WIG CLIP ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A wig base is provided with one or more wig clip assemblies, each comprising two or more wig clips. Each of the wig clips comprises a set of comb teeth movable by a toggle action alternatively toward and away from a connecting part for gripping a lock of a wearer's natural hair. The wig clips of each wig clip assembly are connected by a connecting member and preferably rotatable relative to the connecting member. The connecting of the two wig clips to each other helps to ensure that the a given wig clip remains in place even if it becomes fully or partially disengaged from the wearer's natural hair. Rotation of the wig clips relative to the connecting member ensures that the connection does not interfere with the wearer's comfort.

Claims

1. A wig clip assembly comprising first and second wig clips each wig clip having an elongated part and a set of comb teeth movable toward and away from said elongated part, said wig clips being connected to each other by an elongated connecting strip.

2. A wig clip assembly comprising: first and second frames, each frame comprising first and second elongated parts each having first and second opposite ends, a first connecting part connecting the first end of the first elongated part to a first end of the second elongated part, and a second connecting part connecting the second end of the first elongated part to a second end of the second elongated part; a set of comb teeth extending from the first elongated part, and past the second elongated part, of each frame, said set of comb teeth disposed between the connecting parts of each of said first and second frames, part from said first elongated part; and a connecting member secured to each of said first and second frames, and extending from the first of said frames to the second of said frames.

3. A wig clip assembly according to claim 2, in which said connecting member is secured to said first and second frames by a pair of fasteners, said fasteners allowing relative rotation of each of said frames relative to said connecting member.

4. A wig clip assembly according to claim 2, in which said connecting member is secured to said first and second frames by a pair of rivets, said rivets allowing relative rotation of each of said frames relative to said connecting member.

5. A wig clip assembly according to claim 2, in which said connecting member is secured to said first and second frames by a pair of fasteners, each of said fasteners being located at one of said first and second opposite ends of the first elongated part of each of said frames.

6. A wig clip assembly according to claim 2, in which said connecting member is secured to said first and second frames by a pair of rivets, each of said rivets being located at one of said first and second opposite ends of the first elongated part of each of said frames.

7. A wig clip assembly according to claim 2, in which said connecting member is secured to said first and second frames by a pair of fasteners, each of said fasteners being located at one of said first and second opposite ends of the first elongated part of each of said frames, said fasteners allowing relative rotation of each of said frames relative to said connecting member.

8. A wig clip assembly according to claim 2, in which said connecting member is secured to said first and second frames by a pair of rivets, each of said rivets being located at one of said first and second opposite ends of the first elongated part of each of said frames said rivets allowing relative rotation of each of said frames relative to said connecting member. It is also possible to produce a wig clip assembly composed of more than two wig clips connected to one another by connecting members. for example a wig clip assembly in accordance with the invention can be composed of three wig clips and two connecting members.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a wig clip assembly in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, showing the side thereof that faces the inside of a wig base;

[0015] FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a wig clip assembly in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, also showing the side thereof that faces the inside of a wig base;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the relationship of the wig clip assembly of the first embodiment and a wig base;

[0017] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of wig base having three wig clip assemblies in accordance with the invention; and

[0018] FIG. 5 is an elevational view showing how a conventional wig clip is sewn to a wig base.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] The wig clip assembly 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises two wig clips of the kind shown in FIG. 5. The wig clip 12 in FIG. 5 comprises a first elongated part 14 and a second elongated part 16. A first connecting part 18, which is unitary with parts 14 and 16, connects a first end 20 of the first elongated part 14 to a first end 22 of the second elongated part 16. A second connecting part 24 connects the second end 26 of the first elongated part 14 to a second end 28 of the second elongated part.

[0020] In the wig clip shown in FIG. 5, connecting part 24 is shorter than connecting part 18 and is composed of overlapping extensions of elongated parts 14 and 16, riveted together at an intermediate location between ends of the respective elongated parts.

[0021] A comb 30 is secured by rivets 32 to the first elongated part 14, and its comb teeth, e.g. teeth 34, are disposed between the connecting parts 18 and 24. The teeth of comb 30 extend past the second elongated part 16 and are movable, by a toggle action, into and out of contact with an elastomeric sleeve 36 which fits onto part 16. The toggle action, which can be achieved by fastening the two parts of connecting part 24 together by a rivet 37 extending through holes in the respective parts of connecting part 24, the holed being positioned so that elongated part 14 is under longitudinal tension, thereby maintaining elongated part 16 in longitudinal compression. Bent one way, part 16 has a first stable condition in which its sleeve 36 is out of contact with the comb teeth, and a second stable condition in which its sleeve 36 is urged toward the comb teeth.

[0022] The wig clip is secured to a wig base by stitches 38, which extend through holes formed in the wig clip and through hollow parts of the several rivets of that secure parts of the wig clip together.

[0023] Returning to FIG. 1, the frames of two wig clips, 40 and 42, each of which is structurally similar to the wig clip 12 in FIG. 5, are connected together by a connecting member 44. The connecting member 44 is in the form of an elongated strip of metal having parallel upper and lower edges as shown in FIG. 1 and rounded ends. The strip is sufficiently thin, in the direction perpendicular to the plane in which FIG. 1 is rendered, that it can be bent to conform to the curvature of the wig base to which it is attached. The metal strip is preferably non-resilient so that, when bent, it remains bent.

[0024] Connecting member 44 is secured at one of its ends by rivet 46 to wig clip 40 and, at its opposite end, by rivet 48 to wig clip 42. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, rivet 46 is positioned at the location at which the shorter connecting part 52 of wig clip 40 (which corresponds to connecting part 24 in FIG. 5) meets the first elongated part 50 (which corresponds to the first elongated part 14 in FIG. 5). Rivet 48 is positioned at the location at which the longer connecting part 54 of wig clip 42 meets the first elongated part 56 of wig clip 42.

[0025] Rivets 46 and 48 preferably allow rotation of the wig clip frames relative to the connecting member 44 about the rivet axes. The connecting member 44, however, keeps the wig clip frames at a fixed distance from each other along the direction of the connecting member, and also affords some resistance to twisting of the assembly about an axis extending along the direction of the connecting member.

[0026] FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of a wig clip assembly comprising wig clips 58 and 60, connected by a connecting member 62. This wig clip assembly is substantially the same as the wig clip assembly of FIG. 1, except that the connecting parts of each of the frames are of the same length, the comb teeth of each wig clip are unitary with one of the elongated parts, the other elongated part is riveted at both ends to connecting parts, and the connecting member 62 is secured to connecting parts 64 and 66 of the frames at intermediate locations between the elongated parts 68 and 70 of wig clip 58 and between the elongated parts 72 and 74 of wig clip 60.

[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates the wig clip assembly 10 secured to the inside of a dome-shaped wig base 76 composed of a flexible fabric net. Each of the wig clips 40 and 42 of the wig clip assembly 10 can be sewn or secured by other suitable means to the wig base. Preferably the wig clip assembly is fastened to the interior of the wig base at a location adjacent to the edge 78. The elastomeric sleeves, corresponding to sleeve 36 in FIG. 5, are in contact with the fabric of the wig base, and the comb teeth, which can be toggled into and out of contact with the elastomeric sleeve, are situated on the side of the elastomeric sleeve that faces toward the central part of the interior of the wig base. The comb teeth in the embodiment illustrated protrude from the inside of the wig base toward the opening of the wig base. However, in alternative embodiments, the wig clip assembly can be secured to the wig base in such a way that the comb teeth protrude toward the peak of the wig base.

[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates the inside of a wig base 80, having three identical wig clip assemblies 82, 84, and 86, each corresponding to the wig clip assembly in FIG. 1. The wig clips assemblies can be disposed at uniform intervals about the perimeter of the wig base, or in any desired pattern. Preferably the wig clip assemblies are positioned to ensure that the wig base can be properly secured to the wearer's natural hair.

[0029] When the wig base is in place on the wearer's head, with its wig clip assemblies secured to the wearer's natural hair, even if one of the wig clips of a given wig clip assembly becomes detached from the wearer's natural hair, the connecting member, e.g., connecting member 44 in FIG. 1 or 62 in FIG. 2 maintains a connection between the detached wig clip and the other wig clip of the same wig clip assembly, and limits movement of the detached wig clip and the adjacent portion of the wig base. Thus, in the case where wide or heavy hair extension wefts are woven to the wig base, even if an adjacent wig clip becomes partially or fully detached from the wearer's natural hair, the connecting member limits movement of the hair extension weft, ensuring that the wig does not become noticeably displaced. However, the rivets that connect the wig clips to the connecting member allow a degree of rotation of the wig clips relative to the connecting member, thereby preventing discomfort to the wearer. The connecting member also serves to distribute stress, which also contributes to the wearer's comfort.

[0030] Modifications can be made to the embodiments described. As mentioned, the wig clip assemblies can be inverted so that the comb teeth protrude toward the peak of the wig base. The number of wig clip assemblies secured to a particular wig base can be varied. For example, a given wig base can be provided with two or four wig clip assemblies, each composed of two wig clips connected by a connecting member. Alternatively, a given wig base can be provided with one or more wig clip assemblies and also with one or more individual wig clips.