Abstract:
An elastic bead includes a body and a channel extending through the body. The channel may be expanded to receive an object, such as a tuft or braid of hair. Once placed over the object, the body may be configured to resiliently engage the object. Such resilient engagement may be effected without doubling, tripling or otherwise twisting and wrapping the elastic bead around the object. Methods for applying and removing the elastic beads are disclosed, as are assemblies that provide ready access to and ready storage for elastic beads.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates generally to decorative beads and, more specifically, to decorative beads for use in an individual&#39;s hair. In particular, this disclosure relates to elastic beads and to uses for elastic beads. 
       RELATED ART 
       [0002]    Elastic bands, which are often referred to as “rubber bands,” have long been used to hold an individual&#39;s hair in place. Typically a portion of the individual&#39;s hair is gathered (e.g., into a tuft, such as a ponytail or pig tail, at the end of a braid, etc.), and an elastic band is placed over the gathered hair at a location near the individual&#39;s scalp. Placement of the elastic band typically includes stretching the elastic band to expand an opening therethrough, placing the elastic band over the gathered hair and moving it to a desired location over the gathered hair, twisting the elastic band to decrease the size of the opening, pulling the gathered hair through the smaller opening until the elastic band holds the gathered hair in a desired manner, and repeating the acts of twisting and pulling as needed to hold the individual&#39;s hair in the desired manner. 
         [0003]    The process of holding hair with an elastic band can be difficult and time consuming, and sometimes has to be redone. 
         [0004]    When an elastic band is doubled over, tripled over or otherwise twisted and wrapped around an individual&#39;s hair, strands of hair are often entangled in the elastic band. In addition, when an elastic band has been placed in a way that enables it to remain in place for prolonged periods of time and throughout any of a variety of activities (e.g., exercise, sleep, typically daily activities, etc.), it is often difficult to remove from the individual&#39;s hair. Removal of an elastic band from hair usually involves rolling the elastic band along a length of the individual&#39;s hair. This process usually entangles strands of hair. As the elastic band is removed, it pulls strands of entangled hair from the individual&#39;s head, which can be painful and have a detrimental effect on how the individual&#39;s hair looks. 
         [0005]    Decorative beads are also incorporated into many girls&#39; and women&#39;s hairstyles—particularly in cornrow hairstyles. When incorporated into a cornrow hairstyle, the beads are often placed on tufts of hair as the hair is braided, and held in place by the braiding. Removal of beads that are placed on the hair in this manner typically requires undoing the braid, which necessitates some amount of restyling. 
         [0006]    Conventionally, the decorative beads that are used in styling hair are made of plastic, wood, metal or other relative hard materials. When hard beads are worn in hair, if they are forced toward the wearer&#39;s head (e.g., if she falls and hits her head, as she places her head against another object, such as while lying down or sleeping, etc.), they may apply localized pressure to parts of the wearer&#39;s head, which may cause the wearer some discomfort, harm and/or pain, and may even cause headaches. Furthermore, when an individual who has a long hairstyle that incorporates hard beads moves her head or her hair, the hard beads often contact, or knock against, one another, generating potentially disruptive noise. When the individual moves her head and/or hair in a sudden manner, the hard beads may impact the individual (e.g., her face, head, neck, shoulders, etc.) and cause pain or injury. Sudden head or hair movements may also cause the hard beads to hit other people or objects, which may cause harm to the person or object, and may damage the hard beads. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    An elastic bead according to this disclosure includes a body and a channel. The body may be formed from an elastomeric material that is easily stretched under tensile forces and, when such forces are released, resiliently returns to its original, relaxed state, or substantially returns to its original, relaxed state. Upon stretching an elastic bead, its channel may be enlarged. 
         [0008]    The elastic bead may be used to hold tufts of hair in place, or otherwise placed on tufts or braids of an individual&#39;s hair (e.g., for decorative purposes, etc.). In use, the elastic bead may be stretched (i.e., a tensile force may be applied to it) in one or more directions that are transverse to a length of its channel. By stretching the elastic bead in this manner, a dimension across the channel (e.g., its diameter, etc.), or its width, may be enlarged. Enlargement of the width of the channel may facilitate placement of the elastic bead over a tuft or braid of hair. Thus, with the width of the channel enlarged, a tuft or braid of hair may be inserted through the channel until the elastic bead is at a desired location relative to that tuft or braid of hair (e.g., at or near the individual&#39;s scalp, at the end of a braid, etc.). Once the elastic bead has been positioned at the desired location, the tensile forces may be released, enabling the elastic bead to engage the tuft or braid of hair, and to remain in place at the desired location. 
         [0009]    An elastic bead may be repositioned on or removed from a tuft or braid of an individual&#39;s hair in a similar manner, by reversing the foregoing process elements. Stated another way, an elastic bead that is to be removed from a tuft or braid of an individual&#39;s hair may be stretched, pulled off of the tuft or braid of hair while the elastic bead&#39;s channel remains enlarged and until the elastic bead has been repositioned or removed from the individual&#39;s hair, and released, enabling the elastic bead to return or substantially return to its original, relaxed configuration. 
         [0010]    The elasticity of the elastic bead may enable its use in hairstyles (e.g., cornrows, etc.) where hard beads have conventionally been used, but without the requirement that the elastic bead be incorporated (e.g., by braiding, etc.) into the hairstyle. Thus, an elastic bead may be removed from the hair without necessitating that any part of the hairstyling be removed. As a result, elastic beads may be added to or removed from the hair after it has been styled, enabling an individual to change her look without requiring that her hair be restyled. 
         [0011]    In another aspect, assemblies for storing elastic beads are disclosed. Such an assembly may include a bracelet or necklace that carries one or more elastic beads. The elastic bead(s) may impart the bracelet or necklace with a decorative quality. In addition, a bracelet or necklace may be configured to accessorize (i.e., match) with one or more elastic beads in an individual&#39;s hair. Elastic beads may be easily removed from and/or replaced on an assembly of this type, enabling an individual to retain one or more elastic beads on her person for when use is desired, and providing a readily available place for the individual to place one or more elastic beads once she no longer wants to wear them. 
         [0012]    Other aspects, as well as features and advantages of various aspects, of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    In the drawings: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of an elastic bead that incorporates teachings of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  shows the elastic beads in an individual&#39;s hair; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  provides a schematic representation of an assembly for carrying one or more elastic beads. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of an elastic bead  10  is illustrated. The elastic bead  10  includes a body  12  and a channel  14  extending through the body  12 . 
         [0018]    The body  12  of an elastic bead  10  may be configured (e.g., have a thickness, be formed from a material, etc.) to enable expansion of the distance across (e.g., diameter, etc.), or width, of the channel  14 . 
         [0019]    The channel  14  of an elastic bead  10  may be configured to engage an object, of a particular size or range of sizes, or an object of a particular configuration. In various embodiments, the width of the channel  14  may be a function of the size or sizes of the objects with which the elastic bead  10  is intended to be used. As a non-limiting example, when the elastic bead  10  is configured to be placed over a small tuft or braid of hair, the channel  14  may have a relatively small width, which enables the elastic bead  10  to engage, or “grab onto,” the hair when it is released and allowed to relax (or at least to relax more than when it was stretched). The width of the channel  14  of an elastic bead  10  configured for use in gathering hair into a large ponytail or a bun may be larger. The width of the channel  14  (e.g., its diameter, etc.) may be configured to enable the elastic bead  10  to remain in place on a tuft or braid of hair or other appropriately sized object without requiring that the elastic bead be doubled up, tripled up, or otherwise twisted and wrapped around that object. 
         [0020]    In the illustrated embodiment, the elastic bead  10  is cylindrical in shape, and that includes a body  12  with relatively thin walls. A channel  14  that extends through the body  12 , and is centered relative to the body  12 , is also cylindrical in shape. The body  12  has a thickness that is less than a distance across (i.e., diameter of, or width of) the channel  14 . In a more specific embodiment, a cylindrical elastic bead  10  may have a length of about 6 mm and a diameter (or width) of about 7 mm, while a distance across (i.e., diameter of) its channel  14  may be about 4 mm and the thickness of its body  12  may be about 1.5 mm. 
         [0021]    While  FIG. 1  depicts a particular embodiment of elastic bead  10 , an elastic bead  10  according to this disclosure may have any of a wide variety of different configurations. As an example, while the body  12  of the elastic bead  10  in the illustrated embodiment is generally cylindrical in shape, the body  12  of an elastic bead  10  may have virtually any other configuration. Without limitation, the shape of the body  12  of an elastic bead  10  may be spherical, spheroid, a prism, another regular three-dimensional shape, an irregular three-dimensional shape, etc. The color(s), shape(s) and other features (e.g., the material, coatings, fillers, etc.) of the body  12  of an elastic bead  10  may impart it with a decorative appearance. 
         [0022]    Further, the relative proportions of an elastic bead  10  may vary from the relative proportions illustrated by  FIG. 1 . For example, instead of a channel  14  with a length that only slightly exceeds a width (e.g., diameter, etc.) of the channel  14 , the length of the channel  14  may be substantially greater than the width of the channel  14 . Stated another way, the channel  14  may have a greater height-aspect ratio than that illustrated by  FIG. 1 . A volume of the body  12  of such an elastic bead  10  may exceed a volume of the channel  14  of that elastic bead  10 . In some embodiments, the relative sizes of the body  12  and the channel  14  may impart the elastic bead with a more bulbous appearance, or a more bead-like appearance, than that depicted by  FIG. 1 . 
         [0023]    Alternative configurations of channels  14  may also be included in an elastic bead  10  according to this disclosure, so long as the channel  14  extends completely through a portion of the elastic bead  10 ; i.e., it is open-ended, or does not terminate at a location within the body  12  of the bead. The channel  14  need not be centered relative to the body  12  of the elastic bead  10 . The channel  14  need not have a circular cross-sectional shape, taken transverse to a length of the channel  14 . The channel  14  may be linear, non-linear (e.g., curved, bent at one or more angles, etc.) or it may include linear and non-linear sections. 
         [0024]    With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , and added reference to  FIG. 2 , a material from which the body  12  of an elastic bead  10  is formed enables body  12  of the elastic bead  10  to be stretched from a relaxed state ( FIG. 1 ) to a state under tension (see, e.g.,  FIG. 2 ), or a stretched state, and to resiliently return or substantially return from the stretched state to the relaxed state. Some non-limiting examples of elastic materials from which elastic beads  10  may be formed include, but are not limited to, plasticizer-extended block copolymers (e.g., oil extended styrene-butadiene-stryine (SBS) tri-block copolymers, etc.), silicone, natural rubber and the like. 
         [0025]    In addition to enabling the configuration of the body  12  to be manipulated, the elasticity of the material from which the body  12  of an elastic bead  10  is formed enables a configuration of the channel  14  of the elastic bead  10 , which extends though the body  12 , to be changed. The body  12  of an elastic bead  10  may be stretched in directions that enable the channel  14  of the elastic bead  10  to receive hair (e.g., a tuft of hair, a braid, a ponytail, a bun, etc.). When the hair is in place within, or extends through, the channel  14  the tension that has been applied to the body  12  to expand the channel  14  may be released, and the interior walls of the body  12  that define the channel  14  may engage, or “grab onto,” the hair within the channel  14 —provided that the distance across the hair is about the same as or exceeds a distance across (e.g., diameter, etc.) the channel  14 . Such engagement may be the result of tension that the hair continues to exert on the body  12  of the elastic bead  10 . Additionally, in some embodiments, a surface of the channel  14  may be configured or imparted with a texture that enhances the ability of the elastic bead  10  to remain in place around another object, such as a tuft or braid of hair. 
         [0026]    Because the elastic beads  10  are made from a soft material, they may be worn on hair without the noise typically associated with hard beads. When they are formed from a compressible material, the elastic beads  10  may apply significantly less localized pressure to the wearer&#39;s head as they are forced toward her head (e.g., if her head impacts a surface, as may occur if the wearer stumbles or falls; as the wearer sleeps; etc.). They may also be less likely to cause pain or injury to the wearer or another person, or to cause damage to themselves or to another object. 
         [0027]    In addition to illustrating an embodiment of elastic bead  10  that incorporates teachings of this disclosure,  FIG. 1  also shows packages  20  that hold a plurality of elastic beads  10 . Such a package may include an application tool  25 , which is configured to facilitate placement of one or more (e.g., simultaneously, etc.) of the elastic beads  10  on a tuft or braid of a wearer&#39;s hair. 
         [0028]    The application tool  25  may comprise an elongated element that receives one or more elastic beads  10  and facilitates their expansion (e.g., the expansion of their channels  14 , etc.) to facilitate their introduction onto another object, such as a tuft or braid of hair. In the embodiment depicted by  FIG. 1 , the application tool includes a threading end  26 , a bead-holding section  28  and a channel-expansion end  29 . The threading end  26 , which is located at one end of the application tool  25 , is configured to receive one or more elastic beads  10  so that they may be positioned on the bead-holding section  28 . In some embodiments, the application tool  25  may include a retention element  27  between the threading end  26  and the bead-holding section  28 . The retention element  27  may be configured to collapse as the threading end  26  is introduced into the channel  14  of an elastic bead  10  and the elastic bead  10  is forced across the retention element  27  and onto the bead-holding section  28 . Once the elastic bead  10  has moved beyond the retention element  27 , the retention element  27  may re-expand to prevent the elastic bead  10  from unintentionally sliding off of the bead-holding section  28  and the threading end  26  of the application tool  25 . An expansion end  29  is located at or adjacent to an opposite end of the application tool  25  from the threading end  26 . A distance across, or width, of the expansion end  29  may exceed a width of the channel  14  of an elastic bead  10  with which the application tool  25  is configured to be used, and may be sufficient to enable an individual to easily introduce a finger or an expansion tool into the channel  14  for further expansion. The expansion end  29  may be rounded or tapered in a manner that enables an elastic bead  10  to be forced thereover with relative ease. A rigidity of the expansion end  29  may exceed the rigidity of an elastic bead  10  by an amount that enables expansion of the width of a channel  14  of an elastic bead  10  as the elastic bead  10  is forced over the expansion end  29 , and off of the application tool  25 . 
         [0029]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of a manner in which an elastic bead  10  may be used is depicted. Without limitation, the elastic bead  10  may be stretched by pulling opposite sides of its body  12  away from one another. Such pulling may be initiated manually (e.g., by way of an individual&#39;s thumbs and/or fingers, etc.) or with an application tool, such as the application tool  25  illustrated in and described with reference to  FIG. 1 . With the elastic bead stretched, the channel  14  is enlarged. In some embodiments, an individual may place two or more of her phalanges (e.g., a finger and a thumb, as shown, etc.) partially through the enlarged channel  14 , enabling her to grasp a tuft of hair  30  over which the elastic bead  10  is to be positioned. Once the elastic bead is at a desired location over the tuft or braid of hair  30  (e.g., near an end of the tuft of braid of hair  30 ; at a more distant location from the end of the tuft or braid of hair  30 , along a mid-section of the tuft or braid of hair  30 ; etc.), the individual who is placing the elastic bead  10  in the hair may remove her phalanges from the channel  14 , enabling the body  12  of the elastic bead  10  to resiliently collapse around the tuft or braid of hair  30  and to remain in position along the tuft or braid of hair  30 . 
         [0030]    The elastic bead  10  may be repositioned along the tuft of hair  30  or removed from the tuft of hair  30  in a similar manner. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  depicts an assembly  40  for storing and/or retaining one or more elastic beads  10 . The assembly  40  may include an elongate element on which one or more elastic beads  10  may be placed and from which the one or more elastic beads  10  may be removed. The assembly  40  may be configured to be worn or otherwise carried by an individual. Such an assembly  40  may provide the individual with ready access to one or more elastic beads  10  and/or with a place to readily store one or more elastic beads  10 . 
         [0032]    In the depicted embodiment, the assembly  40  comprises a bracelet with which one or more elastic beads  10  may be readily assembled and from which one or more elastic beads  10  may be readily removed for use. In such an embodiment, as well as in a variety of other embodiments, the assembly  40  may serve both a utilitarian purpose (e.g., providing ready access to and storage for one or more elastic beads  10 , etc.), as well as an aesthetic purpose (e.g., as a decoration, etc.). An assembly  40  that is configured as an accessory may be tailored to complement other features of an individual&#39;s appearance, including, but not limited to, one or more elastic beads  10  worn in the individual&#39;s hair. 
         [0033]    The disclosed embodiments should not be deemed to limit the scope of any of the claims that follow. The scope of each claim should be limited merely by its plain language, and should be deemed to include the full complement of available equivalents.