Abstract:
A storage/organization box for hair accessories. The invention described here allows a user to take all the boxes, drawers and jars full of hair pins, clips, hair combs, headbands, clip-on-bows, ponytail scrunchies, etc. and permits them to organize the accessories in one convenient container with easy accessibility to each item.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/219,978, filed Sep. 17, 2015, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to storage containers and organizers, and more particularly to organizer containers for hair accessories. 
         [0003]    Given the variety in the shapes, sizes and types of hair accessories, including hair pins, clips, hair combs, headbands, clip-on-bows, ponytail scrunchies, and the like, hair accessories present an ongoing challenge for storage and keeping them in an organized manner. Hair accessories that would otherwise be unorganized in baskets, jars, drawers or bags. 
         [0004]    As can be seen, there is a need for an improved hair accessory organizer that takes all the boxes, drawers and jars full of hair pins, clips, hair combs, headbands, clip-on-bows, ponytail scrunchies, etc. and organizes all in one place with easy accessibility to each item. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In one aspect of the present invention, a container for organizing hair accessories, includes a substantially rectangular box enclosure having a base panel, a left and a right side panel extending upwardly from the base panel, a rear panel extending between base panel and the left and right side panels, and a stationary top panel extending from the rear panel and a portion of the left and right panel, the box enclosure defining an interior cavity having a front opening and a partial top opening. The organizer has a front door attached to the left and the right side panels via a hinge, which is operable between an open position, providing access to the front opening of the interior cavity and a closed position, blocking access to the front opening of the interior cavity. A top lid is attached to the stationary top panel via a hinge. The top lid is operable between an open position, providing access to the interior cavity via the partial top opening, and a closed position blocking access through the partial top opening. A plurality of hair accessory holders are carried within the interior cavity and are configured to receive different types of hair accessories. 
         [0006]    In some embodiments of the invention, the plurality of hair accessory holders may include a drawer enclosure, configured to receive a drawer having at least one bin. The drawer is operable between an open condition and a closed condition and the bins are configured to receive one or more hair accessories. The holders may also include a plurality of J-hooks attached to an interior surface of the back panel. The holders may also include at least one vertical stand attached to an interior surface of the base panel, where the vertical stand extends laterally across an intermediate portion of the base panel. A plurality of vertical stands may be arranged in rows from a back portion of the interior cavity to a front portion of the interior cavity. 
         [0007]    In other embodiments, the plurality of hair accessory holders may include at least one dowel extending vertically from the interior surface of the base panel, and spaced laterally inwardly from a side panel. A plurality of dowels may be arranged a spaced apart in a column between the back portion of the interior cavity and a front portion of the interior cavity. The plurality of dowels may each have a different diameter. The dowel diameters may range from about 1 inch to about ¼ inch. 
         [0008]    In yet other aspects of the invention, the plurality of hair accessory holders further includes an S-hook attached to an interior surface of a side panel opposite the dowel. A knob may be attached to a front surface of the door and a finger notch may be defined in a front surface of the drawer. 
         [0009]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a hair accessory organizer according to aspects of the present invention in a closed condition. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a left side perspective view of the hair accessory organizer with the doors and lids in an open condition. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a right side perspective view of the hair accessory organizer with the doors and lids in an open condition. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the hair accessory organizer. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0015]    Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a storage container for organizing and storing a variety of hair accessories. 
         [0016]    As seen in reference to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , a hair accessory organizer is formed as a box having a plurality of panels defining sidewalls, movable doors hingedly attached to the box, and an interior space having a plurality of holding devices for the receipt and storage of a variety of hair accessories. The hair accessories, may include a variety of types, including one or more of hair pins, clips, elastic bands, hair combs, headbands, clip-on-bows, ponytail scrunchies, and the like. 
         [0017]    The storage box includes a top stationary panel  10  that partially encloses a top portion of the box that is joined to a pair of opposed vertically aligned side panels  16  at a top end of the side panels  16 . A base panel  14  is joined to the bottom end of the side panels  16  and is horizontally disposed between the side panels  16 . A back panel  12  provides a rear closure for the box between the top stationary panel  10 , the base panel  14 , and the side panels  16 . A top lid  22  selectively encloses a remaining portion of the top of the box and is attached to the stationary panel  10  via a hinge  24 . 
         [0018]    The box has a pair of front doors  18  attached to the side panels  16  via a hinge  20  at an outer edge of the doors  18 . The front doors  18  may be configured with a knob  26  or other grasping device to facilitate opening of the doors  18 . The front doors  18  have inner edges that are positioned adjacent to one another in the closed condition at an intermediate position, preferably at a midpoint, between the side panels  16 . 
         [0019]    As seen in reference to  FIG. 2 , the box is shown illustrated in an open condition. The top lid  12  is shown pivoted upwardly and rearwardly along the stationary panel  10  about hinge  24 . The top lid  12  permits the user to access the interior portions of the box, particularly the back portion of the box, to conveniently hang or retrieve a hair accessory to or from within the box. 
         [0020]    The doors  18  are shown in a partially open condition about hinges  20 . An interior cavity of the box includes a plurality of holding devices for various hair accessories. The holding devices may include a plurality of J-hooks  38  attached to the vertical interior walls of the box. A J-hook  38  may be attached to each interior surface of the doors  18  and an interior surface of the back panel  18 . The J-hooks may be utilized to conveniently hold and organize one or more of a scrunchie, head band, and ribbons and other larger hair accessories. 
         [0021]    The interior cavity of the box may also include a drawer enclosure  32  configured to receive a drawer  28  having a plurality of bins defined by at least one drawer divider  36  interconnecting sidewalls of the drawer  28 . The drawer divider  36  is removable to allow the drawer bins to be configurable for containing larger or smaller hair combs, or other hair accessories. 
         [0022]    A forward face of the drawer  28  may include a finger notch  30  to facilitate opening of the drawer  28 . The bins are dimensioned to receive one or more hair pins, and clips in the separated bins. 
         [0023]    A plurality of vertical stands  34  are provided adjacent to the drawer enclosure  32 . The vertical stands  34  are disposed laterally across an intermediate portion of an interior surface of the base panel  14 . The vertical stands  34  may be utilized to conveniently hold one or more clip on bows or hair accessories, wherein the clip of the hair accessory may be conveniently clipped to the vertical structure of the stand  34 . The vertical stands  34  are arranged in substantially parallel rows and are spaced apart from a back portion of the box to a front portion of the box. 
         [0024]    A plurality of dowels are provided along and spaced apart from an interior surface of a side panel  16 . A narrow diameter dowel  40  is provided closest to the front of the box interior cavity. A large diameter dowel  44  is provided closest to the back of the box interior cavity. An intermediate diameter dowel  42  is interposed between the narrow diameter dowel  40  and the large diameter dowel  44 . The dowels are configured to receive a hair band or scrunchie. The diameter of the dowels  40 ,  42 , and  44  may be varied from between about 1 inch to ¼ inch and are preferably ¾ inch, ½ inch, and ⅜ inch, respectively. 
         [0025]    An S-hook may be secured to an interior surface of the side panel  16  opposite that of the dowels. The S-hook provides a dual hanging elements that are horizontally aligned to allow the hair accessory to be draped over the hanging elements. 
         [0026]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.