Bottlecap bows

Description

PRIORITY

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/277,255, filed Sep. 21, 2009, and entitled “Bottlecap bows” which is hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates broadly to fashionable accessories which can be clipped or otherwise attached to clothing or to the head.

BACKGROUND

There are numerous reasons why individuals wear hair accessories. Hair accessories can serve to complement clothing or to help style or hold hair. Hair accessories are used by individuals of all ages, including young children.

There are numerous types and styles of hair accessories and clips currently being manufactured and sold. These hair accessories and clips come in a variety of colors, sizes and styles. Most individual users of hair accessories seek a variety of different colors, sizes and styles, to complement different outfits, hairstyles, or situations, as well as for variety. Most current hair accessories are static, in that the component parts of the hair accessories are not interchangeable, and so multiple hair accessories must be purchased in order for any variety to be available. A hair accessory with interchangeable parts, creating variety in color and style without the need to purchase multiple hair accessories would be an improvement in the art.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments of the invention disclosed and claimed herein provide for parts and methods for creating hair accessories that have interchangeable parts, including clips, decorations, and bottlecaps.

In one embodiment, the hair accessory includes a bottlecap fastened to a clip.

In another embodiment, the accessory includes a clip, a decoration, and a bottlecap, with the bottlecap and decoration fastened to the clip.

In another embodiment, the clip has paint, cardstock, ribbon, or other enhancements attached to it.

In another embodiment, the bottlecap has paint, cardstock, ribbon, or other enhancements attached to either side of the bottlecap.

In yet another embodiment, the bottlecap has a jewel or other ornament attached to it.

In still another embodiment, the decoration is floral shaped.

Many alterations and variations of the accessories, including the clip decoration and bottlecap exist as described herein. The hair accessory as disclosed and claimed herein can be adapted for any hair accessory, whether varying in size, shape, or sample.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures form part of the specification and are included to further demonstrate certain embodiments of the invention. These embodiments may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the detailed description of embodiments presented.

FIG. 1 illustrates a clip with a bottlecap and a decoration attached.

FIG. 2 illustrates a bottlecap according to another embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a bottlecap according to another embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a clip.

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a hair accessory.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view.

DEFINITIONS

It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only. The terms are not intended to be limiting because the scope of the present invention is intended to be defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

The term “about” when referring to a numerical value or range is intended to encompass the values resulting from experimental error that can occur when taking measurements.

The term “bottlecap”, and any plurals thereof, as used in this specification and appended claims means pieces of metal, steel, or plastic to seal a bottle, for example, a pop bottle or canning bottle.

The term “clip”, and any plurals thereof, as used in this specification and appended claims means a button, clamp, clasp, paperclip, grommet, clothes-pin, rubber band, snap, strap, or tie.

The term “fastener”, and any plurals thereof, as used in this specification and appended claims means a hardware device that mechanically joins or affixes two or more objects together. Examples of a fastener include a screw, clamp, nail, peg, pin, retainer, rivet, screw anchor, snap, tack, or stud. Fastener may also include hardware, appendages, or additional features related to such fastener, such as springs, clamps, or glues.

Ratios, concentrations, amounts, and other numerical data may be presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. For example, a weight range of about 1 wt % to about 20 wt % should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited concentration limits of 1 wt % to about 20 wt %, but also to include individual concentrations such as 2 wt %, 3 wt %, 4 wt %, and sub-ranges such as 5 wt % to 15 wt %, 10 wt % to 20 wt %, etc.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention relate to fashion accessories with exemplary embodiments of hair accessories. In contrast to existing hair accessories, embodiments of the present invention represent hair accessories having interchangeable components, allowing the user to select different styles and colors without purchasing multiple hair accessories.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a particular embodiment of the accessory includes a clip 10 and at least one bottlecap 20 attached to the clip 10. Additionally, at least one decoration 30 can be attached to the clip.

The bottlecap 20 can be attached to the clip 10 permanently or removably. In one embodiment, the bottlecap 20 can be attached to the clip 10 via a fastener 70.

Some examples of a decoration 30 that may be attached to the clip 10 include but are not limited to cloth in a floral, round, square or other shape or pattern, ribbon, paper or cardstock, or other material.

In an exemplary embodiment, the fastener 70 attaches the bottlecap 20, the decoration 30, and the clip 10.

Referring now to FIG. 2, in another embodiment, and by way of example, the bottlecap 20 has a concave side 50 and a flat side 60. A fastener 70 can be inserted through the flat side 60 of the bottlecap 20 such that it extends through the bottlecap 20. The fastener 70 can then be used to attach the bottlecap 20 to a clip 10. The flat side 60 of the bottlecap 20 may then be adorned with ribbon, paint, cardstock, cloth, paper or other material.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, in another embodiment, and by way of example, the bottlecap 20 has a concave side 50 and a flat side 60. A fastener 70 may be inserted through a hole in the concave side 50 of the bottlecap 20 such that it extends through the bottlecap 20. The fastener 70 can then be used to attach the bottlecap 20 to a clip 10. The concave side 50 of the bottlecap 20 can then be adorned with ribbon, paint, cardstock, cloth, paper or other material.

In another embodiment, the concave side 50 of the bottlecap 20 may be adorned with a jewel, gem, stone, or similar.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6 a particular embodiment of the fastener 70 that attaches the bottlecap 20 to the clip 10 is presented. The fastener 70 consists of a cam dowel, spring 64, and head 65. The pin has a head 65 attached to one end of the cam dowel or the head 65 is integral to one end of the cam dowel either removably or permanently. The cam dowel is then positioned through the spring 64. The cam dowel mates with a cam lock 63. The fastener 70, as described in this paragraph, retains the bottlecap 20 when it is placed through the bottlecap 20, depressed while the cam dowel engages the cam lock 63, and the cam dowel is rotated clock-wise or counter-clockwise engaging the cam lock in a locking position thus securing the bottlecap to the clip 10. Spacers 61 or 62 may be used to add additional locking capability or adjustability to the height of the bottlecap 20 and prevent unintentional wear between the bottlecap 20 and the cam lock 63.