Patent Publication Number: US-11653735-B2

Title: Hair fastener

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority from earlier filed Australian Patent Application No. 2018271255 filed Nov. 26, 2018, contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is concerned with a hair fastener in the form of a hair claw with an enhanced hair securing behavior, and a method of manufacture thereof. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are a variety of hair accessories for meeting the different needs of managing hair of a user. For example, there are hair fasteners in the form of a hair barrette often used to secure a layer of hair. Another particular type of hair fasteners is in the form of a hair claw. However, one drawback of some hair claws (or in fact some other hair fasteners) in the market is that hair secured thereby often get caught by different moving parts thereof thus causing damage to hair and pain to the user. Other drawbacks of some hair fasteners are that they are difficult to manufacture and/or they are not durable such that after a short period of time of repeated use they tend to lose their capability of securing hair tightly or would even fall apart. Yet another drawback is that some conventional hair fasteners are difficult to operate. For example, some hair claws in the market may be too stiff to operate and require much force from the user to depress handles controlling the opening or closure during use. 
     The present invention seeks to address the problems discussed above, or at least provide an alternative to the public. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provide a hair fastener in the form of a hair claw comprising a first claw member, a second claw member and an elongate block, wherein:
         each of the first and second claws is provided with a front portion, a rear portion and a joint portion arranged in between, the rear portions of the first and second claw members acting as a pair of handles for controlling opening or closure of the hair fastener,   the elongate block is positioned between the first and second claw members at the joint portions thus acting as a hinge at which the first and second claw members are pivotably and reciprocatingly movable with respect to each other,   the elongate block is made of essentially polymeric materials and provided with a front region and a rear region connected by remaining regions of the elongate block,   the front region includes a plurality of tension cables, and a clearance is provided between the tension cables and the rear region such that the tension cables and the rear region can operate independently of each other, and   the elongate member is adapted to assume a first configuration in which as the handles are moved towards each other the rear region is compressed and the tension cables are stretched, and a second configuration in which as the handles are released the tension cables pull the first and second claw members towards each other thus returning the hair fastener to a closed or default state.       

     Preferably, each of the joint portions of the claw members may be provided with an opening defining a rim, and the elongate block may be provided with an upper circumferential groove and a lower circumferential groove formed at opposite ends thereof, or an upper end and a lower end thereof, and the elongate block fixedly may connect to the first and second claw members with the grooves engaged to the rims. 
     In an embodiment, the opposite ends of the elongate block may protrude through the joint portions. 
     In one embodiment, the elongate block may include a center piece, a top piece and a bottom piece, with the top piece and the center piece together defining the upper circumferential groove and the bottom piece and the center piece together defining the lower circumferential groove, and wherein the top piece and the bottom piece are fixedly connected to the center piece thus sandwiching and securing the first and second claw members together at the center piece. 
     Advantageously, the openings of the joint portions may generally be of oval shape, with the grooves sized and shaped to complementarily engage with the rims and the elongate block configured generally in the form of an oval-shaped connector. The elongate block may generally be in the form of or resembling an egg-shaped connector acting as a hinge for the first and second claw members. 
     Preferably, the first and second claw members may be made of a material selected from the group consisting of ABS, PP, HIPS, GPPS, PE, Nylon, polycarbonate, K-resin, acetal, cellulose acetate, PVC, PET and PLA, and the elongate block may comprise or may be made essentially of silicone. With these material characteristics, the chance that hair to be tied would get caught by moving or metallic parts of the hair fastener would be minimized if not totally avoided. 
     Suitably, the hair fastener may comprise four such tension cables arranged and spaced evenly across the front region of the elongate block. 
     In preferred embodiments, the hair fastener or at least the hinge thereof may be free of any metallic components. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hair fastener in the form of a hair claw comprising a first claw member, a second claw member and an elongate block, wherein:
         each of the first and second claw members is provided with a front portion, a rear portion and a joint portion arranged in between, the rear portions of the first and second claw members acting as a pair of handles for controlling opening or closure of the hair fastener,   the elongate block is made of a top piece, a center piece and a lower piece, with the center piece positioned between the first and second claw members at the joint portions thus acting as a hinge at which the first claw members are pivotably and reciprocatingly movable with respect to each other,   the top piece and the bottom piece are fixedly connected to the center piece via the first and second claw members thus sandwiching and securing the first and second claw members together at the center piece,   the elongate block is made of essentially polymeric materials, and   the elongate member is adapted to assume a first configuration in which as the handles are moved towards each other a rear region of the center piece is compressed and a front region of the center piece is stretched, and a second configuration in which as the handles are released the front region of the center piece pulls the claw members towards each other thus returning the hair fastener to a closed or default state.
 
Such configuration of the elongate block protruding through the opening is significant at least in a two-fold manner. First, the area of contact between the elongate portion and the claw members is not limited to a surface of the elongate block and an inwardly facing surface of the claw members. Instead, the area of contact (and connection) is spread across the length or area of the rims and the grooves of the elongate blocks. This is significant in that it can minimize excessive tension and difficulty in spreading apart the handles during use. Yet, the connection between the elongate block and the claw members at the rims and grooves is enhanced in terms of durability. Second, with the protrusion the elongate block can be made with an enlarged volume which can withstand reciprocating pressure and stretching arising from a repeated operation of closure or opening of the claw members.
       

     According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacture of a hair fastener as described above, wherein the method comprises a step of connecting the elongate block, or the top, bottom and center pieces, to the first and second claw members by heat sealing or by adhesives. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacture of a hair fastener, comprising steps of:
         forming a first claw member and a second claw member,   forming a hinge to an elongate block made of essentially polymeric materials only by injection molding, the elongate block including a front region and a rear region connected together by remaining regions of the elongate block, the front region in the form of a plurality of tension cables, wherein a clearance is provided between the tension cables and the rear region of the elongate block, and   positioning the elongate block between the pair of claw members at joint portions thereof and fixedly connecting the elongate block to the hair fastener at the joint portions.       

     Preferably, the method may comprise steps of forming an opening at the joint portions of each of the first and second claw members, forming a pair of grooves on opposite ends, or an upper end and a lower end, of the elongate block, and fixedly connecting the elongate block to the first and second claw members with the grooves engaged to the rims. 
     Suitably, the method may comprise a step of connecting the elongate block to the first and second claw members such that opposite ends of the elongate block protrude through the openings at the joint portions. 
     In one embodiment, the elongate block may include a top piece, a center piece and a bottom piece with the top piece and the bottom piece sandwiching the claw members at the joint portions and connected to the center piece thus securing the elongate block is place in the hair fastener. 
     In preferred embodiments, the hair fastener or at least the hinge thereof may be free of any metallic components. 
     Suitably, the joint portions may be provided with openings at which the elongate block engages. In a preferred embodiment, the elongate block may generally be in the form of an oval-shaped connector. 
     The first and second claws may be made of a material selected from the group consisting of ABS, PP, HIPS, GPPS, PE, Nylon, polycarbonate, K-resin, acetal, cellulose acetate, PVC, PET and PLA, and the elongate block may comprise or may be made essentially of silicone. 
     In a preferred embodiment, there may be provided with four such tension cables arranged and spaced evenly at the front portion of the elongate block. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Some embodiments of the present invention will now be explained, with reference to the accompanied drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2    are two different perspective views illustrating a first embodiment of a hair fastener according to the present invention; 
         FIG.  3    and  FIG.  4    are top and bottom views of the hair fastener of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  5    and  FIG.  6    are opposite side views of the hair fastener of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  7    and  FIG.  8    are front and rear views of the hair fastener of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  9    and  FIG.  10    are two different perspective views of the hair fastener of  FIG.  1   , but assuming an open or expanded configuration; 
         FIG.  11    is an exploded view of the hair fastener of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  12    is a schematic view showing an interior structure of a connector of the hair fastener of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIGS.  13    to  FIG.  17    are different views showing a different connector for use in a second embodiment of a hair fastener according to the present invention; 
         FIG.  18    is a schematic diagram showing of the second embodiment incorporated with the connector of  FIGS.  13 - 17   , the hair fastener assuming a closed configuration; 
         FIG.  20    is a schematic diagram showing of the hair fastener of  FIG.  18   , but assuming an open or expanded configuration; 
         FIG.  19    is a schematic diagram showing of the hair fastener of  FIG.  18   , but assuming an a configuration between the closed configuration of  FIG.  18    and the open configuration of  FIG.  20   ; 
         FIG.  21    is an exploded view of a third embodiment of a hair fastener according to the present invention; 
         FIG.  22    is a perspective of the hair fastener of  FIG.  21    but assuming a closed or default configuration; 
         FIG.  23    is a side view of the hair faster of  FIG.  21   ; and 
         FIG.  24    is also a side view of the hair faster of  FIG.  21    but assuming an open or expanded configuration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is concerned with hair fastening devices, and is illustrated and explained by way of examples below. 
     A first embodiment of a hair fastener according to the present invention, generally designated  2 , is illustrated in  FIGS.  1  to  11   .  FIG.  1   , for example, shows that the hair fastener  2  has an upper claw member  4 , a lower claw member  6  and a connector  8 . (It is to be noted that references of “upper” and “lower”, “rear” and “front”, “upwardly facing” and “downwardly facing”, “right” and “left”, etc. in this specification refers to relative locations in the hair fastener and does not restrict the meaning with the hair fastener having to be oriented in a particular position.)  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2    show that the hair fastener  2  has assumed a closed, or default, configuration. 
     The upper claw member  4 , or a first claw member, has a rear portion  10   a,  a joint portion  10   b  (or middle portion) and a front portion  10   c.  The lower claw member  6 , or a second claw member, likewise has a rear portion  12   a,  a joint portion  12   b  (or middle portion) and a front portion  12   c.  The upper and lower claw members  4 ,  6  are connected together at the joint portions  10   b,    12   b  by the connector  8 . In this embodiment, each of the claw members  4 ,  6  has three fingers  14  extending from the rear to the front thereof.  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2    show that in a default configuration the claw members  4 ,  6  are closed against each other with the fingers  14  arranged complementarily and in an interlocking arrangement. 
       FIGS.  1  to  6    also show that the connector  8  has an elongate or elliptical profile and extends laterally across the joint portions of the claw members  4 ,  6  as indicated by the arrow A&lt;------&gt;A′ in  FIG.  3   . 
       FIGS.  1 ,  2 ,  5 ,  6  and  11    show that the joint portions  10   b,    12   b  of the claw members  4 ,  6  have an elongate oval-shaped opening  16   a,    16   b  defined by a pair of rims  18   a,    18   b  formed on the claw members  4 ,  6 . As demonstrated in the figures, the connector  8 , in the form of an elongate block, is provided with a circumferential groove  20   a,    20   b  on opposite sides (upwardly facing and downwardly facing sides) thereof. The rims  18   a,    18   b  from the claw members  4 ,  6  and the grooves  20   a,    20   b  from the elongate block  8  are sized and shaped such that the grooves  20   a,    20   b  fit complementarily to the rims  18   a,    18   b , respectively. Oppositely disposed parts of the elongate block  8  protrude from the claw members  4 ,  6  at the joint portions  10   b,    12   b  through the openings  16   a,    16   b.  In other words, the elongate block is essentially visible from all six orthogonal views of the hair fastener  2 . In particular, the protruded portion of the connector  8  is visible when the hair fastener  2  is viewed from above or below. Please see for example  FIGS.  1 - 6    and  FIG.  10   . 
     The upper and lower claw members  4 ,  6  (or the right and left claw members depending how the hair fastener is oriented) are preferably made of a material selected from the group consisting of ABS, PP, HIPS, GPPS, PE, nylon, polycarbonate, K-resin, acetyl, cellulose acetate, PVC, PET and PLA. The elongate block  8  may comprise or is essentially made of silicone. This particular combination of these material candidates can provide a balance of desired physical characteristics of contact comfort, structural durability and visual aestheticism. Due to the hair fastener  2  made essentially of polymeric materials and free of any metallic components, the chance that hair to be tied would get caught by moving or metallic parts, e.g. metallic or spring hinges, is minimized if not totally avoided. 
     In this embodiment, the elongate connector  8  defines a rearward surface  24  facing away the rear portions  10   a,    12   a  and a forward surface  26  facing the front portions  10   c ,  12   c,  wherein the elongate block  8  is provided with a plurality of cut-out regions  28  at the forward surface  28  or at least visible from the forward surface whereby the elongate block  8  at the forward surface  26  resembles a gill structure. The gill structure weakens the density of the elongate block  8  at the forward surface thus allowing the elongate block  8  and to act as a hinge mechanism. The weakened elongate block  8  provides a differential on strength and density in the elongate block  8  allows the claw members  4 ,  6 , during movement of the handles, to be spread apart more easily, and yet the resilience of the elongate block  8  still sufficiently allows the claw members  4 ,  6  to move together and close by default thus securing hair therebetween.  FIGS.  9 - 11    illustrate the gill-structure of the connector  8  in a more detailed manner. In particular, there is a plurality of tunnel-like structures arranged and defined in the connector  8 . The tunnel-like structures are defined by and between pairs of oppositely facing and generally parallel walls. In a closed or default configuration, the walls are in a relaxed state. Please see for example  FIGS.  1 - 2 ,  5 - 6  and  11 - 12   , and in particular  FIG.  11   . In an open or expanded configuration, the walls are in a stretched state. Please see for example  FIGS.  9 - 10   . 
     The hair fastener  2  as described above can be manufactured by producing the first claw member  4  and the second claw member  6  by way of a first injection molding, and then separately producing the connector  8  by way of a second, one-step, injection molding. After the claw members  4 ,  6  and the connector  8  have been made, they can be assembled by placing the connector  8  between the pair of cooperating claw members  4 ,  6  at the joint portions  10   b,    12   b  thereof, with the grooves  20   a,    20   b  secured at the complementary rims  18   a,    18   b.  Then the connector  8  is to be fixedly connected to the rims  18   a,    18   b  by way or heat sealing or by adhesives. Alternatively, the pair of claw members  4 ,  6  may be placed in a mould and the connector  8  may be formed in the mould thus simultaneously forming the connector  8  and connecting the connector  8  to the claw members  4 ,  6  in one step. Such methods of manufacture can significantly lower cost due to reduced number of manufacturing steps and not using metallic components. 
       FIG.  5    and  FIG.  6   , for example, illustrate the hair fastener  2  in a closed or default configuration. Accordingly, the connector  8  is in an uncompressed or default configuration.  FIG.  9    and  FIG.  10    illustrate the hair fastener  2  in an open or expanded configuration. In use, the hair fastener  2  is opened by depressing or bringing the handles or the rear portions  10   a,    12   a  together. As the rear portions  10   a,    12   a  are brought together, a rear region of the connector  8  is compressed and squeezed while a front region of the connector  8  is stretched. Due to the gill structure of the connector  8 , the front portion is weakened so as to allow the stretching thereof more easily during opening of the claw members  10   c,    12   c.  When the handles are no longer depressed together, the resilience of the connector  8  pulls the claw members back together thus returning the hair fastener  2  into a default state thus securing hair positioned therebetween. 
     A second embodiment of a hair fastener  102  according to the present invention is depicted in  FIGS.  13 - 20   . The first and the second embodiments share common features which will not be discussed for reasons of brevity. The discussion below will focus on the differences. 
     Similar to the hair fastener  2 , the hair fastener  102  similar has a connector  108 . Please see  FIGS.  13 - 16   . The connector  108  similarly is provided with a rear region  124  with a rearward surface facing away the hair fastener  102  and a forward region  126  facing front portions  110   c  and  112   c.  The forward surface  126  is however different in that instead of provided with cutout regions, tension cables  128  are provided.  FIG.  13   ,  FIG.  14    and  FIG.  16    show a front view, a side view and a perspective view of the connector  108 , respectively, demonstrating the profile of the tension cables  128 . The tension cables  128  extend from opposite ends of the connector  108 . A clearance is provided between the tension cables  128  and the rear region  124 . 
       FIG.  18    depicts a perspective view, a side view and a schematic view showing the hair fastener  102  incorporated with the connector  108  assuming a default or closed configuration. In this configuration, the connector  108  is not under any pressure or strain and claw members are closed with fingers thereof arranged complementary of each other. In this default state, the tension cables  128  keep hair claw members close to each other. It can be envisaged that in such default state, in use a log of hair can be secured between the hair claw members. 
       FIG.  20    similarly depicts a perspective view, a side view and a schematic view showing the hair fastener  102  but assuming a fully open or expanded configuration. In this configuration, handles of the hair fasteners  102  are depressed and brought together, thus moving the hair claw members apart. It can be seen, and understood, that the tension cables  128  are stretched and elongated. In this open state, the tension cables  128  are under strain. It can be envisaged that in such open state, in use the claw members can be placed around or removed from a log of hair. 
       FIG.  19    similarly depicts a perspective view, a side view and a schematic view showing the hair fastener  102  but assuming a configuration between the closed and open configurations. In this state, the tension cables  128  are semi-stretched and the hair claw members are still under the tension from the tension cables and biased towards each other. 
     In this embodiment, four such tension cables  128  are provided eventually on the front of the connector. The use of such tension cables are advantageous in a number of ways. For example, the biasing force from the tension cables can be modulated by changing the number or thickness of tension cables thus allowing more design freedom. For instance, a series of hair claws with different closing strength can be provided. Further, since the tension cables are distinct and separated from the rear region of the connector, the tension cables can operate independently and thus the closing or opening of the hair claw members can be effected more efficiently. 
     A third embodiment of a hair fastener  202  according to the present invention is depicted in  FIGS.  21 - 24   . The second and the third embodiments share common features which will not be discussed for reasons of brevity. The discussion below will focus on the differences. 
     The hair fastener  202  similarly provides a connector  208 . However, instead of configured in a one-piece construction or made from a one-step injection molding manner, the connector  208  is made from a three-piece construction. Specifically, the connector is made of a top piece  208   b,  a bottom piece  208   a  and a middle piece  208   c  positioned between the top and bottom pieces. The top piece and the center piece together defines upper a circumferential groove and the bottom piece and the center piece together defining a lower circumferential groove. The top piece and the bottom piece are fixedly connected to the center piece thus sandwiching and securing the first and second claw members together at the center piece. 
     It should be understood that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the content of separate embodiments, may be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the content of a single embodiment, may be provided separately or in any appropriate sub-combinations. It is to be noted that certain features of the embodiments are illustrated by way of non-limiting examples. Also, a skilled person in the art will be aware of the prior art which is not explained in the above for brevity purpose.