Hair clip apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10945504-B2
Application number	US-201816158906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2018
Priority date	Oct 12, 2018
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

A hair clip apparatus includes a tongue, a clasp and a plurality of hair engaging teeth. The clasp cooperates with the tongue to retain the hair in a desired styling effect. The hair engaging teeth are spaced from the clasp and the tongue to engage hair surrounding the clasp and the tongue. The hair clip apparatus is retained in the volume of hair by trapping the hair between the clasp and the tongue, and also via the hair engaging teeth. The hair engaging teeth also are arranged to retain and secure hair between adjacent teeth, and also trap hair between the inner surfaces of the teeth and the base and/or tongue.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hair clip apparatus, comprising:
a base;
a tongue extending from the base and defining a longitudinal axis;
a clasp extending longitudinally from the base, the clasp configured for movement relative to the base between a closed condition adjacent the tongue and an open condition at least partially spaced from the tongue to permit entry of hair between the clasp and the tongue, the clasp being normally biased toward the closed condition to trap the hair disposed between the clasp and the tongue; and
a plurality of hair engaging teeth extending longitudinally from the base and distinct from the tongue, the hair engaging teeth being spaced from the tongue along a vertical axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the hair engaging teeth configured to engage a neighboring volume of hair to resist removal of the clasp and the tongue relative to the hair trapped therebetween;
wherein the hair engaging teeth define a longitudinal length less than respective longitudinal lengths defined by the tongue and the clasp.

2. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 1 wherein adjacent hair engaging teeth are laterally spaced with respect to each other, and configured to retain hair therebetween.

3. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the hair engaging teeth each include an enlarged midsegment relative to segments of each hair engaging teeth adjacent the enlarged midsegment, the enlarged midsegment of adjacent hair engaging teeth cooperating to facilitate retention of hair within the hair engaging teeth.

4. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the hair engaging teeth and at least one of the base or the tongue are configured to trap hair therebetween to facilitate retention within the hair.

5. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the hair engaging teeth and the tongue are disposed in general parallel relation to facilitate entry of hair therebetween.

6. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the tongue and the clasp each define a substantially concave profile when the clasp is in the closed condition.

7. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the hair engaging teeth are substantially linear.

8. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the tongue is substantially linear and in general parallel relation with the hair engaging teeth when the clasp is in the open condition.

9. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the clasp defines a substantially convex profile when the clasp is in the open condition.

10. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the clasp includes a pair of legs, the legs coupled at first longitudinal ends thereof to the base in spaced relation and coupled to each other at second longitudinal ends thereof.

11. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the clasp is configured to articulate relative to the base to transition between the closed condition and the open condition thereof.

12. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the longitudinal length of the hair engaging teeth is less than one-half the respective lengths of at least one of the tongue and the clasp.

13. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the longitudinal length of the hair engaging teeth is less than one-half the respective lengths of each of the tongue and the clasp.

14. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the tongue defines a longitudinal slot relative to the longitudinal axis.

15. The hair clip apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least portions of the clasp are spaced from the tongue when the clasp is in the closed condition.

Assignees

• Conair

Inventors

• Lafauci Mariagrazia

Classifications

• A45D8/14 Primary

  Hair grips, i.e. elastic single-piece two-limbed grips · CPC title

• A45D8/32 Primary

  with double-bow; with U-shaped limbs · CPC title

• A45D8/10

  with teeth · CPC title