GB2629006A

GB2629006A - Hair clip with flexible strap

Info

Publication number: GB2629006A
Application number: GB2305409.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Muammar Bin Md Yasin Ahmad
Original assignee: Dyson Operations Pte Ltd
Current assignee: Dyson Operations Pte Ltd
Priority date: 2023-04-13
Filing date: 2023-04-13
Publication date: 2024-10-16
Also published as: WO2024213964A1; GB202305409D0; CN120957634A

Abstract

A hair clip comprises first and second jaw members 102, 104 connected by a hinge 106. The second jaw member 104 includes a first region (108, fig.3) defining a pocket 110 and a second region (112, fig. 3) disposed on an opposite side of the first region from the hinge. The second region extends along the second jaw member adjacent a corresponding region of the first jaw member when the hair clip is in a closed position. A flexible strap 118 extends across an open side of the pocket. A tress of hair is captured between the flexible strap and the first jaw member such that the flexible strap is pushed into the pocket by the captured hair, and a second portion of the tress of hair may be clamped between the second region and the corresponding region of the first jaw member. The second region may comprise a channel extending along part of its length, and a portion of the flexible strap 120 may also extend along the second region in the channel. The flexible strap may comprise gripping formations 128.

Description

HAIR CLIP WITH FLEXIBLE STRAP

BACKGROUND

A hair clip can be used to temporarily hold back a tress of hair. This can be done to allow better access to another portion of the hair for styling purposes, for example.

SUMMARY

In accordance with a first aspect, there is provided a hair clip comprising: a first jaw member; a second jaw member connected to the first jaw member by a hinge, the second jaw member comprising: a first region extending along the second jaw member from the hinge, the first region defining a pocket extending away from the first jaw member; and a second region disposed on an opposite side of the first region from the hinge, the second region extending along the second jaw member adjacent a corresponding region of the first jaw member at least when the hair clip is in a closed position; and a flexible strap extending across an open side of the pocket; wherein, in use, the clip can be used to clip a tress of hair such that: a first portion of the tress of hair is captured between the flexible strap and the first jaw member such that the flexible strap is pushed into the pocket by the captured hair; and a second portion of the tress of hair is clamped between the second region and the corresponding region of the first jaw member.

Providing separate regions for bulk hair capture (in the pocket) and hair clamping (between the second region and the corresponding region of the first jaw member) may offer flexible options for sectioning and retaining hair.

A first portion of the flexible strap may extend along at least part of the second region, such that the first portion of the flexible strap grips at least some of the second portion of the tress of hair when the second portion of the tress of hair is clamped between the second region and the corresponding region of the first jaw member.

The first portion of the flexible strap may offer additional grip along the second region without the need for a separate gripping material.

The flexible strap may extend along at least 80% of the second region.

The second region may comprise a channel extending along at least part of its length, the first portion of the flexible strap being at least partly recessed within the channel.

The channel may allow a thicker flexible strap to be used while reducing overall bulk of the hair clip.

The flexible strap may comprise one or more gripping formations.

The gripping formations may help hold the hair clip in place relative to the hair when in use.

The one or more gripping formations may be disposed only on the first portion of the flexible 20 strap.

In use, this may improve the grip on the second portion of the tress of hair clamped between the second region and the corresponding region of the first jaw member.

The second region may be at least 20%, or more preferably at least 30%, as long as the first region.

A relatively longer second region may allow for, in use, more accurate sectioning of the hair and/or may improve the grip on the second portion of the tress of hair clamped between the second region and the corresponding region of the first jaw member.

The second region may be at least 80% as long as the first region.

The first jaw member may comprise a first handle portion extending from the hinge and the second jaw member may comprise a second handle portion extending from the hinge, the first and second handle portions being disposed on an opposite side of the hinge from the first and second regions, the hair clip being configured such that squeezing the first and second handle portions towards each other causes the first and second regions of the second jaw member to pivot away from the first jaw member.

The hair clip may comprise biasing means configured to bias the hair clip towards the closed position.

The biasing means may comprise a spring.

The spring may comprise: a first engaging portion that extends along the first handle portion in a direction away from the hinge, then bends back to extend along the first handle portion in a direction towards the hinge; and a second engaging portion that extends along the second handle portion in a direction away from the hinge, then bends back to extend along the second handle portion in a direction towards the hinge.

This arrangement may reduce point loads between the first and second engaging portions and the respective first and second jaw members, which may reduce wear and/or improve longevity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a hair clip; Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the hair clip of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the hair clip of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a front perspective view of the hair clip of Figures 1 to 3, in an open position; Figures 5 to 7 are side elevation of the hair clip of Figures I to 4, in use clipping a tress of hair in various ways; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a jaw member of the hair clip of Figures 1 to 7; Figure 9 is a perspective view of a strap of the hair clip of Figures 1 to 8; Figure 10 is underside perspective view of the strap of Figure 9; Figure 11 is a detail of a section taken through lines XI-XI in Figure 8, with the strap of Figures 9 and 10 uninstalled; Figure 12 is the detail of Figure 11, with the strap of Figures 9 and 10 installed; Figure 13 is a detail of a section taken through lines XIII-XIII in Figure 8; Figure 14 is the section of Figure 12, with the strap of Figures 9 and 10 installed; and Figures 15 and 16 are side elevations of alternative hair clips.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, a hair clip 100 includes a first jaw member 102 and a second jaw member 104. First jaw member 102 is connected to second jaw member 104 by a hinge 106. First jaw member 102 and second jaw member 104 are generally elongate, and curved along their lengths to allow closer conformity to the head of a person on whom hair clip 100 is being used.

Second jaw member 104 includes a first region 108 extending along second jaw member 104 from hinge 106. First region 108 defines a pocket 110 extending away from the first jaw member 102. Pocket 110 is a recess defined, in the case of hair clip 100, by an arcuate bend in second jaw member 104.

As best shown in Figure 3, second jaw member 104 includes a second region 112 disposed on an opposite side of first region 108 from hinge 106. Second region 112 extends along second jaw member 104 adjacent a corresponding region 114 of first jaw member 102, at least when hair clip 100 is in the closed position as shown in Figures 1 to 3.

In the implementation of Figures 1 to 6, second region 112 is a similar length (+/-20%, or more particularly +/-10%) to first region 108. In other implementations, the second region is at least 80% as long as the first region. In yet other implementations, the second region is at least 30% as long as the first region. These ranges provide good compromises between the clamping force offered by the second region and the additional space for hair offered by the pocket.

First jaw member 102 and second jaw member 104 are formed from polypropylene, which is relatively heat and chemical resistant while having suitable mechanical properties. Hinge 106 is covered by a plate 116, which is formed from anodised aluminium. The skilled person will appreciate that the materials described above are examples only, and that the various elements of hair clip 100 can be formed from any other suitable material or materials.

Hair clip 100 comprises a flexible strap 118 that extends across an open side of pocket 110. Flexible strap 118 is formed from an elastomer, such as silicone, although any other suitable material or materials can be used. In this context, "flexible" means being linearly stretchable as a result of the forces placed upon it by hair when hair clip 100 is in use, as described in more detail below.

In the implementation of Figures 1 to 6, and as best shown in Figures 11 and 12, second region 112 comprises an aperture 122 extending along most of its length. A rib 124 extends inwardly along the inside of aperture U2.

A first portion 120 of strap 118 extends along second region 112. First portion 120 of strap 118 includes a channel 121 extending around its sides, channel 121 being complementary in section to rib 124. As shown in Figure 12, first portion 120 of strap 118 is retained within aperture 122 by the seating of rib 124 within channel 121. The resilient nature of the elastomer from which strap 118 is formed assists in holding strap 118 in place within aperture 122.

As best shown in Figures 9 and 10, an end of strap 118 opposite first portion 120 includes a mushroom-shaped retaining feature 123. As best shown in Figure 14, a recess 126 in second jaw member 104 adjacent hinge 106 holds retaining feature 123 in place on second jaw member 104, assisted by strap 118 being under tension when installed on hair clip 100.

Strap 118 can be replaced. First, strap 118 is stretched towards hinge 106. This allows retaining feature 123 to be disengaged from recess 126 by sliding retaining feature 123 downwards relative to hair clip 100 when positioned as shown in Figure 1. The result is shown in Figure 8 (which, for clarity, omits first jaw member 102). The other end of strap 118 is them removed from aperture 122 by pulling strap 118 downwardly to disengage channel 121 from rib 124.

The re-install strap 118 (or a new strap), the operations are reversed. Strap 118 is pushed into aperture 122 such that channel 121 seats onto rib 124, as best shown in Figure 12. Strap 118 is stretched towards hinge 106 until retaining feature 123 can be slid up into recess 126, as best shown in Figure 14. The tension on strap 118 then holds retaining feature 123 within recess 126, thereby preventing retaining feature 123 from disengaging from recess 126.

As best shown in Figures 4, 10 and 12, strap 118 includes gripping formations in the form of ribs 128, which are slightly proud of a surrounding area 148 of second jaw member 104 surrounding aperture 122. In the implementation of Figures 1 to 6, the gripping formations are formed only along the first portion 120 of strap 118, as it is along this region that increased grip is most important. Adding gripping formations to the portion of strap 118 bridging pocket 110 can increase catching or tangling of the hair within that region.

However, it will be appreciated that smaller and/or different gripping formations can be provided to the portion of strap 118 bridging pocket 110, thereby to provide a suitable compromise between additional grip and catching.

Similarly, although gripping formations along first portion 120 of strap 118 are provided in the form of ribs, any other suitable form of gripping formation, such as dots, chevrons, larger or smaller ribs running in any direction or combination of directions, random textures, or any other suitable textured, raised and/or lowered portions can be employed in this region, or any other region of strap 118.

Strap 118 extends along nearly all of second region 112. In other implementations, strap 118 extends along at least 80% of second region 112. In yet other implementations, strap 118 extends along little or none of second region I 12. For example, strap 118 can terminate in the region where first region 108 meets second region 112. In that case, an optional separate pad can be provided along at least part of second region 112 to provide additional grip if desired.

First jaw member 102 comprises a first handle portion 132 extending from hinge 106 and second jaw member 104 comprises a second handle portion 134 extending from hinge 106. First handle portion 132 and second handle portion 134 are disposed on an opposite side of hinge 106 from first and second regions 108, 112. Hair clip 100 is configured such that squeezing first and second handle portions 132, 134 towards each other causes the first and second regions 108, 112 of second jaw member 104 to pivot away from first jaw member 102, as described in more detail below.

Hair clip 100 includes biasing means in the form of a spring 130 configured to bias the hair clip 100 towards the closed position (as shown in Figures 1 to 3). Spring 130 comprises a first engaging portion 136 that extends along first handle portion 132 in a direction away from hinge 106, then bends back to extend along first handle portion 132 in a direction towards hinge 106. First engaging portion 136 effectively forms a loop along first handle portion 132.

Spring 130 comprises a second engaging portion 138 that extends along second handle portion 134 in a direction away from hinge 106, then bends back to extend along second handle portion 134 in a direction towards hinge 106. Second engaging portion 138 effectively forms a loop along second handle portion 134.

Spring 130 includes a spring coil 140 adjacent to hinge 106, from which first engaging portion 136 and second engaging portion 138 extend. Spring coil 140 is pretensioned, such that first handle portion 132 and second handle portion 134 are continuously biased away from each other, thereby biasing hair clip 100 toward the closed position shown in Figures 1 to 3.

Other forms of biasing means can be used, such as one of more leaf springs or coil springs between the first and second handle portions 132, 134. Biasing means can also be positioned to interact with other portions of first and/or second jaw members 102, 104 and/or hinge 106, in a manner known to the skilled person.

In use, hair clip 100 can be used to clip a tress 150 of hair. Tress 150 can be any suitable size that will fit within hair clip 100, and so may vary depending upon the size of hair clip 100. First jaw member 102 and second region 112 of second jaw member 104 can be used to part tress 150 out from the rest of the hair.

Clip 100 is opened by manually pinching first and second handle portions 132, 134 together, as shown in Figure 4. Tress 150 is positioned between first and second jaw members 102, 104, for example, by using a narrow end portion 152 of first jaw member 102 to part tress 150 from the rest of the hair. A first portion 142 of tress 150 can be positioned between strap 118 and first jaw member 102, and a second portion 144 of tress 150 can be positioned between second region 112 and the corresponding region 114 of first jaw member 102.

Pressure on first and second handle portions 132, 134 is then reduced, such that the bias applied by spring 130 urges hair clip 100 towards the closed position.

As shown in Figure 5, first portion 142 of tress 150 engages strap 118 and pushes it partly into pocket 110 as hair clip 100 closes. The flexible nature of strap 118 allows the first portion to be gently held within pocket 110. In addition, pocket 110 allows a considerably larger first portion 142 to be retained by hair clip 100 than if there were no pocket.

As also shown in Figure 5, second portion 144 of tress 150 is clamped between second region 112 and corresponding region 114. Because there is no flexible strap extending across a pocket in this region, greater pressure can be applied in this area than by strap 118 in first region 108. This means that hair clip 100 is more tightly clamped to tress 150 in this region, due to the clamping of second portion 144 between second region 112 and corresponding region 114.

Clip 100 can be used in other ways. For example, as shown in Figure 6, all of a tress 150 can be pushed into first region 108 to be retained by flexible strap 118, with none of tress 150 being clamped between second region 112 and corresponding region 114. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 7, all of tress 150 can be clamped between second region 112 and corresponding region 114, with none of tress 150 being pushed into first region 108 to be retained by flexible strap 118. Hair clip 100 therefore offers flexible options for holding back a tress of hair.

Figures 15 and 16 show alternative implementations, in which the relative lengths of first region 108 and second region 112 vary from the relative lengths in the implementation of Figures 1 to 6 In Figure 15, first region 108 is substantially longer than second region 112. This allows for more of tress 150 to be retained within pocket 110, and for less to be clamped between second region 112 and corresponding region 114, as compared with the implementation of Figures 1 to 4.

In Figure 16, first region 108 is substantially shorter than second region 112. This allows for less of tress 150 to be retained within pocket 110, and for more to be clamped between second region 112 and corresponding region 114, as compared with the implementation of Figures 1 to 6.

Other ratios between the lengths of first region 108 and second region 112 will suggest themselves to the skilled person.

Pocket 110 can be made deeper or shallower relative to that of the described implementations. The shape or profile of pocket 110 can also be altered. For example, instead of being arcuate as shown, pocket 110 can be generally rectangular, trapezoidal, or any other shape, including shapes that are not symmetrical. Other profiles of pocket 110 will suggest themselves to the skilled person.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a number of specific implementations, the skilled person will appreciate that the invention can be embodied in many other forms.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A hair clip comprising: a first jaw member; a second jaw member connected to the first jaw member by a hinge, the second jaw 5 member comprising: a first region extending along the second jaw member from the hinge, the first region defining a pocket extending away from the first jaw member; and a second region disposed on an opposite side of the first region from the hinge, the second region extending along the second jaw member adjacent a corresponding region of the first jaw member at least when the hair clip is in a closed position; and a flexible strap extending across an open side of the pocket; wherein, in use, the clip can be used to clip a tress of hair such that: a first portion of the tress of hair is captured between the flexible strap and the first jaw member such that the flexible strap is pushed into the pocket by the captured hair; and a second portion of the tress of hair is clamped between the second region and the corresponding region of the first jaw member.
2. The hair clip of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the flexible strap extends along at least part of the second region, such that the first portion of the flexible strap grips at least some of the second portion of the tress of hair when the second portion of the tress of hair is clamped between the second region and the corresponding region of the first jaw member.
3. The hair clip of claim 2, wherein the flexible strap extends along at least 80% of the second region.
4. The hair clip of claim 2 or 3, wherein the second region comprises a channel extending along at least part of its length, the first portion of the flexible strap being at least partly recessed within the channel.
5. The hair clip of claim 4, wherein the flexible strap comprises one or more gripping formations.
6. The hair clip of claim 4, wherein the one or more gripping formations are disposed only on the first portion of the flexible strap.
7. The hair clip of any preceding claim, wherein the second region is at least 30% as long as the first region.
8. The hair clip of any preceding claim, wherein the second region is at least 80% as long as the first region.
9. The hair clip of any preceding claim, wherein the first jaw member comprises a first handle portion extending from the hinge and the second jaw member comprises a second handle portion extending from the hinge, the first and second handle portions being disposed on an opposite side of the hinge from the first and second regions, the hair clip being configured such that squeezing the first and second handle portions towards each other causes the first and second regions of the second jaw member to pivot away from the first jaw member.
10. The hair clip of claim 9, comprising biasing means configured to bias the hair clip towards the closed position.
11. The hair clip of claim 10, wherein the biasing means comprises a spring. 25
12. The hair clip of claim 11, wherein the spring comprises: a first engaging portion that extends along the first handle portion in a direction away from the hinge, then bends back to extend along the first handle portion in a direction towards the hinge; and a second engaging portion that extends along the second handle portion in a direction away from the hinge, then bends back to extend along the second handle portion in a direction towards the hinge.