Hair clip

Abstract

A hair clip comprises a body, jaws mounted on the body and a jaw opening arrangement to allow the jaws to be opened single handed. The jaws have tines and are mounted at spaced positions on the body so as to be pivotable at the positions to resiliently grip hair in the tines. The spacing of the pivot positions on the body enables a body to be used which can be decorated or hollow to enhance the aesthetics of the hair clip.

1 . A hair clip comprising a body portion; jaw portions attached to said body portion; and a jaw opening arrangement to allow said jaw portions to be opened single handed; said jaw portions having tines and being hingedly and resiliently connected to said body portion to urge said tines together for gripping hair, wherein said jaw portions are connected to said body portion at hinge positions defining laterally spaced axes, said jaw opening arrangement comprises handle portions extending from said jaw portions away from said tines to allow said jaw portions to be opened by urging said handle portions about said axes and said body portion includes a recess for receiving hair gripped by said tines.  
   
   
       2 . A hair clip according to  claim 1 , wherein said body portion has an outer face and said jaw portions are hingedly connected to said body portion at a position away from said outer face.  
   
   
       3 . A hair clip according to  claim 1 , including resilient portions arranged between said body portion and said jaw portions to provide said resilient connection between said body portion and said jaw portions.  
   
   
       4 . A hair clip according to  claim 3 , wherein said jaw portions are mounted to said body portion via pivot pins, and said resilient portions comprise spring members engaging said body portion and said jaw portions.  
   
   
       5 . A hair clip according to  claim 3 , wherein said body portion and said jaw portions are formed from a single piece of material thinned at said hinge positions to enable the relative pivoting of said jaw portions and said body portion, and said resilient portions comprise resilient members engaging said jaw portions and said body portion.  
   
   
       6 . A hair clip according to  claim 3 , wherein said resilient portions comprise resilient material connecting said jaw portions and said body portion.  
   
   
       7 . A hair clip according to  claim 1 , wherein said portion comprises a base portion to which said jaw portions are connected and at least one decorative cover portion.  
   
   
       8 . A hair clip according to  claim 7 , wherein at least one said decorative cover portion is removable in use to enable different cover portions to be connected to said base portion.  
   
   
       9 . A hair clip according to  claim 1 , wherein said body portion has thin section edge portions defining a large aperture between said axes, to allow hair of a wearer to be seen therethrough when worn.  
   
   
       10 . A hair clip according to  claim 1 , wherein said jaw portions are arcuate in section to define a volume between said body portion and said jaw portions into which hair can be clasped in use.  
   
   
       11 . A hair clip according to  claim 1 , wherein each said jaw portion comprises a plurality of hingedly and resiliently coupled jaw sections, each axis of the hinged couplings lying parallel to said laterally spaced axes.  
   
   
       12 . A hair clip according to  claim 1 , wherein said body portion is substantially arcuate in section.  
   
   
       13 . A hair clip according to  claim 1 , wherein said jaw portions and said body define an outer hair clip surface which is substantially cylindrical when said jaw portions are in the closed position.  
   
   
       14 . A hair clip according to  claim 1 , wherein said jaw portions are arcuate in section to define a volume between said body portion and said jaw portions into which hair can be clasped in use.  
   
   
       15 . A hair clip according to  claim 1 , wherein each said jaw portion comprises a plurality of hingedly and resiliently coupled jaw sections, each axis of the hinged couplings lying parallel to said laterally spaced axes.  
   
   
       16 . A hair clip according to  claim 1 , wherein said body portion is substantially arcuate in section.  
   
   
       17 . A hair clip according to  claim 1 , wherein said hair clip has a substantially cylindrical form.  
   
   
       18 . A hair clip comprising a body portion; jaw portions attached to said body portion; and a jaw opening arrangement to allow said jaw portions to be opened single handed; said jaw portions having tines and being hingedly and resiliently connected to said body portion to urge said tines together for gripping hair, wherein said jaw portions are connected to said body portion at hinge positions defining laterally spaced axes, said body portion comprises a base portion to which said jaw portions are connected and at least one decorative cover portion, and at least one said decorative cover portion is removable in use to enable different cover portions to be connected to said base portion.  
   
   
       19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . A hair clip comprising a body portion; jaw portions attached to said body portion; and a jaw opening arrangement to allow said jaw portions to be opened single handed; wherein said jaw portions have tines and are hingedly and resiliently connected to said body portion to urge said tines together to a closed position for gripping hair, said jaw portions are connected to said body portion at hinge positions defining laterally spaced hinge axes, and said jaw portions and said body define an outer hair clip surface which is substantially cylindrical when said jaw portions are in the closed position.  
   
   
       21 . A hair clip according to  claim 20 , wherein said tines are arranged to meet substantially in a plane when said jaw portions are in the closed position.  
   
   
       22 - 69 . (canceled)