METAL-FREE HAIR CLIP AND PRODUCING METHOD THEREOF

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001]The present invention relates to a metal-free hair clip and a method of producing the hair clip and, more particularly, to a metal-free hair clip for clamping hair.

[0002]A conventional hair clip may be used to clamp hair to provide a tidy appearance. The hair clip may be styled to enhance the aesthetic feeling while clamping hair. A conventional hair clip structure shown in FIG. 8 includes two clip bodies 1′, a pivotal pin 2′, and a spring 3′. Each clip body 1′ is formed of plastic by injection molding and includes a side having a pivotal portion 11′. The pivotal pin 2′ is a metal pin extending through the pivotal portions 11′ to provide a pivotal connection for the two clip bodies 1′. The spring 3′ is a metal torsion spring and includes two ends respectively pressing against the two clip bodies 1′ to provide an elastic force enabling the two clip bodies 1′ to clamp the hair.

[0003]Each clip body 1′ may have a predetermined color after injection molding to provide a better colorful appearance. However, when it is desired to increase the appearance quality of the clip body 1′, a pattern layer 4′ must be formed on an outer surface of the formed clip body 1′ by spray painting, paint baking, transfer printing, adhering fabrics, etc. The pattern on the pattern layer 4′ may enhance the appearance quality.

[0004]However, the pattern layer 4′ is apt to fade and peel due to long-term touch and impact. Furthermore, it is difficult to provide a patter on the inner surface of the clip body 1′ the same as the pattern on the outer side, failing to provide satisfactory appearance quality.

[0005]Furthermore, the hair clip includes a metal pivotal pin 2′ and a metal spring 3′. The metal elements are apt to be damaged due to rusting, thereby shortening the service life. Furthermore, the metal elements and the plastic elements of the hair clip must be recycled separately, increasing the recycling costs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006]An objective of the present invention is to provide a hair clip without metal elements while providing better environmental protection, enhanced operation stability, and appearance quality.

[0011]In an example, the first material is acrylic, and the pattern layer is formed by a fabric with a pattern or a plurality of colored blocks with a pattern.

[0012]In an example, the metal-free hair clip further comprises a pivotal pin made of the second material. The pivotal portion of each of the two pivotal blocks includes a pivotal hole through which the pivotal pin extends.

[0013]In an example, the second material is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin. The two pivotal blocks are formed by injection molding. The outer surface of each block portion is securely adhered to an inner surface of the upper end of one of the two clip bodies. The pivotal portion of one of the two pivotal blocks includes two pivotal pegs, and the pivotal portion of another of the two pivotal blocks includes a pivotal hole pivotably coupled with the two pivotal pegs.

[0014]In an example, wherein the third material is polyoxymethylene (POM), wherein the coupling member is formed by injection molding,

[0021]In an example, producing the two clip bodies includes providing a mold for forming a board; filling liquid acrylic into a mold cavity of the mold to form an acrylic layer after hardening; providing the pattern layer on the hardened acrylic layer, and filling liquid acrylic into the mold cavity of the mold to form a liquid acrylic layer above the pattern layer, wherein an acrylic board is formed after the liquid acrylic layer above the pattern layer hardens; removing the acrylic board; cutting the acrylic board into blanks of the clip bodies; and hot-pressing and bending each blank to finish formation of the clip body.

[0022]The two pivotal blocks of the metal-free hair clip according to the present invention are made of the second material tougher than the two clip bodies, such that the two pivotal portions will not break even after pivoting many times. Furthermore, the coupling member is made of more rigid and, thus, will not break even after long-term expansion/contraction, thereby prolonging the service life. Furthermore, the pattern layers will not be touched by the hair of the user during use, preventing the surfaces of the pattern layers from fading or abrasion. Furthermore, the hair clip according to the present invention is free of metal and, thus, easy to recycle, providing better environmental protection.

[0023]The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of this invention described in connection with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024]FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of an embodiment of a metal-free hair clip according to the present invention.

[0025]FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an acrylic board for production of clip bodies of the metal-free hair clip according to the present invention.

[0026]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view illustrating production of a clip body of the metal-free hair clip according to the present invention.

[0027]FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the hair clip including two clip bodies each of which is coupled with a pivotal block.

[0028]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the hair clip according to the present invention after assembly.

[0029]FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along section line A-A of FIG. 5.

[0030]FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating two pivotal blocks of another embodiment of the hair clip according to the present invention.

[0031]FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a conventional hair clip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032]Like elements having similar functions in the following embodiments of the present invention are designated by the same reference numbers. With reference to FIG. 1, a metal-free hair clip according to the present invention comprises two clip bodies 1, two pivotal blocks 2, and a coupling member 3. The two clip bodies 1 are substantially symmetric to each other and are made of a first material preferably with better transparency. The first material may be acrylic. Each of the two clip bodies 1 includes a central portion. Furthermore, a pattern layer 11 is provided at the central portion and has two opposite sides each of which is covered by a transparent layer 10.

[0033]As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in manufacture of the clip bodies 1, a mold (not shown) for forming a board is provided, and liquid acrylic is filled into a mold cavity of the mold to form an acrylic layer after hardening. The pattern layer 11 is then provided on the hardened acrylic layer. The pattern layer 11 may be formed by a fabric with a pattern, a plurality of colored blocks arranged in a pattern, or any other arrangement. Then, liquid acrylic is filled into the mold cavity of the mold to form a liquid acrylic layer above the pattern layer 11. The liquid acrylic layer will not melt with the fabric or the colored blocks. An acrylic board is formed after the liquid acrylic layer above the pattern layer 11 hardens, and the acrylic board 15 is then removed. The pattern layer 11 is in a central portion of the acrylic board 15, and the pattern of the pattern layer 11 may be clearly seen via the transparent acrylic.

[0034]Next, the acrylic board 15 is cut along cutting lines (dashed lines in FIG. 2) by laser cutting or any other cutting method, thereby obtaining blanks of a plurality of clip bodies 1. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, each blank is subjected to hot-pressing and bending to finish formation of the clip body 1 of a predetermined contour. After formation, each clip body 1 includes an upper end having a pressing portion 12 and a lower end having a claw portion 13 bending inward. Furthermore, the upper end of each clip body 1 includes a through-hole 14.

[0035]Each of the two pivotal blocks 2 is made of a second material which is preferably tougher than the first material. The second material may be acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin tougher than acrylic or any plastic with better toughness. The pivotal blocks 2 are formed by injection molding. Each of the two pivotal blocks 2 includes a block portion 21 and a pivotal portion 22 disposed on an inner side of the block portion 21. The pivotal portion 22 of one of the two pivotal blocks 2 is pivotably connected to the pivotal portion 22 of another of the two pivotal blocks 2. In this embodiment, each of the two pivotal blocks 22 includes a pivotal hole 221, and a pivotal pin 23 made of the second material extends through the pivotal holes 221 of the pivotal block 22 to provide pivotal connection. In another embodiment, such as an example shown in FIG. 7, the pivotal portion 22 of one of the two pivotal blocks 2 includes two pivotal pegs 222 (only one is shown), and the pivotal portion 22 of another of the two pivotal blocks 2 includes a pivotal hole 221 pivotably coupled with the two pivotal pegs 222.

[0036]An outer side of each block portion 21 includes a coupling portion 24 opposite to the pivotal portion 22. The coupling portion 24 includes two coupling grooves 241. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, an outer surface of each block portion 21 is securely connected to an inner surface of an upper end of one of the two clip bodies 1 by adhering or any other suitable approach, such that the coupling portion 24 is located adjacent to the through-hole 14. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the pivotal pin 23 may extend through the pivotal holes 221 of the two pivotal block 2.

[0037]The coupling member 3 is made of a third material tougher than the first and second materials. The third material may be polyoxymethylene (POM) or other plastic material with desired rigidity. The coupling member 3 is formed by injection molding and is substantially C-shaped. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the coupling member 3 includes two open end portions 31 each of which extends through the through-hole 14 of one of the two clip bodies 1 and is coupled with a corresponding coupling groove 241 of the coupling portion 24 of one of the two pivotal blocks 2. The coupling member 3 provides the two clip bodies 1 with a clamping force.

[0038]In use of the metal-free hair clip according to the present invention, the pressing portions 12 of the two clip bodies 1 can be pressed open for receiving the hair of a user. Then, the pressing portions 12 can be released, and the hair can be clamped by the returning force of the coupling member 3. The two pivotal blocks 2 and the pivotal pin 23 of the metal-free hair clip according to the present invention are made of the second material tougher than the first material of the two clip bodies 1, such that the two pivotal portions 22 and the pivotal pin 23 will not break even after pivoting many times. Furthermore, in the example of FIG. 7 in which the pivotal portions 22 adopts the arrangement of pivotal pegs 222 and a pivotal hole 221, the pivotal pegs 222 with better toughness will not break even after long-term pivoting. Furthermore, the coupling member 3 is made of the third material tougher than the clip bodies 1 and the pivotal blocks 2 made of the first and second materials and, thus, will not break even after long-term expansion/contraction, thereby prolonging the service life.

[0039]The pattern layer 11 is provided at the central portion of each of the two clip bodies 1 of the metal-free hair clip according to the present invention and has a predetermined pattern to enhance the quality while clamping hair. Furthermore, the pattern layers 11 will not be touched by the hair of the user during use, preventing the surfaces of the pattern layers 11 from fading or abrasion. Thus, excellent appearance quality may be maintained even after long-term use. Furthermore, the two clip bodies 1 are made of acrylic with better transparency to increase the clarity of the pattern layers 1. Furthermore, an observer may see the same pattern when viewing either the pattern layer 11 at the outer side or the pattern layer 11 at the inner side of each of the two clip bodies 1, thereby providing a better visual effect of transparency.

[0040]Since the hair clip according to the present invention is free of metal elements, damage of the hair clip resulting from rusting will not occur, thereby prolonging the service life of the hair clip according to the present invention. Furthermore, the clip bodies 1, the pivotal blocks 2, the pivotal pin 23, and the coupling member 3 made of the first, second, and third materials are easy to recycle, providing better environmental protection.

[0041]In view of foregoing, the metal-free hair clip according to the present invention made of the first, second, and third materials provide the effects of better pattern quality, longer service life, and better environmental protection.

[0042]The foregoing embodiments are examples of the present invention, not limitation to the present invention. All equivalent changes made in accordance with the spirit of the present invention should also fall within the scope of the present invention.