METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING FALSE HAIR

Abstract

The invention features an apparatus and method of attaching false hair. The hand-held device allows false hair to be secured onto the user's weft of hair and braid. Clips are dispensed from a tray within the apparatus to a crimping assembly by way of operation of a number of geared components of the apparatus. Aspects of embodiments of the invention also contemplate use of levered components in operation of the apparatus.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of, and is related to, the following Applicant's provisional patent application: U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/247,937 titled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING FALSE HAIR” filed Oct. 29, 2015, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to a device and method of attaching false hair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hair care is a billion-dollar industry. Many women wear false hair such as wigs, weaves, hair extensions or pieces to add volume or length to their real hair. Wigs, weaves, and hair extensions or pieces allow women to have versatile hairstyles. Also, they allow users the freedom to use styling tools and products without damaging their own natural hair. Current false hair installation methods are expensive, time consuming and the methods are harmful to the user's real hair. Bonding methods such as glue are potentially harmful to healthy hair and may cause breakage and irritation. Clip-in extensions are temporary and they do not guarantee that the hair will not inadvertently fall out of the user's hair. Users cannot swim, shower, workout, or sleep in clip-in extensions. False hair can be sewn into the user's hair; however, this method requires sewing continuous loops across a weft of hair and it typically takes two to four hours to sew in the hair properly and this method is expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for attaching false hair that shortens the overall installation time, eliminates the need for threading multiple needles, eliminates the monotonous task of sewing continuous loops across a weft of hair, and reduces stress on operators' joints and limbs. Ultimately, a reduction in time and labor for the operator results in lower fees for the consumer.

An aspect of an embodiment of the present invention contemplates a hair clip fastener apparatus which may include a handle section which may include a trigger, where the trigger comprises of gear teeth, a gear tooth power transfer wheel, where the gear tooth power transfer wheel comprises of a number of gear teeth interlocking with the trigger gear teeth, a force transfer lever, connected to the gear tooth power transfer wheel and levered at a point within the apparatus, a crimping assembly which may include of an upper crimp, a lower crimp and a holding and alignment area, where the lower crimp is connected to the force transfer lever and movable by motion of the force transfer lever and where the crimping assembly crimps or deforms a clip, and a clip cartridge which may include of one or more clips, where the cartridge is structurally aligned to feed the one or more clips into the holding and alignment area of the crimping assembly.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the upper crimp of the apparatus may be fixed.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus may further include a return spring mechanism, positioned to return the trigger to its original position after it has been depressed. In one aspect, the return spring mechanism may be connected to the trigger at a position adjacent to its gear teeth.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the clip cartridge may be spring-loaded at its end.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the clip cartridge may further include a spring mechanism positioned at an end of the cartridge opposite the crimping assembly, and where the cartridge further comprises of a slider mechanism, connected to the spring mechanism, and positioned between the spring mechanism and the clips, where the slider mechanism advances clips towards the crimping assembly. In one aspect, the slider mechanism may be movable upon connection with power transfer wheel gear teeth upon rotation of the power transfer wheel.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the clip(s) may be u-shaped.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the clip(s) may be tear shaped.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the lower crimp may be a lever connected to an end of the force transfer lever.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the lower crimp may include a crimping end, where the crimping end crimps the one or more clips in cooperation with the upper crimp when the lower crimp pivots.

Additional aspects, objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates a side view of a clip fastener apparatus according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1B illustrates a side perspective view of a clip fastener apparatus according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1C illustrates a rear view of a clip fastener apparatus according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1D illustrates a bottom view of a clip fastener apparatus according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1E illustrates a front view of a clip fastener apparatus according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1F illustrates a rear perspective view of a clip fastener apparatus showing a drawn-out clip tray according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1G illustrates a top view of a clip fastener apparatus according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1H illustrates an interior cutout view of a clip fastener apparatus according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a clip according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a view of a clip on a braid according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a clip around the backside of a braid according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a clip having a double hook and eye closure according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a clip with false hair secured to a braid according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1A through 2, different exterior views of a clip fastener apparatus 100 and hair fastening clip 200 are shown according to aspects of embodiments of the present invention. Clip fastener apparatus 100 may include a handle 102 having a trigger 104. Clip fastener apparatus 100 may also include a top portion 106 and a crimping assembly 108. Apparatus 100 may also include a tray 110 for holding clips 200. Tray 110 may be installed or removed within top portion 106 by way of opening 112 (FIG. 1F). In aspects of embodiments of the present invention, clips 200 may be metal, plastic or the like.

In an alternate aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a user may press a button or series of buttons to activate electronic mechanisms within the housing of apparatus 100, thus causing mechanical, electrical, or thermal events to occur in order to attach clip 200.

Referring now to FIG. 1H, an interior cutout view of apparatus 100 is shown according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention. Apparatus 100 is shown with trigger 104 having a number of gear teeth 114. Gear teeth 114 are in contact with gear teeth of power transfer wheel 116. Power transfer wheel 116 is connected to force transfer lever 118, which pivots about a point.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, apparatus 100 also includes crimping assembly 108 which comprises of an upper crimp 108A and a lower crimp 108B. In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, lower crimp 108 may be a lever which is connected to force transfer lever 118. In one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, upper crimp 108A may be immovable.

Operation of apparatus 100 begins with the depressing of trigger 104. A series of gear teeth 114 molded into the trigger plate engage with geared power transfer wheel 116. In one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the trigger plate's movement is restricted to one axis only. By way of molded gun body bosses and molded slots in the trigger plate, the teeth of the trigger plate 114 and the teeth of the geared power transfer wheel 116 will always engage and will not bind or jam.

As a result of the connection between gear teeth 114 and gear teeth of power transfer wheel 116, when a user depresses trigger 104, its gear teeth 114, being in contact with the gear teeth of power transfer wheel 116, rotates power transfer wheel 116 clockwise to raise the end of force transfer lever 118 that is connected with power transfer wheel 116. As a result of this end being lifted, the end of force transfer lever 118 that is connected with lower crimp 108B is pulled down thereby levering lower crimp 108B upwards towards upper crimp 108A to crimp or deform loaded clip 200 positioned within holding and alignment area 108C of crimping assembly 108.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, tray 110 may by a spring-loaded clip cartridge having a spring 120 which pushes slider mechanism 122 to guide clips 200 toward crimping assembly 108. In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, slider mechanism 122 guides clip 200 forward when one or more gear teeth of power transfer wheel 116 connects with slider mechanism 122 when power transfer wheel 116 is rotated by the user's depressing of trigger 104. Each clip 200 is moved into holding and alignment area 108C of crimping assembly 108 each time trigger 104 is depressed.

Once within crimping assembly 108, clip 200 may be deformed or crimped by motion of lower crimp 108B towards upper crimp 108A. This is effected when apparatus 100 is positioned over the weft of fake hair that is about to be attached to the natural hair loop(s). Upon the crimping process by crimping assembly 108, the clip 200 is wound around the weft of fake hair and the natural hair loop thereby fastening the fake hair to the hair loop.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, one of clip 200's open ends may extend past the other open clip end, thus allowing the user to slide the longer end of clip 200 through the layers of hair material. Once clip 200 is slid into place, apparatus 100 is actuated, and clip 200 is simultaneously crimped and sheared from the continuous row of clips. The end result is a crimped plastic loop that securely holds the synthetic hair material mesh to the natural hair loops.

Referring now to FIG. 3 a clip 200 is shown installed on a braid 300 according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention. Clip 200 can be a variation of shapes. In aspects of embodiments of the present invention, clip 200 may be u-shaped or tear shaped. Clip 200 may be sized to fit around natural braid 300 and secure the weft of hair. The user would repeat this process along the length of braid 300 to secure hair weft 302. No threading is required and no additional tools are necessary. Clips 200 may be pinched by the teeth to move inwardly slightly to clip hair weft 302 onto braid 300.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5 clip 200 is shown around the backside of braid 300 according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention. Also shown (in FIG. 5) are details of clip 200's double hook and eye closure according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention. Clip 200 is shown having a double hook and eye closure, as further elaborated in FIG. 5. Teeth 202A and 202B of clip 200, in one aspect, may be used to aid in properly positioning clip 200 onto braid 300. In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the double hook and eye closure would open as clip 200 is pressed against braid 300. Then, the closure will close when no pressure is applied to the closure. Clip 200 would extend around the front of braid 300 and the back of braid 300 forming a ring around braid 300. As discussed above, hair weft 302 would be positioned along the top of braid 300 so that clip 200 would secure hair weft 302 to braid 300.

Referring now to FIG. 6 clip 200 is shown with false hair weft 302 being secured to braid 300 according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, hair weft 302 may be centered along braid 300. Clip 200 secures hair weft 302 to braid 300, as discussed above. Multiple wefts of hair can be added to a single braid to create more volume and to allow multiple styles. Wefts of hair can be added above and below the weft, as desired. The wefts will be secured to the natural braid using the false hair applicator and method discussed. Clip 200 is on the outside of braid 300. The other half of clip goes into braid 300 and the only thing visible is one side of clip 200.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A hair clip fastener apparatus comprising:

a handle section comprising of a trigger, wherein the trigger comprises of gear teeth;

a gear tooth power transfer wheel, wherein the gear tooth power transfer wheel comprises of a number of gear teeth interlocking with the trigger gear teeth;

a force transfer lever, connected to the gear tooth power transfer wheel and levered at a point within the apparatus;

a crimping assembly comprising of an upper crimp, a lower crimp and a holding and alignment area, wherein the lower crimp is connected to the force transfer lever and movable by motion of the force transfer lever and wherein the crimping assembly crimps or deforms a clip; and

a clip cartridge comprising of at least one clip, wherein the cartridge is structurally aligned to feed the at least one clip into the holding and alignment area of the crimping assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper crimp is fixed.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a return spring mechanism, positioned to return the trigger to its original position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the return spring mechanism is connected to the trigger at a position adjacent to its gear teeth.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clip cartridge is spring-loaded at its end.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clip cartridge further comprises of a spring mechanism positioned at an end of the cartridge opposite the crimping assembly, and wherein the cartridge further comprises of a slider mechanism, connected to the spring mechanism, and positioned between the spring mechanism and the clips, wherein the slider mechanism advances clips towards the crimping assembly.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the slider mechanism is movable upon connection with power transfer wheel gear teeth upon rotation of the power transfer wheel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one clip is a u-shaped.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one clip is a tear shaped.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower crimp is a lever connected to an end of the force transfer lever.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the lower crimp comprises of a crimping end, wherein the crimping end crimps the at least one clip in cooperation with the upper crimp when the lower crimp pivots.