Spring Hair Pin

Abstract

A spring hair pin for attaching hair extension comprises a U-shaped body comprising a base and two sides extending from the base; a band that connects the two sides of the body; a plurality of teeth extending from the base; a first sheath that surrounds the band; and a plurality of second sheaths that surrounds the teeth. The first sheath and the second sheaths are made of silicone rubber. The tooth comprises a free end, a base end and a first groove and a second groove between the free end and the base end, wherein the first groove and the second groove receive the second sheath.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on the inventor's Provisional Application No. 62/292,836 filed on 8 Feb. 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a spring hair pin for fixing hair extension. More particularly, the present invention is related to a spring hair pin that provides enough clamping strength for hair extension while enabling easy attachment and detachment of hair extension.

2. Discussion of Related Technology

Generally, the hair extension technology connects one or more extension hair pieces to hair of a person or an animal. The extension hair pieces are to make the person/animal's hair look longer or thicker and/or add color accents to the person/animal's hair. The extension hair pieces for hair extension are in various forms and shapes, and include hair weaves, widgets, etc. In order to attach hair extension to customer's natural hair, various methods using metal tubes, doable-sided tape, hair pins have been used. FIG. 1 shows a spring hair pin 10 toy prior art, in which a silicone band 12 is provided on a metal band 14 that are opposite to a plurality of teeth 16. While the silicone band 12 provides some frictional resistance with hair strands that are trapped between the band and the teeth, against external force that may detach the hair extension from a user's hair, it is not enough to prevent accidental detachment and falling of the hair extension. Providing natural appearance and reducing user's discomfort are the two key goals for hair extension attachment. Using less material and reducing dimension of attaching means have always been technological challenge. An easy-to-attach, yet strong bonding hair extension has always been in need. The foregoing discussion in this section is to provide general background information, and does not constitute an admission of prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the invention is to provide a spring hair pin, which provides sufficient fixing strength for attaching hair extension to user's natural hair.

In order to achieve the objective, the present invention provides a spring hair pin for attaching hair extension comprising a U-shaped body comprising a base and two sides extending from the base, a band that connects the two sides of the body, a plurality of teeth extending from the base, a first sheath that surrounds the band and a plurality of second sheaths that surrounds the teeth. The spring hair pin is kept between an open position and a closed position. The distance between the band and the teeth is bigger in the open position than in the closed position, wherein the first sheath and the second sheaths are made of a flexible material.

The body, the band and the teeth are made of spring metal. The conversion between the open position and the closed position are performed by pushing the teeth toward the band.

The second sheaths contact the first sheath in the closed position.

Each of the teeth comprises a free end, a base end and a first groove and a second groove between the free end and the base end, wherein the first groove and the second groove receive the second sheath. The second sheath does not protrude beyond the width of the free end of the tooth.

The tooth is inserted into the second sheath. The second sheath is heated and then cooled. The second sheath contracts as it is cooled down whereby the second sheath tightly surrounds the tooth. The flexible material comprises silicone rubber.

The spring hair pin further comprises a hair extension comprising a hair extension band and a plurality of hair strands fixed to the hair extension band. A plurality of spring hair bands are fixed to the hair extension band.

The present invention provides simple construction, in which flexible plastic material is used to cover part of the pin to increase friction between the pin and hair strands, which are inserted between the front part and the rear part of the pin, wherein in the open state, hair strands are passed inside the pin, wherein then the pin is pressed to closed state so that friction keeps the hair extension from loosening or falling from a customer's hair, wherein the pin may be provided as fixed to the skin weft which includes a plurality of extension hair strands aligned by an adhesive tape, wherein the flexible material include silicone, which provides friction and adhesion (stickiness), wherein silicone is provides as band shape on the rear pat of the pin, and tubes, through which the teeth of the front part of the pin pass. Recesses are provided to the teeth so that silicone tubes do not protrude more than the width of the tooth or substantially flush with the tooth. The tooth is inserted into the silicon tube. Then the tube may be heated so that the silicone tube surrounds the recessed portion of the tooth tight.

The advantageous effects of the present invention are: (1) in the process of fixing the hair extension to a customer's natural hair, the sheaths contact the hair strands whereby the frictional resistance of silicone rubber parts and hair strands between them makes the fixing of the hair extension strong and stable; and (2) this construction also eliminates of potential problem that hair strands are jammed between the silicone tube and the metal parts of the pin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the best embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a spring hair pin by prior art;

FIG. 2 is a front-elevation view showing a spring hair pin according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side-elevation view of the spring hair pin showing its open position;

FIG. 4 is a side-elevation view of the spring hair pin showing its closed position;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing hair strands are firmly held between the first sheath and the second sheaths;

FIG. 6 is a partial enlarged elevation view of a tooth and the second sheath;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the spring hair pin; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing that the spring hair pins are provided as part of a hair extension.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments will be described in detail below. The accompanying drawings will be used for describing embodiments. For the sake of convenience of illustrating embodiments, thickness, length, diameter, size and other dimensions of components and/or hair would be illustrated or exaggerated to be different with those of actual components and/or hair, and the subject matter of this application is not limited to the illustrated embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 7, the present invention provides a spring hair pin 18 for attaching hair extension comprising a U-shaped body 20 comprising a base 22 and two sides 24 extending from the base 22, a band 26 that connects the two sides 24 of the body 20, a plurality of teeth 28 extending from the base 22, a first sheath 30 that surrounds the band and a plurality of second sheaths 32 that surrounds the teeth 28. The spring hair pin 18 is kept between an open position (refer to FIG. 3) and a closed position (refer to FIG. 4). The distance d between the band 26 and the teeth 28 is bigger in the open position than in the closed position. In FIG. 4, d approaches 0. The first sheath 30 and the second sheaths 32 are made of a flexible material.

The body 20, the band 26 and the teeth 28 are made of spring metal. The conversion between the open position and the closed position are performed by pushing the teeth 28 toward the band 26. FIG. 4 shows that the second sheaths 32 contact the first sheath 30 in the closed position.

FIG. 5 shows that hair strands 42 are firmly held between the first sheath 30 and the second sheaths 32.

FIG. 6 shows that each of the teeth 28 comprises a free end 34, a base end 36 and a first groove 38 and a second groove 40 between the free end 34 and the base end 36. The first groove 38 and the second groove 40 receive the second sheath 32.

The second sheath 32 does not protrude beyond the width of the free end 34 of the tooth 28.

In the manufacturing process of the spring hair pin 18, The tooth 28 is inserted into the second sheath 32, which has a tubular shape. The second sheath 32 is heated and then cooled. The second sheath 32 contracts as it is cooled down whereby the second sheath 32 tightly surrounds the tooth 28. The flexible material comprises silicone rubber. The sheaths 30, 32 are transparent or semi-transparent.

The spring hair pin further comprises a hair extension 44 comprising a hair extension band 46 and a plurality of hair strands 48 fixed to the hair extension band 46. A plurality of spring hair bands 18 are fixed to the hair extension band 46.

Although the spring hair pin according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail hereinabove, it should be understood that many variations and modifications of the basic inventive concept herein described, which may appear to those skilled in the art, will still fall within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

The drawings and the forgoing description gave examples of the present invention. The scope of the present invention, however, is by no means limited by these specific examples. Numerous variations, whether explicitly given in the specification or not, such as differences in structure, dimension, and use of material, are possible. The scope of the invention is at least as broad as given by the following claims.

Claims

1. A spring hair pin for attaching hair extension comprising:

a) a U-shaped body comprising a base and two sides extending from the base;

b) a band that connects the two sides of the body;

c) a plurality of teeth extending from the base;

d) a first sheath that surrounds the band; and

e) a plurality of second sheaths that surrounds the teeth; wherein the spring hair pin is kept between an open position and a closed position, wherein the distance between the band and the teeth is bigger in the open position than in the closed position, wherein the first sheath and the second sheaths are made of a flexible material.

2. The spring hair pin of claim 1, wherein the body, the band and the teeth are made of spring metal, wherein the conversion between the open position and the closed position are performed by pushing the teeth toward the band.

3. The spring hair pin of claim 2, wherein the second sheaths contact the first sheath in the closed position.

4. The spring hair pin of claim 3, wherein each of the teeth comprises a free end, a base end and a first groove and a second groove between the free end and the base end, wherein the first groove and the second groove receive the second sheath.

5. The spring hair pin of claim 4, wherein the second sheath does not protrude beyond the width of the free end of the tooth.

6. The spring hair pin of claim 5, wherein the tooth is inserted into the second sheath, wherein the second sheath is heated and then cooled, wherein the second sheath contracts as it is cooled down whereby the second sheath tightly surrounds the tooth.

7. The spring hair pin of claim 6, wherein the flexible material comprises silicone rubber.

8. The spring hair pin of claim 7, further comprising a hair extension comprising a hair extension band and a plurality of hair strands fixed to the hair extension band, wherein a plurality of spring hair bands are fixed to the hair extension band.