CA2068595C - Device to remove entangled hair from hairbrushes and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

A simple and widely applicable device for aiding quick removal of matted or entangled hair, string, or other longitudinally extensive material from brushes used to stroke or collect such material. For flat brushes the device consists either of a pivoting wire lifter which lifts material away from the brush, or a sliding member which will move accumulated hair to one end of the brush, for round brushes a cutter that runs in a groove in the brush, or a combination of the cutter and the lifter or sliding member. The device is useful for many types of brushes including all manner of hairbrushes for people or animals, and for vacuum-cleaner power-head rotary brushes and manual sweeper rotary brushes.

Description

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 2~~~~9 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 _ 2~fi85~

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 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;

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 2Q6~~~

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;

20~~~9 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 . , 2Q6~5~~
_7_ 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 2~~~59 ---, ~ , 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 ~o~a~~~
-g_ 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.

2~~a~~~
-lo-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 2066~~~

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 2~6~~~

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.

Claims (10)

1. A device for the removal of hair and other material collected on a body and bristles of a hairbrush, said hairbrush having a handle located at one end of said body and a second, end of said body located opposite to said handle, said device comprising a rigid linear member arranged respectfully between a central pair of said bristles, said member received contiguous with a top surface of said body during storage of said member, during regular use of said brush, means located at said second end for pivotally fastening said member to said body, wherein said member pivots upwardly about said second end and away from said handle, thereby engaging some or all of material collected on said body and within said bristles so as to lift said material from said brush.

2. The device of Claim 1 wherein said member comprises a pair of rigid, laterally spaced linear lever arms positioned about a central row of bristles.

3. The device of Claim 1 further comprising grip means on said member to facilitate manipulation of said member.

4. The device of Claim 3 wherein said grip means is constructed so that said member may be releasably affixed to said body.

5. The device of Claim 1 further comprising means for removalably fastening said member at said second end of said body.

6. The device of Claim 5 wherein said means comprises an arm extending perpendicularly from said lever arm and affixing to said top surface of said body.

7. The device of Claim 1 wherein said brush is constructed with a recess adapted to receive said member in said storage position.

8. The device of Claim 1 further comprising means for cutting said material prior to removal of said material from said brush.

9. The device of Claim 8 wherein said means for cutting comprises a device having a handle at one end and a blade at an end opposite to said handle end.

10. The device of Claim 1 further comprising a means to selectively push said material in the direction of said handle or said second end, before lifting said material from said body.