Elastic hair tie dispenser

Abstract

The present invention provides an elastic hair tie material and an elastic hair tie dispenser for dispensing varying lengths of elastic hair tie material. More particularly, the present Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser device has been configured with a flexible cover, a pivoting cutting blade actuator and cutting blade to conveniently dispense elastic hair tie material of varying color, cut to any desired length by the user of the dispenser, to be worn by women or men to restrain their hair in many varying different stylish configurations and for varying purposes, and wherein the dispenser is refillable by either winding hair tie material onto a spool rotatably housed within the dispenser or inserting a new coil of hair tie material sold separately.

Claims

1. An elastic hair tie dispenser, comprising: two round transparent clamshell housing sections, including a first housing section and a second housing section, configured to be held together with fasteners, wherein when assembled the first and second housing sections form a dispenser housing, wherein the dispenser housing is configured to accept a centrally located spool and a cutting blade; two cutting slot sections, including a first cutting slot section formed in the first housing section and a second cutting slot section formed in the second housing section, wherein the two cutting slot sections form a cutting slot when the first and second housing sections are assembled; a cording orifice molded into the second housing section directly below the second cutting slot section; elastic hair tie cording material removably wound around the centrally located spool within the dispenser housing, wherein the elastic hair tie cording material is dispensable, through the cording orifice, to a desired length; and a pivoting blade actuator movably attached to the dispenser housing, wherein the pivoting blade actuator includes a removable replaceable cutting blade, spring back fingers, and an a pivoting orifice for pivotably mounting on the dispenser housing, wherein the cutting blade, responsive to the pivoting blade actuator being forced forward by a user, cuts the elastic hair tie cording material dispensed into any desired length by a user, and springs back to be in position to cut again.

2. The elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the elastic hair tie cording material includes an elastomer core center which comprises 90% rubber compound and has an elasticity ratio of 4:1.

3. The elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the elastic hair tie cording material removably wound around the centrally located spool forming a coil within the dispenser housing includes an elastomer core center which comprises 90% rubber compound, 5% color added and 5% solvents and releasing agents used in manufacture, and has an elasticity ratio of 4:1, and further wherein the elastomer core center is covered by fabric of varying colors.

4. The elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser housing includes a cutting pad wherein when the cutting blade is actuated using the pivoting blade actuator, the cutting blade moves to cut the hair tie cording material and stops on the cutting pad working as a cushion for the cutting blade.

5. The elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 1, further including a removeable pivoting blade safety cover wherein the safety cover attaches to the dispenser housing by snapping on to the dispenser housing and prevents the cutting blade from unwanted exposure or actuation cutting motion when attached.

6. The elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the centrally located spool is rotatably affixed to the dispenser housing and includes a cording slot and a screwdriver slot, wherein the elastic hair tie cording material coiled within the dispenser housing is fastened to the centrally located spool, and a user can coil hair tie material back into the dispenser housing by winding the elastic hair tie cording material using a screwdriver positioned within the screwdriver slot, thereby obtaining any desired length of hair tie material to be cut and subsequently used.

7. The elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the elastic hair tie cording material is sold separately as an individual coil package and can be inserted into the dispenser housing by disassembling the dispenser housing, thereby refilling the dispenser housing with a coil of elastic hair tie cording material.

8. The elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the elastic hair tie cording material is sold separately as an individual coil package and can be inserted into the dispenser housing by attaching a length of elastic cording hair tie material to the centrally located spool and winding the elastic hair tie cording material into the dispenser housing and onto the centrally located spool.

9. The elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser housing further includes a lanyard orifice for attaching a lanyard.

10. A method for making an elastic hair tie dispenser, comprising the steps of: providing two round clamshell transparent housing sections, including a first housing section and a second housing section, configured to be held together with fasteners, wherein when assembled the first and second housing sections form a dispenser housing, wherein the dispenser housing is configured to accept a centrally located spool and a cutting blade, wherein a first cutting slot section formed in the first housing section and a second cutting slot section formed in the second housing section form a cutting slot when the first and second housing sections are assembled; providing elastic hair tie cording material removably wound around the centrally located spool forming a coil within the dispenser housing; providing a cording orifice molded into the second housing section directly below the second cutting slot section; and providing a pivoting blade actuator, wherein the pivoting blade actuator movably attached to the dispenser housing, includes a removable replaceable cutting blade, spring back fingers and a pivoting orifice for pivotably mounting on the dispenser housing, whereby when in operation, wherein the cutting blade, response to the pivoting blade actuator being forced forward by a user, cuts the elastic hair tie cording material dispensed into any desired length by a user, and springs back to be in position to cut again.

11. The method of making an elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the dispenser housing further includes a lanyard orifice for attaching a lanyard.

12. The method of making an elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the elastic hair tie cording material removably wound around the centrally located spool forming a coil within the dispenser housing includes an elastomer core center which comprises 90% rubber compound, 5% color added and 5% solvents and releasing agents used in manufacture, and has an elasticity ratio of 4:1.

13. The method of making an elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 12, wherein the elastic hair tie cording material removably wound around the centrally located spool forming a coil within the dispenser housing includes an elastomer core center which comprises 90% rubber compound, 5% color added and 5% solvents and releasing agents used in manufacture, and has an elasticity ratio of 4:1, and further wherein the elastomer core center is covered by fabric of varying colors.

14. The method of making an elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the dispenser housing includes a cutting pad and further wherein when the cutting blade is actuated using the pivoting blade actuator, the cutting blade moves to cut the hair tie cording material and stops on the cutting pad working as a cushion for the cutting blade.

15. The method of making an elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 10, further including a removeable pivoting blade safety cover wherein the safety cover attaches to the dispenser housing by snapping on to the dispenser housing and prevents the cutting blade from unwanted exposure or actuation cutting motion when attached.

16. The method of making an elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the centrally located spool is rotatably affixed to the dispenser housing and includes a hair tie material fastening slot and an external slot, wherein the elastic hair tie cording material coiled within the dispenser housing is fastened to the centrally located spool, and a user can coil hair tie material back into the dispenser housing by winding the elastic hair tie cording material using a screwdriver positioned within the external slot, thereby obtaining any desired length of hair tie material to be cut and subsequently used.

17. The method of making an elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the elastic hair tie cording material is sold separately as an individual coil package and can be inserted into the dispenser housing by disassembling the dispenser housing, thereby refilling the dispenser housing with a coil of elastic hair tie cording material.

18. The method of making an elastic hair tie dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the elastic hair tie cording material is sold separately as an individual coil package and can be inserted into the dispenser housing by attaching a length of elastic cording hair tie material to the centrally located spool and winding the elastic hair tie cording material into the dispenser housing and onto the centrally located spool.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this device.

(2) FIG. 1 depicts an assembled view of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser.

(3) FIG. 2 depicts the replaceable elastic hair tie material comprising rubber cording within a fabric sleeve, coming in a variety of different colors, shown here packaged for sale and distribution in a zip lock plastic bag packaging, or the like.

(4) FIG. 3 depicts an exploded perspective view of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser.

(5) FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of a hand holding the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser with a hand holding it and a user pressing with the thumb to actuate the blade to cut the replaceable elastic cording.

(6) FIG. 5 depicts a left side view of the interior of the transparent section of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser.

(7) FIG. 6 depicts a right-side view of the interior of the transparent section of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser.

(8) FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of the spool element.

(9) FIG. 8 depicts a side view of the right side of the transparent section of the Elastic Hair Tie with the winding tool for the replaceable elastic cording over the spool.

(10) FIG. 9 depicts a side view of the right side of the transparent section of the Elastic Hair Tie with replaceable elastic cording fed through the cutting slot.

(11) FIG. 10 depicts an exterior side view of the transparent section of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser.

(12) FIG. 11 depicts side view of the pivoting blade actuator of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser.

(13) FIG. 12 depicts an assembled view of the pivoting blade actuator located on the transparent section of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser.

(14) FIG. 13 depicts a side view of the flexible cover of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser.

(15) As required, detailed embodiments of the present Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the design that may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific functional and structural details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as basic for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(16) Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar parts of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser 10 are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in FIG. 1 an assembled view of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser 10, including the left side transparent housing section 12A, of a dispenser housing 13, being held together with screws 16. A lanyard orifice 18 is on the edge of the device with the replaceable elastic cording 20 within a fabric sleeve 19 coming out of cording orifice 22 and wrapped around through the cutting slot 24. The flexible safety cover 14 houses the pivoting blade actuator 26.

(17) FIG. 2 depicts one type of retail packaging option 11 including the replaceable elastic cording 20 within a fabric sleeve, coming in a variety of different colors in a zip lock plastic bag 28, packaging or the like. The elastic hair tie material is constructed of an elastomer core center 21 (FIG. 1) which comprises 90% rubber compound, 5% color added and 5% solvents and releasing agents used in manufacture. Most typically, the rubber compound is 95% to 100% natural or synthetic rubber. The elastomer core center may also be manufactured in a variety of colors and shapes. The overall finished diameter of the product, sold in strands of varying lengths to be refillable into the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser, is about 3 millimeters, with the elastomer core center being about 2 millimeters in diameter. The elastomer core center has an elasticity ratio of 1 to 4, that is, a 10-inch length will be stretchable to 40 inches. This combination of elastic hair tie material and the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser enables a user to custom cut hair tie material to any desired length for any desired purpose, for any hair type or any application.

(18) The elastomer core center cut to a length of a user desired hair tie, can come in a round or square configuration and stretch four times its original length. The elastomer core center has a cord covering of a pliable nylon yarn material available in many colors. The average thickness of the outer pliable nylon yarn material is 1 millimeter. This outer pliable nylon yarn also has an elasticity ration of 1 to 4.

(19) FIG. 3 depicts an exploded perspective view of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser 10 with the left side transparent housing section 12A and the right side transparent housing section 12B to be held together with screws 16 to form dispenser housing 13. Other methods of attaching the left side transparent housing section 12A and the right side transparent housing section 12B may be used as a means to attach them together and will still be covered within the scope of this application.

(20) A lanyard orifice 18, the cording orifice 22 the cutting slot 24 and the boss 30 for the pivoting blade actuator 26 are on the outside surfaces of the transparent sections 12A and 12B. The inside surface of transparent sections 12A and 12B are mirror images with structural ribs 32 and a spool orifice 34 that do not extend to the outside surface.

(21) The replaceable elastic cording within a fabric sleeve 20 is in a coil 36 to be affixed through a cording slot 38 in the spool 40 that is held within the spool orifices 34 on the inside of the transparent sections 12A and 12B. A polyurethane cutting pad 42 is inserted between the left side transparent housing section 12A and the right side transparent housing section 12B and works as a cushion for the cutting blade 44.

(22) A pivoting blade actuator 26 has a cutting blade 44 attachment section 46 and two spring back fingers 48 are a unique means with their flexibility to retract the cutting blade 44 while the unit is pivoting on boss 30 in orifices 50. It is directed in both ways by the means of the finger guides 52 on the outside surfaces of the transparent sections 12A and 12B after pressure has been applied to the blade actuator 26. The flexible safety cover 14 houses the pivoting blade actuator 26.

(23) FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of a hand 56 holding the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser 10 with the thumb 58 pressing the pivoting blade actuator 26 to cut the replaceable elastic cording 20 with the cutting blade 44.

(24) FIG. 5 depicts an interior of the left side transparent housing section 12A.

(25) FIG. 6 depicts an the interior of the right side transparent housing section 12B.

(26) FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of the spool 40 with the replaceable elastic cording 20 going through the cording slot 38.

(27) FIG. 8 depicts right side transparent housing section 12B with the winding tool 60 for the replaceable elastic cording 20 engaging the spool 40. By placing a small flathead screwdriver in the screwdriver slot 41 and rotating it, the replaceable elastic cording 20 is drawn in and formed into the coil 36.

(28) FIG. 9 depicts right side transparent housing section 12B with replaceable elastic cording 20 fed through the cutting slot 24.

(29) FIG. 10 depicts an exterior side of the left side transparent housing section 12A illustrating the location of the finger guide 52 for the spring back fingers 48 on the pivoting blade actuator 26.

(30) FIG. 11 depicts a side view of the pivoting blade actuator 26 and the cavity 62 where the finger guides 52 translate to give the spring action to pull back the cutting blade 44.

(31) FIG. 12 depicts an assembled view of the pivoting blade actuator 26 (shown separated from the dispenser unit in FIG. 11) located on the left side transparent housing section 12A of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser 10 further clarifying the action and location of the cavity 62 where the finger guides 52 translate to give the spring action to pull back the cutting blade 44.

(32) FIG. 13 depicts a side view of the flexible safety cover 14 of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser 10.

(33) The Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser 10 shown in the drawings and described in detail herein disclose arrangements of elements of particular construction and configuration for illustrating preferred embodiments of structure and method of operation of the present design. It is to be understood, however, that elements of different construction and configuration and other arrangements thereof, other than those illustrated and described may be employed for providing an Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser 10 in accordance with the spirit of this invention, and such changes, alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this application as broadly defined in the appended claims.

(34) Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.