WO2011008085A1

WO2011008085A1 - Arrangement for attaching an ornamental element to either natural or artificial hair

Info

Publication number: WO2011008085A1
Application number: PCT/NL2010/050425
Authority: WO
Inventors: Silvia Croes-Stoffer
Original assignee: Silvia Croes-Stoffer
Priority date: 2009-07-14
Filing date: 2010-07-02
Publication date: 2011-01-20
Also published as: NL2003199C2

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for attaching an ornamental element to either natural or artificial hair, comprising an elongated strip (100) of elastic material having a flat side, multiple sets (112) of at least two cut-throughs (114) in the flat side (118) of the strip and the ornamental element attached to the strip. By pulling the hair of for example a person through the two cut-throughs, the hair entering a first cut-through from a first side of the strip, subsequently leading the hair to the second cut-through and entering the second cut-through from a second side of the strip and pulling the hair further through, the strip with the ornamental element attached thereto is fixed to the persons hair.

Description

Arrangement for attaching an ornamental element to either natural or artificial hair

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of providing ornamental features to either natural or artificial hair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

WO 2005/04431 discloses a fast applicable hair piece provided with a weaving band completely integrated with basic hair and method for attaching thereof. A weaving band is disclosed with hair attached to it. One or more knots of basic hair is fed through connection openings in the weaving band. Subsequently, the knots of basic hair are interconnected with a clamping element. Alternatively, braiding, knotting or rolling may be used. So on top of leading the basic hair through the connection openings, the hair needs to be fixed in another step to apply the weaving band to the basic hair. This additional step has in turn to be undone as well before removing the weaving band.

WO 2008/071505 discloses a hair extension element, method for installing it and a holding member. A hair extension element is securable to the strand of hair through a flexible holding member. The holding member comprises a through-hole for guiding an clamping the strand of hair. The holding member may be made of an elastic material. Holding members may be coupled, thus forming a broader hair extension element. This may result in a relatively heavy hair extension element as material is required for the holding member as well as for an arrangement to keep the various holding members together.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is considered advantageous to provide an arrangement for attaching an ornamental element to hair, with a relatively large amount of hair that is relatively lightweight and is relatively simple to insert in a persona hair and t hat is relatively easy to remove.

The invention provides in a first aspect an arrangement for attaching an ornamental element to either natural or artificial hair, comprising a strip of elastic material having a flat side; multiple sets of at least two cut-throughs in the flat side of the strip; and the ornamental element attached to the strip.

By pulling the hair of for example a person through the two cut-throughs, the hair entering a first cut-through from a first side of the strip, subsequently leading the hair to the second cut-through and entering the second cut-through from a second side of the strip and pulling the hair further through, the strip with the ornamental element attached thereto is fixed to the persona hair. This is particular the case when such an amount of the persona hair is pulled through that the elastic material around the holes is stretched. Stretching the holes increases the friction around the hair pulled through, resulting in the strip with the ornamental element being securely fixed to the persona hair, without further operations like pinching, knotting or gluing.

When the arrangement is to be removed from the persona hair, no mechanically pinched elements or knots in hair have to be removed first. With just a small amount of force, the strip can be removed from the persona hair.

By providing a single strip, no additional material is required for holding together different elements holding ornaments like hair. Also, a significant amount of hair can be inserted in for example a person's hair with only a thin piece of material, resulting in a light-weight arrangement.

In an embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, the cut-trough is one of the following: a round hole, a single slit, or two slits forming a cross. The advantage of providing a round hole is that the risk of tearing of the elastic material is reduced as there are no corners in the hole to which corners a relatively high amount of force would be exercised. The advantage of providing a single slit is that a very narrow cut-through is provided, which means that the arrangement can be fit to a persona hair using only a small amount of the persona hair per cut -through. The advantage of providing two slits forming a cross is that the elastic material alongside the slits is pushed up in relation to the strip, in the direct to which the hair is pulled. In this way, the side form a cuff around the hair, increasing the friction force to the hair. In this way, the arrangement is more securely fixed to the persona hair. In a further embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, the cut-throughs are per set grouped in a line substantially perpendicular to the length of the strip. In this way, a large amount of sets of cut-throughs can be provided next to each other on the strip, thus providing ample means to securely fix the arrangement to a persona hair. In another embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, the ornamental element is attached to the strip by at least one of the following methods: glue; and/or stitching or sewing. The advantage of glue is that it can be applied rapidly, with cheap equipment, in case equipment is required at all. In addition, if a type of glue is used that does not entirely dissolve the material of the strip, the integrity of the strip is not affected. The advantage of using stitching is that only a very small amount of weight is added to the arrangement as compared to significant amounts of glue. As the arrangement is fixed to a persona hair by a fr iction force, weight is an important parameter of the arrangement.

In another aspect, the invention provides an elongated strip of elastic material having a flat side having multiple sets of at least two cut-throughs in the flat side for use in an arrangement for attaching an ornamental element to either natural or artificial hair. Such strip is particularly advantageous to be used in the first aspect of the invention and its embodiments.

The invention provides in a third aspect a method for attaching an ornamental element to either natural or artificial hair, comprising attaching an arrangement for attaching an ornamental element to either natural or artificial hair, comprising: an elongated strip of elastic material having a flat side, multiple sets of at least two cut-throughs in the flat side of the strip and the ornamental element attached to the strip, the method comprising: pushing or pulling the hair through a first cut-through of a set from a first side of the strip to a second side of the strip; and pushing or pulling the hair through a second cut-through of a set from the second side of the strip to the first side of the strip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be elucidated by means of Figures, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a hair extension element;

Figure 2 shows a method of applying the hair extension element to a persona hair; Figure 3 shows another hair extension element; and

Figure 4 shows a further strip for a further hair extension element.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 discloses a hair extension element 100 as an embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention. The hair extension element comprises a strip 100 and hair 120. The strip 110 is made of an elastic material, like natural or synthetic rubber. Preferably, silicon rubber is used with suitable characteristics. In particular, the material should be elastic, with a sufficient robustness to prevent tearing even when the strip is very thin. The hair 120 is evenly distributed over the length of the strip D indicated by an arrow 116 D and can be of various origins, including, but not limited to human hair, animal hair or artificial hair. Strings or strips with hair are commercially available. Such strings or strips can be cut or procured at a length that fits the lengths of the strip 100. The hair 120 is attached at the bottom of the strip 110 at a first flat side 118. The hair 120 is attached to the strip 110 by means of glue. Alternatively, the hair 120 is attached to the strip 110 by means of stitching, a combination of stitching and glue or other fastening means.

In the strip 110, holes 114 are cut. The holes 114 are grouped in sets 112. In the sets, the holes 114 are aligned in a line that is perpendicular to the length of the strip 110. Multiple sets 112 are grouped over the length of the strip 110 at substantially equal distances between the sets 112. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the sets 112 of holes 114 can also be grouped in groups, leaving different distances between the sets 112 of holes 114 without departing from the scope of the invention.

Though in this embodiment holes 114 are provided as cut-throughs in the strip 110, the cut-throughs can also be embodied as single slits or a group of two or more slits forming a for example a cross. Such cross can be provided as either a Hor a EBelative to the orientation of the strip 110. It is important that the hole is not too large, as will be apparent from a further part of the description. Sizes of the holes 114 - or other types of cut-throughs - between 0.2 millimetres and 2 millimetres have shown to provide good results. A size of the holes 114 between 0.5 and 1.5 millimetres or between 0.5 and 1 millimetre is preferred and a size of 1 millimetre is particularly preferred. A thickness of the strip 110 is between 0.2 millimetres and 2 millimetres have shown to provide good results. A thickness of the strip 110 between 0.5 and 1.5 millimetres or between 0.5 and 1 millimetre is preferred.

A thickness of 1 millimetre is particularly preferred.

Figure 2 discloses an embodiment of the method according to the invention. Figure 2 shows the strip 110 of the hair extension element 100, though with the hair 120 omitted to enhance clarity of the drawing. In addition, Figure 2 shows a persona hair 210 to which the hair extension element 100 is to be attached and a shifter 220 as a tool for attaching the hair extension element 100 to the persona hair 210. The shifter 220 can be best described as a thread, preferably of a metal like iron or stainless steel, folded in the middle with both ends tied together. As an alternative to the shifter 220, a crochet- hook or a similar device can be used in the method discussed below or the hair may be pulled through without equipment. The hair may also be pushed through the holes 114 instead of being pulled, either with or without a tool.

Starting from the right of Figure 2, the shifter 220 is shown in a first position 252 prior to insertion in the holes 114 of the set 112. In a second position 254, the shifter 220 is inserted in the lower hole from the front side 118 of the strip 110 and subsequently inserted in the middle hole from the back side of the strip 110. In a third position 256, the shifter is also inserted in the upper hole from the front side 118, providing an opening in the loop of the shifter 220 for pulling through the personahair 210.

Having pulled through the persona hair 210 through the loop of the shifter 220, the shifter 220 is pulled back trough the holes 114 in a fourth position 258, taking along the persona hair 210. Provided that the holes 114 in the strip 110 are narrow enough and a proper amount of the persona hair 210 has been pulled through, the persona hair 210 is tightly fit to the strip 110 by virtue of the elastic characteristics of the material of the strip 110. By repeating this method for each of the sets 112 of holes 114 provided on the strip 110 or for at least a substantial amount of the sets 112 of holes 114, the hair extension element 100 can be securely fixed to the persona hair 210.

In this way, the hair is woven in the hair extension element in a convenient way, without the need of providing additional fastening means like beads that have to be pinched to be fixed to the persona hair 210. A pe rson skilled in the art will appreciated that not all sets 112 of holes 114 have to be used; it is important to feed the persona hair 210 through an amount of sets 112 of holes 114 that is sufficient to provide enough friction force in total to properly secure the hair extension element 100 to the persona hair 210. To properly fix the hair extension element, the cut-troughs D having the form of a hole or another suitable form D should not be too large. The actual size of the holes 114, the ED or otherwise shaped cut-throughs depends on characteristics of the persona hair 210 and/or on the characteristics of the material from which the strip 110 has been manufactured.

With respect to the characteristics of a persona hair, a person skilled in the art wil l appreciate that with thicker hair, the holes 114 can be relatively larger to have the hair extension element 100 properly fixed to the persona hair. On the other hand, in case the person has very fine hair, the holes 114 need to be smaller to properly fix the hair extension element to the persona hair. Alternatively, more hair may be pulled through the holes, though such amounts of hair may not always be available. In particular in such cases, providing slits instead of holes provides advantages. This is because the opening that is provided by one or more slits can be very narrow.

As to the characteristics of the material of the strip 110, if the material is very elastic, the holes need not to be too large to still enable a decent amount of hair to be pulled through. In this case, due to the highly elastic characteristics of the material, the sides of the holes fit closely around a strand of hair pulled through the holes, thus securely fixing the hair extension element. The elasticity of the material can be further exploited by making the strip 110 as thin as possible. An additional advantage of making the strip 110 as thin as possible is the reduction of the weight of the hair extension element 100. By choosing the thickness of the strip 110, further characteristics of the material have to be taken into account. In particular when the cut-throughs are provided as a single slit or a set of slits like a cross, some materials introduce the risk of tearing. The latter is in particular a risk when the strip 110 is either to thin or the material is not firm enough D or both. With a proper choice of the material for a relatively thin strip, cut-throughs in the form of a cross provide an additional advantage that the sides of the cut-throughs between the slits act as a cuff around a strand of hair pulled through the cut-throughs. Using a material with a relatively high friction coefficient, such cuff enhances the fixation of the hair extension element 100 to the persona hair 210. Figure 3 shows another hair extension element 300 comprising a further strip 310 and further hair 320. In this embodiment, the hair 320 is fixed on the top of the strip 310, covering the holes. An advantage of this embodiment is that the hair 320 is fixed as near as possible to the head of a person to whom the hair extension is applied, enabling the hair extension element 300 to be worn as naturally as possible.

Figure 4 shows a further strip 410 for use in a hair extension element. The further strip 410 has further sets 412 of further holes 414. In this embodiment, the further sets 412 comprise two holes 414. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the description of the embodiments above is merely to serve as an illustration on how the invention can be embodied, rather than to limit the scope of the invention. The invention itself is defined by the independent claims, where the dependent claims define embodiments of the invention.

Possible further variations are to attach for example not hair, but other ornamental features to the strip 110. Examples of such other ornamental features would be crystal- like ornaments provided for example under the trademark Swarovski, artificial or natural flowers, battery powered electric devices like light emitting diodes, bows or laces.

In addition, the hair extension element 100 can be attached to hair of an animal or artificial hair. As to the latter alternative, it is for example also possible to attach the hair extension element 100 to a wig.

This patent application claims priority of Dutch patent application NL2003199, which is incorporated in this document by reference.

Claims

Claims:

1. Arrangement for attaching an ornamental element to either natural or artificial hair, comprising

a) An elongated strip of elastic material having a flat side;

b) Multiple sets of at least two cut-throughs in the flat side of the strip;

c) The ornamental element attached to the strip.

2. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cut-trough is at least one of the following:

a) A round hole;

b) A single slit; or

c) Two slits forming a cross

3. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , where the cut-throughs are per set grouped in a line substantially perpendicular to the length of the strip.

4. Arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sets are substantially evenly distributed over the length of the strip.

5. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the strip comprises a silicon rubber based material.

6. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ornamental element is at least one of the following:

a) Artificial hair;

b) Human hair;

c) Animal hair;

d) A crystal-like ornament; and/or

e) An artificial flower.

7. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ornamental element is attached to the strip by at least one of the following methods:

a) Glue;

b) Sewing and/or

c) Stitching

8. An elongated strip of elastic material having a flat side having multiple sets of at least two cut-throughs in the flat side for use in an arrangement for attaching an ornamental element to either natural or artificial hair.

9. Elongated strip of elastic material according to claim 8, wherein the size of the cut-throughs is in one of the following ranges:

a) 0.2 millimetres to 2 millimetres;

b) 0.5 millimetres to 1.5 millimetres; or

c) 0.5 millimetres to 1 millimetre.

10. Elongated strip of elastic material according to claim 8, wherein the thickness of the strip is in one of the following ranges:

a) 0.2 millimetres to 2 millimetres;

b) 0.5 millimetres to 1.5 millimetres; or

c) 0.5 millimetres to 1 millimetre.

11. Method for attaching an ornamental element to either natural or artificial hair, comprising attaching an arrangement for attaching an ornamental element to either natural or artificial hair, comprising:

a) An elongated strip of elastic material having a flat side;

b) Multiple sets of at least two cut-throughs in the flat side of the strip; and

c) The ornamental element attached to the strip;

the method comprising:

d) pushing or pulling the hair through a first cut-through of a set from a first side of the strip to a second side of the strip; and

e) pushing or pulling the hair through a second cut-through of a set from the second side of the strip to the first side of the strip.