Patent Publication Number: US-8991946-B1

Title: Hair styling accessory organizer

Description:
FIELD 
     Illustrative embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to devices for storing twin hair beads and other hair styling accessories. More particularly, illustrative embodiments of the disclosure relate to a hair styling accessory organizer for storing twin hair beads and other hair styling accessories in an organized and accessible manner. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Common hair styling accessories include such items as twin hair beads, hair brushes, combs, barettes, clips, bows and the like. A typical conventional pair of twin hair heads includes a pair of spherical balls or beads which are connected by an elastic band. After the hair is arranged into a pigtail or ponytail, the hand is wrapped around the hair to secure the pigtail or ponytail. The beads on the elastic band are typically one of various colors to impart a selected appearance to the hair. 
     In a residential setting, hair styling accessories are commonly stored together in a drawer inside a bathroom. However, this may cause the twin hair beads and other items to inadvertently become clumped together, twisted, tangled and/or misplaced. Therefore, twin hair beads of a desired color become difficult to locate and frequently must be untangled when their use is desired. 
     Accordingly, a hair styling accessory organizer for storing twin hair beads and other hair styling accessories in an organized and accessible manner may be desirable for some applications. 
     SUMMARY 
     The disclosure is generally directed to a hair styling accessory organizer for storing twin hair beads and other hair styling accessories in an organized and accessible manner. An illustrative embodiment of the hair styling accessory organizer includes an organizer base; an organizer platform carried by the organizer base; and at least one generally elongated hair head support member upward-standing from the organizer platform, the hair bead support member having a base portion carried by the organizer platform, a tapered portion of varying cross-sectional diameter extending from the base portion and a terminal portion extending from the tapered portion. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Illustrative embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the hair styling accessory organizer, with a drawer extended from an organizer base of the hair styling accessory organizer; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of an illustrative embodiment of the hair styling accessory organizer; 
         FIG. 3  is a left side view of an illustrative embodiment of the hair styling accessory organizer with the drawer in a closed position; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an illustrative embodiment of the hair styling accessory organizer, with the drawer in a closed position; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of an illustrative embodiment of the hair styling accessory organizer, with the drawer in an open position; 
         FIG. 6  is a left side view of an illustrative embodiment of the hair styling accessory organizer with the drawer in the open position; and 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of a hair bead support member according to an illustrative embodiment of the hair styling accessory organizer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is non-limiting, and is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, the illustrative embodiments described herein are not exhaustive and embodiments or implementations other than those which are described herein and which fall within the scope of the appended claims are possible. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. Relative terms such as “front” and “rear” as used herein are intended for descriptive purposes only and are not necessarily intended to be construed in a limiting sense. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5  the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of the hair styling accessory organizer is generally indicated by reference numeral  1 . As will be hereinafter further described, the hair styling, accessory organizer  1  is suitable for storing various hair styling accessories such as twin hair heads, hair brushes, combs, barettes, clips, bows and the like in an organized and accessible manner. The various components of the hair styling accessory organizer  1  may be plastic, wood, metal or other material or any combination thereof and may be fabricated using conventional molding, casting, machining and/or other fabrication techniques known by those skilled in the art. 
     The hair styling accessory organizer  1  includes an organizer base  2 . In some embodiments, the organizer base  2  may have a generally rectangular box shape with an organizer base bottom panel  3 ; a pair of parallel, spaced-apart organizer base side panels  4  upward-standing from opposite side edges of the organizer base bottom panel  3 ; an organizer base rear panel  5  extending from a rear edge of the organizer base bottom panel  3  between the organizer base side panels  4 ; and an organizer base top panel  6  supported by the organizer base side panels  4  and the organizer base rear panel  5 . In other embodiments, the organizer base  2  may have a circular shape or may be triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal or other polyhedral shape. 
     In some embodiments, at least one drawer  10  may be selectively extendable from the organizer base  2 . In the illustrative embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a pair of upper and lower drawers  10  is selectively extendable from the organizer base  2 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1  and  5 , each drawer  10  may include multiple drawer compartments  11  divided by partitions  12 . The drawer compartments  11  may be sized and shaped to contain various hair styling accessories (not illustrated), as will be hereinafter described. Each drawer  10  may have a closure mechanism (not illustrated) such as magnets, for example and without limitation, which secures the drawer  10  in the closed position such as during transport of the hair styling accessory organizer  1 . 
     An organizer platform  20  is provided on the organizer base  2 . In some embodiments, the organizer platform  20  may be circular and may be mounted for manual rotation with respect to the organizer base  2  according to techniques which are well-known by those skilled in the art. At least one generally elongated, upward-standing hair head support member  22  is provided on the organizer platform  20 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , each hair bead support member  22  is adapted to support one or multiple twin hair beads  40 ,  40   a  of various sizes in an organized and accessible manner as will be hereinafter further described. In some embodiments, multiple hair bead support members  22  may be provided on the organizer platform  20  in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship to each other around the circumference of the organizer platform  20 , as illustrated. While the illustrative embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  is shown having 8 hair bead support members  22 , it will be recognized that in some embodiments a greater or lesser number of the hair bead support members  22  may extend from the organizer platform  20 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , each hair bead support member  22  may be graduated in cross-sectional diameter along its length. Accordingly, each hair bead support member  22  may include a base portion  23  which extends upwardly from the organizer platform  20 , a tapered portion  24  which extends upwardly from the base portion  23  and a terminal portion  25  which and extends upwardly from the tapered portion  24 . The base portion  23  may be generally elongated and cylindrical and in some embodiments may be fabricated in one piece with the organizer platform  20 . Alternatively, the hair bead support members  22  and the organizer platform  20  may be fabricated in separate pieces and the base portion  23  of each hair bead support member  22  attached to the organizer platform  20  via gluing, mechanical fasteners and/or other suitable attachment technique known by those skilled in the art. The terminal portion  25  may be generally elongated and cylindrical and in some embodiments may have a cross-sectional diameter which is substantially the same as the diameter of the base portion  23 . The cross-sectional diameters of the base portion  23  and the terminal portion  25  may be substantially constant along the length of each. 
     The tapered portion  24  has a reduced cross-sectional diameter relative to the base portion  23  and the terminal portion  25  of each hair bead support member  22 . In some embodiments, the tapered portion  24  may have a varying cross-sectional diameter along its length with a generally curved and biconcave shape when viewed from the side, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  6 . Therefore, the tapered portion  24  may have a middle segment  24   a  and a lower segment  24   b  and an upper segment  24   c  which extend from the middle segment  24   a . The lower segment  24   b  may gradually increase in cross-sectional diameter from the middle segment  24   a  to the base portion  23 . Likewise, the upper segment  24   c  may gradually increase in cross-sectional diameter from the middle segment  24   a  to the terminal portion  25 . 
     The base portion  23 , the tapered portion  24  and the terminal portion  25  of each hair bead support member  22  have a support member surface  22   a . In some embodiments, the support member surface  22   a  may be textured to maintain the hair beads  40 ,  40   a  ( FIG. 2 ) in place and prevent the hair beads  40 ,  40   a  from inadvertently shifting or falling on the hair bead support member  22  such as during rotation of the organizer platform  20  on the organizer base  2 . 
     In some embodiments, a cap  26  may be provided on the upper end of at least one of the hair head support members  22 . The cap  26  may have a cap opening  27 . The cap opening  27  may facilitate attachment of an accessory support ribbon  36  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ) to the cap  26 . Accordingly, in application of the hair styling accessory organizer  1 , which will be hereinafter described, barrettes (not illustrated) and/or other hair styling accessories may be attached to the accessory support ribbon  36 , which supports the hair styling accessories in an organized and accessible manner. 
     In some embodiments, at least one upward-standing accessory support member  30  may be provided on the organizer platform  20 . The accessory support member  30  may include a shaft portion  31  which may be generally elongated and cylindrical and may have a substantially constant diameter along its length. The shaft portion  31  may be fabricated in one piece with the organizer platform  20 , or alternatively, may be fabricated separately and attached to the organizer platform  20  via gluing, mechanical fasteners and/or other suitable attachment technique known by those skilled in the art. The accessory support member  30  may be adapted to support one or multiple scrunches (not illustrated), large rubber bands (not illustrated) or the like. A cap  32  may be provided on the upper end of the shaft portion  31  of the accessory support member  30 . The cap  32  may facilitate attachment of an accessory support ribbon  36  to the accessory support member  30 , as was heretofore described with respect to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     In some embodiments, at least one hair bun spindle  34  may extend upwardly from the organizer platform  20  such as between the accessory support members  30 . One or multiple hair bans (not illustrated) may be attached to the hair bun spindle  34  in an organized and accessible manner. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5 , in some embodiments, at least one hair styling accessory compartment  44  may be provided on the organizer platform  20 . The hair styling accessory compartment  44  may be located off center with respect to the geometric center of the organizer platform  20 . The hair styling accessory compartment  44  may include a generally curved inner compartment wall  45 , a generally curved outer compartment wall  46  which is generally spaced-apart and parallel to the inner compartment wall  45  and a pair of compartment sidewalls  47  which connect the outer compartment wall  46  to the inner compartment wall  45 . The inner compartment wall  45 , the outer compartment wall  46  and the compartment sidewalls  47  may be fabricated in one piece with the organizer platform  20  or may be fabricated separately and attached to the organizer platform  20  via gluing, mechanical fasteners and/or other suitable attachment technique known by those skilled in the art. The hair styling accessory compartment  44  has a compartment interior  48  which is adapted to contain hair styling accessories (not illustrated) such as combs, brushes, barrettes, ribbons and the like, as will be hereinafter described. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the accessory support members  30  may be shorter in length than the hair bead support members  22  on the organizer platform  20  to facilitate access of a user to the hair styling accessory compartment  44 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a hair styling accessory space  50  may be defined by and between the hair bead support members  22  and the outer compartment wall  46  of the hair styling accessory compartment  44 . The hair styling accessory space  50  may be sized and configured to contain hair bands (not illustrated) and/or other hair styling accessories as will be hereinafter described. 
     In exemplary application, the hair styling accessory organizer  1  is used to store various types of hair styling accessories such as large twin hair beads  40  and/or small twin hair heads  40   a  of one or more different sizes, rubber bands, scrunches, head bands, combs, brushes, barrettes and ribbons, for example and without limitation, in an organized and accessible manner. The large twin hair beads  40  and the small twin hair heads  40   a  may be conventional hair beads in which a pair of colored plastic beads is connected by an elastic band. The large twin hair heads  40  may be fabricated in a larger size than the small twin hair beads  40  or may have initially been small twin hair beads  40   a  which have become stretched through repeated use. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , one or more pairs of large twin hair beads  40  can be attached to the terminal portion  25  of one or more of the hair bead support members  22 . Each pair of large twin hair beads  40  can be attached to the terminal portion  25  of the hair bead support member  22  by wrapping the elastic band around the terminal portion  25  and inserting one of the beads through the band such that the beads engage each other and retain the large twin hair beads  40  on the terminal portion  25 . One or more pairs of small twin hair beads  40   a  can in like manner be attached to the tapered portion  24  of the hair bead support member  22 . The diameters of the terminal portion  25  and the tapered portion  24  facilitate secure attachment of the respective large hair bead or beads  40  and small hair bead or beads  40   a  to the hair head support member  22 . Moreover, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the varying diameter of the tapered portion  24  in some embodiments facilitates snug attachment of twin hair heads  40   a  having various sizes to the hair head support member  22 . 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that twin hair heads  40 ,  40   a  may be organized on different ones of the hair head support members  22  around the circumference of the organizer platform  20  according to the various styles, designs and/or colors of the twin hair beads  40 ,  40   a . Accordingly, twin hair beads  40 ,  40   a  having a particular style, design and/or color can be easily identified and accessed when its use is desired. 
     When use of a particular hair bead  40 ,  40   a  is desired, a user (not illustrated) of the hair styling accessory organizer  1  can manually rotate the organizer platform  20  on the organizer base  2  to selectively position the hair bead support member  22  to which the desired hair head  40 ,  40   a  is attached in order to position the hair bead  40 ,  40   a  for ease in selection and detachment of the hair bead  40 ,  40   a  from the hair bead support member  22 . In some embodiments, the textured support member surface  22   a  of each hair bead support member  22  prevents the hair beads  40 ,  40   a  from inadvertently sliding and becoming misplaced on the hair bead support member  22 , particularly as the organizer platform  20  is rotated on the organizer base  2 . 
     Various other hair styling accessories can be stored in an organized and accessible manner on the hair styling accessory organizer  1 . For example, an accessory support ribbon  36  can be attached to the cap  26  on one or more of the hair bead support members  22 . One or more barrettes (not illustrated) can be attached to the accessory support ribbon  36  typically by engagement of the conventional barrette clip (not illustrated) on the barrette with the accessory support ribbon  36 . A particular barrette can be selected for use by disengagement of the barrette clip thereof from the accessory support ribbon  36 . Multiple accessory support ribbons  36  can be attached to the caps  26  of respective hair bead support members  22 . Barrettes can be organized on the different accessory support ribbons  36  according to color, size and/or style for ease of identification, access and retrieval when a barrette having a particular color, size and/or style is to be used. Flair styling accessories (not illustrated) such as scrunches and rubber hands, for example and without limitation, can be wrapped around the accessory support members  30  for storage and organization thereof. Hair styling accessories (not illustrated) such as brushes and combs, for example and without limitation, can be placed in the compartment interior  48  of the hair styling accessory compartment  44  for storage. One or more hair bands (not illustrated) can be stored in the hair styling accessory space  50  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ) between the hair bead support members  22  and the hair styling accessory compartment  44 . Additional hair styling accessories such as rubber bands, bobby pins, clamps, night caps, do rags, scarves and the like can be stored in the drawer compartments  11  ( FIG. 5 ) in one or both of the drawers  10 . Items such as oil, gel, mousse, lotions and the like can be stored on the flat center portion of the organizer platform  20  between the hair band support members  22  and the hair styling accessory compartment  44 . One or multiple hair buns (not illustrated) may be attached to the hair bun spindle  34  in an organized and accessible manner. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the hair styling accessory organizer  1  provides a large surface area in a space-efficient configuration for storage of a variety of hair styling accessories in an organized and accessible manner. Because much of the storage space which is provided by the hair styling accessory organizer  1  is vertical, counter space is maximized. The hair styling accessory organizer  1  can be stored on a countertop or vanity without obstructing or encroaching on storage of other household items which are typically stored in a child&#39;s bedroom or bathroom. The rotating organizer platform  20  allows the organizer base  2  to remain stationary while the hair styling accessories on the hair head support members  22  and accessory support members  30  are accessible by rotating the organizer platform  20  on the organizer base  22 . The hair head support members  22  may be spaced-apart to enable the hands of a user to comfortably extend between the hair head support members  22  in retrieving twin hair beads or other accessories. 
     While the embodiments of the disclosure have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.