A cap and method of manufacturing a cap

Abstract

A baseball cap ( 100 ) and method of assembling thereof is provided. The cap ( 100 ) includes a single-panel crown ( 110 ) that is formed from a single sheet or single piece of stretchable fabric, such as using heat pressing techniques. The single-panel crown ( 110 ) has a hemispherical shape. The cap ( 100 ) further includes a support layer ( 230 ), such as made from buckram, which is attached to an interior, front portion of the single-panel crown ( 110 ), and a visor ( 120 ) and an elastic band ( 260 ) which are attached to the single-panel crown ( 110 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of assembling a cap comprising:
 forming a single-panel crown for a cap from a single sheet or single piece of stretchable fabric;   attaching a support layer to an interior portion of the single-panel crown; and   attaching a visor and an elastic band to the single-panel crown with the attached support layer.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming a single-panel crown comprises:
 heating and stretching the single sheet or single piece of stretchable fabric to form a hemispherical shape on a portion of the stretchable fabric.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the forming a single-panel crown further comprises:
 cutting any extra edge portion or portions of the stretchable fabric that extend from or beyond the hemispherical shaped portion in order to form the single-panel crown for the cap.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the heating and stretching comprises:
 applying heat to one or both sides of the stretchable fabric; and   as heat is applied, applying a pressing force with a hemispherical shaped fabric mold to stretch the portion of the stretchable fabric into the hemispherical shape.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the stretchable fabric comprises a woven or non-woven material. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the stretchable fabric includes 2% to 5% spandex. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the support layer comprises buckram, the attaching a support layer comprising:
 applying an adhesive to a surface of the buckram or an interior, front portion of the single-panel crown; and   pressing the buckram against the interior, front portion of the single-panel crown so that the adhesive bonds the buckram to the interior, front portion of the single-panel crown.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 applying bonding tape over one or more seams that are formed between an edge of the buckram and an interior surface of the single-panel crown, each of the one or more seams extending radially from an interior, central portion to a bottom edge of the single-panel crown, the bonding tape covering the one or more seams and further connecting the buckram to the single-panel crown.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the attaching a visor and an elastic band comprises stitching the visor and the elastic band to the single-panel crown, the elastic band attached around an interior, bottom edge of the single-panel crown. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cap is a baseball cap, and the elastic band is a sweatband. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the single sheet or single piece of stretchable fabric comprises a fabric blank of the stretchable fabric, wherein the forming a single-panel crown comprises:
 heating and stretching the fabric blank of the stretchable fabric to form a single-panel crown having a hemispherical shape.   
     
     
         12 . Headwear comprising a cap that includes:
 a single-panel crown formed from a single sheet or single piece of stretchable fabric and having a hemispherical shape;   a support layer attached to an interior portion of the single-panel crown; and   a visor and an elastic band that are attached to the single-panel crown.   
     
     
         13 . The headwear according to  claim 12 , wherein the stretchable fabric comprises a woven or non-woven material. 
     
     
         14 . The headwear according to  claim 13 , wherein the stretchable fabric includes 2% to 5% spandex. 
     
     
         15 . The headwear according to  claim 12 , wherein the support layer comprises buckram, which is heat bonded to an interior, front portion of the single-panel crown using an adhesive. 
     
     
         16 . The headwear according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 bonding tape applied over one or more seams that are formed between an edge of the buckram and an interior surface of the single-panel crown, each of the one or more seams extending radially from an interior, central portion to a bottom edge of the single-panel crown, the bonding tape covering the one or more seams and further connecting the buckram to the single-panel crown.   
     
     
         17 . The headwear according to  claim 12 , wherein the visor and the elastic band are stitched to the single-panel crown, the elastic band being attached around an interior, bottom edge of the single-panel crown. 
     
     
         18 . The headwear according to  claim 12 , wherein the cap is a baseball cap, and the elastic band is a sweatband.