This invention relates to hair enhancement and more particularly relates to hair extensions.
Artificial hair integrations or hair extensions are commonly used to add length or fullness to a user's hair. The hair extensions incorporate artificial or human hair into a user's natural hair. To couple the hair extensions to the user's head, several techniques have been introduced. In certain circumstances the hair is clipped in by a series of clips coupled to a hair weft. The clips typically cannot be worn when the user is sleeping and thus must be removed each night before the user retires to bed.
Other user's bond the hair extensions to the user's natural hair using glue. This technique requires a hair professional to apply the hair extensions and also requires a hair professional to remove the hair extensions. The bonding technique typically lasts 4-6 weeks before the user must visit a hair professional for maintenance.
Another method to apply hair extensions includes the use of micro rings or micro loops. In this method small metal rings lined with silicon are coupled to the hair extension. The rings are fixed to the hair extensions and are tightened on the user's natural hair with the use of a special tool that clamps the ring around the natural hair. The rings typically need to be repositioned by a hair professional every 2-3 months as the natural hair grows and the rings move away from the scalp. Obviously, the use of a hair professional involves additional costs to install and remove the hair extensions.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus, system, and method for enhancing a user's hair. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would be self applicable and repositionable without the aid of a hair professional.
The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available hair extension systems. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide an apparatus, system, and method for enhancing a user's hair that overcome many or all of the above-discussed shortcomings in the art.
The apparatus to enhance a user's hair, in certain embodiments, includes a weft of hair material, at least one ring and at least one T-anchor. The rings are made of a deformable material. The T-anchors couple the rings to the weft of hair material.
The rings, in one embodiment, also include a pliable non-slip material positioned within the rings. Deformation of the ring also deforms the pliable non-slip material.
The weft of hair material, in an exemplary embodiment, includes a united end and a free end. In such an embodiment, the T-anchors are coupled to the united end. In certain embodiments, the rings are coupled to the T-anchors at a position other than the united end of the hair weft.
In certain embodiments, the T-anchor includes a pliable fiber having a first capping element positioned at a first end of the pliable material. A second capping element is positioned at a second end of the pliable fiber. The first end of the pliable fiber is positioned opposite the second end of the pliable fiber. In one embodiment, either the first capping element, the second capping element, or both include a shaft that is positioned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pliable fiber.
In another embodiment, the first capping element includes a first shaft disposed perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pliable fiber. In another embodiment, the second capping element includes a second shaft disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pliable fiber.
The first capping element and the second capping element, in one embodiment, limit the withdrawal of the T-anchor from the weft of hair material and from the rings.
The apparatus, in certain embodiments, also includes a length of fibrous material. In such an embodiment, the length of fibrous material includes at least one loop. The loop is positionable through the at least one ring and is engageable with a portion of the users hair to draw the portion of the users hair through the at least one ring.
In certain embodiments, the apparatus includes a plurality of rings and a plurality of T-anchors. In such an embodiment, the apparatus may also include a plurality of lengths of fibrous material. Each length of fibrous material includes a loop. Each T-anchor is positionable through one of the pluralities of rings to couple the ring to the weft of hair material. The loops are positioned through one of the plurality of rings and are engageable with separate portions of the user's hair to draw each of the separate portion of the users hair through at least one of the rings.
A system of the present invention is also presented to reuse a weft of hair. In particular, the system, in one embodiment, includes a weft of hair material, at least one ring, and at least one T-anchor. The weft of hair includes a united end and a free end. The T-anchors are positionable through the united end of the weft of hair material and through the rings to couple the rings to the weft of hair material. The rings are deformable to couple the rings to a portion of the user's hair and to the T-anchors.
The system may further include a tagging gun. In such an embodiment, the T-anchors are a tagging fastener and the tagging gun is configured to position the T-anchor through the united end of the weft of hair material and through the rings to couple the weft of hair material to the rings.
In certain embodiments, the rings are coupled to the T-anchors at a position other than at the united end of the weft of hair material. In one embodiment, the tagging fastener is about one fourth of an inch in length.
In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a length of fibrous material. The length of fibrous material includes at least one loop that is positionable through the rings. The loop is engageable with a portion of the users hair to draw the portion of the users hair through the rings.
In one embodiment, the T-anchors are made of a pliable fiber having a first capping element disposed at a first end of the pliable fiber and a second capping element disposed at a second end of the pliable fiber. In such an embodiment, the first end of the pliable fiber is positioned opposite the second end of the pliable fiber. In certain embodiments, at least one of the first capping element and the second capping element is a shaft disposed perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pliable fiber. The first capping element and the second capping element limit the withdrawal of the T-anchor from the weft of hair material and from the at least one ring.
In another embodiment, the system includes a plurality of rings and a plurality of T-anchors. In such and embodiment, the system may also include a plurality of lengths of fibrous material. Each length of fibrous material includes a loop. Each T-anchor is positionable through the united end of the weft of hair material and through the at least one ring to couple the at least one ring to the weft of hair material. Each loop in is positioned through one of the plurality of rings and is engageable with a separate portion of the users hair to draw each of the separate portion of the users hair through at least one of the rings
A method of the present invention is also presented for enhancing a user's hair. The method in the disclosed embodiments substantially includes the steps necessary to carry out the functions presented above with respect to the operation of the described apparatus and system. In one embodiment, the method includes positioning a T-anchor through a united end in a weft of hair material, positioning the T-anchor through a ring, gathering a portion of the user's hair and positioning the loop in the length of fibrous material around the portion of the user's hair. The method also includes removing the loop in the length of fibrous material from within the ring to draw the portion of the user's hair into the ring. The ring is deformed to trap the portion of the user's hair in the ring. The deformation of the ring traps the portion of the user's hair and traps the T-anchor within the ring to support the weft of hair material on the user's head.
In a further embodiment, when the weft of hair material should be repositioned on the user's head, the method includes removing the ring from the portion of the user's hair, removing the rings from the T-anchors and affixing a new ring to the weft of hair.
Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.
These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided for a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
The schematic flow chart diagrams included herein are generally set forth as logical flow chart diagrams. As such, the depicted order and labeled steps are indicative of one embodiment of the presented method. Other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect to one or more steps, or portions thereof, of the illustrated method. Additionally, the format and symbols employed are provided to explain the logical steps of the method and are understood not to limit the scope of the method. Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in the flow chart diagrams, they are understood not to limit the scope of the corresponding method. Indeed, some arrows or other connectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of the method. For instance, an arrow may indicate a waiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration between enumerated steps of the depicted method. Additionally, the order in which a particular method occurs may or may not strictly adhere to the order of the corresponding steps shown.
In certain embodiments, the weft of hair material 102 comprises artificial or natural hair that is used to integrate with a user's natural hair to lengthen or thicken the user's hair. In other embodiments, the weft of hair material 102 may be integrated with the user's natural hair to change the color or texture of the user's hair. One of skill in the art will recognize other reasons that a user may wish to integrate artificial or natural hair with the user's own hair.
The weft of hair material 102, in one embodiment, includes a united end 108 and a free end 110. At the united end 108 of the weft of hair material 102, individual strands of hair (or hair like material) are coupled to one another. In one embodiment, the individual strands of hair (or hair like material) are woven together at the united end 108 of the weft of hair material 102. In other embodiments the individual strands of hair (or hair like material) may be coupled to another piece of material, such as lace or other fabric, at the united end 108 of the weft of hair material 102. In any embodiment, as further discussed below, the united end 108 of the weft of hair material 102 has a support area 112 that is sufficiently resilient to keep the T-anchors 106 positioned through the support area 112 when a weft of hair material 102 is coupled to a user's hair and the weft of hair material 102 is tugged on or otherwise pulled.
The free end 110 of the weft of hair material 102, in certain embodiments, is free flowing such that the individual strands of hair (or hair like material) are uncoupled at the free end 110 of the weft of hair material 102. In other embodiments, the free end 110 of the weft of hair material 102 may not actually be free at all. For example, in certain embodiments, the free end 110 of the weft of hair material 102 may be braided such that the free end 110 of the weft of hair material 102 forms a braid. One of skill in the art will recognize that the user may form other hairstyles with the free end 110 of the weft of hair material 102.
The rings 104 are made of a deformable material that is deformed in response to a mechanical pressure. For example, in certain embodiments, the rings 104 may be crushed or deformed using a pair of conventional pliers such as needle nose pliers. In other embodiments, the rings 104 may be crushed or deformed using specialty tools designed to crush or deform the rings.
In certain embodiments, the rings 104 are made of a deformable metal such as aluminum, copper, etc. that is deformable in response to the mechanical pressure described above. In one embodiment, the rings 104 include a pliable non-slip material disposed within the rings 104. Deformation of the rings 104 also deforms the pliable non-slip material. For example, in one embodiment, each ring 104 has an inner diameter that is lined with a pliable non-slip material such as silicon or other rubber like material. When the rings 104 are crushed or deformed by the pliers or other mechanical device, the deformable material of the rings 104 also crushes the silicon or other rubber like material. Anything positioned within the inner diameter of the rings 104 is therefore trapped within the inner diameter of the rings 104 by virtue of the crushed non-slip material around the item positioned within the inner diameter of the rings 104. While the embodiments depicted in the Figures depict the rings 104 as having a cylindrical configuration, one of skill in the art will recognize that in other embodiments the rings 104 may have differing geometrical shapes (i.e., triangular, square, trapezoidal, etc.).
In certain embodiments, the rings 104 are coupled to the weft of hair material 102 by the T-anchors 106. As is more clearly depicted in
In an exemplary embodiment, at least one of the first capping element 204 and the second capping element 206 is a shaft disposed perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 208 of the pliable fiber 202. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in
In certain embodiments, the first capping element 204 is approximately as wide as the second capping element 206 and both the first capping element 204 and the second capping element 206 are wider than the rings 104. The first capping element 204 or the second capping element 206 is positioned through the ring 104 and also through the united end 108 of the weft of hair material 102 such that the pliable fiber 202 is disposed within the ring 104 and through the united end 108 of the weft of hair material 102. In such a position, the first capping element 204 and the second capping element 206 limit the withdrawal of the T-anchor 106 from the weft of hair material 102 and from the ring 104. Thus, the weft of hair material can be hung from the rings 104 by the T-anchors 106.
Referring again to
With the user's hair thus divided, the weft of hair material 102 is slid to a position just below the divide in the user's hair. In certain embodiments, the apparatus 100 may include band 302 that is positionable around the user's head and which is coupleable to the weft of hair material 102 to keep the weft of hair material 102 in position just below the divide in the user's hair. Portions of the user's hair are gathered and positioned through each of the rings 104 coupled to the weft of hair material 102 by the T-anchors 106. Once the portions of the user's hair are positioned within the rings 104, the rings are deformed by a mechanical device (i.e., needle nose pliers) to crush the rings 104 and trap the portions of user's hair within the rings 104. In this manner the weft of hair material 102 is coupled to a user's natural hair. Once the weft of hair material 102 is coupled to a user's natural hair, the top portion of the user's hair can be let down to blend the natural hair with the weft of hair material 102.
In certain embodiments, the apparatus 100 to enhance a user's hair includes a hair retrieval device 304 to assist a user in positioning the portions of hair through the rings 104. For example, with reference to
In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus 100 includes a plurality of rings 104a-104h and a plurality of T-anchors 106a-106h (see,
Note that in the embodiment illustrated in
Once the weft of hair material 102 is coupled to the user's hair, the user's hair will continue to grow. Over time, the user's natural hair will eventually grow to a length wherein the weft of hair no longer hangs near the user's scalp. At this point, the user may wish to reposition the weft of hair material 102 near the user's scalp. In certain embodiments, the present subject matter includes a system to reuse the weft of hair material 102.
For example, in one embodiment, the T-anchors 106 are conventional tagging fasteners used to affix price tags or other tags to clothing or other items sold in stores. In such an embodiment, once the user desires to reposition the weft of hair material 102, the user may remove the portions 306 of the user's hair from within the rings 104. A new uncrushed or non-deformed ring 104 may then be positioned over the T-anchor 106 and the process may be repeated to recouple the weft of hair material 102 to the user's natural hair. In an exemplary embodiment, the tagging fasteners are about one fourth of an inch long although other lengths are within the scope of the present subject matter.
In embodiments wherein the T-anchors 106 are tagging fasteners, the apparatus 100 may include a tagging gun (not shown). The tagging gun is configured to position the T-anchors 106 through the united end 108 of the weft of hair material 102 and through the rings 104 to couple the weft of hair material 102 to the rings 104.
A user's hair is divided 508 at a position defined by a semicircle extending around a user's head from a first temple to a second temple. The first temple is disposed opposite the second temple. The weft of hair material 102 is slid 510 to a position below the divide in the user's hair. A loop 205 in a length of fibrous material 304 is positioned 512 through the ring 104. In certain embodiments, as discussed above, the loops 205 may be pre-positioned through the rings 104. In other embodiments, the loops 205 may be positioned through the rings 104 individually as the weft of hair 102 is coupled to the user's hair.
To couple the weft of hair 102 to the user's head, a portion 306 of the user's hair is gathered 514 and the loop 205 in the length of fibrous material 304 is positioned around the gathered portion of the user's hair 306. The loop 205 in the length of fibrous material 304 is removed 516 from within the ring 104 to draw the portion 306 of the user's hair into the ring 104. The ring 104 is deformed 518 to trap the portion 306 of the user's hair in the ring 104 and the method 100 ends 520. The deformation 518 of the ring 104 traps the T-anchor 106 within the ring 104 to support the weft of hair material 102 on the user's head.
As discussed above, in certain embodiments, as the user's hair grows naturally, the user may wish to reposition the weft of hair material 102 on the user's head.
A new uncrushed or non-deformed ring 104 may then affixed 608 to the weft of hair 102. In embodiments where the T-anchors 106 are removed, the new uncrushed or non-deformed ring 104 may be affixed 608 to a new T-anchor 106 positioned through the united end 108 of the weft of hair 102. Otherwise, the new rings 104 may be coupled to the old T-anchors 106 in embodiments where the rings 104 are removed from existing T-anchors 106.
With the new ring 104 affixed 608 to the weft of hair 102, the weft of hair is ready to be coupled to the user's hair. The user then couples 610 the weft of hair 102 to the user's head at a desired position in a manner substantially similar to the manner in which the user originally coupled the weft of hair 102 to the user's head as described above with respect to method 500. The method then ends 612.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/880,250 entitled “APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR ENHANCING A USER'S HAIR” and filed on Sep. 20, 2013 for Danielle Lindsay, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61880250 | Sep 2013 | US |