Shade cap

Abstract

Embodiments of a shade cap are disclosed herein. In general, the cap may include a crown with a pair of side regions and a bill extending from a front region of the crown. The cap may further include a pair of ear shades with each ear shade having an inner side coupled to an associated side region of the crown with the inner side of each ear shade positioned above a bottom edge of the crown so that the inner side is spaced above the bottom edge of the crown. Each ear shade may also be positionable between a lowered position and a raised position. When positioned in the lowered position, each ear shade may cover an upper portion of a wearer's ear. When positioned in the raised position, an outer side of the respective ear shade may be located adjacent the associated side region of the crown and above the inner side of that ear shade. Embodiments of the cap may further include a neck flap detachably coupled to a back region of the crown. Other embodiments of the cap may include a pair of side visors detachably coupled to the bill. In yet another embodiment, the cap may be constructed from a fabric having a UPF rating of 10+ or greater.

1 . A cap, comprising: 
 a crown having a pair of side regions;    a bill extending from a front region of the crown;    a pair of ear shades, each ear shade having an inner side coupled to an associated side region of the crown, the inner side of each ear shade being positioned above a bottom edge of the crown so that the inner side is spaced above the bottom edge of the crown; and    each ear shade being positionable between a lowered position and a raised position, each ear shade covering an upper portion of a wearer's ear when positioned in the lowered position, and wherein, for each ear shade, an outer side of the respective ear shade is located adjacent the associated side region of the crown above the inner side of the ear shade when the ear shade is positioned in the raised position.    
   
   
       2 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein the inner side of each ear shade are coupled to the associated side region of the crown by at least a double line of stitching extending along the inner side between front and back ends of the respective ear shade.  
   
   
       3 . The cap of  claim 2 , wherein the front end of each ear shade is positioned adjacent stitching on the crown between the associated side region and the front region of the crown so that a portion of the front end of the ear shade extends over an adjacent back corner portion of the bill that is positioned adjacent a border defined by the stitching between the associated side region and front region of the crown.  
   
   
       4 . The cap of  claim 2 , wherein the front end of each ear shade has a substantially straight inner segment extending from the inner side of the ear shade towards an outer side of the ear shade and an arcuate outer segment located between the inner segment and the outer side of the ear shade.  
   
   
       5 . The cap of  claim 4 , wherein the inner segment is longer than the outer segment of the front end of the ear shade.  
   
   
       6 . The cap of  claim 4 , wherein the back end of each ear shade has a generally arcuate outer periphery that has a radius of curvature that decreases in a direction towards the inner side of the ear shade.  
   
   
       7 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein each ear shade has an outer region detachably couplable to an area of the associated side region of the crown above the inner side of the ear shade when the ear shade is positioned in the raised position.  
   
   
       8 . The cap of  claim 7 , wherein each ear shade is detachably coupled to the associated side region by a pair of snap fasteners when the ear shade is positioned in the raised position.  
   
   
       9 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein each ear shade has a longitudinal fold extending between front and back ends of the ear shade, the longitudinal fold dividing the ear shade into inner and outer regions, the inner region located between the inner side and the longitudinal fold of the ear shade and the outer region located between an outer side and the longitudinal fold of the ear shade.  
   
   
       10 . The cap of  claim 9 , wherein the longitudinal fold of each ear shade is positioned closer to the inner side than to the outer side of the ear shade.  
   
   
       11 . The cap of  claim 9 , wherein the longitudinal fold is in a generally parallel alignment with an adjacent position of the bottom edge of the crown so that the inner region and a portion of the side region of the crown located below the inner edge of the ear shade define a pocket for receiving the upper portion of the wearer's ear when the ear shade is positioned in the lowered position.  
   
   
       12 . The cap of  claim 1 , further comprising a neck flap detachably coupled to a back region of the crown.  
   
   
       13 . The cap of  claim 12 , wherein the neck flap is detachably coupled to the back region of the crown by a plurality of snap fasteners.  
   
   
       15 . The cap of  claim 13 , wherein the neck flap has an upper edge having a convex center region, wherein a surface of the neck flap adjacent the convex center region is coupled to an inside surface of the back region of the crown by the snap fasteners.  
   
   
       16 . The cap of  claim 15 , wherein a first snap fastener detachably couples an apex of the convex center region of the neck flap to the inner surface of the crown; and second and third snap fasteners detachably couple opposite side portions of the convex center region of the neck flap to the inner surface of the crown;  
   
   
       17 . The cap of  claim 1  further comprising a pair of side visors detachably coupled to the bill.  
   
   
       18 . The cap of  claim 17 , wherein each side visor has an attachment portion for attachment to the associated side edge of the bill and a shade portion, the attachment portion of each side visor having a longitudinal channel for receiving a portion of the associated side edge of the bill therein to attache the side visors to the bill.  
   
   
       19 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein the cap is constructed from a fabric having a UPF rating of 10+ or greater.  
   
   
       20 . A cap, comprising: 
 a crown having a front region, a back region, a pair of side regions, an exterior, an interior and a bottom edge, the interior of the crown having a headband extending along the bottom edge of the crown adjacent the front and side regions of the crown;    the back region of the cap having a cutout located adjacent the bottom edge of the crown and a pair of adjustable straps extending across the cutout along the bottom edge of the crown, the cutout having an arcuate periphery, the cutout defining a rear break in the headband and a pair of opposing ends of the headband, each strap having an end coupled to an associated end of the headband, the straps being coupled to each other, wherein a hook and loop faster detachably couples the straps together;    a bill extending from the front region of the crown;    a pair of ear shades, each ear shade coupled to an associated side region of the crown, each ear shade having front and back ends, and inner and outer sides extending between the front and back ends of the respective ear shade, the inner side each ear shade being coupled to the associated side region of the crown so that a portion of the back end of the ear shade is positioned adjacent a corresponding portion of the cutout located adjacent one of the ends of the headband, wherein the inner side of each ear shade is coupled to the associated side region of the crown by at least a double line of stitching extending along the inner side to the front and back ends of the respective sides, wherein the inner side of each ear shade is positioned above the bottom edge of the crown so that a lower line of the stitching coupling the ear shade to the crown is spaced above the bottom edge of the crown;    the front end of each ear shade having a substantially straight inner segment extending from the inner side of the ear shade towards the outer side of the ear shade and an arcuate outer segment located between the inner segment and the outer side of the ear shade, wherein the portion of the front end of the ear shade extending over the back corner region of the crown is located in the inner segment of the front end of the ear shade, wherein the inner side of the ear shade is substantially straight and the outer side of the ear shade has a generally convex periphery;    the back end of each ear shade having a generally arcuate outer periphery that has a radius of curvature that decreases in a direction towards the inner side of the ear shade so that a first segment of the back end near the inner side of the ear shade curves more sharply than a second segment of the back end located near the outer side of the ear shade;    each ear shade having a longitudinal fold extending between the front and back ends of the ear shade, the longitudinal fold dividing the ear shade into inner and outer regions, the inner region located between the inner side and the longitudinal fold of the ear shade and the outer region located between the outer side and the longitudinal fold of the ear shade, wherein the longitudinal fold is positioned closer to the inner edge than to the outer edge of the ear shade, wherein the longitudinal fold is in a generally parallel alignment with an adjacent position of the lower edge of the crown so that the inner region and a portion of the side region of the crown located below the inner edge of the ear shade define a pocket;    the outer region of each ear shade being positionable between a lowered position and a raised position, the outer region extending outwards and downwards from the associated side region of the crown when positioned in the lowered position to cover an upper portion of a wearer's ear and provide shade to the wearer's ear;    the outer region of each ear shade being detachably couplable to an area of the associated side region of the crown above the inner side of the ear shade when positioned in the raised position, wherein a pair of snap fasteners detachably couples the outer region of each ear shade to the associated side region of the crown above the inner side of the ear shade;    a neck flap detachably coupled to the back region of the crown by a plurality of snap fasteners;    a pair of side visors detachably coupled to the bill; and    wherein the cap is constructed from a fabric having a UPF rating of 10+ or greater.