Apparatus and methods for fastening a hairpiece

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for attaching a hairpiece to a head of a wearer. The apparatus defines a relatively tight-fitting skull-cap that is custom fitted to generally assume a contour of corresponding or underlying portions of the head of the wearer. The hairpiece is capable of being attached to or formed integrally with the skull-cap.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for attaching a hairpiece to a head of a wearer having a scalp without requiring the scalp of the wearer to be pierced when said apparatus is worn, the head having a crown area, side areas and a back area, each area of the head having a corresponding contour, the head having at least a portion of one ear, the ear having a front side, a back side, a concha, a cymba of concha, a helix, a crus of helix, an antihelix, a crus of antihelix, an antitragus, an intertragic notch, an pinna or an auricle, said apparatus comprising a generally tight-fitting skull-cap that generally assumes a contour of corresponding or underlying portions of the head of the wearer, the hairpiece capable of being attached to or formed integrally with said skull-cap, said skull-cap being rigid or semi-rigid, said skull-cap capable of selectively and removably clasping or gripping the head of the wearer.  
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said skullcap is formed or molded to generally fit against and be custom fitted to the head of the wearer.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 3  further comprising means for mechanically securing the hairpiece to said skullcap, said securing means being at least one length of thread, string, wire or elastic cord, a hook and loop fastener, a snap, adhesive, double-sided adhesive tape, or a hook.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising fibers woven into, attached to or formed integrally with said skull-cap to define a toupee or wig.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said fibers are manufactured from natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or hair.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said skullcap has: 
 (a) a crown portion; and    (b) a rear band or collar portion secured, attached or formed integrally with said crown portion.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said crown portion is molded or contoured to correspond to, approximate or generally duplicate the contour of the crown area of the head of the wearer.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said rear band or collar portion is molded or contoured to correspond to, approximate or generally duplicate the contour of the side and back areas of the head of the wearer.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said crown portion and said rear band or collar portion are generally unitary in construction or are made from similar material.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said skull-cap has an opening, a plurality of holes, perforations or apertures or a portion of mesh material therein.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said skullcap does not grip the front side and the back side of the ear of the wearer.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising means for selectively and removably engaging the ear of the wearer, said ear engaging means being attached, secured to or formed integrally with said skull-cap.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said ear engaging means is secured to or formed integrally with said rear band or collar portion of said skull-cap.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said ear engaging means includes at least one membrane which is capable of being at least partially inserted into the ear canal when said skull-cap is worn.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said ear engaging means is capable of being urged against and hooking the concha, the cymba of concha, the helix, the crus of helix, the antihelix, the crus of antihelix, the antitragus, the intertragic notch, the pinna or the auricle of the ear when said skull-cap is worn.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said ear engaging means is capable of gripping or clasping the ear of the wearer between said ear engaging means and said skull-cap when said skull-cap is worn.  
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing an apparatus for attaching a hairpiece to a head of a wearer having a scalp without requiring the scalp of the wearer to be pierced when the apparatus is worn, the head having a crown area, side areas and a back area, each area of the head having a corresponding contour, the head having at least a portion of one ear, the ear having a front side, a back side, a concha, a cymba of concha, a helix, a crus of helix, an antihelix, a crus of antihelix, an antitragus, an intertragic notch, an pinna or an auricle, said method comprising steps of: 
 (a) placing the temporarily malleable or generally flexible sheet of plastic or synthetic material upon the head of the wearer;    (b) forming or pulling the temporarily malleable or generally flexible sheet of plastic or synthetic material to generally assume a contour of the corresponding or underlying portions of the head of the wearer; and    (c) causing or permitting the sheet of plastic or synthetic material to become rigid or semi-rigid to form a generally tight-fitting skull-cap which is capable of selectively and removably clasping or gripping the head of the wearer.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a step of causing or permitting the sheet of rigid or semirigid plastic or synthetic material to become at least partially and temporarily malleable or generally flexible prior to said step of placing the temporarily malleable or generally flexible sheet of plastic or synthetic material upon the head of the wearer.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a step of causing or permitting the skull-cap to become at least partially and temporarily malleable after the skull-cap has generally been formed or molded about the head of the wearer.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising a step of reforming or modifying the contour of the temporarily malleable skull-cap to obtain an otherwise tighter final fit about the head of the wearer.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising a step of causing or permitting the temporarily malleable skull-cap to become rigid or semi-rigid tight-fitting skullcap.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a step of attaching, securing or bonding the hairpiece to the skull-cap.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said step of forming or pulling the temporarily malleable or generally flexible sheet of plastic or synthetic material to generally assume a contour of the corresponding or underlying portions of the head of the wearer further comprises a step of forming or pulling a first and a second temporarily malleable or generally flexible sheet of plastic or synthetic material about the head of the wearer, the first sheet of plastic or synthetic material being formed or pulled about the crown area of the head of the wearer, the second sheet of plastic or synthetic material being formed or pulled about the side areas and back area of the head.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising a step of attaching, securing or bonding the molded first sheet and the molded second sheet of plastic or synthetic material together to form the skull-cap.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said step of attaching, securing or bonding the molded first sheet to the molded second sheet comprises a step of melting the first molded sheet to the second molded sheet to form the skullcap.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said step of attaching, securing or bonding the molded first sheet to the molded second sheet enables the joining of the molded first sheet to the molded second sheet to form the skull-cap having a generally tight final fit about the head of the wearer.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of attaching, securing or bonding means for engaging the ear of the wearer either to the sheet of plastic or synthetic material or to the molded skull-cap.