US3520309A - Hairpiece including relatively rigid and relatively flexible plastic portions - Google Patents

Description

Juiy i4, 5;, 5, LANE ET 3,520,309

HAIRPIEGE INCLUDING RELATIVELY RIGID AND RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE PLASTIC PORTIONS Filed May 5, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS STANLEY 5. LANE y 14, s. s. LANE ETAL HAIRPIECE INCLUDING EELATIVELY RIGID AND RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE PLASTIC PORTIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1968 FIG. 10

INVENTORS STANLEY 5. LANE V GMAGE A. o/erxmm/ Mfim ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 132-53 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hairpiece made up of an attached pair of upper and lower hairpiece members and wherein the upper hairpiece member which is rooted with hair is fabricated of flesh-colored plastisol to additionally contribute to the natural, lifelike appearance of the hairpiece.

The present invention relates generally to an improved hairpiece, and more particularly to improvements which significantly increase the functional and esthetic characteristics of this product.

Although such factors as the comfort and the ease of using a toupee or hairpiece are important and must be achieved to the patrons satisfaction, by far the most important single factor and standard by which the hairpiece is judged is its natural and lifelike appearance. It is essential that during use of the hairpiece, particularly if in the form of a toupee, there be no telltale evidence of its use. Considerable effort has already been expended and continues to be expended to thus improve the hairpiece construction to minimize the giveaway signs of its use including, for example, the use of matched, natural hair, the use of realistically created hair lines, and the use of elaborate measuring techniques to improve proper sizing and fit. Despite these efforts and the improvements they have produced, for one reason or another, commercially available hairpieces still fall far short of the necessary requirements since this product is still not enjoying its optimum widespread acceptance and use.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hairpiece overcoming. the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specfically, it is an object to provide an improved toupee or hairpiece which in every visible aspect has a realistic, natural appearance; this noteworthy feature or characteristic, more particularly, being not merely limited to the rooted hair of the hairpiece, but also embodied in the visibly prominent construction materials of the hairpiece.

A hairpiece demonstrating objects and advantages of the present invention includes an attached pair of upper and lower hairpiece members, the upper member being preferably fabricated of plastisol so as to simulate the appearance of skin and having hair rooted therethrough, after which it is then appropriately attached to the supporting lower hairpiece member. Thus, the resulting product has a natural appearance in its construction materials as well as in the hair thereof.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of the head of a typical user of a hairpiece hereof, FIG. 1 being useful in illustrating the extent of the bald area of the user which is shown fitted, in FIG. 2, with a hairpiece member forming a part of the hairpiece hereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the hairpiece member illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, in section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3, illustrating further structural features of the hairpiece member;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another hairpiece member of the hairpiece hereof;

FIG, 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 5 but i1- lustrating the hairpiece member rooted with hair;

FIG. 7A is a partial elevational view, in section, taken on line 7A7A of FIG. 6, illustrating the manner in which hair is initially rooted in the hairpiece member;

FIG. 7B is a view similar to FIG. 7A but illustrating the hair appropriately secured in place;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the two hairpiece members hereof, preparatory to their assembly;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 8, but illustrating the two hairpiece members after assembly;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view, taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9, illustrating further structural features of the assembly; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, but illustrating the completed hairpiece hereof in a typical actual use.

Reference is now made to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1, 2 and 11, which, by comparison, best illustrate a typical use of the hairpiece hereof, generally designated 10 in FIG. 11. As illustrated, this typical use is to cover a bald area B of an adult male or patron P. Although it will be understood that this is a primary use for the hairpiece 10, the invention is not intended to be limited to this use but can just as well be embodied in wigs and other such hairpieces intended for women.

The construction and noteworthy attributes of the hairpiece 10 can best be understood from a detailed description of the various steps in its manufacture which now follows. It is not intended, however, that the invention be limited to these specific enumerated steps or to the sequence of their occurrence; rather, the invention resides in the structural features as broadly defined by the claims without limitation to any manufacturing steps to produce these structural features.

The recommended initial step is to take appropriate measurements of the bald area B of the user P from which a plaster mold (not shown) is made conforming to the shape and extent of the bald area B. A male mold is next made out of the plaster mold and is, in turn, used as a guide in the manufacture of a first hairpiece member 12, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Member 12 is one of the two significant parts of the hairpiece 10. In a preferred embodiment, member 12 is approximately .015 inch thick and is fabricated either of vinyl sheeting sold under the trademark of Vinylite or of polycarbonite, sold under the trademark Lexan. In either instance, member 12 includes a peripheral edge 12a which follows the contour of the bald area B and has an Opening 12b in its medial area of a suificient extent so that the remaining peripheral portion 120 which bounds the opening 121; is flexible or pliable in spite of the fact that it is fabricated of material, as already noted, which can be classified as a comparatively rigid plastic, although having some inherent flexibility. In any event, it should be readily appreciated that the removal of the central portion of the member 12 which provides the opening 12b contributes to greater flexibility of the remaining peripheral portion 120.

Next, central opening 12b is covered with a flexible mesh 12d, preferably of polypropylene; the marginal edge of the mesh 12d being adhesively secured, as best illustrated in FIG. 4 as at 14, over the central opening 12b. It will also be noted in FIG. 4 that the hairpiece member 12 has a slight curvature which produces an appropriate shape contributing to its proper fit on the patrons head.

Next, the second significant member of the hairpiece 10 is fabricated using plastisol as a preferred material of construction. Alternatively, use may be made of latex or of a soft acrylic, each of which has an added colorant to achieve a flesh-like appearance. The preference for plastisol, however, is that it is well known for its flesh color and many other attributes simulating actual skin, as is evidenced by its being widely used in the manu facture of childrens dolls. In accordance with the present invention, plastisol, because of its flesh color and because it is a comparatively flexible material, is made to effectively serve as an upper scalp-simulating member, generally designated 16 in FIGS. 5-10. Specifically, the upper hairpiece member 16, like the previously described member 12, includes an outer peripheral edge 16a which generally follows the contour of the patrons bald area B. Moreover, the upper flesh-colored surface 16b which, it will be appreciated, is the visible surface of the hairpiece as seen between the individual rooted hairs thereof, thus has a realistic scalplike appearance.

Member 16 is converted to a form which is useful as part of the hairpiece 10 by first appropriately having a plurality of hair-receiving openings 160 (only a few of which are designated) puncture-d therethrough. Hair H, preferably natural but possibly also artificial, is next rooted, again preferably by hand but also possibly by machine, through the openings 160. During this rooting operation use may advantageously be made of a head form (not shown) over which the member 16 is stretched and held during the rooting procedure. The rooting of the hair H is achieved such that the hair is initially projected through the openings 160 with the base portion H1 extending beneath the undersurface 16b of member 16 and the remaining major length portion H2 extending above the visible flesh-colored surface 16b, all as is clearly illustrated in FIG. 7A. The depending hair portion H1 is next preferably shaved to a uniform A to inch length and then secured in place by being adhesively attached, as at 18, to the undersurface 16d, as best illustrated in FIG. 73.

Reference should now specifically be made to FIGS. 810 best illustrating the manner in which the two hairpieces 12 and 16 are assembled to make the composite hairpiece 10. Prior to actual assembly of the hairpieces, the front edge of the upper hairpiece member 16, specifically that portion designated HL in FIG. 8, is styled in a manner which contributes to more realistically simulating a natural hairline. More particularly, additional hair H3 is adhesively secured to the undersurface 16b along the front edge HL so that the unsecured portion thereof extends beyond and around the front edge HL. The result can be best understood from a consideration .of FIG. 8 in conjunction with FIG. 10, these two figures additionally illustrating that in the assembly of the members 12, 16 the front edge HL of member 16 has a slight overlap or forward projection P which provides clearance for the additional hair H3. Along the remaining confronting edges 12a and 16a of the hairpieces 12 and 16, respectively, there is substantial alignment of the edges.

Assembly of the two hairpieces is preferably achieved by applying a surface coating 20 on the lower hairpiece member or shell 12 which is effective in providing an adhesive attachment between the two members 12 and 16.

Hairpiece 10 is then completed by being appropriately styled and, in actual use, is adhesively or otherwise apropriately secured over the bald area B of the patron.

From the foregoing it should be readily appreciated that the resulting composite hairpiece 10 provides an exceptionally realistic simulated appearance of naturally growing hair, due not only to the placement of appropriately matched rooted hair H throughout the bald area B of the patron but also due to the scalp-simulating surface 1611. Surface 16b is not only flesh-colored but it is contemplated that it may also be matched in texture and tone to the actual flesh color of the patron.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the'spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A hairpiece to cover a bald area of a prescribed extent comprising combined hairpiece members which each are substantially of said same prescribed extent as said bald area including an upper scalp-simulating member fabricated of flesh-colored, comparatively I flexible plastisol and a lower support shell fabricated of a comparatively rigid plastic, only said scalp-simulating member having hair rooted therethrough such that the major length portion thereof constituting the hair of said hairpiece extends above a visible flesh-colored upper surface thereof and the remaining lower length portion extends below the undersurface thereof, an adhesive. attachment of said hair lower length portion to said undersurface of said scalp-simulating member securing said hair in place, and an adhesive attachment of said scalp-simulating member to said support shell with said adhesively attached portion of said hair at the interface of said member and shell, said support shell having a medial opening of a sufficient extent to contribute to the flexibility of the remaining peripheral portion thereof bounding said opening, to thereby facilitate the fit of said support shell over said bald area.

2. A hairpiece as defined in claim 1 having a simulated hairline coextensive with the front edge thereof including a front edge portion along said scalp-simulating member projected forwardly beyond said front edge of said support shell and having hair adhesively secured to the undersurface of said projecting front edge.

3. A hairpiece to cover a bald area of a prescribed extent comprising combined hairpiece members which each are substantially of said same prescribed extent as said bald area including an upper scalp-simulating member fabricated of flesh-colored, comparatively flexible material and a lower support shell fabricated of a comparatively rigid plastic, said scalp-simulating member .having hair rooted therethrough such that the major length portion thereof constituting the hair of said hairpiece extends above a visible flesh-colored upper surface thereof and the remaining lower length portion extends below the undersurface thereof, an adhesive attachment 'of said lower length portion to said undersurface of said scalp-simulating member securing said'hair in place, said support shell having a medial opening of a suflicient extent to contribute to the flexibility ofthe remaining peripheral portion thereof bounding said opening, a flexible covering over said opening adhesively attached to said support shell along said bounding peripheral portion thereof, and an adhesive attachment of said scalp-simulating member to said support shell with said adhesively 6 attached portion of said hair at the interface of said References Cited member F F UNITED STATES PATENTS 4. A ha1rp1ece as defined in claim 3 having a simulated 1 000 525 8/1911 Kubelka 132 5 hairline coextensive with the front edge thereof including 1464O89 8/1923 Ernest a front edge portion along said scalp-simulating member 5 3O77891 2/1963 Lane 132 5 projected forwardly beyond said front edge of said support shell and having hair adhesively secured to the under- BARRY SHAY Pnmary Ekammer surface of said projecting front edge. I. N. ESKOVITZ, Assistant Examiner

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