Soft Hair Styling Device
A hair styling device is comprised of a flexible wand and a shaper. The flexible wand surface area is covered with a high friction material. The flexible wand has a stiffness such that when the flexible wand is bent, it maintains whatever shape it is bent into. According to an aspect of the invention, this flexible wand may be comprised of some type of wire. Thus when the device is used, it may be rolled into the hair, where it will adhere due to the high friction portion, and then it is locked into place by bending of the flexible wand This allows for many different types of hair styles for many different lengths of hair. The shaper is hollow, and the hollow is of a size and shape such that the flexible wand snugly fits into and through the shaper. The shaper length is less than the flexible wand length, and the shaper surface area is covered with a high friction material.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/375033 filed Aug. 19, 2010.
BACKGROUNDThe present invention is in the field of hair styling. More specifically this invention relates to hair rollers, and hair styling devices which will allow easy creation of up-do type hair styles, as well as volume adding.
There have been many innovations in the field of hair styling. For special events many women like to wear their hair up in a styled fashion. Previously this entailed going to a hairstylist to have the hair professionally put up.
A simple method is desired for maintaining hair in an up-do type fashion for home use.
Further, many women desire hair with more volume, that is not flat on the top or in the back, previously this meant lots of hair teasing and hairspray, and eventually these methods would also flatten.
A simple method is desired for adding volume to hair, that does not require a lot of time, expertise or hair products.
Various aspects of the invention are presented in
The flexible wand 10, has a length 12, a width 14, and a surface area 18. The wand surface area 18 is covered with a high friction material. According to an aspect of the invention, the flexible wand 10 has a stiffness such that when the flexible wand 10 is bent, it maintains whatever shape it is bent into. According to an aspect of the invention, this flexible wand 10 may be comprised of some type of wire. Thus when the device is used, it may be rolled into the hair, where it will adhere due to the high friction portion, and then it is locked into place by bending of the flexible wand 10. This allows for many different types of hair styles for many different lengths of hair.
The shaper 20 has a length 22, a width 24, a height 26, and a surface area 28. The shaper further has a body portion 25 and opposing end portions 27. According to an aspect of the invention, the shaper 20 is hollow 29, and the hollow 29 is of a size and shape such that the flexible wand 10 snugly fits into and through the shaper 20. The shaper length 22 is less than the flexible wand length 12, and the shaper surface area 28 is covered with a high friction material.
According to an aspect of the invention, the high friction material is the high stiffness portion of VELCRO™.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the shaper body portion 25 has a width 24 greater than the shaper end portion, wherein the shaper body portion width tapers down to the shaper end portion width.
According to another aspect of the invention, the shaper width 24 is greater than the shaper height 26.
According to another aspect of the invention, the hair styling device 5 may further comprise a hair roller 30, wherein the hair roller 30 has a surface area 38 which is covered with a high friction material. In this embodiment, the hair roller 30 is hollow 39, wherein the hollow 39 is large enough to fit the flexible wand 10 snugly into and through the hollow 39. In another embodiment of the invention, the hollow 39 is large enough to fit the shaper 20 and flexible wand 10 combination snugly into and through the hollow 39.
In a further embodiment of the invention, there is a hairstyling kit 50 comprising a flexible wand 60, a shaper 70, and a hair roller 80. The flexible wand 60, has a length 62, a width 64, and a surface area 68. The wand surface area 68 is covered with a high friction material. According to an aspect of the invention, the flexible wand 60 has a stiffness such that when the flexible wand 60 is bent, it maintains whatever shape it is bent into. According to an aspect of the invention, this flexible wand 60 may be comprised of some type of wire. Thus when the device is used, it may be rolled into the hair, where it will adhere due to the high friction portion, and then it is locked into place by bending of the flexible wand 60. This allows for many different types of hair styles for many different lengths of hair.
The shaper 70 has a length 72, a width 74, and a surface area 78. The shaper further has a body portion 75 and opposing end portions 77. According to an aspect of the invention, the shaper 70 is hollow 79, and the hollow 79 is of a size and shape such that the flexible wand 70 snugly fits into and through the shaper 70. The shaper length 72 is less than the flexible wand length 62, and the shaper surface area 78 is covered with a high friction material.
The hair roller 80 has an outside diameter 81 and a surface area 88 which is covered with a high friction material. In this embodiment, the hair roller 80 is hollow 89, wherein the hollow 89 is large enough to fit the flexible wand 60 snugly into and through the hollow 89. In another embodiment of the invention, the hollow 89 is large enough to fit the shaper 70 and flexible wand 60 combination snugly into and through the hollow 89
According to a further aspect of the invention, the hair styling kit 50 may further comprise multiple hair rollers 80, wherein each of the hair rollers 80 have different outside diameters 81.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the hair styling kit 50 further comprises a headband 90. The headband 90 has a stiffness such that it will stay in place on a wearers head. The headband 90 has a surface area 98, wherein the headband surface area 98 is covered with a high friction material. The headband 90 is if a size and shape such that it can fit through the shaper hollow 79.
According to another aspect of the invention, the kit comprises a separate shaper, a headband shaper 40 sized just for the headband 90. When working with shorter hair, a larger surface area for securing the hair to the styling device may be needed. For these cases, a headband which is wider and flatter than the flexible wand is provided. This allows more surface area for the hair to attach to. Because the width is greater than the diameter of the flexible wand, a separate shaper is provided which has a hollow portion sized large enough to fit the wider headband through. In this embodiment, the headband shaper 40, has a length 42, a width 44, a height 46, and a surface area 48, and further has a body portion 45 and opposing end portions 47. The headband shaper 40 is hollow 49, and the hollow 49 is of a size and shape such that the headband 90 snugly fits into and through the headband shaper 40. The headband shaper length 42 is such that is covers less than one third of the headband 90, when slid onto the headband 90. The headband shaper surface area 48 is covered with a high friction material.
According to an aspect of the invention, the shapers 20, 70, and 90, are flexible, such that they easily bend with the flexible wand 10 or around the curved headband 90. The shapers taper from a wider body portion to narrower end portions—this allows the hair more volume where you want it, but allows it then to blend into the rest of the hair, where just the wand or the headband are present.
Different sized shapers may be used to provide different amounts of volume. The hair may be brushed back over the headband, or headband shaper combination to put volume in shorter hair. The shaper may be positioned in the center of the headband to provide more volume in the center, or is may be positioned to one side or the other, to have volume on one side or the other.
For longer hair, the wand/shaper combination may be used to wind the hair around and place sideways for a “French twist” look. The combination may be rolled up into the hair, and the flexible wand ends bent around to secure the device in place. Hair is then spread over the device to conceal it, and the high friction surface holds the hair in place.
There are countless other styles that may be created by using combinations of the flexible wand, shapers, headbands, and rollers. The usefulness of the present invention is the ease and variety of styling. According to an aspect of the invention, the present hair device may come with multiple size center portions which may be fit onto the basic hair device center portion, such that larger different size hair stylings may be achieved.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the center portion may be sized to fit standard, available hair rollers, with high friction exterior surfaces, such that these may be used to adjust the hair styling.
Claims
1. A hair styling device comprising;
- A flexible wand, having a width and a length, wherein said wand has a surface area, and wherein said wand surface area is covered with a high friction material, and further wherein said flexible wand has a stiffness such that when said flexible wand is bent, it maintains whatever shape it is bent into; and,
- A shaper having a length, a width, a height, and a surface area, and further having a body portion and opposing end portions, wherein said shaper is hollow, and wherein said hollow is of a size and shape such that said flexible wand snugly fits into and through said shaper, and wherein said shaper length is less than said flexible wand length, and further wherein said shaper surface area is covered with a high friction material.
2. The hair styling device of claim 1 wherein said high friction material is the high stiffness portion of VELCRO™.
3. The hair styling device wherein said shaper body portion has a width greater than the shaper end portion, wherein the shaper body portion width tapers down to the shaper end portion width.
4. The hair styling device of claim 3 wherein said shaper width is greater than said shaper height.
5. The hair styling device of claim 1 further comprising a hair roller, wherein said hair roller has a surface area which is covered with a high friction material, and wherein said roller is hollow, wherein said hollow is large enough to fit said flexible wand snugly into and through said hollow.
6. The hair styling device of claim 1 further comprising a hair roller, wherein said hair roller has a surface area which is covered with a high friction material, and wherein said roller is hollow, wherein said hollow is large enough to fit said shaper and flexible wand combination snugly into and through said hollow.
7. A hair styling kit comprising:
- A flexible wand, having a width and a length, wherein said wand has a surface area, and wherein said wand surface area is covered with a high friction material, and further wherein said flexible wand has a stiffness such that when said flexible wand is bent, it maintains whatever shape it is bent into;
- A shaper having a length, a width, a height, and a surface area, and further having a body portion and opposing end portions, wherein said shaper is hollow, and wherein said hollow is of a size and shape such that said flexible wand snugly fits into and through said shaper, and wherein said shaper length is less than said flexible wand length, and further wherein said shaper surface area is covered with a high friction material; and,
- A hair roller, having an outside diameter, wherein said hair roller has a surface area which is covered with a high friction material, and wherein said roller is hollow, wherein said hollow is large enough to fit said shaper and flexible wand combination snugly into and through said hollow.
8. The hair styling kit of claim 7 further comprising multiple hair rollers, wherein said hair rollers each have different outside diameters.
9. The hair styling kit of claim 7, further comprising a headband, wherein said headband has a stiffness such that said headband will stay in place on a wearers head, and further wherein said headband has a surface area, wherein said headband surface area is covered with a high friction material, and further wherein said headband is if a size and shape such that said headband can fit through said shaper hollow.
10. The hair styling kit of claim 7, further comprising;
- a headband, wherein said headband has a stiffness such that said headband will stay in place on a wearers head, and further wherein said headband has a surface area, wherein said headband surface area is covered with a high friction material; and
- a headband shaper, having a length, a width, and a surface area, and further having a body portion and opposing end portions, wherein said headband shaper is hollow, and wherein said hollow is of a size and shape such that said headband snugly fits into and through said headband shaper, and wherein said headband shaper length is such that is covers less than one third of said headband, when slid onto said headband, and further wherein said shaper surface area is covered with a high friction material.
11. A hair styling device comprising:
- a headband, wherein said headband has a stiffness such that said headband will stay in place on a wearers head, and further wherein said headband has a surface area, wherein said headband surface area is covered with a high friction material; and
- a headband shaper, having a length, a width, a height, and a surface area, and further having a body portion and opposing end portions, wherein said headband shaper is hollow, and wherein said hollow is of a size and shape such that said headband snugly fits into and through said headband shaper, and wherein said headband shaper length is such that is covers less than one third of said headband, when slid onto said headband, and further wherein said shaper surface area is covered with a high friction material.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 19, 2011
Publication Date: Feb 23, 2012
Inventor: Wilma Speelman
Application Number: 13/213,920
