GB2168236A - Hat - Google Patents

Abstract

A one piece flat construction either of paper card or other material which folds into a 3-dimensional hat comprises a front portion to provide the brim, two outer portions (1) to provide the sides and a wide centre portion (2) to provide the top which has tabs (5) to secure it to the two sides at slits (4). The size may be adjusted by selecting any of a number of slits on each of the two sides. This hat has a substantial continuous surface allowing for greater information presentation and may be provided with cuts and fold lines to create pop-up features (6). Other design features e.g. sunglasses, sunvisors, masks etc., can be included in the overall construction. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hat The present invention relates to hats and more particularly to a blankforforming a hat, e.g. by folding, as well as a hatformed from such a blank.

Folding hats are worn at alarge variety of occasions including sports events, pop-concerts and parties.

They are used extensively in advertising as they provide an inexpensive way to display information and are clearly noticeable.

Folding hats to date have come in the form of a flat blank having tabs provided for engagment around the backofthewearer's head and integral with the region that is to provide the top ofthe hat. In one type, the top and sides of the hat are effectively a single surface curved up from the sides overthetop ofthe head and more or less straight in the longitudinal direction.

However, in orderto provide a shape that bears some resemblance to that of a hat, or cap, it is necessary to have the curve flafter at the front than at the back. In orderto supply such a shape from a flat blank a series of parallel slits are cut to extend in the longitudinal direction over a region at the top ofthe hat. The slits open slightly when the hat is erected so that over a region the top of the hat effectively comprises a series of strips.

In another known type of hat the blank has a single spiralled slit which enables the blankto deform when pressed over a person's head until its shape corresponds very roughly with the head.

Neither of the above known examples are very like a hat in shape and, because design ofthe shape is constrained by the difficulty involved in producing a three dimensional hat from a blank, it has proven necessary to make the hat considerably longer than an ordinary cap. The appearance is further spoiled by the strip region which is necessarily present and pre clues the provision of a substantial area of continuous surface. This is particularly undesirable where the hat is to be used for advertising purposes as it interferes with the presentation of information. Such folding hats suffer from the further disadvantage that the strip region does not always remain deformed when the hat is being worn, resulting in the hat working its way off the wearer's head.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hat that can be formed from a blankthat is smaller and hence cheaperthan those previously known. Another object is to provide a blankthatcan be formed into a hat using a principle that allows a greater freedom of design in the shape of the hat.

Viewed from one aspect ofthe present invention provides a blankfor erection into a hat, the blank comprising a front portion to provide the brim ofthe hat, outer portions to provide the sides of the hat and a central portion to provide the top of the hat, there being continuity in the material of the blank between the outer side portions and the central portion, and engagement means are provided for fastening the rear of the side portions to the rear of the central portion when the hat is erected.

The invention also provides a hat formed from a blank as described above.

The central portion is preferably longerthan the side portions and preferably has a straight fold line at its boundary with the front portion.

The engagement means may be on the central portion and the slits on the side portions or vice-versa.

A plurality of slits may be provided so that the size of the hat is adjustable.

The material ofthe blank may be paper, card, or other materials.

The blank may be provided with cuts and fold lines to create pop-up features.

In another aspectthe invention provides a hat, erectablefrom a blank having a brim, a top portion and side portions,thetop portion being in curved plane substantially perpendicularto the plane ofthe side portions.

In a further aspect of the invention a hat is provided that is erectable from a blank and has a continuous upper bearing pop-up features.

Specific embodiments ofthe invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a first embodiment of a blank from which a folding hat may be erected; Figure 2 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of a blankfrom which afolding hat may be erected; Figure 3 shows a plan view of a third embodiment of a blankfrom which a folding hat may be erected; Figure 4, 5 and 6 showstages in forming a hatfrom the blank of figure 1; Figure 7 is a side elevation of a hatformed from a blankoffigure 1.

Referring firstly to figure 1, outer body panel 1 adjoins centre panel 2 at folding line 3. A series of slits 4 4is provided in the outer panel 1 at each side to be engaged by corresponding tabs 5 provided at the rear end ofthe centre panel 2; alternatively the tabs 5 could be provided on the outer panel, one at each side, and the slits 4 provided on the rear of the centre panel. As can be seen from the drawing, pop-up features 6 may also be provided on the centre panel 2, each feature 6 adjoining the panel atasinglefolding line. These features can be positioned on the top of the hat on account of its construction which comprises the centre panel 2 having a substantial continuous surface. Such pop-up features would not be feasible in this position on known hats.

Figures 2 and 3 show examples in which pop-up featu res 6 a re provided on the outer panel 1 and in which the centre panel 2 has edges of different shapes.

Figures 4, Sand 6showthe method by which a hat is formed from the blank of figure 1; the same method is used for forming hats from the blanks of figures 2 and 3; the centre panel 2 is folded forward along fold iine 3 and tabs 5 are slotted into one of their respective slits 4. The provision of a number of slits 4 allows the size of the hat to be selected to ensure a good fit. Instructions for erecting the hat may be printed on the underside of the blank.

Figure 6, as well as indicating by means of arrows how the tabs 5 finally lock into the slits 4,shows a rear elevation ofthe erected hat.

The shape ofthe hat is governed by the contours of the centre panel and outer panel and these can be determined independently. For example if desired, ratherthan a slit comprising the boundary between the panels in the blank, a portion of material may be punched out. Preferably the blank is designed so that when erected the outer panel provides side portions which fitthe sides ofthe head and the centre panel forms a smooth curve that is actually clear of the top of the head.

When the hat is erected the centre panel is in a curved plane that is more or less perpendicularto the plane of either side of the outer panel. At the front of the hat, where the panels meet, this has the effect of automatically bending down the outer region ofthe brim thereby naturally imparting to it a suitable curved profile.

The above described blanks are cheap and simple to manufacture and easy to erect. The invention affords great versatility in design and by means of the pop-up feature a wide variety of applications requiring differentvisual features may be covered.

The provision of engagement means on both sides, gives the erected hat increased strength compared to an arrangement in which a single tab locks in a slit.

Claims (5)

1. A one piece 3 dimensional hat blank erectable comprising a front portion to provide the brim outer portionsto provide the two sides, and awidecentre portion to provide the top and rear of the hat with meansofsecuringtothe rear of the side portions.

2. A one piece 3 dimensional hat blank erectable as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the centre panel being wide allows for a pop up element facility.

3. A one piece 3 dimensional hat blank erectable as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the side panels can be adapted to conform to any shape and/ordesign without detrement to the overall construction.

4. A one piece 3 dimensional hat blank erectable as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein a means of securing may be on the central portion and slits on the rear ofthe side portions or visa-versa, a numberof slits may be provided so that the size ofthe hat is adjustable.

5. A one piece 3 dimensional hat blank erectable as claimed in all preceding claims, wherein extra portions may be added tothefrontofthe brim area and folded down overfaceto provide for example su nglasses, sunvisors, masks etc.