Baseball-style cap with amplified stereo speakers

• US 7,862,194 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2008
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Audio Wear Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: John G. Seade
• Inventors: Seade, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong; Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US12/194,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20080304682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 362/106, 362/105, 362/253, 362/103, 362/107, 381/301, 381/385, 218/1, 220/913, 219/51, 220/93, 290/6
• US Class Current: 362/106
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 1/245 Means for mounting audio or communication systems

Abstract

An embodiment of a baseball style cap and stereo combination having a crown, a brim/bill, a sweatband, and two amplified stereo speakers concealed within the brim/bill is disclosed. The baseball-style cap combination further includes a battery holder/forehead cushion housing a battery holder concealed within an inner surface of the baseball-style cap combination by a flap. Also included are wires connecting the battery holder to an amplifier concealed within the sweatband and wires connecting the amplifier to the speakers. A stereophonic music generator sends a music signal which is provided to the amplifier by any suitable means of communication, like an audio cord or wireless by means of infrared or Bluetooth wireless technology.

Claims

1. A baseball-style cap having amplified stereo speakers, comprising:

a crown adapted to fit a head of a user;

a horizontally extending brim/bill attached to the crown;

a sweatband secured to an inner surface of the crown by at least one edge;

a contoured pliable battery holder having an opening therethrough, the contoured pliable battery holder positioned within the inner surface of the crown above the area of attachment of the horizontally extending brim/bill;

a contoured rigid battery holder positioned within the opening of the contoured pliable battery holder;

a flap having a first end and a second end, the first end secured to the inner surface of the crown at the area of attachment of the horizontally extending brim/bill, the second end removably secured to the inner surface of the crown at an area above the contoured pliable battery holder by attaching means;

a stand-alone amplifier positioned within the sweatband configured to amplify audio signals originating from an adjacent external signal source; and

at least two stand-alone speakers integrated within the brim/bill with their direction of sound propagation pointed downward from the brim/bill, the speakers having a thickness equal to or less than the thickness of the brim/bill so that the speakers are concealed within the thickness of the brim/bill wherein the baseball style cap is adapted to receive a signal from an external music signal generator.

2. The baseball-style cap of claim 1 wherein the contoured pliable battery holder comprises a flat surface and a convex surface, the flat surface facing inward and the convex surface facing outward.

3. The baseball-style cap of claim 2 wherein the flat surface is adapted to substantially rest adjacent to a forehead of a user.

4. The baseball-style cap of claim 1 wherein the contoured pliable battery holder is approximately hemispherical-shaped.

5. The baseball-style cap of claim 4 wherein a flat surface of the contoured pliable battery holder is adapted to substantially rest adjacent to a forehead of a user.

6. The baseball-style cap of claim 1 wherein the contoured rigid battery holder is contoured to the shape of a forehead of the user.

7. The baseball-style cap of claim 1 wherein the speakers are connected by wire means to the amplifier.

8. The baseball-style cap of claim 1 wherein the battery holder is connected to the amplifier by wire means.

9. The baseball-style cap of claim 1 wherein the amplifier has an ON/OFF switch located on the side of the amplifier, the ON/OFF switch protruding through an edge of the sweatband.

10. The baseball-style cap of claim 9 wherein the amplifier contains an LED light protruding through the edge of the sweatband, the LED light adapted to illuminate a blue light when the ON/OFF switch is turned ON.

11. The baseball-style cap of claim 10 wherein the amplifier includes a female stereo audio jack connector, the female stereo audio jack connector configured to connect to a male connector of an external music signal generator.

12. The baseball-style cap of claim 11 wherein the external signal generator includes stereo audio cable means, the stereo audio cable means having a male connector to fit in the female stereo audio jack connector on the amplifier.

13. The baseball-style cap of claim 12 wherein a stereophonic signal is provided to the amplified stereo speakers to provide stereophonic music.

14. The baseball-style cap of claim 13 wherein the external music signal generator is one of a compact disc player, MP3 player, AM/FM radio, a device with a 3.5 mm jack or a device that can provide stereophonic music signal.

15. The baseball-style cap of claim 14 wherein the stand-alone amplifier includes a receiver to wirelessly receive the audio signals from the adjacent external signal source.

16. A baseball style cap having integrated stereo speakers, comprising:

a crown adapted to fit a head of a user;

a horizontally extending brim/bill attached to the crown;

a sweatband secured to an inner surface of the crown by at least one edge;

a contoured pliable battery holder having an opening therethrough, the contoured pliable battery holder positioned within the inner surface of the crown above the area of attachment of the horizontally extending brim/bill;

a contoured rigid battery holder positioned within the opening of the contoured pliable battery holder;

a flap having a first end and a second end, the first end secured to the inner surface of the crown at the area of attachment of the horizontally extending brim/bill, the second end removably secured to the inner surface of the crown at an area above the contoured pliable battery holder by attaching means;

at least two stand-alone speakers integrated within the brim/bill with their direction of sound propagation pointed downward from the brim/bill, the speakers having a thickness equal to or less than the thickness of the brim/bill so that the speakers are concealed within the thickness of the brim/bill wherein the baseball style cap is adapted to receive a signal from an external music signal generator; and

means to provide external audio signals to the speakers.

17. The baseball style cap of claim 16, further comprising:

means for amplifying audio signals originating from an adjacent external signal source prior to reaching the speakers.

18. The baseball-style cap of claim 16 wherein the contoured pliable battery holder comprises a flat surface and a convex surface, the flat surface facing inward and the convex surface facing outward.

19. The baseball-style cap of claim 18 wherein the flat surface is adapted to substantially rest adjacent to a forehead of a user.

20. The baseball-style cap of claim 19 wherein the contoured rigid battery holder is contoured to the shape of a forehead of the user.