Hair braider

A hair braider configured to perform a three-bundle plait or braid comprising:

• a body having a handle and a head portion at one end of the handle;
• a selectively actuatable drive source disposed within the body;
• first and second rotatable rotors that are disposed within the head portion and are accessible through openings formed in the head portion, the first and second rotatable rotors being operatively coupled to the drive source through a plurality of gears such that the first and second rotors rotate in opposite directions when the drive source is actuated, wherein the first and second rotatable rotors are at least partially overlapped and rotate simultaneously;
• a plurality of hair retaining members that are received within openings formed in the first and second rotors and act to carry one bundle of hair, the first and second rotors at least partially overlap such that in a transfer location, one opening of one rotor overlaps one opening in the other rotor,
• a mechanism for automatically continuously transferring one hair retaining members from one rotor to the other rotor whenever the one hair retaining member is disposed in the transfer location as the rotors rotate simultaneously;
• and
• wherein a first bundle of hair is disposed in a hair retaining member and through one opening in the first rotor;
• a second bundle of hair is disposed in another hair retaining member and through another opening in the first rotor and a third bundle of hair is disposed in another hair retaining member and through one opening in the second rotor such that in a left-to-right order of the hair bundles there is a left hair bundle, a central hair bundle and a right hair bundle, wherein in the initial position, the first hair bundle is the left hair bundle, the second hair bundle is the central hair bundle and the third hair bundle is the right hair bundle, wherein the central hair bundle is always disposed in the transfer location;
• and simultaneous rotation of the first and second rotors in opposite directions causes the three hair bundles to be carried in respective circular orbits and results in a number of successive hair bundle swaps being preformed as a result of the rotation of the rotors and action of the mechanism with the swaps being defined by successive swaps of the central hair bundle and one of the left and right hair bundles and then the central hair bundle with the other of the left and right hair bundles, thereby resulting in a three-bundle braid being formed.

A method of braiding hair in a three-bundle plait or braid comprising the steps of:

• providing a hair braider that includes:
• first and second rotors that simultaneously rotate in opposite directions under the action of a drive mechanism and which are at least partially overlapped;
• a plurality of hair retaining members that are received within openings formed in the first and second rotors and act to carry one bundle of hair, the first and second rotors at least partially overlap such that in a transfer location, one opening of one rotor overlaps one opening in the other rotor, and
• a mechanism for automatically and continuously transferring one hair retaining members from one rotor to the other rotor whenever the one hair retaining member is disposed in the transfer location,
• disposing a first bundle of hair in a hair retaining member and through one opening in the first rotor;
• a second bundle of hair in another hair retaining member and through another opening in the first rotor and a third bundle of hair in another hair retaining member and through one opening in the second rotor such that in a left-to-right order of the hair bundles there is a left hair bundle, a central hair bundle and a right hair bundle, wherein in the initial position, the first hair bundle is the left hair bundle, the second hair bundle is the central hair bundle and the third hair bundle is the right hair bundle, wherein the central hair bundle is always disposed in the transfer location;
• and
• simultaneously rotating the first and second rotors in opposite directions with the three hair bundles being carried in respective circular orbits such that a number of successive hair bundle swaps are preformed as a result of the rotation of the rotors and action of the mechanism with the swaps being defined by successive swaps of the central hair bundle and one of the left and right hair bundles and then the central hair bundle with the other of the left and right hair bundles, thereby resulting in a three-bundle braid being formed.