Patent Application
20060289368
The present invention generally relates to apparatuses and methods for styling, grooming and enhancing human hair. It more specifically relates to apparatuses and methods which assist a hair stylist in preparing hair extensions for attachment to a person's head, and to assist the hair stylist in the application process.
It is known to attach hair extensions to a person's existing hair. An extension is a plurality or bundle of individual hairs, each hair usually of a consistent length. Usually each extension is attached to existing hair strands close to the client's head, perhaps about one quarter inch away from the scalp. When applied properly, the extensions blend in naturally with the client's own hair, providing additional length and/or fullness to the client's existing hair style. Typically, the extensions come in lengths of eight, twelve, sixteen, eighteen, twenty and twenty-four inches.
Various methods of attaching the hair extensions are known. One method employs a protein polymer which is affixed at the end of the extension, holding the individual hair strands of the extension together. When the polymer is heated with an application tool, the polymer, and thus the end of the extension, bonds to the strands of the client's own hair. The extensions are applied one at a time, and, because each extension comprises a limited number of individual hair strands, a large number of extensions is usually required in order to provide the desired effect. Therefore the process of applying the extensions is time consuming and usually requires several hours to complete. To expedite the process, the stylist should have ready access to each extension. Unfortunately, this often requires an assistant to hand the stylist each individual extension. As an alternative, the stylist might lay the extensions out flat on a stand or table and reach for them as the need arises. Unfortunately, when presented in this manner, the extensions often become disarrayed or tangled with one another, requiring the stylist to suspend the application process to untangle the extensions.
Moreover, it is often desirable to treat the extensions before applying them to a client. For example, the color or shade of the extension may require alteration or the length of the extension may require adjustment or the extension may have more curl than desired, so a relaxing agent is sprayed on the hair. It is often desirable to treat the extensions in these or other ways before applying the extensions to the client's hair. However, it is to be appreciated that handling the extensions during these processes can be difficult and aggravating.
Finally, it is often desirable for a stylist to be able to display to the client in an organized manner the extensions the stylist proposes to apply to the client's hair.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for solving the above-identified problems and accomplishing the desired goals. A rack is disclosed which allows the stylist to organize the extensions in a manner which expedites the application process, maintaining each extension untangled from the others. The apparatus allows the stylist to easily locate each extension during the application process and to remove it from the apparatus. Moreover, the rack holds the extensions in place during any desired pre-application treatments, and even allows blow drying the extensions without the hair becoming tangled. The disclosed rack allows a stylist to display the extensions to a client prior to application so that the client may appreciate the length, color and other features of the proposed application.
The apparatus comprises a vertical ground-engaging stand comprising a vertical member having a first end and a second end. A tripod or base is attached to the first end, the tripod or base suitable for maintaining the vertical member in a stable vertical position. The second end of the vertical member is threaded. A cylindrical drum member having an open end and a closed end with a hole in the center of the closed end is placed on the second end, the hole fitting over the threads of the second end. The open end and closed end of the drum member define a longitudinal axis. The wall of the cylindrical drum has a plurality of slots which extend parallel to the longitudinal axis, the slots extending from the open end into the wall. A wingnut or other fastener may be used to attach the drum member to the second end of the vertical member. The wingnut may be loosened when the device is in use to allow the easy rotation of the drum and the rack arms attached to the drum, allowing the stylist to rotate the hair extensions within the rack according to need and utility.
A plurality of rack arms are attached to the cylindrical drum, each rack arm radiating outwardly from the drum. Each rack arm comprises a plurality of parallel and spaced apart teeth, the teeth generally transverse to the main axis of the rack arm. The grooves between the teeth are adapted to receive hair extensions. The teeth are sufficiently wide to allow sufficient spacing between the extensions so that there is sufficient room for the stylist's fingers to individually grasp an extension. The stylist hangs the extensions between the teeth of each rack arm, the end of each extension having polymer or other substance or structure of sufficient width at the end of the extension to prevent the extension from falling through the groove. The extensions are securely retained within the grooves between the teeth, such that the stylist may perform a variety of operations upon the extensions, including such operations as combing, coloring, straightening, applying rollers for permanent waving, and blow drying the extensions.
Referring to
The cylindrical drum member 22 is disposed on the second end 18 of the vertical member 14, wherein the cylindrical drum member has a vertical axis generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the vertical member 18, and a horizontal axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The cylindrical drum member 22 has peripheral wall 24. The peripheral wall 24 a plurality of slots 26 extending radially through the peripheral wall. If cylindrical drum member 22 is not connected to second end 18 with threads, a wingnut 28 or other fastener may be used to attach the cylindrical drum member to the second end 18 of the vertical member 14. The wingnut 28 may be loosened when the device is in use to allow the easy rotation of the drum member 22 and the rack arms 30 attached to the drum member, allowing the stylist to rotate the hair extensions within the rack according to need and utility.
A plurality of rack arms 30 are attached to the cylindrical drum member 22, each rack arm radiating outwardly from the drum member. Each rack arm 30 comprises an attachment end 31 which is adapted to attach to the cylindrical drum member 22. For example, the attachment end 31 may have a slot 32 adaptable for being received by a corresponding slot 26 of the cylindrical drum 22. Each rack arm 30 further comprises a lower vertical section 34 and an upper angled section 36. As shown in
The upper angled section 36 comprises a plurality of parallel and spaced apart teeth 38, the teeth transverse to the main axis of the rack arm 30. Each tooth 38 is greater than a quarter inch in width. The ends of each tooth may be tapered as shown in
The grooves 40 between the teeth 38 are adapted to receive hair extensions, where grooves are sized such that the polymer structure at the end of the extension is sufficiently large to prevent the polymer structure from falling through the groove, thus preventing the extension from falling to the ground. For example, the width of the groove (i.e., the space between the teeth 38) may be sized at approximately 1/32 inch. If the rack arm is configured as shown in
If the rack arm 30 is configured as shown in
The extensions are securely retained within the grooves 40 between the teeth 38, such that the stylist may perform a variety of operations upon the hair extensions, including such operations as combing, coloring, straightening, applying rollers for permanent waving, and blow drying the extensions. In addition, the rack 10 securely retains the extensions despite the frequent use of blow dryers in a salon environment, or wind or the disturbance caused by a passing person which, if the extensions were simply laid out on a table or stand, would cause the extensions to become tangled. A locking device comprising a plurality of teeth attached to a spine member may be used to further lock the extensions within the grooves of each rack arm. The teeth of the locking device are adapted to fit within the grooves of the rack arm, thereby securing the extensions within the grooves.
As shown in the figures, a variety of options may be employed with the disclosed apparatus. As shown in
The rack arms 30 are removable and thus the stylist may employ as many rack arms as desired for a particular client. For example,
The components of the rack 10 may be manufactured from a variety of materials, including metal, such as stainless steel, and plastic. The vertical stand 14 may be manufactured from stainless steel tubing.
Additional features of the device, such as leg attachments, locking clamps and attachment devices may be added by those skilled in the art of the invention, thus the invention should not be limited by the embodiments shown in the drawings. It is to be appreciated that alternative embodiments of the generalized embodiment might include other modifications. While the above is a description of various embodiments of the present invention, further modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the size, shape, and/or material of the various components may be changed as desired. Thus the scope of the invention should not be limited by the specific structures disclosed. Instead the true scope of the invention should be determined by the following claims.
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/694,147 was filed for this invention on Jun. 23, 2005 for which this inventor claims domestic priority.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60694147 | Jun 2005 | US |
