Toilet – Hair device – Hair fastener
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-10
2001-07-03
Wilson, John J. (Department: 3732)
Toilet
Hair device
Hair fastener
C132S275000, C132S278000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253772
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed, in general, to hair care accessories and, more specifically, to apparatus and methods for sculpting hair.
BACKGROUND
Various devices, such as combs, barrettes, clips, bows, and the like to shape, or “sculpt,” hair have been known for thousand of years. Such devices are commonly available in a plethora of colors and designs, and are used for functional as well as aesthetic reasons. Although prior art hair devices are useful, such devices are generally designed to address only one or a few contemplated hair styles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,445 discloses a hair braiding tool. The hair braiding tool includes an elongated body member comprising a continuous curving web and means to couple the ends of the device together to form a circle for use in sculpting a “Bun” or “Halo” hairstyle. Because the length of the hair braiding tool is fixed, except to the extent that it may be stretched, it may not be of a suitable length either for the person's head size, hair length, or desired hair style.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,054 discloses a spiral spring hair barrette assembly. The disclosed assembly, is said to be useful for holding ponytails and other decorative hair configurations. Because the assembly has a substantially fixed configuration, however, it also may not be of a size desirable for use with a particular hair length or desired hair style.
Other examples of the prior art include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,547,295 (“Hair Retaining Device”), 5,379,782 (“Hair Fashion Accessory), 5,458,108 (“Hair Comb”), and 5,335,680 (“Hair Clip”). All of the aforementioned hair devices, however, are each limited to only one or a few configurations. If a specific device must be selected as a function of each specific user's head size, hair length, or desired hair style, it is thus necessary not only for manufacturers to produce a broad array of devices and sizes thereof, but it is also necessary for a user to purchase separate devices for each desired hair style.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a hair sculpting apparatus, and methods of use thereof, that is universally-adaptable to meet the requirements of many persons, regardless of a user's head size, hair length, or desired hair style.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To address the above-described deficiencies of the prior art, novel hair sculpting apparatuses, and methods of use thereof, are disclosed herein. In particular, hair sculpting devices that are universally-adaptable to meet the requirements of many persons, regardless of a user's head size, hair length, or desired hair style, are disclosed; whereby a user can manipulate and couple the device into an infinite variety of configurations.
In one embodiment, the device has an elongated member having first and second free end portions and a middle portion. In an exemplary embodiment, the elongated member includes a plurality of serpentine portions forming interstitial regions in which locks of hair can be confined and retained. The elongated member can take any desired form, however, such as straight or curved. The device can also be designed to be substantially hidden within the hair of a user, or can include ornamental elements intended to extend without the user's hair. The device can also be flexible and extensible.
Universal coupling means are disposed proximate the first and second free end portions and an intermediate location along the middle portion of the elongated member. The universal coupling means are adapted to allow the first and second free end portions and the intermediate location to be selectively coupled. The universal coupling means can be further used to couple the device to one or more additional devices, thereby allowing a user to configure the device(s) as a function of the hair length or desired hair style.
In an exemplary embodiment, the universal coupling means includes a female portion having a closed loop and a male portion having adjacent first and second flexible prongs. Each of the first and second flexible prongs has an outwardly projecting shoulder portion adapted to retain the male portion in the female portion. The outwardly projecting shoulder portions also provide a means to anchor the device within a users hair.
In an alternate exemplary embodiment, the universal coupling means includes a male portion having an external wall and a female portion having an internal wall, and the external wall of the male portion has a profile substantially similar to the internal wall of the female portion. The male and female portion can take the form of a tapered cylinder and a C-shaped member having an internal wall defining a tapered cylinder, respectively. In an embodiment to be specifically shown and described, the male and female portions are adjacent and axially-aligned.
The universal coupling means can also be provided at a plurality of locations along the middle portion of the device. In such embodiments, the end portions of the device can be selectively coupled to any intermediate location of the device having a coupling means. Furthermore, one or more intermediate locations of the device can be selectively coupled to other intermediate locations of the same device, or to a second device.
In the embodiments illustrated, the universal coupling means are integrally-formed with the elongate member. Such embodiments can be suitably manufactured using plastic materials, which may be either rigid or flexible. Furthermore, the use of plastic materials provides the easy capability to mold the device in a variety of colors, including the molding of various portions of the same device from different colors.
The disclosed devices are infinitely configurable and adaptable to a broad range of desired hairstyles. One or more devices can be coupled into a desired configuration prior to insertion into a user's hair; alternatively, the devices can be selectively coupled after insertion.
The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the principles of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments that follow. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and exemplary embodiments as a basis for designing or modifying other structures and methods for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention, and that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form, except as specifically limited by the claims recited hereinafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 50668 (1917-04-01), Steiner
patent: 1437440 (1922-12-01), Pentecost
patent: 4788991 (1988-12-01), Nocera et al.
patent: 5564445 (1996-10-01), Query
patent: 5655550 (1997-08-01), Keating
patent: 5946728 (1999-09-01), Tane
patent: 5950637 (1999-02-01), Chang
patent: 481613 (1952-03-01), None
patent: 426322 (1911-04-01), None
patent: 1018155 (1966-01-01), None
Chambers Synneve
Rhodes Mark Walker
Burleigh Roger S.
Burleigh & Associates
Doan Robyn Kieu
Wilson John J.
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