TWI661768B - Animal grooming brush and method of grooming an animal - Google Patents

Abstract

An animal combing brush with resilient elastic bristles 4,5, which has different rigidity between bending in one direction and bending in the other direction, so that when the brush is used in a first direction, it acts as a hard brush. The brush is used as a soft brush when used in a second direction. This allows the brush to be used for depilating the fur of animals when used in the first direction, and to smooth the fur of animals when used in the second direction. The first direction and the second direction may be substantially perpendicular to each other. The bristles may have a thickness of bristles in one direction that is greater than a thickness of bristles in the other direction in at least a portion of the entire segment. The bristles can be arranged in staggered rows of longer and shorter brushes.

Description

Animal combing brush and method for combing animals

The present invention relates to an animal combing brush, particularly but not exclusively a combing brush for combing dogs.

Dogs and other animals generally have two coats, a visible outer coat formed by longer hairs, and a shorter inner coat formed by shorter hairs. The inner fur continued to fall off, and the dog owner used a brush to remove the fur to prevent them from adhering to the furniture. This process is known as hair removal.

Effective hair removal requires a brush with hard bristles. However, hard-bristled brushes are susceptible to knots and tangles in dog fur. Unless the knots and tangles of the fur have been removed from the dog's fur, this may make them difficult to use and also make the dog uncomfortable. Therefore, another brush is needed. Changing between brushes during combing is time consuming and inconvenient.

The embodiments of the present invention are made in consideration of these problems.

According to the present invention, an animal grooming brush is provided, which includes resilient elastic bristles that bend in one direction and have different stiffnesses when bent in another direction, so that when the brush is used in a first direction, it acts as a A hard brush is suitable for de-shedding the animal's fur. When the brush is used in a second direction, it is suitable for de-tangling the animal's fur as a soft brush.

One brush with dual functions is more convenient than switching between two brushes.

The bristles in one direction may be at least 10% or at least 20% stiffer than the bristles in the other direction.

The first direction and the second direction may be substantially perpendicular to each other.

In at least a portion of the entire length of the bristles, the thickness of the bristles in one direction may exceed the thickness of the bristles in the other direction. In all or substantially all of the bristles, the thickness of the bristles in one direction may exceed the thickness of the bristles in the other direction.

The ratio of the widest width to the narrowest width of the bristles is from 1.1 or 1.2 and can be up to 1.5 or 1.7 at a given point along one of its segments.

The cross-sectional shape of the bristles may be elongated in at least a portion of substantially all or all of its segments. Any suitable cross-sectional shape can be used. A shape with a continuous curve is preferred, so that these bristles do not need sharp corners that may break or damage the bristles. In at least a portion of substantially all or all of the bristles, the cross-sectional shape of the bristles may be oval and may be oval.

The bristles can be arranged in spaced apart rows. The bristles of each row can be evenly spaced apart. The rows are juxtaposed with each other, such that one bristle in one row is placed substantially at an intermediate point between the bristles in an adjacent row.

There are at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or more rows of bristles. Each of the columns may contain 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more bristles.

The bristles are two or more different lengths. The bristles are arranged in rows, and most of the bristles in one row are different from most of the bristles in an adjacent row. All bristles in a column may be substantially the same length, and all bristles in an adjacent column may be substantially the same length.

There are longer bristles and shorter bristles, and the ratio of the lengths of the longer bristles and the shorter bristles is from 1.25 or 1.5 and to 2 or 2.5.

There are staggered rows of longer and shorter bristles.

At least half of the bristles on the brush can be bent in one direction and have different stiffnesses when bent in the other direction. All or substantially all of the bristles on the brush have different rigidities when bent in one direction and bent in the other direction.

The brush may include a body. The body can be made to size and shaped to be held by one's hand when in use. The body can be sized and shaped to be comfortably held in either of two orientations, each of which facilitates its use in the first direction and the second direction.

In one embodiment, the body of the brush has opposite sides, at least one of the sides, and preferably both sides are shaped to be grasped by a human hand. Either or both of these sides are concave. One or both sides can contain a notch that receives a finger of a human hand. The body also has opposite ends that can extend substantially perpendicular to the sides, and at least one of the ends, preferably both, is shaped to be easily grasped by a human hand. Either or both of these ends are concave. One or both ends can contain a notch that receives a finger of a human hand.

The present invention also provides a method for combing an animal, comprising the steps of: providing an animal combing brush according to the present invention; combing the animal with the animal combing brush, and moving the brush through the animal's fur in the second direction to smooth the hair (de-tangling) the hair; and combing the animal with the animal combing brush, and moving the brush through the animal's fur in the first direction to de-shedding the hair.

1‧‧‧ Ontology

2‧‧‧ direction

3‧‧‧ direction

4‧‧‧ opening

5‧‧‧ longer bristles

6‧‧‧ shorter bristles

In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood, its embodiments will be illustrated by way of example only. With regard to the attached drawings, where:

[Fig. 1] A perspective view of a brush from above.

[Fig. 2] An end view of the brush of Fig. 1. [Fig.

[Fig. 3] A perspective view of the brush of Fig. 1 from below.

[Fig. 4] A plan view of the brush of Fig. 1. [Fig.

[Fig. 5] is a side view of one of the brushes of Fig. 1. [Fig.

[Fig. 6] A bottom plan view of the brush of Fig. 1. [Fig.

[Fig. 7] A plan view of an array of bristles.

[Fig. 8] An enlarged view of a circled area in Fig. 7. [Fig.

[Fig. 9] A side view of one of the arrays of Fig. 7. [Fig.

[Fig. 10] An end view of the column of Fig. 7. [Fig.

[FIG. 11] A sectional view along line A-A in FIG. 9. [FIG.

[FIG. 12] A sectional view along line B-B in FIG. 7. [FIG.

[Fig. 13] An enlarged view of a circled area in Fig. 12. [Fig.

[FIG. 14] A sectional view along line C-C in FIG. 7. [FIG.

[Fig. 15] An enlarged view of a circled area in Fig. 14. [Fig.

The following words before, after, up, down, and the like refer to the orientation described in the article, but should not be considered as additional restrictions.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 to 6 show a combing brush intended for combing animals, especially dogs. Figures 7 to 15 show an array of bristles which form part of the brush of Figures 1 to 6.

The brush comprises a body 1 molded into plastic. The body is elongated and has longer sides and shorter ends. The sides are concave, causing the body to shrink toward its middle section, and the sides are bent along a vertical axis. The ends are also concave and curved along a horizontal axis. The concave surface, overall size, and shape of the body enable the sides or ends to be comfortably grasped with one hand. When the body is grasped through the side of the body, as shown by arrow 2 in FIG. 4, this will make a brush action easy, in which the brush moves in a path approximately perpendicular to its long axis. When the body is grasped through the end of the body, as shown by arrow 3 in FIG. 4, this will facilitate a brush action, wherein the brush moves in a path substantially parallel to its long axis.

The body 1 defines a groove that is open at the bottom, and is suitable for inserting an insert 4. The exposed surfaces of the inserts to the bottom side of the brush are generally convex and any one of them contains or supports an array of module bristles, the array generally protruding perpendicularly from the surface. The bristles are molded into the inserts. The bristles are shaped from a flexible plastic material. Suitable materials are thermoplastic elastomers, such as copolyesters and aliphatic polyamides (nylons), and in particular the copolyesters sold under the Hytrel trademark of EI du Pont de Nemours and Company . Hytrel grades with a hardness of 45 to 82 Shore D are particularly suitable.

There are two types of bristles, longer bristles 5 and shorter bristles 6. The shorter bristles are approximately half the length of the longer bristles. The bristles are arranged such that the longer bristles and the rows of the bristles alternate. Any of the rows of the bristles are spaced apart at substantially uniform intervals and substantially the same amount. The columns are substantially straight, extend substantially parallel to each other, and extend parallel to the long axis of the body 1 of the brush. When viewed vertically, the adjacent columns are juxtaposed relative to each other, so that one of the bristles in one column is placed substantially in the middle section of the bristles of the adjacent column. The rows are spaced apart such that the distance between the centerlines of adjacent rows is substantially equal to half the distance between the centers of adjacent bristles in each row.

All of the bristles are sharp and tapered from the base of the insert 4 to its free end, and the free ends of the bristles are hemispherical. The longer bristles 5 are divided into two parts, since A first portion of the insert having a first tapered extension and a second portion extending from the first portion to the free end of the bristles, the second portion having a smaller tapered angle than the first portion. The change in the taper angle defines the interface between the first part and the second part. The shorter bristles have a substantially fixed cone shape over their entire length.

At least a part of the longer bristles 5 protrudes beyond the shorter bristles, has a smaller cross section than the shorter bristles, and retains a hemispherical end. The areas of the longer bristles 5 are slightly more flexible than the shorter bristles 6. Further, when a means for bending the material forming the longer bristles 5 is provided, the greater length of the longer bristles 5 gives them greater flexibility.

Each segment of all bristles has a substantially elliptical cross-section. All the bristles are guided so that the shorter axes of the elliptical cross section are substantially substantially parallel to each other and parallel to the axis of the body 1. The major axis of the elliptical profile is approximately twice the length of the minor axis. Therefore, when viewed perpendicularly to the axis of the body 1, the thickness of the bristles is approximately half that when viewed parallel to the axis of the body 1.

The oval cross-section of the bristles causes a bend in a direction parallel to the long axis of the oval cross-section to bend in a direction parallel to the long axis of the oval cross-section when bent in a direction parallel to the long axis of the oval cross-section. The bristles are stiffer. In the described embodiment, therefore, the bristles that are bent in a direction perpendicular to the long axis of the body 1 when they are bent in a direction perpendicular to the long axis of the body 1 are bent compared to the directions that are parallel to the long axis of the body 1. Harder. The difference in rigidity of the bristles in different directions allows the brush to be used to perform different functions.

Relatively stiff bristles are required for de-shedding. This may be achieved by moving the brush through the fur of the animal in a direction 2 substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the body 1. As the bristles move through the animal's fur, the drag of the bristles will attempt to bend and bend them in a plane parallel to the long axis of its oval section, where the long axis of the oval section has greater rigidity Direction.

Relatively elastic bristles are required for de-tangling. This may be achieved by moving the brush through the fur of the animal in a direction 3 substantially parallel to the long axis of the body 1. In this case, as the bristles move through the animal's fur, the drag of the bristles will attempt to bend and bend them in a plane parallel to the minor axis of the oval section thereof, where The shaft has a less rigid direction.

The change in the thickness of the bristles in a direction parallel to and perpendicular to the axis of the body 1 will enable the bristles to be used to shed hair when used in one direction and to smooth the hair when used in a vertical direction. A user can therefore use the same brush but perform two different functions. Animal brushes are therefore able to remove and smooth hair. Moreover, if a knot or entanglement is encountered during depilation, the brush can simply be redirected so that the animal's hair can be smoothed at that point.

Of course, it will be understood that when the brush is used in any direction, it has functions of depilation and smoothing to some extent, but when the brush is used in a specific direction, its hair removal and smoothing functions are optimized .

In one embodiment, the long bristles have a length of approximately 13.5 mm. In the substrate, the long axis of the elliptical section is about 2.0 mm and the short axis is about 1.4 mm. The bristles are tapered throughout the section, and the elliptical section at the free end (excluding the hemispherical part) has a long axis of about 1.1 mm and a short axis of about 0.7 mm. The short bristles have a height of about 7.0 mm, a long axis of about 1.4 mm, and a short axis of about 1.0 mm on their base, and gradually taper to the free end (excluding the hemispherical part), The free end has a long axis of approximately 1.2 mm and a short axis of approximately 0.8 mm. The adjacent rows of short and long bristles are separated, so that the distance between the lines passing through the center of the bristles in each row is about 2.75 mm. The center of the bristles in each column is separated by an interval of about 5.50 mm. It will of course be understood that these dimensions can be varied according to requirements or fit.

The above embodiments are described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended patent application scope.

Claims (20)

An animal combing brush with resilient elastic bristles that bends in one direction and bends in the other direction has different rigidities, so that when the brush is used in a first direction, it is suitable as a stiff brush for the fur of animals. De-shedding. When the brush is used in a second direction as a soft brush, it is suitable for de-tangling the animal's fur. Among them, there are longer and shorter resilience elasticity. For the bristles, the longer bristles protrude beyond the shorter bristles, and at least the part of the longer bristles protruding from the shorter bristles is more elastic than the shorter bristles. The animal combing brush according to claim 1, wherein the first direction and the second direction are substantially perpendicular to each other. The animal combing brush according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the thickness of the bristles in one direction may exceed the thickness of the bristles in the other direction in at least a part of the entire length of the bristles. An animal combing brush as described in claim 3, wherein the ratio of the widest width to the narrowest width of the bristles is between 1.25 and 1.50 at a given point along one of its lengths. The animal combing brush according to claim 3, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the bristles is slender in at least a part of the entire segment of the bristles. The animal combing brush according to claim 5, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the bristles is ellipse in at least a part of the entire segment of the bristles. If the animal combing brush of item 1 is requested, the bristles are arranged in spaced apart rows. The animal combing brush according to claim 7, wherein the bristles of each row are evenly spaced apart. An animal combing brush as described in claim 8, wherein the rows are juxtaposed relative to each other such that one bristle in one row is substantially placed at an intermediate point between the bristles in an adjacent row. The animal combing brush according to claim 1, wherein the bristles are two or more different lengths. An animal combing brush as described in claim 10, wherein the bristles are arranged in rows and most of the bristles in one row are different in length from most of the bristles in an adjacent row. The animal combing brush according to claim 10, which has longer bristles and shorter bristles, and the ratio of the lengths of the longer bristles to the shorter bristles is in the range of 1.5 to 2.5. The animal combing brush according to claim 1, further comprising at least three rows of bristles. The animal combing brush according to claim 1, wherein at least half of the bristles on the brush have different rigidities when bent in one direction and in another direction. The animal combing brush as described in claim 1, further comprising a body, the body of the brush is made to size and shaped to be held by one's one hand in any of two different positions, the two Each orientation contributes to its use in the first direction and the second direction. The animal combing brush according to claim 15, wherein the body of the brush has opposite sides, and at least one of the sides is shaped to be grasped by a human hand. The animal combing brush according to claim 16, wherein the body of the brush has opposite ends, the ends are substantially perpendicular to the sides, and at least one of the ends is shaped to be grasped by a human hand. The animal combing brush according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the sides or at least one of the ends is concave. The animal combing brush as described in claim 18, wherein the sides or ends are concave. A method for combing an animal, comprising the steps of: providing an animal combing brush according to any one of claims 1 to 19; using the animal combing brush to comb the animal, and moving the brush through the animal in the second direction De-tangling the fur; and combing the animal with the animal combing brush, and moving the brush through the animal's fur in the first direction to de-shedding the fur.