Abstract:
A hair extension weaving device is provided that is able to efficiently attach wefts to braided hair tracks, reducing the time necessary to add hair extensions and prevent both pain and damage to the hair stylist. The hair extension weaving device includes an upper body member and lower body member that may be releasably attached to one another. The upper body member may secure a needle member thereto that is used to sew the weft to the hair track. The lower body member may include a cavity for containing a spool of thread therein that is threaded through the needle member.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. U.S. 62/277,689, filed Jan. 12, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a cosmetic device for efficiently attaching hair extensions to existing hair. More particularly, the device hereof relates to a hair extension weaving device having an upper body member and lower body member, wherein the upper body member may include a needle member that can be releasably attached thereto, and a lower body member that can hold a spool of thread used to attach the hair extensions to the existing hair. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    Hair extensions, also known as artificial hair integrations, add length and/or fullness to a person&#39;s hair by attaching additional human or synthetic hair to the person&#39;s hair. There are several hair extension types used to attach to existing hair, such as clip-on extensions, tape-in extensions, hot or cold fusion extensions, and tracks-style extensions. Many of these existing extension types either look highly artificial or require professionals for installation. 
         [0004]    For example, clip-on extensions include commercial hair sewn on a fine base (wefts) and attached to a clip. The clip may then subsequently be attached to a person&#39;s own, existing hair. Clip-on extensions can be installed quickly, adding both volume and length. However, they must be removed every night and re-attached in the morning. Additionally, clip-on extensions often look artificial and wear out with frequent use. They also may not be as securely fastened to hair and may easily slip out. 
         [0005]    Another short-term form of extensions is glue-in extensions. For glue-in extensions, glue is applied to the weft and attached to the base or root of existing hair. The wefts have to be removed with an oil-based solvent after a few weeks. While glue-in extensions may be a good option for an individual who would like short-term extensions without having to remove them at night, glue-in extensions has its share of problems. Glue-in extensions only allow for limited ways of styling an individual&#39;s hair. The weight of the wefts can cause headaches or even cause dermatological problems like tension alopecia. Additionally, the glue can damage the hair if the extensions are applied or removed incorrectly. The glue can also clog hair follicles and cause bacterial scalp infections. 
         [0006]    Tape-on extensions are connected by wide bonds, which look similar to two pieces of scotch tape. An individual&#39;s hair is placed between the bonds and clamped between them by using a heated tool to melt a thin strip of glue on the weft. In addition to causing tangling and matting hair, tape-on extensions can also damage an individual&#39;s hair. 
         [0007]    Hot fusion extensions are keratin U-tip bonds that are lined with silicone that require the assistance of a hair care professional. They are attached close to the root of an individual&#39;s hair, leaving some room to allow for natural movement. An individual&#39;s hair is placed between the U-tip and sealed with a hot extension tool that melts the bond to the hair. The silicone lining of the U-tip protects an individual&#39;s hair. Hot fusion extensions are one of the most durable types of hair extensions. However, the heat required to apply the extensions can damage both the hairstylist&#39;s hands and client&#39;s hair. In addition to the heat, the hours and constant squeezing motions required for attaching the extensions can also injure the hairstylist&#39;s hands. 
         [0008]    Cold fusion extensions, on the other hand, are extensions where small sections of an individual&#39;s hair are pulled through a small bead or lock and clamped shut with a special tool. The small beads are usually copper cylinders lined with silicone to protect the individual&#39;s hair. Cold extensions are not an appropriate method of extensions for individuals with thin or fine hair because the beads are visible. The beads can also be visible if they are placed incorrectly, even in individuals with thick hair. Furthermore, the incorrect application and removal of the hair extensions can otherwise damage hair. The hairstylist can also injure her hands due to the time and constant squeezing motions required to attach the hair extensions. 
         [0009]    Tracks are one of the most commonly used methods of adding hair extensions. Hair is braided into tight cornrows, either horizontally or vertically (or a combination of horizontally and vertically) across the head. Wefts are then sewn onto the braids with a specially made blunt-ended needle. A blunt-ended needle is threaded and knotted. The knot should be large enough to prevent the tail end of the thread from being pulled through the weft and the cornrow. The weft is placed against the track or cornrow and is sewn onto the cornrow, starting at the end of the weft. The weft is sewn onto the track by the hair stylist first placing the weft on the track and first pushing the needle through, at one end of the weft, and pulling downwards until the knot is secure against the weft. The weft is held in place by a knot, and the sewing process can begin. The needle may then be guided between the track and head, and then pulled upwardly until the thread is tight. The needle should then be pulled over both the weft and track, and then guided between the track and head. The needle should then be pulled upwards until the stitch is tight. This is repeated until either the end of the track or weft has been reached. Once the hair stylist has finished sewing the weft to the track, the thread is knotted against the weft to prevent the track from loosening and falling off. 
         [0010]    When one weft is sewn onto the braid and secured with a knot, another weft can be added by using the same procedure. Track hair extensions can last for two to three months, with touch-ups, before they should be removed. A hairstylist can remove the extensions by simply cutting the thread, and carefully removing the thread before pulling the wefts off. 
         [0011]    Applying track extensions can take several hours, in which the hairstylist has to complete the same motions. These repeated motions can cause repetitive strain injuries. Repetitive strain injuries affect tendons, tendon sheaths, muscles, nerves and joints. They cause persistent or recurring pains, ranging from discomfort to excruciating pain, in the neck, shoulders, forearms, hands, wrists, elbows and lower limbs. The symptoms include numbness, tingling and burning sensations, pain, loss of an ability to grasp items, swelling of hand and wrists, and wasting of the muscles around the wrist and hand. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention relates to a device intended to reduce the time required to attach hair extensions, thereby reducing pain and damage caused by hours of repetitive motions. The hair extension weaving device preferably includes an upper body member and lower body member, wherein the upper body member abuts and engages the lower body member. In one embodiment, the upper body member has a needle member releasably attached, wherein the needle member is preferably spiral shaped. In that embodiment, the needle member is inserted substantially into the upper body member and further secured by a securing member. 
         [0013]    In another separate embodiment, the hair extension weaving device can be worn on the wrist. In that embodiment, the needle member is not releasably secured and inserted into the upper body member. Instead, the needle member is held by the hair stylist. 
         [0014]    The lower body member can preferably hold a spool of thread used to attach the extensions to the existing hair, and it may include a slot for dispensing the thread. The hair weaving device also preferably includes a cutting member used to cut the thread after the hair extensions have been attached. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    For a better understanding of the various embodiments of the present invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is an elevation view of a hair extension weaving device constructed according to the teachings of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the hair extension weaving device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the upper body member of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is an elevation view of the upper body member of  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is an elevation view of the lower body member of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  a perspective view of a separate embodiment of the needle in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a partial illustration of the hair extension weaving device of  FIG. 1  used to attach a weft of hair to a braided hair track; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a partial illustration of the hair extension weaving device of  FIG. 1  used to attach a weft of hair to a track, with the thread having a first upwards U-shaped loop; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a partial illustration of the hair extension weaving device of  FIG. 1  used to attach a weft of hair to a track, with the thread having a first downwards U-shaped loop; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a partial illustration of the hair extension weaving device of  FIG. 1  used to attach a weft of hair to a track, with the thread having the first downwards U-shaped loop with a needle member going through the first downwards U-shaped loop; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is an illustration of alternative embodiment of the hair extension weaving device of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    According to the embodiment(s) of the present invention, various views are illustrated in  FIG. 1-11  and like reference numerals are being used consistently throughout to refer to like and corresponding parts of the invention for all of the various views and figures of the drawing. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  illustrates a hair extension weaving device  1  constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. The hair extension weaving device  1  may be used for attaching wefts of real or manufactured, artificial hair to an individual&#39;s braided hair. The individual&#39;s braided hair may be embodied as, for example, a cornrow, or braid. The device aims to reduce the amount of time required to attach the wefts of hair. The weaving device  1  consists of an upper body member  5  and a lower body member  10  which are selectively engageable with one another. 
         [0029]    The upper body member  5  is preferably shaped like a cone frustum. In various embodiments, the size and shape of upper body member  5  may be modified to make the hair extension weaving device  1  easier to hold and grip. The upper body member  5  is preferably made out of plastic. However other materials such as metal, ceramic, wood, and rubber are contemplated and foreseeable herein. 
         [0030]    The upper body member  5  preferably includes a securing member  15  that in the present embodiment is embodied as a blunt screw. The securing member  15  may be inserted into an aperture  20  and preferably extends into the upper body member  5  (see  FIG. 2 ). The securing member  15  preferably secures a needle member  25  within the upper body member  5 . To do so, the needle member  25  is first preferably inserted substantially into a receiver  30  that is embodied as a tunnel shaped bore that channels downwardly through the upper body member  5  (see  FIG. 3 ). In some embodiments, a sheathing device may further be provided to secure and protect the needle member  25 . The sheathing member may even include a mechanism for retracting when the device  1  is in use. The securing member  15  may then be inserted and subsequently screwed using a common threading technique into the aperture  20 . In the preferred embodiment, the securing member  15  is tightened until it abuts the needle member  25 , thus securing the needle member  25  substantially in its position emerging upwardly from the upper body member  5 , and perpendicular to the securing member  15 . However, other securing mechanisms are contemplated and foreseeable. The upper body member  5  preferably includes a cylindrical inner portion  35  (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 ) that has a circumference slightly smaller than that of the rest of the upper body member  5 . The cylindrical inner portion  35  has a circumference that is also just smaller than that of the lower body member  10  so that when the upper body member  5  is inserted into the lower body member  5 , the cylindrical inner portion  35  forms a friction fit within the lower body member  10 . A bottom surface  40  of the cylindrical portion  35  also includes an opening  45  for receiving and securing a rod member  50  extending upwardly from within the lower body member  10 . 
         [0031]    The lower body member  10  is preferably substantially barrel-shaped so that it can better hold a spool of thread. The lower body member  10  may take on a different size and/or shape to ensure the hair extension weaving device  1  is easier to hold and grip. Additional shapes, dimensions, and sizes of the lower body member  10  are contemplated and foreseeable. Lower body member  10  is preferably made out of plastic, but other materials such as metal, ceramic, wood, and rubber may also be used. 
         [0032]    The lower body member  10  preferably includes a cavity  55  for receiving a spool of thread (not illustrated). The rod member  50  is housed within the cavity  55  and preferably receives and secures the spool of thread. As set forth above, when the lower body member  10  and the upper body member are selectively engaged, the inner cylindrical member  35  is releasably secured within the cavity  55  such that a lip  60  that circumscribes the upper body member  5  abuts a lip  65  that circumscribes the lower body member  10 . 
         [0033]    Turning now to  FIG. 5 , the lower body member  10  further preferably includes a slit-like slot member  70  for dispensing thread (not illustrated). At an upper end  75  of the slot member  70 , the slot member  70  preferably includes a throat  80  that allows for a greater range of motion and reduces fraying and breaking of the thread. The throat  80  is shown and illustrated as having rounded edges  85  to reduce fraying and breaking. Lower body member  10  further also preferably includes a cutting member  90 . The cutting member  90  may be used to sever thread, as described in greater detail below. The cutting member  90  may be placed anywhere on the device  1 , preferably near the bottom of lower body member  10  where it will not interfere with other components of the device  1 . 
         [0034]    The cutting member  90  may be screwed, glued, or nailed onto the hair extension weaving device  1 . Other methods of attaching the cutting member  90  are contemplated and foreseeable. However, the cutting member  90  does not have to be a separate piece attached to the hair extension weaving device  1 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 6  provides an elevation view of a preferred embodiment of a needle member, needle member  95 . The needle member  95  is spiral shaped, and the illustrated needle member  95  completes a full turn. The spiral shape of the needle member  95  preferably makes it easier for a hairstylist to push the needle  95  through an existing hair track or braid, and thus it may reduce the time required to attach hair extensions. Other types of needles, including straight and curved, are contemplated and foreseeable. The needle members  25 ,  95  are preferably made out of stainless steel, but other materials are contemplated and foreseeable. 
         [0036]    When a spool of thread is placed onto the rod member  50  inside the cavity  55  of the lower body member  10 , a tail end of the thread can then be pulled from the cavity  55  of the lower body member  10  through the slot member  70 . 
         [0037]    Turning now to  FIGS. 7-10 , the hair weaving device  1  is shown at various stages of sewing an extension weft  100  to a braided track  105 . Prior to beginning to sew the weft  100  onto the track  105 , a tail end of the thread  110  may be threaded through an eye  115  of the needle member  25  in a known manner. The thread  110  should be knotted at its tail end so that it cannot be pulled through a base (not illustrated) of the weft  100 . The weft  100  may be placed on top of the track  105 , and the knotted thread pulled through a base (not shown) of the weft  100 . The weft  100  is preferably attached to the braided hair track  105  via slip knots  115  so the weft  100  can be easily removed by simply cutting the thread once, as shown in  FIG. 7 . This allows the remaining thread  110  to unravel quite easily. 
         [0038]    To form the slip knots  115  that are used to attach the weft  100  to the track  105 , the threaded needle member  25  should be guided upwardly under the track  90  as shown in  FIG. 8 , between the track  105  and the head itself (not illustrated). With the excess thread between the needle member  25  and the hair weaving device  1 , a loop  120  should be formed that has an arch or rainbow-like shape (see  FIG. 8 ). The loop  120  should be held with the hand not holding the hair extension weaving device  1 . The loop  120  may be pulled downwardly over the track  105 , so the loop  120  is inverted to be U-shaped in front of the track  105 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0039]    The needle member  25  may then be pushed through the U-shaped loop  120  as shown in  FIG. 10 , and then again guided between the head and the track  105 . This motion, repeated several times, forms the slip knots shown in  FIG. 7  that allow the weft  100  to be firmly attached to the track  105 . After every stitch, the thread  110  should be pulled until the stitch is tight against the base of the weft  100 . These steps should be repeated until the entire weft  100  is sewn onto the track  105 . Once at the end portion (not illustrated) of the weft  100 , the thread should be knotted to prevent the weft  100  from becoming detached from the braid  105 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 11  shows an illustration of another embodiment of a hair extension weaving device  125  that may be smaller and more efficiently used than the device  1  described above. The hair extension weaving device  125  may be fixedly or releasably attached to a strap  130  worn by a hairstylist on his or her wrist. The weaving device  125  may include a slot member  135  through which thread  140  may be dispensed in a manner substantially similar to the manner described above. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 11 , the weaving device  125  includes an upper lid member  145  that is releasably engageable to a lower body member by a screw-top mechanism. Other means for engaging the upper lid member  145  and lower body member  150  to one another are contemplated and foreseeable. The manner in which the thread  140  is used to secure a braid and weft to one another may be substantially similar as set forth above. 
         [0041]    From the foregoing, it will be seen that the various embodiments of the present invention are well adapted to attain all the objectives and advantages hereinabove set forth together with still other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the present structures. It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations of the present embodiments are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. Since many possible embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, it is also to be understood that all disclosures herein set forth or illustrated in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. The various constructions described above and illustrated in the drawings are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the concepts, principles and scope of the present invention. 
         [0042]    Thus, there have been shown and described several embodiments of a novel hair extension weaving device. As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of “optional” or “may include” and not as “required”. 
         [0043]    Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present constructions will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.