U.S. patent application number 10/770060 was filed with the patent office on 2004-08-12 for hair holding device with concealed spring.
Invention is credited to Livingston, David, Rogers, Bruce A..
Application Number | 20040154633 10/770060 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32869419 |
Filed Date | 2004-08-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040154633 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rogers, Bruce A. ; et
al. |
August 12, 2004 |
Hair holding device with concealed spring
Abstract
A hair holding device and spring concealment mechanism including
a pair of opposed, hingedly connected body members adapted to pivot
about a hinge axis between closed and open positions. A torsion
biasing spring biases the device into a predetermined position. The
spring is concealed in multiple casings, which are unattached to
either body member of the hair holding device. The casings do not
bear any torque exerted by the spring and do not encase the
entireties of the spring's first and second projecting arms.
Consequently, they can be made relatively thin-walled and compact
to closely conform to the size and shape of the coil portion of the
spring. The thin walls and small diameter of the spring casings
minimize the extent to which the casings protrude from the hair
holding device, thereby improving its aesthetic appeal.
Inventors: |
Rogers, Bruce A.;
(Philadelphia, PA) ; Livingston, David;
(Pennsburg, PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
John F. Letchford
Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, Branzburg & Ellers LLP
260 S. Broad Street
Philadelphia
PA
19102
US
|
Family ID: |
32869419 |
Appl. No.: |
10/770060 |
Filed: |
February 2, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60445773 |
Feb 7, 2003 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
132/277 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 8/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/277 |
International
Class: |
A45D 008/20 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A hair holding device comprising: a first body member and a
second body member, said first and second body members comprising
hair gripping portions; hinge means for pivotally connecting said
first and second body members; a torsion spring for biasing said
first and second body members into a predetermined position, said
torsion spring including a coil and a pair of biasing arms at
opposite ends of said coil, said biasing arms comprising a radially
projecting first portion and a transverse second portion; and a
plurality of casings that are rotatable about said spring and
unattached to said first and second body members, one of said
casings including a central passage for receiving a portion of said
coil and a peripheral passage for receiving one of said biasing
arms and another of said casings including a central passage for
receiving a portion of said coil and a peripheral passage for
receiving the other one of said biasing arms.
2. The hair holding device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said
casings includes radially projecting means for covering at least a
portion of the length and at least a portion of the circumference
of one of said biasing arms.
3. The hair holding device of claim 1 further comprising means
carried by said body members for receiving said transverse second
portions of said biasing arms.
4. The hair holding device of claim 3 wherein said receiving means
comprise recesses provided in said body members.
5. The hair holding device of claim 3 wherein said receiving means
comprise protrusions provided in said body members, said transverse
second portions being received in apertures provided in said
protrusions.
6. The hair holding device of claim 1 wherein said first and second
body members further comprise handle portions for enabling a user
to manipulate said first and second body members.
7. A torsion spring concealment mechanism for use with a hair
holding device, the hair holding device including a first body
member and a second body member, the first and second body members
comprising hair gripping portions, hinge means for pivotally
connecting the first and second body members, and a torsion spring
for biasing the first and second body members into a predetermined
position, the torsion spring including a coil and a pair of biasing
arms at opposite ends of the coil, the biasing arms comprising a
radially projecting first portion and a transverse second portion,
said torsion spring concealment mechanism comprising: a plurality
of casings unattached to the first and second body members, one of
said casings including a central passage for receiving a portion of
the coil and a peripheral passage for receiving one of the biasing
arms and another of said casings including a central passage for
receiving a portion of the coil and a peripheral passage for
receiving the other one of the biasing arms.
8. The torsion spring concealment mechanism of claim 7 wherein at
least one of said casings includes radially projecting means for
covering at least a portion of the length and at least a portion of
the circumference of one of the biasing arms.
9. The torsion spring concealment mechanism of claim 7 further
comprising means carried by the body members for receiving said
transverse second portions of said biasing arms.
10. The torsion spring concealment mechanism of claim 9 wherein
said receiving means comprise recesses provided in the body
members.
11. The torsion spring concealment mechanism of claim 9 wherein
said receiving means comprise protrusions provided in the body
members, said transverse second portions being received in
apertures provided in said protrusions.
12. The torsion spring concealment mechanism of claim 7 wherein the
first and second body members further comprise handle portions for
enabling a user to manipulate the first and second body
members.
13. A hair holding device comprising: a first body member and a
second body member, said first and second body members comprising
hair gripping portions; hinge means for pivotally connecting said
first and second body members; a torsion spring for biasing said
first and second body members into a predetermined position, said
torsion spring including a coil and a pair of biasing arms at
opposite ends of said coil; a plurality of casings unattached to
said first and second body members, one of said casings including a
central passage for receiving a portion of said coil and a
peripheral passage for receiving one of said biasing arms and
another of said casings including a central passage for receiving a
portion of said coil and a peripheral passage for receiving the
other one of said biasing arms; and means carried by said hair
gripping portions for receiving said biasing arms.
14. The hair holding device of claim 13 wherein at least one of
said casings includes radially projecting means for covering at
least a portion of the length and at least a portion of the
circumference of one of said biasing arms.
15. The hair holding device of claim 13 wherein said biasing arms
comprise a radially projecting first portion and a transverse
second portion
16. The hair holding device of claim 15 wherein said biasing arms
receiving means receive said transverse second portions of said
biasing arms.
17. The hair holding device of claim 15 wherein said biasing arms
receiving means comprise recesses provided in said hair gripping
portions, said transverse second portions being received in said
recesses.
18. The hair holding device of claim 15 wherein said biasing arms
receiving means comprise protrusions provided in said hair gripping
portions, said transverse second portions being received in
apertures provided in said protrusions.
19. The hair holding device of claim 13 wherein said first and
second body members further comprise handle portions for enabling a
user to manipulate said first and second body members.
20. A torsion spring concealment mechanism for use with a hair
holding device, the hair holding device including a first body
member and a second body member, the first and second body members
comprising hair gripping portions, hinge means for pivotally
connecting the first and second body members, and a torsion spring
for biasing the first and second body members into a predetermined
position, the torsion spring including a coil and a pair of
radially projecting biasing arms at opposite ends of the coil, said
torsion spring concealment mechanism comprising: a plurality of
casings unattached to the first and second body members, one of
said casings including a central passage for receiving a portion of
the coil and a peripheral passage for receiving one of the biasing
arms and another of said casings including a central passage for
receiving a portion of the coil and a peripheral passage for
receiving the other one of the biasing arms; and means carried by
the hair gripping portions for receiving said biasing arms.
21. The torsion spring concealment mechanism of claim 20 wherein at
least one of said casings includes radially projecting means for
covering at least a portion of the length and at least a portion of
the circumference of one of the biasing arms.
22. The torsion spring concealment mechanism of claim 20 wherein
the biasing arms comprise a radially projecting first portion and a
transverse second portion
23. The torsion spring concealment mechanism of claim 22 wherein
said biasing arms receiving means receive the transverse second
portions of the biasing arms.
24. The torsion spring concealment mechanism of claim 23 wherein
said biasing arms receiving means comprise recesses provided in the
hair gripping portions, wherein the transverse second portions of
the biasing arms are adapted to be received in said recesses.
25. The torsion spring concealment mechanism of claim 23 wherein
said biasing arms receiving means comprise protrusions provided in
the hair gripping portions, wherein the transverse second portions
of the biasing arms are adapted to be received in apertures
provided in said protrusions.
26. The torsion spring concealment mechanism of claim 20 wherein
the first and second body members further comprise handle portions
for enabling a user to manipulate the first and second body
members.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/445,773, filed Feb. 7, 2003.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to hair holding and hair
styling devices in which a first body and a second body are
pivotally connected by hinge means and are operable to grippingly
engage a quantity of gathered hair strands.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Hinged, spring-biased devices for use in holding human hair
are known in the art. Devices of this kind have been used for many
years, and an early example is described in U.S. Pat. No.
2,201,719. Such devices typically comprise a pair of opposed,
hingedly connected members each including hair gripping and handle
portions. The gripping portions are biased into a closed or
gripping position by a biasing means, most often a torsion spring
that exerts a closing force on the handle portions of the members.
To deploy the device, the user squeezes the finger-pressable handle
portions to overcome the biasing force of the spring and thereby
separate the hair gripping portions. While maintaining the
squeezing force, the user places the hair gripping portions on
opposite sides of a desired quantity of hair to be held by the
device. The user then releases the handle portions and the torsion
spring urges the hair gripping portions into gripping contact with
a lock or shock of gathered hair.
[0004] In such prior art hair holding devices, the torsion spring
biasing means is an elastically flexible metal wire spring disposed
about the device's hinge pin. The spring's helically wound main
body portion resides between two radially projecting arms at its
opposite ends. The first arm bears against the inside face of a
first finger pressable handle portion of the device and the second
arm bears against the inside face of a second finger pressable
handle portion. The spring is pre-stressed rotationally about the
hinge axis, so that its two projecting arms bias the hair gripping
portions toward a closed position, while biasing the handle
portions toward a spread apart position.
[0005] Many users of such devices find their exposed rear parts to
be unsightly. That is, their rear parts, including the connecting
lugs, hinge pin and virtually the entire torsion biasing spring,
all can be seen when the devices are placed in the hair. The
visibility of these components produces a particularly unaesthetic
effect, imparting a mechanical appearance to a device that should
be unobtrusive or, alternatively, ornamental and decorative,
thereby reducing its utility and appeal. And, the exposed arms of
the springs tend to snag and damage hair and can also can prick a
user's fingers when attempting to dislodge the snagged hair. Still
further, to the aesthetic and operational detriment of the hair
holding device, the pointed arms of the springs can scratch or
abrade the portions of the device with which they are in
contact.
[0006] An array of proposals have been made to conceal the biasing
spring of hair holding devices. Examples include those found in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,642,740; 5,787,905; 5,803,096; 5,842,482;
5,862,815; 5,873,377; 6,019,108; 6,186,151; 6,354,307; 6,357,452
and 6,408,859, as well as in Published U.S. Patent Application Nos.
US 2001/0006068 and US 2003/0196675. Some of these, e.g., U.S.
Patent No. U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,307, propose to conceal a portion of
the helical spring behind a casing attached to one of the body
members. This solution, however, is problematic for several
reasons. It leaves a first projecting arm of the spring in full
view and necessitates provision of a gap between the casing's end
and the body member's hinge lug for movement of the exposed
projecting spring arm during the operation of the device. The
exposed projecting spring arm detracts from the visual continuity
of the hinge components. Additionally, this solution locates the
second projecting arm of the pre-stressed spring within the casing,
thereby requiring the casing to be not only sufficiently thick to
withstand the torque exerted by the second spring arm but also
relatively large to accommodate the radial length of the projecting
second arm. These required casing thickness and size requirements
cause the resulting casing to protrude unattractively from the
device, thereby detracting from the visual continuity of the hinge
components and the device itself. Moreover, the exposed spring arm
is still capable of snagging a user's hair and pricking the user's
fingers.
[0007] Certain manufacturers of hair holding devices having encased
torsion springs with exposed ends have resorted to painting (i.e.,
camouflaging) the exposed spring arms. However, painting of the
arms does nothing to eliminate their tendency to snag hair and/or
damage the user's hair, fingers or the device itself. Moreover,
painting also adds a step to the manufacturing process and raises
manufacturing cost.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,859 likewise proposes to conceal a
portion of the helical spring within a casing, described as a
block, extending from one of the device's body members. According
to this design, both projecting arms of the spring are in full view
and gaps exist between the block's opposite ends and the connecting
lugs nearest thereto in order to accommodate movement of the
exposed projecting arms during the device's operation. The exposed
projecting arms and two gaps detract from the visual continuity of
the hinge components and may not be aesthetically appealing to
certain users. Additionally, for best manufacturing practices, the
block should be molded as an integral part of one of the device's
body members. This limits not only the degree to which the block's
wall thickness can vary from that of the body member, but also the
degree to which the block's wall opacity and color can vary from
that of the body member. The resulting block would be not optimally
thick (leaving room for hair to become snagged/damaged between the
block, hinges and body members), and it would likely be somewhat
transparent (whereby the concealed spring would be visible through
the plastic). Consequently, such a device would be less than
optimal, both aesthetically and functionally, when molded in
tortoise shell, Tokyo and other light-colored finishes.
[0009] The hair holding devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,873,377 and 6,357,452 successfully conceal all portions of a
conventional torsion biasing spring from view. However, the device
described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,452 provides a large and bulky
spring casing suffering from deficiencies similar to those of the
casing of U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,307. In contrast, the device proposed
in U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,377 uses paddle-shaped covers for concealing
the oppositely projecting spring arms, which certain users may not
find aesthetically pleasing.
[0010] U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,873,377 and 6,019,108 propose providing
recesses in the body members to accommodate the projecting spring
arms. This feature may reduce the likelihood of hair snagging but
does not eliminate scratching and other abrasion to the body
members that may be caused by the moving pointed spring arms.
[0011] In summary, hair holding devices of the prior art fail to
provide an adequate, comprehensive solution for concealing all
portions of helical torsion biasing spring from view while at the
same time reducing hair snagging and damage caused by exposed
pointed spring ends. Either one or both arms of the springs remain
exposed or the casings provided to conceal the springs tend to be
large, obtrusive and/or transparent, thereby detracting from the
visual appearance of the hinge assembly.
[0012] An advantage exists, therefore, for a compact and cost and
performance effective mechanism for attractively concealing from
view not only the coil but also the two projecting arms of the
torsion spring of a hinged hair holding device.
[0013] A further advantage exists for a hinged hair holding device
including a torsion spring that resists snagging of a user's hair,
as well as damage to the user's hair, fingers and the device
itself.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] In all embodiments of the invention, there is provided a
hair holding device comprising a pair of opposed body members each
including hair gripping portions and hinged coupling means for
allowing the opposed body members to pivot relative to each other
about a hinge axis between closed and open positions. A torsion
biasing spring biases the device into a predetermined closed or
open position. The problem addressed by the present, invention is
that of economically and aesthetically concealing from view all
parts of the torsion spring.
[0015] According to the invention, the spring is concealed in
multiple casings which are unattached to either body member of the
hair holding device. The first casing covers a portion of the
spring's coil and a portion of a first of the spring's two radially
projecting arms. This casing rotates in synchronization with the
first of the spring's projecting arms. The second casing covers
another portion of the spring's coil and a portion of the spring's
second projecting arm and rotates in synchronization with that arm.
Since the casings do not bear any torque exerted by the spring and
do not encase the entireties of the spring's first and second
projecting arms, they can be made relatively thin-walled and
compact to closely conform to the size and shape of the coil
portion of the spring. The thin walls and small diameter of the
spring casings minimize the extent to which the casings protrude
from the hair holding device, thereby improving its aesthetic
appeal.
[0016] The spring casings are preferably molded independent of the
body members of the hair holding device such as by injection
molding or the like, whereby the casings may be molded to a
diameter smaller and with walls thinner than might otherwise be
possible. And, by molding the spring casings independent of the
body members, the casings may be molded with walls that are more
opaque and better color matched to the body members than might
otherwise be possible.
[0017] According to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a torsion spring having projecting arms that are
configured to be resistant to hair snagging and to harm to a user's
hair, fingers and the hair holding device itself. The distal
portions of the spring arms preferably engage recesses and/or
perforated protrusions provided in or on one or both of the body
members, which recesses and/or protrusions are not visible when the
device is worn in the hair.
[0018] Other details, objects and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent as the following description of the
presently preferred embodiments and presently preferred methods of
practicing the invention proceeds.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The invention will become more readily apparent from the
following description of preferred embodiments thereof shown, by
way of example only, in the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional hinged and
spring-biased hair holding device;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a hair holding device
according to the present invention in a fully closed position;
[0022] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a torsion spring
concealment mechanism according to the present invention;
[0023] FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are perspective, top and end views,
respectively, of a torsion spring according to the present
invention;
[0024] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the torsion spring of FIGS.
4-6 and the torsion spring concealment mechanism of FIG. 3 in
assembled condition;
[0025] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a hair
holding device body member according to the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 9 is an inside elevation view of the hair holding
device body member of FIG. 8;
[0027] FIG. 10 is cross-sectional view of the hair holding device
body member according to the present invention taken along line X-X
of FIG. 8;
[0028] FIG. 11 is an inside elevation view of the hair holding
device body member of FIG. 8 with the torsion spring of FIGS. 4-6
installed therein;
[0029] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a
hair holding device body member according to the present invention
with the torsion spring of FIGS. 4-6 installed therein;
[0030] FIG. 13 is an inside elevation view of the hair holding
device body member of FIG. 12 with the torsion spring of FIGS. 4-6
installed therein; and
[0031] FIG. 14 is cross-sectional view of the hair holding device
body member according to the present invention taken along line
XIV-XIV of FIG. 12.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0032] Disclosed in FIG. 1 is a typical spring biased hair-holding
device 10 comprising a pair of rigid body members 12 and 14 that
are pivotally connected by a hinge pin 16 that passes through
cooperating connecting lugs 18 and 20 carried by the rigid members.
Members 12, 14 comprise handle portions 30 and 32 and hair gripping
portions 22 and 24 which terminate in a plurality of interdigitated
hair-engaging fingers or tines 26 and 28, respectively. A torsion
spring 34 is disposed about the hinge pin 16. Torsion spring 34 is
fabricated from flexible and resilient metal wire and comprises a
central coil 36 and first and second radially projecting biasing
arms 38 on opposite ends of the coil. As is known in the art, the
torsion spring is pre-stressed upon assembly of device 10 such that
the projecting arms 38 exert force against the handle portions 30,
32 (or other portions of the members 12, 14) to urge the members
into the illustrated closed position.
[0033] When a user wishes to don device 10, the user presses or
squeezes handle portions 30, 32 inwardly together whereby the
hair-gripping portions 22, 24 and tines 26, 28 hingedly separate
toward an unillustrated open position for receiving gathered
strands of the user's hair. When the user releases the handle
portions 30, 32, torsion spring 34 urges body members 12, 14 to
move rotationally inwardly into a hair-gripping position, thereby
causing the user's hair to be secured within the hair-gripping
portions 22, 24 and their tines 26, 28.
[0034] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a first embodiment of a
hair holding device and torsion spring concealment mechanism
constructed in accordance with the present invention. The device,
identified generally by reference numeral 110, comprises a pair of
rigid body members 112 and 114 that are pivotally connected by a
hinge pin 116 that passes through cooperating connecting lugs 118
and 120 carried by the rigid members. Members 112, 114 respectively
comprise handle portions 130 and 132 and hair gripping portions 122
and 124 which terminate in a plurality of interdigitated
hair-engaging fingers or tines 126 and 128. A torsion spring,
concealed in FIG. 2 but described in detail in connection with
FIGS. 4-6, is disposed about the hinge pin 116. The torsion spring
is pre-stressed upon assembly of device 110 such that the
projecting arms at its opposite ends exert force against the
members 112, 114 to urge them into the illustrated closed
position.
[0035] Identified generally by reference numeral 140 in FIGS. 1-3
is a torsion spring concealment mechanism according to the present
invention. As seen most clearly in FIG. 3., mechanism 140
preferably comprises a plurality of annular casings 142. Each
casing 142 includes a central passage 144 for receiving a portion
of the coil of a torsion spring in the manner shown in FIG. 7. Each
casing 142 further includes a peripheral passage 146 for receiving
one of the radially projecting end arms of a torsion spring, also
in the manner shown in FIG. 7. Peripheral passage 146 may extend
for some or all of the length of its casing 142. To minimize their
outer dimensions, casings 142 are preferably right circular
cylindrical members and their inner diameters should be such that
the casings receive and freely rotate about the coil of a torsion
spring with close tolerance. Furthermore, the connecting lugs 118,
120 and the peripheral walls of the casings 142 may be similarly
sized and contoured to present a continuous cylindrical hinge
assembly in all relative angular positions of the body members 112,
114. Optionally, as illustrated in dashed line, one or both of
casings 142 may also include radially projecting means 148 for
covering at least a portion of the length and at least a portion of
the circumference of a radially projecting spring biasing arm.
According to a preferred embodiment, mechanism 140 comprises two
casings 142 constructed and arranged as set forth above. However,
casings 142 may span less than the length of the coil portion of
the torsion spring they are intended to conceal. In that event,
casings 142 may be supplemented by one or more additional
intermediate annular casings that span the uncovered region of the
torsion spring coil.
[0036] Casings 142 may be made from any substantially rigid to
rigid material that may be the same as or different from the
material used for the body members 112, 114. That is, it will be
appreciated that the various components of the hair holding device
of the present invention may not only be manufactured from plastic,
but also from any single material or combination of materials
possessing properties advantageous for a hair holding device. It is
to be appreciated that the casings according to the invention shall
be dimensioned and formed most advantageously to achieve the
desired covering function. Such forms may include, without
limitation, special notches, lips, cutaway sections, channels
and/or liner materials to inhibit or induce, as needed, the axial
positioning and/or rotational characteristics of the casings.
[0037] Casings 142 may be used with any conventional torsion spring
having a central coil and a pair of radially projecting biasing
arms at its opposite ends such as the spring 34 shown in FIG. 1. It
may also be used in connection with the torsion spring 134 of the
present invention, the structural details of which are illustrated
in FIGS. 4-6. Turning to those figures, it will be seen that
torsion spring 134 comprises a central coil 136 and first and
second biasing arms 138 at opposite ends of the coil. Biasing arms
138 are bent members and comprise radially projecting first
portions 138a and transverse second portions 138b that preferably
extend substantially parallel to the hinge axis A-A shown in FIG.
11. Torsion spring 134 may be disposed in a hair holding device in
the manner shown in FIG. 1 (i.e., with its biasing arms extending
outwardly in biasing contact with the handle portions of the body
members) or it may be disposed in the manner shown in FIGS. 8-14
described below (i.e., with its biasing arms extending inwardly in
biasing contact with the hair gripping portions of the body
members).
[0038] The advantages of a hair holding device fitted with a
torsion spring constructed pursuant to spring 134 are significant.
Notably, the presence of transverse biasing arm portions 138b
greatly reduces the likelihood of a user's fingers being pricked
when using the device. In addition, transverse arm portions 138b
prevent the radially projecting portions 138a of the arms from
scratching, scoring or otherwise abrading the device during its
useful service life, which favorably impacts both the functionality
and appearance of the device. Transverse arm portions 138b also
distribute spring force across a wider surface area so that the
plastic in those regions of device 110 contacted thereby can be
made thinner than they might otherwise need to be.
[0039] Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown the torsion spring of
FIGS. 4-6 and the torsion spring concealment mechanism 140 of FIG.
3 in assembled condition about hinge pin 116. Casings 142 are in
abutting and sliding contact with one another and fully encase the
coil of spring 134. In operation, the casings rotate in opposite
directions relative to one another, with a first one of the casings
being rotatably driven by a first biasing arm of a torsion spring
and a second one of the casings being rotatably driven by the
second biasing arm of the torsion spring. Desirably, the combined
axial length of the casings 142 is such that the torsion spring
concealment mechanism 140 fits between the connecting lugs 118 of
body member 114 with minimal tolerance as shown in FIG. 2. By fully
enclosing the coil of a torsion spring and exposing only as much of
the biasing arms of the spring as is necessary to render the spring
operational--without need for lateral gaps to accommodate the
biasing arms--the torsion spring concealment mechanism 140 greatly
reduces the likelihood that hair will be snagged and possibly
damaged during use of the device 110 or a similarly equipped hair
holding device.
[0040] FIGS. 8-11 depict several views of a first embodiment of a
first body member 112 of hair holding device according to the
present invention. The structure of the corresponding second body
member is preferably substantially similar to that of first body
member 112. Additionally, many of the various numbered components
of body member 112 of FIGS. 8-11 and body member 112' of FIGS.
12-14 are described in detail hereinabove. That discussion is
incorporated herein by reference. Accordingly, for brevity, only
that structure which was not earlier discussed will be addressed in
specific in FIGS. 8-14.
[0041] Body member 112 preferably comprises means 150 provided
along the inner wall surface of the body member for receiving a
transverse arm portion 138b of one of the biasing arms 138 of
spring 134. According to this embodiment, means 150 is in the form
of a recess that is adapted to receive a transverse arm portion
138b in the manner shown in FIG. 11. A significant benefit of
recess 150 is that it substantially envelopes the transverse arm
portion 138b which reduces the likelihood of a user's hair being
snagged and/or damaged thereby. It also serves to distribute spring
force across a greater surface area.
[0042] FIGS. 12-14 depict several views of a further embodiment of
a first body member 112' of a hair holding device according to the
present invention. Again, the structure of the corresponding second
body member is preferably substantially similar to that of the
first body member. Body member 112' preferably comprises means 150'
provided along the inner wall surface of the body member for
receiving a transverse arm portion 138b of one of the biasing arms
138 of spring 134. According to this embodiment, means 150' is in
the form of a protrusion having an aperture 152' into which is
inserted the transverse spring arm portion 138b. Like recess 150 of
FIGS. 8-11, a significant benefit of apertured protrusion means
150' is that it substantially envelopes the distal transverse
spring biasing arm portion 138b which reduces the likelihood of a
user's hair being snagged and/or damaged thereby. It also serves to
distribute spring force across a greater surface area.
[0043] By utilizing at least two casings detached from a hair
holding device's pivoting body members, the torsion spring
concealment mechanism 140 of the present invention succeeds where
other spring concealment schemes of the prior art have not. A hair
holding device of the present invention equipped with the
above-described torsion spring concealment mechanism conceals not
only the coil but also both radially projecting biasing arms of the
spring. Furthermore, because the casings 142 bear no torque, their
diameters and wall thicknesses can be made smaller than those of
the prior art and need not encapsulate the projecting arms of the
spring.
[0044] Casings 142 can be molded independent of the body members of
the device by injection molding or other suitable molding process.
In accordance with the present invention, the casings are
advantageously molded from plastic material that is preferably
opaque to conceal the spring that they contain and matched to the
color of the associated body members and connecting lugs. In this
way, the connecting lugs and the casings present a substantially
uniform appearance which is much more aesthetically appealing than
an exposed helical spring. However, some users may find
contrasting, transparent or other colors or finishes appealing. In
that event, the casings and the body members may be matched or
mismatched as desired to produce any desired decorative effect.
[0045] Because torsion spring concealment mechanism 140 provides
small diameter casings with thin peripheral walls and an
unobtrusive and continuous hinge contour, while also completely
concealing not only the coil but also both projecting biasing arms
of a torsion spring, the hair holding device of the present
invention is aesthetically superior to those of the prior art.
Also, torsion spring concealment mechanism 140 has been disclosed
herein as being useful in connection with covering a torsion spring
that biases the first and second body members of a hinged hair
holding device into a closed position. However, it is not limited
thereto. That is, the present torsion spring concealment mechanism
can be used to successfully conceal any torsion spring which biases
any hinged hair holding device into any predetermined position,
whether closed or open.
[0046] Beyond the illustrated embodiments, the present invention
provides methods and means applicable to the universe of hair
holding devices including but not limited to all forms of jaw
clips, claw clips, butterfly clips, barrettes and banana clips.
[0047] Although the invention has been described in detail for the
purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that such detail is
solely for that purpose and that variations can be made therein by
those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention as claimed herein.
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