CN1829457A - Adjustable hair holding device - Google Patents

Abstract

A hair holding device including hingedly connected first and second body members each including hair gripping portions adapted to be squeezed by a user whereby the hair gripping portions come into contact with gathered strands of a user's hair. The device further includes a friction-type adjustment mechanism coaxially arranged with respect to the hinge for causing the hair gripping portions to remain at a point at which the hair gripping portions are squeezed together by a user. Optionally, the device may include squeezable release handles or other release mechanism, as well as a torsion spring for biasing the hair gripping portions into either an open or a closed position.

Description

Adjustable hair holding device

The related application of cross reference

The application advocates the priority of following application: the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/442 that on January 24th, 2003 submitted, 205; The U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/444 that on February 4th, 2003 submitted, 926; The U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/472 that on May 23rd, 2003 submitted, the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/486 that on July 11st, 953 and 2003 submitted, 485.

Technical field

The present invention relates to that hair is fixed and hair setting device, in these devices, first body and second body are articulated and can operate, and clamp with the topknot that will gather in a large number.

Background technology

The device of radial type spring biasing that is used for fixing people's hair is well known in the prior art.It is many year that this class device has used, and in U.S. Patent No. 2,201, an early stage example of this device described in 719.Such device typically comprises hinged a pair of relative member, and each in the described member comprises gripping portions and handle portion.Described clamping part is biased to closing position or clamped position by bias unit, and described bias unit in most of the cases is torque spring and applies closing force on described member.For described device is opened, the user pushes the handle portion that the enough fingers of described energy are depressed, and also therefore described gripping portions is separated with the bias force that overcomes described bias unit.Keeping under the situation of described extruding force, the user places described gripping portions a relative side that remains by the hair of the fixing desired quantity of described device.The user unclamps described handle portion then, and the topknot that described torque spring impels described gripping portions to gather clamps and contact with it.

The defective of the hair holding device of the above-mentioned type is the position that they can not remain on the desirable fixedly hair of user.In addition, the spring biasing hair holding device that can obtain does not at present allow the user that described device is regulated, hair is fixed tighter or more loose than the torsion that bias spring was produced of described device.In other words, slackness or tightness in order to the spring biasing hair holding device of fixing hair in the prior art are determined by the factor of the control that exceeds the user, it is the type of those and user's hair, as the thickness of hair, texture structure, length or the like, and/or the relevant factor of twisting resistance of spring force or described torsion bias spring.

According to top described with hair fixing after, attempting to impel described clamping part that hair pin is got when tighter, the user of described device often with hand with described gripping portions each other facing to inwardly extruding.This will produce provisional pressure to clamped hair, to arrive the desirable hair of user fixed position.But, when unclamping described clamping component, the described hair that compresses will be to reverse expansionary force of moment supplementary pressure effect that the user applied.Like this, the topknot of expansion their initial position that just forces the clamping part of described hair clamping device to turn back to control by the torsion of described bias spring from the desirable hair of user fixed position.

The bias force of described bias unit directly influences the slackness or the tightness of the hair of fixing with hair holding device of the prior art, and described slackness or tightness are pre-determined by the manufacturer of certain device.It may be more satisfactory concerning some user that predetermined bias force like this is provided with, but just is not so desirable concerning other user.In a word, hair holding device of the prior art can not make the user control and/or set the slackness that is used for fixing hair or the tightness of this device.Do not accomplish this point, concerning many users, the practicality and the attraction of these devices have also just reduced.

Hair clip and similar device also are known in the prior art.But, they they limitation is also arranged on the scope of the hair clamping force that can provide.In general, these devices provide a kind of closing position, or are at most, and the considerably less closing position by factory set is provided.If neither one satisfies user's demand and/or hair characteristics in these predefined positions, they just do not have any practical value so.For example, referring to U.S. Patent No. 6,082, the hair holding device in 371.In addition, many these class devices generally comprise two members of an end that is hinged to described device.Described device is furnished with latch, buckles, has contact with or similar fastener or closing device on the position of the other end that leaves described hinge.Such fastener may with user's hair tangle up, therefore attempting with described device just might to damage user's hair or even user's finger when hair takes off.For example, referring to U.S. Patent No. 5,196,429; 5,396,912; 5,996,593; 6,089,240; Hair holding device in 6,257,249 and 6,311,699.

Therefore, advantage is just arranged in the radial type hair holding device, articulated hair holding device comprises the device that can make the user that described tightness and/or slackness are carried out large-scale user-selectable adjusting or control, and the clamping part of described device is with described tightness and/or slackness regular user's hair.

Another advantage of radial type hair holding device be and do not require the hinge axis that leaves described device, with described device fixing dedicated fastener or closing device around user's hair, thereby reduced and user's hair tangle up and the possibility that causes therefrom the injury of user's hair or finger.

Summary of the invention

Compare with hair holding device of the prior art, the hair holding device among the present invention be designed to make the user can between the gripping portions of hair holding device body member, change and/or control described device fixedly hair tightly or how many pines are arranged.The present invention has overcome defective of the prior art, overcoming in the following manner of this defective carried out: provide and utilize mechanical intervention, the method and apparatus of resistance or frictional force so that radial type hair clamping device can the user with hand with described articulated joint hair clip tight device inwardly mutually facing to extruding and remain on the hair fixed position of described hope after arriving desirable hair fixed position.When doing like this, the invention provides and fix hair tighter and improved hair holding device that the time is longer.In all embodiment of the present invention, a kind of hair holding device that comprises a pair of relative body member all is provided, in the described body member each comprises gripping portions and articulated mounting, described articulated mounting is used to allow described relative body member to rotate each other around a hinge axis, and described mutual rotation is between position that separates and the selectable hair clamped position of user.

According to the present invention, adjusting device preferably is provided, so that the gripping portions of first and second members of described hair holding device can remain on arbitrfary point (as a rule being immediate point), described gripping portions is pressed together with hand by the user and reaches this point, therefore, the user can be fixed on the topknot of gathering between the described gripping portions ideally and not slide.Described adjusting device and the coaxial setting of described hinge means also can be made into to provide to described gripping portions the structure of incremental motion, so that when described clamping component was closed around the described hair that gathers together, the user can experience the sensation of " clatter of card clatter card " in sense of touch and/or acoustically.Perhaps, described adjusting device can be made into they provide level and smooth continuous motion to described gripping portions in closure structure.

First and second body members of described hair holding device can comprise or not comprise the handle portion that finger can be pressed, and the handle portion that the user can press by these fingers assigns to described gripping portions is operated.And, the spring of torsion or other type can be provided, so that being biased to, described gripping portions opens or closing position.Described device also can comprise release unit, from user's hair described gripping portions is unclamped.

By below present preferred embodiment and preferred at present realization method of the present invention being described, other detailed content of the present invention, purpose and advantage will become obviously.

Description of drawings

By the description to the preferred embodiment that only illustrates by way of example in the accompanying drawings, it is more obvious that the present invention will become, in these accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is the stereogram of the hinged and spring offset hair holding device of routine;

Fig. 2 is at the stereogram of closing position fully according to the hair holding device of the first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 be according to the present invention in the amplification stereogram of parts of first embodiment of friction-type adjustment means of hair holding device;

Fig. 4 is the amplification stereogram according to the assembly of first embodiment of pivot of the present invention and friction-type adjustment means;

Fig. 5 is the fragmentary sectional elevation view of assembly of first embodiment of pivot among Fig. 4 and friction-type adjustment means;

Fig. 6 is that according to another embodiment of the invention hair holding device is at the complete stereogram of closing position;

Fig. 7 is that the hinge of hair holding device among Fig. 6 connects and figure is partly cut in the three-dimensional drawn game of amplification of friction-type adjustment means;

Fig. 8 is the exploded view of hair holding device among Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is the amplification stereogram of parts in the friction-type adjustment means of hair holding device among Fig. 6;

Figure 10 is that according to another embodiment of the invention hair holding device is at the complete stereogram of closing position;

Figure 11 is that hair holding device among Figure 10 is at the stereogram of fully open position;

Figure 12 A, 12B and 12C are respectively interior stereogram, end-view and the inner side view of first body member in according to another embodiment of the invention the hair holding device;

Figure 13 A, 13B and 13C are respectively outer stereogram, end-view and the outer side view of first body member in according to another embodiment of the invention the hair holding device;

Figure 14 is the enlarged side view of parts in the release unit of hair holding device among Figure 10;

Figure 15 is the side view of release unit of the part assembling of hair holding device among Figure 10;

Figure 16 is the side view of the release unit that is fully assembled of hair holding device among Figure 10; With

Figure 17 is that the part of the hair holding device that is fully assembled among Figure 10 is cut side view.

The specific embodiment

Disclosed among Fig. 1 is a kind of typical spring biasing hair holding device 10, described device comprises a pair of rigid body member 12 and 14, described rigid body member 12 and 14 is articulated by joint pin 16, and described joint pin 16 passes be connected rest 18 and 20 of being carried by described rigid member.Member 12 and 14 comprises handle portion 30 and 32 and gripping portions 22 and 24, and described gripping portions 22 and 24 stops with the form that a plurality of hairs that cross one another clamp finger pieces or pointed tooth 26 and 28 respectively.Torque spring 34 is arranged on around the described joint pin 16 usually.As known in the prior art, described torque spring is pre-stressed upon on the assembly of described device 10, apply power so that be positioned at the cantilever arm of its opposite end to described handle portion 30 and 32, so that described member 12 and 14 is pushed shown closing position.

When the user wishes operative installations 10, the user inwardly presses handle portion 30 and 32 or is crowded together, described like this gripping portions 22 and 24 and pointed tooth 26 and 28 separate the user's who gathers with reception topknot in hinged way towards unshowned open position.When the user unclamped handle portion 30 and 32, torque spring 34 will impel handle portion inwardly to rotatablely move and enter the hair clamped position, therefore with regard to the hair that makes the user be fixed on described gripping portions 22 and 24 and pointed tooth 26 and 28 in.

After usefulness device 10 as described above was fixing with hair, the user usually can find that described device is not to be firmly held in desirable position on the hair.Therefore, the user tends to attempt with hand clamping part 22 and 24 is inwardly faced toward extruding mutually so that described hair is tighter.This will cause described gripping portions and pointed tooth thereof to move closelyer and the hair that they are fixed is pushed to reach the desirable hair fixed effect of user.But, when described gripping portions 22 and 24 when being loosened, the hair that is squeezed will to by the user to reverse expansionary force of provisional excess pressure effect that described gripping portions applied.Force described gripping portions to turn back to its initial pre-squeezed state from the desirable hair stationary state of user by the expansionary force of being gathered that hair produced, therefore, described device will easily move from the desirable hair of user fixed position.

To Fig. 5, these illustrate the hair holding device that constitutes according to the present invention and first embodiment of friction-type adjustment means referring to Fig. 2.Generally comprise a pair of rigid body member 112 and 114 with the numeral 110 described hair holding devices of discerning, described rigid body member 112 and 114 is articulated by joint pin 116, and described joint pin 116 passes be connected rest 118 and 120 of being carried by described rigid member.Member 112 and 114 comprises handle portion 130 and 132 and gripping portions 122 and 124 respectively, and described gripping portions 122 and 124 forms that clamp finger pieces or pointed tooth 126 and 128 with a plurality of hairs that cross one another stop.The slit of an exposure of reference number 134 expression, this slit is used to receive alternative unshowned torque spring, described torque spring can place described joint pin 116 around.If this torque spring is arranged, this torque spring just is pre-stressed upon on the assembly of described device 110, apply power so that be positioned at the cantilever arm of its opposite end to described handle portion 130 and 132, so that described member 112 and 114 is pushed shown closing position.

That discerned with numeral 136 in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 is first embodiment according to friction-type adjustment means of the present invention.Disclosed in the present invention all friction-type adjustment means and any device suitable with it that occurs within the spirit and scope of invention all are arranged on the coaxial position of the hinge means of associated hair holding device, and produce the gripping portions that enough frictional force makes described these devices and remain on a point, described gripping portions is pressed together in this point by the user.Such setting can produce several benefits.Notably be, the invention provides a kind of hair holding device, this hair holding device can remain on user's the difficult position of twining of hair reliably.And, by described adjusting device being positioned the position coaxial, just can produce a kind of compactness, assembly attractive in appearance and desirable with described hinge means.

Described friction-type adjustment means 136 and some friction-type adjustment means that is described in the back can suitably abbreviate " slip friction mechanisms " as.Employed in this manual term " slip friction mechanisms " means a kind of device of being derived from ratchet and sliding friction disc clutch assembly.It is because it is used for little by little the topknot in described gripping portions 122 and 124 as described below being tightened up that this device is derived from ratchet.And this device be derived from sliding friction disc clutch device be because the user described gripping portions 122 and 124 positions that are expressed to can be overcome by a revolving force, described revolving force surpasses the frictional force of described adjusting device 136, this mode that overcomes is similar to when being added in the twisting resistance on clutch mode that described friction clutch slides when too big (but different with friction clutch, various slip friction mechanisms described herein is passive in itself, that is, they are not used for driving any parts of described hair holding device).Slip friction mechanisms among the present invention comprises and the relevant first surface of first body member (as body member 112), with the relevant second surface of second member (as second body member 114), and keep contact between described first and second surfaces between described first and second surfaces, to produce the bias unit at a sliding friction interface.Whether (no matter having torque spring or other body member bias unit to exist) must be enough in all cases for shearing force that is produced at described sliding friction interface or frictional force, so that described body member remains on by the selected desirable hair of user fixed position, when described device is removed in user's selection, described device removed by the power that applies a Unscrew undertaken, the power of described Unscrew surpasses the frictional force or the shearing force at described sliding friction interface.

The element of all generation frictions described herein must or produce frictional force on its at least one surface on every side.The device that produces frictional force can comprise irregular surface, as rough surface, net grain surface or annular knurl or toothed surfaces.In addition, the profile of tooth of profile of tooth frictional force generation device can be asymmetric on the gradient, it is the sawtooth design, like this, the hair holding device according to the invention fixedly ability of pressurized hair just can further improve, remaining on desirable hair fixed position, and the user still can easily open it or close.And, described rubbing device can be designed to produce run through its whole rotation arc arbitrarily, continuous, that successively decrease or progressive shearing force or frictional force, described rotation arc is between the open and close position of the body member of described hair holding device.For be not rigidity but originally with regard to the element of generation frictional force with the characteristic that produces frictional force, as natural and artificial rubber and the synthetic that is similar to rubber, can carry out suitable selection, so that they can produce certain frictional force or shearing force, this frictional force or shearing force be enough to hair holding device be firmly held in user's hair around.

In addition, the embodiments of the invention that go out shown here stretch out its frictional interface during fabrication to the direction perpendicular to described hinge means.But, the present invention is not limited to this.The present invention also imagines described frictional interface, no matter is that following described sliding friction interface also is non-sliding friction interface, all can stretch out to the direction that is parallel to described hinge means.For example, in the body member of described hair holding device one can comprise and the coaxial axle that stretches out of a hinge axis (may as joint pin), described hinge axis is received in a cylindrical lug, and described cylindrical lug is carried by another body member.In this set, with the outer surface of the coaxial axle of described hinge axis and the interlock interface that the inner surface of described rest can have irregular, high frictional force or otherwise disturb, to realize desirable frictional interface.And, in order to keep and to strengthen at such surface contact force at the interface, axle or the described rest coaxial with described hinge axis can vertically cut, and another described axle or rest can suitably be formulated size so that apply prestressing force on the member of described incision, and therefore make described interference member play bias unit simultaneously, to keep in touch at described frictional interface.For example, described cylindrical lug vertically can be cut and the size of described axle radially strengthened in some way and make its cavity size greater than described rest, like this, described axle just applies an expansionary force outwardly radially, slightly enlarges with the wall with described rest.On the contrary, described axle vertically can be cut and the cavity size of described cylindrical lug radially reduced in some way and make its size less than described axle, like this, described rest just use one radially towards internal pressure, so that the axle of described incision is slightly closed.

In can the enlarged drawing in Fig. 3 appreciable, slip friction adjustment mechanism 136 comprises an element 138 that produces friction at least, described element 138 has an opening 140, and described opening 140 is used for receiving joint pin 116 in the mode that Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 most clearly describe.The element 138 of described generation friction can be rigid plate or disc format and the device that comprises the generation friction, and the device of described generation friction can be the form of irregular surface 142, and described irregular surface 142 provides at least a portion of one face 144.By way of example the explanation but be not to limit it, irregular surface 142 can be a toothed surfaces.Described irregular surface can be made the element 138 that produces friction, perhaps use as an independent member that is used in described 144.In addition, the present invention also imagines does not need to separate from the critical piece of described hair holding device itself producing the element that rubs.Promptly, can be described joint pin itself or receive in the described Interlined hinge pin of rest of described device one or two and can have the element or the surface of incorporate generation friction, and the tolerance between the surface of their generation friction can make sufficiently near or tight,, keep contacting with each other as bias unit with the flexibility ratio that described structural member itself is limited so that they produce the surface that rubs.Moreover, though all show the hinge means of forming by joint pin with all embodiment among the present invention of way of example explanation, and described joint pin is received in the interlock rest that the interlock body member by hair holding device carried, but also imagining described body member, the present invention can be selected from suitable plastic materials, and described body member can be together with each other in plastic injection-moulded process, to produce the joint of a flexibility between them, the joint of this flexibility is commonly referred to as " active hinge ".In the case, the element of any suitable generation frictional force also can form simultaneously with described device, or installs after described device, as long as them and coaxial stretching out of described active hinge.

Referring to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, slip friction adjustment mechanism 136 preferably includes the element 138 that a pair of generation respect to one another rubs as can be seen from these figure, and the irregular surface 142 of the element 138 of described generation friction contacts with each other.The contact-making surface part of described element 138 preferably is inserted between the corresponding rest 118 and 120 (not shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5) of described first and second body members 112 and 114, so that they are used to receive the joint pin of opening and the joint pin of described rest is in line.Can select to provide thrust plate or wearing plate 146 at the opposite face of described rest, with the axial compressive force or the thrust of the pillar that bears the metal spring intermediate plate bias unit 148 that generally is the U type, the contact that described device 148 keeps between the described irregular surface 142.In order to keep described spring clip 148 to contact rest with the pressure of described rest effectively described spring clip 148 is fixed on one's body 110 of the described hair holding devices, the relative pillar of preferred described intermediate plate is sufficiently long to extend through joint pin 116, and the opening that comprises alinement is to receive described pin.

When the user wishes operative installations 110, the user inwardly presses handle portion 130 and 132 or is crowded together, described like this gripping portions 122 and 124 and pointed tooth 126 and 128 separate the user's who gathers with reception topknot in hinged way towards unshowned open position.The user pushes gripping portions 122 and 124 and arrives desirable hair clamped position around the user's who is gathered the topknot then vis-a-vis.When the user pushes like this, by shearing force or the frictional force that clothes are produced at described sliding friction interface by relative irregular surface 142 of making every effort to overcome that the user acted on.Adjusting device 136 is configured to provide the incremental motion effect to described gripping portions, so that when described clamping component was closed near the described hair that gathers together, the user can experience the sensation of " clatter of card clatter card " in sense of touch and/or acoustically.As selection, as mentioned above, can use slip friction adjustment mechanism, it is level and smooth but material (as natural or artificial rubber or be similar to the synthetic of rubber) itself that just have high frictional force generally that this adjusting device is utilized on one or two contact surface at described sliding friction interface.Make described adjusting device in this manner, it will use continuous motion power stably to described gripping portions 122 and 124 when closer to each other in described gripping portions 122 and 124, rather than incremental motion power.In either case, in case be positioned at selected hair clamped position, the expansionary force of the hair that described slip friction adjustment mechanism is being brought to regard to resisting and described hair holding device is remained on that position is selected described device is taken off up to the user.Taking off described device is undertaken by the hair release position that they are opened up to they arrival that once more described handle portion 130 and 132 inwardly pressed together.

To Fig. 8, these illustrate the hair holding device that constitutes according to the present invention and another embodiment of friction-type adjustment means referring to Fig. 6.Generally comprise a pair of rigid body member 212 and 214 with the numeral 210 described hair holding devices of discerning, described rigid body member 212 and 214 is articulated by joint pin 216, and described joint pin 216 passes be connected rest 218 and 220 of being carried by described rigid member.Member 212 and 214 respectively by handle portion 230 and 232 and gripping portions 222 and 224 form, described gripping portions 222 and 224 forms that clamp finger pieces or pointed tooth 226 and 228 with a plurality of hairs of crossing one another stop.Torque spring 234 place described joint pin 216 around.As known in the prior art, described torque spring is pre-stressed upon on the assembly of described device 210, apply power so that be positioned at the cantilever arm of its opposite end to described handle portion 230 and 232, described member 212 and 214 is pushed the closing position that goes out as shown in Figure 6.The user uses the mode identical with the mode described in the said apparatus 110 to operate and take off device 210.

It is general in Fig. 7 that discern is another embodiment of the present imagination of slip friction adjustment mechanism according to the invention with digital 236.In order clearly to express the 26S Proteasome Structure and Function of adjusting device 236, its some parts illustrate with dashed line form.As Fig. 6 in Fig. 8 as can be seen, at least one pair of connects rest 218 and 220 axially-extendings.The rest 218 and 220 that Fig. 8 shows at least one pair of prolongation limits axis hole 218a and 220a.According to present embodiment, each among described axis hole 218a and the 220a is used for receiving of element 238 of a pair of generation friction, and described element 238 constitutes with the form of cylindrical inserts.Though the shape that goes out shown in the figure is a right circular cylinder, axis hole 218a and 220a and plug-in unit 238 can adopt any straight line and/or curve shape.Shown in Fig. 9 is the enlarged drawing of described plug-in unit 238.Can find out that from this figure described plug-in unit 238 comprises the opening 240 that is used to receive joint pin 216.Described plug-in unit 238 comprises that described irregular surface 242 is located at least a portion of one face 244 with the device of the generation friction of the form appearance of irregular surface 242.By way of example the explanation but be not to limit it, irregular surface 242 can be a toothed surfaces.Described irregular surface can be formed the element 238 that produces friction, perhaps provide as an independent member that is used in described 244.If form with cylindrical form, plug-in unit 238 preferably includes device 250, to avoid described plug-in unit with respect to their corresponding axis hole 218a and the rotation of 220a.As shown in the figure, device 250 can be one or more grooves, and described groove engages with the projection of one or more corresponding moulding and setting, and described projection is located on the inner surface of axis hole 218a and 220a.As selection, being oppositely arranged of described groove and projection can be carried out conversely.In addition, if the axis hole 218a of described plug-in unit 238 and correspondence thereof and 220a are the Any shape except right circular cylinder, so just need not to provide supplementary device to avoid of the rotation of described plug-in unit with respect to the axis hole relevant with them.

Fig. 7 most clearly shows bias unit 248, the contact between the irregular surface of the plug-in unit 238 of the described generation friction of described bias unit 248 maintenances.In the case, bias unit 248 is a kind ofly to compress spring and be adjacent to the rear wall of described plug-in unit 238 and the closing end of axis hole 218a under pre-pressurized condition.Be appreciated that described prolongation rest 218 and 220 and corresponding axis hole 218a and the relative length of 220a can put upside down, and (being that it can be positioned at rest 220 rather than 218) also can be put upside down in the position of compression spring 248.Similarly, two rests 218 and 220 all can comprise compression spring 248.Similarly, one in the rest 218 or 220 can comprise compression spring 248 and plug-in unit 238, and another rest can become an integral body with the surface of the irregular generation frictional force that forms in the above or use there.

As can be from described the present invention up to the present finding out in the contrast of first and second embodiment, providing of torque spring is selectable.Although the torque spring of conventional hair holding device is not sufficiently strong so that described device is fixed hair ideally usually, the combination of torque spring and any friction-type adjustment means according to the invention can achieve this end.Described friction-type adjustment means produces the power of the bias unit that replenishes torque spring or any other type, so that hair holding device can be fixed bundle of hair better.Be that the device of described generation frictional force provides and overcomes when hair is pressed in the hair clamping device of described device by the required additional power of the expansionary force that hair acted on.Have and be enough to the twisting resistance that hair is fixing better though people can make hair holding device with stronger torque spring and described torque spring, this device can not be opened by weakly people.And, open and close described device and can make user's finger very tired, thereby the purposes and the attraction of this device have also just been reduced for the normal people of other muscle power.

Hair holding device among the present invention can have or not have is convenient to handle or other device that the user opens described device.In fact, in each above-mentioned embodiment, described first and second body members can not help the user to open the handle portion of described device during fabrication.If there is not this aid-device of opening, the user of this device can be moving with pulling, pry open or otherwise push described first body and second body member to scattered position.But, if above-mentioned have the device of handle portion type not have appearance, just preferably provide release unit to hair holding device according to the invention, so that described device is opened from its hair clamped position, this is described below.

Referring to Figure 10 and Figure 11, these figure show the hair holding device that constitutes according to the present invention and friction-type adjustment means another embodiment in closed fully and fully open position respectively.Generally comprise a pair of rigid body member 312 and 314 with the numeral 310 described hair holding devices of discerning, described rigid body member 312 and 314 is articulated by release unit and friction-type adjustment means (will be described below), described release unit and friction-type adjustment means pass carry by described rigid member be connected rest 318 and 320. Member 312 and 314 comprises gripping portions 322 and 324 respectively, and described gripping portions 322 and 324 stops with a plurality of hairs clamping finger pieces that cross one another or the form of pointed tooth 326 and 328.That generally discerned by reference number 360 in Figure 10 and Figure 11 is another embodiment of the present imagination of release unit according to the invention, and described release unit is used to unclamp frictional force type adjusting device when operation.The advantage of device 310 is that it fully covers torque spring or other bias unit, and the spring in described torque spring or other bias unit usually can make hair holding device and hair mat and hair and finger are come to harm.

Figure 12 A shows several views of first body member 312 of hair holding device 310 to Figure 12 C.According to this embodiment, rest 320 forms the cylinder of a prolongation, and described cylinder has the first relatively large relative less diameter parts 382 with second of diameter parts 380. Diameter parts 380 and 382 has axis hole and other opening, and these axis holes and other opening and described second body member 314 and release unit 360 interlocks all are described described second body member 314 and release unit 360 in Figure 17 at Figure 13.Specifically, described part 380 has one first axis hole 384 in its outer end, and described first axis hole 384 is used for receiving slidably the button head 362 (Figure 14 is to Figure 16) of increasing of first actuator 364 of release unit 360.Second axis hole, 386 parts are located in the part 380 and part is located in the part 382, and receive the middle body of release unit 360.Wall 388 is with described first and second axis holes 384 and opened in 386 minutes.As can be can seeing among Figure 12 B and Figure 12 C, wall 388 comprises central opening 390 and axially displaced opening 392.As shown in figure 17, central opening 390 receives the shaft portion of first actuator 364 of release unit 360, and axially displaced opening 392 receives first end 366 of the extension spring 368 of described release unit.The exposed ends of the part 382 of rest 320 is formed with or provides device or the surface 394 that produces friction, and the device of described generation friction or surface 394 can be chosen from above-mentioned any kind.As selection, part 382 can be made into the plug-in unit of the generation friction that receives in the part 380 of rest 320.

To Figure 13 C, these illustrate the structure of second member 314 of hair holding device 310 referring to Figure 13 A.Similar with the part 380 of rest 320, rest 318 has one first axis hole 396, and described first axis hole 396 is used for receiving slidably the button head 362 (Figure 14 is to Figure 16) of increasing of second actuator 364 of release unit 360.Second axis hole 398 is located in the rest 318 to receive the part 382 (seeing the device that assembles among Figure 17) of rest 320.Wall 400 is with described first and second axis holes 396 and opened in 398 minutes.As can be can seeing among Figure 13 B and Figure 13 C, wall 400 comprises central opening 402 and axially displaced opening 404.As seeing among Figure 17, central opening 402 receives the shaft portion of second actuator 364 of release unit 360, and axially displaced opening 404 receives second end 370 of the extension spring 368 of described release unit.The exposure inner face of wall 400 is formed with or provides device or the surface 406 that produces friction, and the device of described generation friction or surface 406 can be chosen from above-mentioned any kind.As selection, can be provided at the plug-in unit of the generation friction that receives in the axis hole 398 to rest 318.Another benefit of the structure of the hair holding device 310 of Figure 10 in Figure 13 is that it provides a kind of hinged covers, and described lid comprises interlock inner member and shroud member, and this lid gets up the bias unit complete closed of described device.

The surface 406 of the surface 394 of the generation friction of rest 320 and the generation friction of rest 318 is suitable for producing big shearing force when being bonded together by release unit 360.In fact, the surface 406 collaborative release units 360 of the surface 394 of the generation friction of rest 320 and the generation friction of rest 318 produce friction-type adjustment means 136 together, and described friction-type adjustment means 136 can suitably be called as " non-slip friction mechanisms ".Employed in this manual term " non-slip friction mechanisms " means a kind of device of being derived from ratchet and non-sliding friction disc clutch assembly.It is because it is used for little by little described gripping portions 322 and 324 being tightened up around topknot that this device is derived from ratchet.And this device be derived from non-sliding friction disc clutch assembly be because the user described gripping portions 322 and 324 positions that are expressed to are not easy to be overcome by a revolving force, described revolving force by user's utilization (still, different with friction clutch, various non-slip friction mechanisms described herein is passive in itself, and promptly they are not used for driving any other parts of any axle or described hair holding device).Non-slip friction mechanisms among the present invention comprises and the relevant first surface of first body member (as body member 312), with the relevant second surface of second member (as second body member 314), and keep contact between described first and second surfaces between described first and second surfaces, to produce the bias unit at a non-sliding friction interface.Shearing force that is produced at described non-sliding friction interface or frictional force in all cases must be enough, so that described body member remains on by the selected desirable hair of user fixed position, when the user selects described device removed, described device is removed by utilizing described release unit 360 to carry out as following they being unclamped described.

To Figure 16, each actuator means 364 of release unit 360 is preferably structurally symmetrical substantially referring to Figure 14.Actuator means 364 preferably includes the button head 362 of aforesaid increasing, and the button head 362 of described increasing places an end of the axis of centres 372.Be an actuator shaft 374 on the other end of the axis of centres 372, described actuator shaft 374 has an inclined-plane 376.As in Figure 15, can most clearly seeing, the inclined-plane of described these actuator shafts is in contact with one another to produce the cam face of mutual interlock, these cam faces are used to guide the actuator shaft of relative actuator, make it to contact with described rest 318 and 320 actuatings, this will be described in conjunction with Figure 17.It also is desirable providing a projection 378 to each actuator means 364, and described projection 378 is used to engage the inner surface of described wall 388 or wall 400, described actuator means is fixed in the rest 318 and 320 separately.The release unit 360 that is fully assembled is shown in Figure 16, and wherein, described actuator means 364 is positioned at extension spring 368.After this device 310 is assembled, extension spring 368 first and second terminal 366 and 370 with opposite direction pressurized in advance, so just in described torque spring, cause a twisting resistance, described twisting resistance is biased in as shown in figure 11 open mode with described hair clamping device, and rest 320 just closely contacts with 406 with the surface 394 of 318 generation friction, as shown in figure 17.

Referring to Figure 17, the figure shows the hair holding device 310 that is fully assembled, described hair holding device 310 is in the hair clamped position of user's hair.In order to arrive described position, the user desirable topknot is gathered and with the direction relative with the stressed torque in advance of extension spring 368 with the gripping portions of described device be squeezed in described hair around.When the user wished to unclamp described device, the user only needed described button 362 is inwardly depressed mutually, and like this, the end of described actuator shaft 374 just is pressed on the inner face of wall 388 and 400.When the user continued to depress described button 362, the surface 394 and 406 of rest 320 and 318 generation friction just was separated from each other.When axial slits occurring between the surface 394 and 406 in described generation frictional force, originally just be released at the twisting resistance of depressing gripping portions 322 on every side and in spring 368, being produced in 324 o'clock of hair the user, and described device just is returned to the open position shown in Figure 11.

Non-sliding friction interface between the surface 394 and 406 of described generation friction preferably is not too big, in order to avoid the user can not overcome its shear force or frictional force by drawing back or pry open described gripping portions 322,324 under the situation that described release unit 360 shuts down.Promptly, when described non-sliding interface provides in fact greater than sliding interface when opening the resistance that twisting resistance provides to opening twisting resistance, it should be able to make the user will install 310 hairs from them under the situation that does not have other people to help to the resistance of opening twisting resistance and take off.

Do not provide handle, use, and because release unit 360 has saved the use to them because some users think that they are plain and/or are difficult to for installing 310.But, under some user thinks the attractive in appearance and/or desirable situation of handle, also can be device 310 handle is provided.As selection, if provide sliding friction interface rather than non-sliding friction interface and/or do not having under the situation of release unit 360 between the surface 394 and 406 of the generation friction of rest 320 and 318 for installing 310, it is exactly desirable that handle is provided.

The invention provides the method and apparatus that can be used for the hair holding device field, these hair holding devices are including but not limited to the U.S. Patent No. of being mentioned in front 2,210,719,5,396,912,5,996,593,6,082,371,6,089,240,6,257,249 and 6,311, known other such device (including but not limited to clamp, pawl folder, butterfly folder, hair clip and banana clevis) in hair holding device described in 699 and the prior art.

Though purpose for example is described in detail the present invention, but it only is purpose for example that the person skilled in the art will appreciate that such details, under the spirit and scope of the present invention that do not deviate from claims to be advocated, also can change the present invention.

Claims (24)

1. hair holding device comprises:

First body member and second body member, described first and second body members comprise the gripping portions that is suitable for by user's extruding, contact thereby make described gripping portions and user gather into a branch of hair;

The hinge means that described first and second body members are articulated; With

With the adjusting device of the coaxial setting of described hinge means, described adjusting device makes described gripping portions remain on a point, and described gripping portions is pressed together at described point by the user.

2. hair holding device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, described adjusting device comprises a slip friction mechanisms.

3. hair holding device as claimed in claim 2, it is characterized in that, described slip friction mechanisms comprises and the relevant first surface of described first body member, the second surface relevant with second body member, and keep contact between described first and second surfaces between described first and second surfaces, to produce the bias unit at a sliding friction interface.

4. hair holding device as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that, extend perpendicular to described hinge means at described sliding friction interface.

5. hair holding device as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that, at least one in described first and second surfaces is irregular surface.

6. hair holding device as claimed in claim 5 is characterized in that at least one in the described irregular surface is toothed surfaces.

7. hair holding device as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that described bias unit comprises the compression spring.

8. hair holding device as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that described bias unit comprises extension spring.

9. hair holding device as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that described bias unit comprises spring clip.

10. hair holding device as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that, at least one at least one in the described surface and described first and second body members constitutes an integral body.

11. hair holding device as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that, at least one in the described surface is located at least one plug-in unit, and described plug-in unit is by at least one carrying in described first and second body members.

12. hair holding device as claimed in claim 1 also comprises the bias unit that described gripping portions is biased to the precalculated position.

13. hair holding device as claimed in claim 12 is characterized in that, described bias unit comprises torque spring, and described torque spring has first end that contacts with described first body member and second end that contacts with described second body member.

14. hair holding device as claimed in claim 13, it is characterized in that, described first and second body members also comprise handle portion, described handle portion can be pushed by the user, so that described gripping portions is unclamped from a point, described gripping portions is pressed together at described point by the user, described first end of wherein said torque spring contacts with the described handle portion of described first body member, and described second end of described torque spring contacts with the described handle portion of described second body member.

15. hair holding device as claimed in claim 1, it is characterized in that, described first and second body members also comprise handle portion, described handle portion can be pushed by the user, so that described gripping portions is unclamped from a point, described gripping portions is pressed together at described point by the user.

16. hair holding device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, described adjusting device comprises non-slip friction mechanisms.

17. hair holding device as claimed in claim 16, it is characterized in that, described non-slip friction mechanisms comprises first irregular surface relevant with described first body member, second irregular surface relevant with described second body member, and keep contact between described first and second irregular surfaces between described first and second surfaces, to produce the bias unit at a non-sliding friction interface.

18. hair holding device as claimed in claim 17 is characterized in that, extend perpendicular to described hinge means at described non-sliding friction interface.

19. hair holding device as claimed in claim 17 is characterized in that, described first and second irregular surfaces are the toothed surfaces that cooperate.

20. hair holding device as claimed in claim 17, it is characterized in that, described bias unit comprises extension spring, described extension spring has first end that contacts with described first body member and second end that contacts with described second body member, so that described gripping portions is biased in preposition.

21. hair holding device as claimed in claim 20, also comprise release unit, described release unit is used for the bias force with respect to described extension spring, the contact between described first and second irregular surfaces is unclamped, so that the hair of described device from the user taken off.

22. hair holding device as claimed in claim 17 is characterized in that, at least one at least one in the described irregular surface and described first and second body members constitutes an integral body.

23. hair holding device as claimed in claim 17 is characterized in that, at least one in the described irregular surface is located at least one plug-in unit, and described plug-in unit is by at least one carrying in described first and second body members.

24. a hair holding device comprises:

First body member and second body member;

The hinge means that described first and second body members are articulated; With

Described first and second members are biased to the bias unit in precalculated position, and wherein said first and second body members comprise gripping portions, and described hinge means comprises interlock inner member and outer sleeve member, to coat described bias unit.

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