GB2217642A

GB2217642A - Animal grooming brush

Info

Publication number: GB2217642A
Application number: GB8901572A
Authority: GB
Inventors: L A Tomkins
Original assignee: VALE BROTHERS Ltd
Current assignee: VALE BROTHERS Ltd
Priority date: 1988-04-29
Filing date: 1989-01-25
Publication date: 1989-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 2009-01-25
Also published as: GB8810264D0; GB2217642B; GB8901572D0

Abstract

An animal grooming brush 10 comprising a backing plate 12, bristles 14 and a strap 16 has a passage 18 at the edge of the backing plate 12. The passage narrows away from one mouth 20. The strap extends into the passage 18 through the other mouth 22 and is free to withdraw until an increased thickness portion 24 engages the passage walls to jam the strap. The end of the strap 16 may be rolled to further increase the thickness of the portion 24, thereby jamming the strap at a different position and changing the effective length of the strap 16 to enable the brush to be used with hands of different sizes. <IMAGE>

Description

Animal Grooming Brushes The present invention relates to animal grooming brushes.

A known style of animal grooming brush comprises a backing plate of wood or a plastics material, about the same size as a human hand. One face of the backing plate carries the bristles of the brush. In use, the palm of the hand is placed on the other face of the backing brush and a stroking action is used to groom the animal. A strap is often fixed by nails, pins or staples to the backing plate. The strap extends over the back of the hand, in use, to hold the brush in the palm of the hand.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved brush of this type.

According to the invention, there is provided an animal grooming brush, comprising a backing plate, bristles mounted on the backing plate, and a strap, the backing plate defining an open-mouthed passage which narrows away from one mouth, the strap extending into the passage through the other mouth and having a portion of increased thickness, the strap being free to withdraw through the said other mouth until the increased thickness portion engages the passage walls.

Preferably the passage is generally rectangular in cross-section to receive a strap which is a ribbon of wide and relatively thin material.

The passage may narrow away from the said one mouth towards an intermediate point at which the passage has its minimum width, the increased thickness portion being located between the intermediate point and the one mouth. The passage may widen from the intermediate point to the said other mouth. The walls of the passage may form a step-like restriction in the passage at the intermediate point, the increased thickness portion being too thick to pass the intermediate point. The increased thickness portion may be sufficiently thin to engage the passage walls only at the intermediate point unless the thickness of the said portion is further increased.

The increased thickness portion is preferably a seam formed in the strap. The strap is preferably formed of weldable material which is folded and welded to form the seam.

The increased thickness portion is preferably formed at the end of the strap. The backing plate preferably defines a second, like passage for receiving a second portion of the strap in like manner. The second portion is preferably the second end of the strap.

The strap is preferably woven polypropylene.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figs. 1 and 2 are sections through the backing plate of a brush according to the invention, the plane of the section being perpendicular to the plane of the backing plate.

The drawings show part of an animal grooming brush 10 which comprises a backing plate 12. Bristles 14 are attached to one face of the backing plate 12. The drawings only show short lengths of a small number of bristles which may be more numerous and longer if desired. The brush 10 further comprises a strap 16.

The plate defines an open mouthed passage 18 which narrows slightly away from the lower mouth 20. The strap 16 extends into the passage 18 through the other, upper mouth 22 and has a portion 24 of increased thickness. The strap 16 is free to withdraw through the mouth 22 until the increased thickness portion 24 engages the passage walls, as shown in the drawings.

The backing plate 12 may be wood or another suitable material such as a mouldable plastics material and is generally elliptical in order to fit comfortably in the palm of the user's hand. The passage 18 is formed at the edge of the plate. The cross-section of the passage 18, that is the cross-section in the plane of the backing plate 12 is generally rectangular at any position, in order to receive the strap 16, which is a ribbon of woven polypropylene material. The strap 16 is wide but relatively thin and its edge is seen in the drawings.

The passage 18 narrows slightly away from the mouth 20, until reaching a step at 26, above which the passage widens up to the mouth 22.

The increased thickness portion 24 of the strap 16 is formed by a seam provided at the end of the strap.

This may be formed by folding back a short length of the strap onto itself, and heating to fuse the polypropylene to secure the seam.

A similar passage is provided diametrically opposite on the plate 12 to receive the other end of the strap 16 in the same manner. The other end of the strap 16 is also seamed.

In use, when arranged as shown in Fig. 1, the strap 16 can be withdrawn through the mouth 22 to draw the seam 24 into the passage 18 until the seam jams in the passage 18, by virtue of the reducing width of the passage. This jamming may occur at the step 26 or before. When both ends of the strap 16 are received as shown in Fig. 1, the maximum length of strap is provided between the mouths 22 of the two passages 18.

If it is desired to shorten the strap in order to grip a hand more tightly, or for use with a smaller hand, the strap 16 is first pushed into the mouth 22 at one end, until the seam 24 at that end emerges from the mouth 20. An extra fold can then be made in the strap 16 to form a portion of triple thickness, as shown in Fig. 2. This further increased thickness portion is then introduced into the passage 18 through the mouth 20 by withdrawing the strap 16 through the mouth 22, until the strap again jams in the passage 18. In view of the increased thickness at the end of the strap 16, the seam 24 will not enter so far into the passage 18 and the strap 16 is therefore shortened. Further shortening can be achieved by making an additional fold at the other end of the strap, in a similar fashion.

If the passage 18 is given sufficient length and taper, further additional folds could be made at one or both ends of the strap.

Variations and modifications to the arrangement described can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In particular, other choices of material for the strap can be made and the passage can have other cross-sections, according to the dimensions of the material chosen for the strap, and the required degree of adjustability of strap length. The increased thickness portion can be provided in other ways.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. An animal grooming brush, comprising a backing plate, bristles mounted on the backing plate, and a strap, the backing plate defining an open-mouthed passage which narrows away from one mouth, the strap extending into the passage through the other mouth and having a portion of increased thickness, the strap being free to withdraw through the said other mouth until the increased thickness portion engages the passage walls.

2. A brush according to claim 1, wherein the passage is generally rectangular in cross-section to receive a strap which is a ribbon of wide and relatively thin material.

3. A brush according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the passage narrows away from the said one mouth towards an intermediate point at which the passage has its minimum width, the increased thickness portion being located between the intermediate point and the one mouth,

4. A brush according to claim 3, wherein the passage widens from the intermediate point to the said other mouth.

5. A brush according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the walls of the passage form a step-restriction in the passage at the intermediate point, the increased thickness portion being too thick to pass the intermediate point.

6. A brush according to claim 5, wherein the increased thickness portion is sufficiently thin as to engage the passage walls only at the intermediate point unless the thickness of the said portion is further increased.

7. A brush according to any preceding claim, wherein the increased thickness portion is a seam formed in the strap.

8. A brush according to claim 7, the strap being formed of weldable material which is folded and welded to form the seam.

9. A brush according to any preceding claim, wherein the increased thickness portion is formed at the end of the strap.

10. A brush according to any preceding claim, wherein the backing plate defines a second, like passage for receiving in a second portion of the strap in like manner.

11. A brush according to claim 10, wherein the second portion is the second end of the strap.

12. A brush according to any preceding claim, wherein the strap is woven polypropylene.

13. An animal grooming brush substantially as described above with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.