GB2300556A - Grooming implement - Google Patents

Abstract

A grooming implement for animals comprises a curved pad 11 of elastomeric material with rows of tapering teeth 12 carried by a holder 20 with a lateral handle 21. The holder is hinged at 26 and kept by clip 24.

Description

Title: "Grooming implements for animals" Description of the invention This invention relates to grooming implements for animals, more particularly for domestic pets such as dogs and cats.

Many forms of brushes and combs are available for grooming such animals. For the most part, such known brushes and combs are provided respectively with conventional bristles of greater or lesser flexibility or with teeth of metal or plastic which are rigid or flexible and of substantially constant crosssection along their length, which may in some cases be bent or curved.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved grooming implement, and in accordance with the invention we provide a grooming implement which includes a grooming element in the form of a pad formed with an array of projections extending from one side thereof. the projections being of tapering cross-section from the pad towards their free ends.

The projections may be formed integrally with the pad, which is preferably made of a flexible, elastomeric material such as natural or artificial rubber.

The projections are preferably all of the same height relative to the pad and arranged uniformly in a plurality of parallel rows.

The pad may be of curved, e.g. part-cylindrical, form and the implement preferably further comprises a holder element in which the pad is releasably secured. The holder element may be formed or provided with a handle which preferably projects from the holder element so as to form a hand grip portion which extends laterally relative to the grooming element and is disposed on the side of the latter opposite to that from which the projections extend at a position spaced therefrom.

These and other features of the invention will now he described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment; FIGURE 2 is a corresponding side view; and FIGURE 3 is a underneath plan view.

Referring to the drawings, a typical embodiment of grooming implement in accordance with the invention comprises a grooming element 10 which is releasably secured in a holder element 20.

The holder element 20 comprises an integral moulding formed from any suitable substantially rigid plastics material, and the moulding comprises three main parts, including a handle 21 which includes a hand grip portion 22 and a connecting portion 23 whereby the hand grip portion is spaced from the remaining parts of the holder element so as to extend laterally therefrom.

The holder element further comprises a body part 24 which, in the illustrating embodiment is of generally rectangular form and of part-cylindrical shape, with the convex side thereof facing away from the connecting portion 23 of the handle 21. The body part 24 is in the form of a rectangular frame having an opening 25, and one side of the frame (i.e. that remote from the handle 21) is flexibly connected by means of an integral hinge portion 26 to the third part of the holder element which comprises a closure part 27 overlying the concave side of the body part 24 and carrying the handle 21 integrally formed therewith.

Nibs 28 formed integrally with the body part 24 on the edge thereof opposite to said hinge portion 26 are arranged to engage in complementary recesses 29 formed in the closure part 27 to hold the body part 24 and closure part 27 in the illustrated position after the grooming element 10 has been inserted in the frame afforded by the body part 24.

The grooming element 10 comprises a rectangular pad 11 made of rubber or other similar elastomeric material, having transverse dimensions which are greater than those of the opening 25 so as to be trapped between the frame afforded by the body part 24 and the closure part 27 when the nibs 28 are engaged in the recesses 29.

The pad 11 has integrally formed therewith a rectangular array of projections 12 which are each of substantially conical form, tapering uniformly in a direction away from the pad 11 towards rounded ends 13. The projections 12 are preferably somewhat flexible.

In the illustrated embodiment, the projections 12 are all of the same size, shape and length and are arranged in several parallel rows 14 such that the individual projections in each row are aligned with those of the adjacent rows, but other arrangements are possible.

Whilst the pad 11, as formed, may be substantially planar, it will be understood that it adopts a curved, part-cylindrical, shape when mounted in the holder element 20, so that the ends of the projections also lie on a part-cylindrical surface. Alternatively the pad may be curved in two directions.

Typically the pad 11 may be from about 3cm by 5cm to about 10cm by 15cm in area with 5 to 12 rows of about 5 to 20 projections, the projections 12 typically being from about 5 to 20mm long and spaced on centres 5 to 20mm apart.

Whilst the implement as above-described represents a preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that the design may be varied in various ways.

For example, the body part of the holder element need not be of part-cylindrical form, but may be flat. Particularly, but not exclusively, where the body part and pad are flat, the projections need not be of uniform height throughout the entire array, but could be of progressively reduced height from the longitudinal centreline of the array towards the lateral edges thereof so that the ends of the projections are still arranged on a part-cylindrical surface. Alternatively, the ends of the projections may be arranged to lie in a flat plane.

Whilst the projections conveniently are arranged to project substantially radially, as best illustrated in Figure 2, the projections may, particularly where the pad is flat, be arranged parallel to one another.

Further, whilst the projections are typically of conical form, being of circular shape in transverse section at all points along their length, other sectional shapes are possible and the projections may not in some cases taper towards their outer ends.

Whilst it is particularly convenient for the grooming element 10 to be mounted releasably in the holder element 20, it can alternatively be secured in a non-releasable manner. For example, instead of mounting the grooming element 10 in a frame, it may be secured adhesively or otherwise to a flat or curved plate-like element which may, in turn, carry the handle integrally or otherwise connected thereto. Indeed, the grooming element and holder element may in some cases be formed as an integral assembly for example as a unitary moulding.

Further, whilst the handle 21 most conveniently extends laterally from one side of the holder element 20, other arrangements are possible, and a handle element may, for example, be provided within the lateral boundaries of the holder element on the side thereof opposite that from which the projections extend.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, may, separately or in any comhination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (9)

1. A grooming implement comprising a grooming element in the form of a pad formed with an array of projections extending from one side thereof, the projections being of tapering cross-section from the pad towards their free ends.

2. A grooming implement according to Claim 1 wherein the projections are formed integrally with the pad.

3. A grooming implement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the projections are all of the same height relative to the pad.

4. A grooming implement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the projections are arranged uniformly in a plurality of parallel rows.

5. A grooming implement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pad is of curved form.

6. A grooming implement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pad is made of flexible elastomeric material.

7. A grooming implement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the implement further comprises a holder element in which the pad is releasably secured.

8. A grooming implement according to Claim 7 wherein the holder element is formed or provided with a handle which projects from the holder element so as to form a hand grip portion which extends laterally relative to the grooming element and is disposed on the side of the latter opposite to that from which the projections extend at a position spaced therefrom.

9. A grooming implement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings..