The present invention relates to hair accessories. More specifically to the field of hair holder that efficiently and easily holds hair in place in a ponytail or other hairstyles. More particularly, the invention relates to a device that can be used as a hair tie and that can convert into a bracelet or that can be used to bundle various objects together.
Numerous devices have been designed to hold, tie or fasten hair in a ponytail or other hairstyles. For examples see hair holding devices described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,743,587; 3,595,249; 6,089,240; 6,257,249 and 6,311,699. Those devices range from elastic bands to more elaborate holding means such as clips, sticks, barrettes etc. In spite of the abundance of hair holding devices on the market, not many can efficiently hold hair in place while being easy to use. in addition few holders are aesthetically pleasing while being capable of efficiently, securely and adjustably hold hair in place. One of the most common and utilized device for fastening hair is a simple elastic band. The process requires the twisting and multiple re-insertion of the section of hair through the elastic bands in order to obtain the correct tension. This is not only difficult to achieve efficiently but it also causes, in the process, the pulling and tugging of the section of hair which can be very unpleasant. In addition, one of the most common issue with almost all the devices is their propensity to move off of their original positioning after being used for a while thus losing their hair holding capabilities. Barrettes often become unfastened during use and elastic bands loosen during movement, sport activities or when the hair gets wet. Some others devices which contain springs, claws and complex mechanisms are just too cumbersome especially when performing sports and aquatic activities.
In contrast to hair holding devices of the prior art, the hair holding device of the present invention is composed of a flexible non-slippery band, preferably made of silicone, containing multiple opening along its surface and a hollow symmetrical dumbbell-shape attachment component. The dumbbell shape protrusions or discs at each end of the attachment portion are inserted in openings along the band in order to form a loop. This loop is used to fasten hair or other material in a bundle. The attachment component is hollow and can be decorated with the insertion of small ornamental designs or small three-dimensional objects to which small rods were attached.
The fastening process is simple and easy. It requires the insertion of one end of the dumbbell-shape attachment portion into an opening at one extremity of the band, folding over the band around the hair portion manually squeezed together in a pony-tail shape or bundle and then inserting the other end of the attachment in another opening located at the other extremity of the band. The band portion of the device possesses a natural curved shape which facilitates the folding over during the process of tying and allows for the easy insertion of the attachment. Adjustments can be achieved readily by inserting one of the attachment end to an opening closer or further from the extremity of the band. The unique and adjustable tightening system, as well as the non slippery nature of the silicone band, allow the section of hair to be effectively and very tightly secured in all circumstances and for a longer period of time without all the tugging and pulling of hair.
The features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.
With reference to the accompanying figures, the invention is a device that is used as a stable hair tie while providing an aesthetically pleasing piece of apparel. It can also convert into a bracelet or can be used to secure elongated objects into bundles.
The device described here consists of two detachable parts: an attachment component and a band component. As described in the embodiment detailed in
The second embodiment of the device is an open yet curved shape band made of silicon or similar stretchy material. As depicted in
As shown on
The attachment component of the hair holding device can also be permanently affixed to the band by having a protruding stem capped with a toroid as part of the band itself as depicted in
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No., filed Mar. 21, 2013.