Hair clip with appendage to create a fuller thicker pony tail

Abstract

A device to add height to a pony tail comprising a dome-shaped appendage integrally connected to a clip through a stem, the appendage having a plurality of arrow-shaped dowels of various shapes and lengths on its surface to trap and hold the hair in place over it so that the hair does not slide and fall to the sides, exposing the device. The clip of the device is comprised of a handle and two prongs connected at their bases through a round pin with a spring inserted around the pin to maintain the two prongs in continuous tension so that the clip with the appendage stays securely within the pony tail and does not fall off.

Claims

1. A device for adding height to a pony tail, said device comprising: a dome shaped appendage structure; said dome shaped appendage structure having a top surface with a plurality of arrow-shaped dowels to hold a plurality of hair of said pony tail securely in place over said dome shaped appendage structure; a stem structure having a broad top end and an opposed narrower bottom end; a clip structure consisting of: a first prong and a second prong; said first prong and said second prong of said clip structure connected hingedly to each other at their bases through a round pivot pin and held together in continuous tension through a torsion spring inserted around said round pin structure; and a substantially crescent-shaped handle structure protruding outwardly from said second prong of said clip structure said broad top end of said stem structure integrally attached to a bottom end of said dome shaped structure; said narrower bottom end of said stem structure integrally attached to said first prong of said clip structure.

2. The device as described in claim 1 wherein the plurality of arrow-shaped dowels on the top surface of the dome-shaped appendage structure are arranged in rows to securely hold the plurality of pony tail hairs draped over the dome shaped appendage structure, thereby preventing said plurality of pony tail hairs from sliding to opposed sides of the dome shaped appendage structure and exposing the dome shaped appendage structure when the dome shaped appendage structure is inserted between the pony tail hairs to enhance and create volume and height to said pony tail.

3. The device as described in claim 1 wherein said broad top end of said stem structure integrally attached to said bottom end of said dome shaped appendage structure and said narrower bottom end of said stem structure integrally attached to said first prong of said clip structure holds said dome shaped appendage structure at an angle.

4. The device as described in claim 1 wherein said substantially crescent-shaped handle structure protrudes outwardly from the second prong of said clip structure and is used for opening and closing the first prong and the second prong of the clip structure.

5. A method for adding height to a pony tail style using the device of claim 1, said method comprising: a) providing the device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of arrow-shaped dowels are configured to trap and hold the plurality of pony tail hairs, thereby preventing said pony tail hairs from sliding to opposed sides of said dome shaped appendage structure; b) parting said pony tail hairs into an upper section and a lower section and holding said upper and lower sections in a parted position; c) holding said device and placing said dome shaped appendage structure in a space created between said upper section and said lower section of said pony tail hairs; d) opening said first and said second prongs of said clip structure with said handle structure and closing said first and said second prongs to trap and lock-in the plurality of pony tail hairs that lie close to a pony tail holder band, that forms said ponytail, to hold said dome shaped appendage structure in said space created between said upper section and said lower section of said pony tail hairs; and e) draping said upper section of said pony tail hairs over said arrow-shaped dowels on said top surface of said dome-shaped appendage structure to create a fuller and thicker appearance of said pony tail.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the pony tail enhancing hair clip device of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 perspective view illustrating the manner in which the hair of a pony tail is parted into an upper section and a lower section for the insertion of the device of the invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the pony tail enhancing hair clip device of the present invention is inserted between the parted hair strands of a pony tail.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the appearance of a pony tail before the pony tail enhancing hair clip device of the present invention is inserted between the hair strands of the pony tail.

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the thicker, fuller appearance of the pony tail after the pony tail enhancing hair clip device has been inserted between the hair strands of a pony tail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) The present invention is a hair clip device for enhancing the pony tail of a wearer by providing thickness, fullness and height to their ponytail. The device of the invention overcomes some of the apparent deficiencies in the prior art devices used for enhancing pony tails. The device of the present invention is configured with an appendage having an ergonomic mushroom-like shape and design, dotted with arrow-shaped dowels on its top surface to hold the hair strands in place without the hair sliding and falling off to the sides as can happen with devices having a smooth surface. The device of the invention is compact and easy to carry in a small hand bag for use when needed. The hair clip device of the present invention can also be used to enhance other hair styles such as for example, inserted between the hairs piled up on the head as a bun creating the appearance of volume and fullness to the hair style.

(7) Referring now to the drawings in which like elements are represented by like numerals in the various views of the device and its manner of use. More particularly, referring now to FIG. 1 which is a perspective view of the pony tail enhancing hairclip device 10 of the present invention, the device is comprised of an upper rounded and dome shaped, mushroom-like appendage 1 and a bottom clip 2 having two prongs, 2a and 2b. In this embodiment of the hair clip device 10, the appendage 1 is structurally connected to the clip 2 through a stem 3 with a top broad end and a bottom narrow end. The top broad end of the stem 3 is molded to the bottom end of the appendage 1 and the bottom narrow end of the stem 3 is molded to the base of the first prong 2a of the clip 2 to hold the appendage structure at an angle. The second prong 2b of the clip 2 is connected to the first prong 2a at their bases through a round pin 2c and both prongs are held together in continuous tension through a spring (not visible in this view) inserted around the pin 2c so that the clip 2 maintains its hold on the strands of hair and the base of the pony tail tied with the band near the scalp. In this embodiment of the invention, the second prong 2b of clip 2 has a substantially crescent-shaped handle 2d protruding outwardly. Handle 2d of clip 2 is used to open and close the two prongs 2a and 2b of clip 2 and also for holding the device with the fingers while inserting the clip into the pony tail. Further, in this embodiment of the invention, the top surface 1a of the appendage 1 has arrow-shaped dowels 1b of different sizes and lengths arranged in rows to hold the hair strands that are draped over it securely, when the hair clip device 10 is inserted between the hairs of the pony tail.

(8) FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the pony tail hair is parted into two sections in preparation for the insertion of the pony tail enhancer hair clip device of the present invention. The pony tail is created first by gathering the strands of the long hair close to their roots and the scalp and tying them up into a single length of hair using a pony tail holder band 4. The pony tail thus formed is parted into an upper section 5 and a lower section 6 leaving a middle space 7 for insertion of the pony tail enhancer hair clip device of the invention.

(9) FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the pony tail enhancing hair clip device 10 is inserted in the space between the parted hair sections, upper section 5 and the lower section 6 of the pony tail. Holding the parted hair upper section 5 up with one hand, the hair clip device 10 is held in the other hand with the appendage 1 facing upward and right below the upper hair section 5. Thereafter, the two prongs, 2a and 2b of the hair clip device 10 are opened using the handle 2d and the clip is inserted between the two parted hair sections, 5 and 6 through the space that was created between the sections when the pony tail hair was parted. The clip 1 is then pushed in closer to the hair next to the pony tail holder band 4 and the handle 2d released to let the prongs 2a and 2b grab and lock-in the hair next to the band 4 to anchor the hair clip device 10 on the pony tail. Once the clip 1 part of the device is held in place in the space between the two hair sections, 5 and 6 the hair strands in the upper section 5 are draped over the top surface 1a of the rounded, dome shaped appendage 1. The lower portion of the hair strands of the upper section 5 are trapped in between the rows of arrow-shaped dowels 1b on the top surface 1a of the appendage 1 of the hair clip device 10 and the upper portion of the hair in section 5 drapes over the appendage 1 hiding appendage 1 from sight.

(10) FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are before and after perspective views of a pony tail with FIG. 4 illustrating the appearance of the pony tail without the use of the pony tail enhancing hair clip device of the present invention and FIG. 5 illustrating the appearance of the pony tail after the insertion of the device in the pony tail.

(11) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the appearance of a pony tail 8 before the pony tail enhancing hair clip device of the present invention is inserted between the hair strands of the pony tail.

(12) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the thicker and fuller appearance of the transformed pony tail 9 after the pony tail enhancing hair clip device of the present invention has been inserted between the hair strands of the pony tail 8. The view also shows that the pony tail enhancer hair clip device has added height to the transformed pony tail 9 when compared to the view before of the pony tail 8 shown in FIG. 4. The dowels of the appendage of the hair clip device, keeps the hair draped over it, securely in place so that it is not visible through the hair.

(13) The foregoing description of the invention through its figures and preferred embodiment should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention. It is to be understood that the embodiment of the present invention as described herein do not limit any application or scope of the invention and that the invention can be carried out and practiced in various ways and implemented in embodiments other than the ones outlined in the description above. It should be understood and obvious to one skilled in the art that alternatives, modifications, and variations of the embodiments of the present invention may be construed as being within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.