Patent Application
20220256990
The present invention relates to hair scrunchies.
Hair scrunchies are well-known in the art and typically include a ring-shaped fabric covering around a circular, centrally-located opening. The covering typically includes an elastic band located in the interior of the covering. Hair scrunchies typically have an expanded configuration in which the covering and band have an expanded height and an expanded width and a collapsed configuration in which the covering and band have a collapsed height and a collapsed width.
Although hair scrunchies are immensely popular, to the inventors' knowledge, no one has developed character-based scrunchies as described herein.
The present disclosure provides hair scrunchies as described herein.
In some embodiments, the hair scrunchie may comprise: a ring-shaped covering that may comprise a front surface, a rear surface, a top, a bottom, a covering height extending from the top to the bottom, a covering width perpendicular to the covering height, and an interior located between the front surface and the rear surface. The ring-shaped covering may comprise an opening, which may have a height parallel to the covering height and a width perpendicular to the covering height. The hair scrunchie may further comprise a head, which may include one or more facial features, and may be attached to the front surface optionally adjacent to the top and optionally located above the opening. The hair scrunchie may also include a lower appendage that may be attached to the covering adjacent to the bottom and may be located below the opening. The hair scrunchie may also include a pull cord that may be elastic and may include a ring-shaped segment extending about the covering interior. The ring-shaped segment may have a height parallel to the covering height and a width perpendicular to the covering height. Optionally, the covering is moveable between an expanded configuration in which i) the opening has an expanded opening height and an expanded opening width; ii) the covering has an expanded covering height and an expanded covering width; and iii) the ring-shaped segment has an expanded ring-shaped segment height and an expanded ring-shaped segment width; and/or iv) the lower appendage is located a first distance from the head, and a collapsed configuration in which i) the opening has a collapsed opening height and a collapsed opening width; ii) the covering has a collapsed covering height and a collapsed covering width; and iii) the ring-shaped segment has a collapsed ring-shaped segment height and a collapsed ring-shaped segment width; and/or iv) the lower appendage is located a second distance from the head, the second distance less than the first distance, the collapsed opening height and width less than the expanded opening height and width, the collapsed covering height and width less than the expanded covering height and width, the collapsed ring-shaped segment height and width less than the expanded ring-shaped segment height and width.
Optionally, the rear surface comprises at least one hole and optionally, the pull cord comprises two intermediate segments extending out the at least one hole in a rearward direction relative to the covering. Optionally, the head is located on the front surface and optionally the at least one hole is behind the head and adjacent to the ring-shaped covering top. Optionally, the hair scrunchie further includes a pull cord lock located that may be located rearwardly relative to the covering and that may include at least one lock hole receiving the two intermediate segments of the pull cord and allowing the intermediate segments to pass therethrough. Optionally, the pull cord further comprises a protrusion located rearwardly relative to the pull cord lock and the two intermediate segments. Optionally, moving the pull cord lock forwardly on the pull cord toward the covering rear surface is configured to move the covering from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration. Optionally, moving the pull cord lock rearwardly on the pull cord away from the covering rear surface is configured to move the covering from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration. Optionally, the protrusion is wider and/or taller than the at least one lock hole. Optionally, the protrusion is removable. Optionally, the lock hole and each of the two intermediate segments comprise a height and optionally the height of the at least one lock hole is substantially equal to the heights of each of the two intermediate segments. Optionally, the expanded opening width is substantially equal to the expanded opening height, the expanded ring-shaped segment height, and the expanded ring-shaped segment width and further wherein the collapsed opening width is substantially equal to the collapsed opening height, the collapsed ring-shaped segment height, and the collapsed ring-shaped segment width. Optionally, the covering interior comprises a pocket receiving the ring-shaped segment. Optionally, the head comprises at least one of eyes, ears, a mouth, and a nose. Optionally, the lower appendage is in the form of a pair of feet. Optionally, the lower appendage is in the form of a fin. Optionally, the head is a head of a human or other animal and the lower appendage is a lower appendage of a human or other animal. Optionally, the covering is a fabric. Optionally, the covering comprises a plurality of folds, and further wherein the covering has more folds in the collapsed configuration as compared to the expanded configuration. Optionally, the opening is located approximately in the center of the covering height and the covering width. Optionally, the covering further comprises an elastic band holding a hair clip. Optionally, the elastic band is located adjacent the head. Optionally, the hair scrunchie includes a combination of the features described above. Optionally, the hair scrunchie is a used in a method that includes the steps of: a) providing the hair scrunchie; and b)moving the covering from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration or moving the covering from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration.
Optionally, the method further comprises the step of placing a human user's hair through the opening.
In still further embodiments, the hair scrunchie includes a ring-shaped covering that may include a front surface, a rear surface comprising at least one hole, a top, a bottom, a covering height extending from the top to the bottom, and an interior located between the front surface and the rear surface. The ring-shaped covering may comprise an opening, which may have a height parallel to the covering height and a width perpendicular to the covering height. The hair scrunchie may also include a head comprising one or more facial features and the head may be attached to the front surface optionally adjacent to the top and optionally located above the opening. The hair scrunchie may also include a lower appendage that may be attached to the covering optionally adjacent to the bottom and optionally located below the opening. The hair scrunchie may also include a pull cord that may be elastic and may include a ring-shaped segment extending about the covering interior. The pull cord may comprise two segments extending out of the at least one hole. The hair scrunchie may also include a pull cord lock located that may be located rearwardly relative to the covering and may comprise a hole receiving the two segments of the pull cord and allowing the pull cord segments to pass therethrough. The pull cord may also include a protrusion located rearwardly relative to the pull cord lock. Optionally, covering is moveable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration. Optionally, moving the pull cord lock on the pull cord toward the covering rear surface is configured to move the covering from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration. Optionally, moving the pull cord lock on the pull cord away from the covering rear surface is configured to move the covering from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration. Optionally, the hair scrunchie includes one or more of the features described above.
With reference to
As shown in
Preferably, the hair scrunchie 10, including the covering 20 and ring-shaped segment 62, are moveable between an expanded configuration (shown in
In some cases, as best seen in
The hair scrunchie 10 may also include a pull cord lock 72 to keep the hair scrunchie 10 in either the collapsed configuration or in the expanded configuration until actuated by the user. Optionally, the pull cord lock 70 is located rearwardly relative to the covering 20. Optionally, the pull cord lock 70 includes at least one lock hole 72 receiving the two intermediate segments 69 of the pull cord 60. The at least one lock hole 72 may allow the pull cord intermediate segments 69 to pass through the pull cord lock 70. Preferably, the pull cord lock 70 is configured to pinch the two intermediate segments 69 of the pull cord 60 as they pass through the at least one lock hole 72. In other words, the two pull cord intermediate segments 69 may be press fit through the at least one lock hole 72 or rely on friction to maintain the location of the pull cord lock 70 on the pull cord intermediate segments 69 and to keep the hair scrunchie 10 in either the collapsed configuration or in the expanded configuration until actuated by the user. For example, in the illustrated embodiment as best seen in
Preferably, the ring-shaped segment 62 defines the bounds of the opening 40. For example, the covering 20 may be a loose-piece of fabric and the ring-shaped segment 62 may define the borders of the opening 40. For example, as best seen in
Optionally, the covering interior 34 comprises a pocket/sleeve 36 receiving the ring-shaped segment 62. In other word, the ring shaped 62 segment may run through a sleeve shaped inner pocket 36 that runs around the interior 34 in a circular manner and is attached to the front surface 22 and/or rear surface 24. Preferably, the head 50 of the hair scrunchie 10 is a head of a human or other animal and/or the lower appendage 54 of the hair scrunchie 10 is a lower appendage of a human or other animal. In some cases, the head 50 of the hair scrunchie 10 comprises at least one of eyes, ears, a mouth, and a nose (collectively part 52). Optionally, the lower appendage 54 of the hair scrunchie 10 is in the form of a pair of feet or a fin.
In some cases, the covering 20 is fabric. Optionally, the covering 20 comprises a plurality of folds 38. In such cases, the covering 20 may have more folds 38 in the collapsed configuration 14 as compared to the expanded configuration 12. Optionally, the opening 20 is located approximately in the center of the covering height 30A,30B and the covering width 32A,32B. The covering 20 may further include an elastic band 76 configured to hold a hair clip 78, as shown in
The hair scrunchie 10 may be used, for example, by providing a hair scrunchie 10 comprising one or more of the features described above and moving the covering 20 from the expanded configuration 12 to the collapsed configuration 14. In another example, the scrunchie 10 may be used by providing a hair scrunchie 10 comprising one or more of the features described above and moving the covering 20 from the collapsed configuration 14 to the expanded configuration 12. Optionally, a human user's hair 80 may be placed through the opening 40 before moving the covering 20 from the expanded configuration 12 to the collapsed configuration 14 and/or may be removed from the opening 40 after moving the covering 20 from the collapsed configuration 14 to the expanded configuration 12.
Having now described the invention in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in the art will understand how to make changes and modifications to the disclosed embodiments to meet their specific requirements or conditions. Changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. In addition, the steps of any method described herein may be performed in any suitable order and steps may be performed simultaneously if needed. Use of the singular embraces the plural.
Terms of degree such as “generally”, “substantially”, “about” and “approximately” as used herein mean a reasonable amount of deviation of the modified term such that the end result is not significantly changed. For example, these terms can be construed as including a deviation of at least ±5% of the modified term if this deviation would not negate the meaning of the word it modifies.
