Hair locking tool charm
View Patent ↗A hair locking tool charm has an elongated shaft with a longitudinal channel. The shaft has a cylindrical first end and a tapered second end. The channel has a continuous sidewall parallel to a discontinuous sidewall. The discontinuous sidewall includes two overlapping members with an interspace between. The channel tapers to a narrow end near the first end of the shaft. A method of locking hair with the tool charm includes putting hair in the interspace, manipulating the hair into the narrow end of the channel, and guiding the hair around the first end into a v-shaped notch. Insert the tapered end into a lock or braid, pull the tool charm through, and release the hair from the notch and the channel. When not in use, the tool charm may be worn as an adornment.
1 . A hair locking tool charm comprising:
an elongated shaft having a length extending in a longitudinal direction and having a first portion, the first portion being substantially cylindrical, a tapered second portion, and a substantially flat portion disposed between the first portion and the tapered second portion;
the substantially flat portion comprising a substantially rectangular cross-section with first and second opposing sides of the substantially flat portion being joined to the first portion by a first concavity;
the first and second opposing sides of the substantially flat portion being joined to the tapered second portion by a second concavity;
wherein the first portion comprises a proximal end and an opposing distal end, the proximal end defining a terminal end of the hair locking tool charm wherein the terminal end comprises a v-shaped notch extending diametrically thereacross and formed entirely within the first portion;
a length of the cylindrical first portion being greater than a diameter of the cylindrical first portion; and
a longitudinal channel, spaced apart and separate from the v-shaped notch and formed entirely within the substantially flat portion, said longitudinal channel having a narrow end proximate the proximal end of the first portion and a wide end distal from the proximal end of the first portion, the wide end positioned at an intermediate location along the elongated shaft proximate the second concavity, said longitudinal channel comprising a continuous sidewall extending between the wide end and the narrow end; and a discontinuous sidewall disposed opposite the continuous sidewall, said discontinuous sidewall comprising two overlapping members that define an interspace therebetween;
wherein the longitudinal channel tapers from the wide end to the narrow end; and
wherein the interspace intersects with the longitudinal channel at a position proximate to the wide end.
2 . The hair locking tool charm of claim 1 , wherein the continuous sidewall and the discontinuous sidewall define a first substantially flat longitudinal face and a second substantially flat longitudinal face, wherein the first substantially flat longitudinal face and the second substantially flat longitudinal face are recessed relative to the first portion.
3 . The hair locking tool charm of claim 1 , wherein the v-shaped notch opens opposite the longitudinal channel.
4 . The hair locking tool charm of claim 1 , wherein the first portion has a borehole defined diametrically therethrough, wherein the borehole extends orthogonal to a length of the longitudinal channel.
5 . The hair locking tool charm of claim 1 , wherein the elongated shaft is conical in shape from a distal end of the second concave region to the tapered second portion.
6 . The hair locking tool charm of claim 1 , wherein the elongated shaft comprises a bend at a distal end of the tapered second portion, wherein the bend is disposed at an obtuse angle to the first portion.
7 . The hair locking tool charm of claim 1 , wherein circumferential score marks orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft are formed around the tapered second portion.
8 . A method of locking hair with the hair locking tool charm of claim 1 , comprising:
engaging hair in the interspace;
manipulating the hair into the longitudinal channel;
urging the hair into the narrow end;
guiding the hair around the first portion into the v-shaped notch formed therein;
inserting the tapered second portion into a lock or braid;
pulling the hair locking tool charm through the lock or braid; and
releasing the hair from the v-shaped notch and the narrow end of the longitudinal channel.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising repeating the steps of inserting the tapered second portion into a lock or braid and pulling the hair locking tool charm through the lock or braid until a predetermined pattern is achieved.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the hair locking tool charm retains the hair against unintended release during the steps of inserting and pulling.
11 . The hair locking tool charm of claim 1 , wherein the continuous sidewall and the discontinuous sidewall define a first substantially flat longitudinal face and a second substantially flat longitudinal face, wherein the first substantially flat longitudinal face and the second substantially flat longitudinal face are recessed relative to the substantially cylindrical first portion;
wherein the elongated shaft comprises a bend at a distal end of the tapered second portion such that the bend is disposed at an obtuse angle to the substantially cylindrical first portion; and
wherein a plurality of circumferential score marks orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft are formed around the tapered second portion.