GB2494914A - A hair divider with narrow ends for twisting - Google Patents

Abstract

A hair divider comprises a resiliently deformable inner such as metal wire, and an elastic compliant outer, such as silicone. The divider is elongate in shape, and the outer narrows towards the ends 1, allowing them to be twisted together. The material that the outer is made from is preferably heat resistant. The outer may taper towards the narrower ends, or it may have stepped ends. The divider may be oval, square, T-shaped or C-shaped in cross section. The divider is particularly suitable for use when separating sections of hair during styling.

Description

A HAIR DIVIDER

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hair divider, more particularly for dividing or separating hair during styling from hair that has already been styled.

Background

Although cyclical, again increasing numbers of people are having highly stylised hair.

This may be curled, backcombed, straightened or other typically heat based treatment.

Hairstyles may take a great deal of time to create, either at a hair salon or at home.

Females from the ages of 12 upwards, are particularly those who regularly style their own hair at home.

When styling hair it is often best to start with either the underneath or the top layer and progress through the hair logically so not to miss out areas or repeat the style unnecessarily.

This can be difficult to do when hair is loose and particularly when curling when it is not ideal to tie the hair tightly back in order to separate it, in case the style is pulled out.

Means of holding hair in place during styling include large salon hair clips and smaller elastic hair bands for tying hair into a ponytail. Neither of these is satisfactory, being both designed for different purposes.

Prior Art

Accordingly a number of patent applications have been filed in an attempt to resolve the problem, including the following: United States patent application US 2010 206 323 (AUGUST) discloses a headband comprising: an elongated band which comprises a first layer of material: at least one middle layer of support material; a third layer of aristate material; and a closure for securing the band about the head of a user of the headband, wherein the headband clings to the head of the user by friction between the third layer and the hair of the user.

European patent application EP 2 334 214 (HARVIE) discloses a hair accessory comprising: a pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members generally opposing each other and disposed within at least one backing member, wherein the ductile metallic members are configured to be separated from each other along a portion of their longitudinal lengths to define an opening for receiving a bundle of hair.

United States patent application US 2010 000 565 (SAYLOR) discloses a method of separating hair in place while working with or styling comprising: 1) providing a comb for said customer to use to move said hair out of the way of said hair being curled coloured cut, styled hot pressed, pernied. dreaded or braided. 2) bending comb in a specific said position to separate portions of said hair for styling or combing 3) removing said comb to another area of said hair after said customer is finished styling or working with a section of said hair 4) Completing said style by removing said comb or positioning said comb for desired look e) leaving said comb in hair as a hair accessory International patent application WO 2009 020 819 (DEFENBAUGH et al) discloses a headband with pliable ends, comprising: a curvilinear body integrally formed from an arcuate midsection and two pliable end sections, each pliable end section extending from opposite ends of the arcuate midsection, the arcuate midsection structured and arranged to conform to a generalized top of head shape, the pliable end sections being structured and arranged to be selectively deformable to conform to a user's side of head shape..

United States patent application US 2008 072 923 (TROPEANO) discloses a device for styling hair comprising: a spring-load clip having a distal and proximal end, said spring-loaded clip utilized to bunch together a user's hair; a bendable wire member attached to said proximal end of said clip, said bendable wire member covered with at least one decorative element wherein said bendable wire member is utilized to wrap around the hair of a user.

United States patent application US 7 337 786 (SONSTEGARD) discloses a hair styling device for styling a person's hair through being wrapped about a portion thereof, the hair styling device comprising: a stretchable, relatively long body portion extending between two ends thereof, and a first end clasp member and a second end clasp member each at a corresponding one of the opposing ends of the body portion with a selected one of the first and second end clasp members having an open region therewith large enough to receive therein at least a part of the other so to be at least in part positionable about at least a part of the other so as to each capture the other and to remain so positioned against a selected amount of force subsequently occurring that tend to pull them apart, the first and second end clasp members each having a passageway therethrough into which a corresponding body portion end extends, the body portion ends each having a passage blocking object thereon and the first and second end clasp members passageways each having at least a part of which that is sufficiently narrow to prevent the body end extending therethrough with a blocking object thereon from passing through that narrow part.

United States patent application US 6 397 854 (BAILEY) discloses a personal grooming device, comprising: (a) an elongate flexible member comprised of an aluminum or an aluminum alloy wire; (b) an elongate fabric encasement; and (c) means for securing said elongate fabric encasement so as to encase said elongate flexible member and prevent the separation of parts, said means including a knot tied in said elongate fabric encasement beyond each end of the encased flexible member and having a fabric tail extending from the knot.

Granted United States patent US 6 470 896 (MENSONIDES) discloses a flexible hair band to be worn on a wearer's head comprising: flexible rod having a substantially arcuate shape having an apex and two ends, said rod being of a size to conform to the wearer's head such that the apex of the flexible rod substantially conforms to the wearer's head's apex and the two ends terminating above the wearer's ears with one end of the rod terminating above the wearer's right ear and the other end terminating above the wearers left ear; a padded portion encasing the flexible rod such that the padded portion closely confronts the wearers head from the apex in a substantially arcuate path terminating near both the wearer's ears; two straps extending from the padded portion where the flexible rod's two ends terminate, such that one strap extends from the padded portion that encases the one flexible rod end and the other strap extends from the padded portion that encases the other flexible rod end distance from said strap ends; said two straps, each said strap further including an external corresponding attachable and detachable mating fastener such that when the two straps are fastened together at the corresponding fastener the padded arcuate flexible rod and mated straps form a closed substantially circular ring; wherein in use the wearer positions the arcuate padded portion that encases the flexible rod on the wearer's head by placing the apex of the flexible rod atop the apex of the wearer's head with the open straps adjacent and behind the wearer's ears with one strap adjacent and behind its corresponding ear, and wherein the straps are positioned and attached at the respective corresponding fasteners underneath the wearer's hair to maintain placement of the wearers hair positioned behind the arcuate portion of the hair band an above the attached straps without engaging any individual strands of the wearer's hair.

International patent application WO 9 705 800 (BLACK) discloses a method of making a hair accessory device, comprising the steps of: a) cutting a length of wire, thereby creating two relatively sharp wire ends; b) burying the two relatively sharp wire ends, thereby creating a flexible member with blunt ends; and c) encasing the flexible member with vinyl plastisol.

In contrast the present invention provides a multipurpose, easy to use and reuse, cost effective and portable means of separating hair whilst styling or for whatever purpose.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a hair divider, including a resiliently deformable inner having an elongate form and two distal ends, covered by an elastic compliant outer; wherein the outer narrows towards the ends.

In this way the divider may be used on a head; to be wrapped around the head's back and fastened in front of the head.

In order to accommodate this the inner is able to maintain a position it is put into, for example so that the ends may be temporarily and securely twisted or tied together.

In preferred embodiments therefore the inner is metal wire. In order to ensure that the inners are able to be manipulated, tied or twisted it is preferable that a minimum of outer covers the wire.

Because the outer is in contact with the head it is highly preferable that it is a comfort material, that is to say one with a cushioning form of compliance. In this way even an over tightened divider will not be uncomfortable or damaging for the user.

According to a second aspect of the present invention the outer must be formed of a material that is heat resistant; in order that the divider may be used, and frequently reused, in high heat scenarios common to hairdressing; for example with curling tongs and dry heat such as hair drying.

Ideally therefore a material such as silicone may be used for the outer.

The outer in shape is disposed to provide a thicker and/or wider band or section about the back of the head.

This is claimed as the shape leads to a primary function of the band, namely a lifting of hair over and above lower lying hair; in order that the user may separate or divide the hair to distinguish between styled or curled hair and unstyled or straight hair.

Different embodiment of the divider may have different shapes. For example in some embodiments the outer may have a tapered shape, so as to accommodate a larger variety of distances from the ends.

Other embodiments may have tapered or stepped ends; being of a uniform width predominantly all along the length and narrowing sharply at the ends.

Furthermore some embodiments of the divider may have varying depths, such that the depth of the outer is greater at points away from the ends.

For example at least a part of the divider may have a square cross-section to further ensure that hair is displaced away from the head.

Additionally or in the alternative a squarer cross-section is more disposed to aid easy use, wherein the divider may face a variety of directions.

In preferred embodiments the cross-section is likely to be oval away from the ends and approximately round at the ends, to enable easy twisting together or tying.

Yet further embodiments may have more complicated cross-sections. both away from the ends and at the ends, for example some may have T or C shaped profiles away from the ends; thereby displacing hair with a lesser use of outer material.

Further embodiments may include further means for typing the ends together, including clip parts or hook and loop such as VELCRO (Trade Mark).

In any event the outer must allow the ends to be a flexible length with ends that are able to twist together to hold in position around any head size.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realised that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated it-i the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the divider, with ends twisted together; Figure 2 shows an isometric view of the preferred embodiment; And Figures 3 show three views of the divider: namely from behind, side and above, all with the ends twisted together.

Detailed Description of Figures

In the pictured and preferred embodiment the divider accommodates a smallest likely head circumference is around 520mm, and largest of around 595mm.

The ends (1) of the divider are 140mm long before the outer widens out, which should give enough length for the larger head.

Some embodiments may have ends that are formed in a different material, in that a majority of the outer has a different material. For example one that is less flexible and more cushioning.

The preferred embodiments thereby provide a hair styling accessory which separates or divides hair which has been styled from hair which has not, being in effect a headband specifically for styling, as opposed to a fashionable item.

The divider aims to divide hair effectively without compromising the style.

The profile of the divider should be thin enough at each end to allow them to be twisted together, but increase to around linch thickness in the middle in order to effectively separate the hair The outer of the product is heat resistant silicone in preferred embodiments, being ideally also provided with a textured or matt finish to more effectively maintain hair in place.

Some embodiments may have texture specifically developed for maximal hair resistance such as ribbing or serrations.

Claims (1)

1. <claim-text>Claims 1. A hair divider, including a resiliently deformable inner having an elongate form and two distal ends, and an elastic compliant outer; wherein the outer narrows towards the ends.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A divider according to claim 1 wherein the outer is formed in silicone at least in part.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A divider according to claims 1 or 2 wherein the inner is metal wire.</claim-text>