Vacuum grooming tool cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaning tool for removing animal hair from nearly any hand-held grooming tool is disclosed. A vacuum grooming tool is also disclosed. A vacuum plenum of the cleaning tool is attachable to a vacuum source and has an opening for cleaning a grooming tool in one pass. The cleaning tool can be mounted on a stationary support and may also include a pivot-action mechanism that connects the cleaning tool to the vacuum source during its engagement by a hand-held grooming tool being cleaned. This pivot-action mechanism can switch the vacuum off to a connected vacuum grooming tool and on to the cleaning tool, such that the airflow through the cleaning tool does not have to compete with any vacuum or airflow through the vacuum grooming tool during its cleaning.

1 . A vacuum cleaning tool, comprising a grooming tool cleaning head having a nozzle attachable to a vacuum source, the nozzle having an opening positionable in proximity to a surface of a grooming device such that animal hair attached to the surface of the grooming device can be removed from the surface of the grooming device by negative airflow generated by the vacuum source, the grooming tool cleaning head being mounted on a stationary support, whereby animal hair attached to the surface of the grooming device can be removed from the surface of the grooming device without requiring an operator of the vacuum cleaning tool and the grooming device to hold the vacuum cleaning tool by hand, wherein the opening is at least as large as one dimension of the surface of the grooming device, whereby the surface of the grooming device can be cleaned in a single pass of the surface of the grooming device across the opening of the nozzle of the grooming tool cleaning head. 
     
     
         2 . The cleaning tool of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head is pivotally mounted on the stationary support. 
     
     
         3 . A grooming tool cleaner, comprising a grooming tool cleaning head having a nozzle attachable to a vacuum source, the nozzle having an opening, which when proximate to a surface of a grooming device, removes animal hair attached to the surface of the grooming device by negative airflow generated by the vacuum source as the grooming device is wiped across, the grooming tool cleaning head being mounted on a stationary support, whereby an operator of the grooming device has the ability to engage the vacuum cleaning tool to clean the grooming device without releasing an animal being groomed. 
     
     
         4 . The grooming tool cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein the cleaning head is pivotally mounted on the stationary support. 
     
     
         5 . A grooming tool cleaner, comprising a grooming tool cleaning head having a nozzle attachable to a vacuum source, the nozzle having an opening configured to interface with a slicker brush, the opening when engaged with the slicker brush removes animal hair attached to the slicker brush with negative airflow generated by the vacuum source as the slicker brush is wiped across the opening, the grooming tool cleaning head being mounted on a stationary support, thereby allowing a groomer to engage the slicker brush with the opening to clean the slicker brush without releasing an animal being groomed. 
     
     
         6 . The grooming tool cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the cleaning head is pivotally mounted on the stationary support. 
     
     
         7 . A grooming tool cleaner comprising a grooming tool cleaning head having a first nozzle attachable to a vacuum source, the first nozzle having an opening with respect to which a pressure differential is induced between the vacuum source and the opening, the opening being compatible with a shape of an operative portion of a grooming tool so as to increase the pressure differential's affect upon the operative portion of the grooming tool and when the operative portion of the grooming tool is engaged with the opening the pressure differential removes animal hair attached to the operative portion of the grooming tool. 
     
     
         8 . The grooming tool cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein the cleaning head is pivotally mounted on the stationary support.