Toothed pet grooming tool with fur ejecting mechanism

Abstract

A pet grooming tool is provided with a fur ejector portion that is at least partially movable relative to the teeth of the pet grooming tool and can be manually moved into engagement with fur that is wedged or lodged between the teeth. The engagement of the fur ejector portion with the fur forces the fur from the gaps between the teeth. Preferably, the fur ejector portion can be manually moved by the same hand a person uses to support and hold the grooming tool.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pet grooming tool comprising:
 (a) a toothed portion comprising a main body with a forward face and an opposite rear face; the toothed portion having a back surface and an opposite front surface, the toothed portion comprising a plurality of teeth and a plurality of edge segments; the plurality of teeth and edge segments extending from the main body and arranged in a row, there being a gap between each adjacent pair of the teeth, the edge segments alternating with the teeth and bridging the gaps between the teeth, the edge segments being configured and adapted to engage loose fur in a pet's coat as such loose fur extends through the gaps to remove loose fur from the pet's coat;   (b) a handle portion sized and configured to be held in a human hand; the handle portion being elongate about a longitudinal axis; the handle portion being a rigid material and comprising a bearing surface at a longitudinal end; the main body of the toothed portion being contained in a plane angled at a non-zero angle relative to the longitudinal axis;   (c) a fur ejector portion comprising a fur guard; the fur guard being against the bearing surface of the handle portion;   (d) a movable actuation button positioned to be engageable with a human thumb when a remaining part of the human hand is holding the handle portion; and   (e) a biasing portion positioned to bias against movement of the actuation button; wherein a pressing force on the actuation button causes movement between the fur ejector portion and the toothed portion to force fur from the gaps between the teeth.   
     
     
         2 . A pet grooming tool in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the row of the teeth is straight and the plurality of edge segments lie within a common plane. 
     
     
         3 . A pet grooming tool in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the fur guard and the main body of the toothed portion have through holes receiving fastening screws therethrough. 
     
     
         4 . A pet grooming tool in accordance with  claim 1  wherein each of at least a plurality of the edge segments of the toothed portion comprises a leading surface portion and a trailing surface portion, and the trailing surface portion and the leading surface portion of each of the plurality of the edge segments forms an acute included angle. 
     
     
         5 . A pet grooming tool in accordance with  claim 4  wherein the trailing surface portion and the leading surface portion of each of the plurality of the edge segments form an acute included angle. 
     
     
         6 . A pet grooming tool in accordance with  claim 4  wherein the leading surface portions of the plurality of the edge segments are generally coplanar. 
     
     
         7 . A pet grooming tool in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the biasing portion comprises a coil-spring. 
     
     
         8 . A pet grooming tool in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising a trim cap secured against the forward face of the main body, such that the main body is between the trim cap and the fur ejector portion. 
     
     
         9 . A pet grooming tool comprising:
 (a) a toothed portion comprising a main body with a forward face and an opposite rear face; the toothed portion having a back surface and an opposite front surface, the toothed portion comprising a plurality of teeth and a plurality of edge segments; the plurality of teeth and edge segments extending from the main body and arranged in a row, there being a gap between each adjacent pair of the teeth, the edge segments alternating with the teeth and bridging the gaps between the teeth, the edge segments being configured and adapted to engage loose fur in a pet's coat as such loose fur extends through the gaps in a manner removing the loose fur from the pet's coat;   (b) a handle portion sized and configured to be held in a human hand; the handle portion being elongate about a longitudinal axis; the handle portion being a rigid material; the main body of the toothed portion being contained in a plane angled at a non-zero angle relative to the longitudinal axis;   (c) a fur ejector portion comprising a movable actuation button positioned to be engageable with a human thumb when a remaining part of the human hand is holding the handle portion; a pressing force on the actuation button causing fur to be forced from the gaps between the teeth; and   (d) a biasing portion positioned to bias against movement of the actuation button.   
     
     
         10 . A pet grooming tool in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the row of the teeth is straight and the plurality of edge segments lie within a common plane. 
     
     
         11 . A pet grooming tool in accordance with  claim 9  wherein each of at least a plurality of the edge segments of the toothed portion comprises a leading surface portion and a trailing surface portion, and the trailing surface portion and the leading surface portion of each of the plurality of the edge segments forms an acute included angle. 
     
     
         12 . A pet grooming tool in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the leading surface portions of the plurality of the edge segments are generally coplanar. 
     
     
         13 . A pet grooming tool in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the biasing portion comprises a coil-spring.