1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hair extensions and the method of attaching the hair extensions to an existing, natural strand of hair of the wearer. More particularly, the hair extension of the invention comprises a malleable or deformable ring that circumscribes an extension loop and an elongated strand of supplemental hair, while the method of the invention comprises the step of using the extension loop to draw a strand of the natural hair of the wearer through the malleable or deformable ring and the step of then crimping the malleable or heating the deformable ring to secure the strand of supplemental hair to the strand of natural hair.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The use of hair extensions to supplement and lengthen the natural hair, particularly by women, has become quite popular. In some cases the hair extensions are used to supplement hair loss or thinning of the hair. In other cases, the hair extensions are used merely to enhance the appearance of the wearer. In this regard, the use of hair extensions of different, sometimes very bright colors, are used by younger women to make unique fashion statements.
Various mechanisms have been suggested in the past to interconnect the hair extensions with the natural hair of the wearer. For example, hair extensions have been attached to the head of the wearer by means of adhesives, artificial skin materials, clips and the like. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,636 issued to Vittallo discloses a method of attaching supplemental hair to natural human hair in which the supplemental hair is attached to natural human hair by first applying to a portion of natural human hair a bonding composition, including a non-toxic, non-thermoplastic resin that is soluble in an organic solvent, and a colorant, and then bonding a weft of supplemental hair to the portion of natural human hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,315 issued to Harrison discloses a hair extension device comprising a skin-simulating layer of artificial skin material having an interface for attachment to a wearer's scalp and an outer face. The skin-simulating layer has an opening through which a portion of the wearer's existing hair can be pulled. A plurality of strands of hair are secured to the skin-simulating layer around the opening to extend from the outer face of the layer in order to imitate naturally growing hair when integrated with the natural hair pulled through the opening.
In a somewhat different approach, U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,209 issued to McDonald, et al., describes a hair extension, which includes hair strands affixed to a ring assembly. The ring assembly comprises an inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring is configured to nest within the outer ring, with distal ends of the hair strands impinged between the inner and outer rings. A plait of the wearer's hair is inserted through the ring assembly of the hair extension. The hair extension is attached to the plait with a band, or by sewing the hair extension to the plait.
In a still different approach, U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,366 issued to Simmons, et al., discloses a hair piece assembly for allowing a wearer to prevent hairstyles from going flat during high humidity or wet weather. The hairpiece assembly includes a clip assembly that is adapted for securing to the hair of the wearer. A plurality of filler hairs is coupled to the clip assembly. The filler hairs are adapted for being combed into the hair of the wearer for providing volume to the hair of the wearer.
Common drawbacks of the prior art hair extensions include difficulties in attaching the hair extensions to the natural hair, a failure to provide a natural looking appearance when the hair extensions are in place and a failure to adequately secure the hair extensions to the natural hair to prevent accidental displacement of the hair extensions during use. It is these drawbacks that the hair extensions of the present invention seek to overcome.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hair extension kit, which includes a plurality of hair extensions of novel construction and a method of attaching the hair extensions onto a wearer's natural hair using an easy-to-use attachment system.
In one embodiment of the invention, each of the hair extensions of the hair extension kit comprises an attachment mechanism that includes a malleable ring, which circumscribes the legs of an extension loop and an elongated strand of supplemental hair. In this form of the invention, the method of attaching each of the hair extensions to the wearer's natural hair includes the steps of placing the extension loop of each hair extension on top of an existing strand of hair of the wearer; pulling the existing strand of hair through the extension loop so that the strand of hair is disposed inside the extension loop; pulling the extension loop through the malleable ring so as to draw the extension loop and the strand of supplemental hair through the malleable ring; and securing the strand of supplemental hair and the existing strand of hair within the malleable ring by crimping the malleable ring.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hair extension attachment system as described in the preceding paragraph, which includes a sectioning disc having a central aperture through which the strand of natural hair can be threaded. The sectioning disc can be interconnected with the wearer's hair in a manner so as to hold the strand of natural hair in position during the hair extension attachment process.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hair extension attachment system as described in the preceding paragraph, which further includes a control clip for interconnecting the sectioning disc with the wearer's natural hair.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hair extension attachment system of the class described which further includes a hooking element for pulling the strand of natural hair through the extension loop.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hair extension attachment system of the aforementioned character, which insures that the supplemental hair is securely attached to the wearer's natural hair in a manner to prevent accidental displacement of the supplemental hair.
In an alternate embodiment of the invention, each of the hair extensions of the hair extension kit comprises an attachment mechanism that includes a heat deformable, plastic ring, which circumscribes the legs of an extension loop and an elongated strand of supplemental hair. In this form of the invention, the method of attaching each of the hair extensions to the wearer's natural hair includes the steps of placing the extension loop of each hair extension on top of an existing strand of hair of the wearer; pulling the existing strand of hair through the extension loop so that the strand of hair is disposed inside the extension loop; pulling the extension loop through the plastic ring so as to draw the extension loop and the strand of supplemental hair through the plastic ring; and securing the strand of supplemental hair and the existing strand of hair within the plastic ring by controllably heating the plastic ring using a specially configured heating iron.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hair extension attachment system, which can be used by a hair stylist with a minimum of training to provide a natural looking appearance.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
Referring to the drawings and particularly to
Considering first the hair extension assembly of the invention, as best seen in
The strands of supplemental hair can be of different colors and can comprise natural hair, or synthetic hair made from a variety of different types of synthetic filaments of a character well known to those skilled in the art. Ring 24 can be constructed from various malleable metals, including aluminum and brass.
Turning once again to
In the present embodiment of the invention, a plurality of hair extension assemblies 16 are packaged within a plurality of transparent packaging assemblies 40, which, in turn, are carried within upper compartment 42 of the carrying case 15. Packaging assemblies 40 are secured in position within carrying case 15 by a conventional snap type assembly 44 (
Referring to
The final step in the present form of the method of the invention involves the step of securing the strands of supplemental hair and the natural strands of hair in position within the malleable ring. This is accomplished by using the crimping means, or pliers 36, in the manner illustrated in
Turning next to
The primary difference between this second embodiment of the invention and the earlier described embodiment concerns the slightly differently configured hair extension assembly portion of the hair extension kit. This second form of hair extension assembly, which is generally designated in
In accomplishing the alternate method of the invention illustrated in
The final step in this second form of the method of the invention involves the step of securing the strands of supplemental hair and the natural strands of hair in position within the malleable ring 24. This is accomplished in the same manner as previously described by using the crimping means, or pliers 36, to securely crimp the malleable ring about the natural and supplemental strands of hair.
Referring to
The primary difference between this latest embodiment of the invention and the earlier described embodiments concerns the use of a heat deformable plastic hair capture ring 64 instead of the manually malleable crimp ring. As before, the first step in the method of this alternate form of the invention comprises collecting together a plurality of strands of the wearer's natural hair and entraining the strands “N” through the central opening 30a of one of the sectioning discs 30. This done, the sectioning disc 30 is secured to a lock of the wearer's hair using one of the clips 34. With the strand of hair “N” thusly secured in place, the extension loop portion 22 is overlaid over the lower portion of the natural strands “N” of hair of the wearer in the manner illustrated in
The final step in this second alternate form of the method of the invention involves the step of securing the strands of supplemental hair and the natural strands of hair in position within the heat deformable ring 64. This is accomplished by using the heating means, or electric heating iron 67 of the extension kit of the invention, in the manner illustrated in
At such time as it is desired to disconnect the supplemental strands of hair from the strands of hair of the wearer, two or three drops of a suitable solvent can be placed on the plastic ring 64 to appropriately soften the ring so that it can be pealed away from the natural and supplemental strands of hair to enable the supplemental strands of hair 20 to be disconnected from the strands of natural hair of the wearer.
Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.