Patent Publication Number: US-2011061674-A1

Title: Fastening device for extraneous elements in hair

Description:
The invention relates to a fastening device which enables to attach extraneous elements in the hair at any place. The fastening device, as the carrier of an extraneous element, can be worn either visibly or invisibly, depending on the type of extraneous element to be attached to the hair. Further, the fastening device including the attached extraneous element can be removed from the hair and attached again without auxiliary means. Due to the simple handling of such a type of fixation, also extraneous elements, which have not yet been considered as hair decoration, can be attached to the hair. 
     STATE OF THE ART 
     In order to attach extraneous elements in natural hair, there exist most different embodiments made of different materials. 
     Metal clips are i.a. described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,033. The fixation by means of tension springs or closely adjacent twists are known from DE 201 19 178 U1 or DE 20 2004 009 592 U1. Fastening elements made of plastics are described in AT 405 357 B and DE 10 2004 005 585 A1. 
     For fastening extraneous strands of hair at natural hair, in particular thermoplastic materials according to DE 196 26 107 C2 and glue according to EP 1 221 289 B1 are known besides shrinking sleeves (DE 10 2005 033 189 A1 and CA 2204521 C) and clamping sleeves (DE 10 2005 025 552 A1). Flat materials having an adhesive layer similar to a double-sided adhesive tape are described in DE 20 2005 010 845 U1 and the Japanese document 2007023470 A. 
     Hook-shaped, bent bristles are proposed in DE 20 2006 009 845 U1. The use of fleece and hook tape for fastening hair in the form of a barrette is described in US document 2003/0172948 A1. 
     The fastening of hairpieces at the head by means of fleece and hook tape is described i.a. in US 006012460A. Document EP 0 997 079 A1 describes a method of attaching hairpieces by means of double-sided adhesive tape. 
     Apart from the fastening options using clips made of metal or plastics or spring members, or members made of fleece and hook tape, all other fastening methods have in common that they require a certain expenditure of time and auxiliary means for the fixation and cannot be removed from the hair without the use of corresponding auxiliary means. 
     Shrinking sleeves e.g. require the use of heat for fixing and removing. Clamping sleeves have to be deformed during fixing and removing. Fastening members including thermoplastic materials are attached by applying heat or ultrasound and are removed from the hair by using chemicals. In case of a double-sided adhesive tape, the protective foil has to be removed prior to attachment, and for removing same, chemicals are used. 
     For the above reasons, it is therefore comprehensible that extraneous elements introduced into the hair by means of such a fastening mechanism have to remain there for a longer period of time of at least several days to weeks. This is in particular true since the attachment is often associated with a considerable expenditure of time, has to be performed by skilled persons and represents a considerable cost factor. 
     The clipping options offer the possibility to fasten extraneous elements fast and easily in natural hair, however, they have the disadvantage that often a feeling of pressure is experienced during wearing same. Since they pile on strongly, they are attached for a hair elongation mainly at the back of the head under the top hair and also only temporarily. Further, they are used for attaching hair decoration. 
     As a field of application for the aforementioned fastening methods, mainly their use in view of hair compacting or hair elongation may be considered. In case of these applications, it is important that the fastening members are located as invisible as possible at the head. As extraneous elements, mainly extraneous hair or artificial hair in a corresponding color may be considered for elongating or compacting the natural hair. 
     Increasingly, fashion-conscious women and men would like to emphasize their personal style with colored changes of their own hair. Usual coloring techniques offer possibilities in this context. In this case, are more or less large portion of the natural hair is dyed with chemical hair colors (e.g. highlighting technique). In order to reverse this effect, it is required to completely re-color the hair, or the dyed portions have to outgrow and cut-off subsequently. 
     In case one does not want to dye own hair, colored hairpieces (e.g. iroquois) or wigs made of wrinkled artificial hair can be used. Such products are mainly used by soccer fans or during carnival. 
     As an alternative, colored strands can be attached to the hair by means of the aforementioned fastening methods, without requiring to dye own hair. However, the fastening and removing of such fashionable hair amendments require the already described expenditure of time; therefore, this is provided for permanent use. Only the use of metal clips enables the fastening of colored strands without large effort, however, includes the described disadvantages. 
     The fast and reversible fastening of photo-realistic information, characters, writings, logos and images or the like on a separate presentation surface in the hair is not yet known. Also the symbolization of national colors or popular color combinations by means of colored natural or artificial hair strands or colored artificial fibers to be used by fans e.g. at sport events, music events or for demonstrating affiliation with a specific nationality, syndicate or group is novel. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object underlying the invention to provide a possibility to anchor extraneous elements for different purposes in natural hair fast and reversibly. Besides a use for hair elongation/hair compacting, a use for fashionable purposes is provided, which enables the user i.a. to visibly present a freely determinable content on a decorative presentation surface, without having to treat the hair in any way. Further, it shall be possible to perform the fastening immediately without any additional auxiliary means or manipulation and to remove same again, as frequently as desired. 
     SOLUTION 
     The object of the invention is solved by a device including the features of claim  1 . The embodiments of the new device are described in claims  2  to  50 . The fastening device can be provided with a plurality of extraneous elements, which may result in applications which have been unknown up to know. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The device is formed of a flat polymerized plastic strip which is on one side provided with locking projections made of the same material. The locking projections are preferably formed such that they can penetrate natural hair and can be locked with similar locking projections of a counter-member. Due to the chosen geometric arrangement and formation of the locking projections, a connection by manually contacting the surfaces provided with the locking projections is possible effortlessly, similar to a pressure cap. Depending on the embodiment, 100 to 300 locking projections per cm 2  engage with the same number of locking projections of a similar counter-member. The geometry of the locking projections may preferably have the shape of an anchor or double hook, but also of a mushroom head, in cross-section. The geometric arrangement of the locking projections on the plastic strip is chosen such that, when contacting two identical surfaces, the locking projections on the one side may respectively enter into the gaps between the locking projections of the counter-side, and engage by overlapping in the end portions of the locking projections. The two-dimensional locking of the fastening device with a single layer of hair results in a durable fastening of the device in the predetermined position. 
     The member and counter-member of the fastening device are preferably made of the same material, but may also be formed of different materials having the same number of locking projections per cm 2  and the same geometry of the locking projections. The member as well as the counter-member may support the extraneous elements. 
     One embodiment of the invention provides that the counter-member is formed by a portion of the same plastic strip of the fastening device. The anchoring in the natural hair is herein performed in that the portion is bent around a natural hair bundle toward the main direction of its extension and is engaged with the remaining portion as a counter-member. It is preferred to provide recesses on the portion of the fastening device in the area of the bending location, in order to minimize the material-dependent restoration tendency due to the folding. Also with this embodiment, it is possible that selectively the complete plastic strip serves as a support for extraneous elements or that the portion remains free. 
     Another embodiment of the invention provides that the counter-member is also formed of a portion of the plastic strip of the fastening device, however, the plastic strip is, in the main direction of its extension, horizontally partially incised for this purpose. The anchoring in the natural hair is herein performed in that the resulting portion of the plastic strip is bent around a natural hair bundle perpendicular to the main direction of its extension and is engaged with the remaining portion as the counter-member. Also in this embodiment, notches provide for the minimization of the restoring force at the bending location. Further, the location of the incision should end at a punched borehole in order to prevent a ripping of the carrier member toward the main direction of extension. 
     By means of this locking mechanism, the fastening device can be anchored in natural hair at any place such that the locking projections thereof engage while passing through the natural hair and are retained fixedly therein. 
     For enhancing the adhesiveness in the natural hair, the surface of the fastening device may be provided completely or partially with a coating in the region of the locking projections, which is suited to increase the friction between the fastening device and the hair. The friction can be increased by forming the member or the counter-member or both parts, including the locking projections, of a material which features a higher friction toward the hair, preferably a silicone material. 
     For releasing the connection, the two carrier strips are pulled apart and may thus be removed from the hair together with the extraneous elements attached thereto. No particular skill is required for closing and opening such type of fastening in the hair. 
     In order to secure a comfortable wearing and to promote the attaching and removing of the connection, it is preferred that the fastening device features a limited deformability in the main direction of extension as well as perpendicular thereto, also in view of adapting to the three-dimensional characteristics of the head shape. The shape of the fastening device should more or less have a strip-shaped character, or have a rectangular basic shape. In order to obtain a sufficient adhesion in the hair, the locking surface should have a size of at least 1 cm 2 . The typical size of the locking surface should range between 1.2 and 4 cm 2 . However, also larger portions are possible. 
     Typically, the fastening device consists of undyed, natural colored plastics. When attaching the extraneous elements on the flat side of the fastening device, the part visible to the outside is anyway mainly determined by the color and structure of the extraneous element. However, an undyed plastic strip may be advantageous when discretely attaching extraneous elements without color in the hair. 
     For attaching the extraneous elements on the fastening device, the plastic strip is provided with an adhesive layer on its flat side. For this purpose, preferably hot-melt adhesives, unsupported acrylate films or other suitable adhesives can be used, which have to be adapted to the used materials. 
     As possible extraneous elements, e.g. fibers or threads may be considered, among them human hair, artificial hair, artificial fibers, artificial silk, metallic threads, rubber threads, cotton threads, wool threads, carbon threads, glass threads, thermoplastic monofilaments as well as animal hair. These materials are preferably applied in parallel onto the adhesive layer of the fastening device, such that they extend perpendicular to the main extension of the plastic strip. The parallel applied, thread-shaped materials are preferably retained by the adhesive layer along the complete width of the fastening device, in order to obtain a maximum anchoring. 
     One embodiment provides to first sew the thread-shaped materials to be applied together, in order to obtain a larger coverage of the extraneous elements. For this purpose, the extraneous elements to be sewed are arranged adjacently in parallel according to their main direction of extension and then sewed together. Due to this arrangement, also different materials can be combined as desired. The joint may be formed of one or more seams and may be disposed either outside the adhesive-coated rearside of the fastening device or directly on it. It may be advantageous that the thread for the seams is made of a thermoplastically deformable material. 
     In case of using human or artificial hair as the extraneous element, said hair having the same tint as the hair of the user, the fastening device including the extraneous element may be used for a hair elongation/hair compacting. 
     In case of using human or artificial hair as the extraneous element, said hair having an other tint as the hair of the user, the fastening device including the extraneous element may be used as a trendy hair decoration or effect strand. 
     Most national flags are composed of colored bars. By arranging the colored artificial hair or dyed hair or artificial fibers according to the national colors, a new type of hair decoration is created, which symbolizes national indicia, which can be used for demonstrating affiliation or sympathy with a nation. This application is proposed in different embodiments. 
     Fastening device, approx. 2 cm wide, with colored artificial or natural hair having a length of 40 cm, with colors arranged according to national flags. 
     Fastening device, approx. 4 cm wide, with colored artificial or natural hair of artificial silk threads having a length of 15 cm, with colors arranged according to national flags. 
     Arrangement of a plurality of fastening devices including different unicolor artificial or natural hair strands in the order of the colors of national flags. 
     Often, club colors or specific identifying colors of companies are combined with a specific arrangement of colored surfaces or patterns, which may also be realized as a novel hair decoration in the aforementioned manner. 
     A further embodiment of the invention provides to print the fibers arranged in parallel, preferable artificial fibers, with any kind of patterns in color. As a printing method for multicolor prints, e.g. pad printing may be used. 
     Due to its formation, the fastening device can also serve as a carrier for any kind of two-dimensional materials, other than the fiber-shaped extraneous elements, and therefore offers the basis for the creation of many novel variations of hair decoration. For example, all kinds of tissue made of different materials, e.g. polyamide, polyester, viscose, cotton or artificial silk and others can be used as the extraneous elements. The two-dimensionally woven fibers can be printed in color with suitable printing methods. In this context, the motif can be freely selected. Also the contours can be freely designed, such that a decorative element of this type may blend in harmonically into the hairdo. In order to retain the extraneous elements in a vertical position, it may be advantageous to attach a weight at the lower end thereof. 
     With the described fastening device, also new types of hair decoration made of all kinds of dyed or transparent plastic foils as well as special papers in printed or otherwise designed form may be created to be attached in natural hair. Also the use of metal foils of different kinds as extraneous elements for the hair decoration is possible. In addition to thinly rolled metal foils, which may be patterned by punching or etching methods, also galvanoplastically manufactured metal foils of any possible geometry are feasible. 
     Due to the free selection of motif and material, such a hair decoration may also be used as a presentation surface for commercial contents of all kinds. The advertising space in the hair is a completely new application. 
     It shall be noted that the fastening device, in combination with RFID (radio frequency identification) elements, can be used for identity checks during events. 
     The use as a hair clip including corresponding appliqués such as decorative stones, LEDs, sound modules etc. is a further way of application. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       In the following, the invention is described in more detail on the basis of embodiments shown in the drawings. 
         FIG. 1  shows a cross-sectional view of the complete fastening device in the hair, 
         FIG. 2  shows the plastic strip of the fastening device from the side facing the place of fastening, 
         FIG. 3  shows the plastic strip of the fastening device from the side facing away from the place of fastening, 
         FIG. 4  schematically shows the fastening in the hair, 
         FIG. 5  shows the plastic strip of the fastening device from the side facing the place of fastening, with recesses for forming the counter-member, 
         FIG. 6  schematically shows the fastening in the hair by means of a portion which is formed by bending about an axis perpendicular to the main direction of extension, 
         FIG. 7  shows the plastic strip of the fastening device from the side facing the place of fastening, together with the portion generated by a punching for forming the counter-member, 
         FIG. 8  schematically shows the fastening in the hair by means of a portion which is formed by punching and bending about an axis in direction of the main extension, 
         FIG. 9  shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the fastening device including a schematically depicted locking projection. 
     
    
    
     The figures show a device for fastening extraneous elements in natural hair. The device can be attached at the hair unremarkably in direct proximity to the hairline and can be used, in this embodiment, as a carrier of human or artificial hair for replenishing existing hair of the same color or for attaching colored strands. The device may also be attached remarkably at the top hair and features, in this embodiment, a new type of hair decoration as a carrier of printed or dyed fibers, tissue or foils. For this purpose, two of said devices or portions of the same device, together with the existing locking projections, are brought into contact with a hair strand of the user from two sides and pushed together, such that the locking projections pass penetrate the natural hair and engage with identical locking projections of the counter-member. Therewith, a secure anchoring of the device in the existing hair is obtained. 
     In  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 , the individual components of the fastening device and their functions are shown. The plastic strip ( 1 ) comprises, at the front side ( 2 ) facing the viewer according to  FIG. 2 , which front side is also the side facing the place of fastening, a plurality of hook-shaped or mushroom head shaped locking projections ( 3 ). On the flat rearside ( 4 ) of the plastic strip ( 1 ), which is facing the viewer in  FIG. 3  and is also the side facing away from the place of fastening, extraneous elements ( 6 ) can be attached by means of an adhesive layer ( 5 ). In  FIG. 1 , the attachment of the fastening device in the hair ( 7 ) is shown in a cross-sectional view. It is discernible how the locking projections ( 3 ) penetrate the hair ( 7 ) and engage with identical locking projections ( 3 ) of the counter-member. The rearside ( 4 ) of the plastic strip is provided with an adhesive layer ( 5 ) on its entire surface and serves as a carrier for the extraneous elements ( 6 ). In  FIG. 4 , the function of the fastening device is shown in perspective and shows how two identical parts of the device, including the existing locking projections ( 3 ), are contacting a strand of hair ( 7 ) from two sides and engage with each other after the locking projections ( 3 ) penetrate the hair ( 7 ) and therewith are fixedly held. 
     In  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 8 , embodiments are shown in which the counter-member is formed of a portion of the plastic strip ( 1 ). These variations have the advantage that the counter-member is fixedly connected to the plastic strip ( 1 ) or is a part thereof and therefore cannot be lost.  FIG. 5  shows the plastic strip ( 1 ) with the front side ( 2 ) facing the viewer and a view on the locking projections ( 3 ) in their complete length. The plastic strip ( 1 ) is divided into two identical parts by an axis ( 10 ) extending vertically to the main direction of extension, wherein one half is designated as section ( 8 ). Recesses ( 9 ) are provided at the upper and lower edge of the plastic strip ( 1 ) at the location where the axis ( 10 ) crosses the plastic strip ( 1 ). The recesses ( 9 ) mark the bending location on the plastic strip ( 1 ) in the region of the axis ( 10 ) and are provided to reduce the material-dependent restoring force at the bending location by decreasing the strip width. Therewith, a hinge ( 11 ) is generated. In  FIG. 6 , the function of the fastening device is shown in perspective and shows how the section ( 8 ) of the plastic strip ( 1 ) is bent about a strand of hair ( 7 ) at the bending location with the recesses ( 9 ) and the hinge ( 11 ), in order to penetrate the hair ( 7 ) with its locking projections ( 3 ) and to engage with the locking projections of the plastic strip ( 1 ) and to therewith hold the extraneous element ( 6 ) firmly.  FIG. 7  shows the plastic strip ( 1 ) with the front side ( 2 ) facing the viewer and a view on the locking projections ( 3 ). By processing with a specifically dimensioned punching die, the section ( 8 ) is generated from the upper half of the plastic strip ( 1 ). The separation of the plastic strip ( 1 ) in the horizontal direction along the main extension occurs from the axis ( 10 ) to the circular recess ( 9 ). At the place where the hinge ( 11 ) is located, the two halves of the plastic strip ( 1 ) are still connected. Due to this arrangement, the upper half, in its function as the section ( 8 ), can be vertically flapped by 180 degrees. In the thus generated gap, a strand of hair ( 7 ) can be inserted. This is shown in  FIG. 8 . After having inserted the hair ( 7 ) into the gap, the section ( 8 ) is moved toward the plastic strip ( 1 ) in order to penetrate the hair ( 7 ) with its locking projections ( 3 ) and to engage with the locking projections of the plastic strip ( 1 ) and to therewith firmly hold the extraneous element ( 6 ). In order to retain the extraneous element ( 6 ) in a vertical position, it may be advantageous to attach a weight ( 13 ) at the lower end thereof. For enhancing the adhesion between hair ( 7 ) and plastic strip ( 1 ), the complete surface of the plastic strip ( 1 ) and the locking projections ( 3 ) may be covered completely or partially with a coating ( 12 ) which is suited to increase the friction toward the hair ( 7 ), as is shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               1  plastic strip 
               2  front side 
               3  locking 
               4  rear side 
               5  adhesive layer 
               6  extraneous element 
               7  hair 
               8  section 
               9  recess 
               10  axis 
               11  hinge 
               12  coating 
               13  weight