Abstract:
A system for clipping and removing hair clippings from a clipped site is disclosed. The system includes a suction member having an integrated blade member, a hose member in communication with the suction member, and a vacuum source connected to the hose member. This device is particularly useful for use in clipping and removing the hair clippings from shaved surgical patients in a manner that prevents the hair clippings from falling into the patient&#39;s surroundings.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/040,548, filed 4 Mar. 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,561,303, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/395,703, filed 1 Mar. 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,225,512. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a hair clipper vacuum device and method for clipping and removing shaved or clipped hair. More specifically, the present invention is a disposable hair clipper vacuum device and integrally formed surgical hair clipper blade. 
     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 area 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. In addition, patients may be allergic or otherwise reactive to the adhesive used in tape. Thus, there is a need for a more efficient, sanitary and cost effective method for clipping and hair removal. 
     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. However, the prior art vacuum attachments have several shortcomings, namely, they do not fit most surgical clipper designs, are not integrally formed with clipper blades, and are furthermore not designed to be disposable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a device comprises a suction member having a hose attachment port, a suction port, and an integrated blade member. A hose attachment may be connected to the suction member at the hose attachment port. The blade member is preferably attached to a bottom side of the suction member. 
     The present invention is directed to a system and method for clipping and removing hair from a surgical area. A system according to the present invention includes a suction member and an integrally formed clipper blade member. The blade member may be integrally formed with a bottom surface of the suction member. The blade member is preferably further adapted to couplingly engage a selected clipper body during use. The suction member preferably includes a hose attachment port and a suction port. The system may further include a hose having a first end and a second end, with the first end of the hose being adapted for connection to the hose attachment port of the suction member; and a vacuum source, with the vacuum source being connected to the second end of the hose. The system may further include a fastening member attached to, or integrally formed with, the bottom of the suction member and used for affixing the device onto a selected clipper body. 
     The device and system of the present invention is particularly useful for clipping hair and removing the hair clippings of patients that are to undergo surgical procedures. The invention further provides an efficient and sanitary method. The device and method may also be used and practiced in barber shops, animal grooming shops, and other applications in which hair is trimmed and a clean trimmed area is desired. The embodiments of the device and system are designed as integrated blade and vacuum systems for use with a selected, standard clipper body. 
     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 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  are perspective views of a prior art method of pre-surgical clipping and hair removal. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention and showing use during clipping and hair removal. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the device illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of the device illustrated in  FIGS. 2-4  and showing a clipper body engagement structure. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the device illustrated in  FIGS. 3-5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the device illustrated in  FIGS. 3-6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of the device illustrated in  FIGS. 3-7 . 
         FIG. 9A  is a view illustrating use of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9B  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 8B , but showing an alternative embodiment. 
         FIG. 10A  is a schematic view illustrating the present invention engaged with a clipper body and vacuum source, with a filter located in-line on a hose member. 
         FIG. 10B  is a schematic view similar to that of  FIG. 9A , but showing a filter located in the vacuum source. 
         FIG. 11  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 5 , but showing an alternative clipper body engagement structure. 
         FIG. 12  is a view similar to that of  FIGS. 5 and 11 , but showing an alternative clipper body engagement structure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structures. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims. 
     As may seem in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , prior art devices and methods for clipping and removing hair from a surgical site include the use of a standard clipper  100  followed by the application of adhesive tape  110  to remove clipped hair  120 . As mentioned, this method is unsanitary, inefficient and misses many hair clippings  120 . Further, patients may experience allergic reaction to adhesives used in such tape  110 . In use in a surgical environment, this can be detrimental to the patient. Further, adhesive tape  110  is not typically kept under sterile conditions, which increases the risk of spreading infectious contaminants not only through the surgical suite but possibly throughout the medical facility. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 2 , a system  10  and method for removing hair clippings from surgical patients according to the present may be seen. As illustrated, the present invention relates to a system and method for clipping and removing hair  120  from a surgical arena in an integrated unit. The system  10  preferably includes a suction member  12  having an integrally formed clipper blade member  14 . The system may further include a hose member  24  for connection of the suction member  12  to a suction source (see  FIG. 10 ). 
     With particular reference to the views of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the blade member  14  may be seen as integrally formed with a bottom surface  16  of the suction member  12 . The suction member  12  integrally formed blade member  14  is preferably further adapted to couplingly engage a clipper body  18  during use. A top surface  17  of the suction member  12  may include a clipper body engagement structure, such as the slide fit structure  19  shown in  FIG. 5 . Further examples of clipper body engagement structures for use to engage the suction member  12  and blade member  14  with a clipper body  18  may include screws, snap fit, friction fit, slide fit, press fit, or any other arrangement suitable to effectively engage the clipper body  18  selected for use. Examples of such clipper body engagement structures may be seen in the views of  FIGS. 11 and 12 , in which a press fit structure  36  and a ball-cup structure  38  are seen, respectively. Any one of a number of clipper bodies  18  may be utilized with the present system, including, but not limited to, those sold or manufactured by Medline®, CardinalHealth®, CareFusion™ or 3M™. Accordingly, each specific clipper body  18  may have a different requirement for blade member  14  attachment. It is to be understood that the suction member  12  and blade member  14  of the present system  10  may include any of the engagement structures acceptable for use with a selected clipper body  18 . 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 3-8  it may be seen that the suction member  12  of the present system  10  further preferably includes a hose attachment port  20  and a suction port  22 . As previously mentioned, the system  10  may further include a hose member  24  (see  FIGS. 9A-10B ) having a first end  26  and a second end  28 . The first end  26  of the hose  24  is further preferably adapted for connection to the hose attachment port  20  of the suction member  12 . The hose  24  may be flexible and extendable. The system  10  of the present invention is further adapted for connection to a vacuum source, such as a vacuum pump  30  using the previously mentioned hose  24 . The second end  28  of the hose  24  is adapted for connection to the vacuum source  30  (see  FIGS. 10A ,  10 B). As may be seen particularly in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  8 , the suction port  22  is positioned in close proximity to the blade member  14  such that hair  120  removed by the blade member  14  is quickly drawn away by the suction action of the vacuum source  30 . 
     The present system  10  may be further provided with a hair clipping filter  32 . With particular attention now to  FIG. 10A , an in-line filter  32  may be provided in line on the hose member  24  to collect the hair clippings  120 . Alternatively, and as shown in  FIG. 10B , a filter  32  may be placed inside the vacuum pump  30  for similar purpose. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3-9A , the system  10  may further include a fastening member  34  attached to, or integrally formed with, the suction member  12  and used to assist in affixing the device onto a selected clipper body  18 . It is to be understood that the design of the fastening member  34  may vary somewhat depending on the size and shape of the selected clipper body  18 . Alternatively, and as shown in  FIG. 9B , the system  10  may engage a clipper body  18  without the need for an additional fastening member  34 . 
     It is to be understood that while the suction member  12 , integrated blade member  14 , and hose member  24  are preferably disposable, the vacuum pump  30  may be reused. 
     A method of using the system  10  includes the steps of: selecting a surgical site for hair clipping; providing a suction member  12 , the suction member  12  having a hose attachment port  20 , a suction port  22 , and an integrally formed blade member  14 ; providing a hose member  24 , the hose member  24  having a first end  26  and a second end  28 , with the first end  26  of the hose  24  being adapted for connection to the hose attachment port  20  of the suction member  12 ; providing a vacuum source, the second end  28  of the hose member  24  being adapted to connect to the vacuum source; attaching the suction member  12  with integral blade member  14  to a selected clipper body  18 ; connecting the hose  24  to the vacuum source; activating the clipper body  18  for clipping; activating the vacuum source  30 ; clipping hair  120  from the selected surgical site; and drawing the clipped hair  120  from the surgical site through the suction port  22  and hose member  24  and towards the vacuum source  30 . The method may further include the step of providing an in-line filter  32  located on the hose member  24  to collect the hair clippings  120 . The method may alternatively include the step of providing the vacuum source  30  with a filter  32 . 
     The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.