Patent Application
20140144460
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hair clips, and more specifically, to a hair clip for anchoring multiple sections of hair with the use of one hand.
2. Description of the Related Art
Both professional hair stylists and do-it-yourselfers at home use a number of tools and accessories. Traditional hair clips are used to separate and/or position a section of hair. Hair clips may be used on wet or dry hair during a number of different tasks such as hair cutting, hair coloring, hair highlighting, blow drying hair, hair styling, and applying hair extensions. Hair clips may also be used as a styling tool to sculpt hair or to keep hair off of a person's face while applying makeup.
Hair clips are well known and come in a few common types. One type of hair clip includes jaws pushed together by a spring. This type of clip requires two hands to operate, one to hold open the jaw, and another to insert a section of hair into the jaw. Multiple hair clips need to be used to separate and/or secure multiple sections of hair.
Another type of hair clip called the Assistant Clip is similar to the first type, but with additional comb-like bristles on the outward side of one of the jaw. The bristles help hold a second section of hair within the bristles. This type of hair clip still requires two hands and does not fully secure the second section of hair.
Another type is a the Hair Clip (U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,636) for restraining one to two portions of hair during the cutting, coloring and styling process which includes a novel structure wherein two jaws independently operate by manipulation of two side by side finger grip structures. This type of clip requires the use of both hands to operate, one to open the first or second jaw by pushing on the first or second finger grip structure while the other hand is used to slide a section of hair into the first or second jaw.
Another type of hair clip is the Hair Waving Apparatus (U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,533 B2) which relates generally to hair waving for styling purposes only. This invention includes one finger grip structure which opens one jaw in order to secure and make a “wave” in one section of hair.
Another type is the Hair Holding Device (U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,850) which is a device for holding hair, such as a barrette or hair clip which is used during or after setting hair. This type of clip only holds one section of hair.
It is desirable to provide a hair clip that avoids the foregoing disadvantages of known hair clips. It is to these ends the present invention is directed.
Accordingly, the present invention provides for an effective device which is capable of closing a door via command from a remote controller. The present invention saves user time in manually closing a door and also avoids complex and time consuming installation and removal.
A hair clip includes a lower body with a lower jaw, a lower joint, and a lower finger grip structure. An upper body includes an upper jaw, a first upper joint, a second upper joint, and an upper finger grip structure, where the first upper joint is rotatably coupled to the lower joint. A secondary body includes a secondary jaw and a secondary joint, where the secondary joint is rotatably coupled to the second upper joint. A primary spring and primary hinge pin couples to the lower body and the upper body, where the primary spring is configured to push the upper jaw towards the lower jaw. A secondary spring and secondary hinge pin couples to the upper body and the secondary body, where the secondary spring is configured to push the secondary jaw towards the upper jaw. The upper body does NOT include finger grip structures to open.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become more fully understood upon further review of the following specifications and accompanying drawings.
The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:
A hair clip will now be described. In the following exemplary description numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to an artisan of ordinary skill that the present invention may be practiced without incorporating all aspects of the specific details described herein. In other instances, specific features, quantities, or measurements well known to those of ordinary skill in the art have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the invention. Readers should note that although examples of the invention are set forth herein, the claims, and the full scope of any equivalents, are what define the true scope of the invention.
The first upper joint 205 is movably coupled to the lower joint 106 by the primary hinge pin 109 and primary spring 107. In some embodiments, the movable coupling of the first upper joint 205 and the lower joint 106 may be a rotational coupling allowing the lower body to rotate relative to the upper body about an axis of rotation at the first upper joint 205 and the lower joint 106. Rotating the lower body relative to the upper body allows the lower jaw 104 to move towards or away from the upper jaw 204 and thus allowing the lower jaw 104 and the upper jaw 204 to open and shut. A primary spring 107 couples to the upper body and the lower body and is used to rotationally compress the lower jaw 104 and the upper jaw 204 towards each other into a shut position.
In some other embodiments, the movable coupling of the first upper joint 205 and the lower joint 106 may comprise of a spring material that allows the lower jaw 104 to move towards or away from the upper jaw 204 and thus allowing the lower jaw 104 and the upper jaw 204 to open and shut. The primary spring 107 material may be any flexible construction material such as spring metal or plastic polymer. The primary spring 107 material not only movably couples the lower body to the upper body but also compresses the lower jaw 104 towards the upper jaw 204 into a shut position.
A user may compress the lower finger grip structure 102 towards the upper finger grip structure 202 to pry the lower jaw 104 away from the upper jaw 204 in to an open position. While holding the lower finger grip structure 102 and upper forger grip structure 202 compressed with a single hand, the user may then insert the upper jaw 204 and the lower jaw 104 into a head of hair to separate a section of hair between the upper jaw 204 and the lower jaw 104. This action may be accomplished with one hand to operate the hair clip and the other hand to section hair into the hair clip. The lower jaw 104 and the upper jaw 204 will return to the shut position when the user ceases to compress the lower handle 102 towards the upper handle 202.
The secondary joint 306 is movably coupled to the second upper joint 206 by the secondary hinge pin 209 and secondary spring 207. In some embodiments, the movable coupling of the secondary joint 306 and the second upper joint 206 may be a rotational coupling allowing the secondary body to rotate relative to the upper body about an axis of rotation at the secondary joint 306 and the second upper joint 206. Rotating the secondary body relative to the upper body allows the secondary jaw 304 to move towards or away from the upper jaw 204 and thus allowing the secondary jaw 304 and the upper jaw 204 to open and shut. A secondary spring 207 couples to the upper body and the secondary body and is used to rotationally compress the secondary jaw 304 and the upper jaw 204 towards each other into a shut position.
In some other embodiments, the movable coupling of the second upper joint 206 and the second joint 306 may comprise of a secondary spring material 207 secured by a secondary hinge pin 209 that allows the secondary jaw 304 to move towards or away from the upper jaw 204 and thus allowing the secondary jaw 304 and the upper jaw 204 to open and shut. The spring material may be any flexible construction material such as spring metal or plastic polymer. The spring material not only movably couples the secondary body to the upper body but also compresses the secondary jaw 304 towards the upper jaw 204 into a shut position.
The secondary jaw 304 has an upward curved edge 309. The upward curved edge 309 allows the user to slide a section or multiple sections of hair in and out of the secondary jaw 304 and the upper jaw 204 without the need of a second set of finger grip structures. This allows the user to slide multiple sections of hair in and out of the secondary jaw 304 and upper Jaw 204 with the use of only one hand to manipulate the hair thru the opening between the curved upward curved edge 309 and the upper jaw 204 creating pressure which will open the secondary jaw 304 and the upper jaw 204. There is not a second set of finger grip structures needed to do this which will free one hand for the user and save valuable time.
The secondary joint 306 is positioned at one end of the secondary body. In some embodiments of a hair clip, the secondary joint 306 and the second upper joint 206 is positioned near the first upper joint 205 and the lower joint 106. The secondary jaw 304 in these embodiments extends in the same direction as the lower jaw 104. In some other embodiments of a hair clip, the secondary joint 306 and the second upper joint 206 is positioned near an end of the upper jaw 204 that is opposite of the upper finger grip structure 202. The secondary jaw 304 and upward curved edge 309 in these embodiments extends in the opposite direction as the lower jaw 104.
While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.
