GB2116017A

GB2116017A - One-piece sun visor

Info

Publication number: GB2116017A
Application number: GB08206556A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Notley Allen Stane; Gregory Lynn Howell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-03-05
Filing date: 1982-03-05
Publication date: 1983-09-21
Also published as: AU8256582A; FR2523410A1; BR8201606A; ZA821610B

Abstract

A one-piece sun visor 24 constructed of one flat piece of semi-rigid stretchable material wherein an aperture 30 defining a headband portion is smaller than the intended user's head thereby requiring some stretching to place the visor on the head, the inside edge of the headband portion being disposed higher on the head which forces the bill portion into a natural curvature. The inside edge of the headband may be beveled for the comfort of the user and the lower outside edge of the bill portion may be beveled to aid in achieving said natural curvature. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION One-piece sun visor The present invention relates to sun visors, and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to a one-piece visor, shippable and storable in a flattened condition and which assumes the natural curvature of an ordinary sun visor when worn.

Sun visors have achieved a high degree of popu larity over the years with both sportsmen and spectators. Sun visors are also useful in connection with other outdoor activities ranging from yard work to jogging. Usually visors comprise a headband which is often adjustable in size and is equipped with a bill portion for shading the face and eyes of the user. The bill portions are usually preformed to assume a curvature with a concave portion facing downwardly.

Adjustability of the headband is normally accom plished by a strap having snaps, Velcro strips or the like. There have been models made of cardboard which may be shipped flat with the ends of the headband portion which may be connected to form the visor. However, these cardboard visors are flimsy and have little resistance to moisture from either perspiration or from rain.

The present invention teaches a one-piece visor which is particularly designed and constructed for overcoming the above disadvantages. The present sun visor is constructed from a closed-cell polyethylene foam material which has some degree of stretchability but is also semi-rigid in construction to substantially hold its shape.

The visors may be stamped or cut out of flat polyethylene foam sheets having a headband portion with a bill attached along one edge thereof and made as an integral part thereof. The headband portion is slightly wider than the thickness of the material and the aperture cut out for receiving the head is smaller than the head size of the intended user. Therefore, when the visor is placed on the head, some stretching is required and the visor is placed so that the inside edge of the headband rides higher on the head than the outside edge. The stretchability of the material then causes the bill portion to assume a natural curvature with the concave side of the curvature facing downwardly to properly shade the eyes and face of the wearer.

The lower inside edge of the headband portion may also be beveled which results in a more comfortable fit on the head. The lower front edge of the bill may also be beveled which tends to aid the bill in assuming the natural curvature hereinbefore described.

Although the aperture cut out for the head is typically of an oval shape, the stretchability of the headband allows one particular size visor to fit substantially any size head or any shaped head since the headband will naturally conform to the size and shape of the head. When the visor is removed, it reassumes its flattened condition for ease of storage and shipping.

The closed-cell polyethylene foam construction provides a rather durable sun visor while resisting the absorbtion of moisture either from perspiration or from the elements.

Since the aperture may be cut or stamped out of the middle to form the headband portion, ornamen tal or advertising decorations may be likewise cut out so that when the hat is placed on the head, these ornamental decorations naturally extend up above the headband portion to achieve the desired novelty.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sun visor embodying the present invention being worn by a user.

Figure 2 is a bottom view of a visor embodying the present invention.

Figure 3 is a side elevational sectional view of the visor of Figure 2 taken along the broken lines 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the visor of Figure 1 in a flattened condition.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of still another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character 10 generally indicates a visor intended to be worn on the head 12 of a user.

The visor 10 is of one-piece construction and is cut or stamped from a flat piece of closed-cell polyethylene foam material which maintains some degree of rigidity while being stretchable. When the polyethylene foam material is stretched, it has return characteristics thereby tending to cause the material to reform back to its original shape when the stretching force is removed.

The visor 10 comprises a headband portion 14 having a bill portion 16 secured to the front thereof and made as an integral part thereof. The visor comprises an aperture 18 for receiving the head of the user therethrough. Various ornamental designs, such as the antennae indicated by reference characters 20 and 22 may be cut out of the aperture so that when the visor is placed on the head, the antennae assume an upward orientation as shown in Figure 1.

It is also noted that when the headband 14 is placed around the user's head, the inner edge 18 thereof assumes a higher position on the head with the remaining portion of the headband turning downwardly thereby imparting a natural curvature to the bill portion as shown in Figure 1.

The basic design of the visor is depicted in Figures 2 and 3, the visor being represented generally by reference character 24. The visor 24 comprises a headband portion 26 having a bill portion 28 extending outwardly therefrom. An oval shaped aperture is cut out of the headband portion to define an inner edge 30 of the headband portion. It is further noted that the width of the headband portion 26 is greater than the thickness of the material as is apparent in viewing Figures 2 and 3.

The bill portion may be of any suitable shape and size to provide the desired shading effect for the eyes and face of the user, the outer edge of the bill tapering back into the headband portion at 32 and 34 thereby defining an outer edge 36 of the headband portion. The inner edge of the headband portion 30 is beveled along the bottom thereof at reference character 38 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The outer front portion of the bill 28 is beveled along the bottom edge thereof at reference character 40.

When the visor is placed on the head, the size of the aperture is such that the headband portion 26 must be stretched in order to fit on the user's head.

This will result in the visor fitting snugly on the head without being easily dislodged by the wind or other forces. The inner edge 30 of the headband portion rides higher on the head than the outer edge 36 thereof thereby imparting a natural curvature to the bill portion 28. The bottom bevel 40 along the front portion of the bill will also aid in allowing the bill to assume a natural curvature such as the bill portion shown in the visor 10 of Figure 1. The inner beveled edge, when placed on the head, will provide more comfort to the user.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, various ornamental designs, such as the school letters 42, may be attached to a headband 44 extending into the interior thereof. The attachment may be by one or more spots 46 and 48 around the inner edge of the headband 44 so that when the hat is placed on the user's head, the insignia or letters will be forced upwardly in order to display same.

Anothertypical provision of ornamental design is indicated by the wing designs 50 and 52 of the visor of Figure 6. Hence, it can be seen that the various ornamental designs may be attached at any location along the inner edge of the headband portion of the visor so long as it does not greatly restrict the visor being stretched and placed on the head of the user.

In each case these ornamental designs will rise upwardly when the visor is placed on the head thereby displaying such designs while the hat is being worn. When the visor has been removed, it is noted that these designs will fit back into place within the aperture whereby the visor may be stored in a flat condition. Naturally, the flattened condition of the visor when not being worn will also aid in shipping large quantities of the visors with minimum packaging required.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the present invention provides a unique sun visor which may be constructed of a single piece of flat stretchable material and yet may provide all the functions of a typical sun visor when in use.

Claims

1. A one-piece visor for wearing on a user's head comprising a rear headband portion and a front bill portion constructed of one flat piece of semi-rigid stretchable material, the headband portion having an inner edge defining an aperture, the aperture having a shape similar to the head and a size smaller than the head of the intended user, the bill portion defining an enlarged front end of the headband portion and tapering into the sides of the headband portion to form an outer edge along the sides and rear of the headband portion whereby upon placing the visor upon the head, the inner edge assumes a higher position on the head with the outer edge extending downwardly thereby imparting a natural curvature to the bill portion and wherein the visor will substantially resume its flat configuration when removed from the head.

2. A visor as claimed in claim 1, in which the semi-rigid stretchable material comprises a closedcell polyethylene foam plastic.

3. A visor as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the inner edge is beveled around the bottom thereof to more closely conform to the intended user's head when stretched and placed into position on the head.

4. A visor as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, in which the front bill portion is beveled along the front bottom portion thereof for assuming a more natural curvature when stretched and placed into position on the head.

5. A visor as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, in which at least one decoratable ornament is secured to the inner edge of the headband portion and is made as an integral part thereof, the ornament extending into the aperture in a flat position and extending upwardly without any folds when being worn by a user.

6. A visor as claimed in any of claims 1 to Sin which the width of the headband portion is greater than the thickness thereof for insuring that the bill portion assumes a natural curvature on the head of the user.

7. A visor as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, in which the aperture is substantially eliptical in shape, the bill portion comprising an extension along the major axis thereof.

8. A one-piece visor constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.