Abstract:
A clip end hair fastening band for fastening and styling hair comprising an elastic band with claw-toothed clips integrally attached to each end and additional claw clips attached to its underside. The band can be any material including a swatch of hair.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the invention  
           [0002]    This application is a continuation-in-part and discloses and claims subject matter disclosed in my earlier filed pending U.S. application, Ser. No. 09/860,080 filed May 16, 2001. The present invention relates to a hair fastening band and method, more particularly a band with claw clips integrally attached to each end with a plurality of additional claw clips along the underside of the band.  
           [0003]    2. Description of prior art  
           [0004]    Many people like to secure their hair up and away from their face in various styles. One way to put the hair up is to use a headband or hair band. Traditionally a headband consists of a length of fabric formed into a loop and is placed around the head. A hair band, also traditionally formed into a loop, is secured around a section of hair. Both are effective, however, they both often become loose and less supportive over time.  
           [0005]    Another way to secure hair is to use a bungee type fastener with hooks at each end. These are effective for a hairstylist, however, they are difficult to use and extremely difficult to remove for the user.  
         SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
         [0006]    An object of the present invention is to provide an instrument, which is convenient, practical, and inexpensive for use in hair fastening.  
           [0007]    A further object is to provide such an instrument that has hinged and moveable jaws inseparably attached to each end of a band.  
           [0008]    A further object is to provide such an instrument that has a plurality of additional claw clips along the underside of the band.  
           [0009]    A further object is to provide such an instrument that has a length of hair between each claw clip.  
           [0010]    A further object is to provide to provide such an instrument  
           [0011]    A further object is to provide such an instrument where each claw penetrates the hair sections and grasps them tightly.  
           [0012]    A further object is to provide such an instrument where the elastic band also grasps the hair.  
           [0013]    A further object is to provide such an instrument that can be used unassisted by the individual styling their hair, eliminating the expense of a professional stylist.  
           [0014]    A further object is to be able pull up sections of hair and connect them to the band ends.  
           [0015]    A further object is to provide an instrument that will quickly hold the user&#39;s hair up in a multitude of neatly secured styles.  
           [0016]    A further object is to provide a hair fastening band that doesn&#39;t become loose on the user&#39;s head.  
           [0017]    A further object is to provide a hair fastening band that can be used as a headband.  
           [0018]    A further object is to provide a hair fastening band that can be used for securing a ponytail.  
           [0019]    According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hair fastening band comprising a band with spring-loaded claw clips integrally attached to each end of the band. Further, there is a plurality of additional clips attached to the underside of the band.  
           [0020]    According to the arrangement described above the band is attached to the clips in such a way that the teeth of the hair clips can penetrate the user&#39;s hair to grasp it and secure the band to the hair. The clips are the “bull-dog” type, wherein the gripping arms of the clips bend in a direction away from the clips pivot in a concave since. Further, the band could be elastic allowing it to be adjustable to different size heads.  
           [0021]    Accordingly a preferred embodiment of the present invention the band is a long length of elastic fabric and the clips are spring loaded. The spring loaded clips have a claw like shape and the band can be glued to the inside of one half of each clip, put through an opening of each clip top intermediate the spring and the clip handles and knotted, simply tied to each clip, or any other way to secure it will work as long as the band doesn&#39;t get in the way of the teeth penetrating the hair.  
           [0022]    A further embodiment of the present invention the band of the above described invention is a length of hair.  
           [0023]    A further embodiment of the present invention the band of the above described invention is a length of plastic that connects at each end to a clip with a ball-and-socket joint, hinge, or a snap that makes it removably connected.  
           [0024]    A further embodiment of the present invention the band is an elongated pin. Instead of having an individual pin for each clip the plurality of clips are all attached by placing the elongated pin through each clip pivot point, replacing their individual pins with the single band. The pin could be an arched or semicircular “U” shape to clip the band along a French Twist edge or around a bun.  
           [0025]    Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments given with reference to the accompanying drawings 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]    In the accompanying drawings:  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a hair band with spring-loaded claw clips attached to each end with a plurality of claw clips attached to the bands underside according to the present invention.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the hair band of FIG. 1 covered with fabric.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 is a plan view of another embodiment of the current invention.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 is a plan view of another embodiment of the current invention.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 5 is a plan view of another embodiment of the current invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0032]    Referring to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings. There is illustrated a hair fastening band  1  embodying the present invention. The hair band, generally designated by reference numeral  12 , comprises a first clip end  10  and a second clip end  11 . The band  12  has additional clips  33  secured along the bottom of the band  12 . The resilient band generally designated by reference numeral  12 , comprises a first end  13  and a second end  14 . In this embodiment the clips  10  and  11  have a first claw and handle portion  15   a  with teeth  15   b  penetrating from claw and handle portion  15   a  and a second claw and handle portion  16   a  with teeth  16   b  penetrating from claw and handle portion  16   a . Each portion  15   a  and  16   a  has a pair of lugs  17  and  18 . The lugs  17  and  18  are aligned with a spring  19  intermediate them and a pin  20  is placed through holes  21  and  22  of lugs  17  and  18 . Wherein the first claw and handle portion  15   a  is secured to the second claw and handle portion  16   a . The band ends  13  and  14  are integrally attached to clips  10  and  11  and the plurality of additional clips  33  are attached along the bottom of the band  12 . The clip portions  10 ,  11 , and  33  are made of plastic and the band  12  is made of some type of resilient fabric such as elastic.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 2 shows a fabric covering  30  covering band  12  and clips  10 ,  11  and  33  leaving an opening for teeth  15   b  and  16   b.    
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 3 the band is a length of hair  31  attached to each clip  10  and  11 .  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the length of hair  31  with long hair  35 .  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 5 shows the clips  72 ,  73 ,  74 , and  75  with an elongated pin  76  through each clips hole  21  and  22 .  
         [0037]    The present invention being thus described, it is obvious that the same embodiment and uses may be varied in many ways. For instance, the clip portions can be of different shapes, sizes or configurations as long as they have teeth that fasten to the hair by penetrating the section in a grasping motion, the jaws have a mutual pivotal connection, and the clips have a way to open and close the jaws. The band portion can be of different shapes, sizes, or materials and the hair swatch could have additional clips along it. The clips don&#39;t have to be secured directly at the band ends, they could be close to the ends. Any way to style the hair with the present embodiment applies. Further, any way to attach the band ends to the clips will work. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such variations as would be obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims,