Connector assembly for attachments to hair

Abstract

A connector assembly for installing on a filament, such as hair, includes a crimping member, a connector, and a decoration attachment member. The crimping member is for crimping around the filament. The connector is linked to the crimp bead. The decoration attachment member is coupled to the connector. The connector assembly is substantially permanently attached to the filament.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A connector assembly for installing on a filament, such as hair, comprising:
 a crimping member for crimping around a filament;   a connector linked to the crimp bead; and   a decoration attachment member coupled to the connector,   wherein the connector assembly is substantially permanently attached to the filament.   
     
     
         2 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more decorative member for removably coupling to the decoration attachment member. 
     
     
         3 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more decorative member removably coupled to the decoration attachment member of the connector assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a utilitarian element removably coupled to the decoration attachment member. 
     
     
         5 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the connector and decoration attachment member are integrally coupled together. 
     
     
         6 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the decoration attachment member includes a loop for coupling to a removable decorative member. 
     
     
         7 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the crimping member is a crimp bead, the connector is a post that extends inside the crimp bead, and the decorative attachment member is coupled to the post in a permanent or a removable manner, and the crimp bead is crimped down onto a filament and the post to trap the post in position around the filament. 
     
     
         8 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the connector is a ring, a pin, a wire, a female member for coupling with a post, a male member having a downwardly facing opening for receiving a post, a post having a bead positioned at an end thereof, a male member having downwardly extending arms for coupling to a post, a male member having downwardly extending prongs for coupling with a female member, a cuff, multiple posts, a clip, a string, a wrap-around member for wrapping around the crimping member, a pair of bendable prongs, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the decoration attachment member is a cuff-like member for coupling to a post, a lobster-claw connector, a female member having upwardly extending arms for coupling to a post, a female member having an upwardly facing opening for coupling with bendable prongs, a loop, a ring, a handle, a clip, a post, a post having a bead extending outwardly therefrom, a wire, a string, a cuff-like member having a shelf, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the connector is an element that is positioned at least in part inside the crimping member, and the connector is a clip, a string, a loop, a wire, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A method for attaching decorative elements to a filament according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 installing the crimping member around the filament;   crimping the crimping member so that it is semi-permanently coupled to the filament; and   attaching a decorative element to the decoration attachment member.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the filament is strands of hair. 
     
     
         13 . A connector assembly for installing on a filament, such as hair, comprising:
 a crimping member for crimping around a filament;   a connector linked to the crimping member; and   a decoration attachment member coupled to the connector,   wherein the connector assembly is substantially permanently attached to the filament,   the connector is a post that is coupled at one end thereof to the crimping member so that when the crimping member is crimped on a filament, the post is substantially permanently coupled to the filament, and   the decoration attachment member is a female member that clips onto the post, with the decoration attachment member including an opening for connection of a decorative member.   
     
     
         14 . The connector assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the post has a bead positioned at a bottom end thereof, with the bead having a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the post, and the cuff has an inner indentation for accepting the bead, and the cuff has a press-fit when installed on the post. 
     
     
         15 . The connector assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the post and cuff are made of a plastic material. 
     
     
         16 . The connector assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the post includes a ring at an upper end thereof and the ring is positioned around an exterior surface of the crimping member, or the post is positioned inside the crimping member. 
     
     
         17 . The connector assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the female member of the decoration attachment member is a cuff that seats around the post, or a member having an opening in an upper end thereof for attaching to a bottom end of the post along the longitudinal axis of the post, with the member optionally having arms. 
     
     
         18 . A connector assembly for installing on a filament, such as hair, comprising:
 a crimping member for crimping around a filament;   a connector integrally formed with the crimping member; and   a decoration attachment member coupled to the connector,   wherein the connector assembly is substantially permanently attached to the filament.   
     
     
         19 . The connector assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the crimping member includes a hole positioned at a bottom end thereof, and the decoration attachment member is a loop that is coupled to the hole, wherein the loop is a wire, a ring, or a string. 
     
     
         20 . The connector assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the crimping member is a cylindrical member that is sliced at a bottom end thereof to separate at least part of the crimping member from the remainder of the crimping member, wherein when the crimping member is sliced all the way through, a ring is formed as the decoration attachment member and the ring is coupled to the remainder of the crimping member by a loop, or wherein when the crimping member is sliced partially therethrough, a part of the crimping member at the bottom end thereof is bent downwardly to provide the decoration attachment member.