially extending second row to selectively receive respective ones of the studs in the sockets when coupled, the apparatus comprising: a liner member sized to be received on at least one of the first strap member and the second strap member of the baseball cap; and a connector arranged to secure the liner member along an inner surface of said at least one of the first strap member and the second strap member of the baseball cap.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the connector comprises an adhesive layer formed of adhesive material spanning one side of the liner member so as to be arranged to adhesively bond the liner member to said at least one of the first strap member and the second strap member.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the apparatus further comprises a backing sheet spanning the adhesive layer, the backing sheet including a plurality of markings in a longitudinal row along the backing sheet in which each marking extends laterally across the backing sheet such that the markings serve as cutting guides to trim a length of the liner member, the markings being spaced apart from one another by a spacing corresponding to a spacing of the studs of the first strap member of the baseball cap.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the liner member is shaped and sized to span the inner surface of the first strap member.
5 . The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the connector comprises stitching securing the liner member to the inner surface of the first strap member.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising an auxiliary member shaped and sized to span a portion of a length of the inner surface of the second strap member of the baseball cap, the auxiliary member including a second connector arranged to secure the auxiliary member along the inner surface the second strap member.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the auxiliary member is thicker than the liner member.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the auxiliary member has a thickness corresponding to a combined thickness of the liner member and the first strap member upon which the liner member is supported.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the liner member is shaped and sized to span a full length and a full width of said at least one of the first strap member and the second strap member when coupled.
10 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the baseball cap includes a sweatband extending circumferentially about a perimeter of the crown in which the sweatband is interrupted by the gap at the rear of the crown, the liner member having a liner thickness corresponding to a radial thickness that the sweatband protrudes relative to the first strap member.
11 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the liner member includes a resilient layer formed of resilient material and arranged to be received between the liner member and said at least one of the first strap member and the second strap member.
12 . The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the resilient material comprises foam.
13 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the liner member has an inner surface for abutment with the user comprising a moisture absorbent material.
14 . The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the moisture absorbent material comprises a textile formed of natural fibres.
15 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the liner member is adapted to be mounted onto the first strap member, the liner member including a main portion sized to span the inner surface of the first strap member, and an end portion extending longitudinally from one end of the main portion and locating a mounting aperture therein so as to be arranged to extend over an end of the first strap member and receive one of the studs through the mounting aperture.
16 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the liner member comprises: a resilient layer formed of resilient material; a first adhesive layer formed of adhesive material spanning a first side of the resilient layer so as to be arranged to adhesively bond the first side of the resilient layer to said at least one of the first strap member and the second strap member; a textile layer spanning a second side of the resilient layer opposite the first adhesive layer; and a second adhesive layer formed of adhesive material between the textile layer and the second side of the resilient layer so as to bond the textile layer to the resilient layer.
17 . The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the textile layer has top and bottom edge portions which are wrapped over respective top and bottom edges of the resilient layer and which are secured to the first side of the resilient layer by the first adhesive layer.
18 . The apparatus according to claim 1 in combination with the baseball cap, wherein the crown has a domed shape and an open bottom end for receiving the head of the user partly therein, wherein the crown comprises a first textile material defining an exterior surface of the crown and terminating at a bottom perimeter edge surrounding the open bottom end of the crown, wherein the baseball cap further comprises an inner band comprising a second textile material extending along an interior surface of the crown in a circumferential direction adjacent to the bottom perimeter edge of the crown, and wherein the crown further comprises: (i) a pair of side portions at laterally opposing sides of the visor in which the side portions are folded upwardly into an interior of the crown such that (a) a folded portion of the inner band is folded against itself at each side portion and (b) the first textile material of each side portion overlaps the folded portion of the inner band at the interior of the crown; and (ii) a row of stitching coupled to each side portion of the crown to retain the side portions of the crown folded upwardly into the interior of the crown.
19 . A baseball cap for covering a top of a head of a user, the baseball cap comprising: a crown having a domed shape and an open bottom end for receiving the head of the user partly therein, the crown comprising a first textile material defining an exterior surface of the crown and terminating at a bottom perimeter edge surrounding the open bottom end of the crown; an inner band comprising a second textile material extending along an interior surface of the crown in a circumferential direction adjacent to the bottom perimeter edge of the crown; a visor protruding from a front end of the crown; a pair of side portions of the crown at laterally opposing sides of the visor being folded upwardly into an interior of the crown such that (i) a folded portion of the inner band is folded against itself at each side portion and (ii) the first textile material of each side portion overlaps the folded portion of the inner band at the interior of the crown; and a row of stitching coupled to each side portion of the crown to retain the side portions of the crown folded upwardly into the interior of the crown.
20 . A method of modifying a baseball cap including a crown for covering a top of a head of a user, a visor protruding from a front end of the crown, and a closure adjustably spanning a gap at a rear of the crown opposite from the visor such that a circumference of the crown about the head of the user is adjustable, in which the closure includes a first strap member defining studs thereon in a circumferentially extending row and a second strap member defining sockets thereon in a circumferentially extending row to selectively receive respective ones of the studs in the sockets, the method comprising: providing a liner member shaped and sized to be fully received on an inner surface of at least one of the first strap member and the second strap member of the baseball cap; and joining the liner member to said at least one of the first strap member and the second strap member such that the liner member is retained on the baseball cap.

Description

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119 (e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/715,862, filed Nov. 4, 2024 and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/871,166, filed Aug. 27, 2025. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a modified baseball cap and an apparatus for being supported relative to the baseball cap, and more particularly the present invention relates to a liner apparatus and method of use of the liner apparatus to be supported inside a baseball cap for increasing the comfort of the baseball cap. BACKGROUND A typical baseball cap includes a crown worn over the top of the head of a user and a visor protruding forwardly from the front of the crown for partly shielding the eyes of the user from the sun. To ensure a proper fit of the crown about the head of the user, it is common to provide a circumferential gap in the bottom perimeter edge of the crown at the rear of the cap with an adjustable closure spanning the gap to allow a circumference of the crown to be adjusted to fit the circumference of the head of the user. A common type of closure for a baseball cap is a snapback closure including a first strap member anchored at one side of the gap in the crown and a second strap member anchored at the other side of the gap in the crown, in which the first and second strap members are adjustably secured to one another with different amounts of overlap using studs on the first strap member that are releasably snap-fit into selected ones of sockets on the second strap member. The first and second strap members are typically formed of a hard plastic material. Baseball caps are commonly worn backwards so that the front visor protrudes rearwardly behind the head of the user; however, in this instance the hard plastic material of the snapback closure is typically pressed against the forehead of the user which can be uncomfortable for the user. In addition, the plastic material of the closure can also trap moisture against the skin of the user which can cause irritation to the skin. Furthermore, the sides of the baseball cap are typically very pliable and devoid of structural reinforcement so as to require that baseball cap to be worn very tightly under circumferential tension if it is desired for the sides of the baseball cap to be snuggly received against the sides of the head. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a closure liner apparatus for a baseball cap including a crown for covering a top of a head of a user, a visor protruding from a front end of the crown, and a closure adjustably spanning a gap at a rear of the crown opposite from the visor such that a circumference of the crown about the head of the user is adjustable, in which the closure includes a first strap member defining studs thereon in a circumferentially extending row and a second strap member defining sockets thereon in a circumferentially extending row to selectively receive respective ones of the studs in the sockets, the apparatus comprising: a liner member sized to be received on at least one of the first strap member and the second strap member of the baseball cap; anda connector arranged to secure the liner member along an inner surface of said at least one of the first strap member and the second strap member of the baseball cap. The use of a liner member arranged to be retained on one or both strap members enables a different liner material to be placed between the hard plastic material of a typical snapback closure and the skin of a user when the user wears a snapback type baseball cap in a backwards orientation. By sizing the liner member to be fully received on one or both strap members, the liner member can remain substantially hidden from view so as not to affect the desirable appears of the baseball cap. The liner member may be sized to fully span each of the strap members by (i) cutting a stock material to fit the strap members, or (ii) selecting one or more liner member(s) from a kit of different sized liner members to be fitted onto the strap members. In addition to variation in length, width and perimeter shape to match the boundary shape of the strap members, the user can also select from different thickness of stock material or different thicknesses of liner members within a kit. In each instance, the sized liner member(s) selected by the user are subsequently attached to the strap members by suitable connectors such as stitching or adhesive so that the liner members are retained on the strap members of the baseball cap. The connector preferably comprises an adhesive layer formed of adhesive material spanning one side of the liner member so as to be arranged to adhesively bond the liner member to said at least one of the first strap member and the second strap member. In this instance, the apparatus may include a backing sheet spanning the adhesive layer, the backing sheet including a plurality of markings in a longitudinal row al