Patent ID: 8087416
Filing Date: 2012-01-03
Classification: A45D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A clip for wearing in hair, comprising: first and second body members each including a handle section, a hair-gripping wing section, and an intermediate portion between the handle and wing sections; and a hinge mechanism pivotally coupling the first and second body members together at their intermediate portions for pivotal movement between a closed position with the wing sections engaging each other and an open position with the wing sections pivoted apart from each other, the hinge mechanism including a housing defining a cavity and including a spring received within the cavity, the housing including a peripheral wall that extends inwardly from the first body member toward the second body member and that cooperates with the first body member to close off the housing on all sides except for an access opening through which the spring is received, wherein the second body member closes off the access opening and cooperates with the housing to conceal the spring so that in normal use the wearer's hair does not get tangled in the spring, and wherein the spring is a torsion spring with two free ends and the housing defines two recesses adjacent and in communication with the access opening, wherein one of the spring free ends extends through a first one of the recesses when the hair clip is in the closed position and extends through a second one of the recesses when the hair clip is in the open position.