US20160015143A1

US20160015143A1 - Foldable hair holding device

Info

Publication number: US20160015143A1
Application number: US14/331,259
Authority: US
Inventors: Shih Ling Hsu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-07-15
Filing date: 2014-07-15
Publication date: 2016-01-21

Abstract

A hair holding device includes a frame member having two spring arms separated from each other, and having a root portion joint together, the spring arms each include a free end portion having an extension extended toward each other, the spring arms include an engaging element provided in the extensions and selectively engaged with each other for coupling the extensions of the spring arms together, the frame member includes a clamping blade extended along a longitudinal central axis (X) of the frame member, the free end portion of the clamping blade is engageable with the extensions when the extensions are coupled together, and the clamping blade includes a curved bulge for engaging with the hair of the user.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hair clipping or holding device, and more particularly to a foldable hair clipping or holding device including an improved structure or configuration for allowing the hair holding device to be easily molded or made or manufactured and for preventing the hair holding device from being broken.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of typical hair holding devices have been developed and provided for styling or holding or clipping the hair of the user and normally comprise two resilient or spring blades hinged or pivotally or rotatably coupled together to resiliently clipping or holding the hair of the user.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,878 to Kuo-Hua, U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,912 to Chou, U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,672 to Chou, U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,894 to Yasuda, U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,102 to Vogel, U.S. Pat. No. 7,461,661 to Chudzik et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 7,644,717 to Hsu disclose several of the typical hair holding or styling or clipping mechanisms each also comprising two resilient or spring blades hinged or pivotally or rotatably coupled together to resiliently clipping or holding the hair of the user.
However, the resilient or spring blades should be hinged or pivotally or rotatably coupled together with a spring biasing member, and the typical hair holding or styling or clipping mechanisms include a complicated structure or configuration having many parts or elements that may not be made or manufactured and assembled together.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional hair holding devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a hair holding device including an improved structure or configuration for allowing the hair holding device to be easily made or manufactured.
The other objective of the present invention is to provide a hair holding device including an improved structure or configuration for increasing the bending strength of the hair holding device and for preventing the hair holding device from being easily broken when bent by the user.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a hair holding device comprising a frame member including a U-shaped structure having a first spring arm and a second spring arm separated from each other, the first and the second spring arms including a root portion joint together for allowing the first and the second spring arms to be folded relative to each other, the first and the second spring arms each including a free end portion having an extension extended therefrom, and the extensions of the first and the second spring arms being separated from each other and extended toward each other for forming a space between the extensions of the first and the second spring arms, the first spring arm including a first engaging element provided in the extension of the first spring arm, and the second spring arm including a second engaging element provided on the extension of the second spring arm for selectively engaging with the first engaging element of the extension of the first spring arm and for selectively coupling the extensions of the first and the second spring arms together, and for forming an O-shaped configuration for the frame member and for selectively defining a chamber in the frame member when the first and the second engaging elements of the extensions of the first and the second spring arms are engaged with each other, the frame member including a clamping blade extended from the root portion of the first and the second spring arms, and extended into the chamber of the frame member, and extended along a longitudinal central axis (X) of the frame member, the clamping blade including a length large enough to have a free end portion contactable and engageable with the extensions of the first and the second spring arms when the extensions of the first and the second spring arms are coupled together, and the clamping blade including a curved bulge extended therefrom for selectively engaging into the chamber of the frame member, and for selectively engaging with a hair of a user, and the clamping blade including a selected resilience for allowing the clamping blade to be selectively separated from the extensions of the first and the second spring arms, and to be selectively and resiliently engaged with the extensions of the first and the second spring arms when the extensions of the first and the second spring arms are coupled together.
The frame member includes a thickness ranged between 0.8 and 1.2 mm, and preferably the frame member includes a thickness of 0.9 mm. The frame member includes an included angle (θ) formed between either the first or the second spring arms and the longitudinal central axis (X) and preferably ranged between 5 and 7 degrees.
The first engaging element of the first spring arm is selected from a depression formed in the extension of the first spring arm, and the second engaging element of the second spring arm is selected from a projection extended from the extension of the second spring arm for engaging with the depression of the extension of the first spring arm.
The frame member is manufactured with the following materials: 55% of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), 30% of ethylene glycol (EG), 10% of phosphotungstic acid (PTA), 1% of optical brightener, and 4% of polypropylene (PP) or butadiene-styrene copolymers sold under the trademark, K-Resin, and include an excellent bending strength for preventing the hair holding device from being easily broken.
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 holding device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan schematic view of the hair holding device;

FIG. 3 is another top plan schematic view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the folding operation of the hair holding device;

FIG. 4 is another perspective view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the folding operation of the hair holding device;

FIG. 5 is a side plan schematic view of the hair holding device as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a another side plan schematic view of the hair holding device as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 7 is a further perspective view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the folding operation of the hair holding device; and

FIG. 8 is a further side plan schematic view similar to FIG. 6, illustrating the operation of the hair holding device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a hair holding device in accordance with the present invention comprises a clip or frame body or member 1 including a substantially W or U-shaped structure or configuration or contour having two separated resilient or spring blades or arms 10, 11 and having one end or base or root portion 12 joint together or formed integral with each other for forming the substantially U-shaped structure or configuration or contour and for allowing the spring blades or arms 10, 11 to be bent or folded relative to each other (FIGS. 3, 4). The spring arms 10, 11 each include a free or other end portion 13, 14 having a stud or extension 15, 16 extended therefrom, and the extensions 15, 16 of the spring arms 10, 11 are separated from each other and extended toward each other for forming or defining a gap or space 17 between the extensions 15, 16 of the spring arms 10, 11. It is preferable that the frame member 1 includes a thickness ranged between 0.8 and 1.2 mm, and preferably includes a thickness of 0.9 mm.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, when the spring arms 10, 11 of the frame member 1 are separated from each other at an opened non-working or storing position, the frame member 1 may include a relatively increased or greater length (L), and may include a longitudinal central axis (X) of the frame member 1 and may include an included angle (θ) formed between the respective spring arm 10, 11 and the longitudinal central axis (X) and ranged between 5 and 7 degrees, and the frame member 1 may further include a first engaging member or element 18, such as an opening or hole or depression 18 formed or provided in the extension 15 of one of the spring arms 10, and may further include another or second engaging member or element 19, such as a swelling or protrusion or projection 19 extended from the extension 16 of the other spring arm 11 for selectively engaging with the first engaging element or depression 18 of the extension 15 of the spring arm 10 (FIGS. 3, 4) and for detachably coupling the extensions 15, 16 of the spring arms 10, 11 together.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, when or after the engaging elements 18, 19 of the extensions 15, 16 of the spring arms 10, 11 are engaged with each other to secure or connect or couple the extensions 15, 16 of the spring arms 10, 11 together, and to form a substantially O-shaped structure or configuration or contour at a closed working or folded position, the frame member 1 may include a relatively decreased or smaller length (D) than that at the opened non-working or storing position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, and may include a compartment or chamber 20 formed therein (FIGS. 3, 4). The frame member 1 may further include another spring blade or arm or clamping blade 30 extended therefrom, such as extended from the base or root portion 12 of the spring arms 10, 11, and extended into the chamber 20 of the frame member 1, and preferably extended along the longitudinal central axis (X) of the frame member 1.
The clamping blade 30 of the frame member 1 includes a length large enough to have a free end portion 31 contactable or engageable with the extensions 15, 16 of the spring arms 10, 11 (FIGS. 7, 8), particularly when the extensions 15, 16 of the spring arms 10, 11 are engaged with each other or secured or connected or coupled together, and preferably includes a curved bulge 32 extended therefrom or formed or provided thereon for selectively engaging into the chamber 20 of the frame member 1, and for selectively engaging with the hair 80 of the user (FIG. 8), and thus for engaging or anchoring or retaining or positioning the frame member 1 onto the hair 80 of the user, and/or for suitably clipping or clamping the hair 80 of the user in place.
The clamping blade 30 of the frame member 1 includes a suitable or selected resilience for allowing the clamping blade 30 to be selectively disengaged or separated or spaced from the extensions 15, 16 of the spring arms 10, 11 for a space or distance or opening 40 (FIGS. 4, 6), and to be selectively and resiliently contacted or engaged with the extensions 15, 16 of the spring arms 10, 11 when the extensions 15, 16 of the spring arms 10, 11 are secured or connected or coupled together (FIGS. 7, 8), and thus for allowing the hair 80 of the user to be selectively and resiliently clipped or clamped or anchored or retained or positioned in place with the frame member 1 (FIG. 8). The coupling or adjacent portions 90 of the root portion 12 and the spring arms 10, 11 (FIG. 7) may include a suitable or selected resilience for preventing the spring arms 10, 11 from being bent or broken or damaged when the frame member 1 is bent or folded by the user (FIGS. 7, 8).
The frame member 1 of the hair holding device in accordance with the present invention may be made or manufactured with the following polymerized plastic mixture materials: 55% of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), 30% of ethylene glycol (EG), 10% of phosphotungstic acid (PTA), 1% of optical brightener, and 4% of polypropylene (PP) or butadiene-styrene copolymers sold under the trademark, K-Resin with 5% tolerance for each individual component respectively, and the above polymerized plastic mixture is preferably made or manufactured with an extrusion method via a preset mold, in which the 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) is primarily used in producing chemically modified polyethylene terephthalate (PET), amorphous material glycol-modified poly-cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate (PCTG) of PET modified with CHDM (PETG), engineering plastic substance, adhesive substance and the like, and is made from dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) via hydrogenation. The frame member 1 thus made may include an excellent bending strength for preventing the hair holding device from being easily broken. The ethylene glycol (EG) is a thick paste-like liquid with preferable boiling point of 197.37.degree. The phosphotungstic acid (PTA) is converted from p-Xylene (PX) in the acetic acid solution via catalytic oxidization and thermal refinement under suitable pressure, the optical brightener is used for enhancing the shining brightness, the butadiene-styrene copolymers sold under the trademark, K-Resin is a transparent butadiene-styrene copolymer; and the polypropylene (PP) features in flexibly excellent processing ability. By pouring the polymerized plastic mixture of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), ethylene glycol (EG), phosphotungstic acid (PTA), optical brightener and polypropylene (PP) or butadiene-styrene copolymers sold under the trademark, K-Resin into the preset mold of the hairclip to be extruded out, a frame member 1 of the hair holding device includes a good malleability, re-plasticization ability and tenacity without susceptibility to rupture, breakage, whiten-crazing effect at bent portion and aging effect, is fabricated to have artistic effect in shining brightness and eco-friendly effect.
Accordingly, the hair holding device in accordance with the present invention includes an improved structure or configuration for allowing the hair holding device to be easily made or manufactured, and for increasing the bending strength of the hair holding device and for preventing the hair holding device from being broken.
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 holding device comprising:

a frame member including a U-shaped structure having a first spring arm and a second spring arm separated from each other, said first and said second spring arms including a root portion where one end of each of the first and second spring arms joint together for allowing said first and said second spring arms to be folded relative to each other, said first and said second spring arms each including a free end portion and each including an extension extended from said free end portion, and said extensions of said first and said second spring arms being separated from each other for forming a space between said extensions of said first and said second spring arms,

said first spring arm including a depression provided in said extension of said first spring arm, and said second spring arm including a projection provided on said extension of said second spring arm for selectively engaging with said depression of said extension of said first spring arm and for selectively coupling said extensions of said first and said second spring arms together, and for forming an O-shaped configuration for said frame member and for selectively defining a chamber in said frame member when said depression and said projection of said extensions of said first and said second spring arms are engaged with each other,

said frame member including a clamping blade extended from said root portion of said first and said second spring arms, and extended into said chamber of said frame member, and extended along a longitudinal central axis (X) of said frame member, said clamping blade being located between said first and said second spring arms, and including a length large enough to have a free end portion contactable and engageable with said extensions of said first and said second spring arms when said extensions of said first and said second spring arms are coupled together, and said clamping blade including a curved bulge for selectively engaging into said chamber of said frame member, and for selectively engaging with a hair of a user, and said frame member including an included angle (θ) formed between either said first or said second spring arm and said longitudinal central axis (X), said frame member being manufactured with the following materials: 55% of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), 30% of ethylene glycol (EG), 10% of phosphotungstic acid (PTA), 1% of optical brightener, and 4% of polypropylene (PP) or butadiene-styrene copolymers, and

said clamping blade being resilient for allowing said clamping blade to be selectively separated from said extensions of said first and said second spring arms, and to be selectively and resiliently engaged with said extensions of said first and said second spring arms when said extensions of said first and said second spring arms are coupled together.

2. The hair holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said frame member includes a thickness ranged between 0.8 and 1.2 mm.

3. The hair holding device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said frame member includes a thickness of 0.9 mm.

4. The hair holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said included angle (θ) of said frame member that is formed between either said first or said second spring arm and said longitudinal central axis (X) is ranged between 5 and 7 degrees.

5-6. (canceled)