Hair extension systems and methods

Abstract

An attachment structure including a single planar blank that may be processed in high volumes, such as by a four-slide machine or other apparatus achieving similar processing efficiency. After manufacture from the blank, the attachment structure includes a spine that excludes hair while serving as a locus for removal. Jaws extend from the spine to encircle and contain a quantity of both client hair and extension hair. A set of interposing forward teeth help ensure that the contained hair remains properly positioned when the jaws of the clip are closed/crushed. Internal dimensions of the jaw portions defining the jaws/mouth may be designed to help ensure that there is good surface area contact between the client hair and the extension hair to produce the desired mechanical joining force securing the extension in place and resist tensile loading of the extension.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
         1 . A pre-deployed hair extension clip, comprising:
 a collapsible folded single blank having a blank thickness, said single blank including an intermediate flat fold defining a spine having a spine thickness of twice said blank thickness and a spine length greater than twice said blank thickness with said single blank further including a set of angular bends defining an open mouth including a first jaw and a second jaw opposing said first jaw and also further including a longitudinal axis extending parallel to said spine and positioned between said jaws, said jaws generally symmetric about a longitudinal plane including said longitudinal axis with each said jaw including a sloped portion coupled to said spine at an angle other than ninety degrees relative to said longitudinal plane and a distal portion coupled to said sloped portion wherein said distal portion is generally parallel to said longitudinal plane; and   wherein said spine is configured to disassociate said jaws from each other when said spine is severed.   
     
     
         2 . The pre-deployed hair extension clip of  claim 1  wherein said flat fold has a separation space between a pair of adjacent spine portions inhibiting placement of hair therebetween. 
     
     
         3 . The pre-deployed hair extension clip of  claim 1  wherein said set of angular bends include a spine/slope bend of about 130 degrees between said spine and each said sloped portion and a slope/distal bend of about 130 degrees between each said sloped portion and said coupled distal portion. 
     
     
         4 . The pre-deployed hair extension clip of  claim 1  wherein said first jaw includes a first tooth, wherein said second jaw includes a second tooth, and wherein said teeth are offset and extend toward each other. 
     
     
         5 . The pre-deployed hair extension clip of  claim 4  wherein said set of angular bends include a spine/slope bend of about 130 degrees between said spine and each said sloped portion, a slope/distal bend of about 130 degrees between each said sloped portion and said coupled distal portion, and a distal/tooth bend of about 100 degrees between each said distal portion and said coupled tooth. 
     
     
         6 . The pre-deployed hair extension clip of  claim 1  wherein said collapsible folded single blank includes a metal having a gauge in a range of 24-30. 
     
     
         7 . The pre-deployed hair extension clip of  claim 6  wherein said collapsible folded single blank is about 28 gauge having a nominal thickness of about 0.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         8 . The pre-deployed hair extension clip of  claim 6  wherein said metal includes cold rolled steel carbon steel (CS Type B CRS) having a corrosion-inhibiting coating. 
     
     
         9 . A deployed hair extension clip for securing a portion of donor hair to a portion of client hair, comprising:
 a collapsed folded single blank having a blank thickness, said single blank including an intermediate flat fold defining a spine having a spine thickness of twice said blank thickness and a spine length greater than twice said blank thickness with said collapsed folded single blank further defining a closed mouth including a first jaw and a second jaw opposing said first jaw both in contact with the portions of hair and also further including a longitudinal axis extending parallel to said spine and positioned between said jaws, said jaws generally symmetric about a longitudinal plane including said longitudinal axis with each said jaw including a coupling portion coupled to said spine and a distal portion coupled to said coupling portion wherein said distal portion is generally parallel to said longitudinal plane; and   wherein at least one of said jaws includes a longitudinally-extending crimp within a surface of said one jaw having a length along said longitudinal dimension greater than a width perpendicular to said longitudinal axis; and   wherein no quantity of any of the portions of hair are disposed in said spine; and   wherein said spine is configured to disassociate said jaws from each other when said spine is severed.   
     
     
         10 . An applicator tool for deploying a pre-deployed clip, the pre-deployed clip including a collapsible folded single blank having a blank thickness, said single blank including an intermediate flat fold defining a spine having a spine thickness of twice said blank thickness and a spine length greater than twice said blank thickness with said single blank further including a set of angular bends defining an open mouth including a first jaw and a second jaw opposing said first jaw and also further including a longitudinal axis extending parallel to said spine and positioned between said jaws, said jaws generally symmetric about a longitudinal plane including said longitudinal axis with each said jaw including a sloped portion coupled to said spine at an angle other than ninety degrees relative to said longitudinal plane and a distal portion coupled to said sloped portion wherein said distal portion is generally parallel to said longitudinal plane, comprising:
 an applicator head including a pair of opposing planar jaws moveable in parallel between an open position and a closing position with said pair of opposing planar jaws having a space therebetween accessible from a frontal location and a pair of lateral locations, said applicator head further including a pair of side plates restricting access to said lateral locations, said applicator head also further including a clip locator to position the clip at a deployment position with the jaws of the clip proximated to said pair of opposing planar jaws; and   a pair of handles pivotally coupled to each other and operably coupled to said applicator head.   
     
     
         11 . The applicator tool of  claim 10  wherein said pair of opposing planar jaws include a pair of sets of complementary protrusions configured to produce a longitudinal crimp in a surface of at least one of the jaws of the clip when said opposing jaws of said applicator head transition to said closing position from said open position. 
     
     
         12 . The applicator tool of  claim 10  wherein at least one said side plate includes a clip loading aperature configured to receive the clip therethrough and position the clip between said pair of opposing jaws passing through one said lateral location. 
     
     
         13 . The applicator tool of  claim 11  wherein at least one said side plate includes a clip loading aperature configured to receive the clip therethrough and position the clip between said pair of opposing jaws passing through one said lateral location. 
     
     
         14 . The applicator tool of  claim 10  wherein said applicator head further includes an insert for holding the portion of donor place while said pair of jaws are in said open position. 
     
     
         15 . The applicator tool of  claim 12  wherein said applicator head further includes an insert for holding the portion of donor place while said pair of jaws are in said open position. 
     
     
         16 . The applicator tool of  claim 13  wherein said applicator head further includes an insert for holding the portion of donor place while said pair of jaws are in said open position. 
     
     
         17 . The applicator tool of  claim 10  wherein said applicator head includes a thickness operable to define a desired installation distance between said deployment position and a scalp of a client providing a quantity of client hair. 
     
     
         18 . A deployed clip removal tool for removing a deployed hair extension clip securing a portion of donor hair to a portion of client hair, the deployed hair extension clip including a collapsed folded single blank having a blank thickness, said single blank including an intermediate flat fold defining a spine having a spine thickness of twice said blank thickness and a spine length greater than twice said blank thickness with said collapsed folded single blank further defining a closed mouth including a first jaw and a second jaw opposing said first jaw both in contact with the portions of hair and also further including a longitudinal axis extending parallel to said spine and positioned between said jaws, said jaws generally symmetric about a longitudinal plane including said longitudinal axis with each said jaw including a coupling portion coupled to said spine and a distal portion coupled to said coupling portion wherein said distal portion is generally parallel to said longitudinal plane, comprising:
 a removal head including a cutting blade and an opposing cutting anvil, a clip locator positioning a portion of spine of the deployed clip between said cutting blade and said opposing cutting anvil, and a pair of handles operably coupled to said cutting blade to close said cutting blade against said portion of spine and sever said spine, disassociating the jaws of the deployed clip and releasing the donor portion from the client portion.   
     
     
         19 . A method of extending a portion of client hair by clipping a hair extension of donor hair to a particular location of the portion of client hair, comprising:
 a) positioning a portion of the hair extension within an open mouth of an extension clip, said open mouth formed between two opposing planar jaws defined in a collapsible folded single blank that further includes a folded spine portion coupled to both jaws with each said jaw including a portion of a complementary set of interleavable teeth at a forward edge of each opposing jaw;   b) positioning the portion of the client hair at the particular location within said open mouth; and thereafter;   c) collapsing said opposing mouth around both said portion of the hair extension and the portion of client hair by moving the opposing planar jaws closer together generally parallel to each other to produce a collapsed clip; and   d) interleaving said set of interleavable teeth.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of:
 e) producing a longitudinal crimp in a surface of one jaw of said pair of opposing jaws. 
 
     
     
         21 . A method of producing a collection of collapsible hair extension clips from a single foldable blank, comprising:
 a) folding a first intermediate portion of the blank down ninety degrees;   b) folding a second intermediate portion of the blank proximate said first down ninety degrees to define a folded spine;   c) folding a third portion of the blank spaced from said folded spine up about fifty degrees;   d) folding a fourth portion of the blank spaced from said folded spine on an opposite side from said third portion up about fifty degrees;   e) folding a fifth portion of the blank spaced from said third portion down about fifty degrees;   f) folding a sixth portion of the blank spaced from said fourth portion down about fifty degrees;   g) folding a seventh portion of the blank spaced from said fifth portion down about eighty degrees; and   h) folding an eight portion of the blank spaced from said sixth portion down about eighty degrees.