WO2018224494A1

WO2018224494A1 - Improvements in or relating to one piece hair extensions

Info

Publication number: WO2018224494A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/064758
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hannah Johnson
Original assignee: Hannah Johnson
Priority date: 2017-06-05
Filing date: 2018-06-05
Publication date: 2018-12-13
Also published as: GB201708926D0; GB2563215B; GB2563215A

Abstract

One piece hair extensions comprise strands of natural and/or synthetic hair (1) attached to a holding element (2) further comprising separate elements to which a wire can be attached to form a loop which can be used to encircle the head of the user and attach the extension within the hair of the user.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO ONE PIECE HAIR EXTENSIONS

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to one piece hair extensions. A one piece hair extension is used in particular for thickening hair, and is typically shaped like a foil or weft, and is often known as a weft extension or weft hair extension. A one piece hair extension is made up of multiple wefts joined, usually sewn together. A weft comprising strands of natural and/or synthetic hair held together by a transverse holding element which carries means for connecting within the hair of the user.

Thickening of hair may comprise one or more of lengthening and/or increasing in volume of human hair by applying a hair extension to human hair by means of a connecting element and known one piece hair extensions comprise a linear connecting element with natural or artificial hair branches arranged therefrom in a planar configuration.

Currently the connecting elements of one piece extensions are typically made up of a thick cloth/netting material and this is unduly thick and bulky. One piece extensions with a detachable wire for fitting around the users head are known but they also include the bulky cloth material. Furthermore the means of attachment within the hair of the user such as detachable Velcro clips is sometimes not strong enough to hold the hair extension in place.

Hair extensions employing a connecting element such as strip at or towards the end of the hair are known. The strip which may be of a thermoplastic material typically extends transversely across the synthetic and/or natural hair and serves the dual function of holding the hair of the extension in place and providing a location for the attachment of the hair extension within the hair of the user such as by means of clips or studs.

The problem with such hair extensions is that the strip can add considerable weight to the extension and furthermore can be uncomfortable for the user. The clips or studs can damage the user's hair as they pull on the hair and can pull it out the scalp, furthermore some people have bald patches from clipping hair extensions.

In this invention the wefts are preferably secured together by sewing and/or gluing. In the one piece hair extensions of the present invention the connecting element is made up of a thinner plastic material (polyurethane) which in one embodiment can be connected to a detachable wire for attachment to the head of the user. The wire is optional and may be permanent or adjustable; alternatively clips may be provided for attachment. Accordingly in one embodiment the present invention combines a detachable wire with the new improved thinner weft connecting elements. The wire is preferable but not essential and can be removed and the extension clipped in the natural hair down as is readily retained as the connecting element is strong and yet very light and thin. For example one can wrap it around the hair tie of a ponytail to create a thicker and longer ponytail or you can clip it in upside down to create a thicker and long ponytail.

Accordingly in one embodiment the present invention provides a one piece hair extension comprising a plurality of strands of synthetic and/or natural hair secured to a holding element at one end of the strands together with a plurality of separate elements at that end extending across the hair extension, wherein the separate elements are adapted to detachably secure the one piece hair extension to the head of the wearer optionally by means of a wire. Although clips can be used alone without a wire, the use of a wire avoids the damage that can be caused by clips and the wire also allows the hair piece to lie much lower on a person's scalp meaning it is less likely to be detected by others because there is more of the user's natural hair covering the hair piece. The wire also stretches out the material on the one piece and makes it lie much flatter to the scalp than it would if it was clipped in. Sometimes when it's clipped in, the weft can bunch up and then makes it much more easily seen by others. The wire makes the hair extensions appear more natural, because there is a less chance of anyone seeing the hair piece when the user moves the hair about. Clips can however be used to further secure the hair piece in place in certain embodiments together with the wire. The use of the wire means that, even if clips are used, the hair will not be damaged as the hair piece is being held up by the wire and so there is no pressure of the hair from the clips, the clips just further secure the hair piece in place. The clips are optional and can be detachable.

In a preferred embodiment when a wire is used it is provided with hooks at both ends and the hooks can be detachably clipped into the separate elements. In this way the wire can be hooked into the hair extension at both sides of the extension when the wire is used a band is preferably provided outside the separate elements at both edges of the hair piece through which the wire can pass and engage with the separate elements. The separate elements are provided with means to engage with the wire such as by engagement with hooks at the ends of the wire and the elements to which the wire is attached are chosen to provide the length of the wire for particular head sizes. Alternatively the wire can be cut to match the size of the head of the wearer. Once the wire is attached to the one piece hair extension, the user can section part of their hair up, the wire may then be placed over the crown area of the head and the section of hair then let down. The natural hair will cover the holding elements and the separate elements of the one piece extension and when used the wire cannot be seen although it holds the hair extension in place on the head. This avoids the need for clips which can damage the natural hair, the wire provides a clip-free alternative which does not damage the hair. Use of the wire also enables the one piece hair extension to be attached much lower down on the head so that it cannot be visible at all.

The hair extension of the invention is preferably provided with a band at either edge extending from the holding element away from the hair. The band is such that it can form a channel to contain the wire so that it can pass through the channel and extend to the element to which it is to be attached such as for example by a hook at the end of the wire.

The separate elements provide locations to which a wire can be attached and the elements to which the wire should be attached are selected to provide the desired free length of wire to conform to the head of the user. The elements may be provided with eyes to which the hooks on the wire may be engaged.

In another embodiment the hair extension may comprise detachable braids which can be provided with hooks for the attachment.

The use of the plurality of separate elements for the attachment with gaps between the segments has been found to increase the flexibility of the hair extension enabling it to more readily fit around the head of a user and furthermore it reduces the weight of the hair extension. Both of these features increasing the comfort for the individual who is using the hair extension. We have found that if the elements occupy from 10% to 40% of the width of the hair extension the synthetic and/or natural hair can be effectively held in place with the flexibility increased and the weight reduced. We prefer that the elements are made of synthetic material in particular flexible polyurethane material which is light in weight and has good adhesion to the synthetic and/or natural hair of the hair extension and is itself flexible and light in weight. This allows the use of connecting elements of thickness no more than 0.5 preferably no more than 0.2 cms and of thickness greater than 0.05 cms preferably greater than 0.1 cms, which in turn allows several wefts to be attached on top of each other to produce one piece hair extension without being too bulky. The elements may be glued to the synthetic and/or natural hair of the one piece extension or they may be applied thereto for example by solvent coating or hot melt extrusion and cured after application to form a bond with the synthetic and/or natural hair, the adhesive may be a liquid polyurethane which sets at ambient temperature which can be applied to the hair edge to reduce shedding as the hair is bonded in place during manufacture of the extension.

When a wire is attached to the separate elements of the hair extension it can provide a loop that can encircle the head of the user to retain the hair extension in place within the hair of the user. The wire may be of any suitable material but should be such that it does not cause discomfort to the user. The wire may be a thin fibre of metal, plastic or plastic coated metal. A soft plastic material is preferred to optimise the comfort for the wearer. The wire may pass through all the separate elements and may be placed on the hair prior to deposition of the material for the elements so that it is secured in place by the curing of the material. Alternatively and preferably the wire may be secured at each end to one of the elements the elements employed being chosen according to the length of wire required to encircle the head. In a preferred embodiment regardless of how the wire is attached to the elements it can be attached in a way that allows the length of the wire that is available for circling the head of the wearer to be adjusted. For example, at least one end of the wire may be releasably attached within a particular element to which it is attached so that it may be slid in or out of a channel formed within the element to decrease or increase the length of the wire that is available for circling the head of the user. The element may be provided with a clip or other form of fastener which can be activated to retain the wire in position once the desired length for circling the head of the user has been provided.

Current one piece extensions are typically sewn side by side because the material wefts are so bulky. In one embodiment of this invention the wefts are sewn on top of each other. This is possible because the preferred wefts connectors are thin and can be sewn or glued on top of each other which is not possible with the material wefts because they are so bulky. Sewing them one on top of the other can make the hair piece extension much shorter.

Accordingly in a further embodiment the invention provides a one piece hair extension in which the weft connecting element is no thicker than 0.5 cms and is preferably of synthetic material such as polyurethane.

In another embodiment the elements can also contain clips which can engage with hooks on the ends of the wire and the length of the wire available to pass around the head of the wearer can be adjusted according to which of the elements the hooks are engaged. Alternatively the length of the wire can be selected according to the requirements of the user. In a further embodiment the extension may also be provided with clips which can engage with the natural hair to provide further support for the extension. The clips may be glued or sewed into the holding element. Where clips are used if it preferred to have up to 5 clips spaced across the holding element.

A preferred one piece hair extension of this invention has at least three wefts sewn together at the top and then at least two sewn together underneath so that it looks like it has two wefts but it is actually made up of 5 wefts, the preferred one piece hair extension is also provided with five separate polyurethane elements available for attachment to the wire.

The hair can be natural or synthetic, human or animal and can be of different colours which can contain dies such as thermochronic dies which can change colour. Synthetic hair may be made from any suitable man-made fibres. The invention is illustrated by reference to the accompanying Figures in which

Figure 1 shows a one piece hair extension of the present invention together with part of a wire. Figure 2 shows how one end of the wire can be attached to the one piece extension as shown in Figure 1.

Figures 3 to 6 illustrate various ways in which a hair extension of the invention such as is illustrated in Figure 1 may be worn by a user.

Figure 1 shows a plurality of parallel strands of hair (1 ) attached to a band (2). Sections (7 and 8) at the top of the extension near the edges to which hooks (9 and 10) on a wire (1 1 ) may be attached. Each section provides a series of locations to which the hooks may be attached. The hair extension is further provided with bands (12 and 13) through which the wire (16) can pass so that the hooks can be readily attached to the appropriate segment as is illustrated by the arrows (1 1 ) in Figure 2, the attachment of hook (9) is not shown. Clips (3, 4, 5 and 6) which may be used to secure the extension to the wearers natural hair are shown although their presence is optional. The numbers in the other Figures denote the same features as in Figure 1 .

Claims

1 . A one piece hair extension comprising a plurality of strands of synthetic and/or natural hair secured to a holding element at one end of the strands together with a plurality of separate elements at that end extending across the width of the hair extension, wherein the separate elements are adapted for securing the one piece hair extension to the head of the wearer.

2. A one piece hair extension according to Claim 1 in which the separate elements are adapted to detachably secure a wire adapted for securing the one piece hair extension to the head of the wearer.

3. A one piece hair extension according to Claim 2 wherein the wire is provided with hooks at both ends.

4. A one piece hair extension according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 in which a band is provided at the outside of the separate elements at both edges of the hair piece through which the wire can pass.

5. A one piece hair extension according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein the separate elements are provided with means to engage the hooks on the wire and the elements to which the wire is attached.

6. A one piece hair extension according to any of the preceding claims wherein the separate elements are adapted with clips.

7. A one piece hair extension according to any of the preceding claims wherein the separate segments occupy from 10% to 40% of the width of the hair extension.

8. A one piece hair extension according to any of Claims 2 to 8 in which the separate segments are made of synthetic material in particular flexible polyurethane.

9. A one piece hair extension according to any of Claims 2 to 8 wherein the wire is of a thin fibre of metal, plastic or plastic coated metal.

10. A one piece extension according to any of the preceding claims comprising three wefts sewn together at the top and two sewn together underneath.

1 1 . A one piece hair extension according to any of the preceding comprising five separate elements.

12. A one piece hair extension comprising a plurality of strands of synthetic and/or natural hair secured to a holding element at one end of the strands together with a plurality of separate elements at that end extending across the width of the hair extension, wherein the holding element is no thicker than 0.5 cms.

13. A one piece hair extension according to Claim 12 in which the holding element is made of synthetic material in particular flexible polyurethane.

14. A one piece hair extension according to Claim12 or Claim 13 provided with a wire for attachment to the head of the user.

15. A one piece hair extension according to Claim 14 in which the wire is detachable.

16. A one piece hair extension according to any of Claims 12 to 15 provided with clips for attachment to the head of the user.

17. A one piece hair extension according to Claim 12 of Claim 13 including means for attachment to the head of the user comprising one or more braids provided with hooks.

18. A one piece extension according to any of Claims 12 to 17 comprising three wefts sewn together at the top and two sewn together underneath.

19. A one piece hair extension according to any of Claims 14 to 18 with five separate elements available for attachment to the wire.