Patent Application
20200000196
Embodiments of this disclosure relate generally to a hair carrying device for transporting and protecting hair and a method for protecting the hair.
Hair extensions, wigs, and other hair pieces can be used as cosmetic enhancements. These devices comprise natural human hair, synthetic hair or a combination of both. In recent years, the economic impact of these hair products has increased the reach in global markets for the trafficking of these goods. The economic impact has also increased the cost to acquire and maintain these hair products. In efforts to protect their hair products, customers have sought means to maintain and transport their hair. Accordingly, there exists a need for methods and/or devices that can protect and transport hair extensions, wigs and other hair pieces.
Some or all of the above needs and/or problems may be addressed by certain embodiments of the disclosure. Certain embodiments of the disclosure can include devices for protecting and carrying hair. An embodiment of the hair carrying device can include a collapsible container having an internal surface and an external surface. The internal surface can include a top internal surface side and the external surface can include a top external surface side. The top internal surface side and the top external surface side can be coupled and define an opening comprising an area. The embodiment can also include at least one clamping device coupled to the internal surface.
In another embodiment, the hair carrying device can include a bag comprising a top edge; a bottom edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge. The bottom edge can oriented opposite the top edge. The first side edge can be oriented opposite the second side edge. The first side edge can be adjacent to the top edge and bottom edge. The second side edge can be oriented adjacent the bottom edge and the top edge. The top edge, the bottom edge, the first side edge and the second side edge define an external surface and an internal surface. The external surface and the internal surface can be coupled and define an opening into the bag. The embodiment can also include at least one clamping device coupled to the internal surface. The embodiment can further include a securing system configured to couple to the internal surface.
According to another example embodiment, a method for protecting the hair can include adjusting the area of the opening of the collapsible container; reaching into the opening of the collapsible container; grabbing an internal surface of the collapsible container; pulling the internal surface through the opening; and coupling the hair piece to the internal surface by at least one clamping device.
The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale.
Illustrative embodiments of the disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the disclosure are shown. The disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements.
Whenever appropriate, terms used in the singular also will include the plural and vice versa. The use of “a” herein means “one or more” unless stated otherwise or where the use of “one or more” is clearly inappropriate. The use of “or” means “and/or” unless stated otherwise. The use of “comprise,” “comprises,” “comprising,” “include,” “includes,” and “including” are interchangeable and not intended to be limiting. The term “such as” also is not intended to be limiting. For example, the term “including” shall mean “including, but not limited to.”
The following description is provided as an enabling teaching of the disclosed articles, systems, and methods in their best, currently known embodiments. To this end, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate that many changes can be made to the various aspects of the articles, systems, and methods described herein, while still obtaining the beneficial results of the disclosure. It will also be apparent that some of the desired benefits of the present disclosure can be obtained by selecting some of the features of the present disclosure without utilizing other features. Accordingly, those who work in the art will recognize that many modifications and adaptations to the present disclosure are possible and can even be desirable in certain circumstances and are a part of the present disclosure. Thus, the following description is provided as illustrative of the principles of the present disclosure and not in limitation thereof.
As used throughout, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a gasket” can include two or more such gaskets unless the context indicates otherwise.
As used throughout, “substantially” with respect to a measure can refer to a range of values. For example, substantially orthogonal, normal, or parallel can include embodiments, where the referenced components are oriented +/−10 degrees of being classified as orthogonal, normal, or parallel respectively.
Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another aspect includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another aspect. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint.
As used herein, the terms “optional” or “optionally” mean that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.
The word “or” as used herein means any one member of a particular list and also includes any combination of members of that list.
As used herein, the word proximal can define a distance between an initial point and an end point that is less than the distance between the initial point and a midpoint, located equidistant between the initial point and the endpoint. Similarly, the term distal can define can define a distance between the initial point and the end point that is greater than the distance between the initial point and the midpoint.
The word hair or hair piece can refer to any type of device of hair device, which includes but not limited to: hair extensions, wigs, weave, falls, toupees, loose hair, braids, etc.
As shown in
In a further aspect of the embodiment, the top edge 116 can be oriented such that it is opposite the bottom edge 118. The first side edge 120 and the second side edge 122 can be oriented to be opposite each other. In another aspect, theses adjacent edges can define multiple surfaces with corresponding area dimensions. One example surface can be the external surface 106, which can be viewed from the exterior of the bag 102. Further, the bag 102 can include an internal surface 104. The area dimensions of the internal surface 104 and external surface 106 can be determined from the dimensions of the edges that circumscribe these surfaces 104, 106. Further, the internal surface 104 can have dimensions about the same as the external surface 106 because the internal surface can be circumscribed by the same dimensions (L1, L2, W1, and W2) as the external surface.
In another aspect of the embodiment, the top edge 116 can define an opening 112. The opening 112 can provide a conduit from the exterior of the bag 102 into a cavity 114 of the bag. In a further aspect, the cavity 114 can be spatially defined by the internal surface 104 that envelopes the cavity. In another aspect, the cavity 114 can be defined by the external surface 106 when the bag 102 is manipulated into an inverted configuration, as shown in
In a further embodiment, the bag 102 have a rectangular prism-like shape, where the W1 and W2 dimensions are about the same and the top edge 116 and the bottom edge 118 are substantially parallel, while L1 and L2 dimensions are about the same as the first side edge 120 and the second side edge 122 are substantially parallel to each other. Other geometric orientations of the respective sides are contemplated as well. The variable configurations can address the variety of potential hair piece 124 options. For example, a bag 102 can have a trapezoidal shape, where W1<W2 and the top edge 116 and the bottom edge 118 are substantially parallel to each other. The trapezoidal shape can allow for hair extensions to flair distally away from a hair piece's attachment fixture (comb) 125, located proximal to the bag opening 112, without damaging portions of the hair piece 124 located distally from the bag opening. In another example, the edges 116, 118, 120, 122 can have rounded or arch-type shapes such that the bag 102 can have a curved or rounded shape. A hair piece 124 with a circular hair style or wig may be better suited for a bag 102 with a rounded shape to avoid any unintentional folding.
As mentioned earlier, the hair piece 124 can come in a variety of lengths and widths. To accommodate the various size of the hair piece, the L1 dimension of the first side edge 120 and the L2 dimension of the second side edge 122 can range from about 12 in. to 42 in. Optionally, in exemplary aspects, L1 and L2 can range from about 16 in. to 36 in. or optionally, from about 20 in. to 30 in. Similarly, the W1 and W2 dimensions can range from about 6 in. to 20 in. Optionally, in exemplary aspects, W1 and W2 can range from about 12 in. to 18 in. or optionally from about 14 in. to 16 in. It is further contemplated that the bag 102 can have any combination of the dimensions of L1, L2, W1 and W2 in the aforementioned ranges.
In other example embodiments, the internal surface 104 can be in contact with the hair piece 124. The internal surface 104 can be configured to protect the hair piece 124 based on the material that can comprise the internal surface. In a further aspect, the materials that comprise the internal surface 104 can be non-abrasive. For example, the internal surface 104 can be comprised of silk, polyester, rayon, nylon, plastic, cotton fabric, vinyl, microfiber, canvas, fleece, wool, chamois, woven fabric, suede or imitations of the aforementioned fabrics. While in contact with any combination of the aforementioned materials, the hair piece 124 can be transported with reduced abrasive or fraying type damage to the hair. Further, some of these non-abrasive materials can increase the luster and shine of the hair in the hair pieces 124 by polishing the hair while the hair moves within the bag 102. In one aspect, the external surfaces 106 can also be comprised of a different material as the internal surface 104. In a further aspect, using the same assortment of non-abrasive materials in the external surface 106 can reduce the risk of the damage as the hair pieces 124 are inserted from the exterior of the bag 102 into the interior surface 104.
In an aspect, constructing the bag out of non-abrasive fabrics and the orientation of the internal surface 104 and outer surface 106 can make the bag 102 invertible. An invertible bag 102 can be manipulated such that the internal surface 104 can be pulled through the opening 112. As shown in
In a further aspect, the fabrics that comprise the bag 102 can allow the bag to be collapsible. The collapsible container or bag 102 can reduce the size of the cavity 114 defined by the internal surface 104 and external surface 106. Prior to being affixed to a customer's head, hair pieces 124 might be prepped. This preparation step for the hair piece can include: washing, dyeing, drying and brushing. However, the brushing step can be the most physically exhaustive step because the hair dresser may be required to remove entanglements and folds introduced during transportation. The current disclosure reduces the folds and entanglements because the bag 102 can be collapse by rolling the various edges along the primary axis A1 or secondary axis A2.
In a further aspect of the embodiment, as shown in
As shown in
In another aspect, the bag 102 can include a closing device 150. In an aspect, the closing device 150 can be a mechanism that regulates the opening's area by adjusting the size of the opening. Accordingly, the closing device 150 can open and close the opening 112, adjusting the size of the opening. In a further aspect, the closing device can be a drawstring type mechanism. For example, closing device 150 can comprise a string 152 that circumscribes the opening 112 through a channel (not shown). The channel can be positioned between the internal surface 104 and the external surface 106. The closing device 150 can reduce the area of the opening by pulling on the opposing ends 153 of the strings 152. To prevent unintentional reopening, string ends 152 can be tied or a pre-tensioned clip can be placed on the strings to prevent movement. It is further contemplated that the closing device 150 can comprise other mechanisms to reduce or increase the size of the bag opening 112. For example, the closing device 150 can include other mechanisms for adjusting the size opening but not limited to: zippers, buttons, snaps and other fasteners for fabrics.
In another aspect of the embodiment as shown in
The operations described and shown in the method of
The disclosure is described above with reference to block and flow diagrams of systems, devices and/or methods, according to example embodiments of the disclosure. It will be understood that some blocks of the block diagrams and flow diagrams may not necessarily need to be performed in the order presented, or may not necessarily need to be performed at all, according to some embodiments of the disclosure.
While the disclosure has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and various embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
This written description uses examples to disclose the disclosure, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the disclosure is defined in the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
