Title of Invention

"COMB"

Abstract A comb (100) includes a spine (4) and, extending from the spine in adjacent, substantially parallel planes, a first outer row of teeth (31), a central row of teeth (33) and a second outer row of teeth (32) opposed to the first outer row of teeth. The teeth (10) of the first and second outer rows of teeth and of the central row of teeth are substantially a same length. Spacing of the teeth of the central row (33) is different from spacing of the teeth of the first and second outer rows (31, 32) with the spacing of the teeth being arranged for the removal of head lice and/or nits and/or head lice eggs and/or fleas from combed hair or fur.
Full Text Such a comb as disclosed in GB-539653-A has a number of disach antages for the
removal of head lice, nits and eggs and fleas. The presence of rows of teeth of different
lengdis means that the comb cannot effectively be ui>ed substantially perpendicular to the
scalp, which is the preferred orientation for the removal of head lice, nits, eggs and fleas.
Moreover, the tapering shape of the teeth means that there is a tapering space between the
teeth, so that a uniform barrier is not presented to fee head lice, nits and eggs and fleas.
Thus, objects of a given size may be trapped in a narrow portion of the tapering space but
pass through a wider portion of the tapering space between teeth. The restriction of the
spacing of one row of teem being an integer multiple of the spacing of the second row of
teeth also means that the spacing may not be optimised for the entrapment of large lice and
fleas and also smaller lice, nits and eggs and fleas.
There is also known from GB 2342291 a hair comb with a handle and two rows
of teeth, the teeth of the first row of teem being of substantially the same length as the teeth
of the second row of teeth, wherein the spacing of the teeth is arranged for the removal
of head lice and/or nits and/or head lice eggs from combed hair. The handle has an
advantage of permitting the comb to be more firmly grasped than a handle-less comb.
Although this comb is useful in removing head lice, nits and head lice eggs it has a
disadvantage that it is preferably only passed through the hair in one direction, with the more
widely spaced row of teeth leading. Unlike some known tut combs without an extending
handle, the comb cannot be readily reversed and still grasped by the handle. This is not
particularly disadvantage when, for example, a parent is combing a child's hair, but for a
user combing their own hair both a left-handed comb and a right-handed comb are ideally
required. Similarly, when combing a pet's or other animal's hair it would be preferable to be
able to use a same comb in either direction.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a comb suitable for the removal of head lice, nits and head lice eggs or fleas which at least partially overcomes at least some of the above problems in the prior art
According to this invention, there is provided a comb including a spine and, extending from the spine in adjacent, substantially parallel planes, a first outer row of teeth, a central row of teem and a second outer row of teeth opposed to me first outer row of teeth, the teeth of the first and second outer rows of teeth and of the central row of teem being of substantially a same length, wherein the spacing of the teeth of the central row is different from the spacing of the teeth of the first and second outer rows and the spacing of the teeth is arranged for the removal of head lice and/or nits and;or head lice eggs and/or fleas from combed hair or fur. such that the comb may be used in a left or right hand.
Conveniently, the teeth of the central row of teeth are more closely spaced than the teeth of at least the first cuter row of teeth.
Preferably, die teeth in at least one of the rows of teeth have a substantially circular cross section.
Advantageously, the teeth in at least one of lie rows of teeth, have rounded tips remote from the spine.
Preferably, fee teeth in at least one of the rows of teeth are of metaL
Preferably, the rows of teeth extend in a direction substantially orthogonal to a major axis of the spine.
Conveniently, the central row of teeth has at least 20% more teeth per unit length than at leastthe first outer row of teeth.
Advantageously, the teeth of at least hie first outer row are spaced at 8 to 10 teeth per centimetre and the teem of the central row are spaced at 10 to 12 teem per centimetre.
Conveniently, the teeth of at least the first outer row are spaced at 10 teeth per centimetre and the teeth of the central row are spaced at 12 teeth per centimetre.
Advantageously, the spacing between the teeth of the first outer row is approximately 0.36 mm and the spacing between the teem of the central row is 0.15 mm to 020 nun.
Preferably, the diameter of each tooth is approximately 0.65 mm to 0.75 mm.
Advantageously, terminal teem at ends of at least one of the rows have a larger diameter man other teeth in the at least one of the rows.
Conveniently, the terminal teeth have a diameter of 1.0 mm to 1.1 max
Alternatively, teeth of the central or inner row are more widely spaced than teeth in at least the first outer row.
Preferably, handle means is attached to the spine.
Advantageously, the handle means is integrally formed with the spine and provided with grip means for assisting a user to grip the handle means.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows a side view of a comb in accordance with this invention;
Figure 2 shows an enlarged side view of a portion of the comb of Figure 1:
Figures 3 and 5 show underside views of the teeth of the comb shown in Figures 1 and 2;
Figure 4 shows an enlarged portion of the underside view of Figure 3;
Figures 6 and 8 show underside views of the teeth of a second embodiment of a comb in accordance with the invention; and
Figure 7 shows an enlarged portion of the underside view of Figure 6.
In the figures like reference numerals denote like parts.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a comb 100 according to the invention has a handle 1 formed of an arcuate portion 2 for location in a palm of a hand of a user and a. finger grip portion 3, a right hand side (as shown in Figure 1) portion of the comb forms a spine 4 for securing three rows of teeth 10 in substantially parallel planes. The finger grip portion 3 includes three parallel spaced rows each of six raised stud portions 5 to assist grip on the handle 1 by the user.
Referring to Figures 3 to 5, die teeth 10 are arranged in three paraller rows in which neighbouring teeth are spaeed such that a first outer row 31 and second outer row 32 of teeth are more widely spaced than a central, or inner, row 33 of teeth. The teeth 10 have a substantially circular transverse cross-section and, as shown in Figure 2, ends of the teeth remote from the spine have rounded tips 13. The three rows of teeth 31,32 and 33 also have substantially a same length as one another in a direction extending orthogonally from the spine and are preferably made of metal. The central row of teeth 33 may have at least 20% more teeth per unit length than the outer rows of teeth 31, 32. For removing lice, nits and lice eggs> the outer rows of teeth 31, 32 may be spaced at 8-10 teeth per centimetre, preferably 10 teeth per centimetre, and the teeth of the inner row 33 may be spaced 10-12 teeth per centimetre, preferably 12 teeth per centimetre. Wider spacings may be used for removing fleas and other parasites larger than lice.
For lice, nits and lice egg removal the spacing between the teeth of the outer rows in a currently preferred embodiment is 036mm and the spacing between the teem of 4© inner row is preferably 0.15mm to 0.20mm.
For flea removal the spacing between the teeth of the outer rows in a currently preferred embodiment is 0.36mm and the spacing between the teeth of the inner row is
preferably 0.18mm to 0.20mm.

This invention relates to a comb and particularly to a comb for removing lice, nits and/or Ike eggs from human hair or for removing lice, nits and/or lice eggs or fieas from animal hair or fur.
Fine toothed hair combs are well known. However, known fine toothed combs, which may be used for smoothing and straightening hair to a desired extent, suffer from a disadvantage mat they cannot readily be passed through the hair, particularly if the hair is tangled. It is therefore also well known to provide a comb with a single row of teeth in two portions, a second portion having teeth which are more finely spaced than the first portion. Hair may Then be first coarsely combed with the portion having more coarsely spaced teelh and men more finely combed with the portion having more finely spaced teem.
Such an arrangement is not practical for a finely spaced teeth comb for the removal of lice, nits - i.e. empty egg shells, lice eggs, fleas and similar parasites because such a comb has preferably to be passed through the hair in contact with the human scalp or body of an animal along the whole length of the comb. Because of the curvature of the scalp or body, this restricts the length of a straight comb. Although, in principle, a nit comb of twice the normal length could be used first with one portion with more widely spaced teeth, and then with the another portion with more closely spaced teem, this is inconvenient, and there is no guarantee that the comb would be properly used by an inexperienced user. For example, such a user may seek to use the full length of the comb in each pass through the hair, and thereby not keep the whole length of the comb in contact with the scalp or body, and smaller parasites would also pass between the more widely spaced teeth.
A hair comb having two rows of teeth is known from GB-539653-A in which a first row of teeth in coarsely spaced and a second row of teeth is finely spaced so that the first row of teeth coarsely combs the hair before the relatively finely spaced teem comb the hair. The two rows of teeth of the disclosure are preferably fbrmed with a convex curvature to provide a smoothing action on the hair. Teeth of one of the rows are shorter than the teeth of the other row. This facilitates the use of the comb at an acute angle to the scalp. The teeth are tapering and a preferred spacing of a first row of teeth is an integer multiple of the spacing of the second row of teeth, so that teeth on the finely spaced row may be aligned with spaces between teeth of the more coarsely spaced row of teeth. It is asserted that with mis comb the hair can be coarsely combed with the coarsely spaced teeth and finely combed with the finely combed teem in one motion through the hair.
Also, in a current]}.' preferred embodiment, the diameter of each tooth, of both the inner and oirtsr rows of teeth is approximately 0.65mm - 0.75mm but in another embodiment, the outer rows of teeth, i.e. the more widely spaced rows, have a larger diameter than the inner TOW of teeth.
As best seen in Figures 3. 4 and 5, terminal teeth 34 at the ends of the rows are preferably of larger diameter than other teem in the rows. These larger diameter teeth tend to protect the smaller diameter teetii from physical damage in storage, transit and in use.
la use, fee hair comb may be moved in either direction of double-headed arrow-headed line A shown in Figure 5. Because more widely spaced teeth are in the outer rows the more widely spaced row of teetii move through the hair first performing a first coarse combing for larger head lice, nits and eggs, or, for example, fleas, with fie central row of teeth forming a more fine filtering of smaller head lice, nits and eggs or, for example, fleas. The wider spaced outer rows may also tend to untangle the hair or for to some extent before being combed by the finely spaced inner row.
In another embodiment of a comb 200 according to the invention, underside views of the teeth portion of which are shown in Figures 5 to 8, the central rows 63 of teem are more widely spaced than the outer rows 61, 62. Otherwise the second embodiment 200 is similar to the first embodiment 100, apart from the spacings and dimensions of the inner and outer rows of teeth being reversed.
Although embodiments have been described in which the two oute- jws have a same spacing of teeth and a same cross-sectional diameter, it will be understood that the outer rows may have different spacings and/or cross-sectional diameters from each other. Where a first outer row is more widely spaced man a second, opposed outer row, the comb may be used first wife the widely spaced outer row leading and subsequently with the less widely spaced outer row leading, tor example, as the hair or fur becomes less tangled.







We Claims :-
1. A comb including a spine aad, extending from the spine in adjacent,
substantially parallel planes, a first outer row of teeth, a central row of teeth and a second outer row of teeth opposed to the first outer row of teeth, the teeth of the first and second outer rows of teeth and of the central row of teeth being of substantially a same length, wherein the spacing of the teeth of the central row is different from the spacing of the teeth of the first and second outer rows and the spacing of the teeth is arranged for the removal of head lice and/or nits ancVor head lice eggs and/or fleas from combed hair or far, such that the comb may be used ina left or right hand.
2. A comb asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the teeth of the central row of teeth are more
closely spaced than the teeth of at least the first outer row of teem.
3. A cotnb as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the teem in at least one of the rows of teeth have a substantially circular cross section.
4. A comb as claimed in any preceding claims, wherein the teeth in at least one of the rows of teeth have rounded tips remote from the spine.
5. A comb as claimed many preceding claims, wherein the teem in at leastoneofthe rows of teem are of metal.
6. A comb as claimed in any preceding claims, wherein the rows of teem extend in a direction substantially orthogonal to a major axis of the spine.
7. A comb as claimed in any preceding claims, wherein the central row of teeth has at least 20% more teeth per unit length than at least the first outer row of teeth.
8. A comb as claimed in claim 7, wherein the teeth of at least the first outer row are spaced at 8 to 10 teeth per centimetre and the teeth of the central row are spaced at 10 to 12 teeth per centimetre.
9. A comb as claimed in claim 8, wherein the teeth of at least the first outer row are
spaced at 10 teeth per centimetre and the teeth of the central row are spaced at 12 teeth, per centimetre.
10. A comb as claimed in any preceding claims, wherem the spacing between the teeth cf the first outer row is aporoximately 0.36 mm and the sp ing between the teeth of the central row is 0.15 mm to 020 mm.
11. A comb as claimed in any preceding claims, wherein die diameter of each tooth is approximately 0.€5 mm to 0.75 mm.
12. A comb as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10. wherem terminal teeth at ends of at least one of the rows have a larger diameter than otiaer teeth in the at least one of the TOWS.
13. A comb as claimed in claim 12, wherein the terminal teeth have a diameter of 1.0 mm to 1.1 mm.
14. A comb as claimed in claim 1, wherem teeth ofthe central or inner row are more widely spaced than teeth in at least the first outer row.
15. A comb as claimed in any preceding claims, wherein handle means is attached to the spine.
16. A comb as claimed in claim 15, wherein the handle means is integrally formed with the spine and provided with grip means for assisting a user to grip the handle means.
17. A comb substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

http://ipindiaonline.gov.in/patentsearch/GrantedSearch/viewdoc.aspx?id=IAU+HC8vStcG6Ef3Ds5J6Q==&loc=+mN2fYxnTC4l0fUd8W4CAA==


Patent Number 278892
Indian Patent Application Number 1048/DELNP/2009
PG Journal Number 01/2017
Publication Date 06-Jan-2017
Grant Date 03-Jan-2017
Date of Filing 12-Feb-2009
Name of Patentee PABARI, ALPA, SHANITLAL
Applicant Address SPRING NEEVAS, 258, SPRINGFIELD ROAD CHEMSFORD, ESSEX CM2 6AR, GREAT BRITAIN
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 PABARI, ALPA, SHANITLAL SPRING NEEVAS, 258, SPRINGFIELD ROAD CHEMSFORD, ESSEX CM2 6AR, GREAT BRITAIN
2 PABARI, HITEN, SHANTILAL SPRING NEEVAS, 258, SPRINGFIELD ROAD CHEMSFORD, ESSEX CM2 6AR, GREAT BRITAIN
PCT International Classification Number A45D 24/30
PCT International Application Number PCT/GB2007/002508
PCT International Filing date 2007-07-05
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 06140493.5 2006-07-14 U.K.