Abstract:
An improved hair clip is provided that includes a base plate, an arm pivotally coupled to the base plate, wherein the arm is movable between an open position and a closed position, and a safety guard configured to cohere to hair to prevent the safety guard from slipping from the hair and to prevent hair from being caught in the location where the arm is coupled to the base plate.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/435,831, filed Dec. 20, 2002. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to hair clips and other fasteners for holding a portion or all of a user&#39;s hair in a styled position.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0003]    Typically, people who have medium to long hair, at times, prefer to wear their hair styled back away from their face and/or up away from their neck. By doing so, people enjoy a quick, easy, and cooler alternative to styling their hair down.  
           [0004]    People with inevitably different thicknesses of hair, tend to wear their hair back or up for a significant duration of time if not all day. It is therefore desirable that the hair clip is able to accommodate a variety of hair thicknesses, secure the hair well and provide a comfortable and nonthreatening support for hair.  
           [0005]    Clothing stores, beauty supply stores, supermarkets, and other stores commonly sell hair clips such as the one shown in FIG. 1. These hair clips are large enough to hold a whole head of hair as well as supply a mount for a decorative design. While the decorative designs on these hair clips have evolved, these hair clips still have associated problems.  
           [0006]    Originally, these hair clips were made in such a way that when they were applied, a pivotal lower arm  12 , an upper arm  14 , and a hinge  16  were in direct contact with the user&#39;s hair. This design had several major drawbacks.  
           [0007]    First, the antiquated hair clip exposed the hair to the hinge. This made it possible for strands of hair to get caught in or pinched by the hinge while the hair clip was in place. This catching or pinching of the hair likely resulted in hair being broken or damaged. If the hair clip slips or is removed from the user&#39;s hair while hair strands are caught in the hinge, those strands will likely be broken, pulled, or pulled out.  
           [0008]    Secondly, the hair clip had a strong tendency to slip out of place. The adjoining arms in direct contact with the hair did not cohere to the hair nor did it compact the hair sufficiently, allowing the clip to slip during use. This slipping either reduced the aesthetic effect of the style that was achieved during the clip&#39;s initial application or allowed the clip to slip off entirely, loosing its effectiveness. Deteriorated style and diminished effectiveness reduced user satisfaction. Additionally, if strands of hair were caught in the hinge when the clip slipped, the user would experience pain and discomfort because of those strands being pulled or pulled out.  
           [0009]    Thirdly, the hair clip did not fit well to a broad range of hair thicknesses. Due to the uncompressible nature of the clip (which is often made of metal, such as sheet metal) there was little ability for the clip to adjust to varying thicknesses of hair. This being the case, the hair clip did not provide a snug fit to hair thinner than that for which the clip was originally designed. Because the clips were in essence too big for thin hair, accelerated slippage would occur. This accelerated slippage would shorten the time it took to damage, brake, pull, or pull out hair caught in the hinge. Here again, the slippage reduced the aesthetic effect and effectiveness, reducing user satisfaction of the clip.  
           [0010]    Again, the prior art shown in FIG. 1 does not do anything to prevent hair from getting caught in the hinge. The metal arms do not cohere to the hair, nor does it compress or conform to the hair. The clip does not fit a wide range of hair thicknesses, nor does it give the needed added stability to keep the hair clip in place for a sufficient period of use. This being the situation, the prior art does not secure the hair well nor does it provide comfort and a nonthreatening support for hair, diminishing aesthetics and user satisfaction.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0011]    The hair clip described herein is a device for protecting and holding in place hair. In one embodiment, a stretchable, elastic-like tube fits tautly over the arms of the clip and the hinge which protects hair from becoming caught or damaged by the hinge, coheres and conforms to the hair, and gives the hair clip a snugger fit to a broader range of hair thicknesses. This stretchable, elastic-like tube is referred to herein as a “safety guard”.  
           [0012]    Various embodiments of the hair clips described herein fit a broader range of hair thicknesses, make the hair clip more comfortable, stay in place better and provide a nonthreatening support for hair.  
           [0013]    A hair clip equipped with the safety guard provides a comfortable, safe haven for hair. With the safety guard in place hair will not get caught in the hinge and therefore will not be damaged or broken. And upon slippage, if any occurs, or removal of the clip, hair is not pulled or pulled out. The safety guard also adds comfort by buffering out the cold, stiff metal that used to touch up against the user&#39;s neck or head. Instead the safety guard provides a soft, temperate feel. Additionally, the safety guard may cover some or all of the sharp edges of the hinge that are often located near the edge of the hair clip.  
           [0014]    A hair clip equipped with the safety guard fits a broader range of hair thicknesses. By adding a layer of compressionable material to the inside of the clip, the clip becomes better suited for medium to thin hair, while still accommodating thick hair.  
           [0015]    A hair clip equipped with the safety guard stays in place because the material of the safety guard coheres to hair, conforms and compacts the hair. Metal clips do not cohere or conform to the hair. However, materials that make up the safety guard provide greater friction and are therefore more coherent to hair than metal. By adding a layer of compressible material to the inside of the clip, space between the upper and lower arms that is unused is displaced and hair is more compact in the hair clip. This greater compacting gives the hair clip a snugger fit to a broad range of hair thicknesses. This snugger fit in addition to the more coherent material helps provide a longer lasting fit.  
           [0016]    Because of the safety guards ability to conform to hair, the clip has less of a tendency to crimp the hair resulting in less of a dent in the hair when the clip is removed.  
           [0017]    The hair clip safety guard can be made of different materials (and different colors and/or textures) for different hair types and personal preferences. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 shows a prior art hair clip.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a hair clip safety guard before it is applied to a hair clip.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 shows an exemplary hair clip finished with the safety guard.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a safety guard designed to accommodate the different widths of the lower and upper arms.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 shows an example safety guard with one opening for the hinge rather than two smaller openings.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 6 shows an example of a hair clip having an inner protector in a blown-up view.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 7 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a front cut-away view.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 8 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a top view.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 9 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a front view.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 10 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a side view.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 11 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a back view.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 12 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a bottom view.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 13 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a perspective view. 
     
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS  
       [0031]    [0031] 10  decorative base plate  
         [0032]    [0032] 12  lower arm  
         [0033]    [0033] 14  upper arm  
         [0034]    [0034] 16  hinge  
         [0035]    [0035] 1   8  clasp  
         [0036]    [0036] 19  eye hook  
         [0037]    [0037] 30  slots  
       DESCRIPTION  
       [0038]    The hair clip safety guard is a stretchy tube, elastic in nature, that is used with the clip in FIG. 1. When in place, the guard springs back to its original shape (or close to its original shape) and rests tautly around lower arm  12  and upper arm  14 , and covers hinge  16 . Within the safety guard there are a pair of slots  30  that allow the hinge  16  to extend through the safety guard and maintain its connection to the decorative base plate  10 . In alternate embodiments, the slots  30  are replaced with a single aperture through which at least a portion of the hinge  16  extends. The cross-sectional shape of the safety guard shown in FIG. 2 may be round, oval, rectangular, or any other shape that allows the safety guard to be secured to a hair clip. An oval cross-sectional shape reduces or eliminates rotation of the safety guard after being secured to the hair clip. Additionally, the safety guard may be bonded to the hair clip to reduce or eliminate movement of the safety guard on the hair clip.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 3 shows an exemplary hair clip finished with the safety guard. Although FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate safety guards that are a single piece, alternate embodiments may use multiple pieces to create a safety guard. For example, a first piece is secured to lower arm  12 , a second piece is secured to upper arm  14 , and a third piece is secured to hinge  16 . In another embodiment, the safety guard shown in FIG. 2 is shortened such that the safety guard substantially covers the hinge area, but does not extend as far along lower arm  12  or upper arm  14 .  
         [0040]    In another embodiment, the hair clip shown in FIG. 1 does not have upper arm  14 . Instead, the clip compresses hair between lower arm  12  and base plate  10 . In this embodiment, a safety guard may cover a portion of lower arm  12  and hinge  16 . Additionally, a non-slip material (e.g., similar to the material used to produce the safety guard) may be applied to the surface of base plate  10  that comes in contact with the user&#39;s hair.  
         [0041]    In alternate embodiments, rather than surrounding lower arm  12  and/or upper arm  14 , the surfaces of arms  12  and  14  that contact the user&#39;s hair are coated or covered with a non-slip material and the hinge  16  is substantially surrounded by a safety guard.  
         [0042]    In other embodiments, one or more portions of the safety guard could be manufactured using an injection mold process such that the safety guard has a more defined shape that corresponds to the arms and/or hinge of the hair clip. Further, the safety guard (or a portion of the safety guard) may be integrated with lower arm  12 , upper arm  14 , base plate  10 , and/or hinge  16 . For example, lower arm  12  or upper arm  14  may be a wire frame or other structure that supports all or a portion of the safety guard. The wire frame or other structure may be formed as a single component with the safety guard (e.g., a wire frame encapsulated or otherwise contained within the safety guard).  
         [0043]    In a particular embodiment, the hair clip is produced such that the lower arm  12  and the upper arm  14  are approximately the same width. The safety guard applied to the lower arm  12  and the upper arm  14  is also approximately the same size (e.g., the same diameter). By having each arm  12 ,  14  approximately the same width, the hair clip applies approximately the same pressure on each side of the hair enclosed in the hair clip. This application of approximately uniform pressure may reduce the denting or crimping of the user&#39;s hair.  
         [0044]    To take advantage of the benefits the safety guard offers, the hair clip is equipped with a safety guard. The hair clip is then applied in the normal fashion (i.e., the same as clips without the safety guard).  
         [0045]    To use the hair clip with an attached safety guard, use both hands to gather the hair you wish to clip. Then, slide the lower arm  12  under the hair you wish to clip. Pivot the decorative plate  10  along with the attached upper arm  14  across the gathered hair so that a clasp  18  joins together with an eye hook  19 . Then press the eye hook  19  into the clasp  18  in order to fasten them together.  
         [0046]    The safety guard does not have to be the exact shape or size illustrated in FIG. 2. Many other shapes can perform the same function equally well. Two examples of these additional embodiments are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In FIG. 4 the diameter of one end of the guard is smaller than the other end to accommodate for the different widths of the upper and lower arms of the clip. In FIG. 5 the guard has one opening (or aperture) for the hinge rather than two smaller openings. The opening may be of any shape and size, such as round, oval, square, and the like. Also, the size (e.g., the length or diameter) of the guard may vary along with the clip&#39;s particular specifications.  
         [0047]    The safety guard can be made out of different colors and/or types of materials. The different colors could be representative of different colors of hair. For example, they could be colors which are incorporated into the decorative plate, or they could be silver to match the color of the metal clip. A safety guard could also be made in transparent or clear shades.  
         [0048]    In one embodiment, the safety guard could be made out of different shades/colors that represent various colors of hair. This way the guard could be camouflaged into the user&#39;s hair. Such colors would therefore represent different shades of, for example, brunette, red, black, blonde, and gray.  
         [0049]    In another embodiment, the color of the safety guard could be silver as to blend in with the color of the metal clip.  
         [0050]    In another embodiment, the color of the safety guard matches the decorative hair plate. So, for example if the decorative plate is a floral print made of whites, pinks, purples and greens, the safety guard could be of the same print or of a matching pink. If the decorative plate is, for example, the color gold, the safety guard could also be the color gold.  
         [0051]    Thus, as described herein, the safety guard adds comfort by preventing hair from getting caught in the hinge and being damaged, broken, pulled or pulled out while increasing the effectiveness of the hair clip by making it stay in place better.  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 6 shows an example of a hair clip having an inner protector in a blown-up view. The inner protector may be made in an injection mold process, and the component parts of the clip may be manufactured in the same manner, or in conventional processes used to make hair clips. FIG. 6 illustrates the upper arm  602 , inner protector  604  according to the invention, lower arm  606  and base plate  608 .  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 7 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a front cut-away view. FIG. 7 illustrates a front cut-away view of the components: the upper arm  602 , inner protector  604  according to the invention, lower arm  606  and base plate  608 .  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 8 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a top view, also showing the inner protector.  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 9 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a front view, also showing the inner protector. FIG. 10 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a side view, illustrating the inner protector  604  interposed between the upper arm and the lower arm.  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 11 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a back view, also showing the inner protector.  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 12 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a bottom view, also showing the inner protector.  
         [0058]    [0058]FIG. 13 shows the hair clip of FIG. 6 in a perspective view, also showing the inner protector.  
         [0059]    While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of various embodiments thereof.