Patent Publication Number: US-2023148726-A1

Title: System and method for hair extensions separator

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
     This application relates to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional application 63/281,004 filed 18 Nov. 2021, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This application relates to systems and methods that allow a user to separate hair extensions into manageable smaller wrapped bundles. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Hair extensions, also known as hair weaves, are used to add length and fullness to human hair. Hair extension can be made of synthetic materials or human hair. Hair extensions are usually clipped, glued, sewn, or braided on (collectively incorporated into) natural hair by incorporating additional human or synthetic hair. When braiding with hair extensions, the hair extensions must be separated into smaller bundles known as singles or hair singles. The braider uses each individual smaller bundle (i.e., hair singles) and incorporates each the hair singles with the wearer&#39;s natural hair. 
     Manually separating the hair extensions into singles takes up an inordinate amount of time. Some hair styles can take up to eight hours to complete and also having to manually separate hair extensions adds more time to the process. Furthermore, manually separating the hair extensions into singles often results in tangled singles that cannot be used and must be discarded, resulting in monetary loss. Additionally, manual separation of extensions results in scattering of hair strands around the work area requiring extra clean-up during and after the hair styling process. 
     It is therefore desirable to provide a hair extensions separator that provides a faster and more efficient way to separate hair extensions into smaller bundles (i.e., hair singles). Using a hair extensions separator, hair braiders can complete hair styles faster allowing a braider the opportunity to work with more clients on any given day. Customers would also benefit as it will require less time sitting. A hair extensions separator would reduce tangles and eliminate the need to discard portions of the hair extensions due to tangling. Further, a hair extensions separator results in no or minimal debris, which allows the hair braider to focus on hair styling rather than clean-up. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various objectives, features, and advantages of the disclosed subject matter can be more fully appreciated with reference to the following detailed description of the disclosed subject matter when considered in connection with the following drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like elements. 
         FIG.  1    depicts a top view of an exemplary hair extensions separator, according to embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2 A  illustrates a side view of an exemplary hair extensions separator of  FIG.  1   , according to embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2 B  a side view of an exemplary hair extensions separator with a comb-like structure of  FIG.  1   , according to embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  3 A  illustrates a front view of an exemplary hair extensions separator of  FIG.  1   , according to embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  3 B  illustrates a front view of an exemplary hair extensions separator with a wrapping mechanism of  FIG.  1   , according to embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    illustrates the method of separating hair extensions according to embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  5 A  depicts a top view of a second exemplary hair extensions separator, according to embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  5 B  depicts hair singles created using the hair extensions separator of  FIG.  5 A . 
         FIG.  5 C  depicts a detailed view of one comb-like structure of the second exemplary hair extensions separator, according to embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  5 D  depicts a detailed view of comb-like structures of the second exemplary hair extensions separator, according to embodiments of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a sufficient understanding of the subject matter present herein. But it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. Moreover, the particular embodiments described herein are provided by way of example and should not be used to limit the scope of the invention to these particular embodiments. 
     Described here are systems and methods for a hair extensions separator that separates hair extensions into smaller wrapped hair bundles for easier use. 
       FIG.  1    shows an embodiment of a hair extensions separator  100  with a top surface  110  onto which the hair (synthetic or real) is placed across the top surface  110  in order to separate the hair extensions into singles. The top surface  110  comprises a plurality of lateral grooves  120 . The lateral grooves  120  travel most of the longer length of the top surface  110  to the edges of the top surface. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG.  1   , the plurality of lateral grooves  120  are situated horizontally on the top surface  110 . Each groove of the plurality of lateral grooves comprises groove walls  120   a  and a groove floor  120   b  (detailed in  FIG.  2 A ). The top surface  110  and grooves  120  may both be made out of the same material, such as plastic, wood, or any other suitable material. Towards the ends of the plurality of grooves  120  and at each end of the top surface  110 , are locking mechanisms  150  and  160  that are used to secure the hair in place. The top surface  110  also contains one or more comb-like structures  170  (only one is shown in  FIG.  1   ) which can be dragged along the top surface  110  and moved through the hair to evenly distribute the hair extension into the plurality of lateral grooves  120 . In certain embodiments, the hair is manually distributed into the plurality of lateral grooves  120  by a user&#39;s hands. The top surface  110  also comprises a middle portion  130 . The middle portion  130  is designed to be perpendicular to each of the plurality of grooves  120 . The middle portion  130  comprises a vertically movable platform  140 . The vertically movable platform  140  can be raised or lowered. In certain embodiments the vertically movable platform  140  is lower than the groove floor  120   b.  The vertically movable platform  140  can be raised once the hair has been separated into each of the grooves in order to facilitate a wrapper (that may be paper or another material) being wrapped around a middle portion of each of the singles. In some embodiments, the vertically movable platform  140  also may have a mechanism that wraps the wrapper around each of the singles. In certain embodiments, the middle portion  130  can be widened to allow for more clearance to work on the hair singles. 
     In certain embodiments, the locking mechanisms  150  and  160  comprise folding locks used to pull and secure the singles to the top surface  120 . Thus the locking mechanisms  150  and  160  keep the ends of the singles tightly secured allowing the singles to be wrapped as described below. In certain embodiments, each end of the unit will comprise edge locks to lock and secure the singles once the hair is evenly spread across the flatbed. These locks can either be the first device pulled from the center and locked down on each end or folded/bent inward and down on top of the hair providing an inward locking force. Other locking mechanisms that can tightly secure the ends of the singles may also be used. 
       FIG.  2 A  depicts a side view of the hair extensions separator  100 . Each of the grooves of the plurality of grooves  120  comprises of groove sidewalls  120   a  and groove floors  120   b.  In certain embodiments, the width of the groove sidewalls  120   a  and/or groove floors  120   b  are adjustable to accommodate various sizes of the desired hair singles. Furthermore, although each groove is shown having vertical sidewalls and a flat floor, the groves may have other shapes that are within the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, although the grooves in  FIG.  2 A  are uniformly sized and have a uniform depth, some embodiments may have grooves in which each of the grooves is not a uniform depth and/or width. 
       FIG.  2 B  depicts a side view of the hair extensions separator  100  including the comb-like structure  170 . The comb-like structure  170  comprises a plurality of teeth protruding downwards from a handle portion. When the comb-like structure  170  is being used to separate the hair lying on the top surface, the plurality of teeth are oriented towards the top surface  110  as shown in  FIG.  2 B . During operation, the comb-like structure  170  is lowered towards the top surface  110  thereby trapping the hair strands between the teeth. The comb-like structure  170  is then swept laterally along the top surface  110  over the plurality of grooves  120  thereby forcing the hair strands to fall into the plurality of lateral grooves  120 . In certain embodiments, the hair extensions separator  100  can have two comb-like structures on either side of the middle portion  130 . In such an embodiment, each comb-like structure is swept on the top surface  110  on either side of the middle portion  130  where the comb-like structure is located. In certain embodiments, the width between adjacent teeth of the comb-like structure is adjustable to accommodate different desired hair singles sizes. Furthermore, while the teeth of the comb-like structure are shown to be the same approximate width as the grooves  120  in  FIG.  2 B , there may be embodiments in which the teeth of the comb-like structure are narrower in width that the grooves so that one or more of the teeth can extend down into one or more of the grooves. 
       FIG.  3 A  depicts a front view of the hair extensions separator  100  with hair singles in groove  120  that intersects with the middle portion  130  wherein the hair bundle is held in place by the locking mechanisms  150 ,  160 . Also shown is the vertically movable platform  140  whose top surface is lower than the floor  120   b  of the lateral groove  120 . In certain embodiments, the vertically movable platform  140  can be raised to have its top surface higher than the groove floor  120   b  that allows the hair single to have its middle portion wrapped with the wrapper as described above. In certain other embodiments, the vertically movable platform  140  can be raised to have its top surface higher than the top surface  110  of the hair extension separator  100  that also allows the hair bundle to have its middle portion wrapped with the wrapper as described above. 
       FIG.  3 B  depicts a front view of the hair extensions separator  100  as in  FIG.  3 A , but  FIG.  3 B  further depicts a wrapping mechanism  180 . In certain embodiments, wrapping mechanism  180  comprises a wrapping material such as paper, rubber bands, plastic, or other material that can be used to wrap the hair singles. In operation, the wrapping mechanism  180  is lowered over the middle portion  130  over the middle and/or a portion of each of the hair singles. Once the wrapping mechanism  180  contacts the hair singles, the wrapping mechanism  180  dispenses its wrapping material surrounding each hair singles and secures it (such as by glue, a tighten and/or twist force, wrapping paper, or other material) thereby individually wrapping the hair singles. In certain embodiments, the wrapping mechanism  180  is contained in the vertically movable platform  140 . In certain other embodiments, the user can apply wrapping materials on the hair singles manually. 
       FIG.  4    depicts a method of separating hair extensions. In one embodiment, the method may be practiced using the hair extensions separator  100  shown in  FIGS.  1 - 3 B . For purposes of illustration, the method will be described when the hair extensions separator  100  shown in  FIGS.  1 - 3 B  is being used to practice the method. 
     The process begins with step  210  in which the user spreads the hair bundle or bundles (previously purchased at a beauty store) on the top surface  110  of the hair extension separator  100 . Usually, hair extensions come bundled in a relatively large bundle and at step  210 , the user roughly spreads this large bundle over the top surface  110 . During this spreading step, some of the hair extensions fall into the plurality of lateral grooves  120  and some strands remain on the top surface  110 . Next at step  220 , the user employs the comb-like structure  170  by moving the comb-like structure  170  laterally over the top surface  110 . In certain embodiments, the user can manually sweep the hair extensions into the plurality of lateral grooves  120  without using the comb-like structure  170 . During this step, the hair that remained in the top surface after step  210  is pushed into the plurality of lateral grooves  120  by the teeth of the comb-like structure or the user&#39;s hands. Next at step  230 , the hair-locking mechanisms  150 ,  160  are employed to tighten and secure the hair singles that are located in the plurality of lateral grooves  120 . At step  240 , the vertically movable platform  140  is lowered to a height that is below the height of the groove floor  120   b  of the plurality of lateral grooves  120 . Lowering the vertically movable platform  140  provides a clearance for applying the wrapping material over the hair singles. In certain embodiments, depending on the configuration of the wrapping mechanism  180 , the vertically movable platform  140  could also be raised to a height higher than the groove floor  120   b  or even higher than the top surface  110 . At step  250 , the wrapping mechanism  180  is positioned to be adjacent (i.e., close to or touching) the hair singles in the middle portion  130 . At step  260 , the wrapping mechanism is employed to bind the hair singles. Once the wrapping material is applied to the hair singles, the wrapping mechanism is positioned away from the hair singles at step  270 . At step  280 , the wrapped hair singles are removed from the plurality of lateral grooves  120 . Ideally, while removing the wrapped hair singles from the plurality of lateral grooves  120 , the user lifts each wrapped hair single from the wrapped portion of the hair single. 
       FIG.  5 A  depicts another embodiment of the hair extensions separator  300 . In this embodiment, the hair extensions separator comprises of two comb-like structures  310 ,  320 . The comb-like structures  310  and  320  may be linked together using a flexible material or any other suitable material. Alternatively, the comb-like structures 310  and  320  may be separate discrete pieces. The comb-like structures  310 ,  320  comprise a plurality of teeth protruding from at least one surface of the comb-like structures  310 ,  320 . In certain embodiments, the width between adjacent teeth of the comb-like structure is adjustable to accommodate desired hair singles sizes.  FIGS.  5 C and  5 D  depict one embodiment of the hair extensions separator  300  of  FIG.  5 A .  FIG.  5 C  depicts one comb-like structure  310  and  FIG.  5 D  depicts comb-like structures  310  and  320  connected together. The hair extensions separator  300  is designed to be portable allowing users to easily store and carry the hair extensions separator  300 . 
     Operation of the hair extensions separator  300  will now be described. The user spreads the hair bundle/bundles (previously purchased at a beauty store) on a surface. The hair extensions separator  300  can be operated on any number of relatively flat surfaces (e.g., a tabletop, a countertop, a sitting portion of a chair or stool, etc.). Next the user places the comb-like structures  310 ,  320  over a middle portion of the hair bundle as depicted in  FIG.  5 A  with the teeth of the comb-like structures  310 ,  320  facing the hair bundle. During operation, the comb-like structures  310 ,  320  are lowered atop a middle portion of the hair bundle thereby trapping the hair strands between the teeth. The comb-like structures  310 ,  320  are then swept laterally along the surface in opposite directions (e.g., the comb-like structure  310  is swept laterally to the left and the comb-like structure  320  is swept laterally to the right). Alternatively, referring to  FIG.  5 D , the user can spread the hair bundle atop the comb-like structures  310  and  320 . Next, the user separates the comb-like structures  310  and  320  laterally apart. The sweeping motion of the comb-like structures  310 ,  320  forces the strands of hair of the hair bundle into the gaps between the teeth of the comb-like structures  310 ,  320   FIG.  5 B  depicts the hair bundle separated into hair singles by using the hair extensions separator  300 . 
     It is to be understood that the disclosed subject matter is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangements set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosed subject matter is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other designs, structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the disclosed subject matter. Therefore, the claims should be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter. 
     As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes” and/or “including”, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
     As used herein, the terms “and/or” and “at least one of” include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
     Although the disclosed subject matter has been described and illustrated in the foregoing exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in the details of implementation of the disclosed subject matter may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter.