Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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INTRODUCTORY DESCRIPTION OF THE TNVENTION AND PRIOR ART
Virtually everyone has had the experience of
discovering that the rotating brush on their carpet-beating
vacuum cleaner has become hopelessly entwined with long strands
of hair (or even string). Removal requires a laborious and
intricate cutting job, and in particularly frustrating cases even
disassembly of the vacuum cleaner head. In another parallel
scene, people with long hair or people who groom long-haired
animals will know that a continuing part of the job of hair-
brushing involves picking, pulling, combing, or unwinding the
hair from the brush at frequent intervals.
The present invention addresses these problems with a
simple and economical device to lift, cut or push the matted hair
(or a combination when necessary) that in no way interferes with
the job of brushing or vacuuming. Previous attempts to solve the
problem, entering the patent literature several decades ago and
being more complex than the present solution, have on a priori
evidence failed, since none of them are available in the
marketplace. Specifically, United States patent No. 2,529,927,
Fisk, 1950, requires not only a complex locking system with holes
and members right through the hair-brush head, but a plate the
size of the brushing area that has a hole machined in it for each
bristle to slide through. One can fairly assume that such a
system will cost considerably more than the original brush.
United States patent No. 2,781,739, Dick et al, 1953, "Animal
Hair Groomer", has a lifting apparatus in some way similar to the
present invention, but requiring many more comb elements than the
present invention, which in addition has recourse to a cutter
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when the density of hair encountered or configuration of the
brush makes this necessary. And finally again United States
patent No. 3,172,139, Wire, 1963, uses a lever device that has
more combs and also uses a complex hinge apparatus that must
pivot within the comb handle; again careful design and machining
and added parts will make the cost prohibitive, and the lack of a
cutter will in some situations make even the existing lifter
ineffective.
An object of the present invention is to provide a
device to aid removal of hair, string, or other longitudinally
extensive matter prone to entanglement when brushed, from a brush
used to stroke or collect such material, consisting of a pivoting
means on the brush; a fastening means on the brush; and a lifter.
The lifter is fashioned such that it is permanently pivotabl.e by
the pivoting means and selectively fastened by the fastener; and
when unfastened the lifter can be pivoted away from the brush;
the lifter will then engage some or all of material collected on
the brush and lift it from the brush.
A further object of the invention is to provide a
recess to contain the lifter, so that said lifter will not, when
in the fastened position, be interfering with the brushing
motion.
A Further object of the invention is to provide for a
lifter with several arms, or members, so as to better lift large
amounts of unusually recalcitrant materials; one or more of these
members will be perpendicular to the axis of the pivoting means
and one or more parallel to that axis.
A further object of the invention is to provide for a
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brush with a gap sufficient to allow the lifter to pivot 90
degrees and in either direction.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a
device to aid removal material from a tube-headed brush with a
plurality of bristles extending radially therefrom consisting of:
a blade, capable of cutting the material collected on the brush;
a handle, affixed to the blade; a groove fashioned longitudinally
on the brush head as a track for the blade, and positioned such
that a person grasping the handle and running the blade along the
groove will encounter and cut a significant portion of the
material collected on the brush; and a lifter for lifting cut
material, having one arm or two parallel arms of wire or
similarly shaped material.
A further object of the present invention is to provide
a similar device, but in which the blade-handle extends along the
handle of the brush, such that the action of pushing the
blade-handle and thereby pushing the blade along the groove does
not require the person grasping the handle to push their grasping
fingers into the area of the brush where material is collected.
In this version the blade handle, if desired, may be fashioned to
act also as the lifter, and be pivoted at the point of connection
between the handle and the blade.
A further object of the present invention is to provide
a device in which the blade and its affixed handle are a known
manufactured item called a stitch-ripper, which is stored by
being fastened in a cavity fashioned in the handle of the brush
when not in use.
A further object of the invention is to provide for an
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embodiment of the device consisting of a sliding guide means and a pusher
adapted to be slid
in, or by, the sliding means to engage material on the brush; and for cases
where there is also
a cutter on the brush, and a pushing device consisting of a guide track
fashioned in the brush
head, and a pusher to slide in the track fashioned of one arm extending
parallel to the brush
bristles, or two parallel arms with a joining cross-bar.
A final object is to provide for such cases when the handle of the cutter
functions as the
pushing device, the handle being attached to the blade through a hole in the
brush head, such
that a person grasping the handle and pushing it will simultaneously cut hair
or other matter
on one side of the brush and push it together on the opposite side.
In one aspect of the invention, there is thus provided a device for the
removal of hair
and other material collected on a body and bristles of a hairbrush. The
hairbrush has a handle
located at one end of the body and a second end of said body located opposite
to the handle.
The device comprises a rigid linear member arranged respectfully between a
central pair of the
bristles, the member received contiguous with a top surface of the body during
storage of the
member, during regular use of the brush. There is provided means located at
the second end
for pivotally fastening the member to the body such that the member pivots
upwardly about the
second end and away from the handle, thereby engaging some or all of material
collected on
the body and within the bristles so as to lift the material from the brush.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
For this description of two main embodiments of the present invention,
including
certain possible alternative forms, refer to the following drawings, wherein
like reference
numerals will refer to like parts:
Figure 1, first embodiment of the present invention, flat brush, plan view;
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Figure lA, alternative first embodiment, side elevation;
Figure 2, alternative first embodiment, animal brush, plan view;
Figure 2A, alternative first embodiment, animal brush, side elevation;
Figure 3, alternative first embodiment, recessed
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lifter, perspective view;
Figure 4, alternative first embodiment, human brush
with hole through, plan view;
Figure 4A, alternative first embodiment, human brush
with hole through, side elevation;
Figure 5, alternative first embodiment, lifter with
additional transverse tines, plan view; .
Figure 5A, alternative first embodiment, lifter
following outside contours of brush, plan view;
Figure 6, second embodiment, round hair-brush with
cutter and lifter, plan view;
Figure 6A, second embodiment, cross-section;
Figure '7, alternative second embodiment, with
long-handled cutter, plan view;
Figure 7A, alternative second embodiment, cross-section
view;
Figure 8, alternative second embodiment with cutter in
handle; plan view;
Figure 8A, alternative second embodiment with cutter in
handle, cross-section of usage situation;
Figure 9, alternative second embodiment, mechanically
rotating brush, plan view;
Figure 9A, alternative second embodiment, mechanically
rotating brush, side elevation detail;
Figure 9B, alternative second embodiment, rotating
brush, cutter in storage position, detail, perspective view;
Figure 10, alternative second embodiment, brush with
combined cutter and lifter, side view;
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Figure 10A, alternative second embodiment, brush with
combined cutter and lifter; top view;
Figure 11, alternative second embodiment, detail of
combined cutter arid lifter, elevation view;
Figure 11A, alternative second embodiment, detail of
combined cutter and lifter, with alternative blade, elevation
view;
Figure 12, alternative first embodiment, clip-on
two-arm lifter, perspective view;
Figure 12A, alternative first embodiment, clip-on
one-arm lifter, perspective view;
Figure 12B, alternative first embodiment, clip-on
one-arm lifter with transverse arms, perspective view;
Figure 13, third embodiment, pusher in storage
position, side elevation view;
Figure 13A, third embodiment, two-arm pusher in usage
position, front elevation view; and
Figure 13B, third embodiment, one-arm pusher in usage
position, front elevation view.
The first embodiment of this device can be easily
understood with reference to Figure 1, where the body of a common
hair brush 10 supports a plurality of bristles on one side of its
head 14. The inventive device here consists of a single piece of
wire indicated generally at 16, fashioned so as to have two
parallel arms 20 and 22 extending along either side of the center
row, indicated generally as 24, of bristles 12. When the brush
is in use and the device is in storage mode, it is snapped onto
fastener 26, situated between head 14 and handle 28.
Alternatively, wire 16 may have only one arm (not shown), and
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this may suffice in certain brushing situations where light or
less dense hair is to be routinely encountered.
The ends of wire arms 20 and 22 are fastened towards
the top of brush head 14 in such a manner as to permit rotation
of wire 16 away from face 30 of brush head 14, as can be seen
most easily on Figure 1B. Wire 16 is shown in partially-raised
position, and, with the dotted Lines, in fully raised position.
By this motion any matted hair (not shown) is pulled up away from
brush bristles 12 and is easily pulled off by hand. Wire 16 is
then pushed down flush with brush-head face 30 and snapped onto
fastener 26.
The only difference between Figures 1 and lA is that
the grooves 21 and 23 which are shown on Figure 1 to contain the
pivoting sections of wire 16 are not available in brush
configuration shown in Figure lA, because the brush head 14 is of
the new "designer" type with air-blow-through gaps 15; thus, the
ends of wire arms 20 and 22 are turned inwards rather than
outwards.
It will be appreciated that this principle of a simple
one wire or two-parallel-wire lifter can be applied in other
types of brushes; Figure 2A shows animal brush 10 similarly
having bristles 12 on front face 30, but also with different
bristles 13 on back face 31 and brush head 14 perpendicular to
axis 27 of handle 28. Central hole 40 is fashioned large enough
to contain lifter 16, which can be seen in Figure 2A to be
situated when not in use in the center of brush head 14, fastened
by fastener 26. To use, lifter 16 is pushed or pulled through in
either direction, pivoting on pivot point 17, and then lifted
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away from brush head 14 to either position shown by dotted lines,
thus lifting hair up and away from brush face 30 or 31.
Tn the case of very short or easily bendable bristles,
which can be taken to be represented by handleless brush 10 in
Figure 3, a recess generally indicated as 34 has been cut or
fashioned in face 30 of brush 10; the invented device 16 sits in
the recess 34, and so is no higher than face 30 of brush 10 and
does not interfere with the brushing action. In the two-side
brush 14 shown in Figures 2 and 2A, of course, lifter 16 will be
in space 40 when not in use and so out of the way. A brush with
bristles on only one face could of course equally well utilize
having a hole through the brush head to hide the lifter, and in
Figure 4 such a human-hair brush 14 is shown, with rotator 42
seen in Figure 4A to be recessed below brush-face 30, and capable
of rotating up 90 degrees to lift hair. An advantage of this
variation is that lifter 16 can be pushed from the laottom through
hole 40, so that the user does not have to reach through matted
hair (not shown) to get at lifter 16.
For some single-sided brushes it may occasionally be
necessary to have a larger area lifter, depending on type and
length of hair or other material being brushed in; in Figure 5
this is shown by the addition of several transverse arms
50 attached to and crossing lifter arms 20 and 22. Figure 5A is
a variation, similar to Figure lA, where brush 10 has
indentations 15 in brush head 14. Lifter 16 and transverse arms
50 pivot on rotator 42 at top of head 14, and fasten at base of
head on fasteners 26. Note that arms 50 are conveniently out of
the way of the brushing activity when not in use, since they are
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fashioned to extend into indentations 15.
Finally, it will be appreciated that a clip-on version
of the lifters described will be useful to up-date existing
brushes. Figure 12 shows a clip 70, fashioned of some springy
metal or other expandable substance, attached to two-parallel-arm
lifter 16 at pivot point 17. Clip 70 can be placed directly onto
end of any of the flat brushes in Figures 1 through 5, although
in the case of brushes such as Figures 1 and lA where bristles 12
extend up very close to the top of brush head 14, it might be
necessary to cut away several bristles; this would not be a major
impediment in most cases (cut-away not shown>. Figures 12A and
12B show clip 70 with single-wire lifter 16 and single-wire with
transverse tines 50, respectively.
Now, a second embodiment of the invention is suggested
by the problem exemplified by a round-head brush, which may have
long hair entangled and matted around its circumference, such
that a simple pivoting or rotating lifter is inadequate. This
second embodiment, referring to Figure 6A, has a T-shaped groove
64 cut longitudinally in head 14 of brush 10, this groove being
diametrically opposite lifter 16. In the groove 64 runs cutter
blade 60, with attached cutter handle 62 outside groove 64 and
attached retainer 61 running inside the T-shaped groove 64 in the
crossing of the "T". It can be seen in Figure 6 that when not in
use, the cutter 60 and cutter handle 62 will sit between brush
head 14 and brush handle 28, so as not to interfere with brushing
action. When hair is matted (not shown), user merely grasps
handle 62 and runs blade 60 along groove 64 to quickly cut hair;
then lifts lifter 16 and grasps and removes hair by hand.
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Variations are shown in Figures 7 and 8. As seen in Figures 7
and 7A, cutter blade handle 62 runs the entire length of brush
handle 28, and thus user can grasp end 63 of cutter and perform
cutting motion without pushing their hand into the matted hair
(not shown) in the head 14 of the brush 10. In Figures 8 and 8A,
a different form of cutting tool, generally indicated by numeral
80 is illustrated. In this example what is commonly known as a
stitch-ripper has handle 84 and blade 82. A hole, not shown, is
fashioned in the end of brush handle 28 to store cutter 80;
dotted outline of cutter handle 84 is shown in stored position.
To use, tool 80 is run along groove 64 similar to the previous
example. Lifter 16 is not shown. Note lugs 81 and 83 on stitch
ripper 80; when stitch ripper 80 is inserted into end of brush
handle 10, rotating stitch ripper 80 will twist lugs 81 and 83 to
friction or spring fit into lug-holes 85 and 87, thus securing
stitch ripper 80. Note also safety cap 89 on stitch ripper 80.
Another example is on a rotating head brush commonly
used in power-head vacuum cleaners, as in Figures 9 and
9A, where groove 64 has been cut into brush body 10, and cutter
handle 62 is used to push blade 60 to cut matted hair, string,
etc. (not shown). If desired, in order to avoid interference
with the brushing action, groove 64 can be sloped deeper into
body of brush 10 at storage position, generally indicated by
numeral 100. In this position, referring now to Figure 9B, only
handle 62 appears above brush face 66. Blade 60 is out of harm's
way. Groove 64 will be narrower (not shown) at storage position
100, so that blade 60 will be held there by friction until handle
62 is firmly pushed. It will be appreciated that all rotating
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head cleaning brushes-whether hand or electrically driven-can
benefit from this invention.
Another variation of the second embodiment of the
invention is illustrated in Figures 10, 10A, 11 and 11A, where
cutter blade 60 is attached to lifter 16 at pivot point 101.
Lifter 16 functions as a handle to push the blade 60. Cutter
blade 60 is pushed along T-shaped track 64 on Figure 10 to cut
matted hair (not shown), and thereafter the lifter 16 is lifted
by handle 63 through longitudinal hole 40 through brush 10, seen
in top view on Figure 10A. Lifter 16 is lifted away by hand from
the front of the brush to dislodge matted hair (not shown).
Lifter 16 pivots at pivot point 101, seen best in Figures 10 and
11, while blade 60 remains in track 64; T-shaped retainer 61
holds blade 60 in place.
Other minor variations possible include different
shapes of blades, or replaceable blades. For instance the blade
may be U-shaped as shown in Figure 11A, where such a blade 69 is
attached to lifter 16. This blade 69 may be replaceable,
attached to retainer 61 by a set screw (not shown) or friction
fit into a slot (not shown). This is also possible with the
previously described versions of blade 60 and handle 62, or the
blade 60 attached to lifter 16 in Figure 11.
A third embodiment of the invention, useful in either
the flat brush cases of Figures 1 through 5, or the round-headed
brush with cutter of Figures 6 through 8 and Figures 10 and 10A,
is found in the use of a pusher rather than a lifter. In Figure
13, pusher 80 sits at ready position; note L-shaped tracks 82 and
84 on FIgure 13A if it is a two-parallel-wire version as
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shown, and T-shaped track shown in Figure 13B it is a single-bar
version. Note on Figure 13 how track 64, or tracks 82 and 84,
dip down at end near handle 28 so that top of pusher 80 is below
bristle level when not in use.
Usage is simply as follows: from the position in
FIgure 13 user will merely grasp pusher 80 and run it along track
64, or 82 and 84, towards head 14 of brush 10, dislodging hair
(not shown) and grouping it at top end of head 14. Then it can
be manually removed in a single motion. Figures 13A and 13B show
pushers 80 in usage position after they have been moved part way
into track 64, or tracks 82 and 84. Pusher 80 can be used in any
of the places where lifter has been described, including the
alternative second embodiment shown on FIgures 10 and 10A; in
this case the pusher (not shown) would connect through hole 40 in
brush head 14 at a rigid join (not shown) instead of a pivot
point 101.
The materials used to fashion the parts of the device
should be of plastic or of coated metal, specially formulated to
resist the corrosive chemicals commonly associated with hair
grooming.
The foregoing is by way of example only, and the scope
of the invention should be limited only by the appended claims.
