Hair wrapping device

Abstract

A hair wrapping device has a handle portion and a carousel structure. An electric drive in the handle rotates the carousel about a central passage. The carousel structure includes bobbins and structures for allowing decorative strands on the bobbins to be directed into the central passage along with a tress of hair. When the drive is energized the carousel structure rotates and wraps each decorative strand around the tress as the wrapping device is moved along the tress of hair.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:  
     
         1 . A device for wrapping at least one decorative strand about a tress of hair comprising: 
 A) a handle having, at one end thereof, a cylindrical support extending along a wrapping axis,    B) a carousel mounted on said cylindrical support member for rotation about the wrapping axis, said cylindrical support and said carousel forming a central passage along the wrapping axis for receiving the tress of hair,    C) at least one axle carried on said carousel for defining a bobbin axis displaced from and parallel to the wrapping axis,    D) a bobbin on each said axle for carrying a decorative strand that is led through said central passage and for rotating about the bobbin axis, and    E) means for rotating said carousel relative to said base member thereby to wrap the decorative strand about the tress of hair.    
     
     
         2 . A device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said means for rotating said carousel includes engagement means on said carousel and drive means in said handle for contacting said engagement means.  
     
     
         3 . A device as recited in  claim 2  wherein said drive means includes an electric motor.  
     
     
         4 . A device as recited in  claim 2  wherein said handle means includes an electric motor, battery supports, and first and second electrical connections between said battery supports and said electric motor, one of said electrical connections including a switch mounted on said handle.  
     
     
         5 . A device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said carousel has a circular base plate and spaced wall segments extending from the plate.  
     
     
         6 . A device as recited in  claim 5  wherein said base plate includes means proximate each bobbin axle for applying a frictional force to the corresponding bobbin.  
     
     
         7 . A device as recited in  claim 6  wherein said base plate includes, at each bobbin position, a retainer wall that partially surrounds said bobbin for retaining the strand on said bobbin, said retainer wall having a gap therethrough for passage of said strand as it pays off said bobbin during a hair wrapping operation.  
     
     
         8 . A device as recited in  claim 7  wherein said retainer wall defines a passage that guides the strand as it passes from said bobbin through said gap and said central passage.  
     
     
         9 . A device as recited in  claim 5  wherein said carousel includes a cover that closes said carousel thereby to capture each bobbin on its axle.  
     
     
         10 . A device as recited in  claim 9  wherein said cover is detachable from said carousel thereby to enable the removal and insertion of a bobbin on its axle.  
     
     
         11 . A device as recited in  claim 10  wherein said cover and said wall portions include at least one detent assembly for detachably retaining said cover on said carousel.  
     
     
         12 . A device as recited in  claim 9  wherein said each bobbin has a primary wall that extends transversely to its axle and said cover and said wall segments have a diameter that is less than the diameter of a circle circumscribing said primary walls of all the bobbins on said carousel, said cover having openings therethrough aligned with said bobbins thereby to allow access to the bobbins.  
     
     
         13 . A device as recited in  claim 9  wherein said carousel includes a circular base plate for carrying said axles and said circular base plate includes means at each axle for applying axial thrust to a bobbin on said axle.  
     
     
         14 . A device as recited in  claim 13  wherein cover includes means aligned with each said axle for limiting axial displacement of a bobbin on said axle whereby said thrust means and said cover generate a frictional force during rotation of said bobbin.  
     
     
         15 . A device for wrapping at a plurality of decorative strands about a tress of hair comprising: 
 A) a handle having, at one end thereof, a cylindrical support extending along a wrapping axis,    B) a carousel mounted on said cylindrical support member for rotation about the wrapping axis, said cylindrical support and said carousel forming a central passage along the wrapping axis for receiving the tress of hair,    C) a bobbin for each of the plurality of decorative strands that is led through said central passage,    D) an axle for each of said plurality of bobbins carried on said carousel, said plurality of axles lying on bobbin axes that are parallel to, equally radially displaced from and equiangularly spaced around the wrapping axis,    E) a guide on said carousel proximate each of the plurality of bobbins for guiding a decorative strand to said central passage, and    F) drive means for rotating said carousel relative to said base member thereby to wrap the plurality of strands about the tress.    
     
     
         16 . A device as recited in  claim 15  including a ring gear formed about the periphery of said carousel and an electric drive with a gear engaging the ring gear.  
     
     
         17 . A device as recited in  claim 16  wherein said electric drive means includes an electric motor and a speed reducer between said motor and said gear.  
     
     
         18 . A device as recited in  claim 17  wherein said electric motor is battery operated, said handle including battery supports, supports for said electric motor, an electric switch and electrical connections among said battery supports, electric motor and electric switch.  
     
     
         19 . A device as recited in  claim 15  wherein said carousel has a circular base plate that supports said ring gear and wall segments about portions of the base plate.  
     
     
         20 . A device as recited in  claim 19  wherein said base plate includes means proximate each of said bobbin axles for applying a frictional force to a bobbin mounted on said axle and rotates about a bobbin axis.  
     
     
         21 . A device as recited in  claim 20  wherein said base plate includes, at each bobbin position, a retaining wall that partially surrounds said bobbin for retaining the strand on said bobbin, said retaining wall having a gap therethrough for passage of said strand as it pays off said bobbin during a hair wrapping operation.  
     
     
         22 . A device as recited in  claim 21  wherein said retaining wall defines a passage that guides the strands it passes from said bobbin through said gap and said central passage.  
     
     
         23 . A device as recited in  claim 19  wherein said carousel includes a cover that closes said carousel thereby to capture each of said bobbins on a corresponding axle.  
     
     
         24 . A device as recited in  claim 23  wherein said cover is detachable from said carousel thereby to enable the removal and insertion of bobbins on said axles.  
     
     
         25 . A device as recited in  claim 24  wherein said cover and said wall portions include at least one detent assembly for detachably retaining said cover on said carousel.  
     
     
         26 . A device as recited in  claim 23  wherein each of said bobbins has a primary wall that extends transversely to the bobbin axis and said cover and said wall segments have a diameter that is less than the diameter of a circle circumscribing said primary walls of bobbins on said carousel, said cover and wall segments having openings and notches therethrough respectively, aligned with said bobbins thereby to allow access to said primary walls of said bobbins.  
     
     
         27 . A device as recited in  claim 26  wherein the periphery of said primary walls are knurled.  
     
     
         28 . A device as recited in  claim 23  wherein said carousel includes a circular base plate for carrying said axles and said circular base plate includes means at each axle for applying axial thrust to a bobbin on said axle.  
     
     
         29 . A device as recited in  claim 28  wherein said cover includes means aligned with each said axle for limiting axial displacement of a bobbin on said axle whereby said thrust means and said cover generate a frictional force during rotation of said bobbin.  
     
     
         30 . A device as recited in  claim 15  additionally comprising means for grasping a hair tress for placement in said central passage.  
     
     
         31 . A kit for enabling an individual to wrap at a plurality of decorative strands about a tress of hair comprising: 
 A) a hair wrapping device including: 
 i) a handle having, at one end thereof, a cylindrical support extending along a wrapping axis and at the other end thereof electrically interconnected battery supports, an electric motor and an electrical switch accessible for operation for the exterior of said handle portion,  
 ii) a carousel mounted on said cylindrical support for rotation about the wrapping axis, said cylindrical support and said carousel forming a central passage along the axis for receiving the tress of hair, said carousel including: 
 a) a circular base plate with a ring gear about the periphery thereof,  
 b) three axles extending from said base plate along bobbin axes that are equally radially spaced from and equiangularly spaced about the wrapping axis, and  
 c) wall segments extending from said base plate around said periphery thereof,  
 
 iii) a bobbin for each of the plurality of decorative strands that is led through said central passage, for rotating on each of said axles about a respective bobbin axis thereby to provide three decorative strands,  
 iv) speed reducing gear means between said electric motor and said ring gear whereby energization of said electric motor rotates said carousel,  
 v) guides for directing the decorative strands from through said central passage as the decorative strands pay from said bobbins during rotation of said carousel, and  
 vi) cover means detachably attached to said wall segments on said carousel, and  
   B) means for grasping a hair tress for placement in said central passage.