Pony Tail Hair Extension Having Elastic Cord with Hooks

Abstract

A ponytail hair extension includes a base comprising one or more pieces of fabric, including a topmost piece of fabric, one or more hair wefts sewn to each of the pieces of fabric, a hook attached to the topmost piece of fabric, and an elastic band having two ends, wherein there is a hook on each end of the elastic hair band.

Description

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to hair extensions. More specifically embodiments relate to a ponytail hair extensions having an elastic securing material.

Background

Hair extensions come in a number of varieties including clip-ins, tie-ins, and halo- or crown-like designs. Examples include extensions to add volume and/or length to hair, to cover portions of the head, and to add volume and length for ponytails.

Conventional ponytail hair extensions generally comprise two portions of hair. A first portion comprises the hair for provided increased volume and length. The second portion is used to wrap around the base of the ponytail extension to hide it. Further, conventional ponytail extensions are secured using Velcro.

To use such a conventional ponytail hair extension, a wearer creates a ponytail with her actual hair and secures it using a hair clip or other securing device. The wearer then clips in the conventional ponytail hair extension to the created actual hair ponytail, removes the securing clip, and wraps the ponytail hair extension around the actual hair ponytail to secure it to the base with the Velcro. The wearer then wraps the second portion of the hair to hide the base, and secures the second portion of hair using a securing device such as a bobby pin.

There are a number of problems with conventional ponytail hair extensions. One such problem is that the Velcro is difficult to work with. For example, when trying to wrap the conventional ponytail extension around the actual hair, the both the first and second portions of the hair of the ponytail hair extension, as well as the wearer's actual hair can get tangled in the Velcro. Moreover, the clips tend not to hold the hair very well. Thus, a conventional ponytail hair extension can slide and pull on the wearer's hair which can be very irritating and uncomfortable.

SUMMARY

To overcome the problems associated with conventional ponytail hair extensions, a ponytail hair extension is provided that has a hook to engage with a ponytail holder and an elastic cord having a hook at each end. The ponytail extension has one or more hair wefts attached to one or more fabric pieces that form a base for the ponytail extension. In an embodiment, one of the pieces of fabric is folded upon itself to form a lengthwise channel in which the elastic cord having the hooks on each end rests such that the hooks are outside the channel. In another embodiment, a separate piece of fabric is used to form the channel through which the elastic band is run. The hair wefts can be made from natural or synthetic hair strands. The natural or synthetic hair strands can be of the same or different lengths.

In operation, a ponytail holder, such as a hair band, is used to create and hold a ponytail using the wearer's natural hair by inserting the wearer's hair into a loop formed by the ponytail holder and then wrapping the ponytail holder upon itself to make multiple smaller loops that secure a ponytail made from the wearer's natural hair. The elastic cord is wrapped around the ponytail at the ponytail holder, and the hooks at the ends of the elastic cord are inserted between wraps in the ponytail holder. To hide the ponytail holder and complete the look a portion of the ponytail hair extension is wrapped around the ponytail holder and secured in place, using for example, a bobby pin.

In an embodiment, a ponytail hair extension includes a base comprising one or more pieces of fabric, including a topmost piece of fabric, one or more hair wefts sewn to each of the pieces of fabric, a hook attached to the topmost piece of fabric, and an elastic band having two ends, wherein there is a hook on each end of the elastic hair band.

In another embodiment, a method for using a ponytail hair extension having an elastic band with two ends, and a hook at each end includes forming a ponytail of natural hair, securing the ponytail using a ponytail holder, hooking the ponytail hair extension to the ponytail holder using a hook, hooking one of the hooks at one end of the elastic band into the hair of the ponytail, and wrapping the ponytail extension around the ponytail tightly and securing the pony tai hair extension using the other hook at the other end of the elastic band. In addition, the method can include wrapping a portion of the hair of the ponytail hair extension around the ponytail holder to hide the ponytail holder; and securing the wrapped portion with a bobby pin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates a ponytail extension according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1B illustrates a ponytail extension according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an elastic cord with hooks at each end according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary base with hair wefts layers.

FIG. 4 illustrates an ponytail hair extension having elastic anchors for anchoring hooks at its ends according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate use of a ponytail hair extension according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a ponytail extension 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 1, ponytail extension 100 comprises a base 103 comprising one more overlapping pieces of fabric 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, and 102e. As explained below, one or more hair wefts are sewn onto pieces of fabric 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, and 102e. The overlapping of fabric pieces 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, and 102e provides for a layering effect of the hair wefts. In an embodiment, this is accomplished by sewing fabric pieces 102a to fabric piece 102b at seam 104a, fabric piece 102b to fabric piece 102c at seam 104b, fabric piece 102c to fabric piece 102d at seam 104c, and fabric piece 102d to fabric piece 102e at seam 104d. In an embodiment, fabric pieces 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d are lace.

Attached to base 103 is a hook or clasp 112. Hook 112 hooks onto a ponytail holder, such as a hair band. An exemplary hair band is an elastic hair band having a generally circular shape. In an embodiment, hook 112 is attached to the topmost piece of fabric 102a. In an embodiment, hook 112 is attached at or near the center of piece of fabric 102a at or near its upper edge. Hook 112 thus serves as an anchor for ponytail extension 100 to anchor it to a ponytail holder.

An elastic cord 106 is incorporated in ponytail extension 100. As shown in FIG. 1A, in one embodiment, elastic band 106 is wrapped by folding piece of fabric 102a over on itself to form a channel 110 in which elastic cord 106 is placed. Elastic cord 106 has two hooks 108a and 108b on its ends. Alternatively, piece of fabric 102a is folded to cover only a portion of elastic band 106, and elastic band 106 is attached to piece of fabric 102a, for example, by sewing.

FIG. 1B illustrates a second embodiment of a ponytail extension 101 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrates in FIG. 1B, a separate piece of fabric 114 is sewn onto base 103 for example sewn to the top most fabric piece 102a. A small portion of fabric piece 114 is folded over itself and sewn back to itself to form a channel 116 into which elastic cord 106 is placed. In an embodiment, fabric piece 114 is bias tape or wig tape, both of which are well known to those having skill in the art. Other fabrics may be used for fabric piece 114 so long as they hold elastic cord 106 in a particular implementation

FIG. 2 illustrates an elastic cord 106 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, elastic cord has at its ends 2 hooks, 108a and 108b. Elastic bands having hooks for use in embodiments are well known to those having skill in the art and available for example on Amazon.com in offerings by Frcolor, BinaryABC, JaneDream. Hotop, and Mini Skater. Alternatively, hooks 108a and 108b can be attached to elastic band 106 by any number of techniques that would be well-known to those having skill in the art, such as using a securing collar or clamping. In an embodiment, elastic cord 106 is a bungee cord or shock cord.

FIG. 3 illustrates a base 103 with attached hair wefts in layers according to an embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 3, hair wefts 402a, 402b, 402c, and 402d are attached to one or more of the pieces of fabric 102a, 102b, 102c making up base 103. For example, the hair wefts can be sewn to the pieces of fabric. The hair wefts can be sewn anywhere on the fabric, For example, in an embodiment, the hair wefts are sewn to the fabric pieces near the seam that attaches one fabric piece of base 103 to another.

Each hair weft 402a, 402b, 402c, and 402d comprises one or more hair strands. The hair strands making up each hair weft can be synthetic or human hair. The hair strands can be of any desired length and single or double pulled. The hairs strands in a particular weft can be of variable or the same length and single and/or double pulled.

FIG. 4 illustrates a ponytail hair extension having elastic anchors 402a and 402b for anchoring hooks 108a and 108b at its ends according to another embodiment of the present invention. Anchors 402a and 402b are made of an elastic material. Anchors 402a and 402b are formed by folding the elastic material upon itself and sewing the ends at seams 406a and 406b to form loops 404a and 404b. Prior to sewing seams 406a and 406b, hooks 108a and 108b are placed inside loops 404a and 404b respectively.

FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate use of a ponytail hair extension 100 according to an embodiment. In FIG. 5A, the wearer first forms a ponytail 502 of the wearer's natural hair and secures the ponytail using a ponytail holder 502. Next, as shown in FIG. 5B the wearer hooks ponytail hair extension 100 to ponytail holder 504 using hook 112. Then, as shown in FIG. 5C, the wearer hooks one of the hooks attached to elastic cord 106 into the hair of the ponytail 502. For example, hook 108a can be inserted in ponytail 502 just below ponytail holder 504. The wearer then wraps ponytail extension 100 tightly around ponytail 502 secure ponytail hair extension 100, and inserts the other hook, hook 108b, into the hair of ponytail 502. For example, hook 108b can be inserted into the hair of ponytail 502 under ponytail holder 504. Finally, as shown in FIG. 5d, the wearer wraps a portion 508 of the hair of ponytail hair extension 100 around ponytail holder 504 to hide ponytail holder 504. The wearer can secure wrapped portion 508 using a bobby pin.

The foregoing disclosure of the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many variations and modifications of the embodiments described herein will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the above disclosure. The scope of the invention is to be defined only by the claims appended hereto, and by their equivalents.

Claims

1. A ponytail hair extension, comprising: a base comprising one or more pieces of fabric, including a topmost piece of fabric;one or more hair wefts sewn to each of the pieces of fabric;a hook attached to the topmost piece of fabric; andan elastic band having two ends, wherein there is a hook on each end of the elastic hair band.

2. The ponytail hair extension of claim 1, wherein the pieces of fabric comprising the base are sewn to one another in a layered fashion to provide a layering of the hair wefts sewn to the respective pieces of fabric.

3. A method for using a ponytail hair extension having an elastic band with two ends, and a hook at each end, comprising: forming a ponytail of natural hair;securing the ponytail using a ponytail holder;hooking the ponytail hair extension to the ponytail holder using a hook;hooking one of the hooks at one end of the elastic band into the hair of the ponytail; andwrapping the ponytail extension around the ponytail tightly and securing the pony tai hair extension using the other hook at the other end of the elastic band.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: wrapping a portion of the hair of the ponytail hair extension around the ponytail holder to hide the ponytail holder; andsecuring the wrapped portion with a bobby pin.