Patent Application
20240197016
The invention relates to solutions for hair loss.
Some individuals have areas on their heads where the hair coverage is thinner and shorter than other areas, that are bald, or that otherwise disappoint the individual, and thus would benefit from more hair coverage. Thinning hair and hair loss is a problem for which many potential solutions have been attempted unsuccessfully. Such attempted solutions in the past included wigs, weaves, clip-ins, bonding, sew-ins, and more. This includes attempted solutions such as accessories that attach (e.g., clip-ins, sew-ins) to existing hair, many of which are deficient because they add weight to the hair and eventually weaken hair follicles causing hair thinning and loss. They each, however, suffer from multiple deficiencies, including each may be painful, weaken the existing hair follicles, cause thinning and/or baldness, and damage the user's hair overall.
Certain hair extension accessories have been made that do not use glue or clips. Some of these provide increased hair fullness and length without pain and increased risks of baldness. However, these hair extension accessories have drawbacks that limit their versatility. They do not offer the user choices to add increased fullness, color, and length to the crown of the head, or to particular areas of choice on the front, front of the head and top of the head ear to ear. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,859,926 provides that a “filament is positioned on the lower portion of the user's head covering the sides and back thereof. The section of the filament that is not covered with the hair wefts is situated on the crown of the user and extends down the head near the ears of the user.” This may provide some coverage to the sides of the head from ear to ear and the lower back of the head, however, as a “solution” it is very limited and it does not offer the versatility of giving fullness and length across a more complete set of multiple places on the head, including all of these important areas such as the top of the head from ear to car, the sides of the head from car to car, the front of the head from ear to car, as well as the lower back of the head. It does not provide for the movement of the hair weft along the filament to be positioned where needed for fullness, less detectability, better camouflaging adding fullness, texture, color, and length. It also does not provide for the flexibility of the hair weft to bend into different shapes and to be positioned where needed for fullness, less detectability, better camouflaging adding fullness, texture, color, length, and other improvements.
Improved hair extension accessories and methods for attaching hair extensions are thus needed. Such new accessories, methods, and improvements would be advantageous if they could include more versatility as to coverage, adjustability of the coverage to fit the particular needs and desires of the person and the moment, better coverage of the head, fuller coverage, longer coverage, less detectability, less causation of pain, less weakening of existing hair, less causation of thinness, less causation of baldness, and less damage to the user's hair overall. Such new accessories, methods and improvements would be advantageous if they did not use glue, wigs, clip-ins (i.e., clip into existing hair), sewn-ins (i.e., sewn into existing hair), and that worked for some or all hair types, including fine hair, dreadlocks, afro hair styles, and short or long curly hair styles, as examples. It is thus an object of this invention to provide some or all of these improvements with embodiments of this invention.
These and other objects and advantages are provided by embodiments of this invention.
This invention provides new accessories, methods and improvements for hair extension accessories. Components of embodiments of this invention comprise (a) a filament that has its ends attached to one another to form a closed loop, or is in the form of a partial circle without its ends joined (e.g., like a half-circle head band), which can be hidden and is not easily detectable when worn by a user, (b) two or more hair pieces (e.g., hair locks, hair twists, hair wefts or dreadlocks) that are attached to the filament in variable positions to provide coverage over the user's head and match a user's needs and/or desires, and (c) attachment fixtures that attach the hair pieces to the filament in either a permanent or detachable manner while maintaining the ability to move the hair pieces on the filament. In preferred embodiments, the hair pieces can also be bent to provide coverage over a selected location on the head.
The most preferred embodiments comprise one or more hair pieces that are bendable by the user to provide coverage over a selected area of the head. This may be accomplished in at least two ways, by using a bendable attachment fixture (e.g., a wire), and/or by using a hair piece that itself is bendable (e.g., a hair piece comprising one or more wires or bendable materials as part of the hair piece, a hair piece constructed with wire instead of thread holding the natural hairs together in a hair weft). In one such embodiment, the hair weft has wires sewn into them that make the hair weft bendable into different shapes to provide size, shape, less detectability, better camouflaging, better fullness, and/or coverage where needed on a user's head. A person of skill in the art will know of other ways to make a hair piece bendable.
The hair pieces in certain embodiments can be attached in an adjustable position on the filaments and can be moved around to cover virtually any portion of the user's head. Thus, unlike prior solutions that have been attempted, this invention offers the versatility of giving fullness and length across a more complete set of multiple places on the head (unlike prior attempts to find solutions), including the top of the head from ear to car, the sides of the head from car to car, the front of the head from ear to car, as well as the lower back of the head. It provides for the movement of the hair weft along the filament, and the flexibility of the hair piece to be bent into different shapes, so that the hair weft can be positioned where needed for fullness, less detectability, better camouflaging adding fullness, texture, color, length, and other improvements.
In certain preferred embodiments, there are several individual hair wefts that are spaced and attached around an entire filament. Each hair weft can bend into different shapes and are attached in an adjustable position around the filament.
Embodiments of this invention provide a hair extension accessory that can extend color, texture, length, and fullness coverage to a user's hair and thus provide versatile coverage on the top of the head from ear to car, sides of the head from ear to car, front of the head from car to car, the lower back of the head, or, in general wherever needed and desired. The hair pieces can be moved by the user to a target area as needed or desired on a user's head.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention, a hair extension accessory for a user is provided. It comprises a number of different components. These components may include at least one filament in the form of a loop (i.e., a closed loop with no open ends) or in the form of a portion of a circular shape (e.g., a partial circle or an arc (e.g., similar to a hairband)). These components may also include two or more hair pieces in the form of hair wefts or dreadlocks and two or more attachment fixtures. The attachment fixtures are used to attach a hair piece to at least one filament without the use of glue, clipping onto existing hair, or sewing onto existing hair and permit the hair piece to be bent into a desired shape or position. When these components are combined in these embodiments, each hair piece can be moved on at least one filament and be bent into a position that is desired for purposes of providing better undetectability, more hair coverage, fuller coverage, longer coverage, and/or more color, the position comprising a position on the top of the head from car to ear, the sides of the head from car to car, the front of the head from car to car, and/or the lower back of the head.
Advantages of these particular preferred embodiments are that the hair extension accessory when used does not cause hair thinning and/or baldness. In addition, the hair extension accessory can be used to match a color, style, or type of hair, including fine hair, dreadlocks, afro hair styles, and/or short or long curly hair styles.
The filament component that can be used with these particular preferred embodiments can be clear, transparent, skin-toned, and/or the color of the user's hair. They can also be made of plastic, cloth, metal and/or natural material or fiber, and are in the form of a line, thread or a band (e.g., headband). They may also have stretching ability in certain embodiments, which can aid in holding the accessory on a user's head.
When a filament component in these embodiments is in the form of a portion of a circular shape, it can be in the shape of a headband which extends from ear to car and it does not encircle the entire user's head. It may be made of semi-bendable material such as rubber, rubber-like material, and/or plastic.
The filament component used in these embodiments may comprise two or more filaments joined together, or, alternatively, two to four filaments joined together. When two or more filaments are used, they maybe bonded together to position each band in a different location of the user's head to provide desired coverage. Furthermore, the filament component used in these embodiments may be in the form of a loop that has two ends that are connected to one another with a hook and eye, a snap closure, or the ends are bonded or otherwise joined together to close the loop.
The attachment fixture component used in these embodiments may comprise threads, rings, bendable wires, and/or other materials known to a person of skill in the art. Bendable materials that hold their shape, such as wires, are particularly preferred and they can provide changeable shapes to each hair piece. Certain preferred embodiments of the attachment fixture can be a thin crimping fixture with teeth that can clasp around the hair piece (e.g., hair weft) and attach it to the filament. Certain preferred embodiments of the attachment fixture are a wire (e.g., a relatively thin wire) that is sewn or threaded (e.g., inserted) through the hair piece (e.g., hair weft) to attach it to the filament. Another preferred embodiment of the attachment fixture is thread and wire, wherein the thread is used to sew the hair piece (e.g., hair weft) with the wire onto the filament.
The hair piece component of certain of these embodiments can comprise a hair weft that is from about 1 to about 6 inches wide and is of any length needed by the user, and at least one hair piece may be attached to more than one filament in certain embodiments.
In another preferred embodiment of this invention, a method of providing hair extension coverage and/or color to a user's head is provided. This method may comprise fitting at least one hair extension accessory for a general user's, or a particular user's, head, the hair extension accessory comprising at least one filament (e.g., a closed loop or partial circular shape) and two or more hair pieces in the form of hair wefts or dreadlocks, and each hair piece attached to at least one filament with at least one attachment fixture. This method may also comprise moving each hair piece attached to at least one filament and bending it into a position that is desired for purposes of providing more hair coverage, fuller coverage, longer coverage, and/or more color, the position comprising a position on the top of the head from car to ear, the sides of the head from car to car, the front of the head from ear to car, and/or the lower back of the head.
In another preferred embodiment of this invention, a method of making a hair extension accessory for a user's head is also provided. This method comprises shaping and sizing at least one filament to provide a foundation (e.g., attachment point) for the hair extension accessory to fit the user's head. This method may also comprise attaching at least one hair piece in the form of hair wefts or dreadlocks to at least one filament using at least one attachment fixture, wherein the hair piece can be moved on at least one filament and be bent into a position that is desired for purposes of providing more hair coverage, fuller coverage, longer coverage, and/or more color, the position comprising a position on the top of the head from ear to ear, the sides of the head from ear to ear, the front of the head from ear to ear, and/or the lower back of the head.
Advantages of the embodiments of this invention may include providing hair extensions without the use of wigs, weaves, clip-ins, bonding, or sew-ins, which can cause pain, weaken the hair follicle, and cause thinness and even baldness. Thus, embodiments of this invention may offer no threat, or a reduced threat, of hair loss, pain or weakening of the hair follicles, but instead offer fullness, length, versatility, and color on the top of the head from ear to ear, sides of the head from ear to ear, front of the head from ear to ear, as well as the lower back of the head. Further advantages will be apparent to a person of skill in the art applying the embodiments of the invention.
Additional features and advantages of various embodiments will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of various embodiments. The objectives and other advantages of various embodiments will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the description and appended claims.
Certain embodiments of this invention are comprised of multiple moveable hair pieces attached to a filament with the filament's ends attached to one another to form a loop, or in the form of a portion of a circle without its ends joined, and which is difficult to detect when worn. The user can slide the hair pieces along the filament to areas on the head that need more coverage, length, texture, fullness and/or color. The user can also bend the hair pieces to a desired shape and position on the head.
The filament of certain embodiments of this invention are undetectable, or at least difficult to detect, and they can be smooth or tacky to the touch in different embodiments. They also can stretch or not stretch in different embodiments, or otherwise fit on the head with tension, like that of a head band. Certain preferred embodiments of the filaments are stretchable to provide a snugger fit on a user's head. The filaments can be clear, transparent, brown, black, blonde, skin tone color, the color of any existing hair on the user, or any other color chosen. The filament can be made of plastic, cloth, metal, or natural material or fiber line, or other material, in the form of thread, wire, wider bands, and or other shapes or structures.
The filaments can be in the form of complete loops (e.g., a length of filament with its two ends joined to form a generally roundish or circular shape) or portions of circles and circular shapes (e.g., an arc (e.g., similar to a hairband), a portion of a roundish, oval or circular shape, a half-circle, a half-oval).
The filament loops of certain embodiments can be formed by fusing, bonding, melting, or otherwise connecting (e.g., a hook and eye-like closure) the two ends of a filament together. In certain embodiments, two, three, four or more filament loops are formed by joining (e.g., fusing, bonding, melting or otherwise connecting) the ends of the individual filaments together or to a larger loop.
The filaments that are in the form of a portion of a circle of certain embodiments of this invention can be comprised of one head band or made of several head bands connected together. Some of these embodiments use filaments of a soft plastic and/or rubbery material that is semi-bendable but still maintains its general shape and it is positioned over the crown of the head and it does not encircle the entire head. In some of these embodiments the filaments maintain their position on the head by spring or other tension (e.g., similar to a head band).
In certain embodiments, the filaments are camouflaged and positioned within layers of the user's own hair on the back, top, front, and side of the head.
Certain embodiments of the hair pieces that are hair wefts are of any length and as wide as about one inch to about six inches or more. Each hair weft is comprised of hundreds of artificial or natural hair strands connected to a seam by, for example, sewing (e.g., by machine or hand) or tying (e.g., my machine or hand). The hair strands may be attached to a strip of material (e.g., cloth, lace) to hold them together. Two or more hair wefts can be attached to each other to provide a larger hair weft with more hair thickness by bonding, glue or sewing. It is generally preferred, however, to use one hair weft with adequate thickness than to use two or more hair wefts attached to one another to create the adequate thickness because one hair weft of adequate thickness may prevent bulkiness on the scalp and may be less detectable than multiple hair wefts attached to one another.
In certain embodiments, instead of the hair piece being comprised of hair strands combined to form a hair weft, it is comprised of dreadlock hair pieces, that are used in the same manner (i.e., sewn to a filament and are moveable from side to side and backwards and forwards on the filament to provide coverage where needed).
In certain embodiments, the hair pieces are each attached (e.g., sewn) to a filament and each hair piece can vary in width, length, thickness, texture, and color. The hair pieces are attached to the filament by an attachment fixture, which can be comprised of plastic, cloth, metal, natural material or fiber, or combinations of such, in the form of lines, threads, wraps, wires (e.g., bendable wires), clips, rings or staples (e.g., made of wire), clasps, wire prongs, or other similar means, including hardware and other components known to a person of skill in the art.
In certain preferred embodiments, the hair pieces are, for example, sewn to the filament with a stitch of thread as the attachment fixture that still allows the user to slide the hair pieces side to side along the filament, as well as backwards and forwards along the filament, to desired areas on the head.
In certain preferred embodiments, the hair pieces are constructed by using wire to attach the hair to the hair piece (e.g., a hair weft constructed by using wire instead of thread to attach the hair to the hair weft). This permits enhanced shaping and placement of the hair piece when compared to not using wire. In particular, it provides for the ability to move the hair piece along the filament to position it where needed or desired. In some of these embodiments, the attachment fixture is not a wire, and instead a thread is used to attach the hair piece to the filament.
Some hair pieces also can have a thin, durable, bendable wire (e.g., of the approximate same width as the hair piece) as their embodiment of the attachment fixture, which is layered on top of the hair piece and then sewn to the filament with a stitch or otherwise attached to the filament in a manner that permits movement along the filament. The wire allows for the hair piece to bend and hold different positions, facilitate blending of the hair and placement over a target area for coverage, hide more easily under a user's hair, and prevent the filament from sliding off the user's head.
In certain preferred embodiments, a thin metal piece with teeth encloses around the hair piece and the filament to serve as the attachment fixture. This embodiment is a thin semi-bendable, metal piece with teeth that squeeze firmly around the hair piece and the filament, still allowing movement forwards, backwards and side to side on the filament when positioned on the user's head. The material for the filament in these embodiments may be made of metal, plastic, natural material or fiber, or any other suitable material. These embodiments provide advantages for a user who wants hair pieces that can be easily removed. In certain of these embodiments, the user can readily replace different hair pieces with different lengths, widths, textures and colors on the filament.
Preferred attachment fixtures are readily detachable from the filaments by the user and thus can be replaced with others or removed and not used. In these embodiments, the attachment fixtures still permit the hair pieces to be moved to a particular place on the filaments as desired by the user. An example of such an attachment means is a small, thin, undetectable plastic or metal piece with teeth that squeezes firmly around the hair piece and attaches to the filament but which still permits movement of the hair piece on the filament.
In certain preferred embodiments, the hair piece is sewn (with a matching or translucent thread) to the bendable wire (i.e., attachment fixture embodiment) and the full filament loop, or half circular (head band style) filament, always allowing movement forwards, backwards and side to side on the filament.
In certain embodiments, the hair pieces are permanently attached to the filaments, but still moveable, and may not be switched out. In certain preferred embodiments the hair pieces are bendable. In other preferred embodiments the hair pieces are not bendable.
The advantages of certain of the embodiments of this invention include little or no hair loss, little or no pain, and little or no weakening of the existing hair follicles. These embodiments provide fullness, length, versatility and color on the top of the head from ear to ear, the sides of the head from ear to ear, the front of the head from ear to ear, as well as the lower back of the head.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to teaching, examples and preferred embodiments, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain its essential characteristics, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions. Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. Such equivalents are encompassed by the scope of the present invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/387,419, filed on Dec. 14, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63387419 | Dec 2022 | US |
