Toilet – Hair device – Hair fastener
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-14
2001-09-11
Wilson, John J. (Department: 3732)
Toilet
Hair device
Hair fastener
C132S133000, C132S150000, C132S207000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286519
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to hair styling devices. More specifically, this invention relates to hair styling devices for creating parts in hair and separating hair.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hair styling often involves manipulating hair into a preferred orientation or style and securing the hair in that preferred orientation or style. This current invention is a device for manipulating hair into a preferred orientation or style by parting or separating sections of hair. Hair is usually parted or separated with a comb or a brush. It can be difficult to obtain a straight part or a consistent part with theses well known devices. It is even more difficult to create a complex part in hair such as a curved or a zig-zag part. In order to make a zig-zag part, for example, with a comb or a brush, each section of hair must be carefully combed or brushed and then separated. The current invention provides a device and method for creating complex parts in a hair style quickly and easily.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is a device and method for parting hair in a preferred configuration. In one embodiment of the invention the device has a solid extended tip section and two elongated handles. The elongated handles are attached by one of their ends to the tip section such that the handles are capable of being opened and closed in a “jaw-like” fashion about the tip section. The handles are preferably flattened and substantially planar with enlarged or flared grasping ends. Most preferable, the tip section is also flattened and is co-planar with the handles. In an alternative embodiment, the tip section is angled. The angle of the tip, relative to the handles and the plane formed by the handles, is preferably less than 45 degrees.
Each of the two handles are attached to the tip portion through a hinge element which allow the handles to be opened and closed. The hinge elements are any hinge elements known in the art such as hinge pins which typically interlock rotatable parts. The hinge elements may also include tension coil springs that cause the handles to return to the open or the closed position in the absence of an applied force. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention the hinge elements are leaf springs made of a resilient deformable material, wherein the handles are placed in the opened or closed position by deforming the leaf springs.
In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the device is monolithic and formed from a resilient material. The resilient material is preferably plastic, rubber or polyurethane. However, it will be clear to one skilled in the art that the device can also be made from any number of resilient materials including spring metals or any combination of the aforementioned materials. In the most preferred embodiment, the leaf springs are provided by a modified structure at the hinging points in the monolithic device. For example, by having reduced thicknesses of the resilient material at the hinging points, the handles will bend through these points when a deforming force is applied to the handles. Further, it is preferred that the handles will return their original resting position in the absence of the applied force and that the original resting position is the closed position.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a grooming element such as a comb or a brush section is detachable fixed to the device. In this way the device can serve as the handle for the attached comb or brush which can then be removed when using the device to part hair.
In other embodiments, the complete device, or parts of the device, function as a hair pin. For example, in one embodiment of the invention at least one of the handles is detachable from the tip portion of the device. The detached handle of the device is then free to be used as a hair pin.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the device has a locking mechanism to secure the device in a closed position. The locking mechanism, preferably secures the handles in the closed position near the unattached or free ends of the handles. The locking mechanism is preferably a hook that hinges on one of the handles and is capable of wrapping around a portion or receiving section of the other handle when the handles are in the closed position. Further, providing the adjacent interior surfaces of the handles with small teeth allows the device to secure a section of hair between the handles while the handles are in the closed position and are secured, thus providing for a device that is also capable of being used as a hair clip.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the device has a spring element that is in contact with both handles for urging the handles to the open position. In this embodiment of the invention, the device is capable of being held in the closed position with one hand and allowed to open without using the another hand. This embodiment allows a hair stylist to create a complex hair part with one hand while leaving the other hand free to perform other tasks.
In an alterative embodiments, the device has two handle sections that are connected together by a single hinge element. In this embodiment the ends of the handles form the tip of the device. Whether the device has a single hinge or two hinges, a part in the hair is created by guiding or tracing the tip of the device through a section of hair near the scalp with the tip section pointing in the forward direction of the trace. The trace is performed in such as way as to keep the device closed to the scalp throughout the trace and to trace out the shape or design of the part that is desired. While tracing out the part, the hair will collect on the handles of the device and by separating the handles the hair is separated and parted. The device may be used for making any number of hair styles or configurations in hair but particularly useful for making irregular and zig-zag parts in hair.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3861405 (1975-01-01), Pellecchia
patent: 5012830 (1991-05-01), Vaccaro et al.
patent: 5348030 (1994-09-01), Hirzel
patent: 5503109 (1996-04-01), Sporn
patent: 5921252 (1999-07-01), Chubb
patent: 6029307 (2000-02-01), Baudoin
patent: 6062231 (2000-05-01), De Laforcade
patent: 6070596 (2000-06-01), Altamore
Doan Robyn Kieu
Haverstock & Owens LLP
Wilson John J.
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