Abstract:
A device for removing hair clippings is disclosed. The device comprises a suction member having an opening, a top side and a bottom side, a hose attachment member connected to the suction member, and a fastening member adapted for affixing onto a hair clipper, with the fastening member being attached to the bottom side of the suction member. This device is particularly useful for removing the hair clippings from shaved surgical patients in a manner that prevents the hair clippings from falling into the patient&#39;s surroundings and thus prevent contamination.

Description:
This application claims priority from provisional application No. 61/033,791 filed on Mar. 5, 2008. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a hair clipper vacuum device for removing shaved or clipped hair. More specifically, the present invention is a disposable hair clipper vacuum device attached to a surgical hair clipper. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Surgical patients are often shaved prior to invasive or surgical procedures around the areas of incision to remove hair that might harbor germs and thus serve as a source of contamination. The patients are commonly shaved in their hospital rooms, preoperative area or in the surgical suite. Loose hair clippings that remain on the patient, fall onto the sheets, covers and bed surroundings must be picked up and removed. At present, the most common protocol for picking up the loose hair clippings is to press an adhesive backed material, usually a tape, against the areas where the clipped hair remains. This method, however, is unsanitary, inefficient and misses many hair clippings, which is potentially harmful to the patient. Furthermore, adhesive tapes are not typically kept under sterile conditions which increase the risk of spreading infectious contaminants not only through the surgical suite but possibly throughout the medical facility. 
     Several prior art patents disclose vacuum devices attached to hair grooming clippers and shavers typically used in barber shops. Among these are U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,571,478, 5,924,202, 5,881,462, and 3,348,308. The vacuum attachments of the prior art do not however fit most surgical clipper designs and are furthermore not designed to be disposable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a device comprises a suction member having an opening and a bottom side; a hose attachment connected to the suction member; and a fastening member adapted for affixing onto a hair clipper, the fastening member being attached to the bottom side of the suction member. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a system for removing clipped hair from surgical patients comprises the device of the present invention; a hose having a first end and a second end, with the first end of the hose being connected to the hose attachment of the device; and a vacuum source comprising a hose attachment, with the hose attachment of the vacuum source being connected to the second end of the hose. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a top elevation view of the device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a top and side perspective view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1C  is a bottom elevation view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1D  is a front and side perspective view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1E  is a front and top perspective view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1F  is a side elevation view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2A  is a side elevation view of the device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is a bottom and back perspective view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 2C  is a front elevation view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 2D  is a top elevation view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 2E  is a bottom and front perspective view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 2F  is a top and side perspective view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 3A  is a front elevation view of the device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3B  is a top elevation view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 3C  is a top and side perspective view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 3D  is a bottom and back perspective view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 3E  is a side elevation view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 4A  is a side view of the system for removing hair containing the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 4B  is a top view of the system for removing hair containing the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 4C  is a top and side view of the system for removing hair containing the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 4D  is a top view of the system for removing hair containing the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 4E  is a bottom view of the system for removing hair containing the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 5A  is a front view of the system for removing hair containing the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 5B  is a side view of the system for removing hair containing the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 5C  is a top and rear perspective view of the system for removing hair containing the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 6A  is a side view of the system for removing hair containing the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 6B  is a front view of the system for removing hair containing the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 6C  is a bottom and rear perspective view of the system for removing hair containing the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 6D  is a bottom view of the system for removing hair containing the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device attached to a hair clipper designed to remove hair clippings. The hair clipper may is particularly useful for removing the hair clippings of patients that undergo surgical procedures in an efficient and sanitary fashion. It may also be used in barber shops, animal grooming shops, and other applications in which hair is trimmed and needs to be cleaned. The embodiments of the device are designed to attach to all of the common surgical clippers currently on the market. 
     The device of the present invention comprises a suction member connected to a suction source such as a vacuum pump using a hose attachment and a hose. The hose may be flexible and extendable. The suction member may have an opening that is positioned in close proximity to the razor segment of the hair clipper. Hair removed by the razor is thus quickly drawn away by the suction action of the vacuum source. A fastening member may be attached to the bottom of the suction member and used for affixing the device onto the hair clipper. The design of the fastening member depends on the design of the hair clipper. There are at present time three manufacturers that market surgical hair clippers: MediClip®, the CardinalHealth®, and 3M™. The embodiments of the device of the present invention are designed to fit all the models of these manufacturers currently on the market. The 3M™ model has a razor segment attached to a swiveling ball which is in turn is attached to the hand held piece. The fastening member of the device adapted for attaching to the 3M™ surgical clipper may contain two flexible arms to attach to the 3M™ surgical clipper swiveling ball. The MediClip® and the CardinalHealth® designs may contain a razor segment attached to a neck portion which in turn is connected to a hand held piece. The fastening member of the device adapted for attaching to the MediClip® and the CardinalHealth® surgical clippers may contain a razor segment attaching member and a neck attaching member. 
     The opening of the suction member may be configured to have a lower lip, two sides and an upper lip. The lower lip may be substantially linear, whereas the upper lip may be substantially curved. 
     The system for removing hair clippings from surgical patients includes the device of the present invention, a flexible and extendable hose attached to the device at one end, and a vacuum source, such as a vacuum pump, attached to the hose at its other end. An adaptor for attaching the hose to the device and an adaptor for attaching the hose to the vacuum pump may be used. A filter to collect the hair clippings may be placed inside the vacuum pump or in the vacuum line. When the vacuum pump is activated, shaving the patient may proceed. The hair clippings are drawn into the vacuum and removed so to prevent the possibility of contamination. The device, the hose, and the hair clipper may be disposable. The vacuum device may be reused. 
       FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C,  1 D,  1 E, and  1 F show an embodiment of the device of the present invention configured to fit the 3M™ surgical clipper showing the opening of the suction member  11 , the suction member bottom side  12 , the suction member top side  14 , the hose attachment of the device  15 , the first arm of the swiveling ball attaching member  16 , the second arm of the swiveling ball attaching member  10 , the suction member, the lower lip of the device opening  13 , the first side of the device opening  17 , the second side of the device opening  18 , and the upper lip of the device opening  19 . 
       FIGS. 2A ,  2 B,  2 C,  2 D,  2 E, and  2 F show an embodiment of the device of the present invention configured to fit the CardinalHealth® surgical clippers showing the opening of the suction member  21 , the suction member bottom side  22 , the suction member top side  24 , the hose attachment of the device  25 , the back side of the razor segment attaching member  26 , the front side of the razor segment attaching member  27 , the first flexible arm of the neck attaching member  20 , the second flexible arm of the neck attaching member  28 , the lower lip of the device opening  23 , the first side of the device opening  29 , the second side of the device opening  30 , and the upper lip of the device opening  31 . 
       FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  3 C,  3 D, and  3 E show an embodiment of the device of the present invention configured to fit the MediClip® surgical clippers showing the opening of the suction member  41 , the suction member bottom side  42 , the suction member top side  44 , the hose attachment of the device  45 , the back side of the razor segment attaching member  46 , the front side of the razor attaching member  47 , the first flexible arm of the neck attaching member  40 , the second flexible arm of the neck attaching member  48 , the lower lip of the device opening  43 , the first side of the device opening  49 , the second side of the device opening  50 , and the upper lip of the device opening  51 . 
       FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  4 C,  4 D and  4 E show the system for removing hair containing an embodiment of the device of the present invention configured to fit the CardinalHealth® surgical clippers showing the razor segment attaching member  68 , the suction member  64 , the neck attaching member  67 , the hair clipper hand held piece  61 , the razor segment  65 , an on/off button  62 , the hose  63  attached to the suction member  64 , the hair clipper neck portion  66 , the vacuum source  69 , the filter  160 , the hose attachment tip  162 , the adaptor  164  between the suction member  64  and the hose  63 , and the adaptor  60  between the vacuum source  69  and hose  63 . 
       FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C show the system for removing hair containing an embodiment of the device of the present invention configured to fit the MediClip® surgical clippers showing the razor segment attaching member  78 , the suction member  74 , the neck attaching member  77 , the hair clipper hand held piece  71 , the razor segment  75 , an on/off button  72 , the hose  73  attached to the suction member  74 , the hair clipper neck portion  76 , the vacuum source  79 , the filter  170 , the hose attachment tip  172 , the adaptor  174  between the suction member  74  and the hose  73 , and the adaptor  70  between the vacuum source  79  and hose  73 . 
       FIGS. 6A ,  6 B,  6 C and  6 D show the system for removing hair containing an embodiment of the device of the present invention configured to fit the 3M™ surgical clippers showing the swiveling ball attaching members  86 ,  87 , the suction member  84 , the hair clipper hand held piece  81 , the razor segment  85  an on/off button  82 , the hose  83  attached to the suction member  84 , the vacuum source  89 , the filter  180 , the hose attachment tip  182 , the adaptor  184  between the suction member  84  and the hose  83 , and the adaptor  80  between the vacuum source  89  and hose  83 .