GB2336309A - Hair retaining device - Google Patents

Abstract

A hair retaining device has a clip 20 which grips a minor portion of the user's hair and holds the device in place and a loop 22 through which a major portion of the hair is passed. The clip may be permanently fixed to the loop or detachable from it. The clip can have jaws, or be formed as a hairpin (Fig 2) or as a part of the main loop (Fig 4). The loop may be adjustable in size and can be closed or have two connectable ends; it may be flexible or rigid. A clip can be provided at each end of the loop.

Description

-1 1 1 2336309 The present invention relates to hair retaining devices,

that is, devices that hold the hair in a distinctive style and look pleasing in themselve9L When people with long hair wish to contain its movement and to display a hair style in which the hair is pulled back, two methods are commonly usedl One method uses a hairband, which is a circular band of elasticated fabricl The hair is gathered up and passed through the band, which contracts and holds the hair in a bunchL The other method uses a hairclip, in which two aligned members are pivoted at one end, and may be fastened together at the other endL When hair is placed between the two members and the clip is fastened, the hair is held in placeL Both these devices are usually decorated to be aesthetically pleasing, the hairband along its whole length, and the hairclip on its outward facing memberi The hairband though, being elasticated, has a scrunched-up appearance, and the hairclip's outermost member is necessarily rigidi Both devices - the hairband and the hairclip - have to grip the hair in order to be retained in position. and therefore compress the hair together into a tight tress., The object of the present invention is to provide a method for allowing a loose band of material to be wrapped around a portion of a person's hair whilst being securely held in placei According to the invention ther is provided a hair retaining device comprising a clip portion which can grip a minor portion of the user's hair so as the retain the device in position, and a loop portion through which a major portion of the user's hair can lie relatively loosely, the loop portion being attached to the clip portioni In use, the band is wrapped around as much hair as desired, leaving a small amount outside the band, usually clos to the scalpt This remaining portion is gripped in the clip, so that the whole device is firmly attached to the headl The band may be adjusted depending on what hairstyle is wanted& Both ends of the band may be attached to the clip relatively permanently, so that the hair has to be passed through the band; alternatively, one or both ends of the band may be readily detachable from the clip so that the clip may be attached to its portion of the hair, and the band then passed around the remainder of the hair and its f ree end attached to the clip. The band may comprise an inner element of adjustable length, sheathed in an outer tube-like element, of primarily decorative nature, which fits loosely over the inner element and can therefore take up changes in the length of the inner element.

Several hair retaining devices embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which Figures 1 to 5 show five respective devices and Fig. 6 shows a variation.

Referring to Figure 1, the system comprises a securing means 20 and a band 22. The securing means in this embodiment is similar to a conventional hairclip, having two aligned members 24 and 26 joined by a hinge 28, and a catch mechanism (not shown) at the opposite end. The clip contains a spring member (not shown) to keep the catch engaged. The clip is somewhat curved to fit comfortably against the scalp. The outer member 26 has a band of material attached at one end 30, and a band guide at the opposite end 32 through which the loose end of the band is f ed. A buckle 34 allows the band to be folded back on itself.

The clip may then be attached to a portion of hair, whilst a greater amount of hair is passed through the band. The buckle 34 may be adjusted to secure the hair with the desired firmness.

Figure 2 shows another embodiment, which again consists of a securing means 40 and a band 42. The securing means comprises a resilient curved member with two eyes 44 and 46 at either end of its inner curvature, and a pin 48. When the member is bent slightly, and the pin passed through the eyes to secure a portion of hair between the pin and the member, the hair will hold the pin and member apart with sufficient tension to hold the pin securely.

The curved member also has two band guides 50 and 52 at either end of its outer curvature. The band is passed through band guide 50 and is secured at its end by a thickening of the material. The loose end is then passed through the other band guide 52 and then through the band guide 50 for a second time. The circumference of the band may be adjusted by pressing two areas 54 and 56 of the band together, these two areas of the band being covered with hook and eye material. It will be noticed that in this embodiment the band may easily be separated from the securing means, and if desired replaced by a band with a differing decoration. With the band removed, the securing means may be used in a similar way to a conventional hairclip.

A further embodiment is shown in Figure 3, where a pair of sprung clips 60 and 62 serve both to secure the band 64 and to provide a method of adjustment. Each clip has one end of the band passed under it, so that when the clip is released, the band is secured between the clip and the curved member 66; thus passing more of the band through the clip decreases the circumference of the band. The spring means of the clip can be a torsion spring wrapped around the clip's hinge pin.

Figure 4 shows a further embodiment, where a band 70 also serves as the securement means. One end of the band is secured in a loop around a band guide 72 mounted on a curved member 71, whilst the other end is threaded through a band hole 74 located at the curved member's opposite end, and then threaded through a band hole 76 at the same end as the band guide. In this way the band forms a small circumference on the inner curvature of the curved member, and a larger circumference on the outer curvature. The band may now be adjusted by pressing the two area 78 and 80 of the band together, these areas being covered with hook and eye material. It may be desirable to include a clip such as that found in Figure 3 either in conjunction with or instead of the band hole 74, possible mounted on the curved member's inner curvature, so as to preserve a difference in tension between the inner and outer circumferences of the band. Instead of a single strip forming both the band on one side of the member 71 and the clip element on its other side, two separate strips of material may of course be used.

A f urther embodiment of the band is shown in Figure 5. Should the band be constructed of rigid or semi-rigid material, another method of adjusting will be necessary. One such method, shown here, is that the band is composed of two similar sleeved portions 83 and 84. and a central portion 81, all having an arcuate profile. Each of the sleeved portions 83 and 84 ends in a flexible element 86 and 87 such as ribbon or string which is then attached to the one of the hair securement means hereinbefore described. The ends of the central portion 81 fit snugly into the sleeved portions 86 and 87 by friction, or by 4 some other method such as a series of ridges 89 on the central portion which correspond to grooves within the sleeved portions, so that the length of the entire band may be varied. Alternatively, different sizes of central portion may be supplied. The band could also be made of two portions of resilient material, one having a sleeve, and the other having a corresponding tongue, rather than the three shown here.

The three features making up the device, that is, the securing means, the band and its method of adjustment, and the means by which the band is attached to the securing means, each have different possible embodiments which may be interchanged to form many different permutations.

For example, the securing means could be a butterfly clip, gripping the hair when released either transversely to the hair direction, or axially, in which case the band would have to be mounted perpendicularly on the clip. Alternatively, the securing means could comprise a pair of curved elements somewhat like a pair of brackets, thus: 0, hinged together at one end and with a spring element through which their other ends can be pushed to hold them together. The securing means may be provided with ridges, corrugations, or the like to assist in retaining it in position and preventing it from sliding down the user's hair.

The band could be adjusted by means of buttons and buttonholes, or clipon buttons (pop-on heads); it may be provided with a series of longitudinal slots along its length, acting as a series of buttonholes. The band, like a hairband, could of course be of an elastic material. As an alternative to the length of the band being made adjustable, the band may be provided with several attachment points at which it may be attached to the clip, with the particular attachment points being chosen to give the desired effective band length and any excess length of band hanging down loose from the chosen attachment point.

As another option, the band may consist of two portions each attached to a respective end of the clip, with the free ends of the two portions passing through a spring-loeded hook of the kind sometimes used for holding keys (or, on a larger scale, for rock climbing or securing boats). Instead of two separate portions, a single band may for example be threaded through holes in the ends of the clip, to produce two free ends or portions. As a further option, the band may have its free ends passed through two holes in the ends of the clip - 5 and then both through a further hole in the middle of the clip which will retain those portions in position.

The band could be fastened to the securing means b small clips for cas detachment, or spring-loaded hooks of the kind just mentioned can also be used.

Alternativel, the clip ma be provided with small rubber bands (preferabl of or r3otibie!ocp for-) be rtir-hed cntc, t?-e -- -eten themselves in position, and can have the ends of the band pushed through them to retain the band ends in position.

A large choice of materials presents itself for different parts of the device. The rigid components would usuall be made of suitable plastics, with some parts perhaps being metal. The band, in its flexible embodiments, ma be an one of the numerous materials available in the fashion industr, such as ribbon. and ma be of an elasticated tpe such as that found in a sweatband.

Fig. 6 shows a variation in which the large band 90 and the small band 91 are formed by respective lengths of suitable material with their ends passed through a disc 92 with four holes in it as shown. Either or both bands can have a tubular covering if desired. The holes in the disc 92 grip the ends of the bands to hold them in place, but allow the bands to be pulled through in either direction to adjust the size of the bands.

Many other variations will of course be obvious to someone experienced in the technology.

6 (--leh:LM" 1 A hair retaining device comprising a clip portion which can grip a minor portion of the user's hair so as the retain the device in position, and a loop portion through which a major portion of the user's hair can lie relatively loosely, the loop portion being attached to the clip portion.

2 A hair retaining device according to claim 1 wherein both ends of the band are attached to the clip relatively permanently, so that the hair has to be passed through the band.

3 A hair retaining device according to claim 1 wherein one or both ends of the band are readily detachable from the clip so that the clip may be attached to its portion of the hair, and the band then passed around the remainder of the hair and its free end attached to the clip.

4 A hair retaining device according to any previous claim wherein the band comprises an inner element of adjustable length, sheathed in an outer tube-liwe element, of primarily decorative nature, which fits loosely over the inner element and can therefore take up changes in the length of the inner element.

A hair retaining device comprising a band of material, both ends of which are fastened to a clip.

6 A hair retaining device according to claim 5 wherein the band is rigid.

7 A hair retaining device according to claim 5 wherein the band is semirigid.

8 A hair retaining device according to claim 5 wherein the band is a loose adjustable band.

9 A hair retaining device substantially as herein described and illustrated.

P13 Any novel and inventive feature or combination of features specifically disclosed herein within the meaning of Article 4H of the International Convention (Paris Convention).