Motorized handheld braiding assembly and method of use

A motorized handheld braiding assembly comprising:

• a handheld body having a lower end, an upper end opposing the lower end of the handheld body, and an electrical motor electrically couplable to a power source through a switch having a switch cover, the electrical motor further being operably coupled to a printed circuit board, the electrical motor further being operably coupled to a plurality of discs each operably configured to rotate 360° on a disc axis and each having three equally spaced slots radially disposed on an outer perimeter surface thereon, the discs being rotatable in opposite directions,
• the handheld body further comprising at least two shell members coupled together about side edges respectively disposed thereon and having upper edges respectively disposed thereon that define an upper perimeter edge, at least one of the two shell members is defined by a flat surface region, the shell members having a grip panel,
• the handheld body further comprising a body shell cover coupled to the upper perimeter edge, disposed at and defining the upper end of the handheld body, and defining two enclosed and partially connected disc apertures with the plurality discs disposed therein;
• and
• multiple hair retention heads each:
• disposed at the upper end of the handheld body;
• having a head shaft disposed within one of the three equally spaced slots defined by the plurality discs;
• having a head body coupled to the head shaft and having a head upper surface,
• the head body further having a lower wall opposing the upper surface of the head body and defining a lower wall aperture with the head shaft disposed therein,
• the head body further having an internal head platform translatably disposed within the head body and with the two respective opposing free ends directly coupled thereto,
• the head body further having a spring interposed between the lower wall of the head body and the internal head platform and biasing the internal head platform toward the upper surface;
• and
• a hair retaining clip with two opposing arms defining, with the head upper surface, a hair receiving aperture and operably configured to selectively and longitudinally translate to modulate a diameter of the hair receiving aperture and positionally lock with respect to the head body, the two opposing arms of the hair retaining clip further comprising two respective opposing free ends selectively removably coupled from the head body and at least partially disposed in two clip apertures defined by the upper surface of the head body,
• the electrical motor operably configured to cause rotation of the plurality discs, and the three hair retention heads to revolve in a sequential figure-8 braiding pattern, thereby braiding a user's hair.

A method of braiding hair with a motorized handheld braiding assembly comprising:

• providing a handheld braiding assembly comprising a handheld body, two discs electrically powered to rotate in opposite directions about the upper end of the handheld body, and three hair retention heads fitted into slots that form in the discs and each defining two clip apertures;
• raising the height of a hair retaining clip in the hair retention heads, the hair retaining clip defined by a U-shape and a pair of free ends that axially engage the upper end of the handheld body and at least partially disposed in the two slip apertures;
• inserting a lock of hair into at least one of the hair retaining clips;
• lowering the height of the hair retaining clip, so as to clamp down on the lock of hair;
• fastening, with a compressed fastener or a latch, the hair retaining clip to the upper end of the handheld body;
• actuating a power switch on the handheld body, the power switch being operatively connected to an electric motor;
• rotating the discs in opposite direction, such that the slots in the disc periodically align during 360-degree rotation of the discs;
• carrying the hair retention heads along the rotatable path on one of the discs;
• passing the hair retention heads between discs when the slots in the disc align during rotation;
• rotating the hair retention heads about the first disc, and then sliding the hair retention heads to the second disc, whereby the hair retention heads follow a figure-8 braiding pattern;
• braiding the hair in accordance to the figure-8 translation by the hair retention heads;
• and
• raising the height of the hair retaining clip to remove the braided hair.