Hair clamp

Details Hair clamp Hair clamp

1999-07-29

2001-07-10

Wilson, John J. (Department: 3732)

Toilet

Hair device

Hair fastener

C132S276000, C132S277000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06257249

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for holding strands of hair. More particularly, the invention is a hair clamp having a base and a pair of articulated arms for holding braided or otherwise gathered strands of hair.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hair clips and barrettes are frequently used, primarily by girls and women, to hold braided or otherwise gathered strands of hair in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Hair clips and barrettes are also used to help control hair that is difficult to manage. Though existing hair clips and barrettes generally accomplish these intended tasks, they suffer from numerous disadvantages.
The common barrette includes a decorative or ornamental outer member that is pivotally coupled to an inner locking clip. In operation, the outer member is passed over gathered strands of hair and the inner locking clip is simultaneously passed under the strands of hair. This is done from the side, generally perpendicular to the gathered strands of hair. The outer member and the inner-locking clip are then pivoted to a closed position and fastened together such that the gathered strands of hair are held between the outer member and the inner locking clip.
When attempting to hold gathered strands of hair with a barrette, it is very difficult to hold the desired amount of hair. As a result, the wearer often inadvertently holds too little or too much hair. When too much hair is held, the barrette pulls on the wearer's scalp. When too little hair is held, the barrette tends to fall out, and thereby release the hair. Furthermore, barrettes tend to apply pressure unevenly to the gathered strands of hair. The strands of hair held in a barrette are subjected to more or less pressure depending upon where a particular strand is positioned within the barrette's clip. Another problem with barrettes is that during removal, the gathered strands of hair can get caught in the hinge or the locking clip. When this occurs, the strands of hair may be pulled out of the wearer's scalp, which can be painful. Finally, the barrette's lock can be difficult to find when removal of the barrette is desired.
A typical hair clip includes a pair of jaws operable by a pair of short, opposed opening levers and a torsion spring that biases the jaws in a closed position. In operation, the levers are squeezed together, thereby causing the jaws to open. The open jaws are positioned around the gathered strands of hair and the levers are released, thereby allowing the torsion spring to return the jaws to the closed position so that the gathered strands of hair are held between the closed jaws.
The torsion springs utilized in such hair clips must create enough torque to hold the gathered strands of hair securely between the closed jaws. As a result, substantial force must be applied to the short levers to open the jaws sufficiently to position the open jaws around the gathered strands of hair. Once opened, the jaws must be held open continuously until the gathered strands of hair are properly positioned within the hair clip. Because of the short moment arm of the lever, it can be difficult for some wearer's to hold the jaws open for more than a short time. Furthermore, such hair clips have aesthetic drawbacks. The configuration of the jaws of the hair clip leaves the posterior side of the hinge area and the metal spring exposed. This is particularly unattractive as it gives a somewhat mechanical appearance to the hair clip, thereby detracting from its intended decorative or ornamental appearance.
A need, therefore, exists for an attractive hair clamp that is both decorative and easy to use and that holds braided or otherwise gathered strands of hair uniformly without causing discomfort to the wearer.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a hair clamp for holding braided or otherwise gathered strands of hair that is both decorative and easy to use, and that does not cause discomfort to the wearer.
A further and more particular object of the invention is to provide a hair clamp for holding gathered strands of hair that can be inserted from above rather than from the side.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hair clamp for holding gathered strands of hair that allows a variable amount of hair to be held without pulling on the wearer's hair or scalp.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hair clamp for holding gathered strands of hair that can be easily removed without pulling on the wearer's hair or scalp.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hair clamp for holding gathered strands of hair uniformly over the entire useable length of the hair clamp.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an apparatus for holding braided or gathered strands of hair. More particularly, the invention is a hair clamp including an elongate body having opposed ends and a pair of articulated arms rotatably attached to the body. The outer surface of the body may be decorative or ornamental for aesthetic purposes.
Each articulated arm of the hair clamp is pivotally attached to the body proximate to one of the opposed ends so that each arm can be independently rotated, as will be described, between a hair-receiving, or open, position generally perpendicular to the body and a hair-holding, or closed, position generally parallel to the body. When moving from the open position to the closed position, the arms rotate inwardly toward one another, thereby creating a hair-holding area between the arms and the inner surface of the body.
The hair clamp also includes means for biasing the arms in the closed position, means for retaining the arms in the open position against the force of the biasing means and means for releasing the arms from the open position to the closed position. A control lever allows the wearer to disengage the arms from the retaining means, thereby permitting the biasing means to rotate the arms to the closed position.
In a preferred embodiment, the body includes a generally rectangular, arcuate base having an outer surface and an inner surface. Each of a pair of opposed, arcuate sides depends generally perpendicularly from the inner surface of the base. The biasing means is a torsion spring positioned between a proximate region of each arm and the base. The retaining means includes a pair of stops pins, each extending generally perpendicularly from the proximate region of one of the arms, and a complementary pair of mechanical stops, each extending inwardly from the inner surface of one of the sides adjacent an opposed end of the base. The releasing means includes the control lever and a resilient yielding means for permitting inward movement of the center of the control lever adjacent the center of the base. Preferably, the control lever is one of the opposed sides of the hair clamp and is biased by the yielding means against a pair of spaced apart projections depending generally perpendicularly from the inner surface of the base. Preferably, the projections are located equidistant from the center of the base and outwardly of the control lever.
Depressing the control lever at a medial location between the pair of spaced apart projections causes the mechanical stops to move outwardly away from the stop pins, thereby releasing the articulated arms from the mechanical stops. As a result, the biasing force of the torsion springs rotates the arms to the closed position. A release button may be provided on the outer surface of the control lever adjacent the center of the base to indicate where to activate the releasing means.
The present invention enables gathered strands of hair to be held securely without excessive force, thereby eliminating the disadvantages associated with holding gathered strands of hair using conventional barrettes and hair clips. In accordance with the present invention, the articulated arms are not locked in the closed position. Also, the ends of the arms overlap slightly. Consequently, a variable amount of hair can be hel

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