Patent Grant
7628161
This version of the invention is concerned with the field of hair-cutting and styling devices. More specifically, this version of the invention is concerned with devices that are clasped onto the fingertip of a user so as to use finger and hand motion of said user to simultaneously cut and style hair.
This invention introduces an improved and easier-to-use hand-held device that is used to cut hair and provide the hair with increased body and balance in a style that is pleasing to the recipient of the haircut or hairstyle. Currently, hair stylists trim or cut hair using scissors or electric-powered trimming devices in order to achieve a certain hair length or hairstyle, sometimes layering the hair as they proceed across or over the head of the customer or recipient. Once the cut is achieved, the hair is covered with various gels, solutions, and other treatments to provide a desired texture, thickness, or body, which are enhanced by the use of electrically-powered hair drying devices.
To achieve a desired haircut or hairstyle, hair stylists must inevitably acquire, use, and maintain a variety of such haircutting and hair styling instruments and devices. For instance, one or more type of scissors is used to cut hair, and various other tools having at least one sharp edge, typically a razor, are used to layer, shape, or otherwise impart body into a particular hairstyle. Acquisition of such hair-cutting tools and devices involves a considerable up-front expense, and caring for and maintaining such tools and devices over their useful life requires a continuing expenditure of financial resources. Furthermore, the necessity of using such a variety of hair-cutting and styling tools and devices requires the hair stylist to constantly swap such tools during hair-cutting and hair styling, which can unnecessarily burden the hair-cutting and hair styling process in terms of time and expenditure of effort and financial resources.
What is needed then to overcome the disadvantages of separate hair-cutting and styling devices and tools is the provision of a single hair-cutting and styling device that combines the hair-cutting and styling functions of various tools and devices so as to permit a hair stylist or user to perform a variety of hair-cutting and styling tasks without the necessity of acquiring, using, and maintaining an assortment of such tools and devices. The hair-cutting and styling device that is the subject of this version of the invention combines the functions and capabilities of the aforementioned hair-cutting and styling devices and treatments into a single apparatus, albeit an apparatus of several components that require assembly before use, that retains a section of hair for cutting and serves to impart a desired texture and body onto said section of hair.
The existence of a hair-cutting and styling device designed to accomplish the tasks of the instant invention is unknown at the present time. For example, numerous designs for hair-cutting and styling apparatuses have been provided in the prior art. Even though these designs may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present version of the invention as such hair-cutting and styling devices are limited in their ability to perform various hair-cutting and styling tasks.
As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for a new and improved hair-cutting and styling device that provides the means to cut, style, and layer hair and additionally furnish the hair with a certain texture and body. In these respects, the present version of the invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus that substantially fulfills this need. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.
The present version of the invention, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter, relates to the field of hair-cutting and styling devices. More specifically, this version of the invention is concerned with devices that are clasped onto the fingertip of a user so as to use finger and hand motion of said user to simultaneously cut and style hair.
Described briefly, according to a typical embodiment, the invention presents a hair-cutting and styling device that consists of a body, cap, strap, blade, and blade clamp. The body is comprised of an upper section, middle section, and lower section. The upper section is formed partially with a depression or indentation and two flanking slots and a slot situated between the flanking slots, said slots located within said depression. The middle section is comprised of first and second opposed rectangular side members and a rectangular depression, said depression flanked by said side members. A pair of arm members, forming the lower section of the body, extends downwardly from said middle section. A first arm member is connected to and extends downwardly from said first rectangular side member of the middle section, and a second arm member is connected and to extends downwardly from said second rectangular side member of the middle section. Each arm member terminates at a tapered tip or end located distally from connection to respective rectangular side member of the middle section of the body. The arm members, facing each other, enclose a gap or space that extends from the tips or ends of said arm members to the depression of the middle section of the body.
The cap is fabricated with an outer perimeter similar to the boundary of the depression of the upper section of the body and is received within the depression and releasably secured therein by a narrow projection extending from the rear side of the cap that is inserted into the middle slot. The strap is elongate and rectangular in shape and defined by first and second opposed ends. A series of projections with intervening spaces are located at opposed ends of said strap and extend for some distance along said opposed ends of said strap. The blade is constructed of dimensions similar to that of the depression formed within the middle section of the body and is situated within the depression of the middle section of the body. The blade is retained within the depression by a blade clamp, which is snapped over the blade and middle section of the body. The blade clamp consists in part of a front sidewall and opposed lateral sidewalls, which are connected at cooperating ends to opposed ends of said front sidewall. When the blade is secured within the depression of the middle section of the body by said clamp, the cutting edge of said blade extends downwardly for some distance beyond the lower side edge of the depression and bottom side edge of the front sidewall of said blade clamp. As such, the cutting edge of said blade is exposed for cutting and styling hair.
The body, cap, and blade clamp are manufactured of lightweight durable material, such as plastic, hard rubber and the like. The strap is manufactured of lightweight, flexible rubber.
During use, the blade is inserted into the depression of the middle section of the body and secured therein by attaching the blade clamp over the middle section of the body. The strap is secured at both ends to the body by inserting the ends thereof into the flanking slots of the upper section of said body, thus forming a loop. The size of the loop can be adjusted by repositioning the ends of the strap into the flanking slots between any two projections located on opposed ends of the strap. The cap is positioned within the depression of the body and releasably secured thereto once the narrow projection is inserted into the middle slot of the body. Hair-cutting and styling is accomplished by first inserting the fingertip of a finger into the loop formed by the strap once said strap is attached to the body as described previously and then locating the body over a section or strands of hair to be cut or styled. The section of hair to be cut or styled is first gathered within the gap or space enclosed by the arm members extending downwardly from the middle section of the body and then the body is pulled down, rotated in a circular manner, or otherwise manipulated so that the cutting edge of the blade makes contact with hair gathered between the arm members. The amount of pressure exerted by the cutting edge of the blade upon the section of hair is maintained or adjusted so as to control or vary, respectively, the amount of hair being cut or styled once the blade makes contact with the hair.
My invention, therefore, resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed. It is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of all of its structures for the functions specified.
In order that the detailed description of the invention may be better understood and that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated, additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific methods and structures may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent methods and structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
Accordingly, it is an object of my version of the invention to provide a low-cost, easy-to-manufacture, and easy-to-market hair-cutting and styling device.
A further object of my version of the invention is to provide an easy-to-use and versatile hair-cutting and styling device.
A significant object of the invention is to provide a hair-cutting and styling device that is comprised of a body, body cap, flexible strap, blade, and blade clamp.
A final but very significant object of the invention is to provide a hair-cutting and styling device that allows a user to simultaneously cut and style hair with the desired body and texture heretofore achieved by a plurality of hair styling instruments and treatments.
For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the present invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more fully understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.
A detailed description of the preferred embodiment is provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.
Referring now to the drawings and, in particular, to
A pair of arm members 32a, b, comprising the lower section 18 of the body 12, extends from the middle section 16 for some distance therefrom until they terminate at tapered ends or tips 34a, b, respectively. More particularly, a first arm member 32a is connected to and extends for some distance from the first, cooperating side member 26a of the middle section 16 of the body 12, and a second arm member 32b is connected to and extends for some distance from the second, cooperating side member 26b of the middle section 16 of the body 12. Each arm member 32a, b is slightly curved on interior or facing sides thereof, thereby presenting a concave surface to an opposing arm member 32a, b. A projection 36a, b is located, respectively, on the interior or facing side of each arm member 32a, b proximate to connection of said arm members 32a, b to respective side members 26a, b of said middle section 16 of said body 12.
As such, a gap 38 or opening is located between the opposed arm members 32a, b with said gap 38 having maximum width or distance between respective tips 34a, b of said arm members 32a, b and, conversely, said gap 38 having minimum width or distance between respective projections 36a, b of said arm members 32a, b. The arm members 32a, b thus enclose a gap 38 or space into which a section of hair is situated for cutting and styling. The gap 38 is segmented into a first, majority section roughly corresponding to the area located between respective tips 34a, b and projections 36a, b of said arm members 32a, b and a second, minority section roughly corresponding to the area located between respective projections 36a, b of said arm members 32a, b and lower side edge 30 of depression 28 of said middle section 16. The inside or facing surfaces of said arm members 32a, b taper from minimum width or distance at respective projections 36a, b to a greater width or distance at connection of said arm members 32a, b to respective side members 26a, b of said middle section 16.
As shown in
Referring to
The strap 44, illustrated in
The blade 52, which is shown in
The body 12, cap 40, and blade clamp 56 are manufactured of lightweight, durable, material that is rigid yet possessing a degree of flexibility, such as plastic, hard rubber, various composite materials, and the like. The strap 44 is fabricated of flexible, durable material such as rubber and the like.
In
During use, the body 12 with the aforementioned components 40, 44, 52, 56 attached thereon is pulled downward over a section of hair for cutting and styling of said hair.
The hair-cutting and styling device 10 is illustrated as fully assembled in
Method of Use
Cutting and styling of hair is accomplished first by inserting a finger (not shown) at the fingertip thereof into the looped strap 44 as referenced previously, ensuring that the strap 44 is adjusted as necessary to retain the device 10 on the fingertip of the user. The device 10 can be used with any one of the four fingers of either hand of a user. In any event, the device 10 when attached to a finger is manipulated by a combination of movement of the forearm at the elbow, the hand at the wrist, and the finger at knuckles thereof. More particularly, the device 10, as it is attached directly to the fingertip of a user, follows most precisely the pivoting motion of said finger at one or more associated knuckles, thereby imparting direct and precise cutting and styling action desired by the user. A section of hair (not shown) to be cut or styled is initially gathered within the arms 32a, b at respective tips 34a, b thereof and eventually into the gap 38 enclosed or defined by said arms 32a, b. The section of hair is directed away from said respective tips 34a, b and towards the projections 36a, b either by action of the fingertip upon which the device 10 is attached or by pulling the section of hair at a free end thereof with the other hand. As the hair reaches the projections 36a, b, said projections 36a, b function to compress or reduce the volume of said section of hair at which point, said section of hair, continuing along its initial path away from said respective tips 34a, b, is delivered into the area generally located between respective projections 36a, b of said arm members 32a, b and lower side edge 30 of depression 28 of said middle section 16. At this point, the device 10 can be manipulated in at least four methods to accomplish various haircutting and styling objectives. In a first method, the device 10 is moved in a circular motion over the hair situated between the arm members 32a, b at high speed and striking the hair occasionally with the cutting edge 54 of the blade 52 to fluff or expand the volume of the hair. In a second method, the device 10 is used primarily to cut or shear the hair at a particular location or length by striking directly and forcefully the hair with the cutting edge 54 of the blade 52. In a third method, the device 10 is used to thatch or feather the hair, striking the hair with the cutting edge 54 of the blade 52 at different locations along the length of the hair. In a fourth method, a small section of hair is twisted and inserted into the gap 38 between the arm members 32a, b and then cutting or shearing said section of hair with a quick snap of the knuckle or wrist so as to create a spike, fringes, and accents in the hair. Of course, other cutting and styling methods can be accomplished with the hair-cutting and styling device 10 only limited by the imagination, facility, and experience of the user.
While this version of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the version of the invention are desired to be protected. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
From the foregoing, it will be understood by persons skilled in the art that an improved hair-cutting and styling device has been provided. The invention is relatively simple and easy to manufacture, yet affords a variety of uses. While my description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the version of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of the preferred embodiment thereof. The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6112421 | Greene | Sep 2000 | A |
