Patent Application
20110253159
The presently claimed invention relates to hair accessories and hair accessory devices. More specifically, the presently claimed invention relates to stretchable hair bands for securely holding a portion of hair and for decorative purposes.
Women's hair accessories are well known in the art and are available in a variety of fashions. Numerous devices have been developed to assist women in creating desirable hair arrangements. Depending on the occasion it may be desirable to use a hair accessory to position the hair in a certain arrangement or to securely hold the hair off the shoulders or away from the face. Consequently, a wide variety of hair accessories are available to securely hold the hair and for decorative purposes.
In one embodiment, a hair band comprises a stretchable body and a center hole. The center hole increases in diameter when the hair band is moved from a rest position to a stretched position. A distance between an outer edge of the body and an outer edge of the center hole is greater than the center hole diameter when the hair band is in a rest position. The distance between the outer edge of the center hole and the outer edge of the body decreases and the inner diameter increases as the hair band is stretched. In some embodiments, the body is hollow and filled with one or more of a gel substance, a granular solid, and a viscous liquid. In some embodiments, the body comprises fabric. In further embodiments, the body comprises one or more of a decorative pattern, a graphic, and a decorative accessory. In some embodiments, the hair band is manufactured by one or more of an extrusion molding process and an injection molding process.
In second aspect, a hair band with a stretchable body comprises an inner edge, an outer edge, and a center hole, wherein a distance between the inner edge and the outer edge is greater than a center hole diameter at a rest position, and the distance between the inner edge and the outer edge decreases when the hair band is at a stretched position. In some embodiments, the stretchable body is solid. In some embodiments, the stretchable body is hollow and filled with one or more of a gel substance, a granular solid, and a viscous liquid. In further embodiments, the body comprises a fabric surface. In some embodiments, the body comprises one or more of a decorative pattern, a graphic, and a decorative accessory. In some embodiments, a width of the body is approximately ¼ inch, the center hole diameter is approximately ⅛ inch in a rest position. In further embodiments, the body is infused with one or more of aloe, mineral oil, and a conditioning substance. In still further embodiments, the body comprises one or more of a sphere, a cube, and a tubular shape. In some embodiments, the body is infused with an aroma. In further embodiments, the body is infused with a bitterant. In some embodiments, the hair band is manufactured by one or more of an extrusion molding process and an injection molding process. In some embodiments, the body comprises one or more of a heart, insect, animal, flower, and other decorative shape. In further embodiments, the body comprises multiple designs.
In another aspect, a hair band comprises a stretchable body and a center hole, wherein a distance between an outer edge of the of the body and the center hole is greater than a first center hole diameter when the hair band is in a rest position, and wherein the distance between the outer edge of the body and the center hole is less than a second center hole diameter when the hair band is in a stretched position. In some embodiments, the stretchable body is solid. In some embodiments, the stretchable body is hollow and filled with one or more of a gel substance, a granular solid, and a viscous liquid. In further embodiments, the body comprises a fabric surface. In some embodiments, the body comprises one or more of a decorative pattern, a graphic, and a decorative accessory. In some embodiments, a width of the hair band is approximately ¼ inch, the center hole diameter is approximately ⅛ inch in a rest position. In further embodiments, the body is infused with one or more of aloe, mineral oil, and a conditioning substance. In still further embodiments, the body comprises one or more of a sphere, a cube, and a tubular shape. In some embodiments, the body is infused with an aroma. In further embodiments, the body is infused with a bitterant. In some embodiments, the hair band is manufactured by one or more of an extrusion molding process and an injection molding process. In some embodiments, the body comprises one or more of a heart, insect, animal, flower, and other decorative shape. In further embodiments, the body comprises multiple designs.
In a further aspect, a method of utilizing a hair band with a body and a center hole comprises moving the hair band from a first rest position with a first center hole diameter and a first distance between an outer edge and the center hole to a stretched position with a second center hole diameter and a second distance between the outer edge and the center hole, placing a portion of hair within the center hole, and releasing the hair band from the stretched position to a second rest position to securely hold the portion of hair, wherein when the hair band is in the second rest position, the center hole diameter is greater than the first center hole diameter and the distance between an outer edge and the center hole is greater than the first distance between an outer edge and the center hole.
Referring now to
In some embodiments, the body of the hair band 101 is solid. In some embodiments, the body 101 is hollow. In some of these embodiments, the body is filled with one or more of a gel substance, a granular solid, and a viscous liquid. In some embodiments, the body 101 comprises a fabric surface. In further embodiments, the body 101 further comprises one or more of a decorative pattern, a graphic and a decorative accessory. In some embodiments, the body comprises a width of approximately ¼ inch, the center hole comprises a diameter of approximately ⅛ inch at a rest position. Alternatively, the body 101 is able to comprise any width as known in the art and the center hole 109 is able to comprise any diameter as known in the art when the hair band 100 is at a rest position. In some embodiments, the body is infused with one or more of aloe, mineral oil, and a conditioning substance. Particularly, the body 101 is able to be infused with any hair product as known in the art. In some embodiments, the body 101 is infused with an aroma. In some embodiments, the body 101 is infused with a bitterant so as not to be attractive to small children and mistaken for candy. As will be clear to someone skilled in the art, the body is able to be infused with one or more of a hair product, an aroma, and a bitterant. In some embodiments, the body 101 comprises one or more of a sphere, a cube, and a tubular shape. In some embodiments, the hair band 100 is manufactured by one or more of an extrusion molding process and an injection molding process. Alternatively, the hair band 100 is manufactured by any method as is known in the art.
In operation, a user is able to move the hair band from a rest position to a stretched position in order to place a portion of hair within a center hole of the body. Then a user is able to release the hair band from the stretched position to a second rest position in order to securely hold the hair within a desired configuration. By doing so, the hair band has the advantage of providing an inexpensive and easy way for holding hair in place and for decorative purposes. Additionally, a user is able to move the hair band to a stretched position and secure a portion of hair without wrapping or doubling over the body of the hair band. Accordingly, in contrast to the prior art, a user is able to quickly stretch the center hole of the hair band, place a portion of hair within the hole, and release the hair band from the stretched position until the portion of hair is securely held within the center hole. Thus, the hair band described herein has numerous advantages.
The presently claimed invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments incorporating details to facilitate the understanding of the principles of construction and operation of the invention. Such reference herein to specific embodiments and details thereof is not intended to limit the scope of the claims appended hereto. It will be clear to someone skilled in the art that modifications area able to be made in the embodiment chosen for illustration without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Specifically, it will be clear that the hair band is able to be manufactured in a variety of sizes. Further, it will be clear to someone skilled in the art that the hair accessory is able to be constructed from a variety of materials and in a variety of configurations while still being compatible with the invention. Accordingly, the device of the invention is able to be implemented in several different ways and have several different appearances.
This Patent Application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (e) of the co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application, Ser. No. 61/325,676, filed Apr. 19, 2010, and entitled “Expanding Hair Band.” The Provisional Patent Application, Ser. No. 61/325,676, filed Apr. 19, 2010, and entitled “Expanding Hair Band” is also hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61325676 | Apr 2010 | US |
