US20040237985A1

US20040237985A1 - Hairpiece arrangement

Info

Publication number: US20040237985A1
Application number: US10/120,219
Authority: US
Inventors: Joan Ball
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-04-10
Filing date: 2002-04-10
Publication date: 2004-12-02

Abstract

This hairpiece is based on soft, elastic straps, which should stretch and connects together in a framework, in a ladderlike way, in which wefts of hair are attached. This array is surrounded by and connected to a soft, elastic strap in the form of a peripheral loop that allows the hairpiece to be easily put on and can be comfortably worn allowing air to get to the head without the feeling of a head covering wig cap. This framework allows the wearer's natural hair to be brought easily through the open areas between the framework and mingle with hair on the hairpiece. The hair on the hairpiece could be synthetic hair or human hair.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to hairpieces for use by people who wish to have hair that gives the appearance of being thicker or longer than their natural hair. In particular, it relates to a hairpiece based on soft, elastic straps easily connected together in a framework that includes a ladderlike array to which wefts of hair are attached. This array is surrounded by and connected to a soft, elastic strap in the form of a peripheral loop that allows the hairpiece to be easily put on and yet held comfortably and securely in place on the wearer's head to achieve a new and desired appearance, or style, or even a temporary coiffure that can be quickly changed. The framework defines a structure to which an ample amount of hair is attached to provide the desired additional covering while still allowing the wearer's natural hair to be brought easily through the open areas between the framework members and to be mingled with hair on the hairpiece in order to achieve an attractive arrangement. The resulting hairpiece is easy to manufacture in a variety of sizes so that they are easy for a wearer to put on and comfortable to wear, including during warm weather when standard hairpieces based on solid, or almost solid, caps can be uncomfortably hot.

2. The Prior Art

The wigs described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,424,175; 3,470,889; 3,654,938; 3,835,867; 3,868,959; 4,745,933; and 5,687,750 are based on a full cap that covers the wearer's whole head.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,645,279 and 3,734,105 show a framework based on inelastic members.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,651,820 and 3,871,389 show means for attaching a toupee to a wearer.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,821 shows only a partial hairpiece which, among other limitations, lacks a peripheral strap extending all the way around the wearer's head.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,868 shows a hairpiece consisting of an inelastic net to which strands of hair are directly attached by a liquid resin.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,888 describes a wig based on an inelastic nylon net and having snap fasteners to adjust the wig only to certain specific sizes.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,386,619 and 5,687,750 show inelastic frameworks of wire or wire-like threads.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,029 simply shows a closed, inelastic loop as a base to which hair is attached. There are no longitudinal or transverse straps.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a hairpiece having a soft framework of elastic straps connected together to form a ladderlike array surrounded by and attached to an elastic peripheral loop to fit securely but comfortably on a wearer so that wefts of additional hair strategically attached to the framework can supplement the wearer's natural hair and allow the wearer to achieve a desirable style or coiffure. The number of straps in the hairpiece can be selected according to the amount of hair needed to supplement the wearer's natural hair.

The term “elastic” as used in this description means that the material will stretch to at least 1.5 times its relaxed length without breaking. However, the elastic straps used in the framework of this hairpiece are not stretched to that extent but only to the extent necessary to hold the hairpiece securely yet comfortably in place.

After those familiar with the construction and use of hairpieces have studied the following description, further objects may become apparent to them.

In accordance with this invention, the hairpiece structure includes a closed elastic loop as a peripheral member that has a peripheral length long enough, when stretched, to fit comfortably around the wearer's head, approximately in the region of the normal hairline and sufficiently snugly to hold the hairpiece in place.

The structure also includes a ladderlike array of elastic straps over the crown of the head and a central, longitudinal, elastic strap that extends generally along the fore-and-aft central plane of the wearer's head and is attached to rungs, or transverse straps, of the array. The central strap is attached to the peripheral member at the center of the forehead and at the nape of the neck and is long enough so that, when stretched, it extends comfortably over the wearer's head and over any natural hair along the central plane. The ladderlike array includes longitudinal side straps displaced on each side of the central strap, and a plurality of transverse straps attached to the side straps and to the central strap. The corners of the ladderlike array are attached to the peripheral member at or near the outer corners of the forehead and at locations spaced apart toward the rear of the head.

The number of transverse straps depends on the amount of hair needed to supplement the wearer's own hair; a wearer with thinner natural hair would require more straps than a person with thicker hair. However, in any case, using straps that are interconnected only at a limited number of intersections, as in this invention, makes the hairpiece easier to assemble than existing hairpieces and more comfortable to wear than hairpieces in which the base is a full cap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a three-quarter front view of a woman's head wearing one embodiment of a hairpiece according to this invention. [0018]
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the framework of the hairpiece of FIG. 1 with wefts of hair attached to it. [0019]
FIG. 3 shows a three-quarter rear view of the hairpiece in FIGS. 1 and 2 on a woman's head with part of the woman's natural hair brought through open areas in the framework of the hairpiece. [0020]
FIG. 4 is a side view of the woman in FIG. 3 at a later stage of donning the hairpiece and with more of her natural hair drawn, or teased, through openings in the framework. [0021]
FIG. 5 is a side view of the woman in FIG. 4 with the hairpiece fully in place and her natural hair and the additional hair of the hairpiece brushed neatly into place.[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a person [0023] 11, who will be referred to in the following description as the wearer, wearing a hairpiece constructed according to this invention to provide additional hair 12 to supplement the wearer's natural hair 13. Both of these types of hair are indicated in this figure as being located in the same place because the additional hair is so easily and well blended with the natural hair by the wearer 11 in donning the hairpiece that the two types of hair 12 and 13 cannot be visually distinguished from each other. Instead, they give the appearance of simply being entirely natural hair 13 that covers the wearer's head 14 down to a region below the natural hairline and, in this figure, completely hides the hairpiece. The hair 12, which is referred to as additional to distinguish it from the wearer's own natural hair, may either be artificial hair or natural hair purchased from suppliers who obtain such hair from persons who sell their own hair as a source of income. While all of the hair 12 and 13 in this figure is combed straight, both the additional hair 12 and the natural hair 13 can be curled or made wavy or arranged in any other coiffure.
In FIG. 2, the hairpiece, identified by [0024] reference numeral 15, comprises an open framework 16 comprising a peripheral elastic strap 17 and a ladderlike network, or array, 18 of elastic straps joined together where they cross each other. An elastic material that I have found particularly suitable for the elastic straps is Stretchtite® brand braided elastic ⅛″ wide, although this is only one example of a satisfactory material, and the invention is not limited to it. The strap 17 forms a complete loop around the wearer's head to hold the hairpiece in place. The hairpiece 15 is shown in this figure in the first stage of being donned by the wearer 11 and has only been placed atop the wearer's head 14 without having any of the wearer's natural hair 13 brought through openings in the framework.
The ladderlike array [0025] 18 includes elastic side straps 19 and 20 that extend in the fore-and-aft direction relative to the wearer's head and transverse straps 21-25 that extend more or less like the rungs of a ladder across the wearer's head 14 from one side strap to the other. The framework 16 also includes connecting straps 26-29 that join the corners of the ladderlike array 18 to the peripheral loop 17. These connecting straps and can be formed from either the side straps 19 and 20 or the transverse straps 21-25 of the array, or they can be short, separate straps.
The side and transverse straps, as well as the connecting straps provide supports to which wefts [0026] 30 of additional hair 12 can be attached. Hair wefts are standard items of commerce and consist of multiple strands of hair tied together in a way that forms a backbone with the individual hair strands extending from it, so that a weft 30 somewhat resembles a comb. The strands of additional hair 12 extending from the backbones of the wefts 30 appear in FIG. 2 to be very short, but that is only to allow the straps 19-29 to be visible. In actual practice, the strands would normally be long enough to overlap and hide adjacent straps, although the straps can also be hidden from view by strands of the wearer's natural hair 13, if the latter strands are long enough.
The backbone of each [0027] weft 30 is parallel to and, in most locations, right against the strap to which it is attached, and each weft is joined to the respective strap by a length of thread 31 wrapped, or looped, around that backbone and the respective elastic strap. The backbones are flexible but not very elastic, and they constrain the elasticity of the straps to which they are attached, the degree of such constraints' being determined by the closeness of the loops of thread to one another. The open areas between the straps allow the wearer's natural hair to be drawn, or teased, therethrough and mingled with the additional hair.
It will be noticed that, in this embodiment of the invention, there is no thread securing the backbone of a weft to the portion [0028] 19 a of the side strap 19 between the transverse straps 23 and 24 nor to the portion 19 b between transverse straps 24 and 25. Correspondingly, there is no thread securing the backbone of a weft to the portion 20 a of the side strap 20 between the transverse straps 23 and 24 nor to the portion 20 b between the transverse straps 24 and 25. This allows those portions of the elastic side straps 19 and 20 between the transverse straps 23 and 25 to stretch, if necessary, to fit the wearer's head 14. Other parts of the wefts can be left free of tight attachment to any of the elastic straps to allow the hairpiece 15 to fit securely but comfortably on the wearer's head.
The soft, elastic, [0029] peripheral loop 17 is made long enough to fit around the wearer's head 14 at approximately the location of the wearer's natural hairline, which typically extends across the top of the forehead and along the sides of the head above the ears 32 and 33 and around the back of the head 14 under the occipital bone. The loop 17 would not lie in a flat plane if it precisely followed the wearer's natural hairline. However, since the combined hair, including both the wearer's natural hair 13 and the additional hair 12, covers the hairline, the loop 17 can lie more or less in a flat plane and still be considered as following the wearer's natural hairline fairly closely.
The elastic loop should be of the proper length to fit snugly but comfortably around a wearer's [0030] head 14. For example, in the case of a wearer whose natural hairline would have a circumferential length of about 21″, the relaxed length of the elastic loop 17 should be about 18″, i.e., about 80% to 90% of the distance around the wearer's head 14 at the hairline. Or, to put it another way, the elastic strap that forms the loop, as well as the other elastic straps in the hairpiece can be comfortably stretched to about 110%-120% of their relaxed lengths when in use. It should be kept in mind that the extent to which some of the individual straps in the framework may be stretched may be less than 110% because of the inelasticity of the wefts 30 attached to them.
The maximum, stretched length of the [0031] loop 17 is, of course, greater than its normal stretched length in use and is, typically, on the order of 1.5 to 2 times the relaxed length. This means that, for a loop having a relaxed length of 18″, its length in use would typically be about 21″, and its maximum stretched length would typically be about 27″ to 36″. As a result, when the loop 17 is stretched only to 21″, the wearer 11 will not feel that it is uncomfortably tight.
It is to be understood that all of these dimensions are illustrative approximations and are not absolute limitations of the invention. The distance around the head of some wearers is not always the 21″ used in the foregoing example but would be greater than 21″ in the case of some wearers and less than 21″ for others. In addition, individual wearers may prefer tighter or looser frameworks, and the arrangement of components in this invention allows such dimensional requirements and preferences to be easily accommodated. [0032]
The [0033] hairpiece 15 includes a central elastic strap 34 that extends across the top of the wearer's head 14, approximately along the central vertical fore-and-aft plane. One end of the central strap is attached to the front midpoint 35 of the loop at the center of the wearer's forehead, and the other end to the rear midpoint 36 of the loop 17 at or just above the nape of the neck. The length of this central strap 34 when the hairpiece is being worn is sufficient to fit comfortably when stretched to about 110%-120% of its relaxed length across the wearer's head.
The central region of each of the transverse straps [0034] 21-25 in the array 18 is secured to the central strap 34 to help keep the central part of each of these transverse straps spaced apart by a distance between about three-quarters of an inch to about an inch and a quarter to allow any of the wearer's natural hair 13 to be drawn out easily between those straps. The spacing between transverse straps in the ladderlike array 18 depends on how many straps there are, which, in turn, depends on how much additional hair 12 needs to be incorporated in the hairpiece 15 to give the desired appearance when blended with the wearer's natural hair. The two front connecting means 26 and 27 that connect the two front corners of the array 18 to the front part of the loop 17 near the upper corners of the forehead are equally spaced from the front midpoint 35 by a distance between about 1″ to 2″, which is typically about the distance between the central plane of the wearer's head 14 and the location where the hair 12 and 13 would be parted, if the wearer 11 chose to do so.
The [0035] transverse strap 25 is the rearmost strap in the ladderlike array 18, but in order to make it possible to attach sufficient hair 12 toward the rear of the hairpiece, another transverse strap 37 is included in this embodiment of the framework 16. This strap extends across the back part of the wearer's head 14 between the last transverse strap 25 in the array 18 and the rear part of the loop 17. If it is desired to have still more hair in that region of the head, additional transverse straps may be added, stretching from one side of the rear part of the loop 17 to the other.
One of the [0036] hair wefts 30 is shown attached to the part of the loop 17 that extends across the forehead of the wearer 11 between the junctions of the loop 17 and the front connecting means 26 and 27, and another weft is shown attached to the rear part of the loop 17 between the junctions of the transverse strap 37 and the loop. No wefts are attached to the sides of the loop 17 between the junctions of the loop with the connecting means 26 and 28 on one side and the connecting means 27 and 29 on the other.
Like the sides of the [0037] loop 17, the central strap 34 also needs to be elastic to conform to the wearer's head 14, and so no wefts are attached to that strap.
The [0038] additional hair 12 can be of any color. Typically, but not necessarily, it matches the wearer's natural hair. While it is desirable that the elastic straps and the thread that holds the wefts in place on those straps be the same color, that is not always necessary since the straps are usually covered by either the hair 12 attached to the hairpiece 15 or, in many cases, by the wearer's own hair 13. However, if a short hairstyle is chosen, some of the straps forming the framework 16 may not be as well hidden, and most wearers will consider it important in such cases to have elastic straps that are the same color as the hair 12 and 13.
FIG. 3 shows the [0039] hairpiece 15 in an intermediate stage of the process of being put in place on a wearer's head 14. In this figure, the wearer's natural hair 13 is covered by the hairpiece hair 12 except for a portion of the natural hair 13 that has been brought out through an opening between the transverse straps 25 and 37. The size of the openings in the framework 16 make it easy to draw out portions of the wearer's natural hair as shown in this figure. FIG. 4 shows a further stage in donning the hairpiece. After some of the natural hair 13 between the straps 25 and 37 has been drawn through the framework 16, the person doing the styling can move to the next region, such as that between the transverse straps 25 and 24, and draw out the natural hair in that region and continue this process until all of the natural hair has been brought out and mingled with the additional hair.
FIG. 5 shows the completed state of styling the hairpiece into the wearer's [0040] natural hair 13. In this figure, as in FIG. 1, the wearer's natural hair cannot be distinguished from the additional hair 12 on the hairpiece 15.
It is not necessary that styling proceed from front to back; it may be carried out in the reverse direction or the combined [0041] hair 12 and 13 may be styled in a part, which means that the hair would be combed or brushed from side to side. The longitudinal straps 19 and 20 are especially suitable for that purpose. Or all of the woman's natural hair 13 may be brought up through all of the areas bounded by the straps in the hairpiece and mingled with additional hair 12 over the entire head 14 before being styled overall. The fact that the open areas through which the woman's natural hair is to be brought are relatively large and are bounded by elastic straps makes it easy to grasp the natural hair 13 to draw it through openings between adjacent straps that make up the framework 16.
While the invention has been described in terms of a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this embodiment. [0042]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A hairpiece to be worn comfortably over the crown of a wearer's head and to extend down to the wearer's natural hairline, said hairpiece having a front and a rear and comprising:

(a) a framework of soft, elastic straps comprising:

(i) a peripheral loop strap having a relaxed circumferential length shorter than the circumference of the wearerts head at its natural hairline and a stretched length sufficient to be worn securely but comfortably when the peripheral loop is in place approximately along the natural hairline,

(ii) a ladderlike set of elastic straps comprising first and second longitudinal side straps spaced apart on the wearer's head and extending generally fore-and aft, a plurality of transverse straps, each extending across from the first side strap to the second side strap and securely joined to each of the first and second side straps at spaced locations therealong, and connecting means connecting the ladderlike set of elastic straps to the peripheral loop strap; and

(b) wefts of hair attached to selected parts of the framework, thereby constraining the elasticity of the selected parts, other parts of the framework being free to stretch to a predetermined extent.

2. The hairpiece of claim 1 in which the peripheral loop has an elasticity sufficient to allow a relaxed part of that strap to be stretched to at least 1.5 times its relaxed length.

3. The hairpiece of claim 1 in which the other parts of the elastic straps are stretchable, in use, to about 110% to 120% of their relaxed length.

4. The hairpiece of claim 1 comprising closely formed loops of thread attaching the wefts of hair to selected parts of the straps, whereby the elasticity of the selected parts is constrained.

5. The hairpiece of claim 1 in which the connecting means comprise end portions of the side straps.

6. The hairpiece of claim 1 in which the connecting means comprise end portions of the transverse strap closest to the front of the hairpiece.

7. The hairpiece of claim 1 in which the connecting means comprise members separate from the longitudinal side straps and any of the transverse straps.

8. A removable hairpiece to be worn by a person having a natural hairline of a certain peripheral length, said hairpiece comprising:

(a) a soft framework comprising:

(i) a plurality of straps arranged in a ladderlike array, and

(ii) an elastic peripheral loop to fit securely but comfortably on the person's head generally following the natural hairline; and

(b) a plurality of wefts of additional hair strategically attached to the framework to supplement the person's natural hair.

9. The removable hairpiece of claim 8 in which:

(a) the ladderlike array of straps comprises first and second side members; and

(b) a plurality of strap transverse members, each connected to the side members, whereby the array has four corners.

10. A hairpiece to be worn comfortably over a wearer's head and any natural hair thereon, said hairpiece comprising:

(a) a closed, soft, elastic peripheral loop that has front, side, and rear parts and a relaxed circumference too small to fit around the head approximately along a natural hairline, the loop having sufficient elasticity to stretch to fit comfortably yet snugly around the wearer's head and around any natural hair thereon at the natural hairline;

(b) a central, longitudinal, elastic strap attached to the peripheral loop at a central location on the front part of the loop and at a central location on the rear part thereof to fit over the head and any natural hair thereon;

(c) a plurality of transverse straps comprising a forwardmost strap and additional straps extending transversely across the wearer's head and connected to the central longitudinal strap and spaced apart to allow any natural hair to be drawn out between them;

(d) first means connecting each end of the forwardmost transverse strap to left and right points along the front part of the peripheral loop but displaced from the central front location;

(e) side longitudinal straps on each side of the central longitudinal strap and having respective front and rear ends;

(f) second means connecting the front ends of the side longitudinal straps to the left and right points, respectively, along the peripheral loop; and

(g) third means connecting the rear ends of the side longitudinal straps to spaced-apart locations toward the rear part of the peripheral loop.

11. The hairpiece of claim 10 in which the second means connecting the front ends of the side longitudinal straps to the left and right points, respectively, along the peripheral loop comprises end portions of the first transverse strap.

12. The hairpiece of claim 10 in which the first means connecting each end of the forwardmost transverse strap to left and right points, respectively, along the front part of the peripheral loop comprises front ends of the side longitudinal straps.

13. The hairpiece of claim 10 comprising:

(a) an additional transverse strap, one end of which is connected to the rear part of the elastic peripheral loop on one side of the central location on the rear part thereof and the other end of which is connected to the rear part of the elastic peripheral loop on the other side of the central location on the rear part thereof; and

(b) a hair weft comprising a backbone attached to and extending along the additional transverse strap.