Abstract:
A hair-holding device has a comb-like element having a base supporting a plurality of teeth lying in a plane. The base has first and second mutually-exclusive orientations in the plane and can be transformed between the first orientation in which the distal ends of adjacent teeth are spaced apart from each other and the second orientation in the plane in which the distal ends of adjacent teeth are brought towards each other. The combination of an operating handle exterior to the base and a curved rod the base allow the to be is able to be retained in a chosen one of the orientations and to be transformed by the user between the alternative first and second orientations.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention is directed to a new and improved device to hold the hair in the form of a comb or toothed barrette. The present application claims the benefit of provisional application 61/321,227 filed Apr. 6, 2010. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Conventional combs to hold the hair or to maintain an ornament in the hair often suffer from deficiencies in that they must, on the one hand, be easily insertable into the hair and, on the other hand, must be capable of firmly gripping the hair when in place. The invention set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,050,272 and 6,318,379 to the present inventor addresses those issues by providing a comb-like device having a curved base from which an array of comb teeth extend. The base is transformable between curved orientations, either concave or convex, with respect to the teeth. In the convex orientation, the teeth ends are separated, allowing the comb to be easily inserted into the hair, while in the concave orientation with respect to the teeth, the teeth ends are drawn together causing the teeth to strongly grip the hair. 
         [0003]    A deficiency with the foregoing invention, however, is that the comb base must be transformed between the concave and convex positions manually by the user, who grips the base and performs a twisting-type maneuver. It has been found that such action can be difficult to perform, particularly when the comb is in place on the hair. 
         [0004]    It is accordingly the purpose of the present invention to provide a hair-holding device of the type set forth in the &#39;272 and &#39;379 patents that facilitates the operation of the device. A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a hair-holding device of the aforementioned type that has enhanced provision for the affixation of decorative matter to the comb. Yet a further purpose of the present invention is to provide an improvement to such devices, which is of economical and efficient manufacture and construction. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In accordance with the foregoing, the present invention comprises a comb having a base transformable between alternative positions, which may be convex and concave, with respect to a series of projecting teeth, thus defining alternative open and closed orientations for the teeth. A substantially rigid curved member extends within the base, the base conforming to the shape and orientation of the rigid member, which is rotatable. The rigid member has a portion extending exteriorly of the base serving as a handle for the member whereby the user may grip the handle and rotate the member to open and close the teeth, as required. The handle may take any of a variety of shapes, and may further serve as a means of adornment as well as a member to which additional adornments, such as beads, ribbons, medallions or the like can be fastened. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    A fuller understanding of the present invention will be achieved upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred but nonetheless illustrative embodiments of the invention, when reviewed in connection with the annexed drawings wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a sectional view of a prior art device of the type of which the present invention is employed, shown in the open position; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the device of the prior art device of  FIG. 1  shown in the closed position; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a view of a rigid member of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of a hair-holding device of the present invention with the rigid member of  FIG. 3  mounted therein; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the device of  FIG. 4  shown in a closed position; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the hair-holding device of the present invention utilizing a medallion affixed to the handle; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of a further alternative embodiment of the invention utilizing beads; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of a yet further alternative embodiment of the invention in which the handle portion is shown in the shape of a heart; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a plan view of yet another embodiment of the invention, similar to that of  FIG. 7 , but employing two rod elements; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention, in which the handle extends from one side of the comb. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    With initial references to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , comb  10  of the prior art, as exemplified in the &#39;272 patent, which may be made from a ductile plastic material such as polyethylene, includes a series of teeth  12  supported at their first ends upon a base  14 . The base is sufficiently flexible to allow it to bend or flex between a first position, as depicted in  FIG. 1 , in which the base supports the teeth such that the distal ends of the teeth are spaced from each other, and a second orientation, as depicted in  FIG. 2 , in which the distal ends of the teeth approach each other, allowing the clip to grip the hair. The positions in which the distal ends of the teeth are separated and together may preferably be defined by convex and concave orientations of the base with respect to the teeth, as shown in the figures. 
         [0018]    Rod  16  lies within channel  18  in the base and is curved along its length, with sufficient rigidity to cause the base  14  to conform to its curvature. The rod is further mounted within the comb in a manner that permits it to rotate about its ends such that its opposed concave and convex sides can alternatively face the teeth of the comb. The material for the rod is preferably spring steel, which can maintain its curvature while providing sufficient flex and resiliency to permit it to rotate upon the application of an exterior force by the user. As the barrette assumes a curved orientation as dictated by the curve of the rod, when an appropriate distorting force is applied to the barrette, such as by pushing or flexing the ends of the barrette sideways with respect to the central section of the barrette, the rod rotates or flips about its ends such that its curvature is in the opposite sense. Thus, the orientation of the barrette or comb can be changed from that of  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 2  and vice versa. 
         [0019]    As may be appreciated, as rod  16  is typically substantially buried within the barrette base, the distorting force to change the orientation of the rod must be applied to the barrette base. This is often difficult to do successfully, particularly when the barrette is placed in the hair and is desired to remain in the chosen position when it is being “locked” in place. 
         [0020]    With references to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the present invention utilizes a comb or barrette body having a base  22  and teeth  24  constructed in a like manner to the comb or barrette of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Extending within the bore in the base  22  is rod  26 . When installed in the comb, rod  26  includes a curved portion within the comb or barrette, allowing the orientation of the teeth  24  to change as the orientation of the curve varies within the comb, the bore wall serving as a bearing for the rod. An exterior portion  32  of the rod forms an operating handle. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the rod may define a substantially closed loop, with adjacent rod ends  28 ,  30 . The opposed distal portions of the loop are inserted through opposite ends of the base bore, as shown in  FIG. 4 , portion  32  of the rod remaining exposed and serving as the operating handle for the barrette. While  FIG. 4  shows the rod ends  28  and  30  buried within the comb, the rod may also be oriented such that the ends are exterior to the comb. Once the rod is inserted into/through the comb, the ends, if exposed, can be joined together or left separated. While it is expected that the comb will be molded and the rod subsequently inserted into its accepting bore, thus necessitating that the rod not form a fully closed loop before it is inserted, it is possible to mold or cast the comb directly about the rod, in which case the rod can be initially be in the form of a closed loop. 
         [0021]    With the rod in position in the comb and the barrette body  20  held in position, the rod  26  may be grasped at the exposed portion  32  as a handle and rotated with respect to the barrette body to change the relative orientation of the inserted part of the rod with respect to the teeth from a first orientation where the distal ends of the teeth are apart, such as the convex to the teeth position depicted in  FIG. 4 , to a second orientation where the distal ends of the teeth are closer together, such as depicted in  FIG. 5  wherein the rod curvature is concave with respect to the teeth, duplicating the action of the prior art comb/barrette shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0022]    While it is contemplated that the rod will often define a substantially closed loop, the exterior portion  32  of the rod  26  need not have any particular shape, so long as the rod includes a portion exterior to the comb body at an angle or orientation sufficient to allow it to be gripped, held or contacted as a handle to apply a torque substantially about the longitudinal axis or length of the comb to rotate the interior portion of the rod with respect to the comb body, while the portion or portions of the rod within the comb or barrette body is/are curved to effect the desired transformation of the comb. As depicted, for example, in  FIG. 6 , the exposed handle portion may be generally oval, adorned with a medallion  34  attached to the handle portion in any appropriate manner.  FIG. 8  depicts the rod having an exposed portion in the form of a heart. 
         [0023]    In addition, it is not necessary that the ends of the rod, if present and exposed, be in close proximity to each other, so long as an exposed portion  32  of the rod is sufficiently long to be engaged by the user and serve as the handle.  FIG. 7 , for example, shows the rod with exterior ends  38 ,  40  substantially separated from each other. While the ends may be exposed, beads  36  may be strung upon the ends to close the loop and provide a finished appearance. The distal ends of the rod are inserted into a pair of the beads, the beads themselves being joined by a string or elastic cord  42 .  FIG. 10  depicts an embodiment wherein the handle portion  34  extends outwardly from only one side of the comb body. A bead or other finishing element may be affixed to the exposed end, again to provide further ornamentation, a finished appearance, and to protect the user from the rod end. 
         [0024]    Still further, it is not necessary that the rod be formed of a single unitary element.  FIG. 9  presents an embodiment similar to that of  FIG. 7 , but where the rod is composed of two individual rod elements  44  and  46 , with spaced respective exterior ends  48  and  50  and adjacent ends  52 ,  54  within the comb  20 . in this embodiment the beads  36  may preferably be rigidly joined to each other by connector means  56  to allow the two rod elements to rotate in a unitary fashion. So long as the portion(s) of the rod or rods within the comb are sufficiently long and curved to effect the desired comb transformation as they rotate, the exact length and positioning on the inserted portions is not critical, although it is preferable that both elements be rotated simultaneously to effect best operation of the comb. In that regard, it is beneficial to join the exposed ends in a manner that facilitates the conjoined rotation. It is contemplated however, that the insertion portions should preferably extend substantially the full length of the comb. 
         [0025]    Further, by “curved” it is meant that the rod portion or portions within the barrette body do not lie along a straight line. The rod portions may be smoothly arcuate, as depicted in  FIG. 4 , or may comprise straight line segments not lying along a straight line, as depicted in  FIG. 7 , the rod portions forming an obtuse angle to each other, so long as the rod portion or portions is/are so shaped as to allow the required transformation of the comb to open and close the teeth.