Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D24/00—Hair combs for care of the hair; Accessories therefor
  • A45D24/32—Combs with suction appliance

Definitions

• This invention relates to devices for grooming.
• the purpose of the invention is to collect unsightly hairs and dandruff that are removed whilst grooming one's hair.
• the grooming device of the invention comprises grooming means, conduit means which extend from an inlet orifice adjacent the grooming means to an outlet orifice, means for generating a flow of air in the conduit means and debris-collection means which extract debris from the air flowing in the conduit means.
• the term “grooming means” is used to cover tines forming a comb, bristles of any material forming a brush and also any other elements intended for use for grooming purposes.
• this device should not be considered limited to use on hair.
• the grooming means is a brush
• the device can be used to remove lint and dust from clothing.
• the air-flow generating means is contained in a housing on which the grooming means is mounted.
• the housing is elongate and capable of being held in the hand and the grooming means is mounted on an elongate extension portion to a main portion of the housing, the conduit means having a first conduit portion inside the main housing and a second conduit portion inside the extension portion.
• one orifice of the conduit means can be a slot extending longitudinally of the extension portion.
• the grooming means may then comprise an array of tines or bristles which extends longitudinally from the slot, through which the tines or bristles extend.
• the air-flow generating mean comprises a fan driven by an electric motor .
• Th electric motor may be of a type that operates from a AC power supply only or alternatively from a DC powe supply only, or further alternatively from either an A or a DC power supply.
• the heating means can be an electri element .
• conduit means outlet is adjacent the grooming means and its position relative to the grooming means is adjustable around the longitudinal axis of the housing and its extension portion, the grooming means extending over only part of the circumference of the extension portion.
• the debris collection means comprises a removable mesh filter.
• the first conduit portion has at its ends proximate orifices forming an inlet to and outlet from the main housing , and the extension portion can be separably attached to either orifice of the first conduit portion by locating means , whereby the device can be as Sild in a s elected one of two configurations , in the first of which the extension portion is located in the inlet orifice of the first conduit portion, an orifice of the second conduit portion in the extension portion f orms the inlet orifice of the device and the outlet orifice of the first conduit portion leads to or forms the outlet of the device, and in the second of which the extension portion is located in the outlet orifice of the first conduit portion, an orifice of the second conduit portion in the extension portion forms the outlet orifice of the device and the inlet orifice of the first conduit portion leads from or forms the inlet orifice of the device.
• Figure 1 is a sectional side view of a hair groo er.
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of part of Figure 1 viewed in the direction of arrow A,
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second hair groomer with its internal parts shown schematically.
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of the body of the groomer shown in Figure 3,
• Figure 5 shows an electrical control circuit of the groomer of Figures 3 and 4
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of a removable comb portion of the groomer of Figures 3 and 4
• Figure 7 is a side view of a cover for the comb portion shown in Figure 6,
• Figure 8 is a side view of the comb portion shown in Figure 6, and
• Figure 9 is a side view of the assembled comb portion and cover.
• the hair groomer shown in figures 1 and 2 comprises a hollow tubular housing 1 of circular cross- section which is closed at its rearward end, to which a handle 2 is attached. At its forward end the housing is attached to a hollow extension portion 3 of circular cross-section having a domed front end 4.
• the cylindrical wall of the extension portion 3 has a slot 5 which forms an inlet orifice.
• a shutter or other means may be provided for selective adjustment of the area of the inlet orifice and thereby the inlet airflow.
• a row of tines which can pivot about the axis the extension portion 3 protrudes from the slot 5 forming a comb 6.
• Within the tubular housing 1 behind the comb 6 there is a mesh 7 which extends across the hollow cross-section of housing 1 which is in communication with the extension portion 3. The mesh 7 traps hair and other debris which is sucked into the groomer in use.
• a fan 9 Behind the mesh 7 in the housing 1 there is a fan 9, an electric motor 11, an AC heating element 13 and a switch 14 to protect against overheating.
• the motor 11 drives the fan 9.
• a three-way switch 15 connects the motor 11 and the heater 13 operating either separately or together through a flex 17 to an external AC power source. Alternatively, if the AC heater 13 is omitted, the groomer can operate using low voltage DC batteries housed inside the housing, as there will be sufficient power to drive the motor 11 and the fan 9 alone.
• a collar 19 is fixed to the housing 1 in order to create the forward part of an annular chamber 20.
• the collar 19 contains an offset orifice 21.
• the back of the collar 19 is sealed to the housing 1 and thus an annular conduit is formed between the collar 19 and the housing 1.
• the annular conduit is in communication through a passage 23, formed by an internal partition 27, with the heater 13 and the fan 9 .
• the fan 9 draws air through the slot 5 an exhausts air through the orifice 21.
• the air flows i the direction shown by the open arrows 29 in Figure 2
• the direction from which air is drawn through the slo 5 can be slightly adjusted by rotating the comb around part of the circumference of the housing an within the slot 5.
• the outlet orifice 21 can be move by axial rotation of the collar 19 and therefore th outlet 21 acts as directable nozzle through whic either hot or cold air can be blown onto the comb 6.
• the device For use as a hair-groomer, the device wil draw in loose hairs and dandruff from the hair whils the hair is being groomed. At the same time, eithe hot or cold air can be blown onto the hair, if desired
• the mesh filter is accessed periodically, after openin the housing 1, so that accumulated debris can b removed.
• the second embodiment comprises a U-shape tubular housing 101 of substantially constant circula cross section, the open ends of which provide adjacen inlet and outlet orifices 110, 121.
• An extensio portion 103 to the device comprises a comb part 106 an a hood part 104 which is detachable from the comb par 106 for ease of cleaning of the comb.
• the comb part 106 either with or without th detachable hood part 104 is separably attached b location of its cylindrical tubular end 116 insid either the inlet orifice 110 or the outlet orifice 12 of the housing 101.
• the tubular end 116 of the comb part 106 has a series of pairs of L-shaped notches 108 in its outer circumference.
• Both the orifices 110, 121 of the housing 101 contain a pair of projections 112 on their inner surface.
• the projections 112 locate in the inner ends of the L- shaped notches 108 to attach the comb part 108 securely to the housing 101.
• the comb part 106 can be slid out of the housing by twisting the comb part 106 in the orifice to release the projections 112 from the notches 108.
• the angle between the tines of the comb 106 and the handle 102 attached to the housing is selected by locating the projections 112 in an appropriate pair of notches 108.
• the circuit shown in figure 5 can be used to operate the AC heating element and/or the motor of either the 'first or the second groomer.
• a three-way switch 115 has fixed contacts
• the middle fixed contact 130 is connected to the live mains, optionally via a transformer (not shown) .
• the second fixed contact 132 is connected directly to the AC heating element 113 which contains a heat sensitive switch 114 to protect the element 113 from overheating.
• the third fixed contact 134 is also connected to the element 113 via a diode 136.
• the element 113 is connected across the mains and in parallel with it is a four diode rectifying bridge 138, the DC output of which is connected to a DC motor 111 which drives the fan 109.
• the slidable contact 135 is positioned across the fixed contact 132 and 130 which connects the AC supply across the AC heating element 113 and the rectifying bridge 138 which in turn supplies an unsmoothed DC voltage to the motor 111 operating the fan 109.
• hot air is blown through the passages 120, 125 and 123 in the direction shown by arrows 129.
• the slidable contact 135 is moved to join the contacts 130 and 134.
• the diode 136 rectifies the AC supply and half-wave DC supply reaching the AC element 113 both heats the AC heating element 113 and operates the DC motor 111 at reduced powers.
• the fan 109 will drive warm air through the groomer.
• the main function of the diode 136 is to decrease the temperature of AC element 113 and the speed of the DC motor 111. Thus the user of the device can select hot air blown strongly or warm air blown less strongly.
• the projections 112 inside the orifices 110, 121 of the housing allow the comb part 106 to be positioned in either orifice, according to the choice of the user.
• the slot 105 around the tines 106 forms the inlet orifice of the groomer and outlet air is blown from the orifice 121 adjacent the tines 106.
• the orifice 110 is adjacent the tines 106 and forms the inlet orifice, whilst the slot 105 forms the outlet orifice.
• the second groomer has the advantage that the comb hood 104 is removable for ease of cleaning the comb 106.
• the comb hood 104 also acts to concentrate the air flow around the tines.
• the position of the AC heating element 113 near to the outlet orifice 121 prevents hot air circulating through the device and damaging the internal components.

Landscapes

• Cleaning And Drying Hair (AREA)
• Brushes (AREA)
• Control And Other Processes For Unpacking Of Materials (AREA)
• Seal Device For Vehicle (AREA)
• Air Filters, Heat-Exchange Apparatuses, And Housings Of Air-Conditioning Units (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10687230

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (5)

Families Citing this family (19)

Citations (9)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1990
  • 1990-12-19 GB GB909027510A patent/GB9027510D0/en active Pending
• 1991
  • 1991-09-05 US US08/081,319 patent/US5435327A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1991-09-05 JP JP1993600004U patent/JP2581523Y2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1991-09-05 WO PCT/GB1991/001516 patent/WO1992010959A1/en active Application Filing
  • 1991-09-05 AU AU84954/91A patent/AU8495491A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1991-09-05 DE DE9190193U patent/DE9190193U1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1993
  • 1993-06-11 GB GB9312141A patent/GB2266663B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (9)

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