Hair clip and method and apparatus for fastening hair clip to bundles of hair

Abstract

A bundle of growing human hair is selected. A bundle of supplemental hair is located together with the selected bundle of growing human hair to form a joint at an attachment site. The joint is inserted into an opening between legs of a U-shaped hair clip, and legs of the hair clip are bent and clinched around the joint. Strands in the bundle of supplemental hair may be pre-glued to one another. An apparatus for fastening a bundle of supplemental hair to a bundle of growing human hair includes a base having an anvil. An arm assembly is movably connected to the base. A driver is coupled to the arm assembly for pressing an open hair clip into the anvil to close the clip. A clip for fastening hair bundles has a crown coupled to spaced apart legs. The clip legs are made of a malleable material.

1 . A method for attaching supplemental hair to growing human hair comprising the steps of: 
 selecting a bundle of growing human hair; and    locating a bundle of supplemental hair together with the selected bundle of growing human hair to form a joint at an attachment site;    inserting the joint into an opening between legs of a U-shaped hair clip; and    bending the legs of the hair clip around the joint to fasten the bundle of supplemental hair to the bundle of growing human hair.    
   
   
       2 . The method for attaching supplemental hair according to  claim 1  wherein the step of bending the legs of the hair clip around the joint further includes crimping the legs of the hair clip around the joint, wherein the legs of the hair clip bend toward each other to fasten the bundle of supplemental hair to the bundle of growing human hair.  
   
   
       3 . The method for attaching supplemental hair according to  claim 1  wherein the step of bending the legs of the hair clip around the joint further includes pressing the legs of the hair clip into bend-guiding troughs of an anvil to bend the legs of the hair clip around the joint, wherein the bend-guiding troughs are curved to direct the legs of the hair clip toward each other.  
   
   
       4 . The method for attaching supplemental hair according to  claim 3  wherein the step of locating a bundle of supplemental hair together with the selected bundle of growing human hair further includes the step of inserting the joint between guiding arms of the anvil, wherein the guiding arms extend from outer edges of each of the bend-guiding troughs.  
   
   
       5 . The method for attaching supplemental hair according to  claim 1  wherein the step of inserting the joint into an opening between ends of a U-shaped hair clip further includes the steps of: 
 dispensing a dispensed hair clip from a clip chamber that holds a plurality of hair clips; and    moving the dispensed hair clip toward the joint.    
   
   
       6 . The method for attaching supplemental hair according to  claim 5  further including the step of supporting a next clip in a strip of clips while a dispensed clip is separated from the strip of clips.  
   
   
       7 . The method for attaching supplemental hair according to  claim 6  wherein the step of supporting a next clip in a strip of clips further includes inserting a next clip supporting arm into an opening of the next clip, wherein the next clip supporting arm substantially fills the opening of the next clip.  
   
   
       8 . The method for attaching supplemental hair according to  claim 1  wherein the step of bending the legs of the hair clip around the joint to fasten the bundle of supplemental hair to the bundle of growing human hair further includes interleaving serrate edges on the leg ends of the hair clip.  
   
   
       9 . The method for attaching supplemental hair according to  claim 3  further including the step of temporarily holding the joint proximate to the inner edges of the bend-guiding troughs.  
   
   
       10 . The method for attaching supplemental hair according to  claim 4  further including the step of guiding the legs of the hair clip into the bend-guiding troughs by moving the hair clip along anvil surfaces on guiding arms of the anvil.  
   
   
       11 . The method for attaching supplemental hair according to  claim 1  wherein the step of locating a bundle of supplemental hair together with the selected bundle of growing human hair to form a joint at an attachment site further includes locating a pre-glued bundle of supplemental hair together with the selected bundle of growing human hair to form a joint at an attachment site, wherein the pre-glued bundle of includes strands of supplemental hair attached to one another by an adhesive.  
   
   
       12 . The method for attaching supplemental hair according to  claim 1:   wherein the step of locating a bundle of supplemental hair together with the selected bundle of growing human hair to form a joint at an attachment site further includes locating the joint in a cavity defined by guiding surfaces and a contoured base;    further including retaining the joint in the cavity;    wherein the step of inserting the joint into an opening between legs of a U- 8  shaped hair clip further includes driving the clip into the cavity; and    wherein the step of bending the legs of the hair clip around the joint to fasten the bundle of supplemental hair to the bundle of growing human hair further includes driving the legs to follow the contoured base to crimp the joint.    
   
   
       13 . An apparatus for fastening strands of hair comprising: 
 a base having an anvil with a bend-guiding trough, wherein the trough has an axial length greater than a width across the trough, and wherein the trough is open at the ends to be structured and arranged to receive bundles of hair;    an arm assembly movably connected to the base; and    a driver coupled to the arm assembly for pressing an open clip into the    a anvil to close the clip.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus for fastening according to  claim 13  wherein the bend-guiding trough includes troughs that meet at inner trough edges.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus for fastening according to  claim 13  wherein the anvil includes guiding arms extending from outer trough edges and away from the base, wherein the guiding arms are for guiding the legs of the clip into the trough.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus for fastening according to  claim 15  wherein the anvil includes a next clip support arm extending away from the base and beyond the guiding arms for supporting a next clip in a strip of clips as a dispensed clip is pressed by the driver.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus for fastening according to  claim 16  wherein the next clip support arm extends into the arm assembly and into the next clip in a strip of clips when the arm assembly is pressing an open clip into the anvil.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus for fastening according to  claim 13  further including a hair strand retainer spring coupled to the anvil adjacent to the trough for temporarily holding strands of hair near the trough.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus for fastening according to  claim 13  wherein the base is moveably connected to the arm assembly by a hinge.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus for fastening according to  claim 13  wherein a driving surface of the driver has a contour that matches the portion of the clip contacted by the driver.  
   
   
       21 . A clip for fastening a first bundle of hair to a second bundle of hair comprising: 
 a crown having a width and a length, wherein the length is at least equal to the width;    legs spaced apart by the width of the crown and extending from the crown along the length of the crown, wherein the legs have leg ends that define a clip opening, and wherein the legs are made of a malleable material.    
   
   
       22 . The clip according to  claim 21  wherein the leg ends are serrated.  
   
   
       23 . The clip according to  claim 21  wherein the crown is arched.  
   
   
       24 . The clip according to  claim 21  wherein the crown includes a tooth extending into the opening of the clip.  
   
   
       25 . The clip according to  claim 21  wherein the clip is attached to a second clip.  
   
   
       26 . The clip according to  claim 25  wherein the clip is attached to a second clip by an adhesive between legs of the clips.  
   
   
       27 . The clip according to  claim 21  wherein the clip is made of brass.  
   
   
       28 . The clip according to  claim 21  wherein the clip is colored to match a hair color.