Patent Abstract:
A tool comprising a scissors, the scissors including two handles, each handle including an aperture therethrough is disclosed. The tool includes a comb attached to the scissors. The comb includes a handle portion and a comb portion. The handle portion of the comb includes a plurality of extensions therefrom, the extensions for engaging the aperture of one of the handles of the scissors, wherein the comb can be removed from the scissors by disengaging the extensions.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Under 35 U.S.C. 120, this application is a divisional application and claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 11/314,033, filed Dec. 20, 2005. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to combs and scissors and more specifically to a combination comb and scissor tool. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Many scissors and combs available today for hair styling are not flexible in positioning in respect to the handle, and do not have replaceable comb scissors and heads. Moreover, when such combs and scissors are used, the user first has to equalize the distance of the hair from the head by measuring it with a comb, then put the comb down and pick up scissors to trim the hair. These actions must be performed repeatedly to equalize and cut the hair, thus contributing to user fatigue, often causing carpal tunnel syndrome, and requiring additional time to go through the repeated movements. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for reducing the number of repetitive movements needed first to equalize the length of the hair to be cut, and then to cut the hair, thereby minimizing user fatigue, minimizing the risk of contracting carpal tunnel syndrome, and reducing the time needed for completing a haircut. The present invention addresses such a need. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A tool comprising a scissors, the scissors including two handles, each handle including an aperture therethrough is disclosed. The tool includes a comb attached to the scissors. The comb includes a handle portion and a comb portion. The handle portion of the comb includes a plurality of extensions therefrom, the extensions for engaging the aperture of one of the handles of the scissors, wherein the comb can be removed from the scissors by disengaging the extensions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  shows the clip-on comb in accordance with the present invention with extensions on its handle in more detail. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a photograph showing measurement of the length of hair to be cut utilizing the comb in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a photograph showing cutting of the hair utilizing the comb in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention, comprising a mechanized comb-scissors device/tool/mechanism with a lever. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  illustrates the measurement or equalization of hair to be cut. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  shows the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  illustrates an inner cam located inside the handle in the second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  illustrates a third embodiment of the present invention, comprising a mechanized comb-scissors device with a thumb tab. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    The present invention relates generally to combs and scissors and more specifically to a combination comb and scissor tool. 
         [0016]    The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiments and the generic principles and features described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of the present invention, comprising a comb  10  which clips onto one of the apertures (finger holes)  18   a  and  18   b  of a pair of scissors  12 . The scissors  12  comprise handle portions  20   a  and  20   b  and blade portions  22   a  and  22   b.  The handle portions  20   a  and  20   b  include apertures  18   a  and  18   b,  one of which through which the user&#39;s finger (not shown) is inserted, depending upon whether the user is left or right handed. The comb  10  comprises a comb portion  26 , a handle portion  24 , and has a plurality of extensions  14   a - 14   c  on its handle  24  which clip onto one of the handles  16   a  and  16   b  of the scissors  12  through the apertures  18   a  and  18   b  one of which into which the user&#39;s finger (not shown) is inserted. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  shows the clip-on comb  10  in accordance with the present invention with extensions  14   a ′- 14   c ′ on its handle  24  in more detail. The handle  24  comprises a circular-like portion  202  with raised pads  14   a ′- 14   c ′ thereon. The clip-on comb  10  may be utilized by either a person who is left-handed or a person who is right-handed, since the extensions  14   a ′- 14   c ′ shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  allow the comb  10  to be attached to either side of the scissors (not shown). 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a photograph showing measurement of the length of hair to be cut utilizing the comb in accordance with the present invention. When the comb  10  in accordance with the present invention is clipped onto the scissors  12  using the extensions  14   a - c  on its handle as described in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the user first measures or equalizes the length of the hair to be cut and then positions the hair with the comb  10 . In this way the hair is prepared to be cut. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a photograph showing cutting of the hair utilizing the comb in accordance with the present invention. After the hair length to be cut is measured, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the user then moves the comb  10  out of the way or to the side, and cuts the hair with the scissors  12 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0021]    By utilizing the clip-on comb  10  and scissors  12  combination to cut hair, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , time is saved since the user does not need to use a second hand to operate a pair of scissors while holding the comb with the first hand to equalize the length of the hair to be cut and also position the hair. 
         [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention, comprising a mechanized comb-scissors device  500  with a lever  504 . The device  500  comprises a handle portion  502 , a lever  504  with an opening for a finger, a comb  506  and a scissors cutting blade(s)  508 . 
         [0023]    In order to cut hair using the device  500 , the user first measures or equalizes the length of hair to be cut, as shown in  FIG. 6 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , the back-and-forth movement of the lever (not shown) causes a scissors blade(s)  508  to move in such a way as to cut the hair which is being held and positioned by the comb  506 , thereby accomplishing both positioning and “equalizing” the length of the hair to be cut via the comb  506  and then cutting the hair with the scissors  508 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 8  illustrates an inner cam  702  located inside the handle  502 ′ which links the scissors blade(s)  508 ′ to the lever  504 ′, causing the scissors blade(s)  508 ′ to move up and down to cut the hair as the user moves the lever  504 ′ back and forth with their finger. 
         [0025]      FIG. 9  illustrates a third embodiment of the present invention, comprising a mechanized comb-scissors device  900  with a thumb tab  904 . The device  900  comprises a handle portion  902 , a thumb tab  904 , a comb  906  and a scissors cutting blade(s)  908 . In this embodiment, the user moves the thumb tab  904  back and forth, thereby causing the scissors cutting blade(s)  908  to move up and down to cut the hair which is being positioned and measured to an “equalized” length by the comb  906 . 
         [0026]    A person skilled in the art can see that other means by which a user causes the scissors cutting blade(s) to move up and down in combination with a comb to cut the hair would also be within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0027]    Although the present invention has been described in accordance with the embodiments shown, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the embodiments and those variations would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, many modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1