Background of the Invention Barrettes are functional items which can optionally also be fashion accessories. Barrettes provide ornamentation for hair and also provide a device for securing hair in a given style or keeping hair out of eyes. The style is either functional to prohibit hair from interfering with a person's work or play or the style is cool for the wearer. Alternatively, the style is strictly for fashion. As most people are aware, barrettes exist in many different forms. Two types of barrettes are (1) simple bent metal barrettes and (2) hinge and spring barrettes. Simple barrettes are formed of bent metal. The simple barrette contains two elongated portions connected by a resilient bend which forms the "hinge" and means for closure at the opposite end. This is compared to hinge and spring barrettes which are more elaborate and oftentimes more expensive than simple barrettes. Generally both types include a mechanism for grasping hair and closing. An example of the more complex barrette is shown in Figure 3 and is characterized by its more complex mechanical hinging, closing and grasping mechanisms. A metal attachment bar (18) is affixed to the ornamental portion (30) of the barrette. A spring (28) is held in place by the attachment bar (18) . A closure arm (26) is hingedly attached at (20) to the attachment bar (18) of the barrette (24) . In order to install a barrette (24) , hair

is placed between the spring (28) and closure arm (26) . The closure arm (26) is then pivoted on its hinge (20) toward the ornamental portion (30) until it is captured by the clasp mechanism (22) . The closure arm (26) presses against the hair which in turn presses against the spring (28) . The spring (28) is constructed so that it provides an opposing force pushing against the hair and the closure arm (26) . Hair is thus sandwiched or interposed between the spring (28) and closure arm (26) to complete installation of the barrette (24) .

Barrette wearers often have trouble maintaining barrettes in the original position which the barrettes are installed. This is due to a couple of reasons. Oftentimes barrettes are quite heavy due to elaborate ornamentation and due to the materials which comprise the barrette. The weight of a massive barrette may cause the barrette to slide down the hair from the original installation location ultimately ruining the hairstyle with the barrette falling out of the hair. Sometimes the barrette does not remain secure due to the texture or the amount of hair placed in the barrette. If a woman with fine or thin hair attempts to use a barrette, the barrette usually slides down and ultimately falls out of the hair. As explained, this is probably due to a combination of the textural attributes of the hair and to the weight of the barrette.

Barrettes can also inadvertently damage hair. For example, if the closure arm or spring of a barrette include sharp edges, the barrette may cut or damage hair. Sharp edges may be viewed as a common manufacturing defect. A substantial expenditure may be required to eliminate such a defect and the commensurate costs not justified in the marketplace for low cost fashion accessories such as barrettes.

Barrette manufacturers have tried to overcome these difficulties and shortcomings of barrettes by gluing foam to the closure arm. However, barrette manufacturers have only glued foam onto the cheaper bent metal variety of

barrettes. The spring mechanism barrettes were viewed as overcoming the difficulties since the spring helped to maintain a tight tension on the hair. However, the spring mechanism barrettes have been met with the same shortcomings.

Summary of the Invention An advantage of the present invention is that it secures barrettes in hair and reduces the likelihood of barrettes slipping or falling out of hair. A further advantage of the invention is that it protects hair from the oftentimes sharp metal edges of barrette closure arms and springs.

A device is disclosed for enhancing securement or gripping of a spring and hinge barrette in hair. The device enhances securement of a barrette in fine or thin hair and also enhances securement of heavy barrettes. The device comprises an elongated resilient pliable compressible member having a longitudinal incision therein making the device suitable for placing about a spring and/or a closure arm of a barrette while still allowing the barrette to close and clasp. The device is sandwiched and compressed between the barrette closure arm and the barrette spring when the barrette is closed, thus increasing the total volume of material between the spring and closure arm and creating a tight seal of the barrette for securing hair. An advantage of the device is that it is detachable and is easily transferred from one barrette to another.

A method of enhancing the securement of barrettes in hair is also disclosed. The method comprises placing an elongated resilient compressible pliable member having a longitudinal incision about the spring and/or closure portion of a barrette, placing hair between the spring and closure arm of the barrette, closing the closure arm of the barrette and clasping the barrette thereby sandwiching the member and the hair between the closure arm and the spring and causing the member to compress. The sandwiched,

compressed member increases the volume of matter between the spring and closure arm of the barrette thereby increasing the tension on the hair and allowing firmer securement of a barrette about the hair. Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 shows an isometric underside view of a closed and clasped barrette with hair therein further including the securement device of the present invention sandwiched between the spring of the barrette and the closure arm. Figure 2 shows a barrette placed in a person's hair. Figure 3 shows an isometric underside view of an open barrette with an expanded view of the device of the invention.

Figure 4 shows a side view of a closed and clasped barrette having the device of the present invention sandwiched between the closure arm and the spring portion of the barrette.

Figure 5 is a side view of the device of the present invention. Figure 6 is an end view of the device of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention The present invention (10) is comprised of a resilient, pliable, compressible material. The preferred material used to produce the device of the invention is characterized by a tensile strength between about 58 and about 64 psi, preferably about 61 psi. This means that the material can withstand about 61 pounds per square inch without tearing. Compression resistance is generally measured two ways. These two methods are (1) compression force deflection, and (2) indentation force deflection. Compression force deflection is the force required to compress a sample of material to a given percent of its thickness. In order to test for compression force deflection the size of the compression plate is larger than the size of the sample. About 4.9 to about 5.3 psi of force is required to compress

the material used to produce the invention about 20-30%. Preferably, the material requires about 5.1 psi of force to compress the material about 25%.

Indentation force deflection is the force required to compress a sample to a given percent of its thickness where the compression plate is smaller than the sample. For the material used to produce the invention, about 14-18 lbs. of force is required to compress the sample about 40-60% its original thickness. Preferably, 16 lbs. is required to compress the sample about 50% its original thickness. Materials such as rubber, plastic, or polymeric foam are suitable materials for producing the device of the present invention. Most preferably the device (10) is comprised of cross-linked polyethylene foam. However, any material which is compressible, pliable and has roughly the properties outlined above is suitable for use in the present invention.

The device (10) of the invention is generally tubular and elongated and has a cut (12) extending along the length of the device. The device (10) preferably does not exceed the distance between the hinge (20) and the clasp (22) to afford a comfortable fit on the barrette (24) . However, the device (10) is preferably long enough to provide the necessary volume to increase the tension along a substantial portion between the closure arm (26) and the spring (28) to increase the security of a barrette (24) in most hair. (Shown generally in Figure 2.) The device (10) is about .5 to about 2.5 inches long and is preferably about 2.0 inches long. In the event that the device is too long to fit on a given barrette, the length of the device is reduced by cutting the device by any known method, including but not limited to scissors, knife, or laser. The preferred material used to comprise the device render easy cutting of the device. The shape of the device is not absolutely critical other than the fact that the device is elongated generally tubular and has a longitudinal slit or incision therein for

grasping either the closure arm (26) and/or the spring (28) of a barrette (24) . From an end view as shown in Figure 6 the device is preferably hollow and circular. The device is about .30 to about .50 inches in diameter, and preferably about .35 inches. For the purposes of this disclosure, diameter is defined as the average of the height and width of the device if the device is not circular in cross-section. One skilled in the art will recognize that a device having a larger diameter is usually more suitable for placing on a closure arm of a barrette as compared to a spring. This is due to the width of the closure arm which is wider than the width of the springs on most barrettes.

Although the invention is shown as having a circular, hollow cross section, the device (10) will function to secure a barrette (24) if the device is square, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, or any other shape, or irregular in cross section. Likewise, a solid member having an incision extending along the length of the device where the incision extends about half to three-quarters through the member would also provide a shape suitable for grasping a barrette spring (28) and/or closure arm (26) .

The device (10) of the invention is created in any form that allows the device to easily grasp and maintain a grip on a barrette. The device may grasp either the closure arm (26) of a barrette (24) or the spring portion (28) of a barrette (24) . It is most preferred to place the device of the invention on the spring (28) of a barrette (24) . When the device is placed on the spring (28) it is hidden and is least likely to fall off the barrette during installation in hair since the spring is less mobile than the closure arm (26) . Alternatively, the device of the present invention is placed on both the closure arm (26) and the spring (28) of the barrette. Placing the present device on both portions of a barrette (24) provides the greatest security when placing such a barrette in hair. Two devices cause the greatest volume and the greatest

tension between the closure arm and spring and against the hair placed in the barrette.

The device of the invention is placed on either the closure arm or spring of a barrette by separating the two halves of the device formed by the incision. Since the device is comprised of pliable material, separating the incision is not difficult. Each side of the incision is placed on opposite sides of the closure arm or spring and the arm or spring is placed inside the incision until each half of the device grasps the arm or spring. The incision allows the device to accept the arm or spring and the resilient nature of the device allows the device to grasp the arm or spring. If the device is hollow, the closure arm or spring is placed inside the hollow portion of the device when the device is in place. Due to the resiliency of the material, the device returns to its original shape and the two incised edges meet, thus completely surrounding the closure arm or spring. If the device is solid, the two incised edges probably do not meet once the device is placed on the barrette. However, the device still grasps the device due to the resilient nature of the material which comprises the device.

An alternative embodiment of the invention allows placement of the device on the closure arm only. The device is alternatively constructed of a tubular member without a longitudinal incision thereon. The closure arm of the device is slid inside the hollow portion of the device until the device is fully placed upon the closure arm. One critical function of the device is that it must provide enough surface area to cause the closure arm (26) of a barrette to compress the device in order to tighten the contact that the spring (28) and closure arm (26) maintain on hair. This function is not absolutely shape- dependent. Another critical feature of the device is the material which comprises the device. A device made of the material outlined above provides a coefficient of friction

with the hair which prohibits slipping of the barrette as compared to the metal of the barrette against the hair. Thus, the device of the invention changes the frictional surface properties of the barrette. Yet another critical feature of the material deals with its compressible nature which allows the device to adjust to varying volumes of hair.

The invention has a thickness of between about .085 and about .10 inches, and preferably about .092 inches. For the purposes of this invention, thickness is defined as that region between the depth of the incision and the point on the device opposite the incision. Alternatively, if the device is hollow, the thickness is that distance between a point on the inner diameter and a point on the outer diameter opposite the point on the inner diameter. A thickness in the stated range allows a barrette to easily close and clasp even when the device of the invention is attached thereto while still allowing the barrette to accept a reasonable volume of hair. Although the device is preferably used on spring and hinge barrettes, the device is also suited for use on the simpler bent metal barrettes. An advantage of the present invention is that it is detachable. The device is non- adhesively bound to a barrette and instead it mechanically binds to a barrette. Thus, one may remove the device from one barrette and transfer it to another. Since the device does not permanently affix to a barrette, a woman with thin, fine hair is free to use the invention to secure a heavy barrette in her hair. She may remove the device from the barrette and the same barrette is again suitable for placing in thick, coarse hair. The device of the invention is particularly suited for use in children's barrettes since children often have thin, fine hair.

One skilled in the art will recognize that details of the previous embodiment may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.