GB2191392A

GB2191392A - Brush for removing hairs from clothes, furnishings and the like

Info

Publication number: GB2191392A
Application number: GB08712390A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ernest Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-06-10
Filing date: 1987-05-27
Publication date: 1987-12-16
Also published as: GB2191392B; GB8712390D0

Abstract

A brush (10) for removing pet or other hairs from clothes, soft furnishings, carpets, curtains or other fabric or like materials, has an operative surface (14) preferably mounted as a sleeve on a tubular frame (12). The surface (14) is constructed from elastomeric or resilient material such as natural and/or synthetic rubber and has numerous bristles (16) which grip hairs clinging to the clothes, furnishings etc. The bristles are integrally formed from the operative surface, each being 1 to 5 mm high, 1 to 5 mm in diameter and being substantially evenly distributed over the operative surface in a density of from 1 to 8 bristles per sq. cm. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Brush This invention relates to brushes and particularly brushes useful in removing pet or other hairs from clothes, soft furnishings, carpets, curtains or other fabric or like materials.

Pet hairs like those of dogs and cats and horses stick tenaciously to fabrics and are notoriously difficult to remove without painstakingly picking at individual hairs. Known brushes with conventional bristles are almost totally ineffective unless the bristles are very stiff and the brush is used with a very firm hand. Vacuum cleaners are also largely ineffective and leave pet hairs clinging to clothes and soft furnishings.

Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide a brush for removing pet hairs which does not suffer these disadvantages but which is nevertheless simple to use and inexpensive to make.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a brush for removing hairs from clothes and soft furnishings, which brush has an operative surface constructed from natural or synthetic rubber or other elastomeric or like resilient material and has spaced bristles integrally formed from said surface, each bristle being from 1 to 5 millimetres high, 1 to 5 millimetres diameter and being substantially evenly distributed over said surface in a density of from 1 to 8 bristles per square centimetre.

Preferably each bristle is a truncated cone of base diameter between 1.75 and 2.25 millimetres (preferably 2.0 millimetres) and peak diameter of from 1.25 to 1.75 millimetres (preferably 1.5 millimetres). Each bristle may be of height between 1.5 and 2.5 millimetres (preferably 2 millimetres). The bristles are preferably spaced evenly over said surface in a density of between 3 and 4 per square centimetre.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a brush for removing hairs from clothes and soft furnishings, which brush comprises a frame mounting a sleeve of said material whose bristles are arranged projecting outwardly from said frame.

Preferably said frame is a length of substantially square section tube of PVC or like plastics material. In this case the tube may have smoothly chamfered edges; so it is preferred that bristles adjacent each edge of the sleeve have a wedge shaped extension between said surface and their base so as to retain their perpendicularity with respect to the side of the tube as said surface extends around the chamfered edges of the tube.

The material of the sleeve is preferably a blend of natural and synthetic rubber, formulated to provide a high abrasion resistant, non marking material with a low compression set.

The vulcanisation system employed preferably has a low sulphur content being one of applied pressure and heat in a conventional injection mould.

A brush according to the invention is useful in removing pet hairs from clothes and soft furnishings because the bristles are short and spaced apart from one another and are formed from an easily deformable, eiastic material which might conveniently be described as "grippy". Thus when drawn across a fabric surface which has hairs clinging to it, the bristles grip both the fabric and the individual hairs and progressively flick the hairs across the fabric surface as each bristle is released from the fabric after it has been stretched beyond the point where the fabric can continue to hold.

The invention is further described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cutaway perspective drawing of a brush according to the present invention: Figure 2 is a section through the brush of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a part plan view of the brush of Fig. 1; and, Figure 4 is an enlargement of the part IV indicated in Fig. 2.

In the drawings a brush 10, for removing pet or other hairs from clothes, soft furnishings, carpets, curtains or other fabric or like materials, comprises a frame 12 in the form of a length of square section PVC tube and over which is stretched a similarly dimensioned sleeve 14 of synthetic rubber material.

That material is a blend of natural and synthetic rubber, formulated to provide a high abrasion-resistant, non-marking elastomer having a low compression set. The vulcanisation system employed in making the sleeve 14 is non-conventional only in that it has a low sulphur content and is one of applied pressure and heat in a conventional injection mould.

The sleeve 14 is formed with a plurality of bristles 16 integrally formed from the material of the sleeve. The bristles 16 are evenly spaced from one another in a density of about 3.5 per square centimetre, and each is frustoconical with a base diameter of about 2 millimetres, peak diameter of about 1.5 millimetres and height of about 2 millimetres.

Each edge 18 of the tube 12 is smoothly chamfered. In order to maintain the perpendicularity of the bristles 16 adjacent the edges 18, those bristles (for example bristles 20 in the drawings) have a wedge shaped extension 22 between the surface of the sleeve 14 and the base of each bristle.

As mentioned above the sleeve 14 and the frame 12 are similarly dimensioned so that the sleeve is a close fit on the frame. However to ensure that the sleeve 14 does not creep off the frame 12 when the brush is in use (or at least to reduce any tendancy in that respect) the sleeve 14 has an internal lip 24 adjacent each end thereof which together are adapted to engage the end of the frame 12 and inhibit relative movement between the sleeve and frame.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific elements and combinations of elements, it is envisaged that each element may be combined with any other or any combination of other elements. It is not intended to limit the invention to the particular combinations of elements suggested. Furthermore, the foregoing description is not intended to suggest that any element mentioned is indispensable to the invention, or that alternatives may not be employed. What is defined as the invention should not be construed as limiting the extent of the disclosure of this specification.

Claims

1. A brush for removing hairs from clothes and soft furnishings, which brush has an operative surface constructed from natural or synthetic rubber or other elastomeric or like resilient material and has spaced bristles integrally formed from said surface, each bristle being from 1 to 5 millimetres high, 1 to 5 miilimetres diameter and being substantially evenly distributed over said surface in a density of from 1 to 8 bristles per square centimetre.

2. A brush as claimed in claim 1 in which each bristle is a truncated cone of base diameter between 1.75 and 2.25 millimetres and peak diameter of from 1.25 to 1.75 millimetres and of height between 1.5 and 2.5 millimetres.

3. A brush as claimed in claim 2 in which each bristle is a truncated cone of base diameter of about 2.0 millimetres and peak diameter of about 1.5 millimetres and of height of about 2 millimetres.

4. A brush as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the bristles are spaced evenly over said surface in a density of between 3 and 4 per square centimetre.

5. A brush for removing hairs from clothes and soft furnishings, which brush comprises a frame mounting a sleeve of material which has an operative surface constructed from natural or synthetic rubber or other elastomeric or like resilient material and has spaced bristles integrally formed from said surface, each bristle being from 1 to 5 millimetres high, 1 to 5 millimetres diameter and being substantially evenly distributed over said surface in a density of from 1 to 8 bristles per square centimetre, said bristles projecting outwardly from said frame.

6. A brush as claimed in claim 5 in which said frame is a length of substantially square section tube of PVC or like plastics material.

7. A brush as claimed in claim 6 in which the tube has smoothly chamfered edges and the bristles adjacent each edge of the sleeve have a wedge shaped extension between said surface and their base so as to retain their perpendicularity with respect to the side of the tube as said surface extends around the chamfered edges of the tube.

8. A brush as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7 in which the sleeve has an internal lip adjacent each end adapted to overlap and engage each end of the frame.

9. A brush as claimed in any preceding claim in which the material of the surface is a blend of natural and synthetic rubber, formulated to provide a high abrasion resistant, non marking material with a low compression set.

10. A brush as claimed in claim 9 in which the vulcanisation system employed has a low sulphur content being one of applied pressure and heat in an injection mould.

11. A brush for removing pet or other hairs from clothes, soft furnishings, carpets, curtains or other fabric or like materials, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.