Patent Abstract:
An undercoat rake adapted for use in grooming a furred animal. The undercoat rake includes grooming teeth comprising at least two different types of grooming teeth, each having a base portion, a tip portion, and a shoulder between the base portion and the tip portion. First teeth of the two different types of grooming teeth may have a tip portion that is greater in length than the corresponding tip portion of second teeth to create a variable depth grooming profile. The disclosed structure advantageously removes undercoat fur of a furred animal that has been shed or is soon to be shed. The variable depth grooming profile has been found to be highly effective to rapidly and efficiently thin the undercoat of a furred animal.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an undercoat rake for use in the grooming of a furred animal, such as a dog. In particular, the invention is directed to an undercoat rake that may include a plurality of grooming teeth with a base portion, a tip portion, and a shoulder disposed between the base portion and the tip portion, wherein the length of the tip portion of some grooming teeth is greater than the length of the tip portion of other grooming teeth. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Grooming an animal is important to the animal&#39;s health and appearance. Grooming can also provide enjoyment to the groomer, which in many cases is the owner of the animal. Grooming may also allow for emotional bonding between the animal and groomer. Accordingly, there exists a need for products and apparatus in order to assist an owner or groomer in the grooming of an animal. 
         [0003]    Some animals have a coat of fur that includes an undercoat and a topcoat. For example, many dog breeds have a topcoat and an undercoat. Generally, the topcoat includes rough, somewhat weather resistant fur that functions to repel water, wind, and other dirt or debris. The undercoat usually comprises thick, warm, down-like fur made up of generally shorter hairs than those of the topcoat. The undercoat fur is usually dense enough to resist penetration of water to the skin of the animal and provides an insulating layer to assist in keeping the animal warm. As such, many animals, and particularly dogs, seasonally grow a dense undercoat. In turn, the undercoat is also seasonally shed. 
         [0004]    Shedding occurs because each follicle of hair in an animal&#39;s coat follows a cycle of growing, dying, and being replaced by another follicle. When the follicle dies, the hair becomes detached, or shed. This shedding process may occur constantly. The rate at which fur is shed may be affected by such factors as the breed, age and environment of the animal. For instance, as stated above, the undercoat of the animal may change seasonally, such that in cooler months of the year the undercoat grows denser in order to provide insulation. Accordingly, during warmer months, a portion of the undercoat may be shed. 
         [0005]    While shedding of the undercoat occurs naturally, it may be advantageous to assist in the removal of the undercoat by grooming the animal. For instance, if a dog is kept indoors, the owner may wish to assist or accelerate the shedding process by brushing or combing the fur of the dog in order to remove loose fur or fur that will soon be shed. The grooming of a dog to remove the undercoat may be conducted in a location determined by the owner. The location of grooming may be controlled such that the grooming process is conducted to prevent continuous shedding within the owner&#39;s home or other location where shedding might be undesirable. Shedding can thus be controlled such that the owner may be able to selectively groom the dog in order to prevent the undercoat from being shed indoors. 
         [0006]    Preventing an animal from shedding indoors presents several advantages versus allowing natural shedding. For many individuals, loose fur of the animal may be an allergen such that limiting the amount of fur shed indoors may prevent unwanted allergy symptoms. Further, shed fur may cling to upholstery or clothing and may require much time and effort to remove the fur from such surfaces. 
         [0007]    Additionally, assisting in the normal process of shedding through grooming may benefit the health and comfort of the animal. An excessive amount of residual undercoat may cause the animal to endure heat stress more readily due to the insulating properties of the undercoat. Moreover, grooming and undercoat removal may prevent the animal&#39;s fur from becoming tangled or matted. Grooming may also calm or relax the animal. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    There exists a need for tools that are adapted to efficiently thin the undercoat of a furred animal in order to prevent unwanted or uncontrolled shedding. Accordingly, an undercoat rake for grooming a furred animal, including the removal of undercoat fur that has been shed or is soon to be shed is provided. The undercoat rake disclosed herein may provide for effective undercoat removal when used in grooming. 
         [0009]    One embodiment includes an undercoat rake for grooming a furred animal. The undercoat rake may include a rake body and grooming teeth operatively affixed to the rake body. The grooming teeth may comprise a plurality of first teeth that may have a base portion adjacent to and extending from the rake body, a tip portion at a distal end, and a shoulder disposed between the base portion and the tip portion. The grooming teeth may also include a plurality of second teeth. The second teeth may have a base portion adjacent to and extending from the rake body, a tip portion at a distal end, and a shoulder disposed between the base portion and the tip portion. The first teeth have a different profile than the second teeth, and in one aspect the length of the tip portion of the first teeth may be greater than the length of the tip portion of the second teeth. 
         [0010]    Another embodiment includes an undercoat rake for grooming a furred animal that may include a rake body including a head portion having a length along a major axis of the head portion and a handle portion having a longitudinal axis. The head portion may be arranged such that the major axis of the head portion may be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle portion. The undercoat rake may include grooming teeth operatively affixed to the rake body along the length of the head portion. The grooming teeth may include a plurality of first teeth that may have a base portion adjacent to and extending from the rake body, a tip portion at a distal end, and a shoulder disposed between the base portion and the tip portion. The grooming teeth may also include a plurality of second teeth that are alternately disposed with the first teeth. The second teeth may have a base portion adjacent to and extending from the rake body, a tip portion at a distal end, and a shoulder disposed between the base portion and the tip portion. The first teeth have a different profile than the second teeth and in one aspect the length of the tip portion of the first teeth may be greater than the length of the tip portion of the second teeth. 
         [0011]    In addition, variations and refinements may exist to the embodiments presented herein. These combinations and refinements may be made in any combination. For example, in one aspect first teeth and second teeth may be alternately disposed in any pattern along the length of the head portion. Moreover, first teeth and second teeth may alternate at adjacent tooth positions along the length of the head portion. According to another aspect, adjacent grooming teeth may be spaced apart by at least about 2 mm and not greater than about 5 mm. In another aspect, first teeth and second teeth may be substantially the same total length. Alternatively, the total length of first teeth and second teeth may be different. In yet another aspect, a handle portion may be provided for manipulation of the undercoat rake. According to still another aspect, the tip portion of first teeth may be at least about 15% longer than the tip portion of second teeth, such as at least about 40% longer. In another aspect, the total length of the grooming teeth may be at least about 10 mm and not greater than about 40 mm, such as not greater than about 25 mm. 
         [0012]    Another embodiment includes a method for grooming a furred animal. The method may include providing an undercoat rake according to any of the forgoing embodiments or aspects, positioning the undercoat rake adjacent to the animal such that grooming teeth engage the fur of the animal, and moving the undercoat rake with respect to the animal while maintaining engagement of the grooming teeth with the fur such that the grooming teeth act upon the fur passing therebetween to remove loose hairs from the fur of the animal, thus grooming the animal. 
         [0013]    The embodiments presented are advantageous because it has been found that the shape and arrangement of the grooming teeth are highly effective to rapidly and efficiently thin the undercoat of a furred animal. The first and second grooming teeth may include base portions and/or tip portions of different lengths such that a combination of first and second grooming teeth form a variable depth grooming profile as the grooming teeth are moved through the animal&#39;s fur. As the first and second grooming teeth have different profiles, and simultaneously act upon the animal&#39;s fur at different depths, they act in coordination to pull and collect more loose undercoat fur than an undercoat rake having grooming teeth with the same depth profile. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an undercoat rake. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the embodiment of an undercoat rake of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the embodiment of an undercoat rake of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the embodiment of an undercoat rake of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of adjacent grooming teeth that are useful in an embodiment of an undercoat rake. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a front view of another embodiment of an undercoat rake. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of adjacent grooming teeth that are useful in another embodiment of an undercoat rake. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a front view of yet another embodiment of an undercoat rake. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a schematic view of adjacent grooming teeth that are useful in yet another embodiment of an undercoat rake. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]      FIGS. 1-4  illustrate an embodiment of an undercoat rake that is adapted for removal of undercoat fur from a furred animal. The undercoat rake  100  may include a rake body  108  that may further include a head portion  102  that may be operatively attached to a handle portion  104 . Grooming teeth  110  may include a plurality of first teeth  110   a  and a plurality of second teeth  110   b  that may be operatively affixed to and extend from the rake body  108 . The first teeth  110   a  and the second teeth  110   b  may have a base portion  116  and a tip portion  118  with a shoulder  120  disposed between the base portion  116  and the tip portion  118 , where the corresponding base and/or tip portions of first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  may be different lengths. In this regard, first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  may comprise different grooming depth profiles that in combination (e.g., when disposed in an alternating relationships) are advantageous for grooming a furred animal, whereby the different depth profiles of first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  may coordinate to form a varied depth raking profile when moved through the fur of an animal. 
         [0024]    The rake body  108  of the undercoat rake  100  may include a head portion  102  and a handle portion  104 . The handle portion  104  may include a longitudinal axis  126  along the length of the handle portion  104 . The handle portion  104  may be designed so that a user may grip and manipulate the handle portion  104  in order to control the undercoat rake  100  during use (e.g., by varying pressure, angle, depth etc. of the grooming teeth  110  with respect to the animal&#39;s fur). 
         [0025]    The head portion  102  and the handle portion  104  may be arranged in a variety of ways. For example, the head portion  102  may include a length along a major axis  128  of the head portion  102  and the major axis  128  may be arranged substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  126  of the handle portion  104  to form a “T”-shaped rake body  108  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, a head portion may be arranged such that a major axis is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of a handle portion. In this manner, an undercoat rake may comprise a substantially elongate rake body. 
         [0026]    The handle portion  104  may include an aperture  114  for mounting and storing the undercoat rake  100 . The head portion  102  and handle portion  104  may be constructed of the same material or different materials. For instance, the head portion  102  may be made of polymer, metal, wood, any other suitable material, or a combination thereof. The handle portion  104  may also be made of polymer, metal, wood, any other suitable material, or a combination thereof. 
         [0027]    The undercoat rake  100  may include first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  operatively affixed to the rake body  108 . The grooming teeth  110  may be affixed to the undercoat rake  100  such that the grooming teeth  110  may be disposed for engagement with the fur of a furred animal. As such, the grooming teeth  110  can be moved along the body of the furred animal such that the grooming teeth  110  maintain engagement with the fur of the animal to accomplish removal of the animal&#39;s fur that has been or is soon to be shed. 
         [0028]    The grooming teeth  110  may be affixed to the head portion  102  such that the grooming teeth  110  may engage the fur of an animal when a user grasps the handle portion  104 . The grooming teeth  110  may be arranged along the length of the head portion  102  corresponding to the major axis  128 . In one embodiment, the grooming teeth  110  may be arranged in a generally linear fashion along the length of the head portion  102 . In an alternative embodiment, grooming teeth may be arranged radially about a head portion along a length thereof. Accordingly, grooming teeth may radiate from a cylindrical head portion such that grooming teeth both extend along and around the cylindrical head portion. Alternatively, grooming teeth may be staggered in various respects along a length of a head portion. In any regard, grooming teeth may be arranged in any fashion that allows for the interaction of grooming teeth with an animal&#39;s fur. 
         [0029]    The grooming teeth  110  may be constructed of wood, polymer, metal, any other suitable material, or a combination thereof. By suitable material, it is to be understood that the material from which the grooming teeth  110  are constructed may be substantially rigid such that upon movement of the grooming teeth  110  with respect to the fur of the animal there is substantially no deflection of the grooming teeth  110  along the length of the grooming teeth  110  from the force of the fur acting upon the grooming teeth  110  that would substantially inhibit removal of fur by the grooming teeth  110 . In one embodiment, the grooming teeth  110  may be metallic. By way of example, the grooming teeth  110  may be constructed from a rust and corrosion resistant material such as stainless steel. While it is to be understood that the grooming teeth  110  may be constructed so as not to substantially deflect along the length of the grooming teeth  110 , the grooming teeth  110  may be affixed to the head portion  102  in a manner than allows for some deflection (e.g., pivoting) of the grooming teeth  110  with respect to the head portion  102 . Allowing some small deflection of the grooming teeth  110  with respect to the head portion  102  may prevent the grooming teeth  110  from pulling matted or tangled hair in a manner that may hurt the animal being groomed. For example, grooming teeth may be attached to a resilient rubber pad (e.g., a slicker pad) that is mounted to the head portion, enabling the grooming teeth to pivot slightly with respect to the head portion. However, the grooming teeth  110  should not deflect with respect to the head portion  102  to a degree that substantially hinders fur removal due to the deflection of the grooming teeth  110  with respect to the head portion  102 . 
         [0030]    Turning to  FIG. 3 , a side view of the undercoat rake  100  is shown. As can be appreciated, the grooming teeth  110  may extend away from the head portion  102 . The grooming teeth  110  may be slightly angled from a perpendicular orientation in relation to the longitudinal axis  126  of the handle portion  104 . For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the grooming teeth  110  are disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the longitudinal axis  126  of the handle portion  104 . In any event, the grooming teeth  110  may be disposed so as to be capable of engaging the fur of an animal while a user grasps the handle portion  104  in order to manipulate the undercoat rake  100 . 
         [0031]    With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the grooming teeth  110  may generally include a base portion  116  and a tip portion  118  that may be separated by a shoulder  120 . The base portions  116  of the grooming teeth  110  may be adjacent to the head portion  102  and extend therefrom, such that the base portions  116  may comprise a proximate end of the grooming teeth  110 . The grooming teeth  110  also may include a tip portion  118  that is arranged at a distal end of the grooming teeth  110 . A shoulder  120  may separate the tip portion  118  and the base portion  116  of the grooming teeth  110 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 4-5 , the shoulder  120  comprises an annular step that separates the tip portion  118  from the base portion  116 . A shoulder may also comprise, for example, shapes other than an annular step, such as a frustoconical shape between a tip portion and a base portion, for example. In any event, the shoulder  120  comprises the transition from the base portion  116  to the tip portion  118 . 
         [0032]    In this regard, the base portion  116  may have a different cross dimension (e.g., diameter) than the tip portion  118 . For instance, the tip portion  118  may have a smaller cross dimension than the base portion  116 . In one embodiment, the tip portion  118  may have a cross dimension of at least about 30% and not greater than about 70% of a cross dimension of the base portion  116 . Additionally, the base portion  116  may have a cross dimension of at least about 2 mm and not greater than about 6 mm. The tip portion  118  may have a cross dimension of at least about 0.5 mm and not greater than about 4 mm. In one embodiment, the base portion  116  and the tip portion  118  have a circular cross-section and the cross dimension is equivalent to the diameter of the portions. Other cross-sectional shapes of the tip portion and base portion may be employed, such as an oval cross-section or a polygonal cross-section. 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the tip portion  118   a  of first teeth  110   a  may be of a different length than the tip portion  118   b  of second teeth  110   b . When the grooming teeth have substantially the same total length, the length of the base portions (e.g., the distance of the shoulder from the head portion) will therefore also be different. The base portion  116   a  of first teeth  110   a  may have a length d 1  and the tip portion  118   a  of first teeth  110   a  may have a length d 2 . The base portion  116   b  of second teeth  110   b  may have a length d 3  and the tip portion  118   b  of second teeth  110   b  may have a length d 4 . In this embodiment, d 2  may be greater than d 4 . As such, first teeth  110   a  may have a longer tip portion  118   a  than a tip portion  118   b  of second teeth  110   b . Additionally, d 1  may be less than d 3 . In turn, second teeth  110   b  may have a longer base portion  116   b  than a base portion  116   a  of first teeth  110   a . In this particular embodiment, first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  may have substantially the same total length. 
         [0034]    The grooming teeth  110  should be of sufficient total length to effectively groom a furred animal such as a dog. By way of example, the total length of first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  (e.g., d 1 +d 2 ) may be at least about 10 mm and not greater than about 40 mm, such as not greater than about 25 mm. To form a variable depth grooming profile, the length d 2  of the tip portion  118   a  of first teeth  110   a  may be at least about 15% longer than the length d 4  of the tip portion  118   b  of second teeth  110   b , such as at least about 30% longer. For example, the length d 2  of tip portion  118   a  may be at least about 5 mm and not greater than about 30 mm and the length d 4  of the tip portion  118   b  may be at least about 4 mm and not greater than about 25 mm, while being less than the length d 2  of the tip portion  118   a . The length d 1  of the base portion  116   a  may be at least about 4 mm and not greater than about 25 mm and the length d 3  of the base portion  116   b  may be at least about 5 mm and not greater than about 30 mm, while being greater than the length d 1  of the base portion  116   a.    
         [0035]    The grooming teeth should also be spaced sufficiently close together to enable efficient grooming of the furred animal. In this regard, the grooming teeth  110  may be spaced apart from adjacent grooming teeth  110  by a distance d 12  as measured between the centers of the tip portions  118 . The distance d 12  may be substantially the same between all adjacent grooming teeth  110  or the distance d 12  may be different for different adjacent grooming teeth  110 . By way of example, the distance d 12  may be at least about 3 mm and not greater than about 8 mm. Furthermore, the base members  116  may be separated by a distance d 13  corresponding to the shortest distance between outer surfaces (e.g., edge to edge) of adjacent base portions. For example, the distance d 13  may be at least about 2 mm and not greater than about 5 mm. The distance d 13  may be the same between all adjacent base portions  116  or may vary between the outer surfaces of adjacent base portions  116 . 
         [0036]    In one embodiment, there may be provided grooming teeth in addition to first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  such that additional grooming teeth may be included in the undercoat rake  100 . In this regard, if additional grooming teeth are included, the additional grooming teeth may include portions (e.g., base portions and tip portions) corresponding to the portions that were described above regarding first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b . The additional grooming teeth may have corresponding grooming teeth portions with different dimensions (e.g., grooming depth profile) than either first teeth  110   a  or second teeth  110   b , or the additional grooming teeth may share common dimensions with either first teeth  110  or second teeth  110   b  for some corresponding portions. 
         [0037]    In another embodiment, grooming teeth may have different (e.g., fewer or more) portions than the grooming teeth  110  (e.g., a central portion disposed between a base portion and a tip portion and separated from each by a shoulder). 
         [0038]    First teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  may be disposed along the length of the head portion  102  such that the grooming teeth  110  may be alternately disposed along at least a portion thereof. By alternately disposed, it is meant that first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  are operatively disposed in any alternating or semi-alternating arrangement along the length of the head portion  102  such that at least one first tooth is disposed adjacent to at least one second tooth. For instance, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  may be alternately disposed along a substantially linear row such that every other grooming tooth along the length of the head portion  102  is the same, with a different tooth disposed therebetween. In this regard, the grooming teeth  110  may strictly alternate such that first teeth  110   a  may alternate with second teeth  110   b  and each adjacent tooth is different. Alternatively, first teeth  110   a  or second teeth  110   b  may be repeated for a number of grooming teeth positions (e.g., two adjacent positions) such that a first tooth  110   a  or a second tooth  110   b  is adjacent to one or more of the same type of grooming teeth  110 . This may result in repeating and/or alternating first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  along the length of the head portion  102 . In sum, first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  may be arranged in any pattern or sequence of first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  along the length of the head portion  102  to form a varied depth profile. 
         [0039]    The grooming rake  100  may include a total number of grooming teeth generally between 10 and 30 total teeth. In one embodiment, the grooming rake  100  includes a total number of grooming teeth between 15 and 25 total teeth. 
         [0040]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show an alternative embodiment of an undercoat rake  122 . The undercoat rake  122  may have a rake body  108  including a handle portion  104  and a head portion  102  similar to the handle portion  104  and head portion  102  referenced and described with respect to  FIGS. 1-4 . The undercoat rake  122 , like the undercoat rake  100 , may include a plurality of grooming teeth  110  that project from the rake body  108 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  that are useful in the undercoat rake  122 . First teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  may have a base portion  116  that extends from the head portion  102  and a tip portion  118  at a distal end. The tip portion  118  may be separated from the base portion  116  by a shoulder  120 . 
         [0042]    In this embodiment, the base portion  116   a  of first teeth  110   a  may extend for substantially the same length away from the head portion  102  as the base portion  116   b  of second teeth  110   b . In this regard, both base portions  116  of the grooming teeth  110  may have a length d 5 . The length d 6  of the tip portion  118   a  of first teeth  110   a  may be longer than the length d 7  of the tip portion  118   b  of second teeth  110   b . The base portions  116  of the grooming teeth  110  may be substantially the same length, while the tip portions  118  may have different lengths. Accordingly, the total lengths (e.g., d 5 +d 6  or d 5 +d 7 ) of first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  may be different for the undercoat rake  122 . 
         [0043]    Grooming teeth  110  may be disposed along the length of the head portion  102  such that the grooming teeth  110  are alternately disposed along at least a portion thereof. In this regard, first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  may be intermixed along the length of the head portion  102  as was described with reference to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 . As such, second teeth  110   b  may separate pairs of first teeth  110   a  at certain positions along the length of the head portion  102 . However, with reference to the ends of the head portion  102  as shown in  FIG. 6 , for example, some first teeth  110   a  may be adjacent. Also, while not shown, some second teeth  110   b  may be positioned adjacent to one another. 
         [0044]    Another alternative embodiment of an undercoat rake  124  is shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . In  FIG. 9 , first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  of the undercoat rake  124  are shown. First teeth  110   a  may have a base portion  116   a  that may extend from the head portion  102  for a length d 8 . First teeth  110   a  also may have a tip portion  118   a  at a distal end that may extend for a length d 9 . A shoulder  120   a  may be arranged between the base portion  116   a  and the tip portion  118   a  of first teeth  110   a . Second teeth  110   b  may also have a base portion  116   b  extending from the head portion  102  and may have a length d 10 . Second teeth  110   b  may include a tip portion  118   b  with a length d 11 . The tip portion  118   b  and the base portion  116   b  may be separated by a shoulder  120   b.    
         [0045]    In this embodiment, the total length of first teeth  110   a  (e.g., d 8 +d 9 ) may be greater than that of second teeth  110   b . In this regard, both the length d 9  of the tip portion  118   a  and the length d 8  of the base portion  116   a  may be longer than the length d 11  of the tip portion  118   b  and the length d 10  of the base portion  116   b  of second teeth  110   b , respectively. 
         [0046]    As discussed above, first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  of the undercoat rake  124  may be alternately disposed along the length of the head portion  102  such that two first teeth  110   a  repeat, followed by alternating first teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b . First teeth  110   a  and second teeth  110   b  may alternate in any manner. 
         [0047]    Any of the forgoing embodiments of an undercoat rake may be used in a method of grooming a furred animal. The method may include a user grasping the handle portion of an undercoat rake and placing the undercoat rake adjacent to a furred animal such that grooming teeth affixed to the head portion are generally disposed within the animal&#39;s fur. The undercoat rake may then be moved along the furred animal&#39;s body such that the grooming teeth remain in contact with the animal&#39;s fur such that the animal&#39;s fur passes between the grooming teeth. In turn, as the animal&#39;s fur passes between the grooming teeth of the undercoat rake, loose hair or soon to be shed hair may be removed from the animal&#39;s fur. 
         [0048]    In sum, the embodiments presented herein include grooming teeth operatively affixed to a rake body. The grooming teeth include a base portion and a tip portion separated by a shoulder. The grooming teeth have different tip portion lengths such that some grooming teeth have a longer tip portion than other grooming teeth (e.g., have a different grooming depth profile). As such, a variable depth grooming profile along the rake body is presented when grooming a furred animal. The undercoat rakes presented herein are generally advantageous for grooming of furred animals due, at least in part, to the variable depth grooming profiles of the grooming teeth as it has been found that the variable depth grooming profiles may facilitate improved undercoat fur removal. 
         [0049]    While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and adaptations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0