IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO HAIR ACCESSORIES

PERFECTIONNEMENTS APPORTES OU SE RAPPORTANT A DES ACCESSOIRES POUR CHEVEUX

English Abstract

A hair component for use within a ponytail comprising at one end (1) means that can be pushed through the band used to create the ponytail joined to a second end (2) by a narrower neck section (5) so that the band is retained within the ponytail by the band between the two ends (1,2), the means at the second end (2) can be attached to a segment of hair so providing a hair extension. A hair extension comprising the attachment provided with a segment of hair is also provided.

French Abstract

La présente invention concerne un composant pour les cheveux destiné à être utilisé dans une queue de cheval, comprenant au niveau d'une extrémité (1) un moyen qui peut être poussé à travers la bande utilisée pour créer la queue de cheval et joint à une seconde extrémité (2) par une section col plus étroite (5) de sorte que la bande est retenue à l'intérieur de la queue de cheval par la bande entre les deux extrémités (1, 2), le moyen au niveau de la seconde extrémité (2) pouvant être fixé à un segment de cheveux de façon à fournir une extension capillaire. L'invention concerne également une extension capillaire comprenant la fixation pourvue d'un segment de cheveux.

Claims

CLAIMS
1. A hair accessory for use in a ponytail comprising means at a first end
to pass through
the band that is used to create the ponytail and a narrow intermediate section
extending to the distal end of the accessory, the distal end being wider than
the
narrow intermediate section whereby the band is secured around the narrow
intermediate section.
2. An accessory according to Claim 1 comprising an attachment for a hair
piece
wherein the distal end is provided with means for the accessory of hair.
3. An accessory according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the means to
releasably
engage with the band that forms the ponytail has a tapered section at the
first end
with the taper extending away from the distal end.
4. An accessory according to any of the preceding claims wherein the means
of the
distal end to retain the hair is provided beyond the base of the tapered
section.
5. An accessory according to Claim 4 in which the distal end of the
attachment provides
a cup into which the segment of hair may be secured.
6. A hair extension comprising an accessory of any of the preceding claims
attached at
its distal end to a segment of hair.
7. A hair extension according to Claim 6 wherein the segments of hair are
from 75 to
150 grams particularly 80 to 120 grams in weight.
8. A hair accessory for use with a ponytail wherein the hair accessory is
held in place
within the ponytail by the band that forms the ponytail.
9. A hair accessory according to Claim 8 attached to a segment of hair.
10. A hair extension according to Claim 9.

Description

CA 03041023 2019-04-17
WO 2018/054978
PCT/EP2017/073785
IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO HAIR ACCESSORIES
The present invention relates to hair accessories, for use with ponytails and
is particularly
concerned with attachments for hair extension pieces and to hair extension
pieces
containing the attachment although the accessory may be used to provide bulk
to an existing
ponytail. When used to provide a hair extension piece the extension can be
used to improve
the length and volume of a ponytail. In our PCT publication W02014/128164 we
describe
ponytail extension pieces that can be held in place by the band used to create
the ponytail.
Ponytail hair extensions have traditionally been fixed into a head of hair
with a clasp or clip.
For example, a fashion accessory comprising hair attached to a claw type hair
grip that may
be attached externally to a ponytail in order to enhance the volume and length
of the ponytail
is known. When a thicker and longer ponytail is required, a clip-on ponytail
is often the
preferred device. However attachment can cause discomfort and it does not
always grip
firmly to the ponytail incurring the risk that the accessory may fall out.
Furthermore, when
the ponytail accessory is clipped in, it can be obviously perceived as fake so
that it is
obvious that one is wearing a hair accessory to promote thicker and longer
hair. This is
undesirable as the wearer usually wants others to believe that their hair is
real, rather than
fake.
In PCT publication 2014/128164 we describe a means of attachment of a ponytail
extension
comprising an arrowhead attached to a segment of hair and the arrowhead
secures the
extension within a ponytail. The hair extension is held in place by the band
used to create
the ponytail. Whilst this has proved satisfactory it has been found difficult
to apply and it has
not been found to hold the extension firmly in place; furthermore the
sharpness of the arrow
head could be a safety hazard if, for example, the wearer of the ponytail
extension was to fall
or was hit on the head.
The invention provides a hair accessory that can boost both the volume of a
ponytail and
which in one embodiment can be used to secure a hair extension into a
ponytail. The
accessory can readily be pushed directly into the head of hair, particularly
an already formed
ponytail and is retained therein by the pressure of the band that forms the
ponytail. It is
preferred that the ponytail is already formed so that the accessory can be
pushed into the
already formed ponytail through the band used to form the ponytail which holds
the hair
accessory in place. In one embodiment the invention therefore provides a hair
extension
piece that is firmly attached within a head of hair which has a natural look,
which does not
cause any discomfort and can easily be inserted and removed.
1

CA 03041023 2019-04-17
WO 2018/054978
PCT/EP2017/073785
Accordingly the invention is a hair accessory for use in a ponytail comprising
means at a first
end of the accessory to pass through the band that is used to create the
ponytail and a
narrow intermediate section extending to the distal end of the device, the
distal end being
wider than the narrow intermediate section whereby the band is secured around
the narrow
intermediate section.
The means that passes through the band releasably engages with the band that
forms the
ponytail preferably has a tapered section at the first end with the taper
extending away from
-- the distal end as this will enable the attachment means to slide readily
into the ponytail and
through and beyond the elastic band that forms the ponytail. It will also have
a smooth
surface protecting the user from damage in a fall. In a preferred embodiment
the first end
extends into a neck of narrower cross section than the first end so that the
band can be
located around the narrower section and yet be unable to pass back across the
wider upper
section. The narrow neck at the lower end of the tapered section is such that
the diameter
transverse to the axis of the attachment is narrow and can engage with the
band that forms
the ponytail and prevent the attachment from sliding back out from the
ponytail. The
attachment can however be readily removed from the ponytail due to the
elasticity of the
ponytail forming band.
The means at the distal end is wider than the narrow neck and prevents the
band from
sliding downwards and out of contact with the accessory. When the accessory is
used to
provide a hair extension the means at the distal end includes mean to retain
the hair. The
means provided beyond the narrow neck of the tapered section and is of greater
diameter
than the narrow neck to prevent the band sliding down over the distal end and
may comprise
any suitable means that retains the hair extension. The band is therefore held
in the narrow
neck section between the first end and the distal end and so holds the
attachment in place.
Where the accessory is an attachment for a hair extension the hair may be
secured
permanently to the attachment means or it may be removable so that the
attachment may be
used with different segments of hair. In a permanent arrangement the distal
end of the
attachment may provide a cup into which the segment of hair may be secured
such as by
gluing.
The hair accessory of the present invention can therefore be pushed directly
into the head of
hair which may comprise an already formed ponytail through the band that forms
the ponytail
so that it is retained in the head of hair by the pressure of the band of the
ponytail locating
2

CA 03041023 2019-04-17
WO 2018/054978
PCT/EP2017/073785
below the narrow section of the attachment means. The attachment means will
then be
locked in by removal of the band used to create the ponytail although it can
be removed by
stretching of the band that forms the ponytail that can be stretched to allow
removal of the
attachment means.
When the accessory is used to provide a hair extension the segment of hair
that forms the
extension can be such that it will both increase the volume and length of the
hair typically the
segments of hair are from 50 to 150 grams particularly 80 to 120 grams in
weight. This
invention therefore provides an accessory that can be inserted into a ponytail
such that the
pressure of the band that creates the ponytail ensures that the accessory
stays in place.
Such an accessory can also be used with hair styles other than a ponytail
providing they
support this attachment system. It is also possible to use with multiple
ponytails.
The accessory means may be of any suitable material such as metal, plastic or
wood and
should be designed to have adequate strength with the minimum increase of
weight. When
used as an attachment for a hair extension it may be removable from the
segment of hair
that is part of the accessory so that it can be used with other segments of
hair perhaps of
different sizes, shapes and/or colours.
The invention further provides a hair extension comprising an attachment
device of the
present invention attached at its distal end to a segment of hair.
Alternatively the attachment
means can be used without any hair attached to it simply to provide bulk to an
existing
ponytail. The attachment can be of any size or shape providing it satisfies
the requirements
of this invention.
The hair that is employed in a hair extension employing the accessory of the
invention may
be natural, human or animal or may be synthetic.
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings and
figures in which show alternate forms of a hair device according to the
invention.
Figure 1 shows a hair accessory according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a cutaway side view of the accessory of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is the top view of the accessory of Figures 1 and 2.
3

CA 03041023 2019-04-17
WO 2018/054978
PCT/EP2017/073785
Figure 4 shows the accessory of Figures 1 and 2 secured to a segment of hair
at its distal
end.
Any suitable materials can be used to make a hair extension of the present
invention, the
hair segment can be of different thickness, synthetic or natural hair and can
be of different
colour which can be selected according to the wishes of the user. The hair
extension can
vary in size depending on how long and thick one desires their ponytail and
the hair
extension does not require plastic grips to keep it in place.
Figure 1 shows an accessory according to the present invention having a first
end (1) and a
distal end (2). The first end (1) comprises a circular dome shaped projective
(3) and is
joined to a cup shaped projection (4) at the distal end. The dome shape (3)
and the cup
shape (4) being connected by a neck (5) of diameter less than the diameter of
the dome
shaped projection (3) and the cup shaped projection (4).
Figure 2 is a cutaway side view of the accessory shown in Figure 1 and shows
how the cup
shaped projection (4) contains an internal void (6) for the attachment of
hair.
Figure 3 is a side view of the accessory of Figure 1 showing that the dome
shaped projection
(3) provides the area for pushing through the band that creates the ponytail
and that the
neck (5) provides the area around which the band that forms the ponytail can
grip to secure
the attachment in place.
Figure 4 shows the accessory of Figure 1 as part of a hair extension with hair
(7) secured in
the internal void (6) of the cup shaped distal end of the accessory.
4

Representative Drawing