CA3032672A1 - Single strand hair extension (sshe) - Google Patents

Abstract

The single strand hair extension method (SSHE), installs hair extensions by only using one hair strand extension per one head hair strand. The SSHE's purpose is to connect a single strand of hair extension to a single strand of head hair, this makes the hair extension essentially permanent as they do not need to be taken out and replaced or put back in again. With this process of hair extension, the hair fundamentally acts like real hair as the extension comes out of the head when the natural head hair falls out from the root. Hair comes in a variety of thickness this method also includes using up to five single synthetic or human hair strands that are attached to one strand of head hair in order to account for the different thickness. With this method, you can brush or comb your hair from the scalp as nothing is interfering.

Description

DESCRIPTION
This invention SSHE relates to the method of lengthening natural hair by installing either synthetic or human hair extensions. This method is completed by adding single hairs of either human or artificial hair to a single strand of human head hair. Hair extensions are attached by using an adhesive that is flexible, water and temperature resistant.
SUMMARY of INVENTION
With today's market hair extensions have many shortcomings, that are not limited to the following: they do not last, they hurt your head, are hard to sleep on, need to be replaced often, are limited to certain hair styles depending on where they are placed etc.
With the SSHE method, the hair will look natural as it is the individuals own real hair. It will last much longer until it falls out at the same rate as your natural hair does. The hair extensions can take the same abuse as your natural hair does, meaning you are able to brush, blow dry, pull, or style your hair as if it was your natural hair.
This process of installing hair extensions is also permanent as the hair extensions do not need to be taken out and put in again when they grow out as they fall out with the natural process of the head hair.
It is an object of the present process of the invention to provide a method for attaching extensions of hair to a person's head, which allows the extensions to be permanent.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for attaching extensions of hair to a person's head, which process allows the extensions to fall out naturally with the head hair.
The method of the present invention attaches an extension of hair to hair growing naturally from the skin. The technique connects a single 1-5 strands of human or synthetic hair to a single strand of head hair at a time. The method determines the location on the skin where the extension is to be attached. A naturally single growing head hair is selected which will be used to connect 1-5 strands of human or synthetic hair. The individual strands of extensions are secured with adhesive to the single strand of naturally growing hair from the head.
In still another aspect, the method of the present invention further includes that after the extension is secured with adhesive to the single strand of head hair, waiting for the naturally growing hair to grow out from the skin and fall out as hair typically does. With the current method of hair extensions available, they last between four to eight weeks at a time. They all then need to be removed and either replaced or put in again.
With the current method of application, the extensions do not need to be removed; more are added in as the natural hair grows and falls out with the extension attached to them.
In conclusion the SSHE process look like normal hair since they are applied strand by strand. The adhesive that is used to apply the hairs are temperature resistance, flexible, water resistance, and are not harmful to the hair. The extensions are permanent, as they fall out only when the natural hair attached to the head falls out and do not need to be taken out. Ultimately this process of applying hair extensions achieves a natural look without worrying that tracks, clips, bead, or keratin will show.
FIELD of INVENTION
The present method relates to the lengthening of the natural head hair by using human or synthetic hair in doing this, in completing the process by attaching 1-5 synthetic or human hairs to a single strand of head hair.
BACKGROUND of INVENTION
U.S Pat. No. 5,121,761, issued on June 16, 1992, to Karen L. Meister, titled Method for attaching hair extensions. The method provides for the attachment of extensions or wefts of hair to the naturally growing hair of a person. First, the location of where the extension is to be attached to the person is determined. The hair next is parted along that location. The hair along the part is gathered together in small clumps. A
crimpable anchor device is located onto each clump of hair. Each anchoring device is positioned along the respective hair clump to a position near the scalp of the person.
The anchor devices are crimped so as to secure their positions. Then, the extension is sewn to the clumps of hair using needle and thread. The needle and thread were passing through the several clumps at locations between the anchor devices and the scalp. The naturally growing hair is allowed to fall in place so as to cover the points of attachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,867, issued on April 28, 1992, to Mark C. Barrington, a titled process for extending human hair. A reversible process for attaching permanent extensions to human hair in which strands of supplemental hair are joined with a thermostable adhesive to form a plug of supplemental hair, a coating of thermosetting adhesive is applied over the thermostable adhesive and cured, strands of the person's natural hair are threaded through a section of heat shrinkable tubing, the plug of supplemental hair is inserted into the head shrinkable tubing, and heat is applied to the heat shrinkable tubing so that the thermosetting adhesive liquifies and joins the plug of supplemental hair and natural hair, and the heat shrinkable tubing shrinks in size to compress and seal the junction. The permanent extension can be removed by reapplication of heat to the heat shrinkable tubing.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,621,663, issued on Dec. 16, 1952, to Christina M. Jenkins, titled "Permanently Attaching Commercial Hair to Live Hair,' describes a method of attaching loose, unwefted hair to the native hair of the wearer, using a series of strands or fibres which are interwoven with the natural and supplemental hair. One end of each strand is attached to a support stand, with the opposite ends of the strands being woven into the wearer's hair. The Jenkins method is not used with wefted hair, nor is there any disclosure of any provision of single or multiple laminations of hair wefts with essentially continuous plies of attachment hair strands extending therefrom, as in the case of the present invention. The Jenkins method is extremely time-consuming and tedious, as a relatively small number of supplemental hairs must be interwoven with the three strands of natural hair, with the operation being repeated innumerable times to complete the operation. Moreover, the Jenkins method requires the wearer to use a professional to remove the supplemental hair, as the attachment strands must be cut, and the wearer cannot safely cut the attachment strands him or herself without the near certainty that at least some of the natural hair will also be cut. There is no such risk using the present hair wefts and methods of attachment, as the braided attachment need only be unravelled to release the hair wefts therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,865,380, issued on Dec. 23, 1958 to Princess Mitchell, titled "Hairpieces and Method of Hair Preparation," describes a two-step process wherein a series of French plaits (French braids) are formed transversely about the sides, back, and upper portion of the wearer's scalp, to lie closely adjacent to the scalp in the manner of cornrow type braids. After the braids or plaits are formed, a corresponding series of wefted hair extensions are sewn thereto. This process can take up to twice as long as the present method (attaching hair wefts to native hair by braiding the weft attachment hair strands into the braids simultaneously with braid formation), as the Mitchell method requires that the braids or plaits be completed first, and then that the extensions be sewn in place along the braids in a separate, subsequent operation. Moreover, the Mitchell method can be troublesome to reverse by the wearer, due to the difficulty in cutting the attachment threads without cutting the native hair of the wearer.
The Mitchell method is essentially that described as "weaving with braid track" in the His or Her Hair website, noted further below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,826, issued on Oct. 25, 1966, to Christina M. Jenkins, titled "Hair Piece and Method of Making and Permanently Attaching Same,' describes the use of garter-type clips for the attachment of hair wefts to the native hair of the wearer. While such clips are easily installed and removed, their bulk and mass make hair care (mainly combing and brushing) difficult, to say the least. The present system does not present such problems, as the scalp surface braid attachment leaves the rest of the hair free along its entire length.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,295,534, issued on Jan. 3, 1967 to Jess Dorkin, titled "Hair Thickening Method," describes the use of a urethane adhesive for the attachment of individual or multiple strands of hair to the scalp or native hair of the wearer. This type of supplemental hair attachment is also relatively time-consuming, due to the strand by strand (or relatively few strands) securing at each step. The removal process is not appreciably quicker, due to the need to carefully remove all of the adhesives, either by chemical or other means. The chemicals can be harsh on the scalp and hair of the wearer, and daily grooming, as well as the installation and removal processes, can damage the native or natural hair of the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,330, issued on Feb. 8, 1983 to Charles W. Nelson, titled "Method and Apparatus for Attachment of Hair Units," describes the use of filaments of fine wire or the like, which are twisted about a relatively small number of grouped strands of native hair of the wearer, and secured using an adhesive. The strands are sewn in place using a needle and continue from strand group to strand group to form a continuous chain. The result provides a base for the attachment of supplemental hair thereto, but Nelson does not disclose any actual supplemental hair configuration or structure in his patent. The Nelson system suffers from the same problems as noted above when supplemental hair extensions are sewn to braids or plaits, in that the hair extensions must be removed by a professional in order to minimize damage to the native hair of the wearer, and moreover, the Nelson system consumes an inordinate amount of time for both installation and removal, as the tedious twisting and gluing of the filament to the native hair of the wearer must be accomplished before the hair extensions may be attached thereto, and removed after removal of the extensions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,029, issued on May 16, 1989, to Raymond F. Bird, titled "Method of And Apparatus for Styling Hair," describes a manufactured hair weft having a pocket formed in the weft or bound edge or "tape." A wire loop is installed in the pocket and is used to attach the hair extension to the native hair of the wearer. While the Bird method did not require the braiding or plaiting of the wearer's natural hair, the specialized wire loop and pocketed, weft tape is relatively bulky and massive and result in some discomfort for the wearer when attempting to rest or sleep. The use of a wire clip or loop to secure the hair extension to the natural hair also creates some difficulty in hair care during brushing, combing, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,173, issued on Oct. 30, 1990, to Della L. Russell, titled "Hairpiece for Compensation of Hair Loss," describes a headband having supplemental hair disposed of thereon. The Russell headband is easily installed and removed by the wearer but is intended only to cover a relatively small patch. The Russell band cannot support a relatively large and full hair extension, with its relatively large mass, as can the present system with its positive attachment to the native hair of the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,745, issued on Dec. 17, 1991, to Byung J. Cheh, titled "Hair Extension Process," describes the use of hot melted adhesive to bond small groups of strands of supplemental hair extensions to the native hair of the wearer. Cheh does not disclose the use of any form of wefted hair extension with his process. The Cheh process and the problems associated therewith are more closely related to the process described in the Dorkin '534 U.S. patent, described further above than they are to the present invention.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,986, issued On Oct. 25, 1994, to Drucilla W. Hargrett, titled "Hair Locking Process and Apparatus," describes a braid assembly, which is secured to tufts of the native hair of the wearer, rather than braiding the natural hair itself.
The braid attachment includes a series of small rings therein, with the weft of supplemental hair also having a similar series of rings. The weft and braid rings are sewn together to secure the supplemental hair weft to the braid attachment of the wearer. This process involves a fair amount of time, as the braid material must be braided into the hair of the wearer before the wefted hair extension can be sewn to the rings of the braid.
This ring-to-ring attachment is relatively loose in comparison to the present wefted hair extension attachment, and moreover cannot be removed by the wearer, due to the need to determine the location of the attachment thread precisely in order to cut it without damaging the native hair of the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,452, issued on Sep. 3, 1996, to Eslie 0. Barlow, titled "Hairpiece with Adjustable Support Loop," describes a loop having a series of hair tufts extending therefrom. The loop has an adjustable circumference but is still placed relatively loosely upon the head. No means for positively attaching the loop or supplemental hair to the natural hair of the wearer is disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,298, issued on Nov. 19, 1996, to Cassandra Hinton, titled "Apparatus and Method for Concealing Attachments of Hair Supplements," describes a relatively short and narrow adhesive tape for concealing the braided line of a conventional hair weave attachment braid, e.g., the weave attachment braid as disclosed in the Mitchell 380 U.S. patent discussed further above. The Hinton tape includes a covering of relatively short hairs on the outer surface thereof, to camouflage the underlying braid and weft attachment. The hair weft extension disclosed in the Hinton U:S. A
patent is conventional, i.e., it does not include any attachment strands, as provided by the hair weft extensions of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,819, issued on Apr. 21, 1998 to Janice A. Hicks, titled "Process For Securing Supplemental Hair To The Natural Hair Of An Individual," describes a relatively complicated process in which a wefted hair extension is bound by sewing a series of blanket stitches therein adjacent to one end thereof, with the bound portion of the weft then being sewn into a previously formed braid in the wearer's native hair. The Hicks method is quite involved in comparison to the present method and requires considerably more time to complete. Moreover, Hicks requires professional care in the removal of hair extensions attached using her method, due to the need to carefully sever the strands of thread securing the hair extension wefts to the braids without damaging the native hair of the wearer. This is not a problem with the present hair weft extensions and method.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,107, issued on Feb. 1, 2000, to Tatiana L. Overmyer et al., titled "Detachable Hairpiece," describes a barrette type device having a hair extension permanently attached thereto and extending therefrom. The barrette clips to the native hair of the wearer, with the hair extension extending from the barrette to provide the appearance of longer hair for the wearer. No wefted hair extension having attachment strands extending from the wefted ends for attachment directly to the native hair of the wearer is provided by Overmyer et al. Moreover, the Overmyer et al. barrette extension cannot be worn for extended periods of time, as can the present wefted hair extensions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,122, issued on Oct. 24, 2000, to Annie L. Campbell et al., titled "Self-Adhesive Hair Weft Extension and Method of Attaching Same," describes a wefted hair extension having an adhesive contact strip applied to the wefted or bound end of the hair extension. A release strip is removed from the adhesive, and the hair extension is adhesively attached to the native hair of the wearer for use. The adhesive principle also results in damage to the hair when the tape is removed, with at least some hair being torn, broken, or pulled out by the roots. Campbell et al. do not disclose a hair weft extension having a continuous ply of attachment strands or filaments extending therefrom for intertwining into the native hair of the wearer as that hair is French braided, as is done by means of the present hair extension attachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,736, issued on Jun. 18, 2002 to Valerie Townsend, titled "Method of Using A Self-Adhesive Hair Extension," describes a hair extension and process which are very closely related to the disclosure of the Campbell et al. 0122 US.
Patent discussed immediately above. Townsend differs from Campbell et al. in that Townsend sews a strip of adhesive material to the wefted end of the hair extension, and adhesively attaches her hair extension to the scalp of the wearer, rather than to the hair, as is the case with Campbell et al. Townsend does not disclose any attachment strands extending from the wefted end of the hair extension for intertwining into braids as they are formed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,636, issued on Sep. 10,2002 to Christine M. Vittallo, titled "Method of Attaching Supplemental Hair to Human Natural Hair," describes the application of a liquid adhesive directly to the scalp or native hair of the wearer, and then adhesively securing a weft of supplemental hair to the adhesive area. This method is more closely related to the adhesive attachment methods of the Campbell et al. "122 and Townsend '736 U.S. patents, than it is to the present invention with its continuous ply or span attachment hair strands or filaments extending from the weft portion of the hair extension for intertwining with a braid formed of the wearer's native hair.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 1,035,192, published on Nov. 1, 2001, to Valerie Townsend, titled "Self-Adhesive Hair Extension," describes a wefted hair extension and method of attachment which closely resembles those described in the 0736 issued U.S.
patent to the same inventor, described further above. No non-adhesive attachment means using strands of material extending from the hair weft, is disclosed by Townsend.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 1,037,813, published on Nov. 8, 2001, to James W.
Ra, titled "Attachable Hair Extension," describes the use of an adhesive strip disposed of across the individual strands of a mass of hair to form a wefted hair extension. Some of the adhesives are exposed between the individual hair strands. A release sheet is removed from the adhesive, and the weft is applied to the hair or scalp of the wearer, with the exposed adhesive between the hair strands serving to secure the weft to the hair or scalp of the wearer. This hair extension and method are more closely related to the various adhesively applied hair extensions of the Campbell et al. '122 and Townsend '736 U.S.
patents and the Townsend 7192 U.S. Patent Publication, than it is to the present hair extension attachment invention with its intertwining of the weft attachment strands with the braiding of the wearer's native hair.
German Patent No. 3,722,108, published on Jan. 12,1989 to Jun Plenk, titled "Device for Attaching Artificial Hair to Natural Hair,' describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a small cylindrical sleeve or clamp which is secured to the native hair of the wearer, with a weft of hair having a cooperating mechanical attachment device extending therefrom. The assembly is somewhat related to that disclosed in the Barrington 867 U.S. patent, discussed further above, in which a small heat shrink sleeve is secured about a tuft of the native hair of the wearer, and a plug forming the end of a hair extension. While the '108 German Patent Publication discloses the mechanical attachment of a complete weft of hair, no disclosure is made of provision for a continuous span of attachment hair strands from the weft, for interweaving with the natural hair.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 8,052,017, published on Feb. 27, 1996, to Hideo Shigekuni, titled "Hair Braiding-In Method," describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a method of forming an elongate braid extending from the head, with a pair of decorative cords woven or braided with the hair braid elements.
There is no disclosure of the formation of one or more braids along the scalp with the simultaneous braiding of weft attachment strands therewith, as provided by the present weft embodiments and methods of attachment.
European Patent No. 876,773, published on Nov. ii, 1998, to Angelo Lo Giudice, titled "Method, Apparatus and Hair Extension Product Thereof,' describes a method of forming hair weft extensions from loose locks of hair by applying a thermoplastic resin to the ends of the hair strands to seal them together. The '773 Patent Publication is primarily directed to a tool for forming the hair wefts in the desired shape and sealing or adhesively attaching the common ends together. No means is disclosed for attaching the completed wefted hair extensions to the native hair of the wearer, as described in the present disclosure.
British Patent No. 2,327,605, published on Feb. 3, 1999, to Taiwo Arogundade, titled "Scalp Patch for Hair Extension," describes a patch having hair extending from one surface for securing to the central area of the scalp of a wearer. The edge of the patch is devoid of hair and provides a margin for sewing the patch to cornrow braids formed in the native hair of the wearer. The Arogundade '605 Patent Publication further discloses the use of a plurality of parallel cornrow braids formed in the native hair of the wearer and stitching one or more lengths of wefted hair extensions together in a sinusoidal configuration for greater fullness. However, no disclosure is made by Arogundade of any provision for attachment strands extending from the weft or bound edge of a hair extension, for interweaving or intertwining into braids formed in the native hair of the wearer, as provided by the present invention.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 206,997, published on Aug. 4, 2005, to Hideji Yasui, titled "Method for Weaving Hair Extension into Braid," describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a method of braiding an extension strand (not a weft) into the native hair of the wearer. The completed braid basically forms a four-element braid initially to anchor the doubled end of the elongate extension, with a three-element braid extending therefrom. No means of forming one or more braids along the scalp with the simultaneous braiding of weft attachment strands therewith is apparent in the 997 Japanese Patent Publication, as provided by the present well embodiments and methods of attachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,748 issued to Trimarchi on Jan. 8, 1991, discloses a method of semi-permanent attachment of filaments of synthetic hair to sections of natural hair through the ordered sectioning of the natural hair 'and the intertwining or braiding of the natural and synthetic hair followed by wrapping the braided portion of natural and synthetic hair with a portion of synthetic hair. Applying a sealer, and then applying heat to the wrapped layer of synthetic hair. The heat causes the sealer to change from a liquid to a semi-solid and is applied only to the wrapped layer of synthetic hair and not to the natural hair thereby preventing damage to the natural hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,387 issued to Megna on June 19, 1990, discloses a method for lengthening hair wherein strands of supplemental hair are aligned with strands of the natural hair, a coloured thermoplastic adhesive is applied to the junction of the supplemental hair and natural hair with a glue gun, the glue is permitted to partially cool at which time the glued junction is rolled between the fingers to intertwine the strands of hair, and the combined hair is then styled.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,868 issued to Heck on Sept. 17, 1974, discloses a method for making hairpieces on a form which includes pulling the strands of hair away from the form, applying a resin to the base of the strands, and curing the resin so that the strands emerge from the format an abrupt angle as opposed to laying flat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,862 issued to Hudson on Sept. 29, 1970, discloses aligning multiple strands of hair to rods and then using an elastic band to hold the rods and multiple strands of hair together to form a hairpiece.

The abovementioned patents reflect the state of the art of which the applicant is aware and are tendered with the view toward discharging applicant's acknowledged duty of candour in disclosing information which may be pertinent in the examination of this application. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that none of these patents teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, an applicant's claimed process for hair extensions. As such, none of the above-listed inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the method for the SSHE. As such, a single attached hair-on-hair extension system solving the problems as mentioned earlier that is desired. With the problems being that the current system for hair extension application causes balding, and most importantly does not act like real hair. In this sense every method currently used has to be taken out and put in again when the extension has grown out too far. With the current way, hair extensions get tangled together over time as well, which causes the hair to matt together.
The single strand hair extension (SSHE) method acts like real hair as the hair ex-tensions can be combed and treated like as if they are your real hairs. They do not need to be taken out and put in again as they fall out with the real hair.

Claims (12)

1. This is a process for extending the natural head hair by using 1-5 hair strand extensions that are either human or synthetic, and permanently attaching them to only a single head hair strand from the human scalp.
.smallcircle. With this method of hair extension, the head hair does not suffer from baldness overtime from strenuous pulling of the natural head hair as every single hair only has between 1-5 human or synthetic hairs attached.
.smallcircle. With this process of hair extension, the individual can comb through their hair starting at the scalp as nothing is preventing this.
.smallcircle. The hair extension once attached is then able to be dried, washed and styled.

2. It is first determined which section on the head is to start with the SSHE
method.
Either working from front to back, or from right to left makes no difference.
However, where ever you start, working in an orderly fashion will make it most straightforward to accomplish attaching the single strands of hair extensions.

3. Since this method of applying hair extensions are completed using one strand of human or synthetic hair of up to five at a time, with one strand of the head hair, it is best to work through the head from where it started to keep track of what has been completed.

4. With this process the hair extension will not damage the natural hair from the head because there is no pulling, the extension hair to head hair ratio is at a..
weight that is not strenuous on the natural head hair.

5. The process defined in claim 1, wherein there are only 1-5 human or synthetic hair attached to the single head hair, will not cause balding to the scalp that other hair extension methods cause as there is no pulling, and the head hair is not weighted down in such a way that causes damage to the natural hair.

6. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the natural head hair is permanently fastened to the human or synthetic hair but, one, single, head hair is attached to one synthetic or human head of hair.

7. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the natural head hair is permanently fastened to the human or synthetic hair but, one, single, head hair is attached to two synthetic or human head of hair.

8. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the natural head hair is permanently fastened to the human or synthetic hair but, one, single, head hair is attached to three synthetic or human head of hair.

9. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the natural head hair is permanently fastened to the human or synthetic hair but, one, single, head hair is attached to four synthetic or human head of hair.

10. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the natural head hair is permanently fastened to the human or synthetic hair but, one, single, head hair is attached to five synthetic or human head of hair.

11. The permanently fastening in claim 1 includes any of, but is not limited to the following to secure, which are: tape, glue, tie, burn, clip, clamp, weaved, staple, sewn, hook, braid, metal, keratin, bead bonded, or any form that encompasses attaching the single head of hair to the human or synthetic hair.

12. The SSHE can be applied to the little new hairs that are growing on the head as well. The hair can be styled just like natural hair can be. This method of hair extension solves the issue that like with all other available hair extensions you are not able to comb through your hair from the scalp as the hair extension obstructs this from happening. All other hair extension methods currently available, the hair stylist must account for where they are on the head when styling the hair as to make sure to hide them when styling them. With the SSHE you do not need to worry about hiding the hair extensions when styling as they are attached in such a way as they look like natural head hair.