Patent Publication Number: US-6213130-B1

Title: Ponytail hair styling method

Description:
The present invention relates generally to ponytail hair styles and more particularly to the implementing of these hair styles without the assistance of another person. 
     EXAMPLE OF THE PRIOR ART 
     The popularity of ponytail hair styles has resulted in extensive patent literature directed to diverse constructions applied to hair strands of a number providing a desired bulk in a rearwardly extending orientation, in which the patented constructions applied about the hair strands hold them in a well recognized configuration resembling that of a tail of a pony, and thus aptly known as and called a ponytail. Exemplifying this extensive patented literature is U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,741 for “Hair Wrap Device” issued to Dvorak on Nov. 14, 1995. Despite the diversity of their apparent simple construction, the patented devices, such as that of the &#39;741 patent, requires the assistance of another person because the hair strands extend rearwardly from behind the head of the user and in this hard to reach position are correspondingly difficult to bind together and thus be maintained in a ponytail-resembling shape or configuration. More particularly, the hair strands are helically wrapped with cords or ties, but provision is not adequately made to hold the hair strands in place during the wrapping, and the ending helical coils or turns about the hair strands are difficult to unite to each other by a user reaching back and attempting this chore by feel. Thus, the ponytail hair style of the &#39;741 patent and all other known implemented ponytail hair styles are done with assistance. 
     Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to implement ponytail hair styling overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. 
     More particularly, it is an object to achieve readily unassisted ponytail hair styling to contribute to this hair style, already very popular with teenagers, enhanced facility and use in grooming for school and like occasions, when time is limited and another&#39;s assistance is not available. 
    
    
     The description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings should not be construed as limiting the invention to the example shown and described, because those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains will be able to devise other forms thereof within the ambit of the appended claims. 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational perspective view of a first ponytail hair style according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of a second ponytail hair style according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3, like FIG. 1, is similarly a side elevational view, but of a third hair style according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is an isolated view of a ponytail-engaging component for implementing the hair styles of FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 ; and 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     As is known from common experience, a ponytail is a popular hair style of choice and to implement this hair style diverse ponytail-engaging components are illustrated and described in the patent literature, as exemplified by the chronological list of U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,266 for “Hair Holder” issued to E. Hoffman on Jan. 31, 1967, U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,769 for “Fastening Devices” issued to Reiner on Aug. 14, 1973, U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,245 for “Hair Tying Apparatus and Method of Use” issued to Harriet on Dec. 1, 1992, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,741 or “Hair Wrap Device” issued to Dvorak as recently as Nov. 14, 1995. 
     Despite the diversity of their apparent simple construction, the ponytail hair styles which are provided require the assistance of another person, and is a shortcoming overcome by the ponytail-engaging component, generally designated  10  which, as will be better understood as description proceeds, is readily applied to hair strands  12  to achieve a ponytail configuration  14  by a user  16  merely reaching back behind her head  18  and, to the ponytail  14  thusly made available completing any one of three hair styles of FIGS. 1,  2  or  3 , and possibly additional hair styles limited only by the creative bent of the user  16 . 
     Component  10 , by function aptly termed a “lasso loop” and hereinafter referred to as such, consists of a tube  20  preferably of stretchable fabric construction material stitched longitudinally as at  21  and which in a preferred embodiment measures thirty-two inches from one end  22  to an opposite end  24 . In each end, there is attached by sewing or the like an extending closed loop  26  of elastic cord-like construction material on which is a cooperating display member  28  having an appropriate ornamental display surface  30  and preferably a circular shape bounding a circular central opening  32  through which the closed loop configuration is achieved before attachment of the ends of the elastic cord in a tube end  22 ,  24 . The elasticity of each loop  26  enables one display member  28  of one loop to be readily inserted by feel in the other closed loop and, of course, vice versa, and the size of the display member  28  is selected to be readily located, again by feel, by a user  16  reaching back behind her head  18 . 
     Completing the lasso loop in an assembly for use is a decorative slide  34 , preferably having a matching decorative surface  36 , which additionally has a central opening  38  through which two lengths of the tube, each preferably half of its thirty-two inch length, are inserted with sliding clearance to enable sliding movement of the slide  34  along the inserted tube lengths. Thus, as depicted in FIG. 4, on one side of the slide  34  the tube assumes a closed loop configuration  40  bounding a ponytail-receiving opening  42 , and on the opposite side of the slide  34  are unattached ties  44  and  46  each terminating with the engaged members  28 . 
     To implement the hair styles of at least FIGS. 1-3, the user  16  reaches back and, by feel, threads an appropriate number of hair strands  12 , i.e., a number providing a desired bulk in the ponytail to be styled, through the lasso loop opening  42 , urges the slide  34  in movement along the ties  44 ,  46  up to the base or a position adjacent the user&#39;s scalp, and pulls the ties  44 ,  46  taut to provide a slip knot configuration  48 . This provides the hair style depicted in FIG. 2 in which the ties  44  and  46  dangle unattached lengthwise of the ponytail. 
     In practice however, a further styling has proved more popular and is depicted in FIG.  1 . To implement the hair style of FIG. 1, the user  16 , again by feel and reaching behind her head  18  simultaneously winds with each hand in opposite helical clockwise and counterclockwise directions  50  and  52  the ties  44  and  46  about the ponytail  14  and is able to readily hold the helical turns  54  of the ties  44  and  46  in their encircling relation about the ponytail  14  by inserting one member  28  of one closed loop  26  through the other closed loop  26 , since the elasticity of the loop construction material allows for this positioning and the elasticity upon release of the inserted member  28  draws the member  28  against an unoccupied site, as at  56 , of a closed loop  26 . The FIG. 1 hair style is thusly implemented in all respects without another&#39;s assistance and solely by the user  16  reaching back and manipulating the lasso loop  10  as described by feel. 
     To add body and also to facilitate handling of the tube  20 , an elastic cord  58  is connected in extending relation between the loops  26  so as to serve as a core for the tube  20  and, in practice, makes it easier to apply the helical turns  54  about the ponytail  14  in implementing the hair style of FIG. 1 from the hair style of FIG.  2 . 
     Additional styling, as depicted in FIG. 3, is readily achieved by the user  16  configurating a bow knot  60  of the unattached ties  44  and  46 , instead of implementing the unassisted hair style of FIG.  1 . 
     While the ponytail-engaging lasso loop for practicing the within inventive method, as well as said method herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the detail of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.