MULTIPLE SECTION HAIR CLIP

Abstract

A hair sectioning clip for quickly and easily inserting/removing multiple sections of hair during a cut, color or styling process. The lower jaw and upper jaw are manipulated into an open and shut position by a set of finger grip structures. The secondary jaw is manipulated into an open and shut position only by the force of sliding hair sections in between and out from the space between the upward curved tip and upper jaw. The upward curved tip allows the user to easily insert and remove multiple sections of hair quickly without the use of a second hand.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to hair clips, and more specifically, to a hair clip for anchoring multiple sections of hair.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Both professional hair stylists and do-it-yourselfers at home use a number of tools and accessories. Traditional hair clips are used to separate and/or position a section of hair. Hair clips may be used on wet or dry hair during a number of different tasks such as hair cutting, hair coloring, drying hair, hair styling, and applying hair extensions. Hair clips may also be used as a tool to sculpt hair or to keep hair off of a person's face while applying makeup.

[0005] Hair clips are well known and come in a few common types. One type of hip clip includes jaws pushed together by the force of a spring. This type of clip requires two hands to operate, one to hold open the jaw by compressing a set of finger grip structures, and another to insert a section of hair into the jaw. Multiple hair clips need to be used to separate and/or secure multiple sections of hair.

[0006] Another type of hair clip is similar to the 1.sup.st type, but with a second jaw above the 1.sup.st set of jaws with a second upper finger grip structure to push open the second set of jaws. The second set of jaws hold a second section of hair. This type of clip still requires the user to use one hand to push on a second set of finger grip structures to open the jaws and another hand to insert the hair section.

[0007] It is desirable to provide a hair clip that avoids the foregoing disadvantages of known hair clips. It is to these ends the present invention is directed.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Accordingly, the present invention provides for a quick and simplified way of sectioning hair during a cut, color or styling process. The present invention saves user time in manually opening and closing a hair clip by compressing a set of finger grip structures each time an new section of hair is removed and inserted. The upward curved tip on the secondary body allows the user to insert, remove and restrain multiple sections of hair without the use of a second hand.

[0009] A hair clip includes a lower body with a lower jaw, a lower joint, and a lower finger grip. An upper body includes an upper jaw, a first upper joint, a second upper joint, and an upper finger grip, where the first upper joint is rotatably coupled to the lower joint. A secondary body includes a secondary jaw, a secondary joint and an upward curved tip, where the secondary joint is rotatably coupled to the second upper joint. A primary spring couples to the lower body and the upper body, where the primary spring is configured to push the upper jaw towards the lower jaw. A secondary spring couples to the upper body and the secondary body, where the secondary spring is configured to push the secondary jaw towards the upper jaw. An upward curved tip which allows the secondary jaw and upper jaw to move into an open and shut position by the force of sliding a section of hair in between the opening between the upward curved tip and the upper jaw.

[0010] These and other aspects of the present invention will become more fully understood upon further review of the following specifications and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a hair clip in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded assembly view of the hair clip of FIG. 1.

[0014] FIG. 3 illustrates a lower body of the hair clip of FIG. 1.

[0015] FIG. 4 illustrates an upper body of the hair clip of FIG. 1.

[0016] FIG. 5 illustrates a secondary body of the hair clip of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] A hair clip will now be described. In the following exemplary description numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to an artisan of ordinary skill that the present invention may be practiced without incorporating all aspects of the specific details described herein. In other instances, specific features, quantities, or measurements well known to those of ordinary skill in the art have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the invention. Readers should note that although examples of the invention are set forth herein, the claims, and the full scope of any equivalents, are what define the true scope of the invention.

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a hair clip in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Some exemplary embodiments of a hair clip include a lower body, an upper body, and a secondary body. The lower body is movably coupled to the upper body and the upper body is movably coupled to the secondary body.

[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded assembly view of a hair clip in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The exploded view includes a lower jaw 104, a primary spring 107, a primary pin 109, an upper jaw 204, a secondary spring 207, a secondary pin 209, and a secondary jaw 304. The lower jaw 104 is movably coupled to the upper jaw 204 by a primary spring 107 and primary pin 109 and the upper jaw 204 is moveably coupled to the secondary jaw 304 by a secondary spring 207 and secondary pin 209.

[0020] FIG. 3 illustrates a lower body of a hair clip in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The lower body includes a lower jaw 104, a lower joint 106, and a lower finger grip 102. In some exemplary embodiments of a hair clip, the lower body has a long and thin planar shape. The lower body may comprise of any sturdy construction material such as metal, plastic, or fiberglass. The lower body may be either substantially straight or curved. The lower jaw 104 forms one end of the lower body and the lower finger grip 102 forms the opposite end of the lower body. The lower joint 106 is typically positioned above a lower body surface near an intersection of the lower finger grip 102 and the lower jaw 104. The lower jaw 104 may include teeth or protrusions 108 on one side of an otherwise smooth surface.

[0021] FIG. 4 illustrates an upper body of a hair clip in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The upper body includes an upper jaw 204, a first upper joint 205, a second upper joint 206, and an upper finger grip 202. In some exemplary embodiments of a hair clip, the upper body has a long and thin planar shape that substantially matches the lower body in size. The upper body may comprise of any sturdy construction material such as metal, plastic, or fiberglass. The lower body may be either substantially straight or curved and in some embodiments, may match the upper body in shape. The upper jaw 204 forms one end of the upper body and the upper finger grip 202 forms the opposite end of the upper body. The first upper joint 205 is typically positioned below an upper body surface near an intersection of the upper finger grip 202 and the upper jaw 204. The second upper joint 206 is typically positioned opposite the first upper joint 205. The upper jaw 204 may include teeth like protrusions 208 on one side of an otherwise smooth surface.

[0022] The first upper joint 205 is movably coupled to the lower joint 106. In some embodiments, the movable coupling of the first upper joint 205 and the lower joint 106 may be a rotational coupling allowing the lower body to rotate relative to the upper body about an axis of rotation at the upper joint 205 and the lower joint 106. Rotating the lower body relative to the upper body allows the lower jaw 104 to move towards or away from the upper jaw 204 and thus allowing the lower jaw 104 and the upper jaw 204 to open and shut. A primary pin 109 and primary spring 107 couples to the upper body and the lower body and is used to rotationally compress the lower jaw 104 and the upper jaw 204 towards each other into a shut position.

[0023] A user may compress the lower finger grip 102 towards the upper finger grip 202 to pry the lower jaw 104 away from the upper jaw 204 in to an open position. While holding the lower finger grip 102 and upper finger grip 202 compressed with a single hand, the user may then insert the upper jaw 204 and the lower jaw 104 into a head of hair to separate a section of hair between the upper jaw 204 and the lower jaw 104. The lower jaw 104 and the upper jaw 204 will return to the shut position when the user ceases to compress the lower finger grip 102 towards the upper finger grip 202.

[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates a secondary body of a hair clip in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A secondary body includes a secondary jaw 304, a secondary joint 306 and an upward curved tip 309. The secondary body may comprise of any sturdy construction material such as metal, plastic, or fiberglass.

[0025] The secondary joint 306 is movably coupled to the second upper joint 206. In some embodiments, the movable coupling of the secondary joint 306 and the second upper joint 206 may be a rotational coupling allowing the secondary body to rotate relative to the upper body about an axis of rotation at the secondary joint 306 and the second upper joint 206. Rotating the secondary body relative to the upper body allows the secondary jaw 304 to move towards or away from the upper jaw 204 and thus allowing the secondary jaw 304 and the upper jaw 204 to open and shut. A secondary pin 209 and secondary spring 207 couples to the upper body and the secondary body and is used to rotationally compress the secondary jaw 304 and the upper jaw 204 towards each other into a shut position.

[0026] The secondary body includes an upward curved tip 309. The upward curved tip 309 of the secondary jaw 304 allows the user to slide multiple sections of hair into and out from the opening in between the upward curved tip 309 and upper jaw 204 forcing the secondary jaw 304 to open and close.

[0027] While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A hair clip comprising: a lower body with a lower jaw, a lower joint, and a lower finger grip; an upper body with an upper jaw, a first upper joint, a second upper joint, and an upper finger grip, wherein said first upper joint is coupled to said lower joint, and wherein a primary spring force is configured to push said upper jaw towards said lower jaw; and a secondary body with a secondary jaw, a secondary joint, a secondary spring, and an upward curved tip wherein said secondary joint is coupled to said second upper joint, and wherein a secondary spring force is configured to push said secondary jaw towards said upper jaw.

2. The hair clip of claim 1, wherein said secondary jaw and upper jaw move away from each other in an opened position only by the force of an object forced through the opening between the upward curved tip and upper jaw.

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