U.S. patent application number 16/794128 was filed with the patent office on 2020-06-11 for tool for simultaneously attaching multiple hair extensions.
The applicant listed for this patent is Jessica Harris. Invention is credited to Jessica Harris.
Application Number | 20200178630 16/794128 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 70971533 |
Filed Date | 2020-06-11 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200178630 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Harris; Jessica |
June 11, 2020 |
Tool for Simultaneously Attaching Multiple Hair Extensions
Abstract
A hair extension tool simultaneously attaches multiple hair
extensions to a recipient's hair. The tool has upper and lower
handles that are mechanically coupled at one end via a hinge joint.
The handles are moveable, and the coupling has a quiescent state in
which the handles are spaced apart. The tool includes an upper arc
and a lower arc that have substantially the same shape. The upper
and lower arcs are attached to the handles on their convex sides.
The upper arc includes multiple teeth, and each tooth has a
substantially semicircular concave opening. The lower arc includes
teeth that fit into the openings in the teeth of the upper arc when
the upper and lower handles are brought together. Each tooth in the
lower arc includes a groove for holding a group of strands of the
recipient's hair. The upper arc includes a heating element that is
activated by a button.
Inventors: |
Harris; Jessica; (Los Banos,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Harris; Jessica |
Los Banos |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
70971533 |
Appl. No.: |
16/794128 |
Filed: |
February 18, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15279349 |
Sep 28, 2016 |
10561185 |
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16794128 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41G 5/008 20130101;
A41G 5/0086 20130101; A41G 5/0046 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A41G 5/00 20060101
A41G005/00 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for simultaneously attaching a plurality of hair
extensions to a recipient's hair, comprising: an upper handle and a
lower handle that are mechanically coupled to each other at one
end, wherein: the upper and lower handles are moveable with respect
to each other; the mechanical coupling is a hinge joint that
creates a scissor-like mechanism for opening and closing the
apparatus; and the mechanical coupling has a quiescent state in
which the upper and lower handles are spaced apart; an upper arc
and a lower arc, each having a convex side and a concave side,
wherein: the upper arc is attached to the upper handle on the
convex side of the upper arc; the lower arc is attached to the
lower handle on the convex side of the lower arc; the upper arc
includes a first plurality of teeth, wherein each tooth of the
first plurality of teeth has a semicircular concave opening; the
lower arc includes a second plurality of teeth that fit into the
semicircular concave openings of the first plurality of teeth in
the upper arc when the upper and lower handles are brought together
by user action, wherein each tooth of the second plurality includes
a groove for holding a group of strands of the recipient's hair;
and the upper arc includes a heating element that is activated by a
button on the upper handle or the lower handle.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower arcs are
detachable from the upper and lower handles.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the upper and lower arcs are a
first pair of matching arcs of a plurality of pairs of matching
arcs.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a second pair of matching arcs
of the plurality of pairs of matching arcs has teeth that are
spaced further apart than the teeth in the upper arc.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a second pair of matching arcs
of the plurality of pairs of matching arcs has teeth, consisting of
fewer teeth than the teeth in the upper arc.
6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a second pair of matching arcs
of the plurality of pairs of matching arcs has an arc radius that
is different from an arc radius of the upper arc.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper arc is an integrally
formed portion of the upper handle, and the lower arc is an
integrally formed portion of the lower handle.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the semicircular concave
openings in the first plurality of teeth are sized to fit keratin
tips pre-attached to hair extensions.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the semicircular concave
openings in the first plurality of teeth are sized to hold keratin
beads.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each groove in the second
plurality of teeth is formed by a respective pair of vertical
prongs.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heating element
in the lower arc that is activated by the button.
12. A method for simultaneously attaching a plurality of hair
extensions to a recipient's hair, comprising: laying out groups of
strands of the recipient's hair into a plurality of grooves of a
lower arc of a hair extension tool; placing a plurality of
preformed hair extensions with keratin tips into semicircular
concave openings in an upper arc of the hair extension tool,
wherein the grooves with groups of strands of the recipient's hair
correspond to the preformed hair extensions in the upper arc;
bringing together the upper and lower arcs of the hair extension
tool by squeezing upper and lower handles attached to the upper and
lower arcs, thereby bringing each preformed hair extension in the
upper arc into contact with a respective group of strands of the
recipient's hair in the lower arc; activating a heating element in
the upper arc, thereby melting the keratin tips of the preformed
hair extensions and attaching the preformed hair extensions to the
recipient's hair; and releasing pressure on the upper and lower
handles to bring the upper and lower arcs apart, and removing the
recipient's hair with attached hair extensions from the upper and
lower arcs of the hair extension tool.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the upper and lower arcs of the
hair extension tool are detachable from the upper and lower
handles.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the upper and lower arcs are a
first pair of matching arcs of a plurality of pairs of matching
arcs.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein a second pair of matching arcs
of the plurality of pairs has teeth that are spaced further apart
than the teeth in the upper arc.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein a second pair of matching arcs
of the plurality of pairs of matching arcs has fewer teeth than the
teeth in the upper arc.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein a second pair of matching arcs
of the plurality of pairs of matching arcs has an arc radius that
is different from an arc radius of the upper arc.
18. The method of claim 12, wherein the semicircular concave
openings in the upper arc are sized to fit the keratin tips of the
preformed hair extensions.
19. A method for simultaneously attaching a plurality of hair
extensions to a recipient's hair, comprising: laying out a
plurality of strands of the recipient's hair into each of a
plurality of grooves of a lower arc of a hair extension tool;
placing a plurality of hair extension strands into each of the
grooves that has strands of the recipient's hair; placing keratin
beads into semicircular concave openings in the teeth of an upper
arc of the hair extension tool, wherein the grooves in the lower
arc correspond to the semicircular openings in the teeth of the
upper arc; bringing together the upper and lower arcs of the hair
extension tool by squeezing upper and lower handles attached to the
upper and lower arcs, thereby bringing each keratin bead in the
upper arc into contact with a respective group of strands of the
recipient's hair and hair extension strands in a respective groove
in the lower arc; activating a heating element in the upper arc,
thereby melting the keratin beads and attaching the hair extension
strands to the recipient's hair; and releasing pressure on the
upper and lower handles to bring the upper and lower arcs apart,
and removing the recipient's hair with attached hair extensions
from the upper and lower arcs of the hair extension tool.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the semicircular concave
openings in the plurality of teeth of the upper arc are sized to
hold the keratin beads.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/279,349, filed Sep. 28, 2016, entitled
"Tool for Simultaneously Attaching Multiple Hair Extensions," which
is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The disclosure relates generally to hair extensions, and
more specifically to handheld tools for attaching hair extensions
to a person's existing hair.
BACKGROUND
[0003] As beauty consciousness grows among people of all ages, an
increasing number of men and women feel the need to look their best
at all times. Hair styles serve as important part of a persona,
because they are simultaneously public (visible to everyone),
personal (biologically linked to the body), and highly malleable to
suit cultural and personal preferences.
[0004] One way of enhancing the look of a particular hairstyle is
by using hair extensions. Hair extensions, also known as "weft hair
extensions," add length and/or fullness to human hair. Extensions
are a way to lengthen a person's hair by incorporating artificial
hair or natural hair (collected from other individuals or from a
person's own hair). There are many reasons men and women use
extensions. Sometimes people desire longer hair or a greater volume
of hair than they naturally have. Others gradually go bald, or have
receding hair lines. A person may get a haircut and regret it
later. Some people have difficulty growing hair beyond a certain
length. Hair extensions can help them reach their desired length.
Some people who do not want to damage their own natural hair with
dye use hair extensions to add streaks of color.
[0005] Current methods for temporary hair augmentation include
sew-ins, gluing, hair fusion, hair tape, metal coils, rubber bands,
and hair clips. Each of these methods has substantial drawbacks,
however. Attaching hair extensions using the sew-in method is a
painful and painstaking process that involves a needle and thread
to join hair extensions to a person's natural hair. Often, the
needle pricks the scalp during the process of hair extension, and
it is very time consuming. Gluing and hair fusion are similarly
time consuming. These processes involve attaching small groups of
hair to a person's own hair with a fixative. Hair tape is a fairly
quick method of hair augmentation, but is not very reliable. For
example, when a person's natural hair is oily, the adhesion is not
very good. Metal coils and rubber bands are other time consuming
hair augmentation methods that involve the addition of small
quantities of hair to small clusters of a person's own hair. These
methods involve pulling a person's natural hair at its roots, which
is slow and risks loss of hair. Hair clips can be used to attach
hair extensions quickly, and can be done by a person without going
to a salon. However, hair clips are generally removed prior to
going to bed because they are uncomfortable for sleeping. Because
of this, the process has to be repeated daily.
SUMMARY
[0006] Hair fusion using an adhesive is one technique that can
create long-term results. However, the time required to attach a
large number of individual extensions make the process too time
consuming and/or too expensive for many people. A stylist at a
salon may need three to six hours to attach the extensions. In
addition, because the extensions are attached individually, it
creates non-uniformity in size and/or placement of the
extensions.
[0007] The present application discloses hair extension tools that
enable a stylist to attach many hair extensions simultaneously,
which creates greater uniformity for the extensions and enables the
stylist to complete the process in a much shorter time.
[0008] In accordance with some implementations, a hair extension
tool is used for simultaneously attaching a plurality of hair
extensions to a recipient's hair. The tool has an upper handle and
a lower handle that are mechanically coupled to each other. In some
implementations, the upper and lower handle are connected at one
end via a hinge joint, and operate using a scissor-like motion. In
some implementations, the upper and lower handle are in a parallel
orientation. The upper and lower handles are moveable with respect
to each other. In some implementations, the mechanical coupling
maintains the parallel orientation of the two handles when moved
with respect to each other. The mechanical coupling has a default
quiescent state in which the upper and lower handles are spaced
apart (e.g., based on spring action). The tool also has an upper
arc and a lower arc. The upper and lower arcs have the same arc
shape (e.g., the same radius of curvature). The upper arc is
attached to the upper handle on the convex side of the upper arc,
and the lower arc is attached to the lower handle on the convex
side of the lower arc. In some implementations, the upper arc
includes a first plurality of teeth, where each tooth of the first
plurality has a semicircular concave opening. In some
implementations, the semicircular openings have a shape that is
substantially like the opening in the capital Greek letter omega
.OMEGA.. In some implementations, the upper arc includes a
plurality of semicircular openings without dividing the openings
into individual teeth. The lower arc includes a second plurality of
teeth that fit into the semicircular concave openings of the first
plurality of teeth in the upper arc when the upper and lower
handles are brought together (e.g., by user action). Each tooth of
the second plurality includes a groove for holding a group of
strands (e.g., a tuft) of the recipient's hair. In some
implementations, each groove in the second plurality of teeth is
formed by a respective pair of vertical prongs. The upper arc
includes a heating element that is activated by a button on the
upper handle or the lower handle. In some implementations, there is
a heating element in the lower arc as well. When there is a heating
element in the lower arc, implementations typically activate the
lower arc heating element with the same button. Some
implementations provide a separate heating element button for the
lower arc heating element.
[0009] In some implementations, the upper arc is an integrally
formed portion of the upper handle, and the lower arc is an
integrally formed portion of the lower handle. For example, the
upper handle and upper arc may be cast as a single element during
construction or connected together permanently during
construction.
[0010] In some implementations, the upper and lower arcs are
detachable from the upper and lower handles. In some instances,
this enables a user to clean or disinfect the arcs that come into
direct contact with a user's hair without the need to clean the
entire tool. In some circumstances, a stylist may have multiple
sets of the arcs, and may switch sets of arcs (even for a single
hair extension recipient). In some circumstances, the stylist
switches which arcs are used based on different portions of a
recipient's scalp having a different shape or differing amounts of
natural hair. In some instances, a stylist may switch arcs if a set
becomes sticky from the adhesive. (Typically the non-stick surfaces
avoid this problem.)
[0011] In some implementations, the upper and lower handles have an
interchangeable handle to accommodate a flat iron, a curling iron,
and the fusion wand with its attachable sizing blades. In some
instances, this enables a user to use the same tool for multiple
functions such as straightening the hair, curling it or attaching
the extensions.
[0012] In some implementations, a user has several sets of arcs
that are different, and a stylist may choose an appropriate set of
arcs based on the person seeking hair extensions. For example, some
implementations include a second pair of matching arcs that have
pairs of teeth (upper and lower) that are spaced further apart than
the teeth in the (first) upper and lower arcs. In some
implementations, a second pair of matching arcs has fewer teeth
than the teeth in the first set of arcs. For example, in some
implementations, the first set of arcs has 20 teeth, whereas
additional sets of arcs have 15 teeth or ten teeth. In some
implementations, some of the sets of arcs change both the number of
teeth and the distance between the teeth. In some implementations,
when there are fewer teeth or the teeth are closer together, the
arc itself is smaller (e.g., a 20 degree arc versus a 30 degree
arc). In some implementations, a second pair of matching arcs has
an arc radius (radius of curvature) that is different from an arc
radius of the first upper and lower arcs. When the arcs are
detachable, various pairs can be created to accommodate user needs,
combining these features, varying the number of teeth, the spacing
of the teeth, the radius of curvature, the shapes and sizes of the
openings, and so on.
[0013] In some implementations, the semicircular concave openings
in the first plurality of teeth are sized to fit keratin tips of
preformed hair extensions or to fit commercially available keratin
beads (which are typically 4 or 5 millimeters across). In some
implementations, all of the semicircular concave openings have the
same size. In some implementations, all of the semicircular concave
openings have the same shape (e.g., like a capital omega .OMEGA.).
In some implementations, some of the semicircular concave openings
on a single upper arc have different sizes and/or shapes.
[0014] In some implementations, each groove in the second plurality
of teeth is formed by a respective pair of vertical prongs. This
creates U-shaped grooves, with either a flat or rounded bottom.
[0015] In accordance with some implementations, a method
simultaneously attaches multiple hair extensions to a recipient's
hair. A user lays out strands of the recipient's hair into a
plurality of grooves of a lower arc of a hair extension tool.
Generally, the user places a similar number of hair strands into
each of the grooves so that they are approximately the same size.
In some implementations, the user then places a preformed hair
extension with a keratin tip into each of the semicircular concave
openings in an upper arc of the hair extension tool. In this case,
the grooves with strands of the recipient's hair correspond to the
preformed hair extensions in the upper arc. In some
implementations, the user places each hair extension (the tip)
directly into a groove with a group of strands of the recipient's
hair. In some implementations, a user places the hair extensions
into the grooves first, and places strands of the recipient's hair
second. In some implementations, the keratin tips of the hair
extensions are U-shaped, and the strands of the recipient's hair
are placed inside the U-shaped keratin tips. In some
implementations, when the user brings together the upper and lower
arcs of the hair extension tool (e.g., by squeezing upper and lower
handles attached to the upper and lower arcs), the tool brings each
preformed hair extension in the upper arc into contact with a
respective group of strands of the recipient's hair in a groove of
the lower arc. The user then activates a heating element in the
upper arc (e.g., using a button on the upper handle), thereby
melting the keratin tips of the preformed hair extensions and
attaching the preformed hair extensions to the recipient's hair.
The user then releases pressure on the upper and lower handles to
bring the upper and lower arcs apart, and removes the recipient's
hair with attached hair extensions from the upper and lower arcs of
the hair extension tool.
[0016] Implementations use various alternative designs of the arcs
and the teeth or grooves in the arcs. In some implementations, the
upper teeth have no openings, and press a flat surface against the
hair extensions and strands of the recipient's hair to hold them in
place while being heated.
[0017] In accordance with some implementations, a method
simultaneously attaches multiple hair extensions to a recipient's
hair. A user lays out a plurality of strands of the recipient's
hair into each of a plurality of grooves of a lower arc of a hair
extension tool, and places a plurality of hair extension strands
into each of the groves that has strands of the recipient's hair.
In some instances, the hair extension stands are placed into the
grooves before placing the recipient's hair strands into the
grooves. The user places keratin beads into semicircular concave
openings in an upper arc of the hair extension tool. The grooves in
the lower arc correspond to the semicircular openings in the upper
arc. The user then brings together the upper and lower arcs of the
hair extension tool by squeezing upper and lower handles attached
to the upper and lower arcs, thereby bringing each keratin bead in
the upper arc into contact with a respective group of strands of
the recipient's hair and hair extension strands in a respective
groove in the lower arc. The user activates a heating element in
the upper arc, thereby melting the keratin beads and attaching the
hair extension strands to the recipient's hair. In some
implementations, there is also a heating element in the lower arc.
The user releases pressure on the upper and lower handles to bring
the upper and lower arcs apart, and removes the recipient's hair
with attached hair extensions from the upper and lower arcs of the
hair extension tool.
[0018] In some instances the user is the same person as the
recipient (i.e., a person using the tool on her own hair). In some
instances, the user is a different person from the recipient (e.g.,
a salon stylist applying hair extensions to a customer's hair).
[0019] Various tools and methods are thus described that facilitate
applying hair extensions to a recipient's own hair. The tools and
methods create an application process that is both significantly
faster and creates more uniform results.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] For a better understanding of the aforementioned
implementations of the invention as well as additional
implementations thereof, reference should be made to the
Description of Implementations below, in conjunction with the
following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to
corresponding parts throughout the figures.
[0021] FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate using a tool for attaching multiple
hair extensions simultaneously, in accordance with some
implementations.
[0022] FIG. 2 shows some pre-formed hair extensions with adhesive
tips in accordance with some implementations.
[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates an assortment of available hair
extensions, in accordance with some implementations.
[0024] FIGS. 4A-4E illustrate a tool for simultaneously attaching
multiple hair extensions, in accordance with some
implementations.
[0025] FIGS. 5A-5F provide drawings of a tool for attaching hair
extensions, in accordance with some implementations.
[0026] FIGS. 6A-6E illustrate a tool for simultaneously attaching
multiple hair extensions, in accordance with some
implementations.
[0027] FIG. 7 illustrates a tool for simultaneously attaching
multiple hair extensions with an interchangeable handle, in
accordance with some implementations.
[0028] FIG. 8 illustrates a semicircular concave opening of the
first plurality of teeth in the upper arc of a tool for
simultaneously attaching multiple hair extensions, in accordance
with some implementations.
[0029] Reference will now be made in detail to implementations,
examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In
the following detailed description, numerous specific details are
set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the
present invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary
skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced
without these specific details.
DESCRIPTION OF IMPLEMENTATIONS
[0030] FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate using a tool for attaching multiple
hair extensions simultaneously, in accordance with some
implementations. Here a stylist has combed a recipient's hair 100
into grooves in a lower arc of a tool 400 that can be used to apply
multiple hair extensions simultaneously. The recipient's hair 100
is positioned between the upper arc 406 and lower arc 408 of the
tool, and between the upper handle 402 and the lower handle 404, as
illustrated in FIG. 4A below. As illustrated in FIG. 1B, the tool
400 is closed, thereby compressing the strands of the user's
natural hair 100 with strands of the hair extensions. After the
tool 400 is closed, the stylist (not shown) activates a heating
element (e.g., in one or both the arcs 406 and 408), which melts
the keratin tips of preformed hair extensions (or melts keratin
beads when not using hair extensions with pre-attached keratin
tips). The arcs include thermal protective elements to prevent
heating or burning the recipient's scalp. After the keratin is
melted, the user deactivates the heating elements and releases the
compression on the handles to that the handles 402 and 404 return
to the default open state. FIG. 1C illustrates the region 110 of
the recipient's scalp after the tool 400 has applied the hair
extensions. The tool 400 has created multiple locks of hair in one
easy step, and the locks are in a uniform row.
[0031] FIG. 2 shows some pre-formed hair extensions with adhesive
tips (e.g., keratin) in accordance with some implementations. Each
hair extension unit includes a bundle 202 of individual hair or
fiber strands and an adhesive tip 204 at one end. In some
instances, the adhesive tip is made of keratin. In some instances,
each tip 204 has a cross-section that looks like the letter "C".
When heated (e.g., to 150.degree. C.), the adhesive tip melts,
which enables a hair extension to be attached to a person's
existing hair. The adhesive tips are commonly 4 or 5 millimeters
across, and about 1 millimeter thick.
[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates an assortment of available hair
extensions, in accordance with some implementations. Hair
extensions have different colors, styles, textures, sheen, and
lengths. FIG. 3 illustrates both natural hair extensions, obtained
from hair donors, and artificial-fiber hair extensions. Hair
extensions can be aggregations of individual hairs assembled into a
weft, or can be pre-braided. Some of the hair extensions
illustrated in FIG. 3 do not have adhesive tips. In this case, a
user selects how many strands of the hair extension to use, and
typically uses keratin beads to attach the hair extension strands
to the recipient's own hair.
[0033] FIGS. 4A-4E illustrate a tool 400 for simultaneously
attaching multiple hair extensions, in accordance with some
implementations. In some implementations, the body of the tool is
made of aluminum or other light weight metal. As shown in FIG. 4A,
the illustrated tool 400 has an upper handle 402 and a lower handle
404, which are substantially parallel to each other. The two
handles are held together by transverse bars 416. FIG. 4A shows the
handles in the default open or quiescent position, with the two
handles spaced apart. In some implementations, the handles are held
in this position by one or more tension strings, which may be
located in the handles or in the transverse bars 416. A user can
squeeze the two handles together to overcome the force holding the
handles in the default position. When squeezed, the handles move
toward each other, and maintain a substantially parallel
orientation with respect to each other during the movement.
[0034] In some implementations, one or both of the handles includes
various controls or indicators. In the illustrated implementation,
there is a power switch 410 at the rear of the upper handle 402.
Typically, implementations also include a power cord, which is not
illustrated in FIG. 4A. Other implementations use batteries for
power, which may be placed inside the upper handle 402 and/or the
lower handle 404.
[0035] The illustrated implementation also includes a heating
button 412, which is used to activate a heating element in the
upper arc 406. In some implementations, heating is initialized when
the button 412 is pressed, and the indicator light 414 turns green
when the heat reaches an optimal temperature (e.g., about
180.degree. C.). When the button 412 is pressed again, the heating
is decreased to a standby mode and the indicator light 414 turns
red. Some implementations use a button that is active only while
pressed (e.g., a momentary contact switch) so that the heating
element turns off when the button 412 is not held. Some
implementations also include an indicator light or LED 414, which
indicates the status of the device (e.g., whether the device is on
or off, or whether the heating element is on or off). In some
implementations, the indicator light 414 uses color to indicate
status (e.g., no light when the tool is turned off, red light when
the tool is heating up, and green light when the heating element is
at an optimal temperature).
[0036] Attached to the two handles are the upper arc 406 and the
lower arc 408. The upper and lower arcs are also referred to as
blades. In some implementations, the upper arc 406 is attached to
the upper handle 402 by feet 418. Similarly, some implementations
attach the lower arc 408 to the lower handle 404 by feet 420. In
other implementations, the upper and lower arcs connect directly to
the upper and lower handles without the use of connector feet.
[0037] Attached to the upper arc 406 is a row of teeth 422, each
with a semicircular opening 424. In some implementations, the
openings 424 are sized to fit keratin beads or to fit keratin tips
(e.g., tips 204) of preformed hair extensions. The lower arc 408
includes a row of grooves 426, which fit into the openings 424 of
the row of teeth 422 when the upper arc 406 and lower arc 408 are
brought together. In some implementations, there is no spacing
between the teeth 422 (e.g., there is a single piece of material).
In some implementations, there are no openings 424 in the upper
teeth 422. In some implementations, the grooves 426 are larger
and/or or spaced closer together. In some implementations, the
grooves 426 form a continuous sequence, each connected to the next
(e.g., like a sequence of the letter "v" in "vvvvvvvv" or a
sawtooth shape). In some implementations, the tool 400 includes
multiple sets of arcs with different sized grooves. In some
implementations, the groove sizes are micro, mini, standard, and
large.
[0038] The portions of the upper and lower arcs that come into
contact with the recipient's hair are coated with a non-stick
surface, such as Teflon.RTM.. In the illustrated implementation,
the blades are about 2 millimeters wide. Typically, the width is
larger, such as 3-10 millimeters.
[0039] FIG. 4B illustrates the tool 400 when the two handles 402
and 404 are brought together. Note that the indicator light 414 in
this figure is green, indicating the heating element (or elements)
are at the optimal temperature. When the upper and lower arcs 406
and 408 are brought together, each of the upper teeth 422 is
aligned with one of the lower grooves 426.
[0040] FIG. 4C proves a close up rear view of a tool 400 according
to some implementations. FIG. 4C illustrates that the opening 424
in each tooth 422 in the upper arc 406 is aligned with a respective
groove 426 in the lower arc 408. In this implementation, there are
spaces 430 between the individual teeth 422. However, individually
separated teeth are not required. In some implementations, the
teeth 422 are all combined as a single piece of material. FIG. 4D
is the same view as FIG. 4C, but showing the upper and lower
portions after being brought together.
[0041] FIG. 4E illustrates that in some implementations the upper
and lower arcs 406 and 408 can be removed from the upper and lower
handles 402 and 404. The upper and lower arcs 406 and 408 are shown
here adjacent to the handles 402 and 404.
[0042] FIGS. 5A-5F provide drawings of a tool 400 for attaching
hair extensions, in accordance with some implementations. The
drawing in FIG. 5A corresponds to the tool image shown in FIG. 4A.
FIG. 5B provides a side view drawing of the tool 400, with a
portion 500 identified. The portion 500 in FIG. 5B is magnified in
FIG. 5F. FIG. 5C provides a top view drawing of a tool 400, and
FIG. 5D and 5E show the front and back.
[0043] Implementations of a tool 400 utilize various tooth and
groove shapes and arrangements to accommodate a variety of uses. In
some implementations, the tool can be used without heat, fusing
strands of a user's hair with hair extension strands using "cold
fusion." Cold fusion uses micro link tubes. In this case, after
strands of a recipient's hair and strands of the hair extension are
inserted into tubes, compression alone is used for fusion. When
performing cold fusion, some implementations have an upper arc that
is flat (e.g., no openings 424), or an upper arc shape that matches
the grooves in the lower arc.
[0044] Note that implementations of described hair extension tools
can used both by people who are right-handed and by those who are
left-handed. Also, the description of "upper" and "lower" arcs can
be arbitrary. In some implementations, the upper and lower arcs 406
and 408 are interchangeable. That is, a "lower" arc 408 can fit
into the upper handle, and an "upper" arc 406 can fit into the
lower handle. In some instances, using an "upper" arc 406 with
openings 424 on the bottom can be useful. For example, the
semicircular openings 424 hold keratin tips 204 in place, and a
recipient's hair is quickly laid out into the keratin tips without
moving the hair extensions out of place.
[0045] Although specific steps of using a tool 400 to apply hair
extensions have been described, one of skill in the art (e.g., a
salon stylist) recognizes that many variations are possible with
the disclosed versatile tool. For example, the strands of the
recipients hair can be placed into the grooves 426 (or openings
424) before or after placing the hair extensions into the grooves
426 (or openings 424). In some implementations, a user specifically
places individual groups of hair strands into grooves. Some
implementations provide a tooth/groove structure that automatically
groups the recipient's hair strands and/or the hair extension
strands into the grooves or openings as the handles are brought
together. For example, some implementations have a continuous row
of v-shaped grooves that hold a keratin tip placed at the bottom of
each groove, and as the upper arc is brought down, all of the
recipient's hair in the groove is brought into contact with the
hair extension.
[0046] FIGS. 6A-6E illustrate a tool 600 for simultaneously
attaching multiple hair extensions, in accordance with some
implementations. In some implementations, the body of the tool is
made of aluminum or other light weight metal. As shown in FIG. 6A,
the illustrated tool 600 has an upper handle 602 and a lower handle
604, which are attached at one end via a hinge joint 622. FIG. 6A
shows the handles in the default open or quiescent position, with
the two handles spaced apart. In some implementations, the handles
are held in this position by one or more tension strings. A user
can squeeze the two handles together to overcome the force holding
the handles in the default position. When squeezed, the handles
move toward each other.
[0047] Attached to the two handles are the upper arc 606 and the
lower arc 608. The upper and lower arcs are also referred to as
blades. In some implementations, the upper arc 606 is attached to
the upper handle 602 by feet 618. Similarly, some implementations
attach the lower arc 608 to the lower handle 604 by feet 620 as
shown in FIG. 6C. In other implementations, the upper and lower
arcs connect directly to the upper and lower handles without the
use of connector feet.
[0048] Attached to the upper arc 606 is a row of teeth 622, each
with a semicircular opening 624. In some implementations, the
openings 624 are sized to fit keratin beads or to fit keratin tips
(e.g., tips 204) of preformed hair extensions. The lower arc 608
includes a row of grooves 626, which fit into the openings 624 of
the row of teeth 622 when the upper arc 606 and lower arc 608 are
brought together. In some implementations, there is no spacing
between the teeth 622 (e.g., there is a single piece of material).
In some implementations, there are no openings 624 in the upper
teeth 622. In some implementations, the grooves 626 are larger
and/or or spaced closer together. In some implementations, the
grooves 626 form a continuous sequence, each connected to the next
(e.g., like a sequence of the letter "v" in "vvvvvvvv" or a
sawtooth shape). In some implementations, the tool 600 includes
multiple sets of arcs with different sized grooves. In some
implementations, the groove sizes are micro, mini, standard, and
large.
[0049] FIG. 6B shows the front view of the tool 600 with the
handles in the default open or quiescent position, with the two
handles spaced apart. The upper handle 602 and a lower handle 604
are attached at one end via a hinge joint 622. When the upper and
lower arcs 606 and 608 are brought together, each of the upper
teeth 622 is aligned with one of the lower grooves 626.
[0050] FIG. 6C shows the rear view of the tool 600 with the handles
in the default open or quiescent position, with the two handles
spaced apart, in accordance with some implementations.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 6D, the illustrated tool 600 has various
controls and indicators. In some implementations, one or both of
the handles include various controls or indicators. In the
illustrated implementation, there is a power switch 610 and the
indicator light 624 to show that the apparatus is turned on, on the
lower handle 604. Typically, implementations also include a power
cord 650. Other implementations use batteries for power, which may
be placed inside the upper handle 602 and/or the lower handle
604.
[0052] The illustrated implementation also includes a heating
button 612, which is used to activate a heating element in the
upper arc 606. In some implementations, heating is initialized when
the button 612 is pressed. In some implementations, three heating
settings can be used (e.g., low, medium and high) and the user can
adjust the setting by pressing button 612 more than once. As shown
in FIG. 6D, the current heat setting can be shown through one of
the indicator lights 614, each light indicating a different heat
setting.
[0053] FIG. 6E shows the front view of the tool 600 with the
handles in the default open or quiescent position, with the two
handles spaced apart, in accordance with some implementations.
[0054] Although specific steps of using a tool 600 to apply hair
extensions have been described, one of skill in the art (e.g., a
salon stylist) recognizes that many variations are possible with
the disclosed versatile tool.
[0055] FIG. 7 illustrates a tool 700 for simultaneously attaching
multiple hair extensions, in accordance with some implementations.
The illustrated tool 700 has an upper handle 702 and a lower handle
704, which are attached at one end via a hinge joint 722. Attached
to the two handles are the upper arc 706 and the lower arc 708. The
upper and lower arcs are also referred to as blades.
[0056] FIG. 7 illustrates that in some implementations the upper
and lower arcs 706 and 708 can be removed from the upper and lower
handles 702 and 704 by removing the entire interchangeable parts
732 and 734 of the lower and upper handles 702 and 704. The upper
and lower arcs 706 and 708 are shown here as attached to the
interchangeable parts 732 and 734 respectively. The user can
replace the interchangeable parts of the handles to accommodate a
flat iron, a curling iron, and the fusion wand with its attachable
sizing blades.
[0057] In some implementations, the tool has various controls and
indicator lights 710, 712, 714, and 724, as described above for
FIG. 6D.
[0058] FIG. 8 illustrates a close up view 800 of an opening 824
within a tooth 822 of the upper arc (e.g., the teeth 622 in FIG.
6A), in accordance with some implementations. In some embodiments
the openings 824 have one or more protrusions 830 to help keep hair
strands in the opening 824. In some implementations, the
protrusions 830 are placed at different locations and angles within
the opening 824.
[0059] The terminology used in the description of the invention
herein is for the purpose of describing particular implementations
only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used
in the description of the invention and the appended claims, the
singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the
plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise. It will also be understood that the term "and/or" as
used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible
combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will
be further understood that the terms "comprises" and/or
"comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence
of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components,
but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other
features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups
thereof.
[0060] The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has
been described with reference to specific implementations. However,
the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be
exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms
disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view
of the above teachings. The implementations described herein were
chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the
invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others
skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various
implementations with various modifications as are suited to the
particular use contemplated.
* * * * *