Hair Extension and Method for Making Therefor

Abstract

A hair extension comprises hair strands and a flexible hair extension strip that holds the hair strands. Each of the hair strands comprises a first end that is held by the hair extension strip and a second end that is free. The first ends of the hair strands are arranged in a thin layer. The thin layer of hair strand is contained in the hair extension strip. The hair extension strip comprises a thermoplastic holding material that holds the thin layer of hair strands, one or two retention meshes that retain softened thermoplastic holding material. The thermoplastic holding material consists of polyurethane or keratin. A method of manufacturing hair extension comprises steps of arranging a plurality of hair strands in a thin layer, placing a retention mesh on the thin layer, applying thermoplastic holding material on the retention mesh and curing the thermoplastic holding material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on the inventor's Provisional Application No. 62/292,336 filed on Feb. 8, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The invention is related to hair extension. More particularly, the present invention is related to a hair extension with thin and flexible hair fining strip and method for making the hair extension.

[0004] 2. Discussion of Related Technology

[0005] Generally, the hair extension technology connects one or more extension hair pieces to hair of a person or an animal. The extension hair pieces are to make the person/animal's hair look longer or thicker and/or add color accents to the person/animal's hair. The extension hair pieces for hair extension are in various forms and shapes, and include hair weaves, widgets, etc. In order to attach hair extension to customer's natural hair, various methods using metal tubes, double-sided tape, hair pins have been used. Providing natural appearance and reducing user's discomfort are the two key goals for hair extension attachment. Using less material and reducing dimension of attaching means have always been technological challenge. A thin, flexible yet strong bonding, easy-to-remove hair extension has always been in need. The foregoing discussion in this section is to provide general background information, and does not constitute an admission of prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] An objective of the invention is to provide a hair extension with fixing tape that is light, thin and has strong fixing property.

[0007] Another objective of the invention is to provide a hair extension that is easy to remove without residue to a customer's hair.

[0008] Still another objective of the invention is to provide a manufacturing method for the hair extension with fixing tape.

[0009] In order to achieve the objective, the present invention provides a hair extension comprising a plurality of hair strands; and a flexible hair extension strip that holds the plurality of hair strands. Each of the hair strands comprises a first end that is held by the hair extension strip and a second end that is free. The first ends of the hair strands are arranged in a thin layer.

[0010] The hair extension strip comprises a strip glue layer on one side of the hair extension strip, and the strip glue layer holds the thin layer of hair strands. Preferably, the glue layer is made of polyurethane or keratin.

[0011] The hair extension strip comprises a first strip adhesive layer on the other side of the hair extension strip, and a non-adhesive liner strip that covers the first strip adhesive layer.

[0012] The hair extension strip further comprises a second strip adhesive layer between the glue layer and the one side of the hair extension strip.

[0013] In another embodiment, the thin layer of hair strand is contained in the hair extension strip.

[0014] The hair extension further comprises an attaching tape, which comprises a first adhesive surface and a second adhesive surface. The first adhesive surface is attached to the hair extension strip, and the second adhesive surface is covered with a non-adhesive liner strip.

[0015] The hair extension farther comprises a glue layer between the first adhesive surface and the hair extension strip.

[0016] The glue layer is made of polyurethane or keratin. The glue layer permeates to the first adhesive surface. Alternatively, the glue layer is integrated with the first adhesive surface.

[0017] In still another embodiment, the hair extension strip comprises a thermoplastic holding material that holds the thin layer of hair strands.

[0018] The hair extension strip further comprises a first retention mesh that retains softened thermoplastic holding material.

[0019] The hair extension strip may further comprise a second retention mesh. The thin layer of hair strands is positioned between the first retention mesh and the second retention mesh.

[0020] The thermoplastic holding material consists of polyurethane or keratin.

[0021] The hair extension farther comprises an attaching device that is adapted to attach the hair extension to a customer's natural hair. The attaching device comprises one or more spring hair pins or one or more metal tubes.

[0022] The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing hair extension comprising steps of arranging a plurality of hair strands in a thin layer, placing a first retention mesh on one side of the thin layer of hair strands, applying thermoplastic holding material on the first retention mesh and coring the thermoplastic holding material.

[0023] The method may further comprise steps of placing a second retention mesh and applying thermoplastic holding material on the second retention mesh.

[0024] Ultrasonic waves are applied on the hair extension strip. The thermoplastic holding material consists of polyurethane or keratin.

[0025] The advantageous effects of the present invention are: (1) the hair extension strip is almost as thin as hair strands themselves of the extension hair, thereby providing natural look and better comfort for a customer; (2) the thin skin weft can be attached to a customer's hair with various forms of fastening devices; (3) urethane glue react with the adhesive surface of the tape and provides firm bonding strength which is a way bigger than that of the adhesive surface; and (4) when the hair extension is removed with alcohol from a customer's hair, hair strands of the extension hair maintain strong bonding with the hair extension strip or the tape, thus there is no problem of incompletely removed hair extension.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The accompanying drawings illustrate the best embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a hair extension according to the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view showing a thin layer of hair strands attached to a hair extension strip;

[0029] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a glue layer holding hair strands and abuts the hair extension strip;

[0030] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and showing an additional adhesive layer;

[0031] FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an attaching tape is bonded to a hair extension strip;

[0032] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing that a thin layer of hair strands is embedded in a hair extension strip;

[0033] FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 and showing a first retention mesh;

[0034] FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 and showing a second retention mesh;

[0035] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a retention mesh;

[0036] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing spring hair pin type attaching device;

[0037] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing metal tube type attaching device; and

[0038] FIG. 12 is a flow diagram showing steps for making hair extension.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0039] Embodiments will be described in detail below. The accompanying drawings will be used for describing embodiments. For the sake of convenience of illustrating embodiments, thickness, length, diameter, size and other dimensions of components and/or hair would be illustrated or exaggerated to be different with those of actual components and/or hair, and the subject matter of this application is not limited to the illustrated embodiments.

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a hair extension 10 comprising a plurality of hair strands 12 and a flexible hair extension strip 14 that holds the plurality or hair strands 12. Each of the hair strands 12 comprises a first end 16 that is held by the hair extension strip 14 and a second end 18 that is free. Referring to FIG. 2, the first ends 16 of the hair strands are arranged in a thin layer 20.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows that the hair extension strip 14 comprises a strip glue layer 22 on one side 24 of the hair extension strip 14, and the strip glue layer 22 holds the thin layer 20 of hair strands 12. Preferably, the strip glue layer 22 is made of polyurethane or keratin. The hair extension strip 14 comprises a first strip adhesive layer 26 on the other side 28 of the hair extension strip 14, and a non-adhesive liner strip 30 that covers the first strip adhesive layer 26.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows that the hair extension strip 14 further comprises a second strip adhesive layer 32 between the strip glue layer 22 and the one side 24 of the hair extension strip 14. The strip glue layer 22 holds the thin layer 20 of the hair strands 14 directly. The strip glue layer 22 is formed by applying urethane glue, for example, by spraying on the thin layer 20 of the hair strands, which is arranged on the second strip adhesive layer 32 of the hair extension strip 14, and then curing the urethane glue. In this process, strong bond is formed due to the interaction of the glue with the adhesive of the second strip adhesive layer 32. The hair extension strip 14 constructs a double-sided adhesive tape with its first strip adhesive layer 26 and second strip adhesive layer 32.

[0043] FIG. 5 shows that the thin layer 20 of hair strand is contained in a hair extension strip 32. The hair extension further comprises an attaching tape 34, which comprises a first adhesive surface 36 and a second adhesive surface 38. The first adhesive surface 36 is attached to the hair extension strip 32, and the second adhesive surface 38 is covered with a non-adhesive liner strip 40. The hair extension further comprises a glue layer 42 between the first adhesive surface 36 and the hair extension strip 32. The glue layer 42 is made of polyurethane or keratin. The glue layer 42 permeates to the first adhesive surface 36. Alternatively, the glue layer 42 is integrated with the first adhesive surface 36.

[0044] FIG. 6 shows that the hair extension strip 44 comprises a thermoplastic holding material 46 that holds the thin layer 20 of hair strands 12.

[0045] FIG. 7 shows that the hair extension strip 44 further comprises a first retention mesh 48 that retains softened thermoplastic holding material 46.

[0046] FIG. 8 shows that the hair extension strip 44 further comprises a second retention mesh 50. The thin layer 20 of hair strands 12 is positioned between the first retention mesh 48 and the second retention mesh 50.

[0047] The thermoplastic holding material 46 consists of polyurethane or keratin.

[0048] FIGS. 10 and 11 show that the hair extension further comprises an attaching device 52 that is adapted to attach the hair extension to a customer's natural hair. The attaching device 52 comprises one or mere spring hair pins 54 or one or more metal tubes 56.

[0049] FIG. 12 shows a method of manufacturing hair extension comprising steps of arranging a plurality of hair strands in a thin layer S01, placing a first retention mesh on one side of the thin layer of hair strands S02 and applying thermoplastic holding material on the first retention mesh S03 and curing the thermoplastic holding material S06.

[0050] The method further comprises steps of placing a second retention mesh S04 and applying thermoplastic holding material on the second retention mesh S05.

[0051] Ultrasonic waves are applied on the hair extension strip. The thermoplastic holding material consists of polyurethane or keratin.

[0052] Although the hair extension according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail hereinabove, it should be understood that many variations and modifications of the basic inventive concept herein described, which may appear to those skilled in the art, will still fall within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0053] The drawings and the forgoing description gave examples of the present invention. The scope of the present invention, however, is by no means limited by these specific examples. Numerous variations, whether explicitly given in the specification or not, such as differences in structure, dimension, and use of material, are possible. The scope of the invention is at least as broad as given by the following claims.

Claims

1. A hair extension comprising: a) a plurality of hair strands; and b) a flexible hair extension strip that holds the plurality of hair strands; wherein each of the hair strands comprises a first end that is held, by the hair extension strip and a second end that is free, wherein the first ends of the hair strands are arranged in a thin layer.

2. The hair extension of claim 1, wherein the hair extension strip comprises a strip glue layer on one side of the hair extension strip, wherein the strip glue layer holds the thin layer of hair strands.

3. The hair extension of claim 2, wherein the glue layer is made of polyurethane or keratin.

4. The hair extension of claim 2, wherein the hair extension strip comprises a first strip adhesive layer on the other side of the hair extension strip, and a non-adhesive liner strip that covers the first strip adhesive layer.

5. The hair extension of claim 4, wherein the hair extension strip further comprises a second strip adhesive layer between the glue layer and the one side of the hair extension strip.

6. The hair extension of claim 1, wherein the thin layer of hair strand is contained in the hair extension strip.

7. The hair extension of claim 6, further comprising an attaching tape, which comprises a first adhesive surface and a second adhesive surface, wherein the first adhesive surface is attached to the hair extension strip, wherein the second adhesive surface is covered with a non-adhesive liner strip.

8. The hair extension of claim 7, further comprising a glue layer between the first adhesive surface and the hair extension strip.

9. The hair extension of claim 8, wherein the glue layer is made of polyurethane or keratin, wherein the glue layer permeates to the first adhesive surface.

10. The hair extension of claim 8, wherein the glue layer is made of polyurethane or keratin, wherein the glue layer is integrated with the first adhesive surface.

11. The hair extension of claim 6, wherein the hair extension strip comprises a thermoplastic holding material that holds the thin layer of hair strands.

12. The hair extension of claim 11, wherein the hair extension strip further comprises a first retention mesh that retains softened thermoplastic holding material.

13. The hair extension of claim 12, wherein hair extension strip further comprises a second retention mesh, wherein the thin layer of hair strands is positioned between the first retention mesh and the second retention mesh.

14. The hair extension of claim 12, wherein the thermoplastic holding material consists of polyurethane or keratin.

15. The hair extension of claim 14, further comprising an attaching device that is adapted to the attach the hair extension to a customer's natural hair.

16. The hair extension of claim 15, wherein the attaching device comprises one or more spring hair pins or one or more metal tubes.

17. A method of manufacturing hair extension comprising steps of: a) arranging a plurality of hair strands in a thin layer; b) placing a first retention mesh on one side of the thin layer of hair strands; c) applying thermoplastic holding material on the first retention mesh; and d) curing the thermoplastic holding material.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising placing a second retention mesh and applying thermoplastic holding material on the second retention mesh.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein ultrasonic waves are applied on the hair extension strip.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the thermoplastic holding material consists of polyurethane or keratin.