Cleaning comb with matter collecting means

Abstract

A comb for clearing hair from adhered matter, particularly lice and nits, the comb comprising a plurality of needles defining a spacing between needles and at least one matter collecting channel running along a combing side defined by the needles, the channel without extending into the spacing between needles.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention.

[0002] The present invention relates to a comb for cleaning hair and, more particularly a comb for clearing hair from lice, nits and other matter adhered to hair.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art.

[0004] It is well known to provide steel-made combs comprised of a plurality of needles or tins that are arranged in such a manner that forms two opposite sides for retaining the matter adhered to the hair, particularly lice, nits and eggs. The needles are arranged side-by-side and are spaced enough to permit the hair passing between the needles but defining a small spacing for preventing the lice or nits passing through the spacing without remaining trapped between the needles. However, all these well known lice or nit combs fails to properly carry out the functions for which they were designed.

[0005] Among the several hair cleaning combs there are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,612,945, 4,671,303 and 5,873,374. U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,945 to Bachrach, discloses a comb having a handle portion and a plurality of teeth extending from the handle portion and having a triangle-shaped cross-section, the teeth being arranged parallel to each other in two different planes in order to achieve a scissors effect to detach lice and nits. However, the manufacturing steps for making triangle-shaped cross section teeth and for arranging the same into two different planes are cumbersome and costly. In addition, the scissors affect plus the triangle cross-section of the teeth tend to damage the hair.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,303 to Saferstein discloses a nit comb including a plurality of teeth with hook-shaped ends for removing lice and nits from the hair, however the comb fails to efficiently removed the matter that are strongly attached to the hair because the spacing between teeth is too big and the peripheral surface of the teeth is smooth.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,374 to Sanz, discloses a cleaning comb with needles that are rugged on their peripheral surface, with the ruggedness being provided in the surface by cutting an helical groove or several parallel circumferential grooves. Either the helical or circumferential grooves extend around the entire peripheral surface of each needle this causing the grooves passing into the spacing defined between the adjacent needles. In other words, each groove passing through the spacing between two adjacent needles defines a clear pass for the matter that should be retained between the needles. Thus, this comb fails to efficiently retain or remove any matter adhered to the hair, such as lice, nits or eggs, which are generally firmly attached to the hair. In addition, the grooves are formed by curved bottomed grooves that fails to detach or tear away the adhered matter because the grooves do not define abrupt or blunt changes in the peripheral surface of the needle but soft curves that are not capable of efficiently detach the matter.

[0008] It would be therefore convenient to have a comb for cleaning hair, particularly for efficiently clearing the hair from matter firmly adhered thereto, such as lice, nits and eggs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a hair cleaning comb with improved characteristics for clearing the hair from any adhered matter and particles such as lice and nits.

[0010] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a comb for cleaning hair from particles attached thereto, the comb including a plurality of needles, tines or teeth having an enhanced flexibility provided by a plurality of grooves improving the resiliency of each of the needles.

[0011] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a comb for clearing hair from particles such as lice and nits, with the comb including a plurality of needles including particles collector means defined in the periphery of the needles.

[0012] It is even another object of the present invention to provide a comb for cleaning hair, comprising a handle portion, a plurality of needles arranged side-by-side and defining a spacing between needles small enough to prevent the matter passing therethrough, the needles having a proximal portion retained in the handle and a distal portion including rounded leading ends defining a leading edge, the plurality of needles defining two opposite combing sides, and matter collector means in at least one of the combing sides, the matter collector means comprising at least one channel running along the at least one combing side substantially close and parallel to the leading edge, the channel only extending on the at least one combing side without extending into the spacing between needles.

[0013] It is even another object of the present invention to provide a comb for clearing hair from adhered matter, particularly lice and nits, the comb comprising a plurality of needles defining a spacing between needles and at least one matter collecting channel running along a combing side defined by the needles, the channel without extending into the spacing between needles.

[0014] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be better understood when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The present invention is illustrated by way of example in the following drawings wherein:

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a top plant view of the comb according to the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the comb of FIG. 12;

[0018] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged side view of a tooth according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0019] FIG. 4 shows a an enlarged side view of a tooth according to another embodiment of the invention;

[0020] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged side view of a tooth according to another embodiment of the invention; and

[0021] FIG. 6 shows a cross-section taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Now referring in detail to the drawings it may be seen from FIG. 1 a cleaning comb according to, the invention, indicated by general reference number 1, with comb 1 comprising a handle portion 2, typically comprised of two metal plates joined together and retaining, therebetween, a plurality of teeth, tines or needles 3 also made of metal, preferably stainless steel. Needles 3 are arranged side-by-side and define a spacing between needles of about 5 &mgr;m to about 100 &mgr;m. This spacing is small enough to prevent any particle or matter, such as lice, nits or eggs, passing therethrough during a combing operation. In addition, the plurality of needles define two opposite combing sides 6 and 7, as it is shown in FIG. 2.

[0023] Needles 8 have a proximal portion, retained between the metal plates in the handle, and a distal portion preferably including rounded leading ends 4 defining a leading edge 5, preferably a slightly curved edge. The number of needles may be variable, but the comb preferably comprises from about 10 needles to about 90 needles. The length of the needles may vary according to the needs of the user, but it will be always the necessary to comply with the function for which they were designed.

[0024] According to the invention, the comb is provided with matter or particles collector means in at least one of combing sides 6, 7. The collector means comprises at least one channel 8 (FIG. 2) running along, or crossing, either combing side 6, or 7, or both, substantially close and parallel to leading edge 5. According to the invention, the channel only extends on the associated combing side without extending into the spacing between needles 4. Therefore, the spacing or gap between the needles remain unaltered by the channel and the retention or removing effect of the needles is kept without permitting or allowing the particles or lice passing through this spacing as it may occur in the spacing between the needles of U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,374, which spacing is altered by the ruggedness, particularly the grooves, passing through the spacing between the needles. In other words, the periphery of each needle is unaltered in the portion thereof facing or in contact with the periphery of any adjacent needle in order that the spacing between the needles keeps constant, that is a spacing designed for preventing the lice or nits passing therethrough.

[0025] Channel 8 is defined by a plurality of recesses 9, which recesses are aligned and formed, by cutting for example, in each needle 3. According to the invention, recess 9 is provided in the periphery of the needle but only the portion of the periphery that forms part of the corresponding combing side 6 and/or 7, whereby the recess of each needle does not extend into the spacing between the needles. Preferably, each needle has a circular cross-section, preferably a cylindrical shape, defining a needle diameter of about 1 mm to about 1.5 mm. Each recess 9, and hence channel 8, has a deepness which is about the 20% to about the 25% of the needle diameter and a width of about 3 mm to about 8 mm. As it is shown in FIG. 6, spacing between needles is indicated by reference number 14, and as shown, recesses 9 do not reach the minimum distance or spacing defined at the diameter section or equator section of the needles, therefore, the spacing is not modified by the recesses.

[0026] According to the teachings of the invention, channel 8 has a U shape cross-section (FIG. 2) with a bottom 10 and upright walls 11, 12 extending from the bottom at right angles relative thereto. The bottom and the walls of the channel are preferably flat and the angles defined therebetween and with the periphery of the needle are abrupt or blunt in order to efficiently detach or remove the particles, lice or nits attached to the hair, particularly the nits which are provided with a cement or wax that adheres the nits to the hair.

[0027] FIGS. 4 and 6 show other alternative embodiments of the invention wherein channel 8 is defined at both sides of the comb, namely at combing sides 6 and 7. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, both opposite channels 8 are arranged at coincident opposite locations while in FIG. 5 the channels are in off-set locations, which embodiment may be useful when the diameter of the needle is insufficient to permit both channels to be located in the same cross section.

[0028] The resiliency of the needles are also improved by the provision of a plurality of grooves 13 with a spacing of about 3 mm to about 5 mm from each other, wherein each groove, like recesses 9, are provided only in the periphery of the needle that forms part of the associated combing side 6 and/or 7, whereby groove 13 does not extend into the spacing between the needles. Grooves 13 provide each needle with an extra resiliency to enhance the flexibility of the needles when combing the hair as well as they also help the needles to retain and remove the particles.

[0029] Like recesses 9, Grooves 13 may be provided only at one combing side 6, or 7, or in both combing sides, as it is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Grooves 13 may have any shape, such as a U-shape, or a V-shape not illustrated. The bottom of grooves 13 may be rounded or may have a bottom and walls arranged at right or blunt angles.

[0030] In use, the comb of the invention is inserted into the hair of a user having matter, particles, lice, nits or eggs to be removed therefrom. Once the comb is into the hair it is moved along the hair, whereby while the hair is free to pass through the spacing between the needles the lice and nits are prevented from passing through this spacing and are retained in the corresponding combing side with the particles sliding over the nits until reaching channel 8 wherein the particles are detached, if not detached until there, and collected into the channel. Channel 8, more particularly the blunt bottom and walls thereof, actuates like a shovel and/or a lever for detaching the lice that are firmly attached to the hair.

[0031] While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A comb for cleaning hair, comprising

a handle portion,

a plurality of needles arranged side-by-side and defining a spacing between needles, the spacing being small enough to prevent any particle adhered to the hair passing through the spacing, the needles having a proximal portion retained in the handle and a distal portion including leading ends defining a leading edge, the plurality of needles defining two opposite combing sides, and

matter collector means in at least one of the combing sides, the matter collector means comprising:

at least one channel extending along the at least one combing side substantially parallel to the leading edge, the channel only extending on the at least one combing side without extending into the spacing between needles.

2. The comb of claim 1, wherein the channel is defined by a recess in each needle, the recess being aligned and provided only in the periphery of the needle that forms part of the at least one combing side, whereby the recess of each needle does not extend into the spacing between the needles.

3. The comb of claim 2, wherein each needle has a circular cross section defining a needle diameter and the channel has a deepness of about 20% to 25% of the needle diameter.

4. The comb of claim 2, wherein the channel has a width of about 3 mm to 8 mm.

5. The comb of claim 2, wherein the channel has a U shape cross section with right angles being defined between a bottom and walls of the channel.

6. The comb of claim 5, wherein the bottom and walls of the channel are flat.

7. The comb of claim 1, wherein the spacing between needles is about 5 &mgr;m to about 100 &mgr;m.

8. The comb of claim 2, wherein each needle includes a plurality of grooves with a spacing of about 3 mm to about 5 mm from each other, each groove being provided only in the periphery of the needle that forms part of the at least one combing side, whereby the groove does not extend into the spacing between the needles.

9. The comb of claim 8, wherein the plurality of grooves provide each needle with an extra resiliency to enhance the flexibility of the needles when combing the hair.

10. The comb of claim 2, wherein each needle has a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 1 mm to about 1.5 mm.

11. The comb of claim 1, wherein the comb is made of metal.

12. The comb of claim 1, wherein the leading edge is a slightly curved edge.

13. The comb of claim 1, wherein the matter collector means is provided in the two opposite combing sides, the matter collector means comprising at least one channel extending in each combing side without extending into the spacing between needles.

14. The comb of claim 13, wherein the channel in each combing side is defined by a recess in each needle, the recess being provided only in the periphery of the needle that forms part of the combing side, whereby the recess of each needle does not extend into the spacing between the needles.

15. The comb of claim 14, wherein each needle includes a plurality of grooves with a spacing of about 3 mm to about 5 mm from each other, each groove being provided only in the periphery of the needle that forms part of the at least one combing side, whereby the groove does not extend into the spacing between the needles.

16. The comb of claim 16, wherein the plurality of grooves provide each needle with an extra resiliency to enhance the flexibility of the needles when combing the hair.

17. The comb of claim 8, wherein the grooves and the channel are about {fraction (1/10)} to about {fraction (9/10)} mm. deep.

18. The comb of claim 15, wherein the grooves and the channel are about {fraction (1/10)} to about {fraction (9/10)} mm. deep.

19. The comb of claim 14, wherein each needle has a circular cross section defining a needle diameter and the channel has a deepness of about 20% to 25% of the needle diameter.

20. The comb of claim 14, wherein the channel has a width of about 3 mm to 8 mm and a U shape cross section with right angles being defined between a bottom and walls of the channel, wherein the bottom and walls of the channel are flat.