Adjustable Comb

Abstract

An adjustable comb including at least two comb portions is disclosed herein. The two comb portions each include a plurality of teeth, and one of the comb portions can be connected to the other in at least two positions in order to vary the alignment of the teeth of the comb portions. Thus, characteristics of the adjustable comb, such as the fineness of the teeth, can be adjusted by varying the position of one of the comb portions relative to the other of the comb portions.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/239,208 filed Sep. 2, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

A typical known comb includes a single, static body defining a handle and a plurality of teeth projecting from the handle. The teeth may be rigid and formed integrally with the handle. Since the comb and its teeth are typically rigid, each comb thus has a predetermined fineness, or spacing between its teeth. A person may own several combs in order to have access to combs having different finenesses.

SUMMARY

An adjustable comb as described herein can be adjusted to vary its characteristics, such as the fineness of its teeth and a layering effect provided by its teeth. As a result, one adjustable comb can be a substitute for two or more known combs. An example of an adjustable comb includes a first comb portion having a first body and a plurality of first teeth projecting from the first body in a common direction, as well as a second comb portion having a second body and a plurality of second teeth projecting from the second body in the common direction. The second comb is selectively connectable to the first comb in a first position and in a second position spaced from the first position, and the first and second teeth are aligned when the comb is in the first position and are not aligned when the second comb is in the second position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first example of an adjustable comb including three comb portions;

FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-section of the adjustable comb of FIG. 1 taken along line B-B;

FIG. 3 is a simplified cross-section of the adjustable comb of FIG. 1 taken along line A-A with the one of the comb portions in a different position from shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of another example of an adjustable comb including just two comb portions;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of another example of an adjustable comb;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of yet another example of an adjustable comb;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the adjustable comb of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-section view along long A-A shown in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An example of an adjustable comb 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The comb 10 includes three comb portions 12, 14 and 16, although in other examples only two comb portions (e.g., portions 12 and 14) or more than three portions can be included. Comb portions 12, 14 and 16 can be connected to one another in different positions as is explained below in greater detail to form the comb 10.

Comb portion 12 includes a body 12a and a plurality of teeth 12b, which can be integrally formed with the body 12a by, as an example, forming the comb portion from molded plastic. The body 12a can define a handle 12c that is shaped and sized to be held by the hand of a typical user. The body 12a can additionally include a flared portion 12d, and the plurality of teeth 12b can project from the flared portion 12d. The teeth 12b can be parallel with one another and can extend in a common direction, and the spacing between the teeth 12b can be constant. A face 12e of the body 12a can include a pair of protuberances 12f that project generally orthogonally from the face 12e. Each protuberance 12f can include small diameter portion 12g adjacent the face 12e and a bulbous distal end 12h.

Comb portion 16 can be identical to comb portion 12. For example, comb portion 16 can include a body 16a and a plurality of teeth integrally formed with and extending from the body 16a. The body 16a can define a handle 16c shaped and sized to be held by the hand of a typical user, and the handle 16c can have the same shape and size as handle 16c. Comb portion 16 can also include a flared portion 16d, and the teeth 16b can extend in a common direction from flared portion 16d. The comb portion 16 can include a face 16e and protuberances 16f extending from the face 16e and including small diameter portions 16g and bulbous distal ends 16h. However, it is also contemplated that the comb portions 12 and 16 may have a different structure. For example, the teeth 16b of comb portion 16 can be spaced differently than the teeth 12a of comb portion 12, or teeth 16b can have a different length than teeth 12a.

Comb portion 14 can include a body 14a and a plurality of teeth 14b. The body 14a can include a handle 14c, which can have the same shape as handles 12c and 16c. The body 14a can include a flared portion 14d, and the teeth 14b can extend in a common direction from the flared portion 14d. The spacing between the teeth 14b can be different from or the same as the spacing between teeth 12b and/or 16b. Alternatively, the comb portion 14 need not include teeth 14b. The body 14a can define a pair of opposing facing surfaces 14e and 14f. Each face 14e and 14f can define a track 14g.

Each track 14g can receive the protuberances 12f or 16f of one of the comb portions 12 and 16 and allow for positioning that comb portion 12 or 16 at multiple positions relative to the comb portion 14. The track 14g can be recessed into its face 14e or 14f by at least a dept sufficient to receive the protuberances 12f and 16f. The track 14g can have a plurality of branches 14h. The track 14g can include two or more expanded portions 14i that have a radius large enough to accept the bulbous distal ends 12h and 16 of the protuberances 12f and 16f A width of the track 14g adjacent the face 14e or 14f can be wider than the small diameter portions 12g and 16g of each protuberance 12f and 16f, but narrower than the bulbous distal ends 12h and 16h of the protuberances 12f and 16f. The width of the track 14g can be wider below the faces 14e and 14f such that when the bulbous ends 12h and 16h are inserted into the expanded portions 14i of the track 14g, the comb portions 12 and 16 can be moved such that the protuberances 12f and 16f move can along the track 14g and such that the comb portions 12 and 16 are held close to the comb portion 14 as a result of the bulbous ends 12h and 16h being wider than the track 14g. The bulbous ends 12h and 16h can thus prevent movement of the comb portions 12 and 16 in directions orthogonal to the faces 14e and 14f once the protuberances 12f and 16f are moved in the track 14g from the expended portions 14i. The track 14g can additionally include detents 14j near ends of each branch 14h. The detents 14j can reduce the width of the track 14g to an amount slightly less than the diameter of the small diameter portions 12g and 16g of the protuberances 12f and 16f. Thus, the detents 14j can provide a “snap-fit” to maintain the protuberances 12f and 16f near the ends of the branches 14h once the protuberances 12f and 16f are urged past the detents 14j.

In operation, a user can connect each of the comb portions 12 and 16 to the comb portion 14 by inserting the protuberances 12f and 16f into the expanded portions 14i of the track 14g and then moving the comb portions 12 and 16 such that the protuberances 12f and 16f are snap-fit past the detents 14j and held in position at the ends of branches 14h. The user can select which branches 14h to engage the protuberances 12f and 16f with. Depending on which branches 14h the user selects, the teeth 12b, 14b and 16b can be aligned with one another—either in the X or Y direction shown in FIG. 1—or out of alignment. Additionally, the alignment of the teeth 12b, 14b and 16b can change the properties of the comb 10. For example, the comb 10 can be finer if the teeth 12b, 14b and 16b are misaligned in the X direction than if the teeth 12b, 14b and 16b are aligned in the X direction. As another example, the comb 10 can provide different “layers” of teeth if the comb portions 12, 14 and 16 are not all aligned in the Y direction. The user thus adjusts the comb portions 12 and 16 relative to the comb portion 14 using engagement between the protuberances 12f and 16f and track 14g in order to select the desired characteristics of the comb 10.

FIG. 2 shows an example in which comb portion 12 is positioned out of alignment along the X direction with comb portions 14 and 16 and comb portion 16 is positioned out of alignment along the Y direction with comb portions 12 and 14. FIG. 3 shows an example in which both comb portions 12 and 16 are positions out of alignment in the Y direction with the comb portion 14. In other examples, the protuberances and tracks can have different configurations, or different types of connections between the comb portions can be used.

FIG. 4 shows another example including only two comb portions 12′ and 14′ that can be connected to one another in different positions. This example can utilize the same protuberance and track configuration as the example shown in FIG. 1, although different connectors can alternatively be used.

FIG. 5 shows another example of an adjustable comb 100. Here, a receiving body 110 defines pair of slots 112 and 114, each including a track 116. Comb portions 118 and 120 each have teeth 122 and a body 124 that includes protuberances 126 for engagement with one of the tracks 116. While the protuberances 126 and tracks 116 are not shown in great detail, they can have the same configuration of the protuberances 12f and 16f and the tracks 14g, for example. Thus, the receiving body 110 can receive the comb portions 118 and 120, which can be selectively positioned relative to the receiving body in order to vary the X and/or Y direction alignment of the teeth 122 of the two comb portions 118 and 120. Further, a third comb portion 128 can also include teeth 122, a body 124 and protuberances 126 and can be engaged with one of the tracks 116 accessible via the outside of the body 110 to engage the third comb portion 128 with the receiving body 110 in multiple positions.

As yet another example of an adjustable comb 200 shown in FIG. 6, the comb 200 can include comb portions 202, 204 and 206. Two or more of the comb portions 202, 204 and 206 can include teeth 208, and at least one of the comb portions 202, 204 and 206 can include a handle 210. The comb portion 204 can include a plurality of protuberances 212, and the comb portions 202 and 206 can each include elongated slots 216. The slots 216 can slidably receive the protuberances 212 in at least two positions and can include detents or other structures to receive the protuberances 212 in a snap-fit fashion in each of the positions. Thus, the comb portions 202 and 206 can be slidably connected to the comb portion 204, and the positions of the comb portions 202 and 206 can be varied relative to the comb portion 204. As a result, the fineness of the teeth 208 in the aggregate can be varied be aligning or misaligning the teeth 208 of the comb portions 202 and 206. Also, the comb portions 202 and 208 can include apertures 218 sized to receive one of the protuberances 212′ for a rotatable connection between the comb portions 202, 204 and 206 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Using the rotatable connection, a user can alter the layering effect of the teeth 208 of the portions 202 and 206.

The above-described examples have been described in order to allow easy understanding of the adjustable comb and do not limit the adjustable comb. On the contrary, the attached claim is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structure as is permitted under the law.

Claims

1. An adjustable comb comprising:

a first comb portion including a first body and a plurality of first teeth projecting from the first body in a common direction; and

a second comb portion including a second body and a plurality of second teeth projecting from the second body in the common direction,

wherein the second comb is selectively connectable to the first comb in a first position and in a second position spaced from the first position, and

wherein the plurality of first teeth and the plurality of second teeth are aligned when the comb is in the first position and are not aligned when the second comb is in the second position.

2. The adjustable comb of claim 1, comprising:

a third comb portion including a third body and a plurality of third teeth;

wherein the third comb is selectively connectable to one of the first comb and the second comb; and

wherein the plurality of third teeth are aligned with at least one of the plurality of first teeth or the plurality of second teeth when the comb is in the first position, and are not aligned when the second comb is in the second position.

3. The adjustable comb of claim 1, wherein at least some of plurality of first teeth are spaced apart by a first distance and at least some of the plurality of second teeth are spaced part by a second distance; wherein the first distance is different than the second distance.

4. The adjustable comb of claim 1, wherein the first body of the first comb and the second body of the second comb are in flush engagement when the second comb is selectively connected to the first comb in at least one of the first position or the second position.

5. The adjustable comb of claim 1, wherein the first body of the first comb has a track and the second body of the second comb has a protuberance sized and configured to extend into the track when the second comb is connected to the first comb the first position and the second position.

6. The adjustable comb of claim 5, wherein the track has at least one branch, the branch having a detent to retain the proturbeence in a location within the track corresponding to at least one of the first position or second position.