Patent Application
20060037626
This invention relates generally to hair accessories and, more particularly, to a hair accessory that supplements the natural hair of a user which is attached using a clip.
A person may supplement their natural hair with hair pieces to allow a wider variety of hair styles to be utilized. Additionally, when the person has relatively thin hair, the person can supplement their natural hair to create the impression of a fuller head of hair. At least one known form of such a hair piece supplements the natural hair by attaching strands of hair to a visible hair attachment device. The hair attachment device is then used to hold the hair piece to the person's head. However, at least one known form of such an attachment device has been known to become detached during use, hanging from the person's natural hair or falling off completely. Such persons may wish to supplement their natural hair with a securely attachable hair accessory, with the attachment device remaining substantially unseen or at least providing an ornamental function along with the additional hair strands.
In one aspect, a hair accessory is provided that comprises an elongated clip comprising at least two members. Each member comprises a user grasping portion, a hair engaging portion, and a transition portion therebetween. The hair engaging portions of the members are configured to be adjacent one another along a longitudinal axis for substantially their entire length. The hair accessory further comprises a plurality of hair segments attached to the elongated clip.
In another aspect, a method of fabricating a hair accessory is provided. The hair accessory includes an elongated clip with at least two members each having at least a user grasping portion, a hair engaging portion, and a transition portion therebetween. The hair engaging portions are configured to be adjacent one another along a longitudinal axis for substantially their entire length. The hair accessory also includes a plurality of hair segments, and the method comprises configuring the elongated clip such that a pressure exerted at the user grasping portion of the members causes the hair engaging portion to spread apart, and attaching the plurality of hair segments to the elongated clip between the user grasping portion and the hair engaging portion.
In yet another aspect, a hair accessory is provided that comprises an elongated clip comprising a plurality of members substantially adjacent one another along a longitudinal axis for substantially their entire length. The plurality of members have a first end and a second end, and comprise sides. The plurality of members are configured such that a pressure exerted at the first end of the plurality of members causes the second end of the plurality of members to spread apart. The hair accessory further comprises an attaching member configured to hold respective sides of the plurality of members adjacent to one another, and further configured to cause the second ends of the plurality of members to contact one another. The hair accessory further comprises a plurality of hair segments attached to the elongated clip between the first end and the second end.
First member 22, center member 24, and second member 26, in the embodiments illustrated, have the same general elongated shape in one plane. More specifically, first member 22, center member 24, and second member 26 have an arc shape which originates at user grasping portions 32 and extends to a transition portion 52 of elongated clip 20. From transition portion 52 to hair engaging portions 30, first member 22, center member 24, and second member 26 are substantially straight, and substantially parallel with one another. The above described embodiment for first member 22, center member 24, and second member 26 is further illustrated with respect to
To use hair accessory 10, user grasping portions 32 of elongated clip 20 are squeezed together thus spreading apart hair engaging portions 30 which are then inserted into the user's natural hair at a desired position on the user's head according to individual comfort and style. Upon release of user grasping portions 32, hair engaging portions 30 tend to move back towards one another, clamping onto the user's natural hair. Then hair accessory 10 is blended with the user's hair by pulling the user's natural hair above and around elongated clip 20, until the desired look and style is achieved, which may at least partially conceal elongated clip 20.
First member 22, center member 24, and second member 26 of elongated clip 20 are held together with a U-shaped attaching member 70 which extends from a slot 72 formed in a side 74 of first member 22 and turns to pass through a hole 76 formed in first member 22. U-shaped attaching member 70 continues to extend through a slot 78 formed in user grasping portion 32 of center member 24 and through a hole 80 formed in second member 26. U-shaped attaching member 70 then turns to extend into slot 82 formed in a side of second member 26. In one embodiment, slot 78 is formed with a detent (not shown) which provides for a snap fit of U-shaped attaching member 70 within slot 78. U-shaped attaching member 70 is formed from a material having flexibility and spring-like features, which allows elongated clip 20 to reassume the configuration shown once a user has released their grip on user grasping portions 32 of first member 22 and second member 26. More specifically, U-shaped attaching member 70 exerts a force which causes hair engaging portions 30 of first member 22, center member 24, and second member 26 of elongated clip 20 to move towards one another until they are adjacent, contacting one another, or until other forces, such as hair between first member 22, center member 24, and second member 26, prevents such contact.
To further maintain alignment and position of first member 22, center member 24, and second member 26 with respect to one another, in one embodiment, first member 22 and second member 26 each include a protrusion 90 formed thereon which fits within a small slot 92 formed in center member 24. Protrusions 90 and small slots 92 are located within the perimeter of U-shaped attaching member 70 to increase effectiveness of U-shaped attaching member 70.
To further describe operation of elongated clip 20, user grasping portions 32 of first member 22 and second member 26 have an arcuate surface 86 which diverges from contact with center member 24. The action of a user applying a pressure to grasping surface 88, along with the above described retention and spring-like qualities of U-shaped attaching member 70, causes a contact point of arcuate surface 86 to “roll” along member engaging surface 89 of center member 24. As pressure to grasping surface 88 is removed, the contact point of arcuate surface 86 “rolls” back along member engaging surface 89 of center member 24 to an original position (assuming that no hair has been inserted into hair engaging portions 30, thereby not allowing elongated clip 20 to assume its original configuration. It should be noted that the above described operation of user grasping portions 32, results in hair engaging portions 30 of first member 22 and second member 26 separating from hair engaging portion 30 of center member 24 in a motion that is best characterized as a slight arc.
As illustrated in
In one embodiment, hair segments 40, and thus hair bundles 102, are synthetic hair fabricated from one of a polymer fiber such as modacrylic, a combination of a modacrylic fiber and PVC (Poly vinyl chloride) fiber, or a polymer fiber other than modacrylic, such as, for example, acrylic. In another embodiment, hair segments 40 and hair bundles 102 are natural hair. In yet another embodiment, hair segments 40 and hair bundles 102 include both synthetic hair and natural hair.
In one embodiment, various lengths and styles (e.g., an amount of curl) of hair bundles 102 are attached to hair attachment member 100. In an alternative embodiment, the lengths and styles of hair bundles 102 attached to hair attachment member 100 are all the same.
In other alternative embodiments, hair segments 40 and/or hair bundles 102 are attached to hair attachment member 100 by methods other than stitching or weaving, including, but not limited to adhesive, pins, and/or clips. Alternatively, any other method of attachment of hair segments 40 and/or hair bundles 102 to hair attachment member 100 may be utilized. In another specific embodiment, hair bundles are attached to loop members (not shown) utilizing any of the above described attachment methods and a hair attachment member no having hair attached directly thereto is strung through the loops and then attached to elongated clip 20 utilizing any of the above described methods.
The user can utilize hair accessory 10 to supplement the user's natural hair to provide various hair styles, some of which may not be attainable, or desirable in appearance, without hair accessory 10. While hair accessory 10 is described as being attachable to the user's natural hair, hair accessory 10 can also be attached to a wig or other such supplemental hair accessory worn by the user. Also, while hair accessory 10 may be contemplated as having a single color of hair segments 40 (and/or hair bundles 102) for the entire hair accessory, different embodiments of hair accessory 10 may have different colors and lengths between hair bundles 102, and/or different colors and lengths for the individual hair segments 40 utilized in hair accessory 10. Since hair accessory 10 is removable, hair accessory 10 may be applied and removed at the leisure of the user.
While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.
