Granted Patent B2

US 7,766,020 · App. 11/647,923 · Granted Aug 3, 2010

Abstract

Claims (30)

1. A hair retaining clip comprising:

a first clip member;

a second clip member pivotally connected to the first clip member, wherein the first and second clip members are movable between a generally open configuration and a generally closed configuration;

a hair gripping component, fixedly attached to the first clip member, that is made from a relatively soft material; and

a biasing member, fixedly attached to the first clip member and positioned between the first clip member and the second clip member when the hair retaining clip is in the generally open configuration,

wherein the hair gripping component extends from the first clip member toward, but does not extend past, the biasing member such that the hair gripping component is shielded from contact with hair within the hair retaining clip by the interposed biasing member when the hair retaining clip is in the open configuration, and the interposed biasing member is compressed by the second clip member to a position where at least a portion of the hair gripping component extends beyond the biasing member and contacts the hair within the hair retaining clip when the hair retaining clip is in the closed configuration.

2. The hair retaining clip of claim 1 , wherein the hair retaining clip includes a living hinge connecting the first clip member to the second clip member.

3. The hair retaining clip of claim 1 , wherein the hair retaining clip is a barrette.

4. The hair retaining clip of claim 1 , wherein the hair retaining clip is a contour clip.

5. The hair retaining clip of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member includes at least one opening through which at least a portion, of the hair-gripping component extends when the second clip member is in the generally closed configuration and through which the hair-gripping component does not extend when the second clip member is in the generally open configuration.

6. The hair retaining clip of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is a leaf spring.

7. The hair retaining clip of claim 6 , wherein the leaf spring is bowed outward toward the second clip member to shield the hair-gripping component from contact with the hair within the hair retaining clip when the second clip member is in the generally open configuration.

8. The hair retaining clip of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member includes a relatively low-friction material.

9. The hair retaining clip of claim 8 , wherein the biasing member is made of a plated spring steel.

10. The hair retaining clip of claim 1 , wherein the hair-gripping component includes a relatively high-friction material that grips the hair with greater frictional force than the biasing member.

11. The hair retaining clip of claim 1 , wherein the second clip member includes one or more apertures through which at least a portion of the hair-gripping component extends when the second clip member is in the generally closed configuration and through which the hair-gripping component does not extend when the second clip member is in the generally open configuration.

12. A hair retaining clip comprising:

a base portion;

a movable arm pivotally connected to the base portion that is movable between a generally open configuration and a generally closed configuration;

a resilient gripping member, fixedly attached to the base portion, that is made from a relatively soft material;

a leaf spring connected to the base portion, positioned between the base portion and the movable arm when the movable arm is in the generally open configuration, and including at least one opening,

wherein the interposed leaf spring is bowed outward toward the movable arm to shield the resilient gripping member from contact with hair within the hair retaining clip, with the hair-gripping component not extending through the leaf spring opening, or otherwise extending past the leaf spring when the movable arm is in the generally open configuration, and wherein the interposed leaf spring is compressed inward by the movable arm and at least a portion of the resilient gripping member extends through the opening in the interposed leaf spring and contacts the hair within the hair retaining clip when the movable arm is in the generally closed configuration.

13. The hair retaining clip of claim 12 , wherein the hair retaining clip is a barrette.

14. The hair retaining clip of claim 12 , wherein the hair retaining clip is a contour clip.

15. The hair retaining clip of claim 12 , wherein the leaf spring includes a relatively low-friction material.

16. The hair retaining clip of claim 15 , wherein the leaf spring is made of a plated spring steel.

17. The hair retaining clip of claim 12 , wherein the resilient gripping member includes a relatively high-friction material that grips the hair with greater frictional force than the leaf spring.

18. The hair retaining clip of claim 12 , wherein the movable arm includes one or more apertures through which at least a portion of the resilient gripping member extends when the movable arm is in the generally closed configuration and through which the resilient gripping member does not extend when the movable arm is in the generally open configuration.

19. The hair retaining clip of claim 12 , wherein the base portion, the movable arm, and the leaf spring in combination define a fastener portion of the hair retaining clip, and further comprising a shroud, wherein the resilient gripping member is sandwiched between the shroud and the fastener portion, and wherein the base portion includes an aperture through which at least a portion of the resilient gripping member extends.

20. The hair retaining clip of claim 12 , wherein the resilient gripping member includes a plurality of fins that define the portion of the resilient gripping member that extends through the leaf spring opening when the movable arm is in the generally closed configuration.

Assignments (8)