Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a bracelet that can be used to conceal and store a hair tie.

Background to the Invention

Elasticated hair ties are a common accessory, used to hold hair in various styles, such as ponytails, plaits or buns. When not in use, an easy-access and convenient storage place for a hair tie is around the user's wrist.

Although convenient, storing an elasticated hair tie around the wrist may not be considered fashionable or appropriate, particularly in a business context. This convenient method of storage would therefore be avoided for aesthetic reasons.

Furthermore, some elasticated hair ties may have a smaller diameter than a person's wrist and the elastic will therefore be extended and pull the hair tie tight around the wrist. This may have adverse effects on circulation and may leave a mark on the user's wrist.

The need to store a hair tie in a convenient, easily-accessible, safe and fashionable manner therefore exists.

Previous attempts to meet this need have involved stretching the hair tie around the outside of a bracelet, such as in US 2013/133365. This solves the problem of preventing the hair tie from engaging the wrist, but the hair tie remains a prominent and visible feature. Furthermore, the grooves on the bracelet needed to secure the hair tie are also prominent visible features. The problem of aesthetics is not solved. There are additional problems that arise from having the hair tie stretched over a hard surface. The hair tie may accidentally be knocked off, or may suffer damage through the user accidentally knocking the bracelet against objects, or accidentally placing their wrists in damaging materials, such as food items that may leave stains. Other attempts to meet this need have involved bracelets with pockets or pouches fixed onto them, examples of which can be found in US 6,425, 137, WO 99/63855 and US 5,758,671. Storage in a pocket fixed on a bracelet hides the hair tie from view, and gives some level of protection to the hair tie. With this method, however, there is the need to accommodate a pocket of reasonable size, and this sets a constraint of the bracelet size. There is also the problem of hiding the pocket from view, particularly when the pocket has been filled by a hair tie.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect, the invention provides a bracelet comprising a storage channel wherein the storage channel has an opening that runs around the complete length of the inner perimeter of the bracelet, and wherein the opening has two side edges arranged to define at least one access section and at least one retaining section, and wherein the opening is wider in the at least one access section than in the at least one retaining section. Through skill and effort, the inventors have created a bracelet that can be discreetly sized but which is able to both store and conceal a hair tie. Specifically, the inventors have realised a way of storing the length of the hair tie within a concealed storage channel that runs around the full length of the bracelet. Access to the storage channel occurs through an opening, and this opening is cleverly concealed by having it on the inner surface that faces the wrist of the user when worn. The inventor has also addressed the technical problem of removing the hair tie, by providing at least one access section where the opening is wider. This allows the user to have sufficient access to the hair tie that it can be removed by hand, without the need for any tools.

Furthermore, the inventor has provided a bracelet that may be used with many pre- existing hair ties, which vastly increases the utility of the invention.

The opening in the at least one retaining section is usually narrower than the width of the storage channel. This overcomes the technical challenge of retaining the hair tie within the storage channel by taking advantage of the compressibility of the elastic within a hair tie. By making the opening to the storage channel narrower than the storage channel itself, the hair tie can be squeezed through the opening and re-expand inside the storage channel. This ensures that the stored hair tie cannot accidentally fall out or become visible during use.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, one or both side edges of the opening are ridged, the ridges being defined by a repeating pattern of projecting regions and recessed regions. When both side edges of the opening are ridged, the projecting regions and recessed regions of one side edge may be mirrored on the other side edge. The repeating pattern of projecting regions and recessed regions around the inner perimeter of the bracelet may comprise between 5 and 30 repeats, preferably between 8 and 25 repeats, more preferably between 10 and 20 repeats. This embodiment provides an even more convenient method of inserting and removing the hair tie from the storage channel. By reducing the number of sections that the hair tie must be squeezed through (the projecting regions), the hair tie can be inserted and removed more quickly, and with less force exerted on the hair tie. Cleverly, however, enough projecting regions that the hair tie must be squeezed through are used so that the hair tie is still adequately retained within the storage channel.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a method of manufacturing the bracelet according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein a metal bracelet is manufactured by folding metal, a plastic bracelet is manufactured by injection moulding, a wooden bracelet is manufactured by carving, or the bracelet is manufactured by three-dimensional printing.

According to a third aspect, the invention provides a method of storing a hair tie in the bracelet according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising pushing the hair tie through the opening to the storage channel such that the full length of the hair tie is contained within the storage channel.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention provides a method of removing a hair tie stored in the bracelet according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising using a finger or other tool to engage the hair tie exposed at the access section of the bracelet such that this section of the hair tie is removed from the bracelet, and then using the removed section of the hair tie to pull out the remainder of the hair tie from the bracelet.

According to a fifth aspect, the invention provides a kit comprising the bracelet of the first aspect of the invention and one or more hair ties. The one or more hair ties have preferably about the same length as the storage channel.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 relates to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing a bracelet with a hair tie inserted into the storage channel of the bracelet.

Figure 2 shows a section of the bracelet as viewed from within the bracelet.

Description

According to a first aspect, the invention provides a bracelet comprising a storage channel in which a hair tie can be not only stored but also concealed.

By bracelet we mean an item of jewellery that is typically worn around the human wrist. The bracelet comprises a storage channel. The storage channel is a void within the material of the bracelet. This is achieved by having a bracelet which is hollow, or partially hollow. The storage channel runs around the complete length of the bracelet. By this, we mean that the storage channel has a length, and the length is endless.

There is an opening to the storage channel. The opening allows the hair tie to be inserted into and removed from the storage channel. The opening also runs around the complete length of the bracelet i.e. is a continuous opening. The opening is therefore also endless in length.

The opening is located around the inner perimeter of the bracelet. The bracelet can be seen as having a side that faces the wrist in use, and a side that faces away from the wrist in use. By "inner perimeter" we mean that the opening is on the side that faces the wrist in use. The opening therefore runs around the complete length of the bracelet on the side that faces the wrist in use. This means that, when worn around the wrist, the opening is substantially hidden from view and any contents of the storage channel are also substantially hidden from view. As well as a length, the opening also has a width. The opening has two side edges, a natural consequence of having an opening in a material. These side edges define the width of the opening.

The length of the opening is subdivided into shorter lengths, and the shorter lengths have different widths. In particular, the opening has at least one retaining section. By retaining section, we mean that the width of the opening at the retaining section is narrow enough that a hair tie stored within the storage channel will be retained by that section. In other words, each at least one retaining section ensures that the hair tie does not fall out of the bracelet. The opening has at least one access section. The access section exists to assist removal of the hair tie from the bracelet. The width of the opening in the at least one access section is sufficient for the user to get enough purchase on the hair tie to remove it from the bracelet. For example, by placing a finger at one side of an access section and pushing against a stored hair tie, the hair tie becomes dislodged from the access section on the side the hair tie is being pushed towards. Once dislodged, the user can grip the hair tie and pull it out of the remainder of the bracelet's storage channel.

The opening also defines at least one retaining section. The width of the opening in the at least one access section is therefore, necessarily, wider than the width of the opening at the at least one retaining section.

It is usual for the bracelet to have one access section, with the remainder of the opening defining the retaining section, but is also envisaged that two or more access and retaining sections could be provided. The opening in the at least one retaining section is narrower than the width of the storage channel. By this, we mean that the storage channel has a certain size, and this size should comfortably accommodate a hair tie. This is achieved by having a storage channel that is wide enough to accommodate a hair tie. The at least one retaining section of the opening, however, should be narrower than the width of the storage channel. A hair tie should not be able to comfortably pass through the at least one retaining section. Force should be required to urge a hair tie through the at least one retaining section to ensure that the hair tie does not readily fall out.

By width of the storage channel, we therefore mean the width of the void of a cross- section of the storage channel, parallel to the width of the opening, and at the widest point of the void of the cross-section of the storage channel. The storage channel will also have a depth, and this depth should also be sufficient to comfortably accommodate a hair tie.

One or both side edges of the opening may be ridged. By this, we mean that one or both side edges have a repeating pattern of projecting regions and recessed regions. These projecting regions and recessed regions may take the form of a wave, such as a sine wave, triangle wave, saw-tooth wave or square wave. The ridges can also be described as equally spaced crescent shaped teeth on each side of the opening.

When both side edges of the opening are ridged, the projecting regions and recessed regions of one side edge may be mirrored on the other side edge. By this, we mean that two projecting regions, mirrored from one side edge to the other, create a narrow region. Two recessed regions, mirrored from one side edge to another, create a relatively wider region. This narrow region may be a retaining section of the opening.

The repeating pattern of projecting regions and recessed regions around the inner perimeter of the bracelet may comprise between 5 and 30 repeats, preferably between 8 and 25 repeats, more preferably between 10 and 20 repeats. This may be in addition to having a separate access region.

The opening in the at least one retaining section may have a width of 0.5 mm to 5 mm, preferably 1 mm to 4 mm, more preferably 1.5 mm to 3 mm. The opening in the at least one access section may have a width of 2 mm to 10 mm, preferably 3 mm to 8 mm, more preferably 5 mm to 7 mm.

The opening in the at least one access section has a length of 3 mm to 25 mm, preferably 4 mm to 20 mm, more preferably 5 mm to 15 mm. In a preferred embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the bracelet may be made from a substantially inflexible material. By this, we mean that the configuration of the bracelet, and the at least one retaining section, are held firm through being made from an inflexible material. This means that this embodiment of the bracelet is provided with the capacity to contain and hold a hair tie that is elastically engaged and is exerting a force on the at least one retaining section.

In particular, the bracelet is usually of the type described as a "bangle". It can be made from a precious or semi-precious metal, such a silver or gold, or can be plastic, or wood. It is typically circular or oval, and is hollow, thereby providing the storage channel.

The bracelet of the present invention can also be defined as a device worn on the wrist: a bangle (A) which has both an outer side and inner side, where the outer side faces away from the wrist and the inner side faces towards the wrist, and is hollow inside (B) with the access to the hollow interior is accessed from the inner wrist side, which has an opening that runs the full length the inner circumference. The device preferably further compromising of equally spaced crescent shaped teeth (C) on each side of the opening on the inner facing side, that runs the full length of the hollow interior. The device preferably also includes one indented area that is the size of a persons finger to access the hollow centre, and is used for the storage of an elasticated round hair band within the hollow section accessed from the inner side face. The hair band may be inserted or removed via access to the indented area (C & D). This device can be described as a circular wrist bangle, (A) in a range of sizes to fit various wrist sizes, with a hollow interior (B), in which an elastic circular hair band may be stored, the hair band is put into the bangle by means of compressing the hair band past the crescent shaped teeth (C) on the inside edge of the bangle, resulting in the hair band being stored inside the bangle and when worn there being little to none of the hair band being visible. The device is a bangle made of solid materials, that has a hollow center, where the inner side of the bangle has a opening, that runs the full inner circumference of the bangle, the hollow has crescent shaped teeth that are equally spaced along each side of the hollow, and in one section the crescents are absent and are replaced with a deeper access point the size to accommodate the size of a persons finger, the purpose of which is that an elasticated hair band can be placed inside the bangle by compressing past the crescent shaped teeth on the inner side of the bangle, and that the hair band may be removed from the bangle by access to the deeper access point that is finger sized. The purpose is to afford the wearer the ability to carry an elasticated hair band on ones person, on their wrist contained within the bangle and having the hair band concealed from general view. According to a second aspect, the invention provides a method of manufacturing the bracelet according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein a metal bracelet is manufactured by folding metal, a plastic bracelet is manufactured by injection moulding, a wooden bracelet is manufactured by carving, or the bracelet is manufactured by three-dimensional printing.

A metal bracelet can be manufactured by folding a flat sheet of material into a hollow tube and folding the hollow tube into a loop. According to a third aspect, the invention provides a method of storing a hair tie in the bracelet according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising pushing the hair tie through the opening to the storage channel such that the full length of the hair tie is contained within the storage channel.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention provides a method of removing a hair tie stored in the bracelet according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising using a finger or other tool to engage the hair tie exposed at the access section of the bracelet such that this section of the hair tie is removed from the bracelet, and then using the removed section of the hair tie to pull out the remainder of the hair tie from the bracelet. According to a fifth aspect, the invention provides a kit comprising the bracelet according to the first aspect of the invention and one or more hair ties. The one or more hair ties may have about the same length as the storage channel.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be appreciated that the invention is capable of being incorporated in the form of a variety of embodiments, only one of which has been illustrated and described below.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the bracelet according to the invention 10. The bracelet 10 has a storage channel 20. The storage channel 20 has an opening defined by two side walls 30. In this embodiment, the side walls are ridged with the ridges appearing as a smooth wave pattern of projecting regions 40 and recessed regions 30. The bracelet 10 also comprises an access section 50. Figure 1 shows a hair tie 60 within the storage channel 20 of the bracelet 10. The bracelet 10 is also shown in the context of being worn around a wrist 70.

Figure 2 shows a view of a section of the bracelet 10 as viewed from the inside. This shows the storage channel 20 and the opening defined by two side walls. In this embodiment, the side walls are ridged with the ridges appearing as a smooth wave pattern of projecting regions 40 and recessed regions 30. The bracelet 10 also comprises an access section 50.