DEVICE FOR SUPPLEMENTING HAIR COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF STRIPS OF HAIR

Abstract

In a device for supplementing hair, a first plurality of first hairs has first upper end, which are oriented parallel to one another along a main direction, and embedded and anchored in a first plastics matrix, A second plurality of second hairs has second upper ends which are oriented parallel to one another along the main direction, and embedded and anchored in a second plastics matrix. The first plastics matrix and the second plastics matrix are fixed on a carrier strip having a direction of main extension transversely running to the main direction. A fastening appliance is provided for fastening the carrier strip to natural hairs of a wearer of the device. The first hairs emerging out of the first plastics matrix run along the main direction over the second plastics matrix on a side of the second plastics matrix facing away from the carrier strip.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for supplementing hair, the device comprising a plurality of hairs, which, at their upper ends, are oriented in parallel with one another in a main direction and embedded and anchored in a plastics matrix, a carrier strip, which runs transversally to the main direction and on which the plastics matrix is fixed, and a fastening appliance, which is configured for fastening the carrier strip to natural hairs of a wearer of the device for supplementing hair.

Such a device may, for example, be used for supplementing the natural hairs of the wearer by additional hairs, for extending the natural hairs of the wearer, and/or for blending in hairs contrastive with regards to color in the natural hairs of the wearer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A device for supplementing hair of the kind described at the beginning is known from German utility model DE 20 2005 010 845 U1. A plurality of hairs is fixed to a carrier strip. For the purpose of fastening the device to the natural hairs of a wearer, the carrier strip is made as an adhesive strip. The hairs are glued to the backside of the adhesive strip. Here, the hairs are oriented in parallel with one another and orthogonal to the direction of the main extension of the adhesive strip. The hairs are distributed over the entire width of the adhesive strip, and, in their areas in which they are glued to the backside of the adhesive strip, the hairs provided with an anti-hygroscopic sealing and covered with a matt-transparent cover. In this way, they are embedded in a plastics matrix which is fixed on the carrier strip.

The known device for supplementing hair can be manufactured at low cost as the amount of work for fixing the hairs to the carrier strip is low as compared to knitting the hairs to a hairnet, a mount or the like. The known device is nevertheless comparatively unobtrusive when fastened to the natural hairs of a wearer. However, the number of the hairs which can be supplemented with the known device is limited. For the purpose of securely anchoring the individual hair in the plastics matrix, they have to be arranged at an at least small distance side by side on the carrier strip. This is also a precondition for the anti-hygroscopic sealing enclosing the ends of the individual hairs such that they do not get loose when the device is repeatedly washed and thus subjected to different moisture concentrations in its surroundings. Real hairs, as they are preferably also used in the known device for supplementing hair, take up moisture out of its surroundings and change their diameter as a consequence. This quickly results in that they get loose from their bonding. In the known device, the anti-hygroscopic sealing of the ends of the hairs obviates this.

A further known device for supplementing hair is a so called hair tress. For manufacturing a hair tress, the upper ends of a plurality of hairs are bent by 180 degrees and then sewed together. The hairs sewed together are then, at least at the lateral ends of the area sewed together, sewed to so called toupee clips. By these toupee clips, the hair tress is fastened to the natural hairs of its wearer. A known hair tress may comprise a comparatively high number of hairs. With increasing number, however, the sewed together area of the hairs gets thicker and thus builds up to a significant extent, A further disadvantage of a hair tress is that the ends of the hairs bent by 180 degrees, which protrude from the sewed together area over a certain extent, have an orientation opposite to the remainder of the hairs. When real hair is used which is provided with scall in a certain orientation, this quickly results in felting of the hairs of the tress with one another and also with the natural hairs of the wearer. Additionally, the manufacture of the known tress in premium quality requires high manual skills and/or high expertise.

A device for supplementing hair comprising the features of the preamble of independent claim 1 is known from European patent application publication EP 2 614 736 A1. The first plastics matrix and the second plastics matrix are arranged one upon the other, and the first plurality and the second plurality of the hairs emerge out of the first plastics matrix and the second plastics matrix at a common bottom side.

There still is a need of a device for supplementing hair by which a high number of hairs can be supplemented and which nevertheless builds up little, does not tend to felting of its hairs and can be produced at comparatively little effort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for supplementing hair. The device comprises a first plurality of first hairs having first upper ends and a first plastics matrix, the first hairs, at their first upper ends, being oriented parallel to one another along a main direction, and embedded and anchored in the first plastics matrix, a second plurality of second hairs having second upper ends and a second plastics matrix, the second hairs, at their second upper ends being oriented parallel to one another along the main direction, and embedded and anchored in the second plastics matrix, and a carrier strip having a direction of main extension transversely running to the main direction, the first plastics matrix and the second plastics matrix being fixed on the carrier strip. The device further comprises a fastening appliance configured for fastening the carrier strip to natural hairs of a wearer of the device. The first hairs of the first plurality of hairs emerging out of the first plastics matrix run along the main direction over the second plastics matrix on a side of the second plastics matrix facing away from the carrier strip.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and the detailed description. It is intended that all such additional features and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a plan view from the outer side of an embodiment of the device for supplementing hair according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view from the inner side of the device according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view, enlarged as compared to FIGS. 1 and 2, of another embodiment of the device for supplementing hair according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The device for supplementing hair according to the present invention comprises a first plurality of hairs which, at their upper ends, are oriented in parallel to one another along a main direction and embedded and anchored in a first plastics matrix, a carrier strip, which runs transversely to the main direction and on which the first plastics matrix is fixed, and a fastening appliance, which is configured for fastening the carrier strip to natural hairs of a wearer of the device for supplementing hair. Beside the first plastics matrix, a second plastics matrix, in which upper ends of hairs of a second plurality of hairs are oriented parallel to one another in the main direction, and embedded and anchored, is fixed on the carrier strip.

In other words, the device according to the present invention comprises a further row of hairs of a second plurality of hairs, which are embedded in a further plastics matrix with their upper ends, on the carrier strip beside the row of hairs of the first plurality of hairs. Thus, the total number of the hairs which are supplemented by the device is doubled as compared to a device only having one row of hairs anchored in one plastics matrix. At the same time, the simple manufacturability as it is given with devices for supplementing hair comprising hairs embedded in a plastics matrix is essentially conserved, Only the step of fixing the plurality of plastics matrices on the carrier strip is added. The advantage that the hairs only have one orientation over their entire length from their anchoring in the respective plastics matrix, which, when using real hair, is the same orientation as that one of the natural hairs of the wearer, so that there is no danger of felting the hairs of the device with one another and with the natural hairs of the wearer, also remains.

Additionally, optical advantages result from the fact that the hairs of the first plurality of hairs emerging out of the first plastics matrix at that side of the second plastics matrix facing away from the carrier strip run along the main direction over the second plastics matrix. Thus, the second plastics matrix is covered by the hairs anchored in the first plastics matrix and, as a result, the second plastics matrix is not visible even if the device for supplementing hair according to the present invention is exposed to a direct view on its side facing away from the carrier strip.

In the device according to the invention, a third plastics matrix, in which upper ends of hairs of a third plurality of hairs oriented in parallel to each other along the main direction are embedded and anchored, can also be fixed on the carrier strip beside the second plastics matrix. In a corresponding arrangement, even further plastics matrices with further pluralities of hairs can be fixed on the carrier strip. In the present device, the number of plastics matrices is typically between two and five, and often it is three or four.

If three plastics matrices are provided, the hairs of the first plurality of hairs emerging out of the first plastics matrix and the hairs of the second plurality of hairs emerging out of the second plastics matrix may run along the main direction over the third plastics matrix on that side of the third plastics matrix facing away from the carrier strip. This third plastics matrix, and correspondingly also any further plastics matrix, is then particularly well covered by the hairs anchored in the first and second plastics matrices. Overall, only the first plastics matrix is visible even if the device according to the invention is exposed to a direct view on its side facing away from the carrier strip.

At least the first plastics matrix may be provided with a matt surface or a matt cover on its side facing away from the carrier strip so that it is optically unobtrusive. Alternatively or additionally, at least the first plastics matrix and, if present, its cover may be transparent or translucent on its side facing away from the carrier strip up to the hairs of the first plurality of hairs. Thus, at least the color of the device according to the invention, preferably, however, also the optical structure of the device according to the invention is determined up into the area of the first plastics matrix by the hairs anchored therein.

In that, in the device according to the invention, the plastics matrices do not overlap along the main direction of the hairs but are arranged side by side, the height above the carrier strip of the device according to the invention is comparatively small. Thus, it only builds up a little.

If the plastics matrices each extend over a width along the main direction in a range from 2 to 8 mm or only from 3 to 6 mm, the carrier strip of the device according to the invention may also remain comparatively narrow. With a width of each of the three plastic matrices of about 3 mm, the width of the carrier strip only needs to be about 1 cm. In this way, the device according to the invention may particularly unobtrusively be arranged within the natural hairs of its wearer and adjusted in shape to the head of its wearer. For the purpose of sufficiently anchoring the individual hairs in the plastics matrices despite their small width, the hairs may only end in the main direction with the respective plastics matrix in which they are embedded. Particularly, the hairs may be cut together with the plastics atrix to its little width in the device according to the invention. In other words, the hairs may at first be embedded in a broader plastics matrix which is then cut to its little width in the device according to the invention. However, anti-hygroscopically sealing the cut edges of the hairs may follow. This ensures that the upper ends of the hairs, which are anchored in the plastics matrices, are completely anti-hygroscopically sealed and thus do not get loose even with repeatedly washing the device according to the invention, even if it is real hair.

The fastening appliance of the device according to the invention may have a glue layer on the side of the carrier strip facing away from the plastics matrices to glue the device to the natural hairs of its wearer. The glue layer may at first covered by a cover. Further, the glued layer can be replaceable to, for example, renew it after washing the device. However, the fastening appliance may also comprise at least one toupee clip. Typically, one toupee clip is then sewed to each of the two lateral ends of the carrier strip.

Transversely to the main direction, the plastics matrices may each extend up to the ends of the carrier strip. The length of the carrier strip between its ends may be 3 to 15 cm or only 5 to 10 cm. With longer carrier strips, the plastics matrices may each have at least one interruption running transversely to the main direction. In the area of the interruption, only the carrier strip has to be deformed in adapting the device according to the invention to the head of its wearer. This makes the adaptation easier.

In this description and the accompanying claims, the indication “transversely to the main direction” does not only refer to an exact orthogonal direction but also to any direction comprising an essential component orthogonal to the main direction. In a same way, the indication “along the main direction” does not only refer to an exact parallel direction but also to any direction which has an essential component parallel to the main direction.

Insofar as a plastics matrix, in which the upper ends of the hairs are embedded, is mentioned in this description and the accompanying claims, this does not imply that the plastics matrix has a homogenous composition. Instead, the plastics matrix may be made of layers of different plastics in that, for example, a substrate is coated with a glue by which the hairs are glued to the substrate, and the hairs are then covered with a further glue or plastic in one or more steps. This results in a layered structure of the plastics matrix. In this layered structure, besides the hairs, also a two dimensional material, like for example a layer of tiffany for matting or the like may be embedded. Together with a substrate, the plastics matrix may be glued to the carrier strip after its cutting to a desired width along the main direction.

Now referring in greater detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a plan view of a device 1 for supplementing hair. The viewing direction of FIG. 1 corresponds to the view of the device 1, when it is fastened to natural hairs of a wearer. However, a carrier strip 1 of the device will then usually be covered by further natural hairs of the wearer so that, of the device 1, only sections of its hairs 3, which are further away from the carrier strip 2, are visible. The hairs 3 of the device 1 are subdivided in three about equal pluralities of hairs. The hairs 3 of the first plurality of hairs are anchored with their upper ends 4 in a first plastics matrix 5. Here, the individual hairs 3 run along the main direction parallel to one another and side by side. The first plastics matrix 5 runs transversely to the main direction 6 along the upper edge of the carrier strip 2 like a band. With their upper ends 7, the hairs 3 of the second plurality of hairs are anchored in a second plastics matrix 8. They also run along the main direction 6 parallel to one another and side by side. The second plastics matrix 3 is fixed in the middle of the carrier strip 2 and aligned parallel to the first plastics matrix 5, The hairs 3 anchored in the first plastics matrix 5 cover the second plastics matrix 8. With their upper ends 9, the hairs 3 of the third plurality of hairs are embedded and anchored in a third plastics matrix 10. The third plastic matrix 10 extends at the lower edge of the carrier strip 2 parallel to the first plastics matrix 5 and the second plastics matrix 8. The third plastics matrix 10 is covered by the hairs 3 which are anchored in the first plastics matrix 5 and in the second plastics matrix 8. Of the plastics matrices 5, 8 and 10, only the first plastics matrix 5 is visible, which is provided with a matt surface 11 here and which is translucent up to the upper ends 4 of the embedded hairs 3. If the hairs 3 are real hairs, the orientation of the hairs 3 from the upper ends 4, 7, 6 along the main direction 6 corresponds to the natural orientation of the real hairs from their roots to their tips.

FIG. 2 shows how, at the back side of the carrier strip 2 running transversely to the main direction 6, at each of two ends 12, 13 of the carrier strip 2, one toupee clip 14 (which is only schematically depicted here) is attached as a fastening appliance 5 for the device 1. Typically, the toupee clips 4 are sewed to the carrier strip 2.

In the embodiment of the device 1 depicted in FIG. 3 in a side view, the carrier strip 2, at its backside, is provided with a glue layer 16 as the fastening appliance 15, which, prior to its use, may be covered by a peelable cover, which is not depicted here. Further, FIG. 3 shows that the carrier strip 2 can be formed to adapt to a head of a wearer of the device 1, not only in the width direction visible in FIG. 3 but also in the longitudinal direction running transversely thereto. The carrier strip 2 may be or may include a plastic band or a tissue band. The plastics matrices 5, 8, 10 are fixed on the carrier strip 2. They may be glued to the carrier strip 2 for this purpose. The plastic matrices 5, 8 and 10 run side by side and do not overlap along the main direction 6. However, the hairs 3 anchored with their upper ends 4 in the first plastic matrix 5 cover the second plastic matrix 8 and the third plastics matrix 10, and additionally, the hairs 3 anchored with their ends 7 in the second plastics matrix 8 cover the third plastics matrix 10. Each of the plastics matrices 5, 8 and 10 with the embedded ends 4, 7, 9 of the hairs 3 may correspond to a device for supplementing hair which is generally known from DE 20 2005 010 845 U1 even if the plastic matrices 5, 8 and 10 are typically narrower in the main direction 6 than the carrier strip in this prior art device, Many variations and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A device for supplementing hair, the device comprising a first plurality of first hairs having first upper ends and a first plastics matrix, the first hairs, at their first upper ends, being oriented parallel to one another along a main direction, and embedded and anchored in the first plastics matrix,a second plurality of second hairs having second upper ends and a second plastics matrix, the second hairs, at their second upper ends being oriented parallel to one another along the main direction, and embedded and anchored in the second plastics matrix,a carrier strip having a direction of main extension transversely running to the main direction, the first plastics matrix and the second plastics matrix being fixed on the carrier strip, anda fastening appliance configured for fastening the carrier strip to natural hairs of a wearer of the device,wherein the first hairs of the first plurality of hairs emerging out of the first plastics matrix run along the main direction over the second plastics matrix on a side of the second plastics matrix facing away from the carrier strip.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein, in the main direction, the second plastics matrix is fixed on the carrier strip beside the first plastics matrix.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein a third plastics matrix is fixed on the carrier strip, and wherein third hairs of a third plurality of hairs have upper ends, which are oriented parallel to one another along the main direction and which are embedded and anchored in the third plastics matrix.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein, in the main direction, the third plastics matrix is fixed on the carrier strip beside the second plastics matrix.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the first hairs of the first plurality of hairs emerging out of the first plastics matrix and the second hairs of the second plurality of hairs emerging out of the second plastics matrix run along the main direction over the third plastics matrix on a side of the third plastics matrix facing away from the carrier strip.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first plastics matrix is comprises a matt surface or a matt cover at a side of the first plastics matrix facing away from the carrier strip.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first plastic matrix is transparent or translucent at a side of the first plastics matrix facing away from the carrier strip up to the first hairs of the first plurality of hairs.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second plastics matrices do not overlap along the main direction.

9. The device of claim 3, wherein the first, second and third plastics matrices do not overlap along the main direction.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second plastics matrices each extend over 2 to 8 mm along the main direction.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the first and second plastics matrices each extend over 3 to 6 mm along the main direction.

12. The device of claim 3, wherein the first, second and third plastics matrices each extend over 2 to 8 mm along the main direction.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the first, second and third plastics matrices each extend over 3 to 6 mm along the main direction.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein, along the main direction, the first and second hairs each end with the respective first or second plastic matrix, in which they are anchored.

15. The device of claim 3, wherein, along the main direction, the first, second and third hairs each end with the respective first, second or third plastic matrix, in which they are anchored.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the fastening appliance, at a side of the carrier strip facing away from the first and second plastic matrices, comprises a glue layer or at least one toupee clip.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second plastics matrices each extend transversely to the main direction up to ends of the carrier strip, and wherein a length of the carrier strip between its ends is 13 to 15 cm.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the length of the carrier strip between its ends is 5 to 10 cm.

19. The device of claim 3, wherein the first, second and third plastics matrices each extend transversely to the main direction up to ends of the carrier strip, and wherein a length of the carrier strip between its ends is 13 to 15 cm.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the length of the carrier strip between its ends is 5 to 10 cm.