Patent Application
20180160787
This invention relates to hair ties, and more particularly relates to an implement for extracting a hair tie entangled with the hair of wearer.
Hair ties are well-known in the art for styling the hair of younger children and women. Elastomeric bands (i.e., rubber bands), which are often fabricated for application as office supplies, are the cheapest and most commonly used hair ties among children. Guardians, parents, caretakers, and/or the children themselves stretch and twist these elastomeric bands around locks of hair for utilitarian or ornamental function, using the elastomeric bands to form ponytails, buns, braids, and other hairstyles known to those of skill in the art.
Although elastomeric bands are easily manipulated to style hair, they are much less easily extracted from the styled hair. The hair itself becomes entangled with the elastomeric bands and often the elastomeric bands cannot be readily removed by hand without pulling the hair of the wearer, causing children to leave the elastomeric bands in their hair unnecessarily. They hair ties embedded in hair styles eventually pulling large amounts of hair from the scalp when left in place while also causing discomfort.
There exists no means in the art of painlessly extracting elastomeric bands or hair ties from hair. Knifes and scissors are not effective because they cannot be isolated during cutting to the hair tie itself and because they cannot Because the elastomeric bands can be purchased in bulk for very little cost, there is no incentive to preserve them after use for subsequent use. There is a need in the art for an elastomeric band extraction implement adapted to cut and remove elastomeric bands and hair ties from the hair without cutting or damaging the hair itself.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for a hair tie extraction implement. Beneficially, such a device would overcome inefficiencies with the prior art by providing a hair tie extraction implement which overcomes the difficulties described above.
The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available apparti. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide a hair tie extraction implement adapted to cut elastomeric bands from hair, the hair tie extraction implement comprising: an elongated gripable shank; a U-shaped hook affixed to the shank having an interior surface, an apex and an exterior surface; an outwardly rising bill affixed to a terminal end of the hook, the bill adapted to insert into strands of hair; and a razor blade affixed to the interior surface of the hook, the razor blade oriented such that a sharpened edge faces away from the apex of the hook.
The shank and hook may be formed as a single integrated piece. The hair tie extraction implement may be adapted to be used as a keychain. The hair tie extraction implement may comprise one of titanium, aluminum and steel.
A length of the hair tie extraction implement may be less than three inches.
The hair tie extraction implement may further comprise an edge guard disposed above the sharpened edge of the crook.
A second hair tie extraction implement adapted to cut elastomeric bands from hair is also provided, the hair tie extraction implement comprising: an elongated gripable shank; a U-shaped hook affixed to the shank having an interior surface, an apex and an exterior surface; an outwardly rising bill affixed to a terminal end of the hook, the bill adapted to insert into strands of hair; and a razor blade affixed between to the interior surface of the hook, the razor blade oriented such that a sharpened edge faces away from the apex of the hook; the razor blade forming a chord within a circular shape of the hook.
The shank and hook may be formed as a single integrated piece. The shank and hook may be formed as a single integrated piece.
The hair tie extraction implement may be adapted to be used as a keychain.
The hair tie extraction implement may comprise one of titanium, aluminum and steel. A length of the hair tie extraction implement may be less than three inches.
The hair tie extraction implement may further comprise an edge guard disposed above the sharpened edge of the crook.
Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.
These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
The implement 100 is adapted to insert into a lock of hair and separate strands of hair surrounding a hair tie.
The bill 106 is inserted first with the tip 108 leading. The bill 106 protrudes upwardly and outwardly from the hook 104.
The shank 102 and hook 104 may be formed as a single integrated piece. The shank 102 may comprise an elongated cylindrical or tubular metallic, metal alloy, organic or polymeric member. The shank 102 and hook 104 may comprise a pipe, tube shaft, bar, rod or any other component known to those of skill in the art. The shank 102 may comprise an extruded aluminum, steel or titanium rod.
The hook 104 is affixed to the shank 102 such that an opening defined by the hook 104 sits above the shank 102.
The razor blade 152 is adapted to engage a hair tie and severe it when the implement 100 is pulled or compressive force is applied to the hair tie. The razor blade 152 comprises one or more sharpened edges. At least one of those sharpened edges faces forward toward the proximal end 110 of the implement 150.
As shown.
As shown.
The shank 102 must be angled downward from a forward perspective to expose the open hook end 402.
The hair tie 502 may comprise any hair tie known to those of skill in the art, including an elastomeric band (“rubber band”).
The hair tie 502 may become entangled with surrounding hair when hair is wound over the hair tie 502.
The bill of the implement 150 is inserted in inverted position into hair 504 above the hair tie 502. The hook of the implement 150 follows the bill into the hair and the hair tie 502 is hooked by the implement than severed by the razor blade housed within the hook when the downward compressive force is applied using the implement 150.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
