Patent Publication Number: US-10786059-B1

Title: Hair braiding device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to hair styling accessories and, more particularly, to a hair braiding device providing a structured grid of hooks positioned at an operational oriented angle for supporting a plurality of hair sections in a spaced apart relationship for the forming of braids and similar hairstyles that require separated braiding hair. 
     When performing hair styling services that requires braiding hair extensions, stylists of hair extensions (after feathering and separating the hair in small amounts, “sections”) run into the issue of not having a proper space or tool for supporting the individual hair sections in a spaced apart relationship relative to each other so as to prevent tangling and other complications. 
     Though there are currently hair braiding tools, such tools allow portions of the separated hair to fall off the tool during the braiding process or if when the user temporarily suspends the braiding operation and moves the tool. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for a hair braiding device providing a structure for forming of braids and similar hairstyles that require separated braiding hair. The structure embodied by the present invention allows braiding stylists to properly place the separated hair on a very sturdy, reliable, and neat placement, while maintaining the separated hair even if the device is moved midway during the braiding operation. The present invention provides rows of spaced-apart hooks mounted at different elevations so that the extension hair placed thereon can be separated evenly, prevent tangling, knotting, or the loss of sectioned hair even if the structure were to be accidentally dropped. The hooks are movable between an operative state and a secured state, though throughout maintaining an operational orientation for securing operatively associated hair sections. 
     As a result, the present invention, unlike the prior art, is compact and portable, which makes it easy to store and place within a work-space, even when separated hair is still associated with the hair braiding device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a hair braiding device includes the following: a plurality of vertically spaced apart rows; a plurality of hooks horizontally spaced apart along each row; two first legs, each first leg connected to one of the two opposing end portions of each row, wherein the two first legs are supported by a supporting surface; and a support leg pivotably connected to an upper portion of each first leg so that the hair braiding device is movable between a deployed state and a collapsed state, wherein each hook is disposed in an operational oriented angle relative to the supporting surface, and wherein the operational oriented angle is thirty to sixty degrees. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, the hair braiding device including the following: a plurality of vertically spaced apart rows; a plurality of hooks horizontally spaced apart along each row; two first legs, each first leg connected to one of the two opposing end portions of each row, wherein the two first legs are supported by a supporting surface, wherein each row provides an engagement surface at each opposing end for engaging one of the two first legs, wherein each row provides a hook surface for connected to each hook provided thereon, and wherein the engagement surface is at an acute angle relative to the hook surface, ranging between thirty and sixty degrees; and a support leg pivotably connected to an upper portion of each first leg so that the hair braiding device is movable between a deployed state and a collapsed state, wherein each hook is disposed in an operational oriented angle relative to the supporting surface when the hair braiding device is in the deployed state or the collapsed state, wherein the operational oriented angle is approximately sixty degrees in the deployed state and approximately thirty degrees in the collapsed state. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in use; the stylist separates and hangs each hair sections needed on the rack hooks before beginning to braid with a client&#39;s hair; so that the hair sections are kept detangled and the stylist does not need to stop during braiding to create more; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the movement to a deployed state, with a hook shown exploded from a hook surface  44 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the movement to a collapsed state for compact storage; and 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in the deployed state with the hooks angled upward in the operational orientation for securely associating with hair sections. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a hair braiding device dimensioned and adapted for enabling the separation of a plurality of braiding hair sections with minimum amounts of tangling and knotting, even when the underlying hair braiding device is moved. The hair braiding device provides a grid of hooks positioned at an operational orientation angle, even as the hair braiding device is movable between a deployed state and a collapsed state for transportation and storage. Thereby the operatively associated hair sections remain in their own spaced-apart relationship relative to each other. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , the present invention may include a hair braiding device  10 . The hair braiding device  10  may provide a plurality of vertically spaced apart, parallel rows of hooks  40 , each row  40  providing a plurality of horizontally spaced apart hooks  20 . In certain embodiments, the hooks may be spaced apart between 0.5 and 1.5 inches. 
     The plurality of vertically spaced apart, parallel rows of hooks  40  may be supported by two spaced apart first legs  32  at or near each end of each row  40 . The two first legs  32  act as a frame that extends to a supporting surface, such as the floor, where each first leg  32  may provide a padded and/or non-slip foot  60 . A support leg  30  may be pivotably connected to an upper portion of each first leg  32  so that the hair braiding device  10  is movable between a deployed state, illustrated in  FIG. 2 , and a collapsed state, illustrated in  FIG. 3 , for storage or transport purposes. Each support leg  30  may terminate at a padded and/or non-slip foot  60 . 
     Each row  40  and/or hook  20  may be oriented in an operational orientation. The operational orientation may be angled between thirty and sixty degrees relative to the supporting surface, wherein the operational orientation is closer to sixty degrees in the deployed state and closer to thirty degrees in the collapsed state, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , respectively. 
     Each row  40  may have a unique shape to facilitate such operational orientations, wherein the row  40  has a pentagonal profile, at least at the engagement of the row  40  and the first leg  32 , or has at least an engagement surface  42  that is at an acute angle relative to a hook (supporting) surface  44 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The acute angle may range between thirty and sixty degrees. 
     Each row  40  may be approximately one inch in width and twelve to fifty inches in length, and the first legs  32  and the support legs  30  may have similar dimensions. Adjacent rows  40  may be vertically spaced apart by between one and four inches. The hooks  20  may be screw hooks or attachable pieces of material, curved or bent back at an angle, for catching hold of or hanging things on so as they are dimensioned to catch, hold and hang sections of hair  50 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     The hair braid device  10  forms a stand whereby the plurality of vertically spaced apart rows  40  each support a plurality of horizontally spaced apart hooks  10  enabling the separation of the braiding hair sections  50  to remain in its own space with minimum amounts of tangling and knotting. For example, assuming the stylist is conducting “single” braids or “plats” and each hook  20  would hold one braid section  50 , the hair braiding device  10  stand can hold at least sixty braids  50 . This allows the stylist to complete a client&#39;s full head of single braids  50  without having to stop multiple times to sort and separate hair that is needed. With the separation of the hair being evenly distributed on the hair braiding device  10 , the braids  50  will be more sequential on the client&#39;s head, allowing the style to be more desirable to the client. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.