Patent ID: 8011375

Claim:
A unitary hair clip for binding a bundle of hair, comprising: a continuous unitary strip of flexible material having a first surface, a second surface opposite thereto, and a longitudinal centerline, the strip comprising: an elastic midsection; a first elongate strip portion with a first distal end extending along the longitudinal centerline from the elastic midsection, the first portion having a first width; and a second loop portion with a second distal end extending along the longitudinal centerline from the elastic midsection opposite to the first portion, the second loop portion including a peripheral loop element formed by two lateral loop segments tapering laterally out wider from the elastic midsection, tapering laterally back in and meeting at the second distal end, and defining an aperture that is disposed about the longitudinal centerline and between the elastic midsection and the second distal end, the aperture having a second width that is greater than the first width of the first strip portion, wherein the strip is movable between the initial open position and an in-use closed position, the elastic midsection biases the strip toward the open position and against the movement to the closed position, in the open position the first and second portions are separated so that the hair bundle can be inserted therebetween, and in the closed position the first and second portions are coupled together so that the hair bundle is gripped therebetween, wherein in the closed position the first portion is disposed through the aperture with the elastic midsection providing an expansive force binding the first distal end back against the second distal end to maintain the contiguous structure in the closed position, wherein in the open position the first portion and the second portion extend in generally opposite directions away from the elastic midsection, and in the closed position the first portion is bent and torqued about the elastic midsection and passed through the aperture of the second portion with the first surface of the first distal end binding against the first surface of the second distal end to maintain the strip in the closed position, and wherein in the closed position the hair bundle is routed under and against the second surface of one of the lateral loop segments of the second portion peripheral loop element, and at least partially out through the second portion aperture, over and against the second surface of the first portion, back through the second portion aperture, and under and against the second surface of the other one of the lateral loop segments of the second portion peripheral loop element.