1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for automatically applying a hair accessory, such as a bead, to hair. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for automatically applying a plurality of hair accessories to one or more strands of hair.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to provide devices that can be pre-loaded with one or more accessories such as beads that are suitable to be threaded over one or more strands of hair. Such known devices typically have a rod for accommodating the accessories. The rod has a hook extending therefrom along a longitudinal axis. The hook is suitable to engage a hair swatch so that the accessories may be slid over the rod and hook, and onto the hair swatch. Some of these devices require an applied force, such as, for example, via a user's hand or by gravity, in order to advance the accessories from the rod and hook and onto the hair strands. Other devices have an outer tube concentrically surrounding the hook and rod so that when the hook and rod are retracted relative to the tube, the tube end pushes one or more of the accessories off of the rod and hook and onto the hair strands during the retraction.
Inherent shortcomings associated with these known devices include the difficulty and/or awkwardness coupled with positioning and placing the accessories onto the hair and the relatively inefficient, error-prone application techniques associated with using such devices. Thus, there is a need for an effective hair accessory application device which can automatically and efficiently move at least one, and more particularly a plurality of accessories onto one or more strands of hair.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hair accessory application device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide and improved hair accessory application device that automatically feeds one or more hair accessories onto one or more strands of hair.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved hair accessory application device that effectively and efficiently feeds one or more beads onto one or more strands of hair.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved hair accessory application device that is ergonomically shaped for effective and versatile handling during use.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a hair accessory application device having a housing with at least two portions, a handle portion and a head portion. The handle portion accommodates at least a portion of a drive assembly and the head portion accommodates at least a portion of threading assembly. The threading assembly includes an accessory guide that is operatively connected to an accessory applicator that is in turn operatively connected to the drive assembly. Hair accessories such as beads with an aperture therein may be threaded or received over an accessory retaining shaft of the accessory guide and contained in an accessory retaining groove. The accessory retaining shaft has at least one hair engagement element that may extend beyond the accessory retaining groove. The accessory applicator may be positioned behind the accessories and, when activated, move along the accessory retaining shaft in order to push or pass one or more accessories from the accessory retaining shaft onto one or more strands of hair.
a is a perspective view of a hair accessory application device in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;
b is another perspective view of the hair accessory application device of
a is a perspective sectional view of the hair accessory application device of
b is a perspective view of a portion of the threading assembly of
Referring to the drawings and, in particular,
As shown, handle portion 2 is preferably ergonomically shaped and/or oriented for convenient, comfortable handling and may preferably have a control interface 12 for allowing an operator to control the operation of device 1. Also as reflected in
Drive assembly 4 is generally shown in phantom lines to demonstrate that it is housed by handle portion 2 and/or head portion 6 and to reflect that it may have any of a variety of configurations and/or components. For example, as shown in
As shown, head portion 6 is preferably at least somewhat annular or disk shaped with at least one accessory guide 24 extending at least substantially about the entire perimeter of a central hub portion 26. Accessory guide 24 preferably has at least one accessory retaining groove 28 and at least one accessory retaining shaft 30.
Accessory retaining groove 28 preferably runs along at least a substantial portion of accessory guide 24 and preferably opens outwardly or way from central hub portion 26. Accessory retaining groove 28 may preferably accommodate accessories 10 of varying size and/or shape. Accessory retaining groove 28 may also be adjustable to accommodate accessories 10 of notably different shapes, sizes and/or configurations.
Accessory retaining shaft 30 is preferably in and/or operatively connected to accessory retaining groove 28 at one or more locations along accessory retaining groove 28. Accessory retaining shaft 30 preferably runs along at least a substantial portion of accessory retaining groove 28 and/or accessory guide 24. Accessory retaining shaft 30 may preferably be at least somewhat curved to be at least somewhat parallel to the at least somewhat annular configuration of head portion 6. Accessory retaining shaft 30 and/or accessory retaining groove 28 preferably has an access gap 32.
Referring to
Accessory applicator 36, in a preferred aspect of the present invention, preferably cooperates with accessory retaining groove 28 and/or accessory retaining shaft 30. That is, accessory applicator 36 may preferably fit in accessory retaining groove 28 so as to be able to bi-directionally slide or move therein. In addition, accessory applicator 36 may preferably have one or more arms 38 for interacting with accessory retaining shaft 30 and/or one or more accessories 10 retained thereby. Arms 38 may in turn preferably be operatively connected to drive assembly 4 so that upon appropriate actuation of drive assembly 4, via control interface 12, arms 38 move along accessory retaining groove 28 and/or accessory retaining shaft 30 in at least one direction.
As shown, in one aspect of the present invention, accessory applicator 36 may preferably be operatively connected to a first gear 40, which in turn may be operatively connected to drive assembly 4 by one or more second gears 42. In another aspect of the present invention (not shown), accessory guide 24 and/or accessory retaining groove 28 may preferably have one or more slots (not shown) through which accessory applicator 36 may be operatively connected to drive assembly 4 via a stem 44, for example. Still other aspects of the present invention may utilize varied and diverse mechanisms for effectively and efficiently causing accessory applicator 36 to traverse accessory retaining groove 28.
Referring to
The present invention having been thus described with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the present invention as defined herein. For example, head portion 6 may be at least partially transparent to provide the user with a view of the internal components and/or loaded accessories prior to application. In addition, it is contemplated that the present invention may be used to apply a variety of articles, not limited to beads, to a variety of string-like objects, not limited to strands of hair. Further, the present invention device may also be purely mechanical and human-powered, as opposed to electrically powered, using drives and lever mechanisms of the type generally-known.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/510,161, entitled AUTOMATIC HAIR BEADING DEVICE, filed on Oct. 10, 2003.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60510161 | Oct 2003 | US |