Rotary hair brush with debris remover

• US 8,060,967 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Earl Jr. Johnson
• Original Assignee: Robert Earl Jr. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Robert Earl Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter; Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERRY, STEPHANIE R
• Application Number:
  US11/983,846
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 15/23, 15/38, 15/39, 901/1
• US Class Current: 15/23
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 13/002 Curry-combs; Brushes shearing sheep B26B19/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0066 adapted for removing nail dust, hair or the like

Abstract

A rotating hair brush with a fins or similar implement projected into the moving path of the brush bristles. The fins automatically remove the hair/fur from the brush bristles. The amount of exposed bristles can be varied and completely concealed inside of the housing. The brush core can contain the batteries and/or motor to reduce the overall size of the assembly. A suction device can be attached to remove dislodged debris. The overall structure contains all of the components such as the motor, power source, brush and hair removal fins in a single housing. The brush is removable and can be exchanged for another with a different bristle configuration.

Claims

1. A brush assembly comprising:

a. a brush member including a core and groups of bristles radially projecting from the core;

b. a housing in which the core is rotatably disposed, the housing configured to allow the bristles to protrude outwardly therefrom, the housing configured and dimensioned to be holdable in a hand of a user, and the brush assembly usable to brush hair or fur;

c. a drive mechanism provided within the housing and which is operable to rotate the brush member; and

d. a comb member which is disposed in and pivotally attached to the housing, the comb member comprising a spine and a plurality of appendages having first ends that are attached to the spine and second ends which extend into the groups of brush bristles such that when either the appendages or the group of bristles traverse toward the other while the brush member is being rotated, said appendages are operable to extract hair and other debris that has become lodged in or between the groups of brush bristles.

2. The brush assembly of claim 1 wherein the bristles are arranged in rows distributed around the circumference of the core.

3. The brush assembly of claim 1 wherein the bristles are arranged in rows extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the core.

4. The brush assembly of claim 1 wherein the appendages are made of a material with sufficient rigidity to deflect the bristles when contacted thereby.

5. The brush assembly of claim 1 wherein the appendages are elongated with a circular cross section.

6. The brush assembly of claim 1 wherein surfaces of the appendages are ribbed.

7. The brush assembly of claim 1 wherein the appendages are removable from between the bristles to facilitate cleaning debris from the appendages.

8. The brush assembly of claim 2, wherein the appendages are arranged such that at least one appendage extends between each pair of adjacent rows of bristles.

10. The brush assembly of claim 1 wherein the housing has a cylindrical protrusion extending from a surface of the housing to receive a hose from a suction device.

14. The brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the brush assembly has a battery-receiving area formed therein for supportively receiving at least one battery in the housing or the brush member.

15. The brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a housing body and an upper access door pivotally attached to an upper surface of the housing body to provide access to the comb member.

9. A brush assembly comprising:

a brush member including a core and groups of bristles radially projecting from the core;

a housing in which the core is rotatably disposed;

a drive mechanism provided in the housing which is operable to rotate the brush member; and

a plurality of appendages that extend into the groups of brush bristles such that when either the appendages or the group of bristles traverse toward the other while the brush member is being rotated, wherein said appendages are configured and arranged to extract hair and other debris that becomes lodged in the groups of brush bristles;

and wherein the brush member is disposed rotatably in a channel inside of the housing allowing said brush member to be adjustably retracted inside the housing exposing 0 to 100% of the length of bristles attached to the brush member.

11. A rotatable brush assembly comprising:

a hollow housing configured to allow bristles of a brush member to selectively protrude outwardly therefrom exposing 0 to 100% of the length of bristles attached to the brush member, the housing configured and dimensioned to be holdable in a hand of a user, and the brush assembly usable to brush hair or fur;

a motor; and

the brush member which is rotatably disposed in the housing, the brush member comprising a core and groups of bristles radially projecting from the core, the core having the motor disposed in the interior thereof which is operable to rotate the brush member;

wherein the brush assembly has a battery-receiving area formed therein for supportively receiving at least one battery in the housing or the brush member.

12. The rotatable brush assembly of claim 11, wherein the motor is securely affixed to a portion of the core, is disposed inside the core and has a shaft extending axially thereon at a distal end of said motor.

13. The rotatable brush assembly of claim 12, wherein the shaft is attached to the housing.