BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hair clip, more particularly to a hair clip used for holding or retaining hair extensions or wigs on to the hair of a wearer, and a method to use such a clip without the use of glue or other time consuming securing method such as manual weaving, thereby greatly improving the ease in which the users and stylists can utilize hair extensions and wigs.

2. Description of the Related Art

To utilize hair extensions and wigs for its intended purpose, the users have the option of employing one of the 2 most common techniques. First is to directly attach the hair extensions to the existing hair and second is to affix the hair extension or wig to a hair clip prior to attaching the said hair clip on the existing hair of the user. Both of these said methods proved problematic for the users due to the undesirable flaws that make improvements necessary.

Directly attaching the hair extension by weaving the hair extension onto the user's existing hair by weaving is problematic due to its labor intensive, time consuming and the risks associated with the procedure. Weaving must be done by a 2nd party and cannot be carried out on oneself. During this procedure, each weft must be weaved into the hair using thread and a needle. The proximity of the needle to the scalp during this procedure makes this procedure a risky one as well.

To alleviate the labor and time issues presented by weaving, some use glue or other similar chemical adhesives directly to the scalp to attach the hair extension. This method while it improves on the labor issue somewhat since it can be self-applied, is still labor intensive, time consuming and ultimately, carries a different type of risk to the user. The chemicals present in the glue or similar adhesives results in allergic reactions on some users as well as hair being pulled from the scalp during the removal process due some strands of hair stuck to glue residues. Furthermore, prolonged usage could result in permanent hair loss due to the adverse effect the repeated glue/adhesive use has on the scalp and the skin pores.

Users also have the option of using hair clips to avoid the problems posed by the procedures that directly attach hair extension to hair mentioned above. Users commonly attach the hair extensions to the hair clip by using glue or other similar adhesives. Glue or adhesives are put on the weft or a track of the hair extension, which would then be attached to the horizontal rim of a hair clip. Some users also use thread and needle to sew the hair weft on to the hair clip.

While these methods using the hair clips don't present the same health related issues on the users compared to the methods where glue or weaving directly onto the users scalp and hair, respectively, the problems involving time and labor still remain.

Clearly, there is room in the art and for improvements in the associated device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention address the aforementioned problems of the prior art by providing a clip with protrusions and methods to attach hair extension or wig that features a weft or a track to the present invention without using any adhesives or other fastening measures.

It's a principal objective of the invention to provide a hair clip with at least 2 latitudinal and 1 longitudinal side at various lengths with at least 1 set of protrusions on one of the said latitudinal sides. The said clip further comprises of a comb member that spans from the upper latitudinal side to the lower latitudinal side and the said lower latitudinal side features a material or a surface finish adapted to frictionally engage the hair of a wearer. Furthermore, the said clip may feature at least 1 set of 2 cut outs on the body of the said clip to serve as sewing holes, providing additional fastening option for the wearer.

The said clip contemplates variations of protrusion types and its placements on the said clip and variations of the said comb member. If the said clips are made of pliable material, such as metal, a user can manually set the desired angle of the protrusions. The said clip can take on either convex or concave formation and depending on the said formation. In the convex configuration, the said comb member may contact the lower latitudinal rim.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method to efficiently attach and remove hair extensions or wigs that feature a weft or track to the said protrusions on the said clip.

These together with other objectives are met by embodiments of the present invention, along with various features of novelty that characterizes these embodiments, which are pointed out with particularity in the remainder of this application. For a better understanding of the present invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are disclosed preferred and alternative embodiments

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the front side illustrating a hair clip according to two example embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the reverse side illustrating a hair clip according to one example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a hair clip with alternate comb configuration according to one example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the front side of the hair clip featuring various configurations of holes on the body of the present invention to enable sewing according to example embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the front side illustrating a hair clip containing additional protrusion members according to each respective example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the front side of the hair clip featuring protrusion parallel to the plane of the body of the hair clip according to one example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is plan views of the front side of the hair clip featuring protrusions member perpendicular to the plane of the body of the hair clip according to each respective example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 are examples of alternate protrusion types illustrating a hair clip according to each respective example embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 9 are examples of hair clip in a concave configuration illustrating a hair clip according to one example embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 10 are examples of hair clip in a convex configuration illustrating a hair clip according to one example embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 11 is an example of a weft on an hair extension and an exploded view of a weft according to one example embodiment.

FIG. 12 is an example of an inside of a wig according to one example embodiment

FIG. 13 is an example of the hair clips with alternate protrusions shown in FIG. 8 attached to a weft of a hair extension.

FIG. 14 is an example of the hair clips with alternate protrusions shown in FIG. 8 attached to a weft of a wig.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The preferred embodiment referenced herein is illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows the front side of the hair clip 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the hair clip is a flat, thin bodied closed rim 2 similar to what's commonly known as bendy hair clip type commonly used to attach hair extensions or wigs that features at least 2, upper 3 and lower 4 latitudinal sides with at least 1 or more longitudinal side 5. The said upper latitudinal side 3 features a set of protrusions 6 consisting plurality of teeth 7 which are used to attach and hold the hair extension or wig to the said clip. Individual teeth of the said protrusions 6 should be spaced equidistant from one tooth to next 9 to enhance even and consistent hold of the weft to the said clip. The said upper latitudinal side also features a comb member 12 running parallel to a said longitudinal side. 5 The said lower latitudinal 4 side features a material or surface finish 10 adapted to frictionally engage the hair of a wearer. A material such as rubber or silicon 10 wraps around the span of the said lower latitudinal side 4. These rubber members 10 provide added friction for the clip to hold on to the strands of hair on a user's scalp, which helps to keep the said clip on its desired location.

FIG. 2 shows the reverse side 11 of the said hair clip and demonstrates the said upper latitudinal side 3 featuring a comb member 12 that spans the interior rim 13 of the said hair clip from the inner edge 14 of the said latitudinal side 3 to the lower latitudinal side. 4 Said comb 12 is attached to only the upper latitudinal rim 3 and spans to overlap or exceed the width of the lower latitudinal side. 4

FIG. 3 demonstrates the present invention with one of the alternate configurations 15 of the said comb member and contemplates any shape or formation that is designated to function as a mean to secure the said clip to its intended location to be attached and is located in the same location as the said comb member.

FIG. 4 depicts the said hair clips featuring various configurations of cut outs 16 on the body of the clip 2 contemplated to be used for further securing measures such as thread. Said cutouts 16 offer the users additional ability to utilize this present invention. The said cutout 16 could be 1 set of 2 holes on the center point 16 of longitudinal sides or 2 sets of 2 holes at the each of the corners of the body of the pin 17 or 3 sets of 2 holes placed equidistant along the said longitudinal sides of the clip. 18

FIG. 5 depicts the said hair clip featuring additional sets of protrusions 20, 21 on the clip in addition to or in place of the said upper latitudinal part. For example, the present invention contemplates a clip where an additional set of protrusion 6 may be found on the lower latitudinal side 4, as well as another variation of present invention where an extra latitudinal side 22 where a set of protrusion 21 could also be found.

Said protrusions 6 could extend at various angles with respect to the body 2 of the said hair clip. The plan view of the front side of the hair clip, 1 the angle in which the said protrusion extends from the body of the said clip could range from 0 degrees to 90 degrees.

FIG. 6 demonstrates an example of the said hair clip with 0 degree, or protrusion parallel to the surface of the body of the said clip 24 and FIG. 7 demonstrates an example of said hair clips featuring protrusions that are 90 degrees to the body of the clip. 25 Should the said hair clips be made from pliable materials such as various types of metals or silicon, users would be able to manually set the desired angle. The variation of said protrusion angles 24, 25 allow the user to choose the protrusion angle that best suit their needs.

FIG. 8 demonstrates possible variations of the shape of said individual protrusions 26, 27, 28 comprising, not limited to, such as straight needle point protrusion 26, protrusion with a ball-point end 27 and a hook-like protrusion. 28

FIG. 9 depicts the said hair clip in a concave configuration 29 where the clip is â€œopenedâ€ by moving the said comb member 12 away from the said lower latitudinal portion 4 of the clip which allows the said pin to be attached to the desired location of user's choice.

FIG. 10 depicts the convex configuration, 30 which â€œclosesâ€ the clip by moving the said comb member 12 directly top 36 of the lower latitudinal portion 4 of the clip, which allows the comb member to hold on to the location of its placement.

The said hair clip can take on either concave 29 or convex 30 configuration depending on the configuration set by the wearer wherein the configurations can be changed back and forth by pushing in the center of the pin 33 while holding the distal end. 34

Hair clip is arcuate 31 in shape to conform to the contour of a head when in a convex form 30 and reverses its arcuate arc 32 when switched to a concave form. 29

The Method to Attach the Hair Clip to Hair Extensions and Wigs.

A user can attach any hair extensions or wigs that feature a weft or a track 37 to the said hair clip by sliding the weft portion of a hair extension through the said protrusions 6, 20, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28 on the said clip. FIG. 11 depicts an example of an hair extension 40 featuring a track 37 and the exploded view of the said track. 37 FIG. 12 depicts an example of an interior portion of the wig 39 that feature mesh-like parts 38 which is commonly used to attach the hair clip. It should be noted that these representations are only exemplary

The present invention can be used on the said hair extensions 40 and wigs 39 by simply sliding the individual protrusions 8 through the said track 37 or mesh, 38 respectively. Said hair clip 1 and its said protrusions in various said formations 20, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28 function to hold on to the hair extension 40 or a part of a wig 39 by gathering the fibers of the hair on the said extension and/or weft in between the space of the said individual comb teeth. During the process to attach the said clip to an hair extension or a wig, the said front surface of the clip 1 should be facing the inside portion of the hair extension or wig, in other words, the orientation that features the said vertical comb 12 portion without any obstruction by the said lower latitudinal member 4 would face away from the hair extension 40 or mesh 38 of the wig. The process can be repeated for the aforementioned variations of the clips with 2 or 3 rows of protrusions to allow multiple hair extensions to be attached to a single said clip.

FIG. 13 demonstrate examples 42, 43, 44 of the present invention and its various protrusion types 26, 27, 28 referenced in FIG. 8 attached to the hair extension 40 and FIG. 14 depicts the said hair clip 1 attached to inside mesh 38 of the wig. 39 It should be noted that the clip placements depicted in the figures are exemplary and the wearer has the option to place the said clips on the location best fit.

Each of the said protrusion variations 26, 27, 28 have its advantages where a needlepoint protrusions 26 are designed to be easiest to put on the weft of an hair extension or a wig, while the ball-point point 27 and hook protrusion 28 variations would offer stronger hold between the said clip 43, 44 to the hair extension 40 or a wig. 39

Hair extension 40 or a wig 39 can be removed from the said protrusions 26, 27, 28 by simply pulling away the hair extension 40 or a wig 39 from the protrusions 26, 27, 28 to which it is attached. The lack of complicated securing methods allow the user to freely attach and remove the hair extensions from the said hair clip unlike the existing comparable methods and allows for hair extensions and said clips to be reused.

The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.