US2012285395A1PendingUtilityA1

Vacuum grooming tool

57
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: May 17, 2001Filed: Jul 25, 2012Published: Nov 15, 2012
Est. expiryMay 17, 2021(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:James E. Freidell
A01K 13/001A01K 13/00A01K 13/002A47L 9/0606A47L 9/06
57
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

A vacuum 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 standard animal grooming hand tools, such as a shedding blade, rake or de-matting tool, 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

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An apparatus comprising:
 (a) a vacuum nozzle having a hollow body terminating in a mouth opening and attachable to a vacuum source; and   (b) a grooming blade spanning the mouth opening, the grooming blade having a plurality of teeth, the teeth having sides on which are formed sharp edges, the grooming blade having two sides and positioned with respect 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.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the grooming blade comprises stainless steel and the sharp edges are a result of a metal stamping process. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the sharp edges comprise burrs. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the grooming blade comprises plastic. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sharp edges comprise burrs. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the burrs are formed by a manufacturing process. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the grooming blade comprises steel and the burrs are a result of a metal stamping process. 
     
     
         8 . 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. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the angle of engagement of the grooming blade can be varied. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 (a) a vacuum nozzle having a hollow body terminating in a mouth opening and attachable to a vacuum source; and   (b) a grooming blade spanning the mouth opening, the grooming blade having formed thereon sharp edges, the grooming blade having two sides and positioned with respect 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.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the grooming blade comprises stainless steel and the sharp edges are a result of a metal stamping process. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the sharp edges comprise burrs. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the grooming blade comprises plastic. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the sharp edges comprise burrs. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the burrs are formed by a manufacturing process. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the grooming blade comprises steel and the burrs are a result of a metal stamping process. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the grooming blade is one of a plurality of grooming blades, which are aligned in a substantially parallel manner. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the angle of engagement of the grooming blade can be varied. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising:
 (a) a vacuum nozzle having a hollow body terminating in a mouth opening and attachable to a vacuum source; and   (b) a grooming blade spanning the mouth opening, the grooming blade having a plurality of peaks, the peaks having sides on which are formed sharp edges, the grooming blade having two sides and positioned with respect 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.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the grooming blade comprises stainless steel and the sharp edges are a result of a metal stamping process. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the sharp edges comprise burrs. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the grooming blade comprises plastic. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the sharp edges comprise burrs. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the burrs are formed by a manufacturing process. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the grooming blade comprises steel and the burrs are a result of a metal stamping process. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the grooming blade is one of a plurality of grooming blades, which are aligned in a substantially parallel manner. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the angle of engagement of the grooming blade can be varied. 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus comprising:
 (a) a vacuum nozzle having a hollow body terminating in a mouth opening and attachable to a vacuum source; and   (b) a grooming blade spanning the mouth opening, the grooming blade having a plurality of teeth, the teeth having sides on which are formed sharp edges, such as burrs, the grooming blade having two sides and positioned with respect 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.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the sharp edges are formed by a manufacturing process. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the manufacturing process is a metal stamping process. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the grooming blade comprises steel and the sharp edges are a result of a metal stamping process. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the grooming blade is one of a plurality of grooming blades, which are aligned in a substantially parallel manner. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the angle of engagement of the grooming blade can be varied. 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus comprising:
 a handle;   one or more grooming blades having a plurality of teeth, the teeth having sides on which are formed sharp edges; and   one or more fasteners positioned to secure the handle to the one or more grooming blades in a manner allowing the angle formed between the handle and the one or more grooming blades can be set to one of a plurality of orientations.   
     
     
         35 . An apparatus comprising:
 (a) a vacuum nozzle having a hollow body terminating in a mouth opening and attachable to a vacuum source; and   (b) an animal grooming device spanning the mouth opening, the animal grooming device having two sides and positioned with respect to the mouth opening to allow airflow created by the vacuum source to flow over at least one of the two sides of the animal grooming device.   
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the hollow body includes a wall surrounding the mouth opening, and the animal grooming device is attached to the wall. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the animal grooming device comprises a grooming blade having a serrated edge. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the grooming blade comprises a shedding blade. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the animal grooming device comprises a comb with a plurality of teeth on the sides of each of which are formed at least one sharp edge. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the animal grooming device comprises an undercoat rake. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the animal grooming device comprises a de-matting tool with a plurality of teeth on the sides of each of which are formed at least one sharp edge. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , further comprising an additional blade, wherein the additional blade and the grooming blade are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , further comprising an additional comb, wherein the multiple combs are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 40 , further comprising an additional undercoat rake, wherein the multiple undercoat rakes are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , further comprising an additional grooming device, wherein the multiple grooming devices are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the vacuum source includes a vacuum port and a blower port, the vacuum port and the blower port being alternately attachable to the vacuum nozzle. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the vacuum nozzle defines a vent on the hollow body for reducing suction at the mouth opening. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , further comprising a valve positioned to regulate airflow through the vent.

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