Abstract:
A hair accessory and method of use and construction is disclosed. The hair accessory is primarily for use in forming a simple, compact, and secure hair bun by a single person. In a particular embodiment, the hair accessory is comprised of a tube formed into a main ring, combined with a plurality of supplemental or secondary rings formed by straps. The straps wrap around the outside of the tube, forming intermittent changes in the exterior surface of the device. Each strap has a series of grasping hooks used to secure hair passing through the center of the main ring. The device is then rolled down toward the head to secure the hair in place. Various other aspects of the device and details of its potential use and construction are disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This non-provisional patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent App. No. 61/691,016 filed on Aug. 20, 2012, and U.S. Provisional Patent App. No. 61/696,870 filed on Sep. 5, 2012. Each of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The invention disclosed herein relates generally to hair accessories, and more specifically, to devices for placing hair into a bun and methods for their use. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In most cultures, long hair is generally considered to be an attractive feature for women. However, long hair (and even shoulder length hair) can at times be burdensome. Though it is appreciated and desired for certain events and at certain times, it may be a nuisance or an encumbrance at other times. For example, when exercising or working in a physical capacity, longer hair may get in the way. It also tends to trap heat and can even stick to the skin when mixed with perspiration. Thus, it is desirable to, at times, wear the hair “up,” or bundled on top of the head such that it does not cascade down around the shoulders. There are many well known methods of putting hair up, most involving metallic or plastic clips, barrettes, or hair ties. However, use of these devices may leave the hair in somewhat of an unkempt fashion, and often fail to capture and secure all the strands of hair. 
         [0004]    One style of wearing hair up that generally leaves the hair in more of a tidy arrangement is placing the hair in a bun. Not only is a hair bun more organized than simply bundling up the hair and trying to secure it with a number of elastic hair ties or a clip, it generally holds all of the hair in place better. This is why a hair bun is preferred for activities that involve a lot of frivolity that might loosen hair, such as ballet or gymnastics. The downside of placing hair into a bun is that forming a proper and tight bun can be a lengthy process, potentially requiring a second person. Also, holding the bun in place traditionally involves the use of numerous bobby pins. 
         [0005]    Several devices have been developed to help hold buns in place once formed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,059 to Barrows discloses a long wire implement with a central hole. The hair is placed through the hole and wrapped about the instrument until taut, and then the ends of the long wire implement are folded about the hair to secure it in place. U.S. Pat. No. 7,293,566 to Thall discloses a ring attached to a “pouch,” where the pouch is used to snap over the bun once formed to hold it in place. U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,708 to Panel involves a hair accessory kit for placing hair into a bun that has several components, including a circular mold to form the bun shape and then a separate elastic band that must be placed over the hair once pulled through the mold. This is not only cumbersome, but unlikely to hold well. Not surprisingly, these devices have met with little commercial success. What is needed is a single component capable of use by a single individual to quickly and easily form a hair bun that is both trim and neat, and will not come unfastened. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention comprises a hair accessory designed to meet this need. While not complicated, it performs the task of placing hair into a bun and holding it there in a fashion that the prior art has failed to deliver. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention comprises an elastic tube forming a main ring, the main ring having an inner circumference forming a perimeter of an open hole passing through the main ring, and an outer circumference forming an outer perimeter of the main ring. This embodiment further comprises a plurality of straps, each having a first surface and a second surface, and each strap forming a separate supplemental ring around the tube such that only the first surface is in contact with the tube. The straps each comprise a plurality of grasping hooks extending from their second surface (i.e., the surface facing away from the tube). 
         [0007]    The number of straps may vary from one embodiment to another. In the exemplary embodiment, both the straps and the tube are flexible, however the straps are less so, thus helping to define the shape of the tube once secured around it. Though not required to be so, the straps may be equally spaced along the tube. 
         [0008]    In use, as more fully explained below, the device is held aloft such that the end of the hair to be bound is placed through the hole formed by the main ring and then spread out around the outer perimeter such that it contacts the grasping hooks. The tube is then rolled down toward the user&#39;s head, thus rolling the hair about its outer perimeter along the way to form a bun. Because the grasping hooks secure at least the ends of the hair in place and hold it taught, no further devices are needed. The bun is formed tightly against the head once rolling is complete. 
         [0009]    Thus, the invention provides a new and useful method for quickly and easily placing hair into a compact, secure bun. Furthermore, as will be seen, the device is simple to construct, and may come in various configurations depending on the needs of the particular user. While one embodiment is referenced above, other embodiments, systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be, or will become, apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The present invention can be better understood with reference to the following figures. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of a hair accessory. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a isolation view of one of the straps from the hair accessory of  FIG. 1 , shown in perspective in a configuration showing both first and second surfaces. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a top view of a second exemplary embodiment of a hair accessory. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the exemplary hair accessory shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective view showing a step in the formation of a hair accessory such as that shown in  FIG. 1 , according to one exemplary method. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5B  is a perspective view showing another step in the formation of a hair accessory such as that shown in  FIG. 1 , according to one exemplary method. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5C  is a perspective cut-away view of a portion of a strap, such as the strap of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 6A  is a perspective viewing illustrating a step in the use of a hair accessory such as the hair accessory of  FIG. 1 , according to one exemplary method. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6B  is a perspective viewing illustrating another step in the use of a hair accessory such as the hair accessory of  FIG. 1 , according to one exemplary method 
           [0020]      FIG. 6C  is a perspective viewing illustrating yet another step in the use of a hair accessory such as the hair accessory of  FIG. 1 , according to one exemplary method. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a close-up side view of a portion of a first strap, according to certain embodiments. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a close-up side view of a portion of a second strap, according to certain embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    The description that follows describes, illustrates and exemplifies one or more particular embodiments of the present invention in accordance with its principles. This description is not provided to limit the invention to the embodiments described herein, but rather to explain and teach the principles of the invention in such a way as to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to understand these principles and, with that understanding, be able to apply them to practice not only the embodiments described herein, but also other embodiments that may come to mind in accordance with these principles. The scope of the present invention is intended to cover all such embodiments that may fall within the scope of the appended claims, either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents. 
         [0024]    It should be noted that in the description and drawings, like or substantially similar elements or steps may be labeled with the same reference numerals. However, sometimes these elements or steps may be labeled with differing numbers, such as, for example, in cases where such labeling facilitates a more clear description. Such labeling and drawing practices do not necessarily implicate an underlying substantive purpose. As stated above, the present specification is intended to be taken as a whole and interpreted in accordance with the principles of the present invention as taught herein and understood to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  discloses a hair accessory  10  comprised of a flexible tube  12  formed into a ring and combined with a plurality of straps  14 . Within this disclosure, the ring formed by the tube may be referred to as the main ring, while the straps may be considered to form supplemental rings about the main rings. The tube may be formed into the main ring in a variety of manners. By way of example only, a method of forming the tube  12  into a ring is depicted in  FIG. 5A . Here, a tubular cloth material, such as a polyester tube sock, is stretched out along its length and then rolled up from one end to the other. For this to effectively form the desired doughnut shape of the main ring shown in  FIG. 5B , the original tube sock must be opened on each end. Thus, if an actual tube sock is used, the toe must be cut out. Alternatively, the tube could be stitched together from thicker fabric or cut from a pre-existing tube, the ends of which would then be sown together to form the ring. Alternatively, if made of a polyurethane or non-cloth material, the tube  12  could even be molded directly into the desired shape. 
         [0026]    While the illustrated embodiment formed from a tube sock is likely of a cloth such as polyester, cotton, or a combination thereof, possibly with spandex material added, the flexible tube may be made of a variety of pliable materials. Any number of preferably stretchable fabrics could be used. In some embodiments the tube may be of a rubber or polyester material, or a sufficiently pliable plastic. In the illustrated embodiment, the tube, when rolled into its ring shape, is solid on its inside (i.e., there is no hollow core to the ring, but rather the ring is solid sock material from its inner diameter to its outer diameter). However, the ring could have a hollow core so long as the tube  12  is able to hold its shape reasonably well and not collapse in on itself. The tube need not be completely resilient, but it ideally returns approximately to its shape after being twisted, compressed or pulled. In some embodiments, it may be desirable for the tube to be made of a plastic or urethane-based material because such material does not absorb water. This prevents the accessory  10  from taking on added weight when worn in wet environments or, for example, when swimming. 
         [0027]    Several geometric features will be discussed herein to better explain the shape and function of the invention. It will be understood that these geometric features, such as lines and diameters, are simply imaginary markers used to better describe the physical characteristics of the hair accessory  10 . The tube, once formed into a main ring, has an inside diameter (d 1 ) and an outside diameter (d 2 ), as shown in the perspective view of  FIG. 5B . Equidistant between the inside diameter and the outside diameter of the main ring formed by the tube  12  is the tube centerline, denoted in  FIG. 5B  by the centerline symbol C(L). As will be discussed, the main ring may lose its pure circular shape when straps  14  are attached (see  FIG. 1 ). Accordingly, the terms inner and outer diameter are no longer used when in the assembled configuration, but rather the term inner circumference is used to denote an imaginary line around the inside of the main ring, and the term outer circumference is used to denote an imaginary line about the outside of the main ring. By way of further explanation, the inner circumference of the main ring provides the outside border of the hole through the center of the hair accessory  10 . 
         [0028]    One important aspect of the tube  12  is that it can be rolled about its centerline once fully formed into the main ring. In fact, it should be pliable enough such that the tube may be twisted or rotated about its centerline on one side of the ring while simultaneously being held steady on the other side. Another important aspect is that the tube should be of proper thickness, which is to say that the difference between the inner circumference and the outer circumference of the tube, when fully formed and assembled with the straps, should be within a desired range. This range has been found to be between approximately 3 and 8 inches. Ultimately, as will be seen, a person&#39;s hair is rolled up around the tube. Thus, a very thin tube would require too much rolling and would result in a thin, unkempt bun. Alternatively, a very thick tube would only work with longer hair, and would result in an abnormally large, undesirable bun. Ultimately, within the above indicated range, performance of the hair accessory will vary depending on the thickness, length and quantity of hair to be placed into the bun. Obviously it is easier to place a large quantity of hair through a larger central hole in the main ring, while a small quantity of shorter hair may be insufficient to fully cover the accessory, as desired. Thus, the optimal thickness (and, thus, overall size) of the accessory  10  will vary depending on the particular needs of the user. 
         [0029]    In the exemplary embodiment, once the tube  12  is formed into the main ring, a plurality of straps  14  are installed around sections of the tube, as shown in  FIG. 5B . In the disclosed embodiment, the straps start out as flat strips of material, such as plastic or a nylon substrate. Each strap has two sides, referred to herein as first and second surfaces. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the first surface  148  will generally be smooth, while the second surface  147  will be covered by a plurality of grasping hooks  15 . One common form of the grasping hooks  15  is familiarly known as Velcro. Such grasping hooks may be conditioned for use with retaining hair, as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,672 to Hansbury. 
         [0030]    The grasping hooks  15  extending from the second surface may be of uniform height, varying height, uniform density, varying density, or randomly placed along the strap  14 .  FIGS. 7 and 8  show different close-up views of grasping hooks  15  in different patterns. As indicated by these figures, one strap  14 A may be formed of one pattern of hooks  15 , while another strap  14 B may be formed of a different pattern of hooks  15 . Just as some variance in the size and proportion of the main ring is desired, it may also be desired to have different patterns of hooks. This is because different hook patterns may increase or reduce the pull on hair, as desired by the individual user. Furthermore, regardless of the quantity or length of the hair, the thickness of the hair strands and its density/fragility will vary from one user to another. Also, hair may perform differently depending on the environment (wet hair vs. dry hair, etc.). While it is possible to have straps with different hook patterns on the same hair accessory  10 , it is more likely to offer hair accessories  10  of different varieties (size, quantity of straps, hook patterns, etc.). It is also possible, as described below, to offer the hair accessory together with replacement or supplemental straps that have different patterns, so that a user may modify the accessory to fit their specific need. 
         [0031]    Returning to the construction of the hair accessory  10 , once the tube is formed into a main ring of the proper size, straps  14  are assembled around the tube  12  to form supplemental or secondary rings. The straps  14  are secured around the tube  12  such that the second surface having the protruding hooks  15  are facing outward, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The straps can be secured in any variety of ways. For example, the ends of the straps may be mated together with an adhesive, the entire first surface of the straps may be bonded to the outer surface of the tube, or, as indicated in  FIGS. 5B and 5C , the strap may provide a series of male fasteners  20  along a first edge and a series of female receivers  18  along a second edge, such that the first and second edges are fastened together once the strap  14  is disposed around the tube  12 . 
         [0032]    In some embodiments, the fastening mechanism to hold the strap  14  around the tube  12  may be designed as permanent (i.e., not unfastenable by the user). However, it may be desired to allow the user to unfasten and refasten the straps  14  so as to provide the additional utility of changing a strap having a particular grasping hook length or density with another strap having a different grasping hook layout or density. In addition, it may be desirable to simply add or remove entire straps  14  from the accessory  10 . Finally, because the hooks may tend to collect dead hair or other debris over time and lose their effectiveness, it may simply be desirable to permanently replace a strap. 
         [0033]      FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3  illustrate how the number of straps  14  may vary depending on the particular accessory  10  or interest of the user (in cases where straps are removable). Though experimentation has shown than four or five straps work best in most configurations, other quantities of straps could be used. As indicated from the figures, the straps  14  are typically more rigid than the main ring formed by the tube  12 , such that the tube is somewhat deformed by the straps  14  once installed. Specifically, the main ring may lose its round shape and may extend straight through the supplemental rings formed by the straps, curving to form a ring only along its sections between the straps.  FIGS. 3 and 4  show a hair accessory  10  with only four straps  14 , which leads to a relatively square shape. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, and  6 C show how the hair accessory  10  is used, according to the exemplary embodiment. First, the hair to be placed in a bun is gathered about the base of the scalp and placed in a pony tail using a common hair tie  30 , as is well known in the art. It will be understood that, while the figures illustrate an entire head of hair being placed into a single bun, the method and device disclosed herein may be used to form a bun out of only a portion of hair on one&#39;s head. Also, the bun could be located at the top back center of the head as illustrated, but could also be offset to the front, back, left or right. Moreover, multiple such devices  10  as disclosed herein could be used to form multiple buns on an individual&#39;s head. 
         [0035]    Once a pony tail is formed using a tie  30 , the hair extending through the tie is extended outward from the scalp and the distal end of the collection of hair is placed through the open circle formed by the main ring. Notably, this can be done by a single person, such as by reaching back to hold the collection of hair outward with one hand while operating the accessory  10  with the other hand. Once inserted over the end of the hair collection, the hair ends are placed in contact with the grasping hooks  15  extending from the straps  14  wrapped around the tube  12 . The tube  12  is then rotated about its centerline toward the scalp (see  FIG. 6B ) and continuously rolled until it fits snugly against the scalp and is completely encompassed by the hair wrapped around it, forming a bun that is held firmly in position. (See  FIG. 6C .) To remove the accessory  10 , the tube is simply rotated about its centerline the other way, releasing the hair from the grasping hooks. 
         [0036]    While the above embodiment is preferred in some respects due to the flexibility provided by the ability to vary the quantity and nature of the straps, it will be understood that other embodiments may combine the straps  14  and the tube  12  into a single, unitary construction that would still fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, if a fixed density and length of grasping hooks were acceptable, and the hair accessory  10  were simply to be molded into a set shape (i.e., the accessory were to be formed from a moldable material such as polyurethane, natural or synthetic rubber, or other pliable chemical compound), the hooks  15  could simply be formed into the accessory  10  as part of the mold. Alternatively, the hooks  15  could still exist on a separate substrate, but could be applied to the outer surface of a molded tube  12  using an adhesive without the need for straps  14  forming supplemental rings. This would provide a more efficient accessory that could be used in the same manner as described above, with the limitation that it would not allow for modification to an individual user&#39;s needs. However, because the straps would not obscure the circular nature of the tube, the tube thickness could be determined as a relation to the inner diameter and outer diameter of the tube. In this case, typically the inner diameter will vary between 0.75 inches and 1.25 inches, while the outer diameter will vary diameter between 2.0 and 4.5 inches in order to provide the desired thickness of tube  12 . 
         [0037]    Alternatively, the grasping hooks could still be on a separate substrate, but the substrate could be a single wrapping or canvas placed over the exterior of the tube  12 . In this case, the substrate is ideally flexible so that the grasping hooks attached to the substrate can flex and move with the tube as the tube is rolled toward the scalp. This will also help ensure that any adhesive used to bond the substrate to the tube will be less likely to slip during operation. 
         [0038]    Accordingly, it should now be clear how the hair accessory  10  can be used to quickly and easily place hair into a compact and secure bun by a single user. Any process descriptions or operative steps in using the accessory should be understood to be exemplary, and alternate or additional steps or series of steps may be included within the scope of the present invention, as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art. It should be emphasized that the above-described exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and particularly any “preferred” embodiments, are possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Other variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments of the invention without substantially departing from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention and protected by the following claims.