AU2005244273A1 - Method and machine for applying filament extensions - Google Patents

Description

WO 2005/110137 PCT/NZ2005/000097 Method and Machine for Applying Filament Extensions. Technical Field 5 The present invention relates to a method and a machine for applying filament extensions. The method and machine of the present invention have been developed for applying hair extensions, and will be described with particular reference to that application. However, the method and machine of the present invention in fact may be used for any of a wide variety of applications where it is necessary to secure an 10 extension filament to an existing filament e.g. lengthening a fishing line. Hair extensions are lengths of real or synthetic human hair which are secured to the hair growing on a person's head to give the appearance of longer hair. Hair extensions may be secured permanently or removably. 15 Background Art At present, hair extensions usually are secured in place by a hot gluing process in which a silicon based glue or wax is heated, applied to one end of the hair extension, 20 and is then clamped around the end of a lock of the existing hair until the glue hardens. This is a slow process and the heat of the glue on the existing hair tends to damage the hair. A further drawback is that the hair extensions can be removed only by using acetone to dissolve the glue, and this causes additional damage to the hair. 25 It also is possible to secure hair extensions by hand sewing the extensions to locks of existing hair. However, this process is extremely slow (typically, a complete set of hair extensions takes about two days to install) and is not always successful:- it is difficult to tie off the ends of the sewing thread securely, and the thread can damage the hair. 30 Disclosure of Invention It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and a machine for securing hair extensions which overcomes the above described drawbacks and which permits hair extensions to be installed securely yet removably, in less time than 35 required by either of the existing methods.

WO 2005/110137 PCT/NZ2005/000097 The present invention provides a method for applying filament extensions which includes the steps of: a) forming a loop of a first filament; b) forming a loop of a second filament and passing the loop of the second 5 filament through the loop of the first filament, creating interlinked loops; c) applying a binding of thread adjacent the joint between the first and second filaments formed by the interlinked loops; e) bending the portion of the first filament adjacent the joint to lie parallel to said joint; 10 f) applying a further binding of thread over said portion of the first filament and said joint; g) securing the ends of the thread. Preferably the ends of the thread are secured by knotting or gluing, with a rapid set 15 glue such as a superglue gel being used. The present invention also provides a machine for applying filament extensions, said machine including: a) a rotatable shaft carrying at least two opposed bobbins arranged to supply 20 diametrically opposed threads as a cylindrical wrapping adjacent one end of the shaft; b) means for rotating said shaft; c) a bore formed through said shaft from said one end of the shaft to the other end, such that portions of filaments being provided with extensions and/or extension filaments lie within the said shaft during the wrapping process. 25 Preferably the machine includes a tension means adapted to set the tension of the threads, said tension being sufficient to bind the filament extensions without damaging the filaments or filament extensions. 30 Preferably the tension means includes a clutch on the or each bobbin, the pressure on the or each clutch being adjusted by an adjustment screw. Preferably, the machine is handheld and the means for rotating said shaft consist of a small electric motor housed within the handle portion of the machine. The electric 35 motor preferably is battery operated, but may be mains powered, and is connected to the rotating shaft directly or by one or more means selected from the list consisting 2 WO 2005/110137 PCT/NZ2005/000097 clutch, v-belt, toothed belt, synchronous belt, chain and gears. Brief Description of the Drawinqs 5 Fig. 1 is a side view of a machine in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a view of one part of the machine of Fig. 1 on a larger scale, with the casing removed; Fig. 2a is in end of view of the component of Fig. 2, taken in the direction of Arrow A; Fig. 3 is a section through the component of Fig. 2; 10 Fig.s 4-7 are side views of tools used in combination with the machine of Fig. 1; Fig.s 8-12 are side views showing the tools and the machine as used in the method of the invention; Fig.s 13-18 are diagrammatic side views showing the full sequence of the method, but with the tools and machine omitted for clarity. 15 Best Mode of Carrying out the Invention Referring to Fig.s 1-3, a machine 2 in accordance with the present invention is designed to be handheld; the machine 2 has the general appearance of a handheld 20 hair dryer, and is held by the operator in a similar manner. The machine 2 is powered by a direct motor contained inside a housing 3 at the base of the machine. The electric motor may be of any suitable type and is connected by the electric cable 4 to a battery power supply. The mid-portion 5 of the machine is 25 sufficiently small in diameter that it can readily be grasped in the hand, and connects the housing 3 to the applicator 8. A v-belt drive (not visible) of known type extends the length of the mid-portion 5, between a first drive pulley on the electric motor and a second drive pulley 9 on the applicator 8. The on/off switch 6 for the electric motor is mounted in a convenient position on the exterior of the mid-portion 5. 30 The applicator 8 is mounted on the end of the mid-portion 5 opposite to the electric motor housing 3. As shown in Fig. 1, the moving parts of the applicator are covered by a removable casing 10; in use, only the tip 11 of the applicator is exposed. Inside the casing 10, the applicator consists of a support 12 which is non-rotatably mounted 35 upon the mid-portion 5, and which is circular in cross-section. 3 WO 2005/110137 PCT/NZ2005/000097 The support 12 supports one end of a shaft 13, the other end of which terminates at the tip 11 of the applicator. The shaft 13 has a bore 13a extending right through the length of the shaft. The shaft 13 is circular in cross-section and is made of, or supports, a cylinder 14 of non-lubricated bearing material (e.g. one of the Nylon (Trade 5 Mark) based bearing materials). The bearing cylinder 14 supports a rotatable sleeve 15 which is mounted concentrically upon the cylinder 14 and which supports the drive pulley 9, a pair of aligned bobbins 16,17 and clutches 18,19. The rotatable sleeve 15 and the components mounted upon it are rotated relative to the shaft 13 by rotation of the pulley 9 by the v- belt drive 20, from the electric motor. 10 Each of the bobbins 16,17 is long but relatively shallow; this to ensure that there is little difference in the tension of the thread being drawn from the bobbins over the whole length of the thread wound around the bobbins. The thread 21 from the bobbin 16 is drawn from the bobbins through a hole 22 in a guide 23, along the side of the 15is guide 23 and then through a second hole 24 in the same guide, before passing through a channel 25 formed through the flared end portion 14a of the cylinder 14 adjacent to the tip 11 of the applicator, to extend out beyond the tip 11. The thread 26 from the bobbin 17 passes through a hole 27 in a second guide 28 and then through a channel 29 formed through the flared end portion 14a of the cylinder 14 diametrically 20 opposite the channel 25; the thread 26 also extends out beyond the tip 11. It is important that the channels 25,29 are diametrically opposite each other, because this keeps the threads 21,26 opposite each other when a hair extension is being wrapped with thread, as described below, so that the pull of the threads on the hair balances. 25 The bobbins 16,17 are sized so that they can rotate relative to the cylinder 14. It is important that the tension of the threads 21,26 can be adjusted accurately:- too low a tension will mean that the threads does not bind the hair extension tightly enough, but too high a tension will tend to cut into the hair and damage it. To adjust the tension of the threads, the pressure of the clutches 18,19 on the bobbins 16,17 respectively in 30 the adjusted by screw threaded adjusting collars 30,31. The clutch 18 is double sided and consists of a pair of friction plates 32,33 which are spaced apart and connected together by a series of spaced connectors 34 arranged around the periphery of the plates 32,33. The connector 34 passes through grooves 35 cut in a washer 34a mounted on, or formed integrally with, the cylinder 14, so that the clutch 18 can rotate with, but not relative to, the cylinder 14. The plate 32 bears 4 WO 2005/110137 PCT/NZ2005/000097 against the adjacent end of the bobbin 16; the other end of the bobbins 16 bears against a disc 35 of bearing material mounted on the cylinder 14. The plate 33 bears against the adjacent end of the bobbin 17; the other end of the bobbins 17 bears against a friction plate 36 on the clutch in 19. 5 The spacing between the friction plates 32,33 of the clutch 18 is greater than the width of the washer 34a , so that the pressure on the bobbins 16,17 can be adjusted by a screwing the internally screw threaded adjusting collar 30 away from or towards the externally screw threaded collar 31, to respectively increase or decrease the frictional 10 force exerted by the clutches 18,19 on the bobbins 16,17. To prevent the tension from altering in use, the collar 30 may be secured in position relative to the collar 31 by inserting a grub screw (not shown) through the collar 30 to bear against the surface of the collar 31. 15 The bobbins 16,17 may be filled with thread by securing one end of a length of thread to each bobbin and then running the electric motor of the machine in reverse to wind the threads on to the bobbins. When the machine is ready to use i.e. the bobbins filled with thread and the bobbin 20 tension adjusted, the cover 10 is replaced over the applicator 8, with the threads 21, 26 projecting from the open end of the cover. The tools used in combination with the machine are illustrated in Fig.s 4-7. 25 Fig. 4 shows a scissors. type clamp 40; the ends of the scissors remote from the handles 41 support a clamping surface 42 opposed to an arched portion 43. The clamp is used in the same manner as a pair of scissors, but instead of cutting, the arched portion 43 is placed over a lock of hair to be treated and the blades of the scissors are closed to secure the lock in place by closing off the arched portion with 30 the clamping surface 42. The blades may be locked in one of two positions by engaging projections (not visible) adjacent one handle portion with one of the indentations 44 formed adjacent the other handle portion. Fig. 5 shows a second clamping device 45 consisting of two handles 46,46a pivoted 35 together by a pivot 47 at one end. The free end of the handle 46a carries a block 48 the surface of which is formed with a figure of eight shaped hole; a hook 49 mounted 5 WO 2005/110137 PCT/NZ2005/000097 on the free end of the handle 46 projects through one aperture of the figure of eight shaped hole adjacent to the division between the two holes, such that the free end of the hook passes over the division into the other aperture of the hole. The free ends of the handles 46,46a are biased apart by a coil spring such that the hook 49 is closed 5 against the division between the figure of eight shaped hole unless the handles 46,46a are pressed together against the biasing force of the spring 50. Fig. 6 shows a third type of clamping device 50 which consists of a tube 51 through which extends a hooked clamping wire 52. The outer end of the wire 52 is bent into a 10 hook 52a, and the other end is pivoted to a handle 53 which is mounted on a washer 54 on the tube 51. The wire 52 is spring biased towards the closed position shown in Fig. 6, in which the hook 52a of the wire is within the end of the tube 51. When the handle 53 is depressed in the direction of Arrow A, the wire 52 is pushed outwards from the tube 51, opening the end of the hook. The distance between the washer 54 15 and the end of the tube 51 from which the hook 52a projects is slightly greater than the length of the shaft 13, and the outer diameter of the tube 51 is substantially less than the inner diameter of the shaft 13, so that the clamping device 50 can be slid through the bore 13a of the shaft 13. 20 Fig. 7 shows a tool 55 one end of which is bent to form a large diameter hook 46 and the other end of which is bent to form a small diameter hook 57. The length of the tool 55 is slightly greater than the length of the shaft 13. The use of the above described machine and tools to attach hair extensions to an 25 existing head of hair will be described with especial reference to Fig.s 4-18. For clarity, the hair of the existing head of hair will be referred to as "real hair" and the extensions which are being attached will be referred to as "extension hair" or as "hair extensions", but it should be appreciated that the extensions actually may be made from either real hair or artificial hair. The extension hair and the thread used on the 30 bobbins would be selected to match the existing head of hair in colour, assuming of course that the person having the extensions attached wishes them to be undetectable. First, the existing head of hair is thoroughly wetted. The hair extensions are secured 35 to the real hair close to the person's scalp, by attaching small locks of the extension hair to small locks of real hair; the term "small locks" refers to a small group of hairs 6 WO 2005/110137 PCT/NZ2005/000097 typically about three millimetres diameter. As shown in Fig.s 8 and 13, the operator selects a small lock 60 of real hair, forms that lock into a loop 61 and then draws that loop through the centre hole of a washer 62, using the tool 50 to grasp the loop 61 (Fig.s 9 and 14). The washer 62 provides a barrier between the person's scalp and 5 the glues and thread used in the process. The loop 61 of real hair is clamped projecting from the washer 62, using the scissors type clamp 40 (Fig. 10). The clamp 45 may be used instead of the clamp 40, depending upon the preference of the operator. The extension hair is prepared as a 1o series of small locks, with all the hair making up the lock secured together at one end of the lock by flexible latex glue. A small lock 63 of extension hair is separated into two portions, (but with the portions still secured together by the glue at the end of the lock) and is looped through the loop 61 of real hair, with the loop 61 in contact with the (dry) latex glue (Fig.s 11 and 15). The small hook 57 of the tool 55 is inserted down 15is the bore 13a of the shaft 13 of the machine, hooked over the extension hair 63, and used to pull the free ends of the extension hair 63 through the bore 13a (Fig.s 11 and 15). The operator then uses the machine 2 to whip a binding of thread over the loop of real 20 hair (Fig.s 12 and 16) adjacent the intertwined loops of real and extension hair. When the machine 2 is switched on, the V-belt drive from the electric motor rotates the drive pulley 9 and thus the sleeve 15 and the bobbins 16,17, winding the threads 21,26 from the bobbins evenly around the loop of real hair, binding the joint together.. 25 The free end 60a of the loop 61 of real hair (i.e. the end not attached to the person's scalp) is then a hooked through the washer 62 (Fig. 17) and into the bore 13a of the machine 2, using the tool 50 inserted down the bore 13a. The free end 60a of real hair is then bent back over the joint 65 between the real and extension hair, lying parallel to the joint. The operator then uses the machine 2 again to whip a further binding of 30 thread over the part of the free end 60a lying over the joint 65 between the real and extension hair (Fig. 18). The ends of the binding thread are then secured with a dab of superglue gel. The tool 50 and clamp 40 are then released from the hair, the machine is removed, 35 and the washer 62 is slid down the length of the hair extension and removed. That extension is now completed. The processes repeated for each of the extensions. 7 WO 2005/110137 PCT/NZ2005/000097 The above described process is rapid compared to prior art methods of attaching hair extensions, and gives a hair extension which is very natural in appearance but very secure. The hair extensions may be removed without damaging either the real or the 5 extension hair; the extension hair may be reused if required. 8

Claims (13)

1. A method for applying filament extensions which includes the steps of: a) forming a loop of a first filament; 5 b) forming a loop of a second filament and passing the loop of the second filament through the loop of the first filament, creating interlinked loops; c) applying a binding of thread adjacent a joint between the first and second filaments formed by the interlinked loops; d) bending a portion of the first filament adjacent the joint to lie parallel to o10 said joint; e) applying a further binding of thread over said portion of the first filament and said joint; f) securing the ends of the thread. 15

2. The method according to claim characterised in that the ends of the thread are secured by knotting and/or gluing.

3. The method according to claim 2 characterised in that a rapid setting glue is used for gluing. 20

4. The method as claimed in claim 4 characterised in that the glue is superglue or superglue gel.

5. The method as claimed in any one of the previous claims characterised in that 25 the second filaments are natural or synthetic hair extensions.

6. A machine for applying filament extensions in a wrapping process, said machine including: a) a rotatable shaft carrying at least two opposed bobbins arranged to 30 supply opposed threads as a cylindrical wrapping adjacent one end of the shaft; b) means for rotating said shaft; c) a bore formed through said shaft from said one end of the shaft to the other end, such that portions of filaments being provided with extensions and/or 35 extension filaments may lie within the said shaft during the wrapping process. 9 WO 2005/110137 PCT/NZ2005/000097

7. The machine as claimed in claim 7 characterised in that the machine includes a tension means adapted to set the tension of the threads.

8. The machine as claimed in claim 8 characterised in that the tension means 5 includes a clutch and an adjustment screw for adjusting the tension on the or each bobbin.

9. The machine as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9 characterised in that, the means for rotating said shaft consists of an electric motor 10

10. The machine as claimed in claim 10 characterised in that, the electric motor is connected to the rotating shaft by one or more means selected from the list consisting of direct coupling, clutch, v-belt, toothed belt, synchronous belt, chain and gears. 15

11. The machine as claimed in claim 9 characterised in that machine is handheld and said electric motor is housed within the handle portion of the machine.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 and as substantially hereinbefore described 20 with reference to and as shown in any one of Fig.s 13 to 18.

13. The machine as claimed in claim 7 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in any one of Fig.s 1 to 12. 10