US20140000641A1

US20140000641A1 - Hair Track for Use on a Wearer

Info

Publication number: US20140000641A1
Application number: US13/534,590
Authority: US
Inventors: Tashia Shanel Lewis; Angelo Fitzgerald Lewis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-06-27
Filing date: 2012-06-27
Publication date: 2014-01-02

Abstract

Embodiments herein may relate to a hair track for covering at least a portion of a wearer's head or other body portions. The hair track may include a base formed from a lace or other material. The base may include a top side portion for receiving hair strands, both natural and synthetic, and a bottom side portion, which may be secured to a wearer's head. The hair strands may he secured to the base via one or more fasteners. A transparent or transparent-like quality of the lace material, as well as other features, may contribute to an authentic appearance of the hair track, even when a wearer's naturally attached hair is pulled away from or separated from the base of the hair track.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments herein relate generally to hair products and relate more particularly to hair products for adding hair to a wearer's head or other body portions using a transparent or transparent-like base to provide an authentic appearance of the hair addition.

BACKGROUND

Synthetic hair extensions or similar hair products may provide a natural appearance of hair for a person wearing such an extension or product. The extensions may be used to conceal damaged, thinning, or missing hear on a person's head. Existing hair extensions, however, may be limited in their use due to their susceptibility to being detected by viewers of the hair extensions. As an example, existing hair extensions may include a track or a portion of the hair extension used to secure synthetic hair and attach the synthetic hair to a wearer's head. To provide such securing and attachment, existing tracks in hair extension products may be a solid material having little or no transparency, which may make the tracks prone to detection by viewers of the hair extension. Due to the limited (e.g., visible) characteristics of existing hair extensions, a wearer may be limited in how the wearer may use the hair extension. For example, a wearer may have to wear the hair extension such that the track portion may be hidden by natural hair to provide a natural appearance of the hair extension. Such a requirement, however, may limit a wearer's options when using hair extensions. Thus, a more versatile, authentic-looking hair product solution is highly desirable.

SUMMARY

Some or all of the above needs and/or problems may be addressed by certain embodiments of the disclosure. Certain embodiments may include a hair track and associated methods. According to one embodiment, there is disclosed a hair track for covering at least a portion of one or more surfaces of a wearer. The hair track may include a base that has a top portion and a bottom portion. The hair track may be configured to shape to the one or more portions of a wearer's body, and wherein the base comprises a lace material. The hair track may further include a plurality of hair strands that are secured to the base via one or more fasteners. At least a portion of the bottom portion of the base contacts the one or more portions, and at least a portion of the top portion receives the plurality of hair strands.
According to another embodiment, a method for making a hair track is disclosed. The method may include sizing a lace material for use on a wearer's head, wherein the sizing comprises cutting away at least a portion of the lace material, wherein the lace material comprises a base for receiving a plurality of hair strands: securing the plurality of hair strands to the lace material; and applying a weight to the plurality of hair strands and the base to facilitate securing the plurality of hair strands to the base.
According to a further embodiment, another hair track is disclosed. The hair track may include a base comprising a lace material and a plurality of hair strands secured to the base via one or more fasteners.
Certain implementations will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which various implementations and/or aspects are shown. However, various aspects may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein: rather, these implementations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example configuration of a hair track, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a hair track in use on a wearer's head, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 a illustrates a hair track on a wearer's head as viewed from a front perspective of a wearer's head, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 b illustrates a hair track on a wearer's head as viewed from a rear perspective of the wearer's head, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 c illustrates the effectiveness of utilizing a hair track on a wearer's head, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a base that may be used for receiving hair strands, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A hair track may be used to add hair to a wearer to provide an authentic appearance of the hair addition by making it more difficult for the hair addition to be detected by viewers. As used herein, a wearer may refer to a person who uses a hair track on any portion of the wearer's body, such as, but not limited to, a wearer's head or face.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example hair track 100 that may be used on a wearer. The hair track 100 may include a base 102 to which hair strands 104 may be secured. The base 102 may include at least a top side portion and an opposing bottom side portion. As used herein, the bottom side portion may contact a wearer's head or other portion of the wearer's body, whereas the top side portion may not contact a wearer's head or other such portion. According to this configuration, the top side portion may receive the hair strands 104. FIG. 1 depicts an illustration of the hair track 100 in which the bottom side portion of the base 102 (i.e., the portion of the base 102 that contacts a wearer's head) is shown. The hair strands 104 may extend downward from the base 102, as shown in FIG. 1.
In one embodiment, the base 102 may be comprised of a transparent material that may allow a wearer's skin or otherwise a surface of a wearer's body underneath the base 102 to be seen when viewed from the top portion of the base 102. In another embodiment, the base 102 may be comprised of a porous material or other material that may have holes, e.g., minute holes, through which air or liquid may pass. Such pores may exist in FIG. 3, e.g., pores 103. In one embodiment, as will be discussed in greater detail below, the hair strands 104 may be secured to the base 102 and may be inserted into the pores 103. According to this embodiment, the hair strands may be sized according to the diameter of the pores 103 such that the hair strands 104 may fit snugly into the pores 103. In some embodiments, the hair strands 104 may not fit into the pores 103 but may be secured to a solid portion of the base 102, as will be discussed in greater detail below. In these embodiments, the label 103 in FIG. 1 may represent points where at least a portion of the hair strands 104, e.g., the tip of the hair strands 104, contact the base 102. In some embodiments, the portion of the hair strands 104 such as the tip may pass through the base 102 and may be secured to the bottom side portion of the base 102 to provide a more secure fit. In these embodiments, the label 103 may represent the actual portion of the hair strands 104 such as the tip as viewed from the bottom side portion after passing through the base 102.
The base 102 may have a left edge 106, a bottom edge 108, a top edge 110, and a right edge 112, as shown in FIG. 1. In this way, the base 102 may be generally rectangular. Various other shapes of the hair based 102 may exist in other embodiments, such as, but not limited to, generally triangular, generally circular, generally square, generally trapezoidal, generally octagonal, or generally other shapes having various numbers of sides such that the base 102 may be customized to cover balding portions of a wearer's head or other body portions, in one embodiment. The edges 106, 108, 110, and 112 may not be straight edges even when a generally rectangular base 102 is used. The edges may change widths, e.g., as measured from the bottom edge 108 to the top edge 110, when moving from left to right along the base 102. Similarly, the left edge 106 and the right edge 112 may change length, e.g., as measured from the left edge 105 to the right edge 112, when moving from top to bottom along the base 102. Such characteristics, along with the transparent and/or porous characteristics of the base 102, may give the base 102, and hence the hair track 100, a more authentic and less structural or mechanical appearance.
In certain embodiments, the base 102 may be a lace material. Lace may be described as a netlike ornamental fabric made of threads. Lace may be an openwork fabric, patterned with open holes in the material. In this way, a lace material used herein may be breathable such that air may pass through the top side portion to the bottom side portion of the hair track 100. When worn, such breathable lace material may allow air to pass through to the wearer's head or other body portions. In one example, the lace used, to form the base 102 may be created by looping, twisting, or braiding multiple threads to one another from a backing fabric. The threads used in the lace may be different types including, but not limited to, cotton, linen, silk, gold, or silver. In some embodiments, the threads used to form the lace may be formed with a fine copper or silver wire instead of thread. The lace material may be porous, transparent, and/or transparent-like in various embodiments. Various materials other than lace may be used in other embodiments. Such materials may include, but are not limited to, cloth, sateen, cotton, silk, polyester, or other materials having similar qualities, characteristics, and/or features to lace materials or the aforementioned materials, as well as materials that may not share such attributes.
The base 102 may have different shapes, sizes, or dimensions than that shown in FIG. 1. In an example embodiment, the base 102 may have a width of approximately one-quarter inch. In another example embodiment, the width may be approximately one-half inch. The width of the base 102 may be indicated by the distance 112 shown in FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the width may be significantly wider and longer to cover larger portions of a wearer's head or other body portions.
The base 102 may be constructed from a flexible material such that it may be shaped along the natural contours of a wearer's head or other body portions. In this way, the base 102 may not be bulky or raised from the surface of a wearer's head or other body portions. Additionally and/or alternatively, the flexible material may be cut such that portions of it may be removed to provide variable widths, lengths, and/or thicknesses to accommodate various uses of the hair track 100. Additionally, the material used for the base 102 may be moisture-repellant, reinforced, or otherwise durable such that it may be washed and may maintain its texture, form, resiliency, composure, and/or its original form, in certain embodiments. A porous base 102 material may facilitate such characteristics, in one embodiment.
The hair strands 104 may be natural or synthetic hair strands, according to various embodiments. Any number, length, thickness, or other dimension of the hair strands 104 may exist in various embodiments. According to some embodiments, natural hair strands 104 may be used to provide a more authentic appearance of the hair track than synthetic hair strands. Similar to the base 102, the natural hair strands 104 may be durable such that the hair track 100 may be washed or otherwise may endure water, moisture, or other elements that may distort the appearance and/or operability of the hair track 100. Synthetic hair strands may include various types of materials according to various embodiments.
The hair strands 104 may be secured to the base 102 using various fasteners. As used herein. “secured,” “secured to,” or generally the act of securing can mean attaching, joining, or binding the hair strands 104 to the base 102. Examples of fasteners that may be used to secure the hair strands 104 may include, but are not limited to, stitches, clips, glue, tape, or other adhesive substances. According to various embodiments, the hair strands 104 may be secured to the top portion or the bottom portion (e.g., the portion contacting the wearer's head or other surface) of the band 102. When secured to the bottom portion, the hair strands 104 may be inserted through pores, openings, or holes (e.g., pores 103) in the band 102. Such pores or openings may exist in a lace material.
FIG. 2 illustrates the hair track 100 when viewed from the top side portion of the base 102, or the portion that may not contact a wearer's head or other body portion. The base 102 of the hair track 100 may not be visible or may be difficult to detect, as indicated in FIG. 2, by virtue of the transparent, transparent-like, or porous nature of the base 102 (e.g., as provided by a lace material). Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the base 102 is covered by the hair strands 104, which as noted, may be secured to the base 102. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the base 102 may not visible (or may be less visible) when viewed from the top side portion of the base 102.
At least some of the hair strands illustrated in FIG. 2 may be the hair strands 104 secured to the hair base 102 of the hair track 100. Such hair strands 104 may exist among the wearer's natural hair in a fashion that may make it difficult to determine that the hair track 100 is installed on the wearer's head. According to one embodiment, at least because the hair track 100 may be formed from a lace material, or a similar transparent-like or porous material, the hair track 100 may reveal a wearer's skin when viewing the top side portion of the base 102.
FIG. 3 a illustrates a front view of a hair track 100 installed on a wearer's head. Dotted line are shown in FIG. 3 to indicate edges of the base 102. The lines are dotted to indicate that the base 102 of the hair track 100 may not be visible to viewers, according to configuration shown in FIG. 3 a, in one example. Similarly, FIG. 3 b illustrates a rear view of a hair track 100 installed on a wearer's head. As shown in FIG. 3 c, the hair track 100 according to certain embodiments herein may allow a wearer to pull away the wearer's naturally attached hair from the base 102 of the hair track 100 such that the base 102 is not covered by such naturally attached hair. As will be discussed below, the hair track 100 thus may provide a wearer with additional options for wearing the hair track 100.
The benefits associated with embodiments herein may include, but are not limited to, isolating or separating the hair track 100 from a wearer's naturally attached hair such that the wearer may have more flexible options for styling the wearer's hair. As shown in FIG. 3 c, the wearer's naturally attached hair may be placed in a pony tail and extended at an angle above the wearer's head, thereby exposing the base 102 and hair strands 104 of the hair track 100. In existing hair extension products and other products, the hair extension may be more easily detected when a wearer's hair is pulled away in the mariner described above and therefore may prevent a wearer who desires a more authentic hair appearance from separating naturally attached hair away from the hair extension.
FIG. 4 depicts a base 102 that may be used for receiving hair strands, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. As described above, the base 102 may have one or more pores 103. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the portions 103 may receive hair strands 104. In some embodiments, no pores 103 may exist in base 102. According to these embodiments, the base 102 may be a solid material. The solid material may receive the hair strands 104 on a surface of the base 102. In some embodiments, the base 102 may be a solid transparent, transparent-like, or other material. Such a base 102 may be comprised of a lace material. As noted, a porous base 102 may also comprise a lace material.
A hair track 100 may be manufactured in various ways. In one embodiment, the base 102 may be formed by shaping lace material according to a desired size and/or dimension by using a cutting tool, such as a knife or scissors. Glue, tape, or other adhesive substances may be added to the base 102 for securing the hair strands 104 to the base 102. Before or after such securing, the hair strands 104 may be adjusted, e.g., via cutting at least a portion of the hair strands 104 away to modify the length. At least a portion of the hair strands 104, e.g., the tip, or a suitable amount of a portion of the hair strands 104 sufficient for securing the hair strands to the base 102, may be placed in contact with the base 102 having thereon the glue, tape, or other adhesive substance. A weight or suitable substance may be used to apply pressure to the hair strands 104 while they are in contact with the base 102 so that the hair strands 104 may be secured quickly (relative to the absence of such pressure) and accurately, in certain embodiments. In some embodiments, stitches may be used to secure the hair strands 104 to the base 102. According to these embodiments, a stitch or loop may secure the hair strands 104 to the base 102.
In another embodiment, the hair track may be manufactured by inserting hair strands 104 in the pores 103 of the base 102. In one example, the hair strands may fit snugly into the base 102 and may be secured on the bottom side portion of the base 102. According to this embodiment, hair strands 104 may first be selected. A diameter or thickness of the hair strand 104 may be determined based on a diameter of the pores 103. In one embodiment, the thickness of the hair strands 104 may be the same, slightly less than, or slightly greater than the diameter of the pores 103 to provide the snug fit. The hair strands may be pressed through the pores 103 of the base 102 using a utensil, such as a needle. A needle may also be used in other embodiment to insert hair strands 104 into a base 102 independent of the pores 103. In these embodiments, the needle may create a sufficient opening for the hair strands 104 to pass through the base 102. Returning to the present example of making the hair track 100, after hair strands 104 have been inserted into the pores or otherwise inserted through the base 102, at least a portion of the hair strands 104 may be secured to the bottom side portion of the base 102. Various securing mechanisms may be used to provide such securing. For example, the portions or tips of the hair strands inserted through the base 102 may be adhered to the base 102 via glue, tape, or other adhesive substances. In another example, the hair strands 104 may be stitched to the bottom side portion of the base 102. Each hair strand 104 may be secured to the base 102 in this or similar fashion at different points along the portion or portions of the base 102. In one embodiment, after the hair strands 104 are secured to the base 102, the base 102 and/or the hair strands 104 may be cut and/or customized to fit a wearer's needs, e.g., to cover a particular balding area of the wearer's head or body portion.
The hair track 100 may be utilized by securing it to a wearer's head via various fasteners as described above. The hair track may be placed on a wearer's head or a portion of the wearer's face, such as the wearer's beard, mustache, as well as other body parts to which a wearer may desire to add hair, and secured thereto via one or more of the fasteners described herein. In one example, a user may place his hands on either side of the hair track 100 and overlay it onto a balding portion of a wearer's head, in one example. In one embodiment, the hair track 100 may be shaped generally to cover the balding portion of the wearer's head. Glue, stitches, or other fasteners as described herein may be placed on one side, e.g., the bottom side portion of the hair track 100 such that when the hair track 100 is placed onto a wearer's head or other body portion, the hair track 100 may be secured to the wearer's head or other body portion.
According to various embodiments, any wearer who may require the addition of hair to their body portions for extended durations without the hair addition significantly losing its composure or original appearance. The hair track 100 may provide such benefits in the way that it may be durable and may not require frequent replacement relative to existing hair extensions or similar products. In addition to humans, the hair track 100 may also be used to cover portions of an animal that may be experiencing thinning or missing hair, as examples. Various other uses of the hair track 100 may exist in other embodiments.
It should be understood that the foregoing relates only to certain embodiments of the invention, which are presented by way of example rather than limitation. Numerous changes may be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Many other modifications, features, and embodiments of the present invention will become evident to those of skill in the art.

Claims

1. A hair track for concealing at least a portion of one or more portions of a wearer, the hair track comprising:

a base comprising a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the base is configured to shape to the one or more portions, and wherein the base comprises a lace material; and

a plurality of hair strands secured to the base via one or more fasteners;

wherein at least a first portion of the bottom portion of the base contacts the one or more portions and at least a second portion the top portion receives the plurality of hair strands.

2. The hair track of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a transparent material.

3. The hair track of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a porous material.

4. The hair track of claim 1, wherein the one or more portions comprise a wearer's head.

5. The hair track of claim 1, wherein the one or more portions comprises at least one of a wearer's facial portions.

6. The hair track of claim 1, wherein the fasteners comprise at least one of stitches, one or more clips, glue, tape, or an adhesive substance.

7. The hair track of claim 1, wherein the plurality of hair strands comprise natural hair.

8. The hair track of claim 1, wherein the plurality of hair strands comprise synthetic hair.

9. The hair track of claim 1, wherein the base is approximately one-quarter inch in width.

10. The hair track of claim 1, wherein the base is approximately one-half inch in width.

11. A method for making a hair track, the method comprising:

sizing a lace material for use on a wearer's head, wherein the sizing comprises cutting away at least a portion of the lace material, wherein the lace material comprises a base for receiving a plurality of hair strands;

securing the plurality of hair strands to the lace material; and

applying a weight to the plurality of hair strands and the base to facilitate securing the plurality of hair strands to the base.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of hair strands comprise at least one of natural hair or synthetic hair.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the securing comprises applying a fastener to attach the plurality of hair strands to the base.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the fasteners comprise at least one of stitches, glue, tape, or an adhesive substance.

15. A hair track comprising:

a base comprising a lace material; and

a plurality of hair strands secured to the base via one or more fasteners.

16. The hair track of claim 15, wherein the lace material comprises at least one of a transparent material or a porous material.

17. The hair track of claim 15, wherein the hair track comprises a top side portion and a bottom side portion, wherein the plurality of hair strands are secured to the bottom side portion, the plurality of hair strands inserted through the top side portion, wherein the bottom side portion contacts a portion of a wearer's body.

18. The hair track of claim 15, wherein the plurality of strands are secured to the base via glue.

19. The hair track of claim 15, wherein the plurality of strands are secured to the base via stitches.

20. The hair track of claim 15, wherein the plurality of strands comprises at least one of natural hair or synthetic hair.