Patent Application
20170099901
The disclosed technology relates generally to hair accessories and, more specifically, to hair extensions.
Hair extensions add length to the hair by clipping, gluing, sewing, weaving, or otherwise adding hair to one's head. Rather than wait for months to grow one's hair to a desired length and having to spend extensive amounts of time styling the hair, one can simply add an extension to one's existing hair. Hair extensions can be styled like regular hair, but they last up to three months without the need for further styling.
One downside to hair extensions is the time necessary to weave, glue, or sew hair extensions into one's own hair. A woman might spend hours at a salon getting hair extensions set in place. While clipping hair extensions can be less time-consuming, the clips tend to lack strength; e.g., if the hair becomes caught on an object or is pulled too hard, the entire extension can become disconnected from the hair. Further, the tension of clips can weaken over time, meaning that the hair extension is no longer held as firmly as it once was.
Another problem with hair extensions is quality versus cost of procurement. One can purchase human hair, but it is very expensive. Or one can purchase synthetic hair, but it is usually much heavier than human hair and does not look as nice.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide improved hair extensions which are inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use, and which are less bulky/have less weight.
A hair extension of embodiments of the disclosed technology is formed from the wrapping of synthetic resin fibers or semi-synthetic fibers (defined as “naturally occurring fibers which are chemically treated, in order to change their chemical properties”) into a yarn having a first end and said second end. A mid-region is situated between the first and the second ends. The first and second ends are defined by the regions which will be tapered (have a smaller cross-sectional area than the mid-region) once the hair extension is completed.
The yarn of the synthetic resin or semi-synthetic fibers is wrapped around a resilient elongated member, starting at a mid-region of the yarn, such as at a mid-point, or substantially a mid-point, of the yarn. The yarn is then doubled over on itself, forming a double thickness region of the yarn, such as along most of, substantially all of, or all of the mid-region of the yarn. A tapered end is formed from the first end and second ends being wrapped around each other, the tapered end having a smaller cross-sectional area than the double thickness region. The resilient elongated member is then removed from the double thickness region of the yarn. This causes a portal to be formed where the elongated member exited from the double thickness region of the yarn, this portal being substantially, or exactly, at an opposite end from the tapered end.
The hair extension can be crocheted to hair by way of the portal. The synthetic resin fibers or semi-synthetic fibers are, in some embodiments of the disclosed technology, limited to semi-synthetic fibers derived from naturally occurring, chemically treated, fibers. Removal of the resilient elongated member from the double thickness region creates a hollow interior space substantially, mostly, or fully between the tapered end and the portal, in embodiments of the disclosed technology.
A distance from the tapered end to the portal has a first resting distance. Due to the elasticity of the fibers and hollow interior, this distance can be increased, or extended to a second distance, which is at least 10% greater than the resting distance. This can be accomplished by applying pressure, such that the tapered end is pulled away from the portal. In embodiments of the disclosed technology, the resilient nature of the fibers/yarn is such that, after releasing, the resting distance is restored. This can happen, for example, when attaching the hair extension to the hair, or while wearing the hair extension, when one pulls on the tapered end.
Another way of describing embodiments of the disclosed technology is by way of a method of use. A pliable (defined as able to deform and return to its original shape and elasticity (or substantially original shape and substantial elasticity) to further forces which change its shape) and hollow (defined as having an interior space filled with the ambient atmospheric air or surroundings) hair extension is used as follows. One procures fibers wrapped into a length of yarn (defined as at least three strands/fibers which are wrapped around each other repeatedly). On wraps the yarn at least partially around a resilient (defined as retaining its shape and form in the face of outside forces acting there-on during regular usage) elongated member (such as a stick or pole) starting substantially at a mid-point of the length of the yarn. One then continues wrapping the yarn around the resilient elongated member until opposite ends of the length of yarn wrap around each other into a tapered end. The tapered end is defined as a region of the yarn wrapped around itself, which has a smaller cross-sectional area than the rest of the yarn, which is wrapped around itself. One then removes the resilient elongated member from the yarn, forming a hollow interior in the rest of the yarn.
Upon the step of removing, a portal is formed at an opposite end from the tapered end, in embodiments of the disclosed technology. The portal has a space entering into a hollow region of the wrapped yarn and is adjacent to the rest of the yarn. One can also crochet the hair extension to hair by way of the portal.
The tapered region can be solid, and the rest of the yarn, except for or including the portal, can be hollow. The yarn can be produced from a plurality of semi-synthetic fibers derived from naturally occurring fibers which are chemically treated.
An additional step of attaching the portal to hair can be carried out by means of crochet stitching. Before, during, or after the step of attaching, one can pull the tapered end away from the portal, increasing the distance between the tapered end and the portal by at least 10%. Upon release, the distance returns to the original amount which existed before the pulling. In other words, the hair attachment is both pliable and resilient, in embodiments of the disclosed technology.
“Substantially” and “substantially shown,” for purposes of this specification, are defined as a majority of at least 90%. It should be understood that the use of “and/or” is defined inclusively such that the term “a and/or b” should be read to include the sets: “a and b,” “a or b,” “a,” “b.” The parts which are described as being part of a device can consist or comprise thereof.
A hair extension is formed by wrapping a mid-region of a length of yarn around a stick or pole. One removes the stick or pole which has created a hollow interior with portal on one end of the hair extension, and which tapers the other end. One can then attach the hair extension to hair. The hair extension is light weight by virtue of the hollow interior and can return to its original shape, structure, and length when forces acting on the tapered end stretch the length of the extension. The hair extension can be procured from semi-synthetic fibers.
Embodiments of the disclosed technology will become clearer in view of the following description of the drawings.
Here, the yarn 32 is wrapped, started at a mid-point or substantially a mid-point, around a resilient elongated member 30. This elongated member can be a stick, pole, or the like having a much greater length than its width/circumference by a factor of, for example 10, 20, 30, or more. The yarn 32 is then wrapped around the elongated member 30 and the opposite side of itself producing a double-layer of yarn extending repeatedly around the elongated member 30. As such, the yarn 32 becomes wrapped around the elongated member 30.
Referring again to
While the disclosed technology has been taught with specific reference to the above embodiments, a person having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and the scope of the disclosed technology. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. Combinations of any of the methods, systems, and devices described hereinabove are also contemplated and within the scope of the invention.
