Patent Application
20250017345
The present disclosure is related generally to hair processing and, more particularly in embodiments of the described principles, to methods and systems for creating, extending or repairing a lock of human hair, synthetic hair, or a combination of human and synthetic hair.
It has become popular for both men and women to style the hair of their head into a number of “locks” or groupings of multiple hair strands. Depending upon its method of creation and appearance, this overall style may be variously referred as “traditional locks,” “freeform locks,” “two-strand twist locks,” “interlocking locks,” or “sister locks.”
With respect to sister locks in particular, the hair locks that comprise this style can very small or fine, and may be referred to as microlocks or micro locks. By way of comparison, while an average head of dread locks may comprise about 150-300 locks, an average head of micro sister locks may contain as many as 400-800 locks or even more.
As such, installing sister locks is a very labor-intensive, time-consuming endeavor. The locks are created from the client's hair to begin, and then grown and repeatedly processed during growth to ensure that they remain locks and do not disassemble into looser hair groups. At the outset, the client must safeguard newly formed sister locks from dirt, water and physical disturbance while the locks “set.” Unfortunately, this setting process can take anywhere from several months to a year, during which period the client cannot freely wash or style their hair for fear of damage. In addition, activities that involve water, such as swimming, must be completely foregone while the locks set.
Finally, even after micro sister locks have set, they are still susceptible to damage and breakoff, and may need frequent retwisting and repair. Overall, sister locks, as they are currently produced, require a significant and disruptive lifestyle change, and indeed, there are many support groups to encourage wearers to persevere, and “trust the process.” However, for at least the reasons listed above, quality sister locks are simply not practical for people with little time for hair care, or who cannot tolerate the setting period.
Before proceeding, it should be appreciated that the present disclosure is directed to methods and systems that may address some of the shortcomings listed or implicit in this Background section; however, any such benefit is not a limitation on the scope of the disclosed principles, nor of the attached claims, except to the extent expressly noted in the claims.
Additionally, the discussion of current practice in this Background section is reflective of the inventor's own observations, considerations, and thoughts, and is in no way intended to accurately catalog or comprehensively summarize any prior art reference or practice. As such, the inventor expressly disclaims this section as admitted or assumed prior art. Moreover, the identification herein of one or more desirable courses of action reflects the inventor's own observations and ideas, and should not be assumed to indicate an art-recognized desirability.
In an embodiment of the disclosed principles, methods and systems are provided for generating and applying a lock of hair. In an embodiment, the method entails generally providing a hair group, dividing the hair group into more than one and no more than three subgroups, processing the multiple subgroups via multi-stage braiding, if there are three subgroups, or multi-stage twisting, if there are two subgroups, with the multi-stage braiding or multi-stage twisting be interrupted by a regrouping of the existing subgroups into an equivalent number of different subgroups, and following a multi-stage braiding with a multi-stage twisting, and following a multi-stage twisting with a multi-stage braiding, until a desired lock length is attained. Multiple such locks may be affixed to a person's head to provide a locks hairstyle to the person.
With respect to installation of the locks to a person's head, the person's existing hair is divided into four generally square quadrants, which can be denoted clockwise as quadrants 1, 2, 3 and 4. Quadrants 1 and 4 (front) will have about 65 locks each and quadrants 2 and 3 (back) will have about 85 locks each. This should equal a total of about 300 locks, which is the average number of locks per client. Whatever the total number of locks is decided upon, it should allow for about 22% of the locks for each of quadrants 1 and 4 and about 28% of the locks for each of quadrants 2 and 3.
Once the person's hair is parted and sectioned off, the innovative technique is performed on the virgin hair, e.g., starting off with the three braid rotation, followed by five, two-strand twists, repeating all the way to the end of the hair. At that point, a lock of similar width, color and construction is “loaded” onto the virgin lock via a needle, with about 1.5 inches of free hair end at the top. This free hair length is then used to first lock the added lock into place using a 3 braid set. This set is then followed by the two/strand twist set. The two strand twist set is also used to make soft spots in the lock more solid and to create greater width where there is thinning. This is done by more of a wrapping motion during the twisting, where you wrap one lock around another until the desired thickness is reached.
After the new lock is secured into virgin hair lock, the hybrid lock technique is used down throughout the length of the lock, using “adding hair” to thinning spots in the lock only as needed. End the lock with a two-strand twist. At this point, this lock should undergo a final step called wrapping. This consists of covering the existing lock with 2-3 strands of hair all the way down to the end of the lock using the hybrid lock technique only adding hair just to lengthen this last wrap so as to bring it to the end of the lock. Repeat these steps until the whole head of virgin hair is covered in hybrid lock. Trim ends of lock for tidiness unless client decides otherwise.
Other features and aspects of the disclosed principles will be apparent from the detailed description taken in conjunction with the included figures, of which:
While the appended claims set forth the features of the present techniques with particularity, these techniques, together with their objects and advantages, may be best understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
As noted above, sister locks are a very desirable hairstyle comprising many small or “micro” locks. Currently, however, sister locks remain out of reach of most users, as they are too busy to accommodate the initial setting period, the strenuous upkeep and the frequently required maintenance and repair.
The present invention provides methods and systems for creating and installing micro locks that are secure from the moment of installation (no set period required), that are robust against rough handling (no frequent fallout and break-offs), and that can be largely treated as the user's natural hair would be treated.
With this overview in mind, we turn now to a more detailed discussion of the disclosed principles in conjunction with the attached figures. Turning more specifically to the figures,
Turning to
A process 400, shown in the flowchart of
To begin creation of a “micro lock” in accordance with the present disclosure, the hair group 300 of
The two strands 500, 510 will be twisted 10 times at stage 403, with each twist being a 180-degree cross-rotation of the groups 500, 510 using the worker's natural two-strand twist pattern. However, on the sixth rotation, the worker is to split the hair in a different location then continue twisting until the end of the 10-twist set. This different splitting location will serve to further matte, tangle and secure the hair. As with the end of every stage, the lock is held tight by pulling the hair groups in opposite directions and holding this tension.
Returning to process 400, the two hair groups are split into three pieces and braided 3 times at stage 405, maintaining the tension from above. After the third braid, the three hair groups are split in two in different location (i.e., neither split between the three groups remains a split between the subsequent three groups). Again, the lock is kept tight by pulling hair pieces in opposite directions and holding tension.
At stage 407, the two groups are twist 6 times, almost completely covering the foregoing braid, with the groups being re-split in a different location after the fourth twist of the set. Again, the lock is kept tight by pulling hair pieces in opposite directions and holding tension. The thickest group of hair is then divided into two pieces so there are again three hair groups, and the process then reverts to stage 405 to repeat the 3-braid rotation, splitting hair differently on the third braid as before, and keeping the lock tight by pulling the hair groups in opposite directions and holding this tension.
If at any time the overall hair group is beginning to become thinner than starting width, the worker should add in a small amount of new hair to the lock during a braid set. This may be done by inserting a new piece of hair horizontally through the groups, and then smoothing and pulling the new hair ends tightly, then executing a 3-braid rotation as in stage 405, splitting the hair groups differently on the third braid. As before, the lock is kept tight by pulling the hair groups in opposite directions and holding this tension.
It is preferred to add additional hair in a proper amount and only as needed, i.e., not in excess. The goal is a lock of generally uniform thickness, neither shrinking nor growing in width, and without lumps. It is also preferred to not add hair during the twisting process, but only when starting the braiding process, where the added hair can be sufficiently locked into place. It will be appreciated that additional hair is added not only to maintain the thickness of the overall hair group but also to lengthen the lock as needed.
As shown in the process 400, stages 405-407 may be repeated until the hair is of the desired length. At that time, the lock may be ended at stage 409 with a braid and swirl/2 strand twist ends with fingers.
It will be appreciated that locks of the highest quality are desired so as to provide a superior result for the client of the process 400. A quality test used by the inventor requires that the worker inspect the lock for untwisting or visible holes. Hole defects may be repaired by threading an additional piece of very thin hair, e.g., via a needle, above the hole or unraveling area and repeating stages 405-407 to the end of the lock.
While the creation of high-quality locks as described above is important, it is equally important to properly meld the completed high-quality lock with the client's own hair. With respect to installation of the locks to a person's head, the person's existing hair is divided into four generally square quadrants, which can be denoted clockwise as quadrants 1, 2, 3 and 4. Quadrants 1 and 4 (front) will have about 65 locks each and quadrants 2 and 3 (back) will have about 85 locks each. This should equal a total of about 300 locks, which is the average number of locks per client. Whatever the total number of locks is decided upon, it should allow for about 22% of the locks for each of quadrants 1 and 4 and about 28% of the locks for each of quadrants 2 and 3.
Once the person's hair is parted and sectioned off, the innovative technique of stage 400 is performed on the virgin hair, e.g., starting off with the three braid rotation, followed by five, two-strand twists, repeating all the way to the end of the hair. At that point, a lock of similar width, color and construction is “loaded” onto the virgin lock via a needle, with about 1.5 inches of free hair end at the top (lock length being selected to match client's desired hair style). This free hair length is then used to first lock the added lock into place using a 3 braid set. This set is then followed by the two/strand twist set. The two strand twist set is also used to make soft spots in the lock more solid and to create greater width where there is thinning. This is done by more of a wrapping motion during the twisting, where you wrap one lock around another until the desired thickness is reached.
After the new lock is secured into virgin hair lock, the hybrid lock technique is used down throughout the length of the lock, using “adding hair” to thinning spots in the lock only as needed. End the lock with a two-strand twist. At this point, this lock should undergo a final step called wrapping. This consists of covering the existing lock with 2-3 strands of hair all the way down to the end of the lock using the hybrid lock technique only adding hair just to lengthen this last wrap so as to bring it to the end of the lock. Repeat these steps until the whole head of virgin hair is covered in hybrid lock. Trim ends of lock for tidiness unless client decides otherwise.
As used herein, the phrase “at least one of” preceding a series of items, with the term “and” or “or” to separate any of the items, modifies the list as a whole, rather than each member of the list (i.e., each item). The phrase “at least one of” does not require selection of at least one of each item listed; rather, the phrase allows a meaning that includes at least one of any one of the items, and/or at least one of any combination of the items, and/or at least one of each of the items. By way of example, the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C” or “at least one of A, B, or C” each refer to only A, only B, or only C; any combination of A, B, and C; and/or at least one of each of A, B, and C.
A disclosure relating to an aspect may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. An aspect may provide one or more examples of the disclosure. A phrase such as an “aspect” may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa. A phrase such as an “embodiment” does not imply that such embodiment is essential to the subject technology or that such embodiment applies to all configurations of the subject technology.
A disclosure relating to an embodiment may apply to all embodiments, or one or more embodiments. An embodiment may provide one or more examples of the disclosure. A phrase such an “embodiment” may refer to one or more embodiments and vice versa. A phrase such as a “configuration” does not imply that such configuration is essential to the subject technology or that such configuration applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to a configuration may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. A configuration may provide one or more examples of the disclosure. A phrase such as a “configuration” may refer to one or more configurations and vice versa.
The words “preferred,” “exemplary,” “exemplify,” and “example” are used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” or as an “example” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “include,” “have,” or the like is used in the description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprise” as “comprise” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “include,” “have,” or the like is used in the description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprise” as “comprise” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is recited using the phrase “step for.”
Reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more. Pronouns in the masculine (e.g., his) include the feminine and neuter gender (e.g., her and its) and vice versa. Headings and subheadings, if any, are used for convenience only and do not limit the subject disclosure.
While this disclosure contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of particular implementations of the subject matter. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a sub combination or variation of a sub combination.
In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the present disclosure may be applied, it should be recognized that the embodiments described herein with are meant to be illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the claims. Therefore, the techniques as described herein contemplate all such embodiments as may come within the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.
