Hook on pony tail accessory
The present invention comprises a fastening and decorative device which comprises a resilient o-ring shaped anchor ring and a decorative device or unit comprising in combination an ornamental unit connected to a base support unit having hook on means for removeably attaching to the anchor ring. The hook on means is connected to the back of the base support unit and comprises a reversed R-shaped configuration in cross section. An alternative embodiment for the hook on means comprises an inverted J-shaped configuration in cross section, connected to the back of the base support unit. Another alternative embodiment of the device resides in removeably attached snap on units connecting the ornamental unit to the back support unit. The decorative device can also contain hook on clip units.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an anchor ring/hook on pony tail accessory or ornament. The hook on pony tail accessory enables the user to selectively mount various decorative pieces on a base unit which attaches to the anchor ring in order to increase the variety and aesthetic features of a desired hair style. Alternatively, the decorative piece and base unit can be molded or formed into a single unit.
Substantial segments of the human population allow their hair to grow long. This hair style has been particularly true of young women. In recent or modern times this concept has been adopted by men as well. In the past many such individuals, especially women, styled their hair into a single or occasionally a double strand or pigtail and used various devices and/or ornaments to hold them into a desired style.
More recently, women and men allow their hair to grow long and frequently fashion their hair into a uni-sex type style, where hair is formed into a single strand of hair or ponytail near the back portion of the human head.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over the years, numerous devices have been devised to hold hair in a particular orientation on the human head. The prior art disclose and teach a variety of methods and devices for holding hair, for example, pony tails in a desired manner or fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,405 B1 to McRoberts issued Jul. 30, 2002 entitled Snap On Pony Tail Holder/Anchor discloses a hair fastening and ornamental device for use in securing a pony tail on an individuals head. The device comprises a flexible, resilient anchor ring for encircling and holding strands of hair, wherein the anchor has snap on means and a pony tail holder with snap on means for removeably mating with the snap on means of the anchor ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,161 to Kohanek entitled Method And Apparatus For Forming A Hair fastener describes a hair fastening device and a method of holding hair in place inside an elongated cylindrically shaped, hair fastener made from a flexible material. The hair fastener is formed from a single rectangular piece of flexible material. The hair fastener has hooking means by which the fastener is held in place by attaching it to a conventional hair fastening device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,397,587 to Neary entitled Hair Accessory teaches a hair accessory for women's hair. The hair accessory includes an elongated rectangular shaped elastic strap having an inner elongated surface foldable back on itself so as to form a P-shaped hook in cross section and an outer elongated surface to which a series of headed strings are attached.
The P-shaped hook encloses a strand of hair of the user and is flexible to allow radical expansion as required. The shape of the hook is initially ellipsoidal, but is stretchable into a more circular shape.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,543 BI to Sonstengard entitled Device And Accessory For Styling Hair relates to a device for styling hair which includes a flexible relatively long body portion having a separate opening to receive a user's hair. The long body portion has clasp portions extending from either end which can be closed into a corresponding clasp by the insertion of one portion into the other. A styling enhancement may be provided as part of the hair styling device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,563 to De Rosa entitled Earring With A Tie-Line Attached Ornament teaches a lock of a hair displayed in a vertical orientation that is attached to a string-like depending component of an earring using a slipknot in the string to engage a lock of hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,018 to Johnson entitled Hair Barrette With Replaceable Ornaments discloses an ornamental hair barrette which provides a mechanism which allows for rapid replacement, removal or addition of alternate ornamental appendages without requiring the wearer to remove the barrette from the wearer's hair each time the ornament appendages are replaced, removed or supplemented.
The mechanism includes ribs and recesses for interlocking a stem to a shaft having at least one slot extending substantially lengthwise along the stem or the shaft which allows the interlocking to place via spring like expansion and retraction of the stem or shaft respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,377 to Chen entitled Hairstyling Implement With Detachable Decorative Piece describes a hairstyling implement with detachable decorative piece which includes a hairstyling body for substantially binding, tying or holding a user's hair. The hairstyling implement includes a base firmly connected to the hairstyling body, at least a fastening device each comprising a first fastener and a second fastener integrally affixed to the hairstyling base for detachably connecting with the first fastener. A decorative piece is firmly attached to the hairstyling base.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,698 to Edmark entitled Interchangeably Decorative Ornament describes an interchangeable decorative ornament consisting of at least one decorative piece, a coupler and a fastener. Decorative pieces may be removeably coupled to the setting, e.g. a coupler and fastener.
As can be readily be determined from the foregoing, there is an ongoing research effort to produce new and novel hair accessories for both male and female individuals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention comprises a hair fastening and ornamental device for securing strands of hair in place comprising in combination: a flexible, resilient anchor ring for encircling and holding strands of hair; and a decorative device having a base support unit and an ornamental unit attached to or integrated with it to form a single unit, said decorative device having hook on means for removing and attaching it to the anchor ring. In one embodiment the hook on means in cross section when attached to the base support unit has a reversed R-shaped configuration. In a second embodiment, the hook on means in cross section when attached to the base support unit has an inverted J-shaped configuration. In yet another embodiment, the hook on means has a clip like configuration. The ornamental unit can be either integrated with or securely attached to the base support unit or it can be removeably be attached to the base support unit with snap on means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe invention will be better understood when consideration is given to the below-described detailed description, which makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
The present invention resides in a hair fastening and ornamental device for use in securing strands of hair in place on an individuals head.
Embodiments of the hair fastening and ornamental device are hereinafter described with reference to the drawings, in which identical or corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters or numbers through the several views.
It is to be noted that base support unit 8 can have a variety of shapes. For example, it can have a rectangular shaped configuration with rounded edges as shown, or it can have a circular shape, a square configuration, a rectangular configuration, or an oval shaped configuration depending upon the shape of the ornamental unit 10 used.
FIGS. 16 to 19 are front illustrations of different ornamental designs of decorative unit 2 of
Anchor ring 4 is constructed from a flexible resilient rubber-like, elastic material that can be easily be stretched without losing the integrity of it's circular configuration. Accordingly suitable materials from which anchor ring 4 can be constructed include, rubber, pliable neoprene, pliable plastic and mixtures thereof.
FIGS. 25 AND 26 shows a side view of decorative unit 52 which is a pony tail holder in an exploded view (
Pony tail holder is constructed from a flexible and elastic material selected from leather, lycra, neoprene, nylon, canvas, silk, cloth, and other textiles in mixtures thereof.
FIGS. 31 AND 32 are substantially the same as
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the invention, as hereinbefore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A hair fastening and decorative device for securing strands of hair in place comprising in combination: a flexible, resilient anchor ring for encircling and holding strands of hair; and a decorative device including an ornamental unit having a front and a back attached to a base support unit having a front and a back and hook on means for removeably attaching to the anchor ring.
2. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 1, wherein the back of the ornamental unit is securely attached to the front of the base support unit.
3. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 1, wherein the hook on means is attached to the back of the base support unit and has a reversed R-configuration in cross section.
4. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 3, wherein the hook on means comprises a reversed R-shape configuration removeably attached to the anchor ring.
5. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 1, wherein the back of the ornamental unit is removeably attached to the front of the base support unit with snap on means.
6. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 5, wherein the snap on means for the ornamental unit is a female snap on unit and the snap on unit for the base support unit is a male snap on unit.
7. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 1, wherein the hook on means is an inverted J-shaped hook in cross section.
8. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 1, wherein the hook on means is a clip unit.
9. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 1, wherein the anchor ring has an O-shaped configuration.
10. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 1, wherein the anchor ring is constructed from a flexible, resilient material such as rubber, neoprene and pliable plastic.
11. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 1, wherein the ornamental unit includes material which resembles flowers, a heart, an oval, insects, smiling lips, cartoon characters, and animals.
12. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 5, wherein the snap on means comprise a pair of flexible T-shaped shafts located on the back of the ornamental unit which removeably engage a pair of holes located on the back of the base support unit and passes there through.
13. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 12, wherein the T-shaped flexible shafts located on the back of the ornamental unit are spaced apart and parallel to each other.
14. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 12, wherein the pair of holes in the base support unit are specifically spaced apart to receive the T-shaped flexible shafts.
15. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 5, wherein the ornamental unit and base support unit are integrated to form a single unit.
16. A hair fastening and decorative device for securing strands of hair in place comprising in combination: a flexible, resilient anchor ring for encircling and holding strands of hair, a flexible, elongated rectangular shaped pony tail holder having securing means on opposite and opposing edges and adjacent to the edges thereof, for removably interconnecting said edges to form a circular configuration of said pony tail holder for holding in place strands of hair, said pony tail holder having an inside section and an outside section and hook on clip means located on the inside section thereof for being removably attached to the anchor ring.
17. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 16 wherein the securing means on opposing edges of the pony tail holder is female snap on units on one edge and male snap on units on the opposite side of the edge.
18. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 16, wherein the hook on clip means is a single prong clip.
19. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 16, wherein the hook on clip means is a two prong clip.
20. The hair fastening and decorative device of claim 16, wherein the pony tail holder is constructed from a flexible, elastic material selected from the group consisting of leather, lycra, nylon, canvas, neoprene, silk, cloth and mixtures thereof.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 15, 2003
Publication Date: Mar 17, 2005
Inventor: Michael McRoberts (Yorba Linda, CA)
Application Number: 10/661,837