Hair root volumizing clip

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6209549
  • Patent Number
    6,209,549
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, October 21, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, April 3, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Wilson; John J.
    • Doan; Robyn Kieu
    Agents
    • Zarley, McKee, Thomte, Voorhees & Sease
Abstract
A method of increasing hair volume includes applying a hair clip to the roots of the hair. A chemical solution is applied to at least part of the hair that is in the clip. After the first step of the chemical processing is complete, the hair is rinsed, with the hair clip still in place. Then the second step is applied. A hair clip to increase hair volume includes two arms that are pivotally connected. The arms have interior faces that oppose each other. At least one of the interior faces has texture to apply tension to the hair root. At least one of the arms has openings to allow the hair to be rinsed while the clip is still in place. A second method of increasing hair volume comprises applying hair spray to hair roots and applying a clip to the roots. The clip is left in place until the hair spray is dry. The clip can be applied before the hair spray. The clip can also be used on wet hair with gels, mousses, hairspray, etc. The clip is clipped into place and the hair may be air dried or dried under a dryer. The clip may also be used to straighten curly, unruly hair.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to hair treatment. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of increasing hair volume and texture, and to a clip that can be used to increase hair volume and texture.




2. Problems in the Art




A wide variety of devices are known in the art for use in treating hair. Various types of hair clamps, curling irons, and hot rollers have been used to control how the hair looks. While some of these devices function adequately in keeping hair in place and helping the hair maintain a desired shape or curl, there is no known method or device which sufficiently increases hair volume and texture at the root only without also adding curl.




Many people desire to have hair that has a full volume and texture. Thick hair with a lot of volume helps give the appearance of youth and health. However, many people are not fortunate enough to have hair that is naturally full of volume and texture. There is a need for a method and device that adds volume and texture to hair.




Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a device and method which can be used to increase hair volume and texture.




It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hair clip which can be applied prior to applying perming solution or other types of chemical hair treatments.




A further object of the present invention is to provide a hair clip which places sufficient tension on the hair root to lift it up from the scalp.




A further object of the present invention is to provide a hair clip which can be left in place while the hair is being rinsed and while chemical treatments are being applied to the hair.




These, as well as other objects and features of the present invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description and claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




A method of increasing hair volume includes applying a hair clip to the roots of the hair. A chemical solution is applied to at least part of the hair that is in the clip. After chemical processing is complete, the hair is rinsed, with the hair clip still in place. Then the second chemical step is applied.




A hair clip to increase hair volume includes two arms that are pivotally connected. The arms have interior faces that oppose each other. At least one of the interior faces has texture to apply tension to the hair root. At least one of the arms has openings to allow the hair to be rinsed while the clip is still in place.




A second method of increasing hair volume comprises applying hair spray to hair roots and applying a clip to the roots. The clip is left in place until the hair spray is dry. The clip can be applied before the hair spray. The clip may be used on wet or dry hair and with or without heat.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view showing a hair clip according to the present invention attached to a woman's hair.





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of the hair clip of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a cross-sectional view taken along line


3





3


of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 4

is a side elevation view of a second embodiment wherein the hair clip has a curved shape.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT





FIG. 2

shows a perspective view of a hair root volumizing clip


10


. The hair clip


10


includes two arms


12


,


14


. The arms


12


,


14


are preferably made of plastic, but other materials could be used as well. Each arm


12


,


14


has a tab


16


,


18


. A pivot rod


20


connects the tabs


16


,


18


. A torsional spring


22


biases the hair clip


10


into a closed position. The tabs


16


,


18


are squeezed together to open the hair clip


10


.




Each arm


12


,


14


has an interior face


36


,


38


. Hook fibers or fasteners


24


(also known as VELCRO hook fibers or fasteners) are attached to each interior face


36


,


38


. The hook fibers


24


help apply tension to the hair


34


. The tension produced by the clip


10


and the hook fibers


24


results in better lifting of the root


40


of the hair


34


than prior art techniques. Of course, materials other than hook fibers


24


could be used. For example, the interior faces


36


,


38


could be scuffed such that they had a sandpaper like texture.




The hair clip


10


has a number of grooves


28


. The grooves


28


allow the hair


34


to be rinsed while the clip is still in place. A tension clasp


26


helps keep the hair clip


10


in a shut position. Rather than a tension clasp, other types of fasteners could be utilized to keep the hair clip


10


closed.




The hair clip


10


has a length, L, and a height, H. Preferably, the length, L, is greater than the height, H. This feature adds stability to the clip


10


, helping to keep the clip


10


in the proper place. Preferably, the top


32


and bottom


30


ends of the clip


10


are wider than the middle of the clip


10


. This feature also adds stability to the clip and can best be seen on the hair clip


10


in FIG.


3


. Optionally, the bottom


30


of the hair clip


10


could have a concave shape. The concave shape would help fit the hair clip


10


onto the scalp


42


.




A cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a hair clip


10


A according to the present invention is shown in FIG.


4


. This embodiment is nearly identical to that in

FIGS. 1-3

. The only difference is that the arms


12


A,


14


A have a curved shape. The interior faces


36


A,


38


A are also curve shaped. An curve shaped hair clip


10


A helps increase hair volume and texture.




There are a number of different methods in which the clip


10


could be utilized to increase hair volume. For example, the hair clip


10


could be applied to hair


34


and then hair spray could be sprayed on the hair through the grooves


28


. The hair clip


10


is applied at the root


40


of the hair


34


. The hair clip


10


is left in place until the hair spray is dry. Alternatively, hair spray could be applied to the hair


34


, especially on the hair roots


40


, and then the clip


10


could be applied and left on until the hair spray is dry. Either way, hair volume is dramatically increased.




The hair clip


10


can also be used in chemical treatment of hair. For example, the hair clip


10


can be used in conjunction with perming, waving, or texturizing solution. The hair


34


is sectioned off, such as is done when giving a perm. A clip


10


is applied to each of the sections of hair. The clip


10


is applied to the root


40


of the hair


34


. Conditioner is applied to the part of the hair


44


that sticks out of the clip


10


. Conditioner can also be applied to other parts of the hair where solution is not wanted.




Next, the perm solution is applied to the part of the hair


34


that is in the clip


10


. The hair


34


is then processed according to the particular perm that is utilized. An alkaline or exothermic perm can be used for extra firmness.




After processing of the hair


34


is complete, the hair


34


is rinsed out with water with the clips


10


still in the hair. Neutralizer is then applied to the hair


34


with the clips


10


still in place. After processing with the neutralizer is done, the clips


10


are removed and the hair is once again rinsed to complete the chemical service. Using the clips


10


in conjunction with perming, waving, or texturizing solution swells the hair shaft and lifts the cuticle enough to add extra volume and texture to the hair.




In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, these are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in the form and proportion of parts as well as in the substitution of the equivalents are contemplated to the circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as further defined in the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A new method of increasing hair volume, comprising:providing a hair clip having two arms, each of the arms having an interior face, at least one of the interior faces being textured to apply tension to the hair, and at least one of the arms having openings therethrough to allow a chemical solution to be applied to the hair through the clip; positioning the clip around a section of the hair near the root of the hair so that section of hair is secured between the arms of the clip and positioned generally perpendicular to the scalp; applying a chemical solution to at least part of the section of hair that is in the clip; and rinsing the hair, after chemical processing is complete, with the clip still in place.
  • 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the chemical solution is perming solution.
  • 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the chemical solution is waving solution.
  • 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the chemical solution is texturizing solution.
  • 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:applying neutralizer after rinsing, with the clip still in place.
  • 6. The method of claim 1 wherein hook fibers are on at least on eof the interior faces to supply the texture to the interior face.
  • 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the openings on at least one of the arms are elongated grooves.
  • 8. A new hair clip to increase hair volume, the hair clip comprising:first and second arms pivotally connected, each arm having an interior face, the first and second arms connected such that their interior faces oppose each other, at least one of the arms having openings to allow rinsing through the clip, and at least one of the interior faces having texture to apply tension to hair roots; each of the arms having a top portion, a middle portion and a bottom portion, wherein the bottom portion is wider than the middle portion to provide stability so that the arms can be maintained in a direction generally perpendicular to the scalp when applied near the root of the hair.
  • 9. A new method of increasing hair volume, comprising:applying hair spray to a section of hair near the roots of the hair; positioning a hair clip around the section of hair so that the section of hair is secured in a position generally perpendicular to the scalp; and leaving the hair clip on the hair root until the hair spray is dry.
  • 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the clip is applied to the hair prior to applying hair spray.
  • 11. The method of claim 9 wherein the hair clip contacts the scalp.
US Referenced Citations (9)
Number Name Date Kind
4494557 Nagel Jan 1985
5080116 Ballard Jan 1992
5156172 Tancredi Oct 1992
5207235 Muller et al. May 1993
5706839 Patti Jan 1998
5813418 Pillards Oct 1998
5829455 Bauer Nov 1998
5893374 Decareau Apr 1999
5996593 Horman Dec 1999