TRANSITORILY COLORED HAIR EXTENSION

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a process and product for making transitorily colored hair for a hair extension and to a transitorily colored hair extension.

PRIOR ART It is increasingly fashionable to have hair with a different color on the terminal end portion or hair segments furthest from the scalp. The most current trend is to have a very soft or subtle blending of colors from the scalp section to the terminal end section, which is sometimes called a sombre effect. Sombre offers a more natural, blended look as opposed to ombre, which provided a more harsh distinction between the colors. The hair is typically darker on top and lighter near the ends. Often, the ends are a shade of blond and the top is a darker shade of blond or brown, which is the root color. The middle segment is a blend of the darker and lighter shades or colors and creates a transitory section.

For a more dramatic look, the end portion of the hair can be vibrantly colored with colors such as blue, lavender, pink, green, orange, etc. This look is often achieved by dyeing or color processing the end portions of a person's hair with vibrant colored dye. However, color processing the hair is a semi-permanent or permanent process, when in fact the person may only want the colored hair to last for a certain duration.

Another color blending technique is balayage. The balayage technique is a freehand technique where color is appl ied by hand rather than using the traditional foiling or cap highlighting technique. Balayage can achieve varying effects, including soft, natural highlights similar to the sombre effect. Both the sombre effect and balayage are performed at a salon, both are very time consuming and both are very expensive to have done at a salon due to the artful blending of the two colors to create a natural look. The color blending look of the sombre effect is difficult to achieve in hair extensions. It has been attempted to achieve the sombre look in extensions by use of two lengths of hairs in the extension, each of a different color. The combination of the two groups of hair creates an ombre or sombre effect in the final hair extension. However, the problem with the technique of creating an ombre or sombre effect with two lengths of hairs in differing colors is that the ends of the shorter hairs absorb more dye or color. This results in a distorted ombre or sombre effect and does not appear as natural as desired, nor does the color appear as it would in a natural sombre effect or one created by a salon. Additionally, use of two lengths of hair can create a noticeable volume discrepancy at the bottom of the hair extension.

Moreover, the color created in an ombre or sombre extension can be negatively altered by the strands of hairs having different appearances caused by the hair strands taking up various amounts of color due to the hair strands cuticles being in different directions. Natural hair has overlapping scales (called cuticles) that lay in the same direction when growing from a head.

When hair is cut and used in an extension, it is ideal to keep the hair running in the same direction.

For example, it is desired that the hair strands in the extension all be in the same direction as they were on the original head of hair, namely from scalp to terminal end.

There are no known hair extensions that create the sombre effect in a manner that is comparable to the quality of sombre color received at a salon. The sombre color produced at a salon contains a transitory section where the colors are artfully blended to arrive a soft transition between the colors. Most currently available sombre hair extensions have a harsh demarcation between the two colors. An extension with salon quality sombre coloring is desired. Sombre extensions can be used to add volume to already existing sombre colored hair. Or sombre extensions can be used to add a sombre color and length to existing hair.

Hair extensions, hair pieces, and wigs are known. Hair extensions are lengths of hair attachable to a user's head to make the user's hair appear either fuller, longer or add color. Wigs and hair pieces likewise can be used to change the appearance (color, length, and/or texture) of the user's hair.

There still is a need of a process and a product for making transitorily colored hair which overcomes the forgoing disadvantages of the above mentioned hair color processing issues.

SOLUTION

According to the present invention, the object of the invention is solved by the features of the independent claims.

Additional preferred embodiments according to the invention are to be seen in the dependent claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a process for creating transitorily colored hair for a hair extension. The process comprises the steps of obtaining a hair bundle consisting of a plurality of hair strands having a first color and varied lengths, the hair bundle having a top portion and a tail portion, and each of the hair strands having a top end in the top portion and a bottom end in the tail portion; aligning all bottom ends of the hair strands with each other such that their top ends display the varied lengths of the hair strands; color processing the top portion of the realigned hair bundle to a second color and/or the tail portion of the realigned hair bundle to a second color; and aligning all top ends of the hair strands with each other such that their bottom ends display the varied lengths of the hair strands, and at least one transitorily colored hair bundle mid-section results The invention further provides a transitorily colored hair bundle consisting of a plurality of hair strands having varied lengths, and having a top portion and a tail portion. Each of the hair strands has a top end in the top portion and a bottom end in the tail portion, the top ends of the hair strands being aligned with each other, and the bottom ends of the hair strands displaying the varied lengths of the hair strands. The tail portion of the hair bundle is a first color, and the top portion is a second color. A mid-section of the hair bundle contains transitorily colored hair that contains a blend of the hair strands of the first color with the hair strands of the second color; and demarcations between the first color and the second color of the hair strands are arranged such that, when aligning the bottom ends of the hair strands, the mid-section of the hair bundle disappears, and the demarcations between the first color and the second color of all hair strands are aligned

The present invention provides a process and product for making transitorily colored sombre hair for extensions.

A transitorily colored hair extension made from the hair bundle creates a natural looking sombre effect.

The present invention provides transitorily colored sombre hair for an extension or hair piece that is easy to use for a period and does not require the user to permanently or semi-permanently dye or color process their natural hair. An extension or wig provides the desired look without the user having to perform the work of color processing their hair, undertake the expense of having it done and subject their own hair through possible damage. It is also desired to provide a sombre extension that can also allow a user to add length to their existing hair and create a sombre effect or add length and volume to existing sombre colored hair. The present invention provides a process and product for making transitorily colored sombre hair that has a very natural and soft transitional mid-section that provides a transition from one color to another. It is an object of the invention to create a product and process for making a transitorily colored sombre hair extension that creates a natural looking sombre effect.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a process for creating transitorily colored sombre hair for a hair extension comprising obtaining a hair bundle consisting of a plurality of hair strands having varied lengths not longer than 61 cm (24 inches) in length, the hair bundle having a top portion and a tail portion. In the first processing step, the top ends of the hair strands are aligned with each other in the hair bundle, and the bottom ends of the tail portions form the varied lengths of the hair bundle. In a second processing step, the entire hair bundle is color processed to a first color. In a third processing step, all bottom ends of the tail portion of the hair bundle are realigned such that the top ends form the varied lengths of the hair bundle. In a fourth processing step, the top of the realigned hair bundle is color processed to a second color. In a fifth processing step, the top ends of the hair strands are returned to the first alignment position such that top ends of the hair strands are aligned with each and the bottom ends form the varied lengths of the hair bundle. The result is a mid-section which is transitorily colored, that is, the hair bundle has a transitorily colored mid-section.

In this embodiment, the first processing step is obviously not important as the entire hair bundle is color processed in the second processing step. Often, however, the formation of the hair bundle will include the first processing step.

Further, the second processing step is not important, if, for example, the hair strands of the hair bundle are already all the first color.

The color processing of the second processing step may be or include dying the hair strands the first color. This dying may be or include bleaching originally dark or black hair strands to a lighter color.

Further, in the fourth processing step, instead of or additionally to color processing the top of the realigned hair bundle to the second color, the tail of the realigned hair bundle may be color processed to a third color, which will have a similar effect after the fifth processing step.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a process for creating transitorily sombre colored hair. The hair bundle is color processed to a first color. The hair bundle consists of a plurality of hair strands having varied lengths, the hair bundle having a top portion and a tail portion, the top ends of the hair strands being aligned with each to form a top-aligned hair bundle. The hair bundle is realigned so that the bottom ends of the hair strands form a bottom-aligned hair bundle. The top portion of the realigned hair bundle is color processed to a second color. Further re-aligning the hair bundle and forming the top-aligned hair bundle such that the hair bundle has varied tail portion lengths. The process results in a mid-section that is transitorily sombre colored, with blended first color and second color hair strands.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a transitorily colored hair extension comprising a hair bundle consisting of a plurality of hair strands having varied lengths. The hair extension includes a top portion and a tail portion, wherein the ends of the hair strands are aligned even with each other at the top portion of the hair bundle and the ends of the hair strands are varied in length at the tail portion of the hair bundle. The plurality of hair strands have cuticles that all lie in the same direction. The top portion of the hair bundle is a first color and the tail portion is a second color. A mid-section of the hair bundle contains transitorily colored hair that contains a blend of hair strands of the first color with hair strands of the second color. The transitory or midsection of the hair bundle is created by color processing the entire hair bundle to the first color, altering the alignment of the ends of the plurality of hair strands so that the ends of the hair strands are aligned even with each other at the tail portion and the ends of the hair strands are varied in length at the top portion. Next, the top of the hair bundle is color processed to a second color. The alignment of the ends of the hair strands are then altered so that the ends of the hair strands are aligned even with each other at the top portion and the ends of the hair strands are varied in length at the tail portion. Advantageous developments of the invention result from the claims, the description and the drawings. The advantages of features and of combinations of a plurality of features mentioned at the beginning of the description only serve as examples and may be used alternatively or cumulatively without the necessity of embodiments according to the invention having to obtain these advantages. Without changing the scope of protection as defined by the enclosed claims, the following applies with respect to the disclosure of the original application and the patent: further features may be taken from the drawings, in particular from the illustrated designs and the dimensions of a plurality of components with respect to one another as well as from their relative arrangement and their operative connection . The combination of features of d ifferent embodiments of the invention or of features of different claims independent of the chosen references of the claims is also possible, and it is motivated herewith. This also relates to features which are illustrated in separate drawings, or which are mentioned when describing them. These features may also be combined with features of different claims. Furthermore, it is possible that further embodiments of the invention do not have the features mentioned in the claims.

The number of the features mentioned in the claims and in the description is to be understood to cover this exact number and a greater number than the mentioned number without having to explicitly use the adverb "at least". For example, if a hair extension is mentioned, this is to be understood such that there is exactly one hair extension or there are two hair extensions or more hair extensions. Additional features may be added to these features, or these features may be the only features of the respective product. The reference signs contained in the claims are not limiting the extent of the matter protected by the claims. Their sole function is to make the claims easier to understand. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, the invention is further explained and described with respect to preferred exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings.

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a process flow diagram showing the process for making transitorily colored hair.

Fig. 2a - 2e are process schematics showi ng the starti ng hair bu nd le, the physical manipulation of the hair bundle and the color processing steps.

Fig. 3 is a color photograph showing transitorily colored hair.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the drawings, the invention will be described in more detail. It is important to note that the embodiments of the invention described below are only examples of the several advantageous uses of the innovative teachings described herein. In general, statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily limit any of the various claimed inventions. Moreover, some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others. In general, unless otherwise indicated, singular elements may be in the plural and vice versa with no loss of generality. The transitory colored hair has the appearance of having two colors (a top portion and a bottom portion) that transition and blend into each other softly. Often the two colors are just lighter or darker shades of the same color. Herein, the transitory colored hair will generally be referred to for use in hair extensions, however, it is under stood that the color process and method of manufacture can be used on extensions, hair clip pieces, hair bands, wigs and any other known device that contains hair strands. The process is depicted in the flow chart in Fig. 1. In a first step 10, a hair bundle is obtained consisting of long hair strands having a variety of lengths. The length of the hair strands may range from 30 cm (12 inches) to 48 cm (18 inches). Such a bundle would include a plurality of hair strands of the lengths of 30 cm (12 inches), 36 cm (14 inches), 41 cm (16 inches), 43 cm (17 inches), and 48 cm (18 inches). The hair bundle may be any length, but will include a variety of hair lengths therein. Generally, the top portion of the hair bundle, or the portion which is nearest the scalp, may be referred to herein as the top or hat portion interchangeably. The bottom of the hair bundle, or the portion which contains the terminal ends of the hair strands, is referred to herein as the bottom or tail portion and the terms may be used interchangeably. The top portion and the bottom portion of the hair bundle create a fixed orientation of the hair bundle which maintains the plurality of cuticles laying in the same direction on the hair strands. When the cuticles of all the hair strands are in the same direction, the result is a better extension or hair piece, which appears more like natural hair and has hair strands that accept color uniformly. The top ends of the hair strands are aligned with each other in the hair bundle and the bottom ends of the tail portions form or display the varied lengths of the hair strands. This is the normal configuration of the final hair extension.

In the next step 12, the entire bundle of hair is dyed or processed to color A. Color A will be desired color of the tail portion of the hair bundle or the terminal end of the hair strands of the finished product. All the hair strands of the bundle are dyed one color. Any known color process or dye may be used. In the next step 14, all bottom ends of the tail portion of the hair bundle are aligned such that the top ends form or display the varied lengths of the hair strands. This occurs by the varied hair lengths being pushed up from the bottom or tail, by holding the bundle of hair and paddling the varied length hair ends from the tail or bottom of the bundle until the ends of the hair strands in the tail or bottom of the bundle are aligned even with each other or in a straight line and the top hair ends of the hair strands display the varied lengths. The terms "pushed" and "paddled" are used to show the mechanical realignment of the hair ends between being even with each other at the tail portion and at the top portion of the hair extension. Any known method of mechanically realigning the hair ends may be used, including by-hand methods and automated mechanical systems. In step 16, the top portion, for example the top half of the hair bundle or about 50 % of the length of the hair bundle, is dyed a second color B. Color B is considered the root or base color. This dyeing process may result in a more or less linear color demarcation between color A and color B. In step 18, the top ends of the hair strands are returned to the first alignment position such that top ends of the hair strands are aligned with each other and the bottom ends display the varied lengths of the hair strands. This occurs by the top hairs, which are now varied in length, being pushed down in the bundle, by holding the bundle of hair and paddling the ends of the varied hair lengths from the top or hat of the bundle until the hair ends in the top are aligned in a straight line or become even with each other. This creates the tail hair ends to form the varied lengths at the bottom of the bundle, and the top hair ends are now even with each other.

In step 20, the hair bundle is secured by the top so that the ends of the hair in the top are fixed such that they remain aligned even with each other and the varied lengths are again at the bottom or tail of the bundle. In step 22, the result is a transitional color in the middle section or mid- segment of the hair bundle that gives the overall appearance of the sombre effect or balayage effect in the hair extension. Each hair has differing portions of the lengths dyed at the transitional mid-section due to the process of paddling the hair back and forth prior to and after the dyeing step. The effect results in a very soft transition between color A and B giving the sombre effect or balayage effect. The realignment during the coloring process also keeps the cuticles of the hair strands all in the same direction and produces a high quality hair extension or hair piece.

The process schematics in Figs. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d and 2e show the starting hair bundle 30, the physical manipulations of the hair bundle 30 and the color processing steps. In Fig. 2a, the hair bundle 30 has a top portion 32 and a bottom or tail portion 34. The length of the hairs strands may range from 20 cm (12 inches) to 61 cm (24 inches) or longer. If the hair bundle 30 length is 48 cm (18 inches) at its longest, such a hair bundle 30 would include hairs of the lengths of 30 cm (12 inches), 36 cm (14 inches), 41 cm (16 inches), 43 cm (17 inches), and 48 cm (18 inches). Other embodiments can include longer or shorter hairs and ranges.

Fig. 2b shows that the entire bundle of hair 30 is dyed or processed to color A. Color A will be the desired color of the terminal ends of the hair. In one embodiment, color A will be a lighter color, such as a blond color.

Fig. 2c shows the hair bundle 30 after the varied lengths in the tail portion 34 have been realigned to be even with each other and form a straight line in the tail portion 34. The top portion 32 of the hair bundle now displays the varied lengths. To achieve this realignment, the hair is pushed or paddled from the varied length ends in the bottom or tail portion 34 until the hair ends are aligned even with each other in the bottom or tail portion 34. This transfers the varied lengths to the top portion 32 of the hair bundle 30.

After the hair ends are aligned in the tail portion 34, the top half 38 of the hair bundle 30 is dyed to color B, as shown in Fig. 2d. In one embodiment, color B is a darker color than color A, such that if color A is blonde, color B is a dark blonde or brown color. Color B is considered the root or base color. As shown in Fig. 2d, color A remains on the bottom half 40 of the hair bundle 30. Due to this variety in lengths and the realignment of the hair ends, a differing amount of length of each hair is dyed when the top half of the hair extension is dyed. This results in variation of colors B and A in the transitorily colored mid-section and creates the soft blending of colors. However, before the hair is realigned in Fig. 2e, the hair extension of Fig. 2d will have a distinct line of demarcation 37 between color A and B.

In a modification of the color processing according to Fig. 2d, both a top third of the hair bundle 30 is dyed to color B and a bottom third of the hair bundle 30 is dyed to a color C so that color A only remains in a middle third of the hair bundle 30. This results in variations of colors B and A and of colors A and C in two transitorily colored mid-sections and twice creates the soft blending of colors, once the hair is realigned according to Fig. 2e.

The varied lengths of hair ends in the top portion 32 of the hair bundle 30 in Fig. 2d are pushed or paddled down to align even with each other and form a straight line in the top portion 32 of the hair bundle 30 as shown in Fig. 2e. Fig. 2e shows the hair bundle 30 with the hair ends in the top portion 32 realigned even with each other to form a straight line. The varied lengths are returned to the tail portion 34 of the hair bundle. The top portion 32 of the hair bundle, in which the hair ends are aligned even with each other, can be secured into one extension or hair piece with tape, polyurethane or any known securing method 36. Optionally, the hair bundle 30 can be split into several smaller volume extensions or hair pieces and then secured together. In an alternate embodiment, the entire hair bundle can be dyed Color B (similar to the step shown in Fig. 2b). Then, the varied lengths in the tail portion are realigned to be even with each other and form a straight line in the tail portion. The top of the hair bundle now contains the varied lengths (similar to step shown in Fig. 2c). Then, instead of dyeing the top portion of the hair bundle, the bottom half 48 of the hair bundle is dyed to Color A. Afterwards, the top ends of the hair strands are returned to the first alignment position such that top ends of the hair strands are aligned with each other and the bottom ends form the varied lengths of the hair bundle. This also results in a transitorily colored hair bundle mid-section.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims. The claims appended hereto are meant to cover modifications and changes within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS step

step

step

step

step

step

step

hair bundle

top portion

tail portion

securing method

demarcation

top half

bottom half

bottom portion