US20090255550A1

US20090255550A1 - Hair barrette changeable inside out

Info

Publication number: US20090255550A1
Application number: US12/082,461
Authority: US
Inventors: Shyh-Ming Shyu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-04-11
Filing date: 2008-04-11
Publication date: 2009-10-15

Abstract

A hair barrette includes a barrette member having a number of bars secured together for forming a zigzag structure, for example, two adjacent bars are secured together at one end for forming a V-shaped structure, and the other two adjacent bars are secured together at the other end with also for forming a V-shaped structure, and thus for forming the zigzag structure, and a securing device may be used for detachably securing the ends of the barrette member together for forming a closed condition and for allowing the barrette member to be engaged with the hair or the other portions of the user and to be easily changed or turned inside out.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hair barrette or hair styling device, and more particularly to a hair barrette including a zigzag structure for allowing the hair barrette to be easily and quickly engaged with the hair of the user and to be easily and quickly changed or turned inside out.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical hair barrettes comprise a longitudinal barrette member having two ends detachably secured together for forming a circular or closed structure and for clasping or styling or organizing the hair of the user.
For example, U.S. Des. Pat. No. Des. 280,942 to Topalian discloses one of the typical hair barrettes comprising two buckles or fastening devices attached to two ends of a longitudinal barrette member for detachably securing the two ends of the longitudinal barrette member together and for forming a circular or closed structure and for clasping or styling or organizing the hair of the user.
However, the ends of the longitudinal barrette member may only be detachably secured together to form the circular or closed structure for clasping or styling or organizing the hair of the user, but may not be changed to the other structure and also may not be attached to the other portions of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,054 to Neilson et al. discloses another typical spiral spring hair barrette comprising a flat spiral spring and a comb attached to the flat spiral spring for forming a coiled structure and for engaging around or holding the ponytail of the user.
However, the ends of the longitudinal barrette member may not be secured together to form a circular or closed structure and also may not be changed to the other structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,109 to Tu discloses a further typical barrette comprising a pair of elongated members which are coupled to one another for movement between a closed operative condition and an open condition.
However, the typical barrette may not be easily and quickly changed to the other structure and also may not be changed or turned inside out.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional hair barrettes or hair styling devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a hair barrette including a zigzag structure for allowing the hair barrette to be easily and quickly engaged with the hair of the user and to be easily and quickly changed or turned inside out.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a hair barrette comprising a barrette member including a plurality of bars at least having a first bar, a second bar and a third bar, and the first bar being disposed between the second and the third bars, and the barrette member including two ends, the first bar and the second bar being secured together at one end with a coupling device for forming a V-shaped structure, and the second bar and the third bar being secured together at the other end with a coupling device for forming a V-shaped structure, and for forming a zigzag structure, and a securing device may be used for detachably securing the ends of the barrette member together for forming a closed condition.
The securing device includes a first locking member attached to a first end of the ends of the barrette member, and a second locking member attached to a second end of the ends of the barrette member for engaging with the first locking member and for detachably securing the ends of the barrette member together to form the closed condition or structure.
The first locking member includes at least one locking hole, and the second locking member includes at least one locking catch for detachably securing the locking hole of the first locking member. The barrette member includes two opposite surfaces that may be folded or turned or changed inside out.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair barrette in accordance with the present invention, illustrating the attachment of the hair barrette onto the hair of the user;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hair barrette;

FIG. 3 is a plan schematic view illustrating the status of the hair barrette before the ends of the hair barrette are detachably secured together;

FIGS. 4, 5 are perspective views similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the operation of the hair barrette; and

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 are perspective views similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the operation of the hair barrette.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a hair barrette 1 in accordance with the present invention comprises a barrette member 10 including a number of longitudinal barrette elements or rods or bars or at least three bars 11, 12, 14 coupled or secured together for forming a zigzag structure as shown in FIG. 3 where the barrette member 10 is in an open condition. For example, the bar 11 is disposed between the other two bars 12, 14, and two adjacent bars 11, 12 are secured together at one end with a coupling portion or coupling device 13 for forming a V-shaped structure, and the other two adjacent bars 11, 14 are secured together at the other end with another coupling portion or coupling device 15 for forming a V-shaped structure, and thus for forming the zigzag structure as shown in FIG. 3.
The bars 11, 12, 14 and the coupling devices 13, 15 may be made of soft or resilient materials, such as metal, plastic, rubber, or other synthetic materials for allowing the barrette member 10 to be stretched or retracted or folded or deformed to any suitable shape or structure, and the barrette member 10 may be applied with different decorative figures or patterns or words or advertisements on the two opposite sides or surfaces. The barrette member 10 includes one end or first end 16 having one or more (such as two) locking or securing means or members 17, such as locking holes 17, and the other end or the second end 18 having one or more (such as two) locking or securing means or members 19, such as locking catches 19 for engaging with the locking members or locking holes 17.
For example, the locking catches 19 at the other end or the second end 18 may be engaged with the locking members or locking holes 17 at the one end or the first end 16 for detachably securing the two ends 16, 18 of the barrette member 10 together and for forming a circular or closed structure or condition as shown in FIGS. 1-2 and 4-8, and for clasping or styling or organizing the hair 80 of the user 8. As also shown in FIGS. 4-7, the barrette member 10 in the circular or closed structure or condition may be easily and quickly changed or turned inside out for allowing the decorative figures or patterns or words or advertisements in either of the two opposite sides or surfaces of the barrette member 10 to be selectively turned inside out and to be selectively exposed.
In operation, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the barrette member 10 in the circular or closed structure or condition may be formed as a cylindrical structure for engaging with the hair 80 of the user 8 and for clasping or styling or organizing the hair 80 of the user 8; and/or for engaging with the other portions 88 of the user 8, such as the hands 88 of the user 8 as shown in FIG. 8. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the barrette member 10 in the circular or closed structure or condition may also be formed as a planar or inclined and star-shaped structure for engaging with the hair 80 of the user 8 and for clasping or styling or organizing the hair 80 of the user 8.
Accordingly, the hair barrette in accordance with the present invention includes a zigzag structure for allowing the hair barrette to be easily and quickly engaged with the hair of the user and to be easily and quickly changed or turned inside out.
Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A hair barrette comprising:

a barrette member including a plurality of bars at least having a first bar, a second bar and a third bar, and said first bar being disposed between said second and said third bars, and said barrette member including two ends,

said first bar and said second bar being secured together at one end with a coupling device for forming a V-shaped structure, and said second bar and said third bar being secured together at the other end with a coupling device for forming a V-shaped structure, and for forming a zigzag structure, and

means for detachably securing said ends of said barrette member together for forming a closed condition.

2. The hair barrette as claimed in claim 1, wherein said securing means includes a first locking member attached to a first end of said ends of said barrette member, and a second locking member attached to a second end of said ends of said barrette member for engaging with said first locking member and for detachably securing said ends of said barrette member together.

3. The hair barrette as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first locking member includes at least one locking hole, and said second locking member includes at least one locking catch for detachably securing said at least one locking hole of said first locking member.

4. The hair barrette as claimed in claim 1, wherein said barrette member includes two opposite surfaces changeable inside out.