Patent Publication Number: US-9427059-B2

Title: Hair lifting, retention, and styling device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/879,701, filed on Sep. 19, 2013, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/948,815, filed Mar. 6, 2014, which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention pertains to a women&#39;s hair accessory; more specifically, the invention pertains to a hair lifting, retention, and styling device for providing enhanced volume to a wearer&#39;s hairstyle. More particularly, this invention pertains to a head-worn device that lifts the hair for the purpose of adding heightened, or enhanced, volume and shape to the wearer&#39;s hairstyle while simultaneously retaining a wearer&#39;s hair from in front of the wearer&#39;s face. Additionally, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the hair lifting, retention, and styling device is provided with cooperating hinges that allow the device to be folded for storing the device in a pocket or case when the device is not being worn. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Curvilinear, or substantially curvilinear hair bands, sometimes referred to as headbands, have been long known in the art for keeping long hair out of the wearer&#39;s eyes and from in front of the wearer&#39;s face. The headband devices known and described in the art typically press, or pull, the hair tightly and press the hair flat against the wearer&#39;s head. Typical of these devices are the devices taught and described in the following U.S. Pat. No. 2,868,214, issued to J. M. Levy on Jan. 13, 1959, teaches and discloses a hair band with means for gripping the hair so as to substantially prevent slippage of the hair band. U.S. Pat. No. 3,031,681, issued to V. T. Hoeflich on May 1, 1962, discloses a tiara-like head-worn device as a novelty for parties. U.S. Pat. No. 3,471,867 issued to B. J. Kirchoff on Oct. 14, 1969, discloses a scarf-like device incorporating a flexible coil-type rib. U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,887 issued to Daniel S. Y. Kim on Jan. 5, 1993, discloses an absorbent headband having a resilient inner frame member. U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,243 issued to Wen-Shyong Chang on Dec. 2, 1997, discloses a hair band having a main body and two retaining pieces releasably attached to the main body. U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,386 issued to Wen-Shyong Chang on Dec. 16, 1997 similarly discloses a hair band having releasably attached end members. U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,872 issued to Hsien Chu Wang on Aug. 17, 1999, discloses a foldable hair holder that is substantially curvilinear or arcuate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,647 issued to Jennifer Ouellette on Nov. 23, 1999, discloses an arcuate, or curvilinear, woman&#39;s headband and a method for its construction. U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,106 issued to Deborah Lawson on Jan. 2, 2007, discloses a foldable decorative hair band having an outwardly bowed bridging strip section that is adapted to receive a detachable decorative plate. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 8,360,077 issued to Michael Defenbaugh et al. on Jan. 29, 2013, discloses a substantially curvilinear headband having pliable ends. 
     The known devices as described above are substantially curvilinear, or arcuate, which leads to them sharing the common trait that they are designed to pull the wearer&#39;s hair tightly and flatly against the wearer&#39;s head. What is missing from the known art is a substantially rectilinear hair lifting, retention, and styling device for adding volume, or enhanced shape, to the wearer&#39;s hairstyle and optimizing comfort. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, a substantially rectilinear hair lifting, retention, and styling device is provided. The substantially rectilinear hair lifting, retention, and styling device, rather than pulling the wearer&#39;s hair flatly against the wearer&#39;s head, lifts the wearer&#39;s hair providing volume and enhanced shape to the wearer&#39;s hairstyle. While in one embodiment the main body, or cross piece of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device and its first and second side piece members could be of unitary design, in the preferred embodiment the first and second side piece members are attached to the cross piece member of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device by means of hinge members thereby allowing the hair lifting, retention, and styling device to be folded compactly when not in use thereby allowing for ease of storing the hair lifting, retention, and styling device in a user&#39;s pocket or case. Further, in one embodiment, the side piece members are telescoping to further facilitate storage when the hair lifting, retention, and styling device is not in use. It will be appreciated that the telescoping side arms also allow the wearer to adjust the size of the device for optimal fit and comfort. Additionally, in an alternate embodiment, a hinge member is disposed proximate the midsection of the cross piece member allowing the device to collapse in on itself. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned features of the invention will become more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the invention read together with the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation view, in partial cross-section taken at cut line 2 in  FIG. 3 , of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevation view, in partial cross-section taken at cut line 7 in  FIG. 6 , of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of yet another alternate embodiment of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 9A and 9B  are perspective views of an alternate embodiment of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device illustrated in  FIG. 1  having hinged side members. 
         FIG. 10  is a top plan view of still a further embodiment of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of yet another alternate embodiment of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device of the present invention incorporating a hinged cross piece member and telescoping side members. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the hair retention, lifting, and styling device as illustrated in  FIG. 11  in which the cross piece has been folded. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the hair retention, lifting, and styling device as illustrated in  FIG. 11  in which the cross piece and the side members have been folded. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a further alternate embodiment of the hair lifting, retention, and styling device illustrated in  FIG. 11  with telescoping side members. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A hair lifting, retention, and styling device  10  is disclosed. As compared to prior art head bands that are designed and intended to press the wearer&#39;s hair tightly and flatly against the wearer&#39;s head, the hair lifting, retention, and styling device  10  of the present invention is designed to add lift and volume to the wearer&#39;s hairstyle while simultaneously retaining the wearer&#39;s hair away from the wearer&#39;s face. As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , the hair lifting, retention, and styling device  10  has an elongated, substantially rectilinear cross piece member  20  having first and second distal ends  25 . The term “substantially rectilinear”, as used herein, includes a range from strictly straight, such that it defines a plane, to having a very slight arc such that the distal ends  25  of the cross piece member  20  do not deviate more than 0.20 inches, or more than approximately five percent of the length of cross piece member  20 , from a line tangential with a midpoint of the cross piece member  20 . The hair lifting, retention, and styling device  10  also includes elongated side members  40  carried proximate the cross piece member  20 . Side members  40  terminate in distal end members  45 . While distal end members  45  can be substantially co-linear with side members  40 , in the preferred embodiment, distal end members  45  are angled slightly toward the wearer&#39;s head, as illustrated most clearly in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , thereby substantially reducing, if not altogether eliminating, headache-inducing pressure points against the wearer&#39;s skull as is commonly experienced with prior art head bands. 
     As seen in  FIGS. 1-4 , angled side sections having, preferably, vertically oriented curved portions defining bight members  50  are disposed between side members  40  and the distal ends  25  of rectilinear cross piece member  20  thereby serving as a bridge between cross piece member  20  and the cooperating side members  40 . One purpose of disposing bight member  50  between cross piece member  20  and the cooperating side members  40  is to selectively offset the cross piece member  20  from the cooperating side members  40  thereby reducing the “pointed” or squared off appearance of hair lifting, retention, and styling device  10  which, in turn can make the hair lifting, retention, and styling device  10  less conspicuous. Further, the relative angle of the bight members  50  with the cooperating cross piece member  20  and side members  40  can be selected based on the degree of preferred offset. Further, the curvature of the bight member  50  enhances the hair lifting and volume enhancing function of hair lifting, retention and styling device  10 . As seen in  FIGS. 1-3 , the cross piece member  20  and the side members  40  have a substantially rectangular cross-section and the curvature of the bight members  50  is adapted to be pointed downward, see  FIG. 3 . 
     In an alternate embodiment of hair lifting, retention, and styling device  10 ′, illustrated in  FIGS. 5-7 , the cross piece member  20 ′ and elongated side members  40 ′ have a substantially cylindrical cross-section. Further, the curved portion of bight members  50 ′ are adapted to point upward, see  FIG. 7 . It will be recognized that with respect to each of the various embodiments described herein, the present invention is not limited to the specific dimensions and radii of the bight members or the angles disposed between the bight members, and the cross piece member. In another embodiment, illustrated in  FIG. 8 , rather than curving downward or upward as described above, the bight members  50 ″ curve inward. The bight members, in either embodiment, i.e.  50 .  50 ′, or  50 ″, enhance the lift and natural flow of the wearer&#39;s hair, in the style to be maintained, unlike prior art “headbands” which compress the hair against the wearer&#39;s head inhibiting the hair&#39;s natural flow. 
     In still another alternate embodiment, illustrated in  FIGS. 9A and 9B , in order to facilitate greater ease of storing and carrying the hair lifting, retention, and styling device of the present invention when it is not being worn, hair lifting, retention, and styling device  110 , in  FIGS. 9A and 9B , includes side members  140  which are hingedly connected with the bight members  150  by hinge members  160  such that the side members  140  can be folded inwardly when not being worn, thus allowing the hair lifting, retention, and styling device  110  to be folded and easily stowed in a pocket or a case when the hair lifting, retention, and styling device  110  is not in use. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that the hair lifting, retention, and styling devices described herein, i.e. preferred embodiment  10 , alternate embodiment  10 ′, and alternate embodiment  110  can be utilized as styling devices. In this regard, if the hair lifting, retention, and styling device  10 , and the other embodiments, is positioned on the wearer&#39;s head while the wearer&#39;s hair is wet, the lifting and volume enhancing effect will last longer as it will “set”, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, as the wearer&#39;s hair dries. This effect can be still further prolonged by the application of various hair products, such as hair sprays, mousses, and gels. The hair lifting, retention, and styling device  10 , and the other disclosed embodiments, provide the taught lift and volume enhancement to substantially all types of hair and to hair of various lengths. 
     It will be further recognized by those skilled in the art that in either the preferred embodiment hair lifting, retention, and styling device  10 , or the other embodiments described herein, the interior surface of the portions of the cross piece member  20  and the side members  40  can be smooth or, as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , can have grooved portions  70  that are grooved, and the distal ends  45  of side members  40  can include serrations or teeth  80  for providing enhanced gripping of the wearer&#39;s hair without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Additionally, in the further embodiment, in accordance with the present invention and as illustrated in  FIGS. 11-14 , hair lifting, retention, and styling device  210  includes an elongated, substantially rectilinear cross piece member  220  having first and second distal ends  225 . The hair lifting, retention, and styling device  210  also includes elongated side members  240  carried proximate the cross piece member  220 . Side members  240  terminate in distal end members  245 . Further, as described above, angled side sections having, preferably, vertically oriented curved portions defining bight members  250  are disposed between side members  240  and the distal ends  225  of rectilinear cross piece member  220  thereby serving as a bridge between cross piece member  220  and the cooperating side members  240 . The side members  240  have telescoping members  242  and  244 , respectively, which extend and retract telescopically from side members  240 , such that the length of the side members inclusive of the telescoping members is adjustable thereby allowing the wearer to adjust the size of the device  210  for optimal fit and comfort. Further, the hair lifting, retention, and styling device  210  is foldable. In this regard, as described above, hinge members  260  are provided between bight members  250  and side members  240 . Further, rectilinear cross piece member  220  is also provided with a hinge member  265  proximate the midpoint of cross piece member  220 . Hinge member  265  allows rectilinear cross piece member  220  to be folded compactly for storage. In one embodiment the axis of rotation for hinge member  265  is orthogonal to the axis of rotation of hinge members  260 . 
     It will be understood by those skilled in the art that while  FIGS. 11-13  illustrate one embodiment of providing for telescoping movement of the side members  240  and telescoping members  242  and  244 , there are other ways of providing telescoping movement such that the length of the side members  240  can be adjusted. In this regard,  FIG. 14  illustrates an additional way of providing such telescoping adjustment. In this regard, device  210 ′ includes side members  240 ′ and  241 , which have substantially the same cross sectional area, could each receive, and slide upon telescoping member  242 ′ thereby allowing the wearer to adjust the size of device  210 ′. 
     It will be further recognized by those skilled in the art that in either the preferred embodiment hair lifting, retention, and styling device  10 , or the other embodiments described herein, the interior surface of the portions of the cross piece member  20  and the side members  40  can be smooth or, as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , can have grooved portions  70  that are grooved, and the distal ends  45  of side members  40  can include serrations or teeth  80  for providing enhanced gripping of the wearer&#39;s hair without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art that the preferred embodiment hair lifting, retention, and styling device  10 , and the other embodiments described herein, can be constructed of a clear, translucent, or subtly colored material so as to render the device itself inconspicuous, such that attention is only drawn to the lift and volume enhancing effect produced in the wearer&#39;s hair. Alternatively, both the preferred embodiment hair lifting, retention, and styling device  10 , and the alternate embodiments described herein, can be stylized or ornamented in many various ways, including but not limited to selected colors of materials, incorporation of woven threads, beading, and other forms of ornamentation as will be readily recognized by those skilled in the art. 
     From the foregoing description, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that a hair lifting, retention, and styling device has been provided which provides lift and enhanced volume to a wearer&#39;s hair thus augmenting and enhancing the wearer&#39;s chosen hairstyle. While the present invention has been illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant&#39;s general inventive concept.