US20110079235A1

US20110079235A1 - System, apparatus, and method for hair weaving thread

Info

Publication number: US20110079235A1
Application number: US12/862,920
Authority: US
Inventors: Gladys B. Reed
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-08-26
Filing date: 2010-08-25
Publication date: 2011-04-07

Abstract

A method and system to facilitate the removal of hair extensions, weaves, and other hair augmentation products, wherein a thread that is colored such that it substantially matches natural human hair is treated with a substance. The substance will be one that does not interact with hair products and will maintain its color while the wearer has the extensions. When the wearer desires removal of the extensions, the stylist applies a second substance to the area where the extensions are sewn to human hair by the thread, the second substance being an activator. The activator will then react with the first substance with which the thread is treated, causing the thread to change color from the natural human hair, making the thread more identifiable and providing ease of removal.

Description

CITATION TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to, and is entitled to the filing date of, the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/236,965, filed Aug. 26, 2009. No new matter has been added to the specification.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Technology
This invention relates, generally, to the field of hair extensions, weaves, and other hair augmentation products and processes. More specifically, this invention relates to the removal of such products and the chemicals used in such processes and how they may make the removal of such products easier, less painful, and less damaging to the user's hair.
2. Background
The use and wearing of hair extensions, weaves, and other hair augmentation products has increased dramatically in popularity over the past few years. Individuals wear hair extensions, weaves, and other hair augmentation products in order to provide fuller hair, more length, or to assist in hair growth while keeping the individual's natural hair healthy. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the use of the terms extensions, weaves, and hair augmentation products are synonymous, may be used interchangeably, and are not meant for purposes of limitation or exclusivity. The principles and methods discussed herein apply to any of these types of products. Celebrities and the general population alike wear these products for special events, to temporarily alter an appearance, or to just simply have more hair. They are a common fixture of current style and cosmology.
These products may be made of natural human or other types of hair or of synthetic fibers. Extensions are used and put in place by sewing them on to an individual's natural hair. They are sewn on with a traditional needle and thread. In order to mask the fact that the user has extensions, the thread used to sew the extensions onto natural hair is substantially the same color as the natural hair and the extensions.
Thread matching the color of the user's hair presents a problem when the extensions are to be removed. As noted above, extensions are commonly used to promote the health of a wearer's natural hair while it is growing out. Because the thread, the extensions, and the wearer's natural hair color are all very similar, it is difficult for the stylist to identify the thread versus natural hair. Such a problem may lead to it being necessary to cut the wearer's hair to remove the extensions. Cutting away natural hair thwarts the intention and desired effect of using extensions or weaves—longer hair. Removing the thread may also, by nature of the process, damage the natural hair when the stylist cannot differentiate between the wearer's natural hair, the extensions, and the thread.
It would be advantageous to have a system, method, and product that would allow a stylist to remove extensions from hair without causing damage to the natural hair. Specifically, it would be advantageous to have a thread that is substantially the color of the wearer's hair when the extensions are sewn into natural hair, but could change color so that it may be distinguishable for removal. It would be advantageous that such a thread would be coated with a substance or chemical that is safe for use by humans and with natural human hair, such that when the wearer desires that the extensions be removed, the thread is treated with another substance or chemical safe for human use. When the second chemical is applied to the thread, it would be advantageous for the thread to change to a different color than that of the wearer's natural hair color, such as a bright or fluorescent pink, green, blue, or any other color that is not a naturally occurring human hair color. Such a system and method allow a stylist to remove the extensions with substantially less damage to the wearer's natural hair and without having to cut off the wearer's natural hair.
The invention, described in more detail below, provides a method, system, and thread used for attaching extensions, weaves, and other hair augmentation products. The thread will be of a type that is the color of a wearer's natural hair and treated with a chemical or substance that is inactive until another compound is applied. The hair-colored thread is used to sew extensions, weaves, and other hair augmentation products into a wearer's hair. The second chemical or substance is applied when the stylist removes the extensions from the wearer's natural hair. When applied, the second chemical or substance reacts with the thread treated by the first compound and turns it another, bright color that is distinguishable from the color of human hair.

SUMMARY

An embodiment of the present invention chosen to be described herein comprises a system for removing hair extensions, comprising: a thread for sewing said extensions to human hair; and an activator substance.
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises a thread of a color such that it may substantially match the color of natural human hair.
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises a thread treated with a neutral base.
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises an activator substance selected from the group of substances consisting of strong acids, weak acids, strong bases, and weak bases.
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises a neutral base substance having a pH level between 3 and 14.
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises a method for removing hair extensions, comprising: locating where said hair extensions are sewn to natural human hair; identifying the approximate location of thread used to sew said extensions to said natural human hair; applying an activator to said thread; and detaching said thread and said extensions from said natural human hair.
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises a thread of a color that it may substantially match the color of natural human hair.
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises a thread is treated with a chemical substance.
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises a thread treated with a neutral base of pH from 3 to 14.
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises an activator substance selected from the group of substances consisting of strong acids, weak acids, strong bases, and weak bases.
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises that when an activator is applied to said thread, the thread changes color to one distinguishable from that of said natural human hair
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises a thread colored to match human hair color, said thread being treated with a chemical substance.
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises a chemical substance further comprising a neutral base with pH between 3 and 14.
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises a substance changing color when an activator substance is applied.
A further embodiment of the present invention further comprises the activator substance being selected from the group consisting of strong acids, weak acids, strong bases, and weak bases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exemplary drawing of a thread sewn into natural hair and attaching an extension.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of a various types of treated thread substantially colored as natural human hair and a container that may be used for the second, activator substance or chemical.

FIGS. 3-5 are photographs of a stylist removing hair extensions from a wearer by applying the second chemical or substance.

FIG. 6 is a photograph of the end result with the wearer with the extensions removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Turning now to the Figures, FIG. 1 is a rendering of an extension 100 being attached to natural hair 101. The natural hair 101 and extension 100 are braided together and sewn together by a thread 102. The thread 102 is of a type described above. The thread 102 used in the invention will substantially be the color of the natural human hair 101 and extensions 100 to which it is applied such that an observer would not be able to discern where the natural hair 101 ends and the extensions 100 begin. The thread 102 may be coated with a chemical or substance that is a Neutral Base, from 14 to 3 on the pH scale that will change color when treated by a second chemical or substance. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that such a base is also inert, not harmful to humans, and will not react with most common products used in natural human hair 101 such that the wearer may style his or her hair 101 without activating the thread 102 and thus causing the color to change.
When the wearer is ready to have the extensions 100 removed, the natural hair 101 is lifted so that the thread 102 used to sew in the extensions 100 is exposed. Because the thread 102 matches both the extensions 100 and natural hair color 101, it is difficult at this point to determine where the natural hair 101 ends and the extensions 100 begin and which strands are the threads 102 tying them together. At this stage, the stylist applies a second chemical or substance to the area where the extensions 100 are sewn in. This second chemical or substance is non-damaging to human hair and is non-toxic. It may be a Strong Acid, a Weak Acid, a Strong Base, or a Weak Base, such that it will react with the Neutral Base of the thread 102 and change its color. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the activator used will be relative to and dependent on the pH of the treated thread and will be selected and paired with the thread to ensure a color-changing reaction.
Examples of strong acids that may be used are hydrochloric acid (HCl), nitric acid (HNO₃), sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), hydrobromic acid (HBr), hydroiodic acid (HI), or perchloric acid (HCIO₄). It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that such strong acids will be diluted to non-harmful and non-toxic levels and used in a concentration sufficient only to react with the Neutral Base of the thread 102 such that it will change color and make the thread 102 distinguishable from the extensions 100 and from natural human hair 101. Examples of weak acids that may be used are hydrofluoric acid (HF) and acetic acid (CH₃COOH).). It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that such strong acids will be diluted to non-harmful and non-toxic levels and used in a concentration sufficient only to react with the Neutral Base of the thread 102 such that it will change color and make the thread 102 distinguishable from the extensions 100 and from natural human hair 101.
Examples of strong bases that may be used are sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), rubidium hydroxide (RbOH), cesium hydroxide (CsOH), calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂), strontium hydroxide (Sr(OH)₂), and barium hydroxide (Br (OH)₂).). It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that such strong bases will be diluted to non-harmful and non-toxic levels and used in a concentration sufficient only to react with the Neutral Base of the thread 102 such that it will change color and make the thread 102 distinguishable from the extensions 100 and from natural human hair 101. Examples of weak bases that may be used are ammonia (NH₃) and diethylamine (CH₃CH₂NHCH₂CH₃). It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that such weak bases will be diluted to non-harmful and non-toxic levels and used in a concentration sufficient only to react with the Neutral Base of the thread 102 such that it will change color and make the thread 102 distinguishable from the extensions 100 and from natural human hair 101.
Once treated with the activator, the thread 102 will react and change color based on the activating chemical or substance. The thread 102 will then change to a color based on the reaction between the first treating chemical and the second, activating chemical or substance, different from the surrounding human hair 101 and extensions 100 it is sewn through. The stylist may then remove the threads 102 and extensions 100 without damaging the natural hair 100 through tugging or unnecessary cutting. It will be further understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the above listings of substances are by no means exclusive and are meant only for exemplary purposes and not as limitations of this disclosure. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any number of substances, chemicals, and combinations may be maybe be used to accomplish the desired results.
FIG. 2 is a photograph of exemplary rolls of thread 102 used in the process. The thread 102 has been treated with a Neutral Base as described in detail, above, and substantially matches the color of natural human hair 101 and extensions into which it is to be sewn. Also shown in FIG. 2 is a container that will contain the activator chemical or substance, and it may be a strong or weak acid or a strong or weak base, as described above. One of ordinary skill in the art that such an activator will be of a concentration only strong enough to create the color change of the neutral base. The activator chemical will be safe and non-damaging to human hair and non-toxic.
FIGS. 3-6 are photographs of the process of removing the extension in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 3 shows the step of exposing the area of the hair where the extensions 100 are sewn in by the thread 102. FIGS. 4 and 5 show the application of the activator solution to the area where the threads 102 sew the extensions 100 to the natural hair 101. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the activator may be applied in any amount necessary to distinguish the threads 102 from the surrounding natural hair 101 and extensions 100 and anywhere to function as prescribed in the present invention. FIG. 6 shows the end result of the wearer with the extensions removed.
The above disclosure of the present invention is for exemplary purposes only and not for the purposes of limitation. The invention and process as described above may be accomplished by any number of chemicals and substances, and others of ordinary skill in the art may apply the procedure and substances as necessary to accomplish the desired results.

Claims

1. A system for removing hair extensions, comprising:

a thread for sewing said extensions to human hair; and

an activator substance.

2. The system for removing hair extensions described in claim 1 wherein said thread is of a color such that it may substantially match the color of natural human hair.

3. The system for removing hair extensions described in claim 1 wherein said thread is treated with a neutral base.

4. The system for removing hair extensions described in claim 1 wherein said activator substance is selected from the group of substances consisting of strong acids, weak acids, strong bases, or weak bases.

5. The system for removing hair extensions described in claim 3 wherein said neutral base substance has a pH level between 3 and 14.

6. A method for removing hair extensions, comprising:

locating where said hair extensions are sewn to natural human hair;

identifying the approximate location of thread used to sew said extensions to said natural human hair;

applying an activator to said thread; and

detaching said thread and said extensions from said natural human hair.

7. The method for removing hair extensions described in claim 6, wherein said thread is of a color that it may substantially match the color of natural human hair.

8. The method for removing hair extensions described in claim 6, wherein said thread is treated with a chemical substance.

9. The method for removing hair extensions described in claim 6, wherein said thread is treated with a neutral base of pH from 3 to 14.

10. The method for removing hair extensions described in claim 6, wherein said activator is selected from the group consisting of strong acids, weak acids, strong bases, or weak bases.

11. The method for removing hair extensions described in claim 7, wherein when said activator is applied to said thread, the thread changes color to one distinguishable from that of said natural human hair

12. A thread for attaching human hair extensions comprising a thread colored to match human hair color, said thread being treated with a chemical substance.

13. The thread described in claim 12 wherein said chemical substance further comprises a neutral base with pH between 3 and 14.

14. The thread described in claim 12 wherein said substance changes color when an activator substance is applied.

15. The thread described in claim 14 where in said activator is selected from the group consisting of strong acids, weak acids, strong bases, or weak bases.