Abstract:
The present invention is directed towards a hair clip with a flexible arm. The hair clip is adapted to fasten around a portion of the user&#39;s hair. The flexible arm is adapted to bend around a section of the user&#39;s hair such that the effective length of the flexible arm changes, and then lines up with a clip on a mating portion of the clip. The clip with the flexible arm puts less pressure on the hair than a standard hair clip.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a hair clip adapted to minimize damage to hair. 
         [0003]    Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    In many circumstances women may prefer to fasten their hair with hair clips. A hair clip can hold all or part of a user&#39;s hair. The hair can be pulled back, up, aside, or away from a user&#39;s face. Hair clips may also have decorative attachments to add ornamentation to the functionality of the clip. Once the hair is styled and the clip is affixed, it may be desired to keep the clip in place for quite some time. 
         [0005]    A disadvantage of hair clips is that the pressure placed upon the hair, in the region where the hair is clasped around by the clip, may be too high, and may result in damaged hair. Some of the clasped hair may break in the region where it passes through the clip. Previously, the goal of firmly grasping the hair with the hair clip has been at odds with the protection of the hair from damage. 
         [0006]    What is called for is a hair clip which may effectively clasp around a portion of the user&#39;s hair without undue pressure on the clasped hair. What is also called for is a low force hair clip which nonetheless effectively does clasp the hair. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The present invention is directed towards a hair clip with a flexible arm. The hair clip is adapted to fasten around a portion of the user&#39;s hair. The flexible arm is adapted to bend around a section of the user&#39;s hair such that the effective length of the flexible arm changes, and then lines up with a clip on a mating portion of the clip. The clip with the flexible arm puts less pressure on the hair than a standard hair clip. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an interior perspective view of a hair clip according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a partially open hair clip according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side partial cross-sectional view of a closed hair clip enclosing hair according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an illustration depicting the flexible aspect of the flexible arm according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a partial cutaway view of the fastening portion of the hair clip according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a partial cutaway view of the fastening portion in a fastened configuration according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a view of a clip shield according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a view of a hair clip in an unloaded configuration according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9A  is an illustration of a user wearing a hair clip. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9B  is an illustration of a user wearing a hair clip with accessory ornamentation according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    In some embodiments of the present invention, as seen in  FIG. 1 , a hair clip with a flexible joining member is seen in an unloaded configuration  100 . A first rigid arm  12  is adapted to provide the rigid backing for the hair clip. A second flexible arm  14  is pivotally attached to the first rigid arm  12 . The second flexible arm  14  is adapted to pivot relative to the first rigid arm  12  along a pivot axis  16  located at the end of, or substantially near the end of, the second flexible arm  14 . 
         [0019]    The rigid arm  12  has a plurality of flexible arm clasp male portions  20   a ,  20   b.  The flexible arm  14  has a clasp receiving portion  22  adapted to receive the flexible arm clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b  when the hair clip is in a loaded and closed configuration. In the unloaded configuration, the flexible arm  14  may have an effective length that is too short to have the clasp receiving portion  22  be able to receive the flexible arm clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b.    
         [0020]    The rigid arm  12  may have a set of raised release tabs  18   a,    18   b  which may support the flexible arm clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b.  In some aspects, the raised release tabs  18   a,    18   b,  the flexible arm clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b,  and the remainder of the rigid arm  12  may all be formed from a single piece of metal. The rigid arm may also have accessory ports  30   a,    30   b  at each end, which may assist in the mounting of decorative accessory portions to the hair clip. 
         [0021]    The flexible arm  14  is adapted to flex when loaded. For example, in an unloaded state, the flexible arm  14  is curved, as seen if  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In this unloaded state, the flexible arm has a shorter effective length than when loaded. The flexible arm pivots around the arm pivot axis  16 , and the direct length from the pivot axis  16  in a direction to the flexible arm clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b  is the length that the flexible arm must bridge in order to clasp. The linear length of the flexible arm from the pivot axis  16  directly to the clasp receiving portion  22  can be described as the effective length of flexible arm, as opposed to the length along the curved flexible arm. In the unloaded state, the flexible arm  14  may have an effective length that is too short to allow the clasp receiving portion  22  to receive the flexible arm male portions  20   a,    20   b.    
         [0022]      FIG. 3  illustrates a loaded configuration  200  of the hair clip with a flexible joining member. With a clasped hair portion  40  contained by the clasped clip, the hair portion  40  deflects the flexible arm  14 . With the deflection of the flexible arm  14  from a more curved configuration to a straighter configuration, the effective length of the flexible arm increases. The increase in the effective length of the flexible arm  14  places the far end of the flexible  14  in a location in which it can effectively mate with the clasp receiving portion  22  of the rigid arm  12 . With this increase in the effective length of the flexible arm, the flexible arm would now be able to clasp to the rigid arm. In contrast to prior designs where the arms are relatively rigid, and wherein the rigid arms may place significant force on the clasped hair portion, with the present design a lower clasping force may be placed upon the hair. This lower clasping force greatly reduces the damage to the hair known to be a drawback of previous hair clip designs. Further, the flexibility of the inner arm allows for more load spreading on the captured hair. Is some aspects, hair clips according to embodiments of the present invention encompass the hair, surrounding the hair more gently, in contrast to prior clips which put more pressure in the middle section of the captured hair, which may lead to hair damage. 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  illustrates the change in the effective length of the flexible arm  14 . In the unloaded state, the curvature of the flexible arm is much greater. With this curved, unloaded, state the effective length is shorter. With the addition of load onto the flexible arm, the flexible arm deflects into a straighter configuration, and the effective length is greater. With a greater effective length, the flexible arm is now able to clasp to the rigid arm. With prior systems, both arms were adapted to fasten without deflection, and were rigid in order to minimize deflection, and to allow the clasping elements to remain aligned. The downside of such an approach is that significant force was placed upon the clasped hair, resulting in damage to the hair including hair breaking in area in which it was clasped. In contrast, with a flexible arm there is not a need to retain the alignment of the clasping elements, as that alignment is attained with the aid of the clasped hair, which deflects the flexible arm. The deflection of the clasped arm increases its effective length, which then allows for the alignment of the clasping elements. The alignment may include both a change of the effective length of the flexible arm so the clasp interface zones are aligned with regard to length, and also angular deflection/rotation of the end of the flexible arm such that the interface zones of the clasp and receiver portions are substantially parallel. As deflection is desired as opposed to discouraged, the flexible arm may be flexible enough such that the deflection, and effective elongation, of the flexible arm occurs without too much pressure on the clasped hair. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrates aspects of clasping elements of the hair clip according to some embodiments of the present invention. The flexible arm  14  has a clasp receiving portion  22 , which further includes clasp interface zones  22   a ,  22   b.  The rigid arm  16  includes flexible clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b,  which are adapted to have their clasp male portion interface zones  21   a,    21   b  reside upon the clasp receiver interface zones  22   a,    22   b  when the clasp is engaged. The flexible clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b  are able to be moved to disengage from the interface zones  22   a,    22   b  of the clasp receiving portion  22  when force  50  is applied to the raised release tabs  18   a,    18   b.  When the effective length of the flexible arm is sufficiently long to allow the clasp receiving interface zones  22   a,    22   b  to receive the clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b  the hair clip may be effectively clasped into a closed position. 
         [0025]      FIG. 6  illustrates the clasp in an engaged configuration. The clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b  have been engaged onto the receiving interface zones  22   a,    22   b  of the clasp receiving portion  22 . There is some length to the receiving interface zone surfaces  22   a,    22   b,  which allows for some variation in the effective length of the flexible arm. The effective length of the flexible arm  14  will be determined by how much hair has been selected to be clasped. The flexible clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b  have angled top surfaces such that the flexible clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b  may be pushed up into the slot in the clasp receiving portion  22 , and as the clasp male portions are pushed up there is a resultant force to bend the flexible male portions  20   a,    20   b  towards each other, narrowing their overall relative width. Once the angled upper surface clears the top of the sides of the slot in the clasp receiving portion, the flexible clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b  will snap outward, resulting in the clasping of the rigid outer arm to the flexible inner arm. In order to release the clasp, the raised release tabs  18   a,    18   b  are squeezed together, and as the flexible clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b  extend out from the release tabs, pressure placed upon the release tabs in squeezing the release tabs together will push each of the male portions towards the center of the rigid arm, reducing the width of the male portions pair, and thus allowing it to fit within the width of the slot in the clasp receiving portion  22  to open the hair clip and release the captured hair. 
         [0026]    In some aspects, as seen in  FIG. 6 , the clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b,  are seen raised in a vertical plane relative to the end of the rigid arm  16 . The flat surfaces of the interface zones  22   a,    22   b  of the clasp receiving portion  22  are substantially perpendicular to the vertical plane of the clasp male portions  20   a ,  20   b.  This configuration also places the contact zones  21   a,    21   b  of the clasp male portions  20   a,    20   b  in position such that they are parallel to the interface zones  22   a ,  22   b  of clasp receiving portion  22 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 7  illustrates a frictional insert  60  which may be used to line the interior curved surface of the rigid arm  16 .  FIG. 8  illustrates an embodiment  300  of a hair clip with a frictional insert according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0028]    In some aspects, as seen in  FIG. 9 a   , a user  70  is wearing a hair clip  100 . The hair clip  100  is clasped around a clasped hair portion  40 , with the clasp engaged.  FIG. 9B  illustrates a hair clip  400  being worn by a user  70 . The hair clip  400  may have a decorative accessory affixed thereupon. The decorative accessory may be affixed to the accessory ports  30   a,    30   b.  The hair clip  400  is seen clasped around a clasped hair portion  40   
         [0029]    As evident from the above description, a wide variety of embodiments may be configured from the description given herein and additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is, therefore, not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures from such details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant&#39;s general invention.