Patent Abstract:
A method, apparatus and system for storing and distributing hairpins for application to the hair of a subject, includes a support having a support surface, a plurality of hairpins releasably coupled to the support and an opener mounted to the support. The opener includes a base segment defining a longitudinal axis and having opposed generally diverging side segments. The base segment at least partially extends beyond the support surface of the support to orient the diverging side segments in position whereby legs of each hairpin may be advanced along the diverging side segments to displace the legs to cause opening thereof.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to hair styling systems, and, more particularly, relates to a system, method and apparatus for application of hairpins to the hair of a subject. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Hairpins such as “bobby pins” are known in the art. Hairpins are usually made from resilient material including metallic or polymeric legs connected through a hinge or bent portion. Generally, during application, hairpins are removed from the package, opened and applied to a length of hair. However, removal and opening of the hairpins often proves to be an awkward or cumbersome process. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to a method, apparatus and system for storing and distributing hairpins for application to the hair of a subject. In accordance with one embodiment, a hairpin storage and application system includes a support having a support surface, a plurality of hairpins releasably coupled to the support and an opener mounted to the support. The opener includes a base segment defining a longitudinal axis and having opposed generally diverging side segments. The base segment at least partially extends beyond the support surface of the support to orient the diverging side segments in position whereby legs of each hairpin may be advanced along the diverging side segments to displace the legs to cause opening thereof. 
     The opener may include a flange segment connected to the base segment. The flange segment is dimensioned to extend beyond the diverging side segments of the base segment to assist in retaining the hairpin relative to the diverging side segments as the legs of the hairpin are advanced therealong. The opener may includes first and second flange segments connected to the base segment, with the first flange segment dimensioned to assist in retaining the hairpin relative to the diverging side segments, and the second flange segment dimensioned to facilitate securement of the pin opener to the support. The second flange segment may be coupled to the support. The diverging side segments each have a tapered segment defining an asymmetric profile relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     In one embodiment, the support is a placard. The support may includes at least one opening extending therethrough dimensioned for storing the hairpins with the legs of each the pin extending through the at least one opening and respectively disposed adjacent on opposed surfaces of the support. The support may include a plurality of openings extending therethough dimensioned for storing the hairpins. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, a hairpin opener apparatus for opening a hairpin of the type having a pair of resilient legs interconnected by a hinge and being biased to a normally closed position. The hair pin opener apparatus includes a base segment defining a longitudinal axis and having opposed generally diverging side segments diverging with respect to the longitudinal axis from a front end of the base segment to a rear end of the base segment. The diverging side segments are arranged whereby the resilient legs of the hairpin may be advanced along respective diverging side segments to displace the legs relative to each other to cause at least partial opening thereof. The diverging side segments may define an asymmetric surface. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinbelow with references to the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the HAIRPIN OPENER AND APPLICATION SYSTEM in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure illustrating the pin support, a plurality of pins mounted to the support and the pin opener; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view similar to the view of  FIG. 1  of the SYSTEM illustrating the pin opener removed from the pin support; 
         FIGS. 3-4  are first and second end elevation views of the SYSTEM; 
         FIGS. 5-6  are first and second side elevation views of the SYSTEM; 
         FIGS. 7-8  are first and second plan views of the SYSTEM; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the pin opener of the SYSTEM illustrating the base segment and the upper and lower flange segments connected to the base segment; 
         FIG. 10  is a side elevation view of the pin opener; 
         FIGS. 11-12  are front and rear axial views, respectively, of the pin opener; 
         FIG. 13  is a view of the inner side of the upper flange segment illustrating the mounting columns for connection to the lower flange segment; 
         FIG. 14  is a view of the inner side of the lower flange segment illustrating the mounting posts for connection to mounting columns of the upper flange segment; and 
         FIGS. 15-16  are views illustrating a sequence of operation of use of the SYSTEM. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now in detail to the drawings and, in particular, to  FIGS. 1-8 , the hairpin and application system in accordance with the principles of the present invention is illustrated. The hairpin and application system  100  includes a hairpin support  102 , a plurality of hair clips or pins  104  mounted to the support  102  and a pin opener  106 . The pin support  102  includes a plurality of slots or openings  108  extending therethrough which receive the hairpins  104 . Four openings  108  are shown although more or less than four are contemplated. The openings  108  are spaced relative to each other to facilitate storage and removal of the hairpins  104  from the pin support  102 . It is contemplated that each opening  108  may contain a predetermined number of hairpins  104  specific to its intended use on the subject&#39;s hair. The pin support  102  may be in the form of a placard fabricated from any suitable rigid material including, e.g., cardboard, molded polymeric material, etc. The pin support  102  may have a supplemental opening  102   s  to receive a display post of a display rack or the like. The pin support  102  defines an upper surface  102   u  and a lower surface  102   l.    
     The hairpins  104  are of conventional design (e.g., bobby pins) incorporating a pair of resilient legs  110  interconnected by a hinge  112  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The legs  110  are normally biased toward the closed position shown in the drawings. The legs  110  may be displaced relative to each other (e.g., pivoted outwardly about the hinge  112 ) and placed about a section of hair of the subject. Upon release of the displaced legs  110 , the legs  110  tend toward their normally closed position secured about the section of hair. The hairpins  104  may be fabricated from a resilient plastic or metallic material. The hairpins  104  are mounted to the pin support  102  by positioning one leg  110  through a respective opening  108  of the pin support  102  and advancing the hairpin  104  such that the hinge  112  is at least partially received within the opening  108 . The normal bias of the legs  110  toward the closed position will retain the hairpin  104  on the pin support  102 , i.e., the legs  110  securely engage the pin support  102  on the opposed upper and lower sides  102   u ,  102   l  thereof. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 9-14 , the pin opener  106  will be discussed. The pin opener  106  includes a base segment  114  and first (upper) and second (lower) flange segments  116 ,  118  mounted on opposed ends of the base segment  114 . The base segment  114  defines a longitudinal axis “k” and has opposed generally diverging side segments  120 . The diverging side segments  120  taper outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis “k” from the front end  122  of the base segment  114  toward the rear end  124  of the base segment  114 . The diverging side segments  120  each may define an angle of taper “b” relative to the longitudinal axis “k” which continuously changes from the front end  122  of the base segment  114  toward the rear end of the base segment  114 . This provides a generally asymmetric, hyperbolic or parabolic profile to the diverging side segments  120 , which creates benefits with respect to opening of the hairpin  104  about the pin opener  106  as will be discussed. (See  FIGS. 9 and 13 ) In the alternative, the diverging side segments  120  may define multiple angles relative to the longitudinal axis “k” or the angle of taper “b” may be constant. The diverging side segments  120  meet at the front end  122  of the base segment  114  to define a narrow profile about which the legs  110  of the hairpin  104  are positioned. The rear end  124  of the base segment  114  is generally round or arcuate. 
     The upper and lower flange segments  116 ,  118  each may define an outer periphery generally corresponding in shape to the outer periphery of the base segment  114 . In embodiments, the upper and lower flange segments  116 ,  118  are generally larger than the base segment  114  (when viewed in plan) such that the flange segments  116 ,  118  extend beyond the outer periphery of the base segment  114 . This assists in maintaining the hairpin  106  relative to the base segment  114  during use of the pin opener  106 . The upper and lower flange segments  116 ,  118  may be monolithically formed with the base segment  114  or may be separate components mountable to the base segment  114  through conventional means. In one embodiment best depicted in  FIGS. 12-13 , in conjunction with  FIG. 2 , at least the lower flange segment  118  is separate from the base segment  114  and the upper flange segment  116  is monolithically formed with base segment  114 . The inner side of the upper flange segment  116  includes a plurality of mounting columns  126  defining mounting openings  128 . The inner side of the lower flange segment  118  includes a plurality of mounting posts  130 . The mounting posts  130  are dimensioned and adapted to be passed through corresponding openings  132  with the support  102  ( FIG. 2 ) to be received with the mounting openings  128  of the mounting columns  126  to connect the components. A snap fit or frictional relationship established between the mounting posts  130  and the mounting columns  126  may maintain the components connected. In accordance with this embodiment, the mounting posts  130  may be secured within the mounting openings  128  through the establishment of a frictional relationship between the components, a snap fit relation, adhesives, cements, and/or combinations of any of these means etc. 
     With reference again to  FIGS. 1-6 , the pin opener  106  is mounted to the pin support  102  in a manner to present the diverging side segments  120  of the base segment  114  to the user for application of the hairpin  104 . For example, the lower flange segment  118  may be secured to the lower surface  1021  of the pin support  102  such that major portions of the diverging side segments  120  are disposed above the upper surface  102   u  of the pin support  102 . With this orientation, the diverging side segments  120  may be readily accessed to enable ready positioning of the legs  110  of the clip  104  about the front end  122  of the base segment  114  of the pin opener  106 . In particular, the legs  110  of each hairpin  106  may be advanced along the diverging side segments  120  to displace the legs  110  to cause opening thereof. The base segment  114  may extend for a distance above the upper surface  102   u  of the pin support  102  ranging from about 2 millimeters to about 8 millimeters. The lower flange segment  118  may be secured to the pin support  102  with the use of adhesives or cements to also assist in securing the pin opener  106  to the pin support  102 , and maintaining the desired elevated orientation of the upper flange segment  116  relative to the pin support  102 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 15-16 , the use of the system will now be discussed. The user removes a single hairpin  104  from the pin support  102 . The hairpin  104  is oriented relative to the pin opener  106  with the free ends of the legs  110  aligned with the front end  122  of the pin opener  106 . The hairpin  106  is advanced with respective legs  110  contacting the opposed diverging side segments  120 . Upon advancement onto the base segment  114  of the pin opener  106 , the legs  110  of the hairpin  104  slide on the diverging side segments  120  and move to an open position. The non-linear (e.g., hyperbolic or parabolic) profile of the diverging side segments  120  of the base segment  114  minimizes contact of the legs  110  with the diverging side segments  120  thereby reducing friction between the components and facilitating advancement of the hairpin  104  on the pin opener  106 . For example, the enlarged head  132  of the linear leg  110  of the hair clip  104  will contact the respective diverging side  120  and, due to the asymmetric profile of the diverging side  120 , contact is maintained generally with the enlarged head  132  while contact between the linear leg  110   l  behind the enlarged head is minimized. Similarly with the bent leg  110   b , the enlarged head  134  and possibly the first bend apex  110   a  contacts the diverging side  110  while contact of the remaining segment of the bent leg  110   b  is minimized. During advancement of the hair clip  110 , the upper flange segment  116  and the upper surface  102   u  of the clip support  102  will prevent the hairpin  104  from sliding off the base segment  114  during advancement of the hairpin  106 . Once opened, the hairpin  104  is grasped by the subject and applied to the hair in conventional manner. 
     The above description and the drawings are provided for the purpose of describing embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure in any way. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover the modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0