ECO-FRIENDLY CROCHET STYLE SYNTHETIC BRAIDING HAIR AND ITS MANUFACTURING METHOD

Abstract

An eco-friendly crochet style synthetic braiding hair and its manufacturing method are disclosed. The synthetic braiding hair is comprised of a plurality of the first synthetic fibers configured to easily form a curly shape; a plurality of the second synthetic fibers configured to be half-length of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers and have a high elastic recovery to maintain curly shape; and a plurality of the combined synthetic fibers is made by plurality of the second synthetic fibers being combined in the middle of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers and folded together.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an eco-friendly crochet style synthetic braiding hair and its manufacturing method. More specifically, the proposed synthetic braiding hair is to be attached to the natural human hair, and intended to achieve a desired hair style as well as easy maintenance.

BACKGROUND ART

Hair styles for women have changed throughout the years according to the trends in hair design industries, and the development of synthetic hair products has aided the continuous introduction of new hair styles to the beauty and hair design market. Synthetic braiding hair products are normally attached to natural human hair by braiding or stitching with a special hair needle. Most of the hair styling tools in the market have been continuously improved to facilitate the attaching of synthetic hair to natural hair. However, the creation of new and better braiding hair style products are still short in supply as the consumer needs have increased.

So far, most of prior arts in the US patents have been focused only on the device used for braiding natural or synthetic hair itself. US Publication No. 2008/0163882 disclosed the braid hair weft that attaches a plurality of synthetic hair to a series of strings, designed to reduce the length of time it takes to add hair extensions and attach individual braid to a person's head. This invention requires anchoring hair fibers to a weft creating an apparatus for quickly adding braids without requiring one to individually braid strands of a person's hair.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,439,498 introduced a flexible tube to embrace the braided hair to protect the natural braid hair from the environment by providing a lengthwise contractible cylindrical evolved hair tube, where the hair tube is resiliently biased toward a preformed state.

These references to the US patents provide examples of improved methods and devices on how to braid natural or synthetic hair extensions, but the disclosing of any new braiding hair itself and its development methods has not been suggested yet. Consequently, hair designers are forced to manually create new hair styles by braiding and extending several different existing styles of synthetic hair products together. This method of braiding has been especially popular in African-American hair shops.

Instead of suggesting another tool or device to create new hair braiding, the applicant suggested a new way of creating synthetic hair style in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/853,844. This invention discloses a new synthetic braiding hair that has both hot water setting capability and an antibacterial function resistant to moisture and sweat.

To understand the creativity of the present invention, one must review the existing hair products in the market and how noble and new the present invention is compared to the prior art.

One of the most well-known synthetic braiding products is a crochet hair style. This hair style forms a very dense curly shape to mimic natural curly hair look. The products currently market are subjected to a heavy chemical process in order to maintain curly shape, and typically a chemical glue is used by bonding the synthetic fibers together.

The use of such glued synthetic fiber may keep in-tact the curly shape at first, but as the time passes, the synthetic fiber tangles with each other and the shape gradually becomes wrinkled. One of the most widely known unofficial methods for rearranging the curl is to dangerously use a laundry fabric softener onto the synthetic fibers to decompose the glue and to detach the fibers individually. Using the fabric softener near human scalp is potentially dangerous causing many problems such as skin trouble and inflammation. However there is currently not much other way to reestablish the curly shape without removing the glue in the synthetic fiber and consumers still continue to use this method.

Also, to maintain the curly hair s combing through the hair is regular required. When using the glued synthetic braiding hair product, it is impossible to comb the fiber because it is held together by the glue. Although the crochet style is one of the famous hair styles in synthetic hair product market, the existing problem of using glue on fiber has caused many inconveniences.

Another disadvantage of products on the market is that the amount of hair in a product bundle is irregular or sometimes too much to directly attach it onto natural hair. So a braider (hair stylist), needs to separate the bundle in a desired amount, which is also difficult to do and takes large amount of time due to the product being glued together.

Lastly, in order to connect the synthetic braiding hair to natural human hair, loop or annular shape of the synthetic braiding hair is normally formed in the middle of it. Then this loop is connected to a cornrow formed in natural hair on the user's scalp. But attaching the loop of the synthetic braiding hair requires a lot of time and skill. Also, Since synthetic hair and real hair are tied together, boundaries of the combined area become bulky.

BRIEF DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

To overcome current issues of the crochet style synthetic braiding hair product in market, the objective of the present disclosure is to develop an eco-friendly crochet style braiding synthetic hair with following improvements.

The synthetic braiding hair in present invention is proposed by the use of two different types of synthetic fibers having their distinctive functions necessary for producing curly hair and maintaining its shape. The characteristics of a plurality of the first synthetic fibers should be able to create curly shape easily. The use of a specific compound material enables to generate curly shape using hot water setting. The characteristics of a plurality of the second synthetic fibers should be able to maintain curly shape with high elastic recovery. The crochet style synthetic hair made by mixing these two fibers does not use chemical glue, so the product is more eco-friendly and safer than the current product in market.

The synthetic braiding hair in present invention is proposed by separating the bundle into a desired amount to be the most convenient for the braider. The process is referred to as pre-separating, which reduces user's extra time-consuming work.

The synthetic braiding hair in present invention is proposed by installing a loop such as a rubber band that can be attached on the cornrow of natural hair. The loop makes the synthetic braiding hair be attached in much easier way and saves time compared to conventional method. It also gives a simple, more natural look when the synthetic braiding hair is installed, because the volume of connected junction is much thinner than that of by the conventional method. Also, removal of the synthetic braiding hair is made very convenient, by simply pulling loop (rubber band) out from the natural hair.

The illustrative embodiment in the disclosure shows an eco-friendly crochet style synthetic braiding hair comprising a plurality of the first synthetic fibers configured to easily form curly shape, a plurality of the second synthetic fibers configured to be half-length of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers and to have a high elastic recovery to maintain curly shape therein and a plurality of the combined synthetic fibers made by the plurality of the second synthetic fibers being placed in the middle of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers and folded together.

In the present disclosure, the plurality of the first synthetic fibers is capable of hot water setting to form a curly hair style.

In the present disclosure, the plurality of the second synthetic fibers is capable of maintaining curled shaped of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers by its material characteristics of high elasticity.

In the present disclosure, the plurality of the second synthetic fibers is capable of hot water setting to form a curly hair and its weight is lighter and more volumetric than the plurality of the first synthetic fiber.

In the present disclosure, the plurality of the combined fibers is configured to be divided into a separated plurality of the combined synthetic fibers so that the bundle is directly attached to human hair without extra separation.

In the present disclosure, a loop is attached in the middle of the separated plurality of the combined synthetic fibers and configured to easily install onto human hair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram for describing a corrugation process to a fiber bundle.

FIG. 2(a) to FIG. 2(d) are conceptual diagrams for describing a plurality of the first, second, and combined synthetic fibers.

FIG. 3(a) is a conceptual diagram of a pulling device for pre-stretching process, describing how to pull the plurality of the first and second synthetic fibers to create natural ending shape and FIG. 3(b) is an embodiment of the pre-stretched fibers.

FIG. 4(a) and FIG. 4(b) are conceptual diagrams of a curling and pre-separating process of the plurality of the combined fibers.

FIG. 5(a) is an embodiment of a loop attached in the middle of a separated plurality of the combined synthetic fibers, and FIG. 5(b) is an example figure of prior art.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram for describing a flow chart of manufacturing the eco-friendly crochet style synthetic hair using the plurality of the first and second synthetic fibers.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, illustrative embodiments and examples will be described in detail so that inventive concept may be readily implemented by those skilled in the art. However, it is to be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the illustrative embodiments and examples but can be visualized in various other ways. In drawings, parts not directly relevant to the description are omitted to enhance the clarity of the drawings, and like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the whole document.

Throughout the whole document, the term “on” that is used to designate a position of one element with respect to another element includes both a case that the one element is adjacent to the other element and a case that any other element exists between these two elements.

The terms “comprises or includes” and/or “comprising or including” used in the document means that one or more other components, steps, operations and/or existence or addition of elements are not excluded in addition to the described components, steps, operations and/or elements unless context dictates otherwise. The terms “about or approximately” or “substantially” are intended to have meanings close to numerical values or ranges specified with an allowable error and intended to prevent accurate or absolute numerical values disclosed for understanding of the present disclosure from being illegally or unfairly used by any unconscionable third party. Throughout the whole document, the term “step of” does not mean “step for”.

Throughout the whole document, the term “combination of” included in the Markush type description means a mixture or combination of one or more components, steps, operations and/or elements selected from the group consisting of components, steps, operations and/or elements described in the Markush type and thereby means that the disclosure includes one or more components, steps, operations and/or elements selected from the Markush group.

Furthermore, in the following description of illustrative embodiments, terms related to a direction or a position (upper side, lower side, up and down directions, etc.) are defined with respect to the arrangement state of individual components shown in drawings. For example, the “upper side” and the “lower side” may be defined as the upper side and the lower side when viewed from FIG. 1, that is, the “left side” and the “right side” on a paper plane. However, it should be noted that when the illustrative embodiment is practically applied, the components may be arranged in various directions with the upper side and the lower side reversed, for example.

Below, illustrative embodiments and examples of the present disclosure will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 depicts a corrugation process to pre-treat a fiber bundle (01) before it goes to main procedures. When the fiber bundle (01) is fed to a belt conveyer unit (03) comprised of a plurality of corrugated heated rollers (02), random unevenness is created along the surfaces thereof through the corrugated shape formed on the outer surface of the plurality of corrugated heated rollers (02). Normally, the synthetic fiber from the manufacturing company itself is provided as straight form, and when used as is, the final hair product gives an artificial look. The corrugation process is very important to convert the synthetic fibers to have more of a human hair feel by creating natural unevenness or irregularity onto it.

In FIG. 2(a) through FIG. 2(d), an eco-friendly crochet style synthetic braiding hair (10) is shown, comprising of a plurality of the first synthetic fibers (20) and a plurality of the second synthetic fibers (30). Both are pre-treated by corrugation process.

The plurality of the first synthetic fibers (20) is firstly cut on both ends in a desired length (20-1) from a long fiber bundle. The ending tip of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers (20-1) then becomes constant.

The ending tip is then pulled through a pre-stretching process to make it more like a natural hair ending shape (20-2, 30-2). FIGS. 3(a) and (b), the conceptual diagram explains the pre-stretching process more in detail. The pre-stretching process is performed using a combing table (50) and a pulling device (60). The combing table is comprised of a plurality of needles (51) perpendicularly extruded from a flat surface thereon. A gripper (61) is located in the middle of the pulling device (60). One end of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers (20-1) is held by the gripper (61) and the other end of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers is placed around the plurality of needles (51) on the combing table (50). The pulling device parallelly moves away from the combing table (50). The plurality of the first synthetic fibers (20-1) passes through the plurality of the needles (51), then is stretched. In a pulling motion, the gripper is slightly and alternatively open and close its gap, which holds and releases the plurality of the first synthetic fibers (20-1) simultaneously so that the end of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers (20-1) is arbitrarily aligned with each other. The slight misalignment of the fiber eventually gives natural hair ending shape (20-2) at the end tip thereof.

The plurality of the first synthetic fibers is capable of hot water setting to form crochet curly hair shape.

The plurality of the second synthetic fibers (30-1) is cut about a half length of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers (20), then, as shown in FIG. 2(b), its ending is stretched through the pre-stretching process in the same manner described above to create natural hair ending shape (30-2).

The plurality of the second synthetic fibers is capable of high elastic recovery to maintain curly shape.

In the next procedure, as shown in FIG. 2(c), the plurality of the first synthetic fibers (20-2) and the plurality of the second synthetic fibers (30-2) are placed together so that each center of the plurality of the first and second synthetic fibers (20-2, 30-2) is aligned together.

The plurality of the first and second synthetic fibers is folded together along the center line to form a plurality of the combined synthetic fibers (10), as shown in FIG. 2(d).

After creating the plurality of the combined synthetic fibers (10), the plurality of the first synthetic fibers is mostly positioned to one end portion of the plurality of the combined synthetic fibers (10) to be mainly used for making curly shape through hot water setting.

To achieve this functionality, the plurality of the first synthetic fibers (20) is made by Polypropylene (PP) compound for a hot water setting capability to easily form crochet style curly shape. Nominal hot water setting temperature for curly shape of the plurality of the first synthetic fiber (20) is set to 100° C.

The plurality of the second synthetic fibers is mostly positioned near a middle portion of the plurality of the combined synthetic fibers (10), where the area is directly connected to the human hair, to be mainly used for maintaining its curly shape with the characteristics of high elastic recovery.

To achieve this functionality, the plurality of the second synthetic fibers (30) is made by a combination of Poly-Ethylene Terephthalate (PET) compound and Poly-Butylene Terephthalate (PBT) compound to create high elastic recovery of curly shape. Nominal hot water setting temperature for curly shape of the plurality of the second synthetic fiber (30) is also set to 100° C.

The mixing ratio between PET and PBT may be 1 to 1.

The use of these compounds has additional advantages that the weight of it is much lighter and volumetric compared to the conventional synthetic fibers of which the compound is usually Poly-Vinyl Chloride (PVC).

In the next procedure, the plurality of the combined synthetic fibers goes through curl forming process as shown FIG. 4(a). The plurality of the combined synthetic fibers (10) may be pressed by a curly shaped die fixture at this moment (not shown) or may be wound along the outer circumference of a cylindrical rod (71), then placed onto an array of tray (72) inside a hot water chamber (70). The water or steam in the hot water chamber (70) is nominally set to 100° C. Either of the proposed methods creates curly shape onto the plurality of the combined synthetic fibers (10).

After hot water setting, the embodiment of the plurality of the combined synthetic fiber may be shown like FIG. 4(b) on the left side. The bundle of this synthetic fiber is normally too big to directly attach onto natural hair. So, the plurality of the combined synthetic fibers should be divided into a separated plurality of the combined synthetic fibers with an adequate amount so that it can be directly attached without extra separation by a braider. This is referred to as pre-separating process, which will reduce a large amount of extra work.

To attach a separated plurality of the combined synthetic fiber to the natural human hair, typically a loop is formed using the synthetic hair itself in the middle of it, as shown in FIG. 5(a). The size of the loop shown in this prior art is thick because the whole amount of the fiber bundle is used for the loop, generating large volume around the connected junction to natural human hair. This causes artificial look in the area and becomes unfavorable style in hair braiding.

FIG. 5(b) shows a new solution of this matter by attaching a loop such as a rubber band in the middle of the separated plurality of the combined synthetic fiber instead of forming the loop with the fiber itself. Attaching extra loop is referred as pre-looping process. The loop allows the separated plurality of the combined synthetic fiber to be installed much easier way and save time compared to the use of the prior art. It also gives a simple, more natural look when attached, because the volume of connected areas much thinner than the conventional method. Also, removal of the synthetic braiding hair is made very convenient, by simply pulling the loop (rubber band) out from natural hair.

To manufacture an echo-friendly crochet style synthetic braiding hair disclosed herein, the procedure of the following method is suggested in the diagram in FIG. 6, as it shows the step by step procedure of manufacturing an echo-friendly crochet style synthetic braiding hair in detail.

Firstly, a fiber bundle is fed to a conveyer belt unit to form corrugated shape thereon. The conveyer belt unit with a plurality of corrugated cylinders creates unevenness and irregularity on surfaces of the fiber bundle to resemble natural human hair.

Secondly, a plurality of the first synthetic fibers is stretched. This includes a step of using a gripper that alternately holds and releases one end of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers while combing the other end of the same plurality of the first synthetic fibers with a pulling device and a combing table.

The combing table is comprised of a plurality of needles on a flat surface. One end of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers is placed onto the plurality of the needles. A gripper at the pulling device alternately holds and releases the other end of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers when pulling it from the plurality of the needles. Through combing motion with alternating gripping, the end of the fibers is aligned with a slightly different length, which results in natural ending shape similar to human hair.

The plurality of the second synthetic fiber is stretched in the same way as the plurality of the first synthetic fibers to create the natural ending shape.

Then, the plurality of the second synthetic fibers is placed in the middle of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers. This step also includes setting the length of the plurality of the second synthetic fibers to be half of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers.

A plurality of the combined synthetic fibers is formed by folding the plurality of the first and the second synthetic fibers together.

The plurality of the combined synthetic fibers is submerged into a hot water setting chamber of which the water temperature set to 100° C., then curly shape is formed onto the plurality of the combined synthetic fibers.

Then, the plurality of the combined synthetic fibers is divided into a separated plurality of the combined synthetic fibers by pre-separating it into an adequate amount that the braider can directly attach it onto human hair.

Lastly, a loop such as a rubber band is attached on one end of the separated plurality of the combined synthetic fibers. This pre-looping process enables the braider to attach the fiber easily.

The description above of the illustrative embodiments is provided for the purpose of illustration, and it would be understood by those skilled in this profession so that various changes and modifications may be made without changing technical concepts and essential features of the illustrative embodiments. Thus, it is clear that the illustrative embodiments described above are illustrative in all aspects and do not limit the present disclosure. For example, each component described to be of a single type can be implemented in a distributed manner. Likewise, components described to be distributed can be implemented in a combined manner.

The scope of the inventive concept is defined by the following claims and their equivalents rather than by the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments. It shall be understood that all modifications and embodiments conceived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents are included in the scope of the inventive concept.

Claims

1. An eco-friendly crochet style synthetic braiding hair comprising: a plurality of the first synthetic fibers configured to easily form curly shape;a plurality of the second synthetic fibers configured to have high elastic recovery to maintain curly shape therein; andwherein a plurality of the combined synthetic fibers is formed by the plurality of the second synthetic fibers being placed in the middle of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers and folded together.

2. The synthetic braiding hair of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the first synthetic fibers and the plurality of the second synthetic fibers are pre-treated to create unevenness and irregularity on surfaces thereof to resemble natural human hair.

3. The synthetic braiding hair of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the first synthetic fibers is capable of hot water setting to form curly hair.

4. The synthetic braiding hair of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the second synthetic fibers is capable of maintaining curly shape of the plurality of the combined synthetic fibers by material characteristics of high elastic recovery thereof.

5. The synthetic braiding hair of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the second synthetic fibers is capable of hot water setting to form curly hair and its weight is lighter and more volumetric than the plurality of the first synthetic fiber.

6. The synthetic braiding hair of claim 3, wherein the plurality of the first synthetic fibers is made by Polypropylene (PP) compound to be configured of hot water setting for curly shape.

7. The synthetic braiding hair of claim 4, wherein the plurality of the second synthetic fibers is made by a mixture of Poly-Ethylene Terephthalate (PET) compound and Poly-Butylene Terephthalate (PBT) to create high elastic recovery of curly shape.

8. The synthetic braiding hair of claim 7, wherein the mixing ratio of PET and PBT is one to one.

9. The synthetic braiding hair of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the combined synthetic fibers is pre-separated into a separated plurality of the combined synthetic fibers so that it is attached directly onto human hair.

10. The synthetic braiding hair of claim 9, is further comprised of a loop attached in the middle of the separated plurality of the combined synthetic fibers and configured to easily install the separated plurality of the combined synthetic fibers onto human hair.

11. A method of a manufacturing an eco-friendly crochet style synthetic braiding hair comprising the steps of: corrugating a fiber bundle;stretching a plurality of the first synthetic fibers;stretching a plurality of the second synthetic fibers;creating a plurality of the combined synthetic fibers;forming curly shape to the plurality of the combined synthetic fibers;dividing into to a separated plurality of the combined synthetic fibers; and,attaching a loop in the middle of the separated plurality of the combined synthetic fibers.

12. The method of manufacturing the synthetic braiding hair in claim 11 in which the step of corrugating the fiber bundle uses a conveyer belt unit with a plurality of corrugated heated rollers to create unevenness and irregularity on surfaces thereof to resemble natural human hair.

13. The method of manufacturing the synthetic braiding hair in claim 11 in which the step of pulling the plurality of the first synthetic fibers uses a gripper that alternately holds and releases one end of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers while combing the other end of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers with a combing table.

14. The method of manufacturing the synthetic braiding hair in claim 11 in which the step of pulling the plurality of the second synthetic fibers uses the gripper that alternately holds and releases one end of the plurality of the second synthetic fibers while combing the other end of the plurality of the second synthetic fibers with the combing table.

15. The method of manufacturing the synthetic braiding hair in claim 11 in which the step of creating a plurality of the combined synthetic fibers further includes setting the length of the plurality of the second synthetic fibers to be half of the length of the plurality of the first synthetic fibers.

16. The method of manufacturing the synthetic braiding hair in claim 11 in which the step of forming curly shape to the plurality of the combined synthetic fibers further includes submerging the plurality of the combined synthetic fibers into a hot water setting chamber of which the water temperature set to 100° C.

17. The method of manufacturing the synthetic braiding hair in claim 11 in which the separated plurality of the combined synthetic fibers should be an adequate amount that a braider can directly attach onto human hair.