Vacuum grooming tool

• US 8,918,955 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pet Groom Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Pet Groom Tech LLC
• Inventors: Freidell, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCRUGGS, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US13/872,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20130319345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 154/02, 153/01, 153/44, 153/45, 153/46, 153/47, 153/62, 154/16, 153/10, 119/628, 119/631, 119/612, 119/615, 119/625
• US Class Current: 15/402
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 13/00 Devices for grooming or caring of animals, e.g. curry-combs; Fetlock rings; Tail-holders as part of the harness B68B5/04; Devices for preventing crib-biting; Washing devices; Protection against weather conditions or insects
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 13/001 Washing, cleaning, or drying devices for veterinary purposes A61D7/00, A61D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 13/002 Curry-combs; Brushes shearing sheep B26B19/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/06 with fixed, e.g. adjustably fixed brushes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0606 rigidly anchored brushes, combs, lips or pads

Abstract

A grooming tool is disclosed that includes a vacuum nozzle attachable to a vacuum source and has a hollow body with a mouth opening. A grooming device selected from a variety of animal grooming hand tools, such as a comb-like grooming blade comprising sharp edges, may span the mouth opening. The grooming device is positioned such that the airflow created by the vacuum source flows over at least one side of the grooming device. A vacuum cleaning tool for removing any animal hair from a grooming tool is also disclosed. A vacuum plenum of the cleaning tool is attachable to a vacuum source and has an opening for cleaning the grooming tool in one pass. The cleaning tool can be mounted on a stationary support may also include a pivot-action mechanism that connects the vacuum grooming tool or the cleaning tool to the vacuum source.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a vacuum nozzle comprising a hollow body terminating in a mouth opening and adapted to be attached to a vacuum source; and

a grooming blade spanning the mouth opening, the grooming blade having two sides and comprising a plurality of teeth supported by a common blade structure, each tooth comprises a blunt apex, at least one side and two edges descending from the apex to the common blade structure, at least one edge of each tooth is formed sharp and substantially perpendicular to at least one side of the tooth;

at least a plurality of the sharp teeth edges collectively are substantially perpendicular to one side of the grooming blade;

the common blade structure has edges located between supported teeth that are configured blunt; and

the grooming blade is positioned geometrically coplanar with, or at an angle acute to, a plane perpendicular to a theoretical plane parallel to the mouth opening to allow negative airflow created by the vacuum source to flow over at least one of the two sides of the grooming blade, wherein, during grooming operations, as the grooming blade is pushed or pulled across a pet'"'"'s coat, the negative airflow lifts top coat hair of the pet'"'"'s coat to expose undercoat hair to the sharp edges of the grooming blade teeth which are configured to remove ready-to-be-shed undercoat hair by snagging the ready-to-be-shed undercoat hair.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one additional sharp edge is formed across one side of each tooth, proximate to the tooth apex, and, consistently with the other sharp edges, is substantially perpendicular to one side of the grooming blade.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the grooming blade is made of metal and the sharp edges comprise burrs as a result of a metal stamping process.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sharp edges result from a machining process.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the grooming blade is molded from plastic.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the grooming blade is one of a plurality of grooming blades, which are aligned in a substantially parallel manner.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an angle of engagement of the grooming blade can be varied.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the grooming blade is made of metal and the sharp edges comprise burrs as a result of a metal stamping process.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sharp edges result from a machining process.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the grooming blade is molded from plastic.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the grooming blade is one of a plurality of grooming blades, which are aligned in a substantially parallel manner.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein an angle of engagement of the grooming blade can be varied.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vacuum nozzle defines a vent on the hollow body for reducing suction at the mouth opening and such vacuum nozzle further comprising a valve positioned to regulate airflow through the vent.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the vacuum nozzle defines a vent on the hollow body for reducing suction at the mouth opening and such vacuum nozzle further comprising a valve positioned to regulate airflow through the vent.

15. An apparatus comprising a handle secured to one or more grooming blades, each grooming blade having a plurality of teeth supported by a common structure, on at least one side of which teeth are formed at least one sharp edge, the apexes of which teeth are formed blunt, the common structure between teeth has edges that are formed blunt, and the sharp edges are formed such that at least a plurality of the sharp edges are substantially perpendicular to one side of each of the one or more grooming blades, which are thus configured to remove, during grooming operations, ready-to-be-shed hair by snagging the ready-to-be-shed hair.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more grooming blades are made of metal and the sharp edges comprise burrs as a result of a metal stamping process.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sharp edges result from a machining process.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more grooming blades are molded from plastic.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein an angle of engagement of the one or more grooming blades can be varied.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a mechanism to aid a user in removing hair accumulated during use on the one or more grooming blades, such accumulated hair obstructing the sharp edges and hampering such sharp edges in snagging additional ready-to-be-shed hair.