TECHNICAL FIELD

[001] The present invention relates to the field of hair extensions and related devices and methods of extending natural hair. The tape-in hair extension laminate invention includes devices and methods for supplementing hair where the hair is supplemented at an angle that is comparable to human hair, therefore creating a realistic appearance of hair volume. In addition, the apparatus may supplement hair at an angle that is greater than the natural growth of human hair, thereby producing a radical or extraordinary appearance to the hair volume of its wearer.

[002] In order to accomplish this natural and heightened volume appearance, the invention comprises a carrier strip, one flat hair matrix, one or more angled hair matrixes, and a triangular polyurethane pad (PU pad) for each angled hair matrix, arranged in a certain manner as to create an increased volume versus the flat or low-volume appearance otherwise known.

BACKGROUND

[003] Hair extension devices in the art generally contain a plurality of hairs fixed to a carrier strip. For the purpose of fastening the device to the natural hairs of a wearer, the carrier strip is made as an adhesive strip. The hairs are glued to the backside of the adhesive strip, and the hairs are oriented in parallel with one another and orthogonal to the direction of the main extension of the adhesive strip. The hairs are distributed over the entire width of the adhesive strip, and, in their areas in which they are glued to the backside of the adhesive strip, the hairs are provided with an anti -hygroscopic sealing and covered with a matt-transparent cover. In this way, they are embedded in a plastic matrix which is fixed on the carrier strip. [004] The various prior art systems are focused on the manner of which the hair extension is attached or worn by a user, and how hair is mounted on the hair extension device, such as by hair-carrying strips. In particular, prior art systems disclose layering techniques to provide better hair coverage so that the hair extension blends in more naturally to a wearer’s existing hair. For example, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2017/0208885 provides a hair band with hair carrying strips in a brick-layered pattern that permits expandable hairband strips that are mounted parallelly to avoid gaps in coverage. As another example, U.S. Patent Publication no. US 2015/0327611 provides a hair extension device with multiple panels comprising hair strips that are movable as to provide better hair coverage and be hidden by the wearer’s own hair.

[005] However, in the prior art systems, the hairs are glued flat in parallel to the carrier strip with an adhesive tape extending at a right angle to the hairs over the entire width of the adhesive tape. At the outside of this hair band, the hairs are covered with a matte cover layer. This creates a flattened hair appearance, because the direction of the hair in the hair extension does not correspond to the natural flow of the hair grown from the human scalp, or the desired voluminous look sought by some wearers and stylists in the hair and fashion industry.

[006] On the other hand, devices that are created by the use of hair bands in an attempt to better simulate hair growth require laborious and expensive manual work, and even then also do not provide the desired natural flow of the hair grown from the human scalp or other desired voluminous look.

[007] Accordingly, there is a need for a device and method for supplementing hair where the hair is supplemented at an angle that is comparable to human hair and may also create a drastic but realistic appearance of hair volume, while having a low effort in production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [008] The tape-in hair extension laminate invention includes devices and methods for supplementing hair where the hair is supplemented at an angle that is comparable to human hair and supplemented at an angle that is greater than natural growth of human hair. The hair extension device creates a realistic appearance of hair look and volume. The hair looks fluffy, and mixes well with a wearer’s natural hair, because they extend in the same direction. In addition, the angle produced that is greater than natural growth of human hair creates a radical or extraordinary appearance to the hair volume of its wearer, particularly desirable by stylists in the hair and fashion industry.

[009] In one embodiment, the invention comprises a carrier strip, one flat hair matrix, one or more angled hair matrixes, and a polyurethane pad (PU Pad) accompanying each angled hair matrix. The carrier strip comprises a surface area where the flat hair matrix, each angled hair matrix, and each PU Pad are connected. Each hair matrix comprises a material at the top of the matrix made from plastic or comparable material, and a plurality of hairs attached to the bottom of the solid material. The plurality of hairs may be attached parallelly or in an overlapping manner.

[0010] Each PU Pad is formed as a triangle shape comprising three sides and three corners. The first side of the PU Pad is attached to and runs alongside the carrier strip, the second side of the PU Pad is attached alongside a hair matrix, and the third side of the PU Pad may be attached to the top of the solid material of another hair matrix below it. Thus, a first comer of the PU Pad is created at the vertex where the first side and second side meet, forming an angle where the hair matrix meets the carrier strip. A second comer of the PU Pad is created at the vertex where the first side and third side meet, where the PU Pad meets the carrier strip and the matrix below it. A third comer of the PU Pad is created at the vertex where the second side and third side meet, where two hair matrixes overlap. The formed angle by each PU Pad is comparable or greater than natural growth of human hair and creates a radical or extraordinary appearance to the hair volume of its wearer, which is a desirable stylistic appearance not possible with traditional hair extension systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Fig. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the tape-in hair extension laminate device.

[0012] Fig. 2 illustrates a PU Pad in one embodiment of the tape-in hair extension laminate device and the angle it forms.

[0013] Fig. 3 further illustrates the angles formed by multiple PU Pads and angled hair matrixes in one embodiment of the tape-in hair extension laminate device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of the tape-in hair extension laminate device comprising a carrier strip 7, one flat hair matrix 3, angled hair matrixes 1 and 2, and PU Pads 5 and 6 that form a desired angle with each angled hair matrix 1 and 2 respectively.

[0015] The carrier strip 7 comprises a surface area where the flat hair matrix 3, each angled hair matrix 1 and 2, and each PU Pad 5 and 6 are attached. Each hair matrix 1, 2, and 3, comprises a material at the top of the matrix made from plastic or comparable material, and a plurality of hairs 4 attached to the bottom of the solid material. The carrier strip 7 may also have hairs attached.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 2, each PU Pad is formed as a triangle shape comprising three sides and three comers. The first side SI of the PU Pad is attached to and runs alongside and parallel to the carrier strip (not shown), the second side S2 of the PU Pad is attached alongside an angled hair matrix (not shown), and the third side S3 of the PU Pad may be attached to the top of the solid material of another hair matrix below it (not shown). Thus, a first comer Cl of the PU Pad is created at the vertex where the first side SI and second side S2 meet, forming an angle A where the hair matrix meets the carrier strip. A second corner C2 of the PU Pad is created at the vertex where the first side and third side meet. A third comer C3 of the PU Pad is created at the vertex where the second side and third side meet and where two hair matrixes may overlap. By adjusting the shape of each PU Pad, the desired angle A may be formed between each angled hair matrix and the carrier strip, thus adjusting the angle of which hair is attached to the wearer’s head, allowing the desired look to be created.

[0017] Fig. 3 further illustrates how different angles may be formed by placing two or more angled hair matrixes and PU Pads in one embodiment of the tape-in hair extension laminate device. The angles formed between the carrier strip and the hair matrixes is an important aspect of the invention. In particular, the angle formed at the first comer of each PU Pad by the angled hair matrix and the carrier strip is the angle where hair will be in comparison to a the wearer’s head. For example, in Figure 3, angle 503 is formed where angle hair matrix 1 connects with carrier strip 7, and angle 603 is formed where angled hair matrix 2 connects with carrier strip 7. The angles formed cause the plurality of hairs to raise out from the wearer’s head, and in this manner, the angles created may be controlled to create the desired natural and radical look.

[0018] In one embodiment, the angle formed on different positions of the wearer’s head to best emulate a wearer’ s natural hair growth. For example, the hair grows at around 15 degrees at the back of the head and at the sidebums from the scalp, depending on the wearer’s age and race. For example, an older person usually has a lower growth angle, a westerner generally has a lower angle than a wearer from an Asia background, and so forth. The angle formed may be higher at the top of the head from the scalp, where the natural hair growth is between 30 degrees and 90 degrees.

[0019] In another embodiment, to create an amplified volume appearance, the angles formed may be higher than the 15 degrees. For example, an angle formed higher than the 15 degree natural growth at the back of the head and at the sidebums from the scalp will result in a radical or extraordinary appearance of hair volume, which is a desirable stylistic appearance. A preferred angle for a natural but extraordinary volume appearance at the back of the head and at the sideburns from the scalp exists at an angle that is higher than 15 degrees but less than or equal to 30 degrees.

[0020] Therefore, hair volume flexibility is created in the tape-in hair extension laminate device by the strategic shape of PU Pads so that angled matrixes may be placed at the carrier strip at desired angles.

[0021] Turning again to Figure 1 above, an embodiment may be describe in a device for supplementing hair where a first plurality of hairs 4 has their upper end, which are oriented parallel to a first plastic matrix 1, embedded and anchored in the first plastic matrix 1. A second plurality of hairs 4 has their upper ends which are also oriented parallel to a second plastic matrix 2, and embedded and anchored in the second plastic matrix 2. A third plurality of hairs 4 has their upper ends which are oriented parallel to a third plastic matrix 3, and embedded and anchored in the third plastic matrix 3.

[0022] The third plastic matrix 3 is fixed on the carrier strip 7. A triangular PU padding

6 is created on top of the plastic matrix 3 and on the side of the carrier strip 7. The second plastic matrix 2 is fixed on the triangular PU padding 6, offsetting the second plastic matrix 2 by an angle similar to how hair grows on human hair scalp. Another triangular PU padding 5 is created on top of the plastic matrix 2 and on the side of the carrier strip 7. The first plastic matrix 1 is fixed on the triangular PU padding 5, offsetting the second plastic matrix 1 by an angle similar to how hair grows on human hair scalp. The carrier strip 7 may also have hairs attached, typically at its bottom. Double-sided tape tab or clip is provided for fastening the carrier strip to natural hair of a wearer of the device.

[0023] This setup is reiterated provided a longer carrier strip 7. The third plastic matrix 3 is moved down to create space. More triangular PU paddings (5 and 6) and offset plastic matrices (1 and 2) are added.

[0024] This product is good for extending hair length in assimilating human hair direction with low effort in production. The hair looks fluffy, and mixes well with a wearer’s hair as they flow in the same direction.

[0025] These aspects and embodiments described may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limiting; rather, these embodiments are provided so the disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present subject matter to those skilled in the art. All publications, patents and patent applications cited herein, whether supra or infra are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0026] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated in reference to the Figures, which are illustrative rather than restrictive. No limitation on the scope of the technology or on the claims that follow is to be implied or inferred from the examples shown in the drawings and discussed here.

[0027] Unless defined otherwise, all terms and phrases used herein include the meanings that the terms and phrases have attained in the art, unless the contrary is clearly indicated or clearly apparent from the context in which the term or phrase is used. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, particular methods and materials are now described.

[0028] Unless otherwise stated, the use of individual numerical values are stated as approximations as though the values were preceded by the word “about” or “approximately.” Similarly, the numerical values in the various ranges specified in this application, unless expressly indicated otherwise, are stated as approximations as though the minimum and maximum values within the stated ranges were both preceded by the word “about” or “approximately.” In this manner, variations above and below the stated ranges can be used to achieve substantially the same results as values within the ranges. As used herein, the terms “about” and “approximately” when referring to a numerical value shall have their plain and ordinary meanings to a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosed subject matter is most closely related or the art relevant to the range or element at issue. The amount of broadening from the strict numerical boundary depends upon many factors. For example, some of the factors that may be considered include the criticality of the element and/or the effect a given amount of variation will have on the performance of the claimed subject matter, as well as other considerations known to those of skill in the art. As used herein, the use of differing amounts of significant digits for different numerical values is not meant to limit how the use of the words “about” or “approximately” will serve to broaden a particular numerical value or range. Thus, as a general matter, “about” or “approximately” broaden the numerical value. Also, the disclosure of ranges is intended as a continuous range including every value between the minimum and maximum values plus the broadening of the range afforded by the use of the term “about” or “approximately.” Consequently, recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein.