Apparatus and Method for Decorating Hair

This invention relates to methods and devices for decorating hair by tying and wrapping, and in particular to methods and devices for making the decorations easily changeable, replaceable and removable.

Hair wrapping per se may be considered an old art. Historically, tribes used hair wraps for ceremonial purposes. Today, hair wraps may be used to make individual fashion statements. Traditionally, however, professional persons and persons who wanted flexibility in their hair fashions were not able to take full advantage of hair wraps. The reason is that a conventional hair wrap is applied to hair in a substantially permanent manner, and the only practical way to remove the conventional hair wrap is to cut the hair to which the wrap is attached.

This invention relates to improvements to the methods and apparatus described above, and to solutions to some of the problems raised or not solved thereby.

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for ornamenting hair. According to the invention, a portion of hair is selected to which ornamentation is to be attached. That portion of hair may be pinned together, thereby separated from the other hair not to be wrapped. A portion of the length of each of a plurality of floss threads is then braided into the selected portion of hair. The balance of each floss thread is held out of the braid. An adhesive is applied to the outside surface of the braid, thereby forming a base cord. Then the balance of each floss thread is tied and wrapped about the base cord to form a top wrap. One thread at a time is wrapped and tied, for a number of loops, with the other threads being included with the base cord inside the top wrap for that number of loops. This tying and wrapping of the top wrap is continued until a desired length is reached, periodically changing the selected thread being looped and tied after every predetermined number of loops. Optionally, beads and/or rondles, or other decorations, may be applied to the top wrap among the loops. Once the floss threads are wrapped to the desired length, all of the ends of the floss threads are tied into a single knot. Any threads then extending beyond the single knot may then be cut off, and adhesive applied over the cut ends of the threads to reduce fraying. An assembly, including a cap, a ring, and a lobster claw, is then clamped onto the knot, so that a substantially permanent attachment is achieved. A decorative extension is then removably attached to the lobster claw. The cap of the lobster claw assembly to be attached to the knot includes a number of petals, which may be bent over to substantially permanently enclose the knot therein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a person's hair, with a portion of hair selected, pinned apart, and joined to selected portions of the floss thread, which is the first step according to the method of the invention.

FIGS. 2 through 9 are perspective views of the wrap, showing successive steps of a preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, using apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a person 10 having a certain amount and length of hair 12. A selected portion 14 of hair 12, designated to be included according to the invention, is shown separated from the rest of the hair, and further subdivided into three strands 16, each strand formed by a number of hairs. Applicant has found that a dime-sized area of hair may be most preferable as the selected hair portion 14. As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, the selected hair portion 14 may then be separated from the rest of the person's hair 12, and held together, by any suitable means, such as a hairpin 18. The rest of the person's hair 12 should be held out of the way by any suitable means, such as hairpins (not shown) or styling mousse.

A number of floss threads 20, 22, 24, selected to be combined with the hair strands 16 because of the color or design of the floss threads, are held in place near the root area of the selected portion of hair 14. A portion 20a, 22a, 24a of each of the floss threads 20, 22, 24, is arranged to lie along the strands 16, the length of those portions arranged so as to be substantially co-extensive with the strands. The balance 20b, 22b, 24b, of each of the threads is temporarily held completely away from the selected hair portion 14. As will be seen presently, the preferable number of floss threads 20, 22, 24 is three.

The hair strands 16, and the thread portions 20a, 22a, 24a that are arranged to lie along the strands, are then braided together to form a braid 26, as shown in FIG. 2, each one of the thread portions being combined with one of the strands for braiding. This is the reason that the preferred number of floss threads is three. If there are more or less floss threads than hair strands, then some of the threads will have to be doubled up with one of the hair strands, or vice versa, when braided.

After the hair strands 16 and thread portions 20a, 22a and 24a are braided throughout their length, the bottom of the finished braid is temporarily held together. A suitable bonding adhesive 27, such as a wig-bonding adhesive, is then applied to the outside surface of the braid 26, as shown in FIG. 3, thereby forming a base cord 28. Adhesive 27 may be applied by any suitable means, such as a brush 30.

Balance portions 20b, 22b, 24b of the floss threads 20, 22, 24 are thus temporarily left to extend loosely from the top of the base cord. At this point, one balance portion 20b is selected from the three, the other balance portions 22b, 24b, being aligned along the base cord 28. As shown in FIG. 4, the chosen balance portion 20b is then looped around the base cord and other balance portions and a knot is tied, preferably a half-hitch. As shown in FIG. 5, the selected balance portion 20b is looped and tied in this manner a predetermined number of times, such as five to seven times. At that point a different balance portion 22b is selected, and the original balance portion 20b is now recombined with the base cord 28. The second balance portion 22b is then looped and tied in the same manner as was the first balance portion 20b, for a predetermined number of loops. Then the third balance portion 24b is selected, and the second balance portion 22b is recombined with the base cord 28, in the same manner. This looping and tying of the selected balance portion around the base cord 28, and periodically changing balance portions, results in a "top wrap" 31. The looping and tying is continued until a suitable length of top wrap is reached, as shown in FIG. 6.

Along the way, as also shown in FIG. 6, various hair decorations may be installed onto the base cord 28, with the looping and tying continued thereafter. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, two beads 32, 34 are slid onto the base cord 28, separated by a rondle 36, and there are several loops and knots formed thereafter in the floss threads.

When a desired length of top wrap 31 is reached, the entire combination of base cord and floss threads not yet included in the top wrap is tied in a single knot 38, as shown in FIG. 7. Any hair ends 40 and thread ends 42 that extend beyond the knot 38 are cut off. At this point additional adhesive 39, such as a suitable craft adhesive, may be applied to the cut ends of the hair strands 16 and threads 20, 22 and 24 that may still extend just slightly beyond the knot 38, to reduce the possibility of fraying.

As also shown in FIG. 7, cap 44 is then applied to the knot 38, the cap having previously been attached to a ring 46, which in turn is connected to a "lobster claw" 48, which is a reclosable hook device. According to the invention, the cap 44 is made of metal, and has petals 50 which are bendable toward each other. As can be seen in FIG. 8, the cap 44 is applied to the knot 38 by bending the petals 50 inward tightly around the knot. A substantially permanent attachment of the cap 44 to the top wrap 31 is thus achieved.

With the lobster claw 48 now attached to the end of the top wrap 31 by means of the cap 44 and ring 46, any number of decorative extensions 52, comprised of floss threads, beads, rondles, stones and so on, may be attached to the top wrap. The attachment is made by hooking the end of the extension 52, by means of a loop in the threads or by a ring 54 connected into the extension for that purpose, to the lobster claw 48.

Thus, by providing a relatively short top wrap that is inconspicuous, in fact almost invisible, when the extension is not attached, but with means for easily attaching a longer and more prominent hair decoration, the invention provides an easy way for a person to alternate between the attachment of long hair decorations, such as for evening wear, and the removal of those decorations, such as for daytime wear in an office.

While the apparatus hereinbefore described is effectively adapted to fulfill the aforesaid objects, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific preferred embodiment of apparatus and method for decorating hair set forth above. Rather, it is to be taken as including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter of the appended claims.