Hair clamping device

Abstract

A hair clamping device includes a base defining a compartment. A cover is pivotably connected to the base. An elastic element is mounted between the base and the cover to bias the cover to cover the base without covering an opening in an end of the compartment. An engaging plate is removably engaged in the compartment and has a coupling portion releasably coupled with an engaging portion of the cover. A resilient strap includes two ends coupled to the base and the engaging plate. The engaging plate is insertable via the opening into the compartment such that the strap forms a loop for clamping hair of a user. The elastic element biases the engaging portion of the cover to engage with the coupling portion of the engaging plate for reliably clamping the hair of the user in the loop.

1 . A hair clamping device comprising, in combination:
 a base including a bottom wall and two parallel, spaced sidewalls on two opposite sides of the bottom wall, defining a compartment between the bottom wall and the two sidewalls;   a cover pivotably connected to the base and covering an upper end of the compartment, leaving an opening in an end of the compartment, with the cover including an engaging portion on an inner face thereof facing the compartment;   an elastic element mounted between the base and the cover to bias the cover to cover the base without covering the opening;   an engaging plate including an insertion portion removably engaged in the compartment, with the insertion portion including a coupling portion releasably coupled with the engaging portion of the cover; and   a strap made of resilient material, with the strap including first and second ends respectively coupled to the base and the engaging plate;   with the insertion portion of the engaging plate being insertable via the opening into the compartment such that the strap forms a loop allowing clamping hair of a user, with the elastic element biasing the engaging portion of the cover to engage with the coupling portion of the engaging plate for reliably clamping the hair of the user in the loop.   
   
   
       2 . The hair clamping device as claimed in  claim 1 , with the first end of the strap being fixed to an end of the bottom wall, with the two sidewalls including two aligned pivot holes, with the cover including two parallel, spaced lugs each having a pin hole aligned with the two pivot holes, with a pin extending through the two pivot holes and the pin holes, and with the elastic element being a torsion spring including a coil portion mounted around the pin and first and second tangs respectively attached to the bottom wall and the inner face of the cover. 
   
   
       3 . The hair clamping device as claimed in  claim 1 , with the engaging portion of the cover including a protrusion, with the coupling portion of the engaging plate including a first coupling hole, with the protrusion being releasably engaged in the first coupling hole, and with the torsion spring basing the cover toward the bottom wall to bias the protrusion into the first coupling hole when the insertion portion of the engaging plate is received in the compartment. 
   
   
       4 . The hair clamping device as claimed in  claim 3 , with the protrusion including a first inclined face at an acute angle with the cover, with the insertion portion of the engaging plate including a second inclined face on an end thereof and at an acute angle with the engaging plate, and with the first inclined face of the protrusion being slideably movable across the second inclined face to move the cover away from the bottom wall when the insertion portion of the engaging plate is inserted into the compartment. 
   
   
       5 . The hair clamping device as claimed in  claim 3 , with the coupling portion of the engaging plate further including a plurality of second coupling holes parallel to and spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction of the engaging plate, with the plurality of second coupling holes being parallel to and spaced from the first coupling hole in the longitudinal direction of the engaging plate, and with the protrusion being selectively and removably engaged in one of the first and second coupling holes, allowing adjustment of clamping tightness of the strap. 
   
   
       6 . The hair clamping device as claimed in  claim 3 , with the cover further including an outer face opposite to the inner face of the cover, with the hair clamping device further comprising, in combination: an ornament mounted on the outer face of the cover.