Reusable pet and infant hair bow kit and method
A hair bow kit for infants and children having thin hair or no hair on their scalp. The hair bow kit comprises a closable supply of a hair-safe and scalp-safe liquid adhesive and a plurality of infant hair bows/ornaments of any of a variety of sizes. The infant hair bows of the invention may have a substantially flat lower surface able to receive glue. Also, a method of applying a smaller hair bow/ornament to an infant's scalp having thin hair: providing a hair-safe liquid adhesive in a closable container having a tip suitable for delivery of a single drop of glue to the scalp of the infant, providing an infant hair bow, placing one drop of the adhesive on the scalp or the bow, and pressing the bow to the infant scalp.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR 1.71(d).
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to worn accessories and specifically to hair bows for pets and infants.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONSN/A
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCHThis invention was not made under contract with an agency of the US Government, nor by any agency of the US Government.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONChildren and infants with severe health conditions such as cancer may be forced to undergo treatments which result in hair loss. In addition, most infants are simply born with little hair and many infants do not have sufficient hair to retain hair ornaments until they are two years old or older. However for numerous infants, particularly females, wearing hair ornaments may be very desirable in order to enhance appearance and aid the child in “fitting in”.
Pets frequently have short hair as well, yet for reasons of appearance, the pet owner may desire the pet to wear a bow. A bow worn on a short hair breed of pet such as a siamese cat or terrier dog may be difficult to attach without unsightly straps, or else by resorting to ribbons around the pet despite the fact that the pet may well be discomfited by the ribbon and may attempt to dislodge the ribbon and with it the bow.
Even long haired breeds of pet tend to have short hair on the head, which tends to be a desirable location for a hair bow.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a method by which infants and children may wear hair ornaments despite having thin hair or even being bald.
Searches in the general areas of hair ornaments or “glue on” body ornaments reveal largely unrelated art. Most “glue on” ornaments have adhesive suitable for use on parts of the body not having hair which might entangle the adhesive and become quite painful to remove. Most “glue on” ornaments also lack any real feature of reusability: these devices teach away from the aspect of reusability.
On the other hand, reusable ornaments inevitably teach away from use of adhesives and instead have pins, clips, barrettes and the like which manifestly require hair or clothing and which teach firmly away from adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,300,592 issued Apr. 15, 1919 and entitled BEAUTY MARK teaches a relatively large fabric “beauty mark” impregnated with perfume. One side of the fabric is coated with adhesive. The device teaches application to the skin of the body of the user, not to hair, and lacks any resupply of adhesive to allow reusability.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,398 issued Aug. 27, 1974 and entitled ORNAMENT WITH SECURING MEANS teaches a device held in place by inward pressure around the edges of a user's naval, and thus teaches firmly away from a reusable adhesive supply. Also, this method teaches firmly away from use on the human scalp, and is probably not usually suitable for (and thus teaches away from) use on children.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,879 issued May 24, 1977 and entitled STICK-A-BROW is another item of the type having adhesive pre-applied on the back of an ornament (an eyebrow) and thus teaches away from re-usable ornaments or separate supplies of adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,669 issued Dec. 4, 1979 and entitled METHOD OF ATTACHING HAIR PIECES does not teach a kit and does not teach a supply of adhesive as a structure allowing temporary securing of an ornament. On the contrary, this method teaches a “substantially permanent” (line 1, 2 of col. 2) attachment of a hair piece to an individual's head, thus teaching away from temporary and repeated wearing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,784 issued Mar. 10, 1981 and entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING A HAIR UNIT teaches tubes placed in the natural hair of a user as anchors for additional hair units.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,765 issued Oct. 27, 1981 and entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING A HAIRPIECE teaches tying of hairpieces to a user's head.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,867 issued Apr. 28, 1992 and entitled PROCESS FOR EXTENDING HUMAN HAIR teaches a “durable, permanent” method of hair extension (line 10, col. 1) using heat shrinking tubes and adhesives. In addition to teaching away from temporary use by repeatedly using the word “permanent” (defined as weeks at a time), the '867 reference also teaches away from provision of a supply of adhesive by recommending various commercial preparations, thus inconveniencing users who must get such adhesives themselves. Finally, a thermosetting adhesive is taught, thus arguing against any more convenient adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,132 issued Jan. 19, 1994 and entitled HOLDING DEVICE teaches a metal or plastic holding appliance (rather than fabric) for body use rather than an ornament suitable for hair use, and the use of double-sided tape, brush on adhesive, spray on adhesive or the like to hold the appliance in place, thus holding a bracelet or necklace in place on a neck, wrist or the like. The reference makes repeated references to application to the “skin” of the user. As tape, brushed adhesive or sprayed adhesive would cause havoc in even thin hair of a user, these are not suitable for use in holding items to a user's head, and thus additionally teaches away from other references relating to holding items on a user's head or thin hair. Since the adhesive is to be put onto hairless skin, brush on or spray on type application is acceptable, however, for hair applications an applicator for small drops would be preferable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,255 to Northcutt on Jan. 19, 1994 for a HORSEHAIR BANDING DEVICE teaches a device with hooks for banding the longer hair of a horse, not for attachment to shorter hair. The device has a tubular body for holding longer hanks of horse hair, the longer hanks of hair are clearly shown in the diagrams and the device would not function on shorter hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,892 issued Apr. 11, 1995 and entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DECORATING HAIR teaches a combination of braiding, adhesive and metal “lobster claw” appliances to decorate hair with beads and so on. The method distinctly requires the presence of long hair on the user in order to create a braid of hair and extra fibers to receive adhesive and appliances, and that adhesive is applied by brush to the completed braid of hair and fibers, not to the hair or scalp, thus teaching away from an adhesive suitable for use on thin hair or the scalp, or application to thin hair or a scalp. Since this device requires a reasonable length of hair to work at all, it teaches away from devices such as the present invention which deal with the problems of thin or next to nonexistent hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,270 issued Aug. 19, 1997 and entitled BODY ADHERING SANITARY PROTECTION PRODUCTS teaches disposable products having pre-applied adhesive for one time use and thus very firmly teaches away from re-attachment or the use of a supply of adhesive. It is also not related to ornamentation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,182 issued Apr. 25, 2000 and entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING JEWELRY TO HAIR teaches a mechanical device having two halves which snap together across strands of hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,224 issued Jun. 27, 2000 and entitled BODY-WORN ORNAMENT, BODY-WORN ORNAMENT KIT, AND METHOD OF ATTACHING A BODY-WORN ORNAMENT deals with body-worn ornaments (including some sort of bows) held on by hook-and-loop fabric. One half of the hook and loop fabric is then held on by a pre-applied coating of adhesive, however, there is no provision of a supply of adhesive: the hook-and-loop materials are apparently disposable. In addition, this is another device designed for use with longer hair. In this case, the adhesive is not even applied to the wearer but to half of the ornament itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,122 issued Oct. 24, 2000 and entitled SELF ADHESIVE HAIR WEFT EXTENSION OF METHOD OF SECURING SAME teaches a weft of hair also having pressure-release adhesive pre-applied, and teaches towards fastening of hair to the head for extra hair rather than fastening of ornamentation to the scalp or to thin hair. It thus teaches away from anything having a supply of glue to be applied via dropper, and away from hair ornamentation on frankly thin hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,296 issued Oct. 24, 2000 and entitled PERSONAL CARE COMPOSITIONS teaches types of hair sprays for retaining hair styling. U.S. Pat. No. 6,548,051 issued Apr. 15, 2003, and entitled HAIR STYLING COMPOSITION COMPRISING ADHESIVE PARTICLES is also a hair spray.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,232 issued to Gordon on Feb. 19, 2002 for APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING PET CARE SUBSTANCES teaches another device having straps which pass around the pet's neck or chest. It thus teaches away from any device designed to self-adhere to a pet or infant, and it does not rely on the animal's skin or hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,060 issued to Bray on Apr. 8, 2003, for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING AN ITEM OF CLOTHING TO AN ANIMAL at least relies upon the animal hair for adhesion of decorative clothing such as a baseball cap. However, the method and apparatus rely upon complex braiding patterns and attachments to the hair, slightly similar to the '892 patent referenced previously herein, which teaches a combination of braiding and tying in order to hold decorations onto pet hair. This device thus teaches away from adhesion alone as a source of support for a device on a pet. Related U.S. Pat. No. 6,978,482 to Bray on Dec. 27, 2005 with the same title is similar.
Many of these patents are relevant to hair-pieces, that is to wearing and attachment of hair itself, rather than to wearing of ornaments over thin or non-existent hair. Since hairpieces (wigs and the like) are not intended as ornaments, these items may be considered unrelated to the wearing of ornaments. Others are related to wearing of ornaments on relatively bare skin, and thus teach away from wearing of ornaments on thin hair or the scalp (such as infants or children undergoing chemotherapy may have). Yet others involve applying adhesives to thick hair that has been combined via braiding or a thermoshrinking band with another group of fibers such as artificial hair, threads or the like. Further, others of the references cited deal with adhesive paper or adhesive fabric products meant for one time use on the skin. None of the prior art patents actually teach that an ornament may be adhered to thin hair of an child or pet, removed, and re-used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONGeneral Summary
The present invention provides a hair bow kit for infants and children and pets having thin or short hair on their scalp or body or no hair on their scalp or body. The hair bow kit comprises a closable supply of a hair-safe and scalp-safe adhesive and/or material that works like an adhesive which may be applied in small quantities, and a plurality of infant and pet hair bows characterized by being of a variety of sizes from quite small to quite large and specifically including as one option a smaller size more aesthetically pleasing on an infant or small pet. The adhesive material may be gel, liquid, paste, or the like, and may be a material not generally considered an adhesive.
The infant and pet hair bows of the invention may have a substantially flat lower surface able to receive glue, unlike most hair bows which have clips or convolutions suitable to being worn by attachment to thicker hair.
The present invention further teaches a method of applying a hair bow to an infant's or pet's scalp having thin hair: providing a hair-safe gel, liquid, paste, or semi-liquid adhesive in a closable container having a tip suitable for delivery of a single drop or plurality of single drops of adhesive material to the scalp of the infant or pet, providing an infant or pet hair bow, placing one drop of the adhesive on the scalp or the bow, and pressing the bow to the infant or pet. As used herein, the terms “drop” and “droplet” include gel materials which may have non-liquid characteristics.
SUMMARY IN REFERENCE TO CLAIMSIt is therefore a first aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide an infant or pet hair bow kit comprising:
a plurality of reusable infant or pet hair bows;
a container of temporary hair-safe adhesive, the container having a tip dimensioned and configured to deliver one drop of the hair adhesive.
It is therefore a second aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide an infant or pet hair bow kit, wherein the container further comprises:
a reusable closure of the tip.
It is therefore yet another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide an infant or pet hair bow kit, wherein the bow further comprises: a substantially flat bottom surface.
It is therefore yet another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide an infant or pet hair bow kit, wherein the adhesive further comprises: a liquid.
It is therefore yet another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a method of applying a hair ornament to an infant or pet having short or minimal hair, comprising the steps of:
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- a) providing an infant or pet hair ornament;
- b) providing a supply of a temporary hair-safe adhesive;
- c) applying to such infant or pet a first quantity of the temporary hair-safe adhesive,
- d) applying to such infant or pet, at the location of the temporary hair-safe adhesive, the hair ornament.
It is therefore yet another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a method wherein the step b) of providing a supply of a hair-safe adhesive further comprises:
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- b1) providing a liquid adhesive in a closable container.
It is therefore yet another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a method wherein the first quantity of the temporary hair-safe liquid adhesive further comprises:
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- c1) at least one drop.
It is therefore yet another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a method wherein the infant or pet hair ornament further comprises:
an infant or pet hair bow.
It is therefore yet another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a method wherein the infant or pet hair bow further comprises:
a substantially flat bottom surface.
It is therefore yet another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a method wherein the infant or pet hair bow further comprises:
a size of between one half and two and one half inches.
It is therefore yet another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a method of applying a hair ornament to an infant or pet, comprising the steps of:
-
- a) providing an infant or pet hair ornament;
- b) providing a supply of a temporary hair-safe adhesive;
- c) applying to such infant or pet hair ornament a first quantity of the hair-safe adhesive,
- d) pressing to such infant or pet, the hair ornament portion having the adhesive thereon.
It is therefore yet another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a method further comprising:
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- e) holding the ornament in place for a time sufficient for the adhesive to set.
- Kit 100
- Hanging aperture 102
- Plurality of ornaments 104
- Container of hair-safe liquid adhesive 106
- Tip 108
- Indicia 110
- Head having thin hair 200
- Thin hair 202
- Bow 204
- Scalp having thin hair 300
- Thin hair 302
- Drop of hair-safe liquid adhesive 304
- Bow 306
- Adhesive receipt surface 308
- Bow adhered to head 310
- Scalp having thin hair 400
- Thin hair 402
- Drop of hair-safe liquid adhesive 404
- Bow 406
- Adhesive receipt surface 408
- Bow adhered to head 410
Kit 100 itself may actually comprise a plurality of ornaments 104, which may in preferred embodiments be bows. Unlike most hair bows, however, bows 104 may have a flat or substantially flat adhesive receipt surface on the underside which provides a flat or somewhat flat and firm surface for receipt of a drop of gel, semi-liquid or liquid adhesive, allowing the adhesive to spread over a wide area. The surface (see
The advantage of this structure is that many hair bows are adapted to be tied or clipped to hair. That procedure is more convenient for most individuals, but for individuals with thin hair, this is not necessarily possible. Obviously, a thin and slick bow surface, or a clip would either one substantially impede application of a drop of adhesive between the bow and the substantially flat (hairless) scalp or body of an infant or pet.
The term “infant” as used herein includes not just infants but other children with relatively thin hair, regardless of the child's health or age.
Bows 104 may be of a particular size adapted to the needs of infants or small children suffering the effects of chemotherapy or smaller pets. In particular, smaller bows of a size range from one half to two and one half inches length may be used in the kit. The advantage of this structure is that large hair bows may be less attractive on small individuals. Thus, smaller bows are preferable, however, the invention is not limited to a particular size of bow, as some people may well prefer larger bows.
Container of hair-safe liquid adhesive 106 may have a tip 108 allowing application of a single drop of the liquid adhesive to the bow or to the scalp of an infant or pet. (The term liquid as used herein may refer to either a true liquid or a bi-phase mixture such as a thick paste or a gel or the like. However, capability of application in very small amounts is intended hereby.) By this means a supply of glue is provided. This is advantageous because the kit 100 allows repeated use of the individual ornaments of the kit, rather than a single use of each ornament as the structure would be limited to if it had “pressure sensitive” or “peel and stick” adhesive pre-applied to the bow/ornament. It is clearly advantageous to provide a closable (or re-sealable container) so that the adhesive supply will actually last through multiple uses. Tip 108 may be a self-sealing tip 108 or have a cap or the like.
The nature of hair-safe and scalp-safe liquid adhesive 106 is important. It cannot be an irritant to scalp tissues or hair follicles. Since multiple use of the bows is intended, the adhesive must structurally be one of the non-sensitizing adhesives. Obviously, it must be non-cytotoxic.
Certain specific adhesives are known which have favorable properties. Table I lists some of these properties.
This type of adhesive has the advantage of being stable in the long term, but suffers the disadvantage of not being tested on user skin for long term use. This adhesive may be removed with water, a distinct advantage.
This particular type of adhesive is not necessarily a favored adhesive, however, as while it is inexpensive and commercially available, it has not had skin/scalp testing.
This adhesive is in a gel state, has no known toxicity, is stable, and is water soluble. It is commercially available under the tradename “IT STAYS!”.
A third adhesive useful for the invention is available under the tradename “BODY GLUE”, and is also a clear gel with a medicinal odor. This product is also water soluble and has the following ingredient list:
The kit 100 may of course have thereon commercial indicia 110, not limited to pictorial matter or product names but also specifically including instructions for use of the kit. The instructions for use of the kit may approximately mirror one or another method of the invention:
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- 1) Apply one drop of adhesive to the ornament or scalp at the desired location.
- 2) Apply the ornament to the scalp at the desired location, flattening gel, paste or liquid droplets into a film.
- 3) Hold the ornament in place for the time necessary for the adhesive to set.
Removal may be by several methods, depending upon the characteristics of the adhesive used. In more preferred embodiments, the adhesive may be removable without special solvents other than water. In less preferred embodiments, a solvent may be necessary for removal. This is less convenient for the end user but offers the advantage of being more sweat resistant and longer lasting. In such embodiments, the steps of use may include:
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- 4) After use, apply solvent to remove.
And the steps of providing the product may include provision of the solvent as well.
As used herein, the term “thin hair” refers not so much to the physical thickness of the individual hairs but more importantly to the presence of relatively few strands of hair, the absence of hair, the presence of pronounced bald patches, locations shaved for medical procedures, extremely short hair and the like.
By means of the invention, ornament 204 may be secured to such a head having very few hairs.
Droplet/particle 304 of adhesive 106 is applied to the infant's/pet's scalp/hair. (As used herein, droplet may describe a gel as well as a liquid.)
The bow may be provided in
Claims
1. An infant or pet hair bow kit comprising:
- a plurality of reusable infant or pet hair bows;
- a container of temporary hair-safe adhesive, the container having a tip dimensioned and configured to deliver one drop of the hair adhesive.
2. The infant or pet hair bow kit of claim 1, wherein the container further comprises:
- a reusable closure of the tip.
3. The infant or pet hair bow kit of claim 1, wherein the bow further comprises: a substantially flat bottom surface.
4. The infant or pet hair bow kit of claim 1, wherein the adhesive further comprises: a liquid.
5. A method of applying a hair ornament to an infant or pet having short or minimal hair, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing an infant or pet hair ornament;
- b) providing a supply of a temporary hair-safe adhesive;
- c) applying to such infant or pet a first quantity of the temporary hair-safe adhesive,
- d) applying to such infant or pet, at the location of the temporary hair-safe adhesive, the hair ornament.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step b) of providing a supply of a hair-safe adhesive further comprises:
- b1) providing a liquid adhesive in a closable container.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the first quantity of the temporary hair-safe liquid adhesive further comprises:
- c1) at least one drop.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the infant or pet hair ornament further comprises:
- an infant or pet hair bow.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the infant or pet hair bow further comprises:
- a substantially flat bottom surface.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the infant or pet hair bow further comprises:
- a size of between one half and two and one half inches.
11. A method of applying a hair ornament to an infant or pet, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing an infant or pet hair ornament;
- b) providing a supply of a temporary hair-safe adhesive;
- c) applying to such infant or pet hair ornament a first quantity of the hair-safe adhesive,
- d) pressing to such infant or pet, the hair ornament portion having the adhesive thereon.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
- e) holding the ornament in place for a time sufficient for the adhesive to set.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the adhesive provided further comprises: a liquid adhesive.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 27, 2006
Publication Date: May 29, 2008
Inventor: Kelli Ann Jacobsen (Riverside, MO)
Application Number: 11/605,991
International Classification: B65D 69/00 (20060101); A45D 8/00 (20060101);