Hair bow system   

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/953,021 entitled “HAIR BOW SYSTEM”, filed Jul. 31, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a system and method for the creation of decorative bows, and in particular to a system including multiple, interchangeable bows for the creation of decorative hair ornaments having a variety of appearances.

2. Description of Related Art

Many women and small girls enjoy wearing decorative accessories such as hair bows. In this regard, it is desirable to have a large selection of individual hair bows so that a style and color can be selected to match an outfit or, for example, to recognize a holiday or other event. However, to accommodate this desire, a large number of individual bows having different colors, shapes or sizes are required.

Some decorative hair accessories have been described in the prior art. For example, U.S Pat. No. 6,688,316 by Klug discloses a decorative hair accessory kit with interchangeable decorations. The decorations include interchangeable ornaments that can be attached to a hair-controlling device such as a hair band, a hair comb or a barrette. The ornaments are attached to the hair band, hair comb or barrette by utilizing hook and loop fasteners.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,469 by Sowell discloses a barrette having reusable adhesive tape or a hook and loop fastener on the barrette body, wherein an ornament can be mounted onto the barrette.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,252 by Boxer discloses a hair clip that is capable of holding items of decoration. An item of decoration, such as a bow, can be mounted on the hair clip by utilizing hook and loop fastener strips.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,611 by LeCrone et al. discloses a headband having at least one pocket for interchangeably receiving ornaments or other objects.

There remains a need for a hair bow system that can readily provide a variety of different appearances without requiring the purchase of a large number of individual bows.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a hair bow system that enables a user to create a variety of ornamental appearances by mixing and matching bows having different shapes, sizes, colors or decorative patterns. The hair bow system can include an attachment device that is adapted to attach to a user, such as by securing to the head of a user. A first fastener element is disposed on the attachment device where the first fastener element is adapted to fasten to a first hair bow. The first hair bow includes a second fastener element that is adapted to removably fasten to the first fastener element on the attachment device. A third fastener element is also disposed on the first hair bow. A second hair bow is provided that includes a fourth fastener element that is adapted to attach to the third fastener element on the first hair bow for removably fastening the second hair bow to the first hair bow. In this manner, a variety of appearances can be created by the user by selecting from first and second hair bows having different shapes, colors, sizes and decorative patterns.

According to one embodiment, the fastener elements are snap fastener elements to provide simple changing of the hair bows and to minimize the chance of a user's hair becoming entangled in the fastening element, as can occur with a hook and loop fastener element. Preferably, the fastening elements are disposed close to the center of the hair bows. The second hair bow, which can be the top bow of the ornamental bow arrangement, preferably does not include a fastener element on its top side to preserve the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the hair bow device.

The hair bow system can also include a third hair bow where the third hair bow includes a fifth fastener element that is adapted to removably fasten to the third fastener element on the first bow and a sixth fastener element that is adapted to removably fasten to the fourth fastener element on the second bow. In this manner, the first, second and third hair bows can be attached upon one another, such as with the third hair bow being disposed between the first and second hair bows.

The attachment device can include a hair clip and the attachment device can also include an elastic head band where the hair clip can be attached to the elastic head band. The attachment device can include other devices such as a hair comb.

In one embodiment, the first hair bow has a major axis that is longer than the major axis of the second hair bow to provide an aesthetically pleasing ornamental appearance.

A kit for assembling hair bows having a variety of appearances is also provided. The kit can include at least a first attachment device adapted to attach to the head of a user and having a first fastener element. At least two decorative lower bows are included in the kit, wherein each of the two lower bows includes a second fastener element adapted to removably attach to the first fastener element, and each also includes a third fastener element. The kit also includes at least two decorative upper bows, where each of the upper bows include a fastener element that is adapted to removably fasten to the third fastener element on the lower bows.

A method for creating a decorative hair bow is also provided. The method includes providing an attachment device having a first fastener element disposed on the attachment device and removably attaching a first hair bow to the attachment device by fastening it to the first fastener element. A second hair bow is then attached to the first hair bow.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a hair bow system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a hair bow system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a kit comprising a hair bow system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to the attached figures, the hair bow system and method will be described in further detail.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a hair bow system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The hair bow system includes an attachment device that is adapted to securely attach to a user, such as by attaching to the user's head. The attachment device can include a hair clip 12 having two mutually opposed surfaces that are urged against each other by virtue of a spring mechanism. In this way, a portion of a user's hair can be placed between the two surfaces and the hair clip 12 is thereby directly attached to the user's head.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the attachment device also includes a headband 14 that includes a pocket or loop 16 to which the hair clip 12 can be secured. The headband 14 is preferably an elastic headband that is adapted to fit around the head of a user, such as a small child. This can be particularly advantageous for infants who do not have a sufficient amount of hair with which to directly attach a hair clip 12. The hair attachment device can also be, for example, a hair comb or a semi-rigid hair band.

A first fastener element 18 is disposed on the hair attachment device. The first fastener element 18 is adapted to secure one or more decorative items to the top of the hair clip 12.

The hair bow system includes a plurality of decorative items, and in this regard can include a plurality of hair bows that are adapted to fasten to one another and ultimately to the fastener element 18 on the attachment device.

The hair bows illustrated in FIG. 1 are looped fabric bows, as is known to those skilled in the art. However, it will be appreciated that the present invention is not so limited and that the decorative bows could include curly bows, (i.e., bows wherein the fabric curls upon itself to create a curled appearance) or could include bows having straight flat ribbons emanating from a central portion of the bow. It will also be appreciated that the present invention could include one or more hair bows having a combination of these appearances.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a first hair bow 20 is adapted to fasten to the hair attachment device. The first hair bow 20 includes a top side and a bottom side and includes a fastener element 22 on the bottom side that is adapted to removably fasten to the fastener element 18 on the attachment device. An additional fastener element 24 is disposed on the top side of the first hair bow 20. A second hair bow 26 is provided that includes a fastener element 28 on a bottom side of the second hair bow 26 that is adapted to engage the top fastener element 24 of the first hair bow.

As is illustrated in FIG. 1, one or more additional lower bows, such as bow 30 can be disposed between the lower hair bow 20 and upper hair bow 26. In this regard, the bow 30 includes fastener elements 32 and 34 for fastening to the lower bow 20 and the upper bow 26. Although illustrated with three bows, additional bows or other decorative items can be included with the hair bow system, such as buttons or the like, that can removably fasten to the fastener elements.

As is illustrated in FIG. 1, the fastener elements are snap fastener elements, such as those found in a snap button. For example, fastener elements 18, 24 and 32 can be the female portions of a snap fastener, with fastener elements 22, 28 and 34 being the male portions. Snap fastener elements decrease the likelihood of the user's hair being caught in the fastener. Further, the use of snap fastener elements permits the bows to be rotated relative to one another without removing the bow from adjacent bows or from the hair attachment device to which the bow is fastened. It is preferred that the fastener elements in the hair bow system are substantially identical to permit any selected decorative item to be fastened to the hair attachment device or to any other selected decorative item. Other fasteners can include magnetic fasteners where the fastener elements are secured by an attractive magnetic force.

Further, it is preferred that some bows, such as the lower bows, have a major axis length (i.e., the length of the bow along its major axis in its natural tied state) that is longer than other bows, such as the upper bow, included in the hair bow system. For example, as is illustrated in FIG. 1, the lower bow 20 has a longer major axis than the lower bow 30, which in turn has a longer major axis than the upper bow 26. This creates an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

It is also preferred that the upper bow (e.g., bow 26) include a fastener element on its bottom side only and does not include an additional fastener element on its top side.

FIG. 2 illustrates the hair bow system of FIG. 1 in an assembled state. Three decorative bows 20, 30 and 26 are removably fastened together and are fastened to the attachment device, which includes a hair clip attached to a headband 14.

FIG. 3 illustrates a kit for a hair bow system. The kit includes a plurality of hair bows, which can have varying colors, appearances, shapes and sizes. It is preferred that the upper bows (i.e., those having a shorter length such as bow 26) only have a fastening element on a bottom portion of those bows to preserve the aesthetic appearance of the hair bow system. The kit also includes one or more attachment devices 12. The kit preferably includes bows of at least 3 different sizes, with the smallest size bows having only one fastening element and the larger sized bows each including two fastener elements. Preferably, at least two of each different sized bow is provided so that a variety of different appearances can be created.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and adaptations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention.