Magnetic hair accessory and method

Abstract

A hair accessory is provided for supplementing and/or replacing hair using a magnetic installation techniques. The magnetic hair accessory may include hair material, magnetic material, a coating, an active face, a neutral face, a score, top piece and/or magnetic band. A method for supplementing and/or replacing hair using a magnetic hair accessory is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hair accessory apparatus comprising:
 hair accessory pieces comprising:
 hair material comprising a hair material base end and a hair material distal end, 
 a magnetic material operatively installed to the hair material near the hair material base end, and 
 a coating to at least partially enclose the magnetic material and part of the hair material at the hair material base end; and 
   wherein the hair material is installable to a mounting location via compression of the mounting location by the magnetic material included by the hair accessory pieces.   
     
     
         2 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material comprises magnetic particles substantially located within the coating. 
     
     
         3 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material comprises rare-earth magnets. 
     
     
         4 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material comprises neodymium-iron-boron. 
     
     
         5 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a texture to improve friction and increase grip to the mounting location. 
     
     
         6 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material further comprises cobalt; and
 wherein the magnetic material is resistant to degradation for up to about 40 degrees Celsius.   
     
     
         7 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material further comprises dysprosium. 
     
     
         8 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material is at least partially bonded to an attachment interface. 
     
     
         9 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an active face magnetically attractable to at least one other active face to install the hair material to the mounting location via at least compression.   
     
     
         10 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a neutral face positioned approximately opposite to the active face and exhibiting minimal wandering flux.   
     
     
         11 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting location comprises natural hair grown by a wearer. 
     
     
         12 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting location comprises a base portion installable to a wearer. 
     
     
         13 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a reaction polymer; and
 wherein the coating substantially encloses at least part of the magnetic material at the hair material base end.   
     
     
         14 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the reaction polymer comprises polyurethane. 
     
     
         15 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises grip enhancing features provided by application of additional material to improve friction and increase grip to the mounting location. 
     
     
         16 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the additional material comprises sand, silica, and/or grit. 
     
     
         17 . A hair accessory apparatus comprising:
 hair material;   a magnetic material comprising neodymium operatively installed to the hair material;   a coating comprising a reaction polymer that is thermosetting to substantially enclose the magnetic material;   an active face exhibiting a magnetic attractive force; and   a neutral face positioned approximately opposite to the active face;   wherein the active face of the hair material magnetically attracts at least one other active face of at least one other hair material to install the hair material to a mounting location via being compressed by the active face and the at least one other active face located adjacent to the mounting location;   wherein the neutral face exhibits minimal wandering flux; and   wherein the mounting location comprises hair that is naturally grown from the head of a person.   
     
     
         18 . The hair accessory apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the magnetic material further comprises:
 cobalt and dysprosium in a quantity to raise magnetic coercivity and improve corrosion resistance; and   wherein the reaction polymer comprises polyurethane.   
     
     
         19 . A method of installing hair accessory pieces, each of the hair accessory pieces comprising hair material with a hair material base end and hair material distal end, and a magnetic material operatively installed to the hair material near the hair material base end, the method comprising:
 (a) positioning a first of the hair accessory pieces comprising a first active face near a mounting location such that the first active face with attractive magnetic force substantially faces the mounting location;   (b) positioning a second of the hair accessory pieces comprising a second active face near the mounting location such that the second active face with attractive magnetic force substantially faces the mounting location;   (c) compressing the first active face and the second active face about the mounting location via the magnetic material operatively installed to the first of the hair accessory pieces and the second of the hair accessory pieces, the magnetic material being at least partially enclosed in a coating applied to at least part of the hair material.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 (d) improving friction and increasing grip of the hair material to the mounting location via a texture applied to the coating.