Hair accessory

Abstract

A hair accessory includes an elastic member with two ends threaded through openings in a locking member such that a loop is formed between a central portion of the elastic member and the locking member to accommodate a user's hair. The locking member is movable relative to the elastic member to change a size of the loop to accommodate more or less hair, as desired.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hair accessory comprising:
 an elastic member including a first end and a second end, with a central portion connecting the first end and second end; and   a locking member, connected to the first end and second end of the elastic member such that a loop is formed between the locking member and the central portion of the elastic member to receive user hair, the locking element movable between an unlocked position in which the locking member slides along the elastic member to change a size of the loop and a locked position in which the locking member is substantially secured to the elastic member at a substantially fixed position.   
     
     
         2 . The hair accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the locking member further comprises:
 an inner element including at least one inner opening configured to receive the first and second ends of the elastic member; and   an outer body including at least one outer opening configured to receive the first and second ends of the elastic member, the inner element mounted in the outer body such that the inner element is slidable relative to the outer body between the locked and unlocked positions.   
     
     
         3 . The hair accessory of  claim 2 , wherein the inner opening is aligned with the outer opening when the locking element is in the unlocked position such that the locking member slides along the elastic member easily. 
     
     
         4 . The hair accessory of  claim 3 , wherein the inner opening is out of alignment with the outer opening when the locking element is in the locked position to prevent the locking member from sliding along the elastic member. 
     
     
         5 . The hair accessory of  claim 4 , further comprising a biasing element positioned in the outer body and configured to bias the locking element into the locked position. 
     
     
         6 . The hair accessory of  claim 5 , wherein the biasing element is a spring positioned in the outer body. 
     
     
         7 . The hair accessory of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second ends of the elastic member include end portions, respectively, that are wider than the at least one inner opening and the at least one outer opening. 
     
     
         8 . The hair accessory of  claim 2 , wherein the inner element includes at least two inner openings and the outer body includes at least two outer openings and the elastic member is configured such that the first end of the elastic member passes through a first inner opening and a first outer opening and the second end of the elastic member passes through a second inner opening and a second outer opening. 
     
     
         9 . The hair accessory of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second inner openings are aligned with the first and second outer openings, respectively, when the locking member is in the unlocked position such that the locking member slides along the elastic member to change a size of the loop. 
     
     
         10 . The hair accessory of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second inner openings are out of alignment with the first and second outer openings, respectively, when the locking member is in the locked position to prevent the locking member from sliding along the elastic member. 
     
     
         11 . The hair accessory of  claim 10 , further comprising a biasing element positioned in the outer body and configured to bias the locking element into the locked position. 
     
     
         12 . The hair accessory of  claim 11 , wherein the biasing element is a spring positioned in the outer body. 
     
     
         13 . The hair accessory of  claim 8 , where wherein the first and second ends of the elastic member, respectively, include end portions that are wider than the at least two inner openings and the at least two outer openings.