LOCKING CLIP

Abstract

A hair clip has a first jaw and a second jaw, mutually pivotable about a hinge having a longitudinal axis, to pivot between an open position and a closed position. Each jaw respectively includes a jaw body provided with a series of teeth, and further includes resilient return means continuously returning both jaws into the open position, and releasable locking means for selectively locking the jaws in the closed position.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns articles for the hair, such as a hair grip, in which a first jaw is articulated relative to a second jaw by an articulation having a longitudinal axis to pivot between an open position and a closed position, each jaw comprising a jaw body provided with a series of teeth. Each jaw generally comprises an operating lever for opening and closing the grip. A grip usually serves to hold part of the hair together.

Such hair grips are described for example in the documents U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,377, U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,591, US 2004/0149306 or else EP 1 023 853.

A grip is generally held by return spring means that urge the two jaws toward a closed position. A coil spring is conventionally used as the return spring means.

The retention of the grip in position in the hair is therefore a function of the return force exerted by the coil spring and a function of the size of the coil spring relative to the grip.

The coil springs are therefore chosen accordingly, to confer on the grip sufficient retention by virtue of a high force urging the jaws toward the closed position.

A first drawback is that the better the retention of the grip, the greater is the force of the coil spring, and the more difficult it becomes for the user to open the jaws of the grip using the operating levers.

Another disadvantage is that too great a force exerted by the grip is liable to damage the user's hair and makes it difficult to assemble the grip because during assembly the coil spring is pretensioned before it is fitted.

Finally, the use of a coil spring with a high return force requires operating levers that, to facilitate opening the grip, increase in size as a function of the return force of the coil spring. A result of this is the presence of operating levers whose dimensions can prove inconvenient, unattractive and bulky. Furthermore, the presence of operating levers integral with the jaws limits the shapes with which the jaws can be produced. As a matter of fact, the jaws and the levers of a hair grip are mostly produced in plastic by injection molding. There is therefore an imperative need for the jaws with their levers to be readily removable from the mold, i.e. to have no undercut shapes liable to impede their extraction from the imprint of the mold by simple movement in translation in a single extraction direction. This imperative is an impediment to a creator seeking to create an attractive shape for an object whose function is not only to retain the hair but also to embellish and ornament the hair.

The document US 2004/0040569 A1 describes a hair-slide comprising first and second jaws articulated to each other about an axis perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the jaws to pivot between an open position and a closed position. Releasable locking means disposed on the jaws at the free ends opposite the articulation enable a user to lock the hair-slide in the closed position or to unlock it so it can return to the open position.

In such hair-slides, the particular orientation of the articulation of the jaws, with an axis perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the jaws, leads to wide separation of the jaws in the open position. Because of this, placing this hair-slide on the head of a user, especially on beginning to close it, expressly and necessarily requires the use of both the user's hands and at least some dexterity. Now, one of the user's hands is already being used to hold the hair in shape before fitting the hair-slide. Fitting the hair-slide is therefore already difficult for this reason.

Furthermore, after moving the jaws closer to each other, the user can hold the hair-slide closed with only one hand, but to lock the two jaws must still effect a supplementary manipulation with his other hand (namely applying a torsion force to the locking members themselves). There is therefore a high risk of the user failing to dress his hair and fix it correctly as he wishes using this hair-slide, because it is complicated to manipulate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first problem addressed by the invention is that of designing a hair grip providing both good retention in a user's hair and great ease of use. In particular, the invention aims to ensure good retention of the jaws of the grip in the closed position without having to overcome a high return spring means force when manipulating the grip to assume either its closed position or its open position and without having specifically to manipulate locking members to close the grip.

It must therefore be possible to manipulate the grip in order to close it with only one hand.

Simultaneously, the invention aims to avoid excessive clamping forces damaging the user's hair and to facilitate assembly of the grip during manufacture.

The aim of another aspect of the invention is to design a new type of hair grip with no operating levers.

Simultaneously, the invention further aims to enable the production of complex attractive shapes at the same time as ensuring that the components of the grip are readily extractable from the mold.

To achieve the above and other objects, the invention proposes a hair grip comprising:

• • a first jaw and a second jaw each having a series of teeth and articulated to each other by an articulation with a longitudinal axis to pivot between an open position and a closed position,
  • return spring means urging the two jaws at all times toward the open position,
  • releasable locking means for selectively locking the jaws in the closed position and comprising unlocking members operable by the user to unlock the jaws,

and wherein the unlocking means are conformed to lock automatically when the jaws pivot toward their closed position.

The return spring means urge the jaws toward their open position and it is the user's fingers that move the jaws to the closed position on placing the grip in the hair until they lock in that position.

Such grips are particularly simple to manipulate to place them in the hair: the action of the user is a simple squeezing action, until the locking means interengage, for which action the user can use only one hand, so that his other hand can be used to style and fix his hair as he wishes.

The squeezing action to pivot the jaws relative to each other into their closed position can be exerted directly on the jaw bodies if the jaws do not penetrate entirely into the hair. The jaws are pivoted toward their open position by the return spring means, after unlocking them. Thus there is no need for operating levers for operating the jaws in such grips.

There is less risk of such grips damaging the user's hair through excessive compression of locks of hair, as there are no return spring means exerting a high force in the closed position. Furthermore, such grips are effectively retained in the hair at all times.

In practice, the locking means can comprise clipping means that automatically hook onto each other when the jaws reach the closed position.

In an advantageous embodiment, the locking means can be disposed on the facing inside faces of the jaws, in an intermediate area of each inside face between the articulation axis and a distal end of the jaws. As a result, the locking means are not visible when the grip is placed in the hair and do not interfere with the action of the distal part of the jaws in the hair.

Preferably, it can advantageously be provided that:

• • the locking means include at least one opening formed through the jaw body of the first jaw,
  • the locking means include at least one elastic prong that extends from the second jaw in the direction of the first jaw, has a hook-shaped distal end, and can flex laterally and elastically,
  • the elastic prong can be adapted selectively either to hold the first jaw at a fixed distance from the second jaw in the closed position by engagement of the hook-shaped distal end in said at least one opening of the first jaw or to release the first jaw by allowing the hook-shaped distal end to escape through the opening on lateral flexing of the elastic prong on manipulating it by pushing it laterally.

In a first embodiment of the invention it is advantageous if:

• • the jaws are elongate in the longitudinal direction and each has two longitudinal ends,
  • the teeth of the series of teeth extend transversely from a distal edge of the jaw bodies,
  • said at least one elastic prong extends transversely from the distal edge of the jaw body of the second jaw toward the jaw body of the first jaw, said elastic prong preferably being situated at one of the longitudinal ends of the second jaw.

In a second embodiment of the invention it is advantageous if:

• • said at least one elastic prong is on the second jaw near the articulation, preferably offset longitudinally relative to the articulation in the direction of an end of the second jaw,
  • said at least one opening is in the first jaw, near the articulation and opposite the elastic prong.
  • Said at least one elastic prong can preferably include a plurality of detents near its distal end.

In another embodiment of the invention, it is advantageous if:

• • the locking means include a retaining loop integral with the jaw body of the first jaw,
  • the locking means include an elastic prong that extends from the second jaw in the direction of the first jaw, that includes a hook and an operating end accessible to the user for operating it, and that can flex elastically and laterally,
  • the elastic prong is adapted selectively either to hold the first jaw at a fixed distance from the second jaw in the closed position by engagement of the hook in the retaining loop or to release the first jaw by allowing the hook to escape from the loop on lateral flexing of the elastic prong by manipulating the operating end in the unlocking direction,
  • in the closed position, the operating end is offset longitudinally relative to the articulation in the direction of an end of the second jaw,
  • to unlock the grip, the user causes the hook to escape from the loop on elastic lateral flexing of the prong by applying to the operating end a force oriented substantially along the longitudinal axis.

The elastic prong can advantageously include hooks with a number of detents and/or a number of successive loops can be situated at different distances from the first jaw.

It can advantageously be provided that:

• • the first jaw includes a first transverse protection elastic blade situated beyond the locking means relative to the articulation and extending from the first jaw in the direction of the second jaw,
  • the second jaw includes a second transverse protection elastic blade situated beyond the locking means relative to the articulation and extending from the second jaw in the direction of the first jaw,
  • the first and second protection elastic blades cooperate with each other on closing the grip to hold the hair away from the articulation, the return spring means and the locking means.

To facilitate unlocking further, it is advantageous if:

• • the locking means are locked automatically by a first relative movement toward each other of the first jaw and the second jaw,
  • the locking means are unlocked by a second relative movement toward each other of the first and second jaws.

Such hair grips prove easy to use. They can be fitted to a user's hair with only one hand, and likewise removed, by a simple and ergonomic gesture.

In this case, it is advantageous if:

• • the locking means include at least one elastic prong that extends from the second jaw in the direction of the first jaw, includes a distal crossmember extending over a first length in an offsetting direction, and can flex elastically,
  • the locking means include at least one hooking prong that extends from the first jaw in the direction of the second jaw, has a distal section with transverse notch provided on one notched lateral face perpendicular to the offsetting direction, and has a proximal section, the proximal section being offset by a second length in the offsetting direction away from the distal section and the elastic prong,
  • the second length is greater than or equal to the first length,
  • on the first relative movement toward each other of the first and second jaws, the distal crossmember of the elastic prong is pushed back by the notched lateral face and the elastic prong is flexed elastically, after which continuation of the first relative movement toward each other of the first and second jaws enables engagement of the distal crossmember in the transverse notch of the hooking prong because of the return spring action of the elastic prong,
  • on the second relative movement toward each other of the first and second jaws, the distal crossmember of the elastic prong comes into corresponding relationship with the proximal section of the hooking prong, which, by virtue of the return spring action of the elastic prong, enables displacement of the distal crossmember beyond the face of the hooking prong opposite the notched lateral face, and which thereafter enables relative movement away from each other of the first and second jaws because of the action of the return spring means.

Such hair grips include compact locking means that are easy to produce at low cost.

The articulation can preferably include a hinge.

The return spring means can advantageously comprise a coil spring.

In one particular embodiment of the invention, the return spring means can comprise at least one leaf spring, preferably of metal.

In another particular embodiment of the invention, the articulation and the return spring means can comprise at least one leaf spring, preferably of metal.

The retaining loop, the elastic prong, the articulation and the return spring means can advantageously be produced from a single flat metal strip cut and bent to shape.

The retaining loop, the elastic prong, the articulation, the return spring means and the leaf springs can preferably be produced from a single flat metal strip cut and bent to shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following description of particular embodiments, given with reference to the appended figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a grip of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the grip from FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a grip of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the grip from FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a grip of a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the grip from FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view of a grip of a fourth embodiment of the invention in the open position;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the grip from FIG. 7 in the closed position;

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the grip from FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a front view of a metal part intended to be shaped;

FIG. 11 is a top view of the part from FIG. 10;

FIGS. 12 to 16 are side views of a grip of a fifth embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the locking means of the grips from FIGS. 12 to 16; and

FIG. 18 is a front view of a metal part intended to be shaped.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 to 9 and 12 to 16 represent five different embodiments of the present invention. In each of these figures, the hair grip comprises a first jaw 1 and a second jaw 2 elongate in a longitudinal direction I-I and articulated to each other by an articulation 3 having a longitudinal axis I-I to pivot between an open position and a closed position. The first jaw 1 and the second jaw 2 each comprise a respective jaw body 1a or 2a provided with a respective series of teeth 1b or 2b.

In the open position the jaws 1 and 2 are separated from each other, i.e. their series of teeth 1b and 2b are separated from each other. In the closed position, the jaws 1 and 2 are close to each other, i.e. their series of teeth 1b and 2b are close to each other to grip part of the user's hair between them. The teeth of the series of teeth 1b and 2b preferably cross in the closed position.

Return spring means 4 urge the two jaws 1 and 2 toward the open position at all times. The force of the return spring means 4 does not need to be high. It must be just sufficient to counter the gripping force exerted by the user when holding the grip to move it towards the hair. Releasable locking means 5 automatically lock the jaws 1 and 2 in the closed position on merely moving the jaws 1 and 2 toward each other, without necessitating any other intervention by the user.

In the first and second embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the locking means 5 include at least one opening 6 formed through the jaw body 1a of the first jaw 1. The locking means 5 also include at least one elastic prong 7 extending from the second jaw 2 in the direction of the first jaw 1, with a hook-shaped distal end 7a and adapted to flex laterally and elastically. The elastic prong 7 is adapted selectively: (a) to retain the first jaw 1 at a fixed distance d from the second jaw 2 in the closed position by engagement of the hook-shaped distal end 7a in the opening 6 through the first jaw 1 or (b) to release the first jaw 1 by enabling the hook-shaped distal end 7a to escape through the opening 6 by virtue of lateral flexing of the elastic prong 7.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4, the hook-shaped distal end 7a has a leading face 70a that slides on the edge of the opening 6, causing slight lateral flexing of the elastic prong 7 when the distal end 7a enters the opening 6. The distal end 7a also includes a stop face 71a that retains the first jaw 1 at a fixed distance d from the second jaw 2 when, after penetrating a sufficient distance into the opening 6, the elastic prong 7 has again flexed slightly laterally in the opposite direction to the first lateral flexing caused by the leading face 70a.

In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the jaws 1 and 2 are elongate in the longitudinal direction I-I, each having two ends 1c, 1d, 2c and 2d. The teeth of the series of teeth 1b and 2b extend transversely from a distal edge 100a and 200a of the jaw bodies 1a and 2a. The free ends of the teeth of the series of teeth 1b and 2b form the distal edges of the jaws 1 and 2.

The grip includes two elastic prongs 7 extending transversely from the distal edge 200a of the jaw body 2a toward the jaw body 1a of the first jaw 1. The elastic prongs 7 are situated at the longitudinal ends 2c and 2d, respectively, of the second jaw 2. The elastic prongs 7 can be integral with the jaw body 2a or attached to it.

Manipulation of the grip shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is simple. The return spring means 4, which here are a coil spring 4a with two projecting radial ends bearing on a respective jaw, urge the two jaws 1 and 2 toward the open position at all times, in which position the series of teeth 1b and 2b are separated from each other.

When the user wishes to place the grip on his head, he applies a slight squeezing force to the jaws 1 and 2 in the orientation and direction defined by the arrows 9a and 9b (FIG. 2). When merely moving the grip, the squeezing force can be low, just sufficient to retain the grip in the user's hand. Then, when the grip is in position in the hair, the user squeezes the jaws 1 and 2 with a greater force to overcome the return force exerted by the coil spring 4a and thus to move the jaws 1 and 2 toward each other until the hook-shaped distal ends 7a of the elastic prongs 7 enter the openings 6 in the jaw body 1a. The grip is then in the closed position, as represented in FIG. 1, and is locked automatically without necessitating any supplementary manipulation by the user. The clipping means 5 indeed consisting of the elastic prongs 7 and the openings 6 automatically hook onto each other as soon as the grip reaches its closed position. The hook-shaped distal ends 7a of the elastic prongs 7 hold the first and second jaws 1 and 2 at a fixed distance d against the coil spring 4a.

When the user wishes to remove the grip from his hair, he can apply a squeezing force to each of the elastic prongs 7 in the direction defined by the arrows 10a and 10b, for example by means of his index finger and thumb. The user thereby causes lateral flexing of the elastic prongs 7, enabling the distal ends 7a of the elastic prongs 7 to pass through the openings 6. Thus the user releases the first jaw 1 which is then moved away from the second jaw 2 by the return spring means 4.

It is therefore clear that the grip is easy to manipulate and easy to unlock by pressing with the two fingers in a fairly natural squeezing movement, for example between the index finger and thumb of the same hand.

It is advantageous to provide an elastic prong 7 at each end 2c and 2d of the second jaw 2 in order to balance the grip along the whole of its length. The grip will then not tend to twist because of the action of the return spring means 4.

When using a hair grip such as that represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, the elastic prongs 7 can enter the user's hair. The locking means 5 are therefore not very visible and do not degrade the visual and attractive appearance of the grip.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the invention. The jaws 1 and 2 have the same general structure as in the first embodiment. Here the grip includes a single elastic prong 7 with a hook-shaped distal end 7a. The elastic prong 7 is carried by the second jaw 2 near the articulation 3. As seen more particularly in FIG. 4, the elastic prong 7 is offset longitudinally relative to the articulation 3 in the direction of the end 2c of the second jaw 2. The elastic prong 7 can be integral with the jaw body 2a or attached to it.

The first jaw 1 has an opening 6 through it near the articulation 3 and opposite the elastic prong 7.

This kind of grip is manipulated in a similar way to the grip shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

On placing the grip on a user's head, the user applies a force to the jaws 1 and 2 of the grip in the direction and the orientation defined by the arrows 9a and 9b (FIG. 4) to close the jaws 1 and 2 onto the hair. During this closing movement of the jaws 1 and 2, the hook-shaped distal end 7a of the elastic prong 7 enters the opening 6 through the first jaw 1. As soon as the jaws 1 and 2 reach the closed position, the clipping means 5 consisting of the elastic prong 7 and the opening 6 hook onto each other automatically and retain the first jaw 1 at a fixed distance d from the second jaw 2 against the action of the return spring means 4, which here comprise a coil spring 4a. The grip therefore remains in the closed position as shown in FIG. 3.

To remove the grip from their hair, the user applies a force in the orientation and in the direction defined by the arrow 10c (FIG. 4). The user therefore causes the elastic prong 7 to flex laterally to enable its distal end 7a to pass through the opening 6, enabling the first jaw 1 to escape. The return spring means 4 then cause the two jaws 1 and 2 to return to their open position as shown in FIG. 4.

This kind of grip is relatively simple to manipulate. The elastic prong 7 is included in an interior space E between the jaws 1 and 2 of the grip. The elastic prong 7 is therefore not very visible and does not degrade the attractive appearance of the grip. The elastic prong 7 is also placed near the articulation 3 to facilitate holding it and to prevent it tangling in the user's hair.

The elastic prong 7 is offset longitudinally relative to the articulation 3 in the direction of the end 2c of the second jaw 2 to enable the user to press with one finger on the elastic prong 7 in the direction defined by the arrow 10c to unlock the grip.

The grip is clearly easy to manipulate and easy to unlock by pressing with two fingers in a relatively natural squeezing movement, for example between the index finger and thumb of the same hand.

The elastic prong 7 is placed sufficiently close to the articulation 3 not to induce any imbalance in the grip: the jaws 1 and 2 remain substantially parallel to each other, even if the locking means 5 include only one elastic prong 7.

According to an improvement of the invention, it is possible to provide one or more detents 7b on the elastic prongs 7 in addition to the hook-shaped distal end 7a. In the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 4, the elastic prong 7 includes a detent 7b near the distal end 7a. The grip therefore has a number of closed positions that differ from each other in terms of the distance d between the jaws 1 and 2 (FIGS. 1 and 3). This provides adaptable locking of the grip as a function of the amount of the user's hair it is to retain.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a third embodiment of the invention. The jaws 1 and 2 again have the same general structure as in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, the locking means 5 include an opening 60 formed through the jaw body 1a of the first jaw 1 and a retaining loop 11 integral with the jaw body 1a of the first jaw 1. The locking means 5 further include an elastic prong 7 extending from the second jaw 2 in the direction of the first jaw 1 and including an operating end 7c and a hook 12. When placing the grip in his hair, the user pivots the jaws 1 and 2 relative to each other against return spring means 4 until the hook 12 automatically hooks onto the retaining loop 11 to retain the first jaw 1 at a fixed distance d from the second jaw 2 in the closed position.

During the closing movement of the grip, the operating end 7c of the elastic prong 7 passes through the opening 60 in the first jaw 1 and extends beyond the latter when the grip is in the closed position.

In the closed position, the operating end 7c is therefore accessible to the user and can be manipulated.

When the user wishes to remove the grip from his hair, he applies a force in the orientation and in the direction defined by the arrow 10d to the accessible operating end 7c of the elastic prong 7. The user therefore causes the elastic prong 7 to flex laterally, the effect of which is to move the hook 12 away from the retaining loop 11. The jaws 1 and 2 are then returned to their open position away from each other by the return spring means 4 (FIG. 5).

The locking means 5 can be produced in metal in order to be more resistant to wear and attached to the remainder of the grip.

The locking means 5 are contained in the interior space E between the first and second jaws 1 and 2 and are therefore not very visible in order not to degrade the attractive appearance of the grip.

The locking means 5 are also easy to grip and to manipulate by simply applying pressure to the accessible operating end 7c of the elastic prong 7.

The jaws 1 and 2 are held reliably and securely in the closed position by the hook 12 and the retaining loop 11.

FIGS. 7 to 9 show a fourth embodiment of the invention. The jaws 1 and 2 have the same general structure as in the first embodiment.

In these figures, the locking means 5 include at least one retaining loop 11 integral with the jaw body 1a of the first jaw 1 and at least one elastic prong 7 extending from the second jaw 2 in the direction of the first jaw 1 and having an operating end 7c and a hook 12.

When using this kind of grip, the user places it in the hair, moving the first and second jaws 1 and 2 toward each other by a squeezing force onto the jaws 1 and 2 against the action of the return spring means 4 until the hook 12 engages in the retaining loop 11 to retain the first jaw 1 at a fixed distance d from the second jaw 2 in the closed position (FIG. 8).

As shown in FIG. 9, in this embodiment two elastic prongs 7 can be provided each including a respective first hook 12a and second hook 12b designed to be engaged in two opposite directions in a respective first loop 11a and second loop 11b that are offset longitudinally from each other in order to increase the hold of the jaws 1 and 2 parallel to each other.

In the closed position, the operating ends 7c are accessible to the user and can be manipulated.

To open the grip, the user applies a squeezing force onto the operating ends 7c of the elastic prongs 7 in the longitudinal directions shown by the arrows 10f and 10g. The hooks 12a and 12b then leave the retaining loops 11a and 11b, enabling the return spring means 4 to move the jaws 1 and 2 away from each other.

The grip is clearly easy to operate and easily unlocked by pressing with two fingers in a relatively natural squeezing movement, for example between the index finger and the thumb of the same hand.

In the third and fourth embodiments shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, the hooks 12 are shaped to enable automatic clipping on moving the jaws 1 and 2 closer together. The hooks 12 therefore have a leading face 120a that slides on the edge of the loop 11 causing slight lateral flexing of the elastic prong 7 up to a certain point at which the hook is totally engaged in the loop 11 and retains the second jaw 2 via a stop face 121a.

In the third and fourth embodiments shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, it is possible to provide adaptable locking means 5 with a view to adapting the grip to suit the user's hair. To this end, the elastic prong 7 can include a hook 12 with a number of detents 13a, 13b and 14a-14d and/or a plurality of successive loops 20a, 20b, 110a, 110b, 111a and 111b situated at different distances from the first jaw.

This applies in particular to the grip shown in FIG. 5, in which the retaining loop 11 includes two recesses serving as two successive retaining loops 20a and 20b situated at different distances from the first jaw 1. In FIG. 5, the hook 12 includes two detents 13a and 13b. In FIG. 9, the retaining loops 11a and 11b include two recesses thereby defining a number of successive loops 110a, 110b, 111a and 111b situated at different distances from the first jaw 1. The first hook 12a and the second hook 12b also include a number of detents 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d.

In all the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, it may be desirable for the user's hair not to become entangled in the locking means 5. To this end, there may be provided in the embodiments of FIGS. 5 to 9 a first transverse protection elastic blade 15a situated beyond the locking means 5 relative to the articulation 3 and extending from the first jaw 1 in the direction of the second jaw 2 and a second transverse protection elastic blade 15b situated beyond the locking means 5 relative to the articulation 3 and extending from the second jaw 2 in the direction of the first jaw 1. The first and second protection elastic blades 15a and 15b are close together and cooperate on closing the grip to hold the hair away from the articulation 3, the return spring means 4 and the locking means 5.

Although the protection elastic blades 15a and 15b are shown only in the embodiments of FIGS. 5 to 9, they are entirely compatible with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIGS. 12 to 17 show a fifth embodiment of the invention.

In these figures, the locking means 5 include an elastic prong 7 that extends transversely from the second jaw 2 in the direction of the first jaw 1 and includes a distal crossmember 20 extending a first length L1 (FIG. 17) away from the elastic prong 7 both ways in an offsetting direction II-II.

The locking means 5 further include two hooking prongs 21a and 21b that extend from the first jaw 1 in the direction of the second jaw 2, have respective distal portions 210a and 210b with respective transverse notches 211a and 211b on the notched lateral faces 22a and 22b perpendicular to the offsetting direction II-II, and have proximal sections 23a and 23b. The proximal sections 23a and 23b are offset away from the distal sections 210a and 210b and the elastic prong 7 by a second length L2 in the offsetting direction II-II. The second length L2 is greater than or equal to the first length L1.

When using the grip shown in FIGS. 12 to 17, the user effects a first relative movement of the first and second jaws 1 and 2 toward each other. The distal crossmember 20 of the elastic prong 7 is then pushed back by the notched lateral faces 22a and 22b and the elastic prong 7 is flexed elastically. Because of the action of the return spring means of the elastic prong 7, continuation of the first relative movement in rotation of the first and second jaws 1 and 2 toward the closed position then enables automatic engagement of the distal crossmember 20 in the transverse notches 211a and 211b of the hooking prongs 21a and 21b. The locking means 5 consisting of the elastic prong 7 and the hooking prongs 21a and 21b therefore hook onto each other automatically as soon as the grip reaches its closed position. The grip then remains locked in the closed position as shown in FIG. 13.

Although the grip represented in FIGS. 12 to 17 has transverse notches 211a and 211b with a single detent, providing a number of detents on each of the hooking prongs 21a and 21b to enable modulation of the clamping of the jaws 1 and 2 of the grip to suit the user's hair can be envisaged. This guarantees good adaptability of the grip to the user's hair and to the hairstyles that the user seeks to achieve.

When the user wishes to remove the grip from his hair, he effects a second relative movement toward each other of the first and second jaws 1 and 2, as shown more particularly in FIGS. 14 and 15. The distal crossmember 20 of the elastic prong 7 then comes into corresponding relationship with the proximal sections 23a and 23b of the hooking prongs 21a and 21b (FIG. 14). Because of the return spring action of the elastic prong 7, the distal crossmember 20 crosses the space between the proximal sections 23a and 23b and moves beyond the faces 22a′ and 22b′ of the hooking prongs 21a and 21b opposite the notched lateral faces 22a and 22b. Then, the action of the return spring means 4 enables relative movement of the first and second jaws 1 and 2 away from each other by rotating about the axis I-I to return to the open position of the grip shown in FIG. 12.

In the fifth embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 to 17, the hooking prongs 21a and 21b each include a boss 27a and 27b. These bosses tell the user when to halt the first relative movement toward each other of the first and second jaws 1 and 2. After a click caused by interengagement of the distal crossmember 20 in the transverse notches 211a and 211b, the user will feel some resistance to continuation of the first movement toward each other because of the bosses 27a and 27b.

The bosses 27a and 27b also push the elastic prong 7 back elastically on the second relative movement toward each other of the first and second jaws 1 and 2 before the distal crossmember 20 of the elastic prong 7 comes into corresponding relationship with the proximal sections 23a and 23b. The elastic return of the elastic prong 7 beyond the faces 22a′ and 22b′ of the hooking prongs 21a and 21b will be that much easier, faster and more secure because the elastic prong 7 will have been pushed back a long way before this by the bosses 27a and 27b. The bosses 27a and 27b therefore increase the reliability and the ease of operation of the hair grip of the fifth embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 12 to 17, the second jaw 2 can include a protection elastic blade 24 situated beyond the locking means 5 relative to the articulation 3 and extending from the second jaw 2 in the direction of the opposite jaw 1, as seen best in FIG. 16. The protection elastic blade 24 holds the user's hair away from the articulation 3, the return spring means 4 and the locking means 5 when closing the grip. The protection elastic blade 24 can instead be on the first jaw.

In the particular embodiment represented in FIG. 16, the protection elastic blade 24 has a curved distal end 24a directed away from the articulation 3. On closing the grip, the distal end 24a then slides on the internal face 101 of the jaw 1 to lock the locking means 5. When the distal end 24a slides on the internal face 101 of the jaw 1, the protection elastic blade 24 is pushed back elastically by the internal face 101 of the jaw 1, away from the articulation 3, the return spring means 4 and the locking means 5, thereby pushing the user's hair away from them.

Note that in the various embodiments the locking means 5 can be easily adapted to any grip using an articulation 3 that can include a hinge 3a as in the first, second and third embodiments (FIGS. 1 to 6) or a leaf spring 16 as in the fourth and fifth embodiments shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 and 12 to 17. In the first, second and third embodiments, the return spring means 4 comprise a coil spring 4a whereas in the fourth and fifth embodiments the return spring means 4 comprise the leaf spring 16. The leaf spring 16 is preferably made of metal with dimensions adapted to confer good stiffness on the articulation 3 and to produce a force urging the jaws 1 and 2 apart that is sufficient but not excessive.

In the fourth and fifth embodiments, the leaf spring 16 serves both as the articulation 3 and as the return spring means 4, which facilitates assembly of the grip by reducing the number of components. There is also no longer any coil spring to be fitted in a prestressed state.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show one embodiment of the locking means 5 of the fourth embodiment from FIGS. 7 to 9. The loops 11a and 11b, the elastic prongs 7, the articulation 3, the return spring means 4 and the leaf springs 15a and 15b can be produced from a single flat metal strip 17 that is simply cut and bent to shape along the dashed lines (FIG. 10). The flatness of the metal strip 17 can be seen better in FIG. 11. The loops 11a and 11b are produced by punching the material of the metal strip 17. The leaf springs 15a and 15b cooperate together through the particular shape of the distal end 150a of the first leaf spring 15a and the opening 150b in the second leaf spring 15b. When the metal strip 17 is being shaped, the distal end 150a is engaged in the opening 150b with a slight twist applied to the leaf spring 15a. The distal end 150a will then be retained by the opening 150b as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8.

Once shaped, the cut metal strip 17 is glued, screwed or crimped to the first and second jaws 1 and 2 of the grip by means of the openings 18a, 18b and 18c. The metal strip 17 is easy and economical to produce. The grip of the fourth embodiment of the invention is therefore produced at low cost.

FIG. 18 shows an embodiment of the locking means 5 of the fifth embodiment of FIGS. 12 to 17. It is possible to produce the hooking prongs 21a and 21b, the elastic prong 7, the articulation 3, the return spring means 4, and where applicable the protection elastic blade 24 from a single cut flat metal strip 25 that is simply shaped by bending it along the dashed lines. Once shaped, the cut metal strip 25 is glued, screwed or crimped to the first and second jaws 1 and 2 of the clamp by means of the openings 26a to 26d. The metal strip 25 is easy and economical to produce. The grip of the fifth embodiment of the invention is therefore produced at very low cost.

Although the grip shown in FIGS. 12 to 17 includes locking means with two hooking prongs 21a and 21b, it is possible to provide only one hooking prong. Using two hooking prongs 21a and 21b situated one on each side of the articulation 3 in the longitudinal direction I-I holds the jaws 1 and 2 closely parallel to each other in the closed position of the grip.

As an alternative to gluing, screwing or crimping a metal strip 17 or 25 to the first and second jaws 1 and 2 of the grip, it is possible to mold the first and second jaws 1 and 2 over a metal strip 17 or 25 once cut and bent to shape. Although overmolding the jaws 1 and 2 is shown only in FIG. 16, with a metal strip of the same type as the metal strip 25, overmolding can also be used with a metal strip of same type as the metal strip 17 to produce the fourth embodiment of the invention (FIGS. 7 to 9).

Molding the jaws 1 and 2 over a metal strip 17 or 25 means that the grips of the fourth and fifth embodiments of the invention can be produced in a single injection molding operation, without having to fix the jaws 1 and 2 to the metal strip 17 or 25 during a subsequent additional operation.

This considerably reduces the production cost of the hair grips of the fourth and fifth embodiments of the invention, the gluing, screwing or crimping operations necessitating further work that can prove costly because of the necessary labor.

The metal strips 17 and 25 can be produced from a steel such as XC45 or XC75 steel or spring steel.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments explicitly described and includes variants and generalizations thereof contained within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. Hair grip comprising: a first jaw (1) and a second jaw (2) each having a series of teeth (1b, 2b) and articulated to each other by an articulation with a longitudinal axis (I-I) to pivot between an open position and a closed position,return spring means (4) urging the two jaws (1, 2) at all times toward the open position,releasable locking means (5) for selectively locking the jaws (1, 2) in the closed position and comprising unlocking members operable by the user to unlock the jaws (1, 2),wherein the locking means (5) are conformed to lock automatically when the jaws (1, 2) pivot toward their closed position.

2. Hair grip according to claim 1, wherein the locking means (5) comprise clipping means (6, 7: 11, 7: 21a, 21b, 7) that hook onto each other automatically as soon as the jaws (1, 2) reach the closed position.

3. Hair grip according to claim 1, wherein the locking means (5) are disposed on the facing interior faces of the jaws (1, 2) in an intermediate area of each interior face between the articulation axis (I-I) and a distal end of the jaws (1, 2).

4. Hair grip according to claim 1, wherein: the locking means (5) include at least one opening (6) formed through the jaw body (1a) of the first jaw (1),the locking means (5) include at least one elastic prong (7) that extends from the second jaw (2) in the direction of the first jaw (1), has a hook-shaped distal end (7a), and can flex laterally and elastically,the elastic prong (7) is adapted selectively either (a) to hold the first jaw (1) at a fixed distance (d) from the second jaw (2) in the closed position by engagement of the hook-shape distal end (7a) in said at least one opening (6) of the first jaw (1) or (b) to release the first jaw (1) by allowing the hook-shaped distal end (7a) to escape through the opening (6) on lateral flexing of the elastic prong (7) on manipulating it by pushing it laterally (10a, 10b; 10c).

5. Hair grip according to claim 4, wherein: the jaws (1, 2) are elongate in the longitudinal direction (I-I) and each has two longitudinal ends (1c, 1d, 2c, 2d),the teeth of the series of teeth (1b, 2b) extend transversely from a distal edge (100a, 200a) of the jaw bodies (1a, 2a),said at least one elastic prong (7) extends transversely from the distal edge (200a) of the jaw body (2a) of the second jaw (2) toward the jaw body (1a) of the first jaw (1), said elastic prong (7) preferably being situated at one of the longitudinal ends (2c, 2d) of the second jaw (2).

6. Hair grip according to claim 4, wherein: said at least one elastic prong (7) is on the second jaw (2) near the articulation (3), preferably offset longitudinally relative to the articulation (3) in the direction of an end (2c, 2d) of the second jaw (2),said at least one opening (6) is in the first jaw (1), near the articulation (3) and opposite the elastic prong (7).

7. Hair grip according to claim 4, wherein said at least one elastic prong (7) includes a plurality of detents (7b) near its distal end (7a).

8. Hair grip according to claim 1, wherein: the locking means (5) include a retaining loop (11) integral with the jaw body (1a) of the first jaw (1),the locking means (5) include an elastic prong (7) that extends from the second jaw (2) in the direction of the first jaw (1), includes a hook (12) and an operating end (7c) accessible to the user for operating it, and can flex elastically and laterally,the elastic prong (7) is adapted selectively either (a) to hold the first jaw (1) at a fixed distance (d) from the second jaw (2) in the closed position by engagement of the hook (12) in the retaining loop (11) or (b) to release the first jaw (1) by allowing the hook (12) to escape from the loop (11) on lateral flexing of the elastic prong (7) by manipulating the operating end (7c) in the unlocking direction,in the closed position, the operating end (7c) is offset longitudinally relative to the articulation (3) in the direction of an end (2c, 2d) of the second jaw (2),to unlock the grip, the user causes the hook (12) to escape from the loop (11) on elastic lateral flexing of the prong (7) by applying to the operating end (7c) a force oriented substantially along the longitudinal axis (I-I).

9. Hair grip according to claim 8, wherein the elastic prong (7) includes hooks (12) with a plurality of detents (13a, 13b, 14a-14d) and/or a plurality of successive loops (20a, 20b, 110a, 110b, 111a, 111b) are situated at different distances from the first jaw.

10. Hair grip according to claim 1, wherein: the first jaw (1) includes a first transverse protection elastic blade (15a) situated beyond the locking means (5) relative to the articulation (3) and extending from the first jaw (1) in the direction of the second jaw (2),the second jaw (2) includes a second transverse protection elastic blade (15b) situated beyond the locking means (5) relative to the articulation (3) and extending from the second jaw (2) in the direction of the first jaw (1),the first protection elastic blade (15a) and the second protection elastic blade (15b) cooperate with each other on closing the grip to hold the hair away from the articulation (3), the return spring means (4) and the locking means (5).

11. Hair grip according to claim 1, wherein: the locking means (5) are locked automatically by a first relative movement toward each other of the first jaw (1) and the second jaw (2),the locking means (5) are unlocked by a second relative movement toward each other of the first jaw (1) and the second jaw (2).

12. Hair grip according to claim 11, wherein: the locking means (5) include at least one elastic prong (7) that extends from the second jaw (2) in the direction of the first jaw (1), includes a distal crossmember (20) extending over a first length (L1) in an offsetting direction (II-II), and can flex elastically,the locking means (5) include at least one hooking prong (21a, 21b) that extends from the first jaw (1) in the direction of the second jaw (2), has a distal section (210a, 210b) with transverse notch (211a, 211b) provided on one notched lateral face (22a, 22b) perpendicular to the offsetting direction (II-II), and has a proximal section (23a, 23b), the proximal section (23a, 23b) being offset by a second length (L2) in the offsetting direction (II-II) away from the distal section (210a, 210b) and the elastic prong (7),the second length (L2) is greater than or equal to the first length (L1),on the first relative movement toward each other of the first jaw (1) and the second jaw (2), the distal crossmember (20) of the elastic prong (7) is pushed back by the notched lateral face (22a, 22b) and the elastic prong (7) is flexed elastically, after which continuation of the first relative movement toward each other of the first jaw (1) and the second jaw (2) enables engagement of the distal crossmember (20) in the transverse notch (211a, 211b) of the hooking prong (21a, 21b) because of the return spring action of the elastic prong (7),on the second relative movement toward each other of the first jaw (1) and the second jaw (2), the distal crossmember (20) of the elastic prong (7) comes into corresponding relationship with the proximal section (23a, 23b) of the hooking prong (21a, 21b), which, by virtue of the return spring action of the elastic prong (7), enables displacement of the distal crossmember (20) beyond the face (22a′, 22b′) of the hooking prong (21a, 21b) opposite the notched lateral face (22a, 22b), and which thereafter enables relative movement away from each other of the first jaw (1) and the second jaw (2) because of the action of the return spring means (4).

13. Hair grip according to claim 11, wherein: the first jaw (1) or the second jaw (2) includes a protection elastic blade (24) that is situated beyond the locking means (5) relative to the articulation (3) and extends from the first jaw (1) or the second jaw (2) in the direction of the opposite jaw (2, 1),the protection elastic blade (24) holds the hair away from the articulation (3), the return spring means (4) and the locking means (5) on closing the grip.

14. Hair grip according to claim 1, wherein the articulation (3) includes a hinge (3a).

15. Hair grip according to claim 1, wherein the return spring means (4) comprise a coil spring (4a).

16. Hair grip according to claim 14, wherein the return spring means (4) comprise at least one leaf spring (16), preferably of metal.

17. Hair grip according to claim 1, wherein the articulation (3) and the return spring means (4) comprise at least one leaf spring (16), preferably of metal.

18. Hair grip according to claim 9, wherein the retaining loop (11, 11a, 11b), the elastic prong (7), the articulation (3) and the return spring means (4) are produced from a single flat metal strip (17) cut and bent to shape.

19. Hair grip according to claim 10, wherein the retaining loop (11, 11a, 11b), the elastic prong (7), the articulation (3), the return spring means (4) and the leaf springs (15a, 15b, 16) are produced from a single flat metal strip (17) cut and bent to shape.

20. Hair grip according to claim 12, wherein the hooking prongs (21a, 21b), the elastic prong (7), the articulation (3) and the return spring means (4) are produced from a single flat metal strip (25) cut and bent to shape.

21. Hair grip according to claim 13, wherein the hooking prongs (21a, 21b), the elastic prong (7), the articulation (3), the return spring means (4) and the protection elastic blade (24) are produced from a single flat metal strip (25) cut and bent to shape.

22. Hair grip according to claim 18, wherein the first jaw (1) and the second jaw (2) are molded over the flat metal strip (17, 25) when cut and bent to shape.