United States Patent [191
`Meltzer
`
`USO05426788A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,426,788
`Jun. 27, 1995
`
`[54] RING-LIKE HEADWEAR ORNAMENT
`[75] Inventor:
`[73] Assignee:
`
`Faith M. L. Meltzer, Ambler, Pa.
`U.S.A. Knitting Co., Inc.,
`Philadelphia, Pa.
`[21] Appl. No.: 219,595
`[22] Filed:
`Mar.29, 1994
`
`[51] Int. 01.6 .............................................. .. A42C 5/00
`[52] us. 01. ......................................... .. 2/171; 2/207;
`2/DIG. 11
`[58] Field of Search ..................... .. 2/1, 171, 174, 207,
`2/311, DIG. 11; 59/78, 79.1, 80, 82, 83; 63/3, 4,
`5.1, 11; 87/13; 132/273, 275; D2/894, 895;
`Dll/3, 4, 5, 6, 93
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`568,531 9/1896 Harthan ................................ .. 59/ 83
`
`
`
`2,840,983 7/ 1958 Keilbach 5,073,989 12/1991 Teague ......................... .. 2/DIG_ 11
`
`Primary Examiner-Clifford D. Crowder
`Assistant Examiner--Diana L. Biefeld
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Caesar, Rivise, Bernstein,
`Cohen & Pokotilow, Ltd.
`
`ABsTRAcr
`[57]
`An ornament, e.g., a hair band, headband, hat band,
`etc., and method of making it. The ornament comprises
`a plurality of looped links and a looped connecting
`member. Each of the looped links is formed of an ?exi
`ble, somewhat elastic, e. g., knitted, material in the nomi
`nal shape of a toroidal loop, but bent into a shape having
`a bridging midsection and a pair of openings on each
`side of the bridging midsection. The looped connecting
`member is in the form of a loop of the same material and
`has a central opening. The looped links are intercon
`nected with one another so that the bridging midsection
`of one looped link extends through the openings in the
`immediately adjacent looped link to form an elongated
`chain-link strip having a pair of ends. One of the ends of
`the chain-linked strip comprising the looped connecting
`member and the other end comprises the looped link
`forming that end. The looped connecting member is
`extended through the open ends of the looped link
`forming the other end of the chain-linked strip and is
`folded back over itself and secured, e.g, glued, to a
`portion of it to convert the chain-link strip into a ring.
`The looped connecting member simulates the shape of
`the other looped links of the ring.
`
`17 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`Tristar Ex. 1009, pg. 1
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Ju-ne 27, 1995
`
`Sheet 1 of 3
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`5,426,788
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`
`Tristar Ex. 1009, pg. 2
`
`

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`US. Patent
`
`June 27, 1995
`
`Sheet 2 of 3
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`5,426,788
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`Tristar Ex. 1009, pg. 3
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`

`
`US. Patent
`
`June 27, 1995
`
`Sheet 3 of 3
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`5,426,788
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`Tristar Ex. 1009, pg. 4
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`

`
`1 .
`
`RING-LIKE HEADWEAR ORNAMENT
`
`5,426,788
`
`2
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`These and other objects of this invention are
`achieved by providing a ring-like ornament, e.g., a hair
`band, headband, hat band, etc., for wearing on a portion
`of a person and a method of making the ornament.
`The ornament comprises a plurality of looped links
`and a looped connecting member. Each of the looped
`links is formed of an ?exible, somewhat elastic material
`in the nominal shape of a loop but bent into a shape
`having a bridging midsection and a pair of openings on
`each side of the bridging midsection. The looped con
`necting member is in the form of a loop having a central
`opening.
`The looped links are interconnected with one another
`so that the bridging midsection of one looped link ex
`tends through the openings in the immediately adjacent
`looped link to form an elongated chain-link strip having
`a pair of ends. One of the ends of the chain-linked strip
`comprises the looped connecting member. The other of
`the ends of the strip comprises a pair of openings of the
`looped link forming that other end.
`The looped connecting member is bent into a shape
`having a free end which is extended through the open
`ings of the looped link forming the other of the ends of
`the chain-linked strip and is bent over itself and secured
`by securement means to another portion of it to connect
`the ends of the chain-link strip and thereby form a ring
`like ornament and so that the looped connecting mem
`ber is shaped to simulate the shape of the looped links.
`The method of the making the ornament entails pro
`viding a looped connecting member and a plurality of
`looped links formed of ‘an ?exible, somewhat elastic
`material in the nominal shape of a loop. The looped
`connecting member has a central opening and is formed
`of the same material as the looped links. The looped
`links are connected together by supporting the looped
`connecting member, squeezing a ?rst looped link to
`gether to ?atten it somewhat and passing the ?attened
`?rst looped link within the central opening of the
`looped connecting member. Then the ?rst looped link is
`opened within the looped connecting member in a man
`ner so that the ?rst looped link includes a bridging
`midsection extending through the central opening in the
`looped connecting member and a pair of end openings
`extending outside of the looped connecting member.
`Then a second looped link is squeezed together to ?at- '
`ten it somewhat and the ?attened second looped link is
`passed within the extending end openings of the ?rst
`looped link. This procedure is continued until a prede
`termined number of looped links are connected to
`gether to form a chain-link strip.
`The chain-linked strip has a ?rst end de?ned by the
`looped connecting member and a second end de?ned by
`a looped link having a bridging midsection and a pair of
`end openings.
`The looped connecting member is then grasped to
`?atten a portion of it and to extend the ?attened portion
`of it through the end openings of the looped link form
`ing the second end of the chain-linked strip. The ?at
`tened portion of the looped connecting member is bent
`over itself and secured to the portion thereof which
`extends through the end openings of the ?rst looped
`link. This action thereby interconnects the linked loops
`and forms a closed ring while causing the looped con
`necting member to simulate the appearance of the
`looped links of the ring, so that the entire ring looks like
`it is formed of serially connected looped links.
`
`10
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`This invention relates generally to hair ornaments,
`and more particularly to devices for holding hair, e.g., a
`ponytail holder, or to be worn on the head as a head
`band or on a hat as a hat band.
`Various elastic rings are commercially available for
`use as ponytail holders and some are the subject of
`United States Letters Patent. For example in US. Pat.
`No. 292,030 (Revson) there is shown a gathered fabric
`ring for holding a pony tail. Commercially available
`devices bearing that patent number are constructed
`utilizing a generously sized ring of a decorative fabric
`and having an elastic ring disposed therein to cause the
`fabric ring to gather into many folds. Resulting ring can
`then be used directly or twisted up into a “?gure 8”
`con?guration to hold strands of gathered hair, e.g., a
`ponytail.
`In US. Pat. No. 5,156,171 (Goodman) there is dis
`closed a ponytail holder which is formed of a relatively
`wide fabric ring having a tubular annulus around a
`central hole, and an elastic ring having a portion that is
`readily grasped, as by having a knob, such as a bead, for
`pulling a loop of the elastic ring outside of the fabric
`ring. The fabric ring with its contained portion of the
`elastic ring, can encircle a pony tail once and grip the
`pony tail and the loop of the elastic ring outside the
`fabric ring can encircle the pony tail separately.
`In US. Pat. No. 5,044,385 (Rhodes) there is disclosed
`a ponytail holder comprising an endless planar elastic
`band and at least one ?attened hollow tube of a ?exible
`material and having mutually interconnecting end
`edges. The ?attened tube is interconnected to the elastic
`band along the axial length of the tube and the band
`while the band is in an expanded or stretched condition.
`The hollow tube includes radially inwardly directed cut
`edges extending through less than the width of the tube
`to form two ply radially outwardly extending members
`which simulate petals of a ?ower.
`While the aforementioned patents appear. generally
`suitable for their intended purposes, e.g., to hold the
`strands of hair forming a pony tail, the never the less
`leave something to be desired from one or more of the
`following standpoints, aesthetic appeal, effectiveness,
`ruggedness or resistance to damage from repeated us
`age, ease of manufacture, cost.
`Hence, a need presently exists for a hair/head orna
`ment which address those de?ciencies of the prior art.
`
`40
`
`50
`
`OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
`Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to
`provide a hair/head ornament which overcomes the
`disadvantages of the prior art.
`It is a further object of this invention to provide a
`hair/head ornament which is aesthetically pleasing.
`It is still a further object of this invention to provide
`a hair/head ornament which is easy to make.
`It is still a further object of this invention to provide
`a hair/head ornament which can be manufactured at a
`relatively low cost.
`It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a
`hair/head ornament which is of rugged construction to
`be resistant to damage from repeated usage.
`
`65
`
`Tristar Ex. 1009, pg. 5
`
`

`
`3
`DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`Other objects and many attendant features of this
`invention will become readily appreciated as the same
`becomes better understood by reference to the follow
`ing detailed description when considered in connection
`with the accompanying drawings wherein:
`FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a person wearing a
`ponytail holder embodiment of an ornament con
`structed in accordance with this invention;
`FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a person wearing a
`head band embodiment of an ornament constructed in
`accordance with this invention;
`FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric view of the embodi
`ment of the ornament shown in FIG. 2;
`FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded isometric view show
`ing a portion of the procedure entailed in the making of
`the ornaments of FIGS. 1 and 2;
`FIG. 5 is an enlarged isometric view showing another
`portion of the procedure for making the ornaments of
`20
`FIGS. 1 and 2;
`FIG. 6 is an enlarged isometric view of a portion of
`the ornaments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and
`FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of
`FIG. 1.
`25
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`15
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`10
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`5,426,788
`4
`A ?rst of the toroidal shaped loops 26 makes up the
`heretofore identi?ed connecting loop 24, while other
`toroidal shaped loops make up the looped links of the
`ornament. Thus, for the pony tail holder of FIG. 1 eight
`toroidal shaped loops are used to make up the looped
`links 22A-22H. It should be pointed out at this juncture
`that the ornament shown herein, with eight looped links
`22A-22H, and one connecting loop 24 (which is bent
`into a shaped simulating a looped link-as will be de
`scribed later) is only exemplary. Thus, the size and
`number of looped links which are used in an ornament
`20 of this invention is a function of the desired diameter
`of the ornament. When an ornament is formed using
`eight looped links 22A-22H, and one connecting loop,
`each formed of toroidal loops of the exemplary size set
`forth above, the resulting “nine loop ornament” has an
`unstretched inside diameter _of approximately 1.25
`inches (3.18 cm).
`Reference should now be made to FIGS. 4-7 to un
`derstand the manner in which the ornament is made.
`Thus, to make the ornament 20 the connecting loop 24
`is supported by hand (or by some mechanical means)
`and a second toroidal loop 26 is connected to it to form
`the first looped link 22A. In particular, the second toroi
`dal loop 26 is squeezed together to ?atten it somewhat.
`This ?attened loop is then passed through the central
`opening 28 of the looped connecting member 24. Then
`the ends of the ?attened second toroidal loop 26 are
`opened while its mid-portion is within the opening 28 of
`the looped connecting member 24 so that the second
`toroidal loop 26 is in a con?guration having a bridging
`midsection 30 and a pair of end openings 32, with the
`bridging midsection 30 extending through the opening
`28 in the looped connecting member 24 and the end '
`openings 32 being axially aligned with each other and
`located outside of the looped connecting member 24.
`As should be appreciated by those skilled in the art
`this action forms the second toroidal loop into the ?rst
`looped link 22A.
`After the ?rst looped link 22A is formed (and con
`nected to the connecting loop 24) a third toroidal loop
`26 is squeezed ?at and inserted through the axially
`aligned extending end openings 32 of the ?rst looped
`link 22A. The third toroidal shaped loop 26 is then
`opened so that it is in the same con?guration as the ?rst
`looped link 22A, to thereby form the third toroidal loop
`into the second looped link 22B. This procedure is then
`repeated to form and connect the remaining looped
`links 22C-22H of the ornament 20.
`Once the last looped link, e.g., 22H, has been formed
`the resulting construction will be in the form of an
`elongated chain-linked strip having a ?rst end de?ned
`by the connecting loop 24 and a second end de?ned by
`the last of the looped links, i.e., 22H, as shown in FIG.
`5.
`In order to complete the ornament the elongated strip
`is rolled into a ring, bringing its two ends in close prox
`imity to each other as shown in FIG. 5. Then the looped
`connecting member 24 is grasped, either by hand or by
`machine, to ?atten it so that it has a free end 34 disposed
`opposite to the end 36 to which the ?rst looped link 22A
`is secured. The ?attened free end portion 34 of the
`connecting member 24 is then extended through the
`axially aligned end openings 32 of the looped link 22H
`which forms the opposite end of the chain-linked strip.
`Then the flattened portion free end portion 34 of the
`looped connecting member 24 is bent back over itself in
`the direction of arrow 38 and into engagement with its
`
`60
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`Referring now to various ?gures of the drawing
`where like reference numerals refer to like parts there is
`shown at 20 in FIG. 1, a ring-like ornament for use on
`the head of a person constructed in accordance with the
`subject invention. Depending upon the size the orna
`ment 20 can be used as a hair, e.g., pony tail holder
`(FIG. 1), a head band (FIG. 2), a hat band (not shown),
`or any other decorative object worn on the head or on
`a hat.
`' The ornament 20 basically comprises a plurality of
`identical looped links 22 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and a connect
`ing loop 24 (FIGS. 1 and 7). In the pony tail holder 40
`embodiment of FIG. 1 the ornament comprises eight
`links 22A-22H and a connecting loop 24. The looped
`links 22A-22H are interconnected, as will be described
`later, to form a chain-linked strip, having a pair of ends
`which are connected together by the connecting loop 45
`24 to close the ring. In the head band or hat band em
`bodiment signi?cantly more looped links 22. Thus, as
`can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 the head band embodiment
`includes 17 looped links and one connecting loop (al
`though more or less looped links can be used, depending
`upon the size desired—as will be described later).
`Each of the looped links 22 and the connecting loop
`24 of each ornament is formed of a ?exible, somewhat
`stretchable material. Moreover, all of the looped links
`and the connecting loop may be formed of the same
`55
`material, having the same color and texture, or may be
`formed of different materials/colors/textures, depend
`ing upon the aesthetics desired. In some preferred em
`bodiments the looped links and connecting loop are
`formed of identically sized loops of a knitted fabric,
`which may be of the same color or different colors etc.
`The loops are preferably formed by taking an elongated
`tube of knitted material of a predetermined inside diam
`eter, e. g. 2 inches (5.08 cm), severing transverse sections
`of a predetermined width, e.g., 1 inch (2.54 cm), there
`from, and rolling each of the sections up to form plural
`toroidal shaped loops 26 (See FIG. 4) of approximately
`2 inch (5.08 inside diameter).
`
`65
`
`.
`
`Tristar Ex. 1009, pg. 6
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`end portion 36 and is secured thereto by any suitable
`thereby form a ring-like ornament, and with the looped
`means. In the embodiment shown herein the securement
`connecting member being shaped to simulate the shape
`is by one or more stitches 38 and/or an adhesive (not
`of the looped links.
`shown). As shown clearly in FIG. 7 this action forms
`2. The head ornament of claim 1 wherein said looped
`the connecting loop 24 into a con?guration which simu
`links and said looped connecting member are each
`lates the appearance of a looped link and closes ring,
`formed of an elastic fabric.
`thereby completing the ornament. The resulting ring
`3. The head ornament of claim 2 wherein said elastic
`like ornament will have the appearance of an unbroken
`fabric is knitted.
`chain-link since each of the members making it up will
`4. The head ornament of claim 1 wherein said secure
`exhibit the same general appearance.
`ment means comprises an adhesive.
`The ornament 20 can be used in any suitable manner.
`5. The head ornament of claim 1 wherein said secure
`For example, a “nine looped ornament” like the exem
`ment means comprises at least one stitch.
`plary one described above, can be doubled up, i.e., bent
`6. The head ornament of claim 1 wherein said looped
`into the shape of a “?gure 8” and ?attened so that it
`links are all of the same color.
`forms a double ring of smaller diameter. This arrange
`7. The head ornament of claim 1 wherein said looped
`ment is shown in FIG. 1 and is particularly suitable for
`links comprises plural colors.
`holding a small bunch of hair, e. g., a pony tail, together.
`8. The head ornament of claim 1 wherein said ring
`For larger bunches of hair, the ornament 20 can be used
`can be con?gured for holding strands of hair therein.
`directly without doubling it up. When the ornament is
`9. The method of claim 1 wherein said looped links
`to be used as a headband or hat band it is can be used
`are each formed of a loop of fabric and wherein said
`either singly, doubled, tripled, etc., depending upon the
`looped connecting member is formed of a loop of the
`number and size of the looped members making it up.
`same fabric.
`In the interests of aesthetic appeal the ornament may
`10. The method of claim 9 wherein said loop of fabric
`be provided with decorative ornamentation on compo
`is initially in the form of a tube which is severed to form
`plural loops of fabric.
`nent members. Such ornamentation can take various
`forms, e.g., beads, jewels, pins, etc.
`11. The method of claim 10 wherein each of said
`It should be pointed out at this juncture that other
`plural loops of fabric is rolled up to form an toroidal
`shaped member.
`material than the disclosed knitted fabrics can be used
`for forming the looped links and connecting loop. In
`12. The method of claim 9 wherein said fabric is
`fact, the material forming those members need not be a
`knitted.
`fabric at all, so long as it is somewhat elastic so that
`13. The method of claim 9 wherein said fabric is of
`when formed into a loop or band it is can be stretched
`the same color.
`and twisted or bent. Moreover, the members forming
`14. The method of claim 9 wherein said fabric is of
`the looped links and the connecting loop need not be
`different colors.
`toroidal, nor need they be fabricated as described
`15. A method of forming a ring-like ornament for
`wearing on a portion of a person comprising a plurality
`above.
`'
`It should also be pointed out the connector loop can
`of looped links and a looped connecting member shaped
`be secured to itself in various other manners than adhe
`like said looped links, said method comprising provid
`sives or stitching 38 so that it closes the ring-like orna
`ing a plurality of looped links formed of a ?exible,
`ment and simulates a looped link.
`'
`somewhat elastic material in the nominal shape of a
`Without further elaboration the foregoing will so
`loop, providing a looped connecting member having a
`fully illustrate my invention that others may, by apply
`central opening and being formed of the same material
`ing current or future knowledge, adapt the same for use
`as the looped links, interconnecting said looped links
`under various conditions of service.
`together by supporting said looped connecting member,
`squeezing a ?rst looped link together to ?atten it some
`_
`I claim:
`l. A ring-like ornament for wearing on a portion of a
`what and passing the ?attened ?rst looped link within
`person comprising a plurality of looped links and a
`the central opening of the looped connecting member,
`looped connecting member, said looped connecting
`opening the ?rst looped link within said looped con
`member comprising a loop of a somewhat elastic mate
`necting member in a manner so that the ?rst looped link
`rial and having a central opening therein, each of said
`includes a bridging midsection extending through the
`50
`looped links being formed of an ?exible, somewhat
`central opening in the looped connecting member and a
`elastic material in the nominal shape of a loop but bent
`pair of end openings extending outside of the looped
`into a shape having a bridging midsection and a pair of
`connecting member, squeezing a second looped link
`openings on each side of the bridging midsection, said
`together to ?atten it somewhat and passing the ?attened
`looped links being interconnected with one another so
`second looped link within the extending end openings
`that the bridging midsection of one looped link extends
`of the ?rst looped link, continuing said procedure until
`through the openings in the immediately adjacent
`a predetermined number of looped links are connected
`looped link to form an elongated chain-link strip having
`together to form a chain-link strip, said chain-linked
`a pair of ends, one of said ends of said chain-linked strip
`strip having a ?rst end de?ned by said looped connect
`comprising said looped connecting member, the other
`ing member and a second end de?ned by a looped link
`of said ends of said strip comprising a pair of openings
`having a bridging midsection and a pair of end open
`of the looped link forming that other end, said looped
`ings, grasping said looped connecting member to ?atten
`connecting member being bent into a shape having a
`a portion of it and extending said ?attened portion of
`free end which is extended through the openings of the
`the looped connecting member through the end open
`looped link forming the other of the ends of the chain
`ings of the looped link forming the second end of the
`linked strip and is bent over itself and secured by secure
`chain-linked strip, and then bending said ?attened por
`ment means to another portion of the looped connecting
`tion of the looped connecting member over itself and
`member to connect the ends of the chain-link strip and
`securing said ?attened portion of the looped connecting
`
`60
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`65
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`Tristar Ex. 1009, pg. 7
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`

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`5,426,788
`7
`8
`member to the portion thereof which is extending
`the portions of the looped connecting member together
`through the end opening of the ?rst looped link to
`is effected by use of an adhesive.
`‘thereby interconnect the linked loops and form a closed
`17. The method of claim 15 wherein the securing of
`ring and cause the looped connecting member to simu
`the portions of the looped connecting member together
`late the appearance of the looped links of the ring.
`is effected by use of at least one stitch.
`16. The method of claim 15 wherein the securing of
`* * * * *
`
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`50
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`65
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`Tristar Ex. 1009, pg. 8