Abstract
A seamless scrunchy includes an inner elastic member and an outer tube. The inner elastic member of the scrunchy lacks a seam or a knot, which may eliminate discomfort that might otherwise be caused by a conventional scrunchy.
Claims
1. A scrunchy, comprising: an outer tube defining an annular interior; and an inner elastic element comprising a continuous loop within the outer tube.
2. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the inner elastic element comprises a fabric.
3. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the inner elastic element consists of a fabric.
4. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the inner elastic element is knitted.
5. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein edges of the inner elastic element roll inwardly upon a midsection of the inner elastic element.
6. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the inner elastic element lacks a seam.
7. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the inner elastic element lacks a knot.
8. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the outer tube comprises a water-resistant fabric.
9. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the outer tube comprises a waterproof fabric.
10. A scrunchy, comprising: an outer tube defining an annular interior; and an inner elastic element comprising a continuous loop consisting of knitted fabric, the continuous loop lacking a seam or a knot.
11. The scrunchy of claim 10, wherein the outer tube comprises a water-resistant fabric.
12. The scrunchy of claim 10, wherein the outer tube comprises a waterproof fabric.
13. The scrunchy of claim 10, wherein edges of the inner elastic element roll inwardly upon a midsection of the inner elastic element.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] In the drawings:
[0011] FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of a scrunchy according to this disclosure, which includes an inner elastic element;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a split cross-sectional-outer view of the embodiment of scrunchy shown in FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a technique for defining inner elastic elements of a scrunchy according to this disclosure;
[0014] FIGS. 4-6 respectively provide perspective, end, and side views of an embodiment of an inner elastic element for a scrunchy; and
[0015] FIGS. 7A-7C show an embodiment of a method for defining an outer tube of an embodiment of a scrunchy according to this disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a scrunchy 10 and an outer tube 30 thereof. In addition to the outer tube 30, the scrunch 10 includes an inner elastic member 20, as depicted by FIG. 2.
[0017] The inner elastic member 20 may comprise or consist of fabric (e.g., a knitted yarn, woven threads or yarn, etc.). The inner elastic member 20 may have an annular shape, or a ring shape. The inner elastic member 20 may comprise a continuous loop. Thus, the inner elastic member 20 may lack two ends of an elongated element that have been secured to each other, such as a seam or a knot. In some embodiments, the shape of the inner elastic member 20 may resemble the shape of a torus (i.e., a doughnut shape).
[0018] Such an inner elastic element 20 may be manufactured by weaving a stretchable elongated tube 200, such as that depicted by FIG. 3, from a suitable yarn (e.g., a stretchable yarn, a non-stretchable yarn with a stretchable weave, a stretchable yarn with a stretchable weave, etc.). The stretchable elongated tube 200 may then be cut transversely to its longitudinal axis to provide a plurality of continuous loops, or rings 20, each of which defines an inner elastic member 20 (FIGS. 2 and 4-6). As each ring 20 is cut from the stretchable elongated tube 200, the edges 22 and 24 of each ring 20 may curl or roll inwardly into an aperture 26 of the ring 20. More specifically, the edges 22 and 24 of the ring 20 may curl or roll toward a midsection that extends around a circumference of the ring 20. This curling or rolling may impart the ring 20 and the inner elastic member 20 it defines with a shape that resembles a torus, as can be seen from FIGS. 4-6. Without limitation, each inner elastic member 20 may be configured in the manner described by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/400,031, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein.
[0019] With returned reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer tube 30 of the scrunchy 10 may comprise a gathered fabric. The outer tube 30 may also have a looped, or circular or cylindrical, configuration. The outer tube 30 may define an annular interior 31, within which the inner elastic element 20 may reside. The outer tube 30 may comprise a material that will prevent the scrunchy from slipping off of the gathered hair. As an example, the outer tube 30 may comprise a velvet or velvet-like material, although any of a variety of different fabrics may be used to form the outer tube 30. In some embodiments, the fabric may comprise a water-resistant fabric or a waterproof fabric, which may provide an embodiment of scrunchy 10 that does not retain water when it gets wet.
[0020] Turning now to FIG. 7A, the outer tube 30 (FIGS. 1 and 2) may be made from a strip of fabric 30. The strip of fabric 30 may include a pair of long edges 32 and 33 on opposite sides thereof and a pair short edges 35 and 36 at opposite ends thereof. As FIG. 7A illustrates, a length of the strip of fabric 30, i.e., a distance from end 35 to end 36, may exceed a circumference of the inner elastic member 20 (i.e., around the inner elastic member 20 in a toroidal direction). A width of the strip of fabric 30 may also exceed a distance around a radial section through the inner elastic member 20 (i.e., around the inner elastic member 20 in a poloidal direction).
[0021] As depicted by FIG. 7B, the strip of fabric 30 may be positioned around the circumference of the inner elastic member 20 and positioned around the surface of the inner elastic member 20 in such a way that the long edges 32 and 33 of the strip of fabric 30 may be brought together. As the strip of fabric 30 is positioned over the inner elastic member 20, the strip of fabric 30 may also be gathered along its length. The long edges 32 and 33 of the strip of fabric 30 may then be secured to each other, for example, by sewing, by gluing, by thermally bonding thermoplastic materials, or in any other suitable way to define a toroidal seam 38.
[0022] In addition, as shown in FIG. 7C, the short edges 35 and 36 of the strip of fabric 30 may brought together and secured to one another. The short edges 35 and 36 may be secured to each other in any suitable manner, such as by sewing, by gluing, by thermally bonding thermoplastic materials, or the like. As the short edges 35 and 36 are secured to each other, a poloidal seam 39 is defined. In some embodiments, such as that depicted by FIGS. 7A-7C, the toroidal seam 38 may be formed before the poloidal seam 39. Alternatively, the poloidal seam 39 may be formed before the toroidal seam 38. The result of these processes is an outer tube 30 of a scrunchy 10, such as that depicted by FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0023] Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, in use, an individual's hair may be gathered together, the scrunchy 10 may be stretched to increase a size of its central opening 12, and then the gathered hair may be introduced through the central opening 12 of the scrunchy 10. The scrunchy 10 may then be twisted and doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc., over the gathered hair to enable the scrunchy 10 to firmly grasp the gathered hair. The scrunchy 10 may be moved into place (e.g., to a location adjacent to the individual's head, etc.) along the gathered hair. Since the scrunchy 10 includes an inner elastic element 20 that lacks a seam or a knot, the scrunchy 10 may not cause any discomfort to the individual as she lies her head down (e.g., on a pillow, on a surface, etc.) or otherwise forces the scrunchy 10 against her head (e.g., with a hat or other headwear, etc.).
[0024] Although this disclosure provides many specifics, the specifics should not be construed as limiting the scope of any appended claim, but merely as providing information pertinent to some specific embodiments that may fall within the scopes of the appended claims. Features from different embodiments may be employed in combination. In addition, the scope of each appended claim may encompass other, undisclosed embodiments. All additions to, deletions from, and modifications of the disclosed subject matter that fall within the scopes of the claims are to be embraced by the claims.
