GB2504958A

GB2504958A - A fringe hairpiece with a covered band

Info

Publication number: GB2504958A
Application number: GB201214508A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Heidi Wozny
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-08-14
Filing date: 2012-08-14
Publication date: 2014-02-19
Also published as: GB201214508D0

Abstract

A hairpiece comprising a head securing means 20 made from either plaited fibres or a band covered on at least one side by a first plurality of fibres and a second plurality of fibres 30 which have the appearance of hair extending from the head securing means to provide the appearance of a fringe in use. The fibres may be natural or synthetic hair. The band may be resilient, a loop, a horseshoe shape, have an elastic element or be flexible. The fibres covering the band may be plaited or braided. The second plurality of fibres 30 may be glued, melted, sewn, woven or tied to the head securing means 20. The fibres may be suitable for cutting and styling so as to be indistinguishable from a users natural hair.

Description

A I lairpiece The present inventhm relates generally to a hairpiece, and in particular, although not exclusively, to a hairpiece including a hairband.

Hairpieces in the form of full or partial wigs of natural or synthetic hair are known to be \vorn to cover alopecia, haldnes, partial baldness or a partially exposed scalp, or to alter a hair style, for instance to provide the appearance of longer hair for a user.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hairpiece, comprising: a head-securing hand for securing the hairpiece to a user's head; a first plurality of fibres having the appearance of hair, the first plurality of fibres arranged to substantially cover at least one side of the head-securing hand; and a second plurality of fibres having the appearance of hair, each of the second plurality of fibres coupled at one end to the head-securing hand; wherein the hairpiece is configured to provide the iS appearance of a fringe when worn on a user's head such that the plurality of fibres hangs over the user's forehead.

in this way, a user may he able temporarily give the impression of having a fringe without the need to cut longer hair, or grow-out shorter hair. In particular, a user may he able to conceal receding hair, forehead injury or scar-tissue, acne or other undesirable blemishes on their forehead. Furthermore, the presei invention may proide these effects without it being apparent to an observer that the user is wearing any form of headwear.

The first and/or second plurality of fibres may be natural and/or synthetic hair.

In this way, the first and/or second plurality of fibres may he configured to: receive hair dye such that their colour may he matched to that of a user and/or he styled and/or cut to match that of a user. The first and/or second plurahty of fibres may be elongate.

The first and/or second plurality of fibres may he straight and/or curled. The first and/or second plurality of fibres may he of any predetermined colour in order to provide a colour that at least approximately matches a user's hair colour. Alternatively, a user may desire a contrasting colour that complements their own hair colour. In some embodiments the first and/or second plurality of fibres may have a variety of different colours. For instance, one or more fibres may vary in colour along their length.

Alternatively or additionally, one or more fibres may have a different colour to one or

I

more other fibres. In this way, the hairpiece may provide the appearance of highlighting or lowlighting in which at least one colour is used to produce sneaks or gradations, on top of a single base fibre colour, and/or to produce the appearance of toot regrowth.

The head-securing hand may he a hairhand. The head-securing hand may he substantially elongate.

The head-securing band may comprise a substantially resilient part for gripping a user's head. In this way, the hairpiece may be held in position on a user's head. The substantially resilient part may have a substantially horseshoe shape for receiving a user's head therein. That is, the substantially rcsilient part may comprise a central substantially i0 curved portion and two respective end portions being substantially straight. In this way, the resilient part may have a shape substantially of a profile of a user's head.

The head-securing band may have a substantially loop shape for substantially encircling a portion of a user's head. In this way, the hairpiece may he held in position on a user's heat]. In some embodiments, the substantially 1001) shape may he formed partially or wholly by the resilient part.

The head-securing hand may comprise a substantially elastic part for providing substantially snug engagement with a user's head. In this way, the hairpiece may be held in position on a user's head. In some etrihodirnents, the substantially 1001) sFpe rilay he formed partially or wholly by the elastic part. In particular, the elastic part may connect two opposing ends of the resilient part togcther.

The head-securing band may comprise a substantially flexible part for conforming to a user's head. In this way, the hairpiece may he held in position on a user's head. In some embodiments, the substantially loop shape may be formed partially or wholly by the substantially flexible part. The head-securing band may rope-like antI/or cord-like. The head-securing hand may he woven.

The head-securing hand may comprise a connector for coupling opposing ends of the head-securing hand together. In this way, the head-securing hand may have a substantially loop shape. Thc connector may he a hook and loop fastener, popper, press-stud, button, clasp, clip or other fastener, such as of the type that may be found on a necklace.

The head-securing band may have a multi-part constructhn. For instance, thc head-securing band may comprise one or more of: the substantially rcsiicnt part, thc substantially elastic part, the substantially flexible part and/or the connector.

Alternatively, the head-securing band may comprise only one of: the substantially resilient part, the substantially elastic part, the substantially flexible part and/or the connector.

The suhst:antially flexible part may comprise the first plurality of fibres. In particular, the substantially flexible part may be substantially elongate, and may include a length comprising only the first plurality of fibres. That is, the first plurality of fibres may be free of any supporting substrate, and/or may be attached only substantially at their respective ends to the substantially resilient part, the substantially elastic part and/or the substantially flexible part. The substantially flexible part may comprise only lO the first plurality of fibres. In some embodiments, the substantially flexible part and/or the head-securing band for securing the hairpiece to a user's head may be the first plurality of fibres, the plurality of fibres thereby being arranged to substantially cover all sides of the substantially flexible part and/or head-securing hand, respectively.

The first pl urality of fibres may be braided and/or plaited.

The first plurality of fibres may he arranged to substantially cover at least one side of the head-securing band in as much as that, in use, no part of the head-securing band is visible other than the first plurality of fibres. In particular, this may includes ernhodiriierits in which the first plurality of fibres does riot obscure another of the head-securing hand. In use, part of the head-securing band may he hidden by the natural hair of a user. The first plurality of fibres may be arranged to substantially cover at least one side of the head-securing band to camouflage the head-securing band against a user's hair. The first plurality of fibres may be arranged to substantially cover at least one side of the head-securing hand to substantially obscure the head-securing hand from view when located on a user's head. The first plurality of fibres may substantially obscure the resilient part, the elastic part, the flexible part and/or the connector. In this way, the hairpiece may he arranged to appear to be part of a user's hair, and may not appear to include any hair accessories, such as hairhands.

Each of the second plurality of fibres may he glued, melted, sewn, woven and/or tied at one end to the head-securing band. In this way the second plurality of fibres may he arranged to hand and/or curl from the head-securing band so as to mimic the appearance of a fringe and/or hangs. Similarly, the first plurality of fibres may he glued, melted, sewn, woven and/or tied at each end and/or along their length to mimic the appearance of braided and/or plaited hair.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hairpiece comprising: a head-securing hand comprising plaited fibres, for securing the hairpiece to a user's head, and configured to provide the appearance of plaited natural hair; and a fringe comprising elongate fibres depending from a part of the head-securing hand; wherein the hand is configured to he secured about the user's head at least partially on top of the user's hair with the fringe at the front, and the plaited and elongate fibres are configured to be susceptible to dyeing, cutting and styling such that the whole hairpiece may he indistinguishable from the user's natural hair.

The above and other characteristics, features and advantages of the present lO invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. This description is given for the sake of example only, without limiting the scope of the invention. The reference figures quoted below refer to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 shows a hairpiece according to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a front view of the hairpiece of figure 1 in use on the head of a user.

Figure 3 shows a rear view of the hairpiece band of figure 1 in use on the head of a user.

The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the si2e of some of the elements may he exaggerated and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.

Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements alit] not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner. It is to be understood that die terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the descripthrn and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the lnventu)n described herein are capable of operation in other orientations than described or ifiustiated herein.

Tt is to he noticed that the term "comprising", used in the claims, should not he interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It is thus to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression "a device comprising means A and lO B" should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B. Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the presett invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same ernhodiijient, hut iTlay refer to different errihodirjients.

Furthemore, the particular features, structures or characteristics of any embodiment or aspect of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

Similarly, it should he appreciated that in the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to he interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in fewer than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of dais invention.

Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some features included in other embodiments, combi atlons of features of different embodiments are meant to be xvithin the scope of the invention, and form yet further embodi ients, as will he understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can he used in any combination.

In the description provided herein, numerous specific details arc set forth.

However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practised without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of

lO this description.

In the discussion of the invention, unless stated to the contrary, the disclosure of alternative values for the upper or loxver limit of the permitted range of a parameter, coupled with an indication that one of said values is more highly preferred than the other, is to he construed as an implied statement that each intermediate value of said parameter, lying between the more preferred and the less preferred of said alternatives, is itself preferred to said less preferred value and also to each value lying between said less preferred value and said intermediate value.

The use of the term at least one'' may, iii some emiihodimnents, mean only one.

The invention will now he described by a detailed description of several embodiments of the invention. It is clear that other embodiments of the invention can be configured according to the knowledge of persons skilled in the art without departing from the underlying concept or technical teaching of the invention, the invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

Figure I shows a hairpiece 10 according to the present invention. The hairpiece 10 comprises a hairhand 20 and a fringe 30. The hairhand 20 has a loop shape, and has an approximate diameter of between approximately 15cm and 21cm, in particular approximately 18cm. The hairhand 20 comprises a substantially elastic part 40 having an undeformed length of approximately 12cm and fiexihie part 50 having a length of approximately 46cm. The substantially elastic part 40 comprises an elongate strip of elastic material. The substantially flexible part 50 comprises a plurality of natural hair fibres hraded into an elongate plait. Each end of the substantially elastic part 40 is sewn to a respective end of the substantially flexible part 50 to form a loop.A tube of material 70 at each end of the substantially elastic part 40 reinforces connection of the substantially elastic part 40 and the substantially flexible part 50 together. A central region of the substantially flexible part 50, havrng an extend of approximately 12cm alimg the length of the substantially flexible part 50 has sewn thereto a further plurality of natural hair fibres forming the fringe 30. Each of the natural hair fibres forming the fringe 30 is sewn at one end only to the substantially flexible pan 50. Each of the natural hair fibres is approximately 15cm in length.

Figure 2 shows a front view of the hairpiece 10 in position on the head a user 60. The individual fibres of the substantially flexible part 50 are not shown, for the purpose of clarity. The fringe 30 is arranged to depend from the substantially flexible lO pan 50 to cover the forehead of a user 60. The hairband 20 may be placed on the head of the user 60, or may grip around the head of the user 60, at least partially on top of the hair of the user 60 with the fringe 30 at the front. The hairhand 20 may pass substanttally horizontally around the head of the user 60. Alternatively, the hafrhand may pass from the forehead around the back of the head, close to the nape of the neck.

The hairhand 20 may he arranged such that the hair of the user 60 partially obscures the hairhand 20, and in particular obscures the substantially elastic part 40. The substantially flexible part 50 of the headband 20 may be left visible when in use, to provide a decorative appearance. Accordingly, a balance is provided for the user between security (provided by the circumcranial support of the hairhand) and appearance (the natural-hair look, in which it is not apparent to an observer that a hairpiece is being worn).

Figure 3 shows a rear view of a modified hairpiece 10 in position on the head of the user 60. The modified hairpiece 10 differs xi that the tubes of material 70 have been replaced by flaps of material 30, sandwiching the fibres of the substantially flexible part 50 therebetween. The substantially elastic part 40 is arranged at the back of the head of the user 60, and the substantially flexible part 50 is arranged around the sides and front of the head of the user 60, encircling the crown.

In this way, when placed on the hcad of a user having natural hair of a similar colour, the hairpiece 10 would provide an appearance to an observer of the user having a fringe, and hraided hair, in addition to the usual hairstyle.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A hairpiece, comprising: a head-securing hand for securing the hairpiece to a user's head; a first plurality of fibres having the appearance of hair, the first plurality of fibres arranged to substantially covet at least one side of the head-securing band; and a second plurality of fibres having the appearance of hair, each of the second plurality of fibres coupled at one end to the head-securing band; wherein the hairpiece is configured to provide the appearance of a fringe when lO worn on a user's head such that the plurality of fibres hangs over the user's forehead.
2. The hairpiece of claim I, wherern the first and/or second plurality of fibres are natural and/or synthetic hair.
3. The hairpiece of claims I or claim 2, wherein the head-securing hand comprises a substantially resilient part for gripping a user's head.
4. The hairpiece of claim 3, wherein the substantially resilient part has a substantially horseshoe shape for receiving a user's head therein.
5. The hairpiece of any preceding clairji, wherein the head-securing hand has a substantially loop shape for substantially encircling a portion of a user's head.
6. The hairpiece of any preceding claim, wherein the head-securing band comprises a substantially elastic part for providing substantially snug engagement with a user's head.
7. The hairpiece of any preceding claim, wherein the head-securing band comprises a substantially flexible part for conforming to a user's head.
8. The hairpiece of claim 7, wherein the substantially flexible part comprises the first plurality of fibres.
9. The hairpiece of any preceding claim, wherein the first plurality of fibres are braided and/or plaited.
10. The hairpiece of any preceding claim, wherein the first plurality of fibres is arranged to substantially cover at least one side of the head-securing band to camouflage the head-securing hand against a user's hair.
11. The hairpiece of any preceding claim, wherein the first plurality of fibres is arranged to substantially cover at least one side of the head-securing hand to substantially obscure the head-securing band from view when located on a user's head.
12. The hairpiece of any preceding claim, wherein each of the second plurality of fibres is glued, melted, sewn, woven and/or tied at one end to the head-securing band.
13. A hairpiece comprising: a head-securing band comprising plaited fibres, for securing the hairpiece to a user's head, and configured to provide the appearance of plaited natut*l haiç and a fringe comprising elongate fibres depending from a part of the head-securing band; wherein the band is configured to be secured about the user's head at least partially on top of the user's hair with the fringe at the front, and the plaited and elongate fibres are configured to be susceptible to dyeing, cutting and styling such that the whole hairpiece may be indistinguishable from the user's natural hair.
14. A hairpiece substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.