Patent Publication Number: US-2011048441-A1

Title: Hair Apparatus and Method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application U.S. Ser. No. 61/239,605, entitled “Hair Apparatus and Method” and filed on Sep. 3, 2009, which is fully incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Hair combs are oftentimes used by women to secure their hair in a particular arrangement. Typically, a hair comb has a spine integral with a plurality of teeth. In use, the teeth are inserted into a woman&#39;s hair. The teeth of the comb grip the woman&#39;s hair to retain the hair and the comb in place. However, frequently, the teeth of the comb do not grip the woman&#39;s hair sufficient to retain the hair in the particular arrangement. 
     SUMMARY 
     An apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a comb having a spine and a plurality of teeth. The spine has a first end and a second end. The apparatus further comprises a band having a first U-shaped clip at a first end of the band for coupling to the first end of the spine, and a second end of the band coupled to the second end of the spine. 
     A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises lifting a portion of the user&#39;s hair in an upward twist arrangement and inserting a comb behind the upward twist arrangement, the comb having a spine and a plurality of teeth. The method further comprises attaching a first end of an elastic band to a first end of the spine and attaching and dropping the portion of the user&#39;s hair over the spine. In addition, the method comprises pulling the elastic band that is attached to the first end of the spine over the portion of hair and attaching the elastic band to the second end of the spine thereby retaining the portion of hair. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hair apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a comb portion of the hair apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the comb portion of the hair apparatus depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is another side view of the comb portion of the hair apparatus depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the clip portion of the hair apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a back perspective view of the clip portion depicted in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of a back of a clip head depicted in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8  is a front plan view of the comb portion of the hair apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a front plan view of another exemplary comb portion in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 10  is a side plan view of a clip that may be attached to the clip portion depicted in  FIG. 5  and used with the exemplary comb portion depicted in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11   a  is a perspective view of another exemplary hair apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 11   b  is a perspective view of the hair apparatus of  FIG. 11   a  in an open position. 
         FIG. 12   a  is a perspective view of another exemplary hair apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 12   b  is the exemplary hair apparatus of  FIG. 12   a  in an open position. 
         FIG. 13   a  is a perspective view of another exemplary hair apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 13   b  is the hair apparatus of  FIG. 13   a  showing the hair apparatus in an open position. 
         FIG. 14  is a back view of a user&#39;s head showing the hair apparatus of  FIG. 1  placed in hair of the user. 
         FIG. 15  is a back view of the user&#39;s head of  FIG. 14  showing a portion of the user&#39;s hair covering the comb portion of the hair apparatus. 
         FIG. 16  is a back view of the user&#39;s head of  FIG. 14  showing the clip portion attached to the comb portion in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 17  is a flowchart of an exemplary method of the hair apparatus depicted in  FIGS. 11   a  and  11   b.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure is best understood by referring to the drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hair apparatus  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The hair apparatus  100  comprises a comb portion  102  and a clip portion  101 . 
     The clip portion  101  comprises clip heads  103  and  104 . The clip heads  103  and  104  may be decorative, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The clip heads  103  and  104  are attached together via a band  105 . Such band  105  may be, for example, made of a stretchy elastic material. 
     Further, the clip heads  103  and  104  are attached to the comb portion  102 . In this regard, the clip head  103  is coupled to a clip  106  that couples to the comb portion  102 . Further, the clip head  104  comprises a clip  107  that couples to the comb portion  102 . Such is described further herein. 
     In one embodiment, both of the clip heads  103  and  104  are removably coupled to the comb portion  102 . In such an embodiment, a user (not shown) lifts and twists his/her hair (not shown), and the comb portion  102  is inserted in the user&#39;s hair behind the lifted and twisted portion of the user&#39;s hair. The clip portion  101  is attached to the comb portion  102 , and the user lets the hair drop over the hair apparatus  100 , which is described further herein. 
       FIG. 2  depicts the comb portion  102  separated from the clip portion  101  ( FIG. 1 ). The comb portion  102  comprises comb teeth  200  integrally formed with a spine  201 . The spine may be, for example, substantially arc-shaped. The spine  201  comprises an end  202  and an end  203 . 
     The teeth  200  are integrally formed with the spine  201  such that the teeth extend from the spine  201 . During use, the teeth  200  are inserted into a user&#39;s hair (not shown), as described hereinabove. The teeth  200  retain a portion of the user&#39;s hair in a fixed arrangement. 
     The spine  201  comprises an opening  220  on the end  202 . While not shown in  FIG. 2 , the end  203  also comprises an opening (not shown). The opening  220  on the end  202  and the opening on the end  203  are for receiving the clip  106  ( FIG. 1 ) of clip head  103  ( FIG. 1 ) and clip  107  ( FIG. 1 ) of clip head  104  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     Furthermore, opening  220  is depicted as being circular-shaped. However, such opening  220  may be other shapes in other embodiments. For example, the opening  220  may be rectangular-shaped. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the end  202  of the comb portion  102 . In this regard, the first end  202  has formed within the first end  202  the opening  220 . Notably, the opening  220  receives a portion of the clip  106  ( FIG. 1 ) of the clip head  103  ( FIG. 1 ) such that the first clip head  103  is removably coupled to the spine  201 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the end  203  of the comb portion  102 . In this regard, the spine  201  has formed within the end  203  an opening  400 , which is described further herein. Similar to the first end  202  and its respective opening  220 , the opening  400  receives a portion of the clip  107  ( FIG. 1 ) of the clip head  104  ( FIG. 1 ) such that the clip head  104  is coupled to the spine  201 . When both clip heads  103  and  104  are coupled to the spine  201 , the band  105  ( FIG. 1 ) stretches over the spine  201 . In such an embodiment, a user (not shown) lifts and twists his/her hair (not shown), and the comb portion  102  is inserted in the user&#39;s hair behind the lifted and twisted portion of the user&#39;s hair. The clip portion  101  is attached to the comb portion  102 , and the user lets the hair drop over the hair apparatus  100 , which is described further herein. 
       FIG. 5  depicts a front view of the clip portion  101  separated from the comb portion  102  ( FIG. 1 ). As described with respect to  FIG. 1 , the clip portion  101  comprises the clip heads  103  and  104  attached together via a band  105 , which may be made of a stretchy elastic material. In such an embodiment, the band  105  may further be covered with a material that covers the stretchy elastic material. 
     Because the clip portion  101  is removable, the clip portion  101  may be interchangeable with other clip portions (not shown) exhibiting different clip heads  103  and  104 , i.e., different decorative clip heads may be used. 
     Note that in such an embodiment, the clip portion  101  is removable from the comb portion  102 . However, in other embodiments depicted in  FIGS. 11   a - 13  below, one of the clip heads  103  or  104  may be fixedly coupled to the comb portion  102  such that the clip portion  101  cannot be completely removed from the comb portion  102 . 
     Furthermore, the clip heads  103  and  104  are coupled to the clips  106  and  107 , respectively. As described above, the clips  106  and  107  snugly fit within the openings  220  ( FIG. 3) and 400  ( FIG. 4 ), respectively, thereby coupling the clip portion  101  to the comb portion  102 . 
       FIG. 6  depicts a back view of the clip portion  101 . The clip portion  101  comprises the clip heads  103  and  104 . Further, the clips  106  and  107  are coupled to the clip heads  103  and  104 , respectively. Note that the clips  106  and  107  may be attached to the clip heads  103  and  104 , respectively, in any manner known in the art or future-developed. As an example, the clips  106  and  107  may be welded to the clip heads  103  and  104 , respectively. 
     In one embodiment, the clips  106  and  107  are substantially U-shaped. The clips  106  and  107  are formed such that they fit within the opening  220  ( FIG. 3 ) and opening  400  ( FIG. 4 ), respectively. Thus, the openings  220  and  400  retain the clips  106  and  107  while the band  105  is stretched across the spine  201  ( FIG. 2 ) of the comb portion  102  ( FIG. 2 ). Therefore, a user&#39;s hair (not shown) is retained in an upright position, wherein the hair (not shown) falls over the hair apparatus  100 . 
     Note that the clips  106  and  107  are depicted as U-shaped. However, the clips  106  and  107  may be other shapes in other embodiments. 
       FIG. 7  depicts a plan view of a back of the clip head  103 . The back of the clip head  103  comprises the substantially U-shaped clip  106 , as described hereinabove. Notably, the clip  106  is substantially U-shaped and is configured for insertion into opening  220  ( FIG. 3 ) of the spine  201  ( FIG. 4 ). 
     In addition to the clip  106 , the clip head  103  further comprises two substantially U-shaped clips  700  and  701 . The U-shaped clips  700  and  701  receive, and fixedly retain, a portion of the band  105 , thereby securing the first clip head  103  to the band  105 . In one embodiment the portion of the band  105  wraps around the U-shaped clips  700  and  701  and that portion of the band  105  is sewn such that it is retained by the U-shaped clips  700  and  701 . 
     Note that the clip head  104  is arranged in a substantially similar fashion as the clip head  103 . In this regard, the clip head  104  also fixedly retains the band  105 . However, for brevity, the clip head  104  and its attachment to the band  105  are not discussed in detail here. 
       FIG. 8  depicts a top plan view of the comb portion  102 . In such a view, the spine  201  is shown integrally formed with the teeth  200 . In addition,  FIG. 8  depicts the openings  220  and  400  formed within the ends  202  and  203  of the spine  201 . As described hereinabove, the openings  220  and  400  receive the clips  106  ( FIG. 1) and 107  ( FIG. 1 ), respectively. When the clips  106  and  107  are inserted within the openings  220  and  400 , the band  105  ( FIG. 1 ) stretches across the spine  201 , thereby retaining the clips  106  and  107  and allowing hair (not shown) to be retained in an upright position with a portion of the hair falling over the hair apparatus  100 . 
     In this regard, as described above, the band  105  may be made of a stretchy elastic material such that the band  105  stretches across the spine  201 . The stretching of the band  105  across the spine  201  causes a force on the clips  106  and  107  that pulls the clips  106  and  107  inwardly into the openings  220  and  400 , respectively. This force caused by the band  105  ensures that the clips  106  and  107  are retained within the openings  220  and  400 . 
       FIG. 9  depicts a side view of a comb portion  901  in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The comb portion  901  also comprises a spine  902  integrally formed with the teeth  900 , similar to the comb portion  102  of previous embodiment. However, in such an embodiment depicted in  FIG. 9 , the opening  903  has an indentation  904 . 
       FIG. 10  depicts a clip  1000  that can be used with the comb portion  901  depicted in  FIG. 9 . Notably, the clip  1000  would be attached to the first clip head  103  ( FIG. 1 ), similar to the clip  106  described with reference to  FIG. 6 . However, in such an embodiment, the clip  1000  would further comprise a protrusion  1001 . Thus, when the clip  1000  is inserted into the opening  903  ( FIG. 9 ), the protrusion  1001  would fit within the indentation  904  ( FIG. 9 ) thereby fixedly securing the clip  1000  to the opening  903  of the spine  902  ( FIG. 9 ). 
       FIG. 11   a  depicts a perspective view of another hair apparatus  1100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure in a closed position. The hair apparatus  1100  comprises a comb portion  1102 . The comb portion comprises a spine  1101  integrally formed with a plurality of teeth  1103 . 
     In addition, the hair apparatus  1100  comprises a clip portion  1104 . The clip portion  1104  comprises a substantially rectangular clip head  1108 , which is hingedly coupled to the spine  1101  via a hinge  1109  on an end  1105 . In this regard, the clip head  1108  is fixedly coupled to the spine  1101  via the hinge  1109 . 
     In addition, the clip portion  1104  comprises a clip head  1110 . The clip head  1110  is substantially L-shaped and a portion of the L-shaped clip head  1110  fits around an end  1106  of the spine  1101 . In such an embodiment, the clip head  1110  is removably fixed to the end  1106  of the spine  1101 , as described herein. 
     Additionally, the clip portion  1104  comprises a band  1107 . In one embodiment, the band  1107  is made of an elastic or stretchy material. The band  1107  couples the clip head  1108  to the clip head  1110 . The elasticity of the band  1107  causes a pulling force that pulls the L-shaped clip head  1110  so as to retain the clip head  1110  coupled to the spine  1101 . 
       FIG. 11   b  shows the hair apparatus  1100  in an open position. Notably, the L-shaped clip head  1110  further comprises a protrusion  1113 . Further, the end  1106  of the spine  1101  further comprises an opening  1114 . When the clip portion  1104  is hingedly closed the L-shaped clip head  1110  fits around the end  1106  and the protrusion  1113  fits within the opening  1114 , thereby retaining the hair apparatus in the closed position shown in  FIG. 11   a.    
     As described, the clip head  1108  is fixedly attached to the comb portion  1102  at the first end  1105  of the spine  1101 , and the clip head  1110  is removably attachable to the second end  1106  of the spine  1101 . In such open position, the comb portion  1102  is inserted behind a portion of a user&#39;s (not shown) that has been lifted and twisted. The clip head  1110  is then attached to the second end  1106  of the spine  1101 , and a portion of the user&#39;s hair is allowed to fall over the hair apparatus  1100 . Notably, the clip head  1108  remains fixedly attached to the comb portion  1102  while the clip head  1110  may be removed by the user. Such is described further with reference to  FIG. 14 . 
     Note that while the clip heads  1108  and  1110  are depicted in a rectangular shape in  FIG. 11 , clip heads of different shapes may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
       FIG. 12   a  depicts a perspective view of another hair apparatus  1200  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Notably,  FIG. 12   a  shows the hair apparatus  1200  in a closed position. The hair apparatus  1200  comprises a comb portion  1202  and a clip portion  1211 . 
     The comb portion  1202  is similar to the comb portion  102  ( FIG. 1 ) of comb  100  and the comb portion  1102  ( FIG. 11   a ). In this regard, the comb portion  1202  comprises a spine  1209  integrally formed with a plurality of teeth  1213 . In addition, however, the comb portion  1202  comprises a protrusion  1208  integrally formed on the spine  1209 . 
     In addition, the hair apparatus  1200  comprises a clip portion  1211 . The clip portion  1211  comprises a clip head  1206  that is hingedly coupled to the end  1205  of the spine  1209  via a hinge  1214 . Further, the clip portion  1211  comprises a clip head  1207 . The clip head  1207  is coupled to the end  1204  of the spine  1209  and has an aperture  1210  through which the protrusion  1208  fits and couples the clip portion  1211  to the end  1204  of the comb portion  1202 . 
     The clip portion  1211  further comprises a band  1215 . Such band  1215  may be made of a flexible or inflexible material. For example, the band  1215  may be made of a stretchy elastic material or it may be made of a rigid plastic material. 
       FIG. 12   b  depicts a perspective view of the hair apparatus  1200  in an open position. As shown, the clip head  1206  is rotatably attached via the hinge  1214  to the end  1205  of the spine  1209 , and the clip head  1207  is removably attachable to the second end  1204  of the spine  1209 . In such embodiment, the comb portion  1211  comprises the projection  1208  protruding from the end  1204  of the spine  1209 . The clip head  1207  has the aperture  1210  for receiving the projection  1208  and securing the clip head  1207  to the spine  1209  of the comb portion  1202 . 
     In such open position, the teeth  1213  of the comb portion  1202  are inserted into the user&#39;s hair (not shown) behind a portion of the user&#39;s hair that has been lifted and twisted. The clip head  1207  is rotated via the hinge  1214  and attached to the projection  1208  at the end  1204  of the spine  1209 . Once attached, the user&#39;s hair is allowed to fall over the hair apparatus  1200 , thereby retaining the hair in the lifted and twisted arrangement. 
       FIG. 13   a  depicts a perspective view of a hair apparatus  1300  in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. Notably,  FIG. 13   a  shows the hair apparatus  1300  in a closed position. The hair apparatus  1300  comprises a comb portion  1301  and a clip portion  1311 . 
     The comb portion  1301  is similar to the comb portion  102  ( FIG. 1 ), the comb portion  1102  ( FIG. 11 ), and the comb portion  1202  ( FIG. 12 ). In this regard, the comb portion  1301  comprises a spine  1312  integrally formed with a plurality of teeth  1315 . In addition, the comb portion  1301  comprises a protrusion  1309 . 
     In addition, the hair apparatus  1300  comprises a clip portion  1311 . The clip portion  1311  comprises a band  1316 . The band  1316  is hingedly coupled to the end  1306  of the spine  1312  via a hinge  1310 . Further, the band  1316  has an aperture  1308  through which the protrusion  1309  fits and couples the comb portion  1301  to the clip portion  1305 . 
     Note that the band  1316  can be made of a flexible or inflexible type of material. For example, the band  1316  may be made of plastic (inflexible) or stretchy elastic (flexible) material. 
       FIG. 13   b  depicts a perspective view of the hair apparatus  1300  in an open position. In this regard, the band  1316  is hingedly attached to the end  1306  of the spine  1301  via the hinge  1310 . The band  105  has the aperture  1301 . The end  1307  of the spine  1301  comprises the protrusion  1309  such that the band  1316  may be hingedly rotated about the hinge  1310  and the aperture  1308  couples to the protrusion  1309  to secure the band  1316  to the spine  1301 . 
       FIG. 14  depicts the back view of a user&#39;s head  1400  showing use of the hair apparatus  1100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Note that  FIGS. 14-16  show exemplary operation of the hair apparatus  1100 . In use, a portion of the user&#39;s hair  1401  is gathered, twisted, and lifted by the user, and the teeth  1103  ( FIG. 11   a ) are inserted behind the hair  1401 , as shown in  FIG. 14 . The hair apparatus  1100  is shown in an open position in  FIG. 14 . Notably, an “open” position refers to that position of the band  1107  when it is separated from the comb portion  1102 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 15 , the user rotates the band  1107  about the hinge  1109  ( FIG. 11   a ) and couples the clip head  1110  to the comb portion  1102 . With reference to  FIG. 16 , the user then allows the hair  1401  to fall over the hair apparatus  1100 . 
     Notably, the hair apparatuses  100 ,  1200 , and  1300  are operated in a similar manner. 
     With reference to  FIG. 17 , the user lifts a portion of the user&#39;s hair  1401  ( FIG. 14 ) in an upward twist arrangement, as shown by block  1701 . The user then inserts a comb portion  1102  ( FIG. 11   a ) with a spine  1101  ( FIG. 11   a ) and a plurality of teeth  1103  ( FIG. 11   a ) behind the upward twist arrangement, as shown by block  1702  (and depicted in  FIG. 14 ). 
     Next, the user attaches a first end (or the first end is hingedly coupled to the spine  1101  similar to  FIG. 11   b ) of a band  1107  ( FIG. 11   a ) to a first end of the spine  1101 , as shown by block  1703 . The user then attaches a second end of the band  1107  to the second end of the spine  1101 , as shown by block  1704 . The user then drops the portion of hair  1401  over the hair apparatus  1100  (as shown in  FIG. 16 ), shown by block  1705 .