EP0819392B1

EP0819392B1 - A device for an orderly elastic squeezing of hair tufts and similar, with automatic blocking and manual unblocking

Info

Publication number: EP0819392B1
Application number: EP19960830399
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sante Orlando
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-07-18
Filing date: 1996-07-18
Publication date: 2001-09-26
Anticipated expiration: 2016-07-18
Also published as: EP0819392A1; DE69615545D1

Description

The present invention concerns a device for the elastic squeezing of hair tufts and similar, with automatic blocking and unblocking by means of mechanical finger pressure means.
It is well known that, according to the latest fashion, especially young people use to collect their hair in one single pony tail, for preventing them from falling in front of their eyes when driving a motorcycle, or even into a plurality of smaller tails with simple aesthetic purposes.
For this purpose, the girls may use clasps with a flat squeezing and both boys and girls may use small elastic cords, twisted one or twice for determining the collection of the hair.
Furthermore, said clasps do not allow to make pony tails with a round square section and, as they get easily unhooked, they can not be used while doing rough sports or water sports.
The elastic devices that get twisted around the hair tufts may be used also in doing sports, but cannot be used as an elegant accessory for female dressing.
Furthermore, when removing said devices, often hairs are torn off.
A device for the elastic squeezing of hair tufts is known from the document US 5 156 171 A.
It is the aim of the present invention to solve all above mentioned inconveniences by means of a device that allows the orderly elastic squeezing of hair tufts of any dimension, and that may be applied and taken off by means of simple and functional mechanic element.
The aim set forth is reached by means of the device according to the present invention, comprising a means of the kind of an elastic cord, with free ends, passing by sliding through a blocking means with a spring button, that determines the formation of a loop for the collection of hair tufts and their squeezing to a diameter immediately determined. The device, when taken off, is widened by sliding the mechanic means until to the stops provided on the ends of said elastic cord, thus setting free the previously squeezed hair tufts.
Besides the squeezing, the device according to the present invention may be provided with any components that may underline its aesthetic value, like a toroidal element out of any material, inside which said elastic cord slides, and/or spheroidal elements or elements of any shape, provided with passing-through holes.
The present invention will be described more in detail hereinbelow relating to the enclosed drawings, in which some embodiments are shown.
Figure 1 shows as axonometric view of a device for the elastic squeezing of hair tufts and similar, with automatic blocking and unblocking by means of mechanical finger pressure, particularly suited for forming one single pony tail.
Figure 2 shows the device according to the present invention while squeezing a hair tuft.
Figure 3 shows a variant of the device according to the present invention, suited for forming one single or a plurality of pony tails.
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 show two variants of the automatic blocking system according to the present invention, in the respective positions of sliding of the ends of the elastic cord and of blocking for the squeezing of the hair.
The enclosed figures show a device for the elastic squeezing of hair tufts and similar, with automatic blocking and unblocking by means of mechanical finger pressure, comprising:

a means for the elastic squeezing of hair tufts C of differentiated consistency, consisting of an elastic cord 1 with free ends 2, passing through opposite holes 5 of a mechanic blocking means 4 and comprising stops 6, so as to form in its continuous part a loop structure 3 that may be elastically adjusted according to the consistency of said tuft C, comprised inside said loop structure;
said mechanical blocking means 4 consisting of a button 7, with a contrast spring 8, pierced in 9 for the passage of said ends 2 of said cord 1, so that when there is no unblocking pressure, said ends are kept at the stop, due to the action of said spring 8, against the edge of said holes 5, while following to the finger pressure and to the compression of said spring 8, said ends 2 may freely slide and vary the dimension of the upper stucture 3, for freeing the hair tufts C and/or adjusting the squeezing thereof;
decorative, single elements 10, provided around said cord 1 and/or multiple decorative elements 11, to be applied along said cord.

In the variants shown in figures 4, 5, 6 and 7, the blocking means may have different shapes like spheric, cylindric 12 or symmetric 13, with a structure 14 opposite to the projecting button 7.
For what concerns the decorative elements they may have, according to the present invention, a toroidal fabric or plastic structure, like a rosette, for covering all or part of the loop 3, or also small pearls 11 or other tubular or spheric elements through which passes the cord, for forming more than one pony tail, e.g. one central and two lateral pony tails.
The device according to the present invention may also be used for the realization of clasps of high value if the decorative elements are out of precious metals like gold, silver etc.
The device as shown in the embodiments of figure 3 may also be used e.g. for squeezing a foulard.

Claims

A device for the elastic squeezing of hair tufts and similar, with automatic blocking and unblocking by means of mechanical finger pressure, characterized by:

a means for the elastic squeezing of hair tufts (C) of differentiated consistency, consisting of an elastic cord (1) with free ends (2), passing through opposite holes (5) of a mechanical blocking means (4) and comprising stops (6), so as to form in its continuous part a loop structure (3) that may be elastically adjusted according to the consistency of said tuft (C), comprised inside said loop structure;

said mechanical blocking means (4) consisting of a button (7), with a contrast spring (8), pierced in (9) for the passage of said ends (2) of said cord (1), so that when there is no unblocking pressure, said ends are kept at the stop, due to the action of said spring (8), against the edge of said holes (5), while following to the finger pressure and to the compression of said spring (8), said ends (2) may freely slide and vary the dimension of the upper stucture (3), for freeing the hair tufts (C) and/or adjusting the squeezing thereof;

decorative, single elements (10), provided around said cord (1) and/or multiple decorative elements (11), to be applied along said cord.
A device according to claim 1, characterized in the spheric shape of the blocking means (4).
A device according to claim 1, characterized in the cylindric shape (12) of the blocking means (4).
A device according to claim 1, characterized in the symmetric shape (13) of the blocking means (4), with a structure (14) opposite to the projecting button (7).
A device according to claim 1, characterized in a toroidal fabric or plastic structure, like a rosette, for covering the whole or only a part of said loop (3).
A device according to claim 1, characterized in small pearls (11) or other tubular or spheric element through which said cord (1) passes, for forming a plurality of pony tails.
A device according to claim 1, characterized in that all components are out of precious materials.
A device according to claim 1, characterized in that it may be used for squeezing foulards or similar.