Abstract:
A lice removing apparatus and method of using it are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a flexible fabric sheet having a pair of pockets defined on a first side of the sheet adjacent opposite ends of the sheet. A second side of the sheet includes a plurality of projections, or other physically coarse material, that strip nits from a person&#39;s hair when passed there over. A user inserts his fingers and thumb into the pockets, folds the sheet around a lock of hair, and runs the sheet along the length of the hair while squeezing the folded sheet into constant contact with the hair. Thereafter, the sheet is discarded and a new one is used for cleaning a subsequent lock of hair. The sheets may be stored in a contained in a manner that provides easy access for grasping the sheet and removing it from the container with one hand.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to hair lice, and more specifically to a tool and methods for removing lice and lice nits from a person&#39;s hair. 
         [0002]    Head lice continues to be a large problem for a large number of individuals. In the United States, it has been estimated that head lice infects 10-12 million children each year. Typical treatments for removing the lice and their nits involves (1) application of one or more chemicals to the scalp of the infected individual; (2) repeatedly running a fine-toothed comb through the infected individual&#39;s hair in an attempt to strip the lice and nits from the strands of hair; and (3) manually picking nits out of the infected individual&#39;s hair one-by-one, using either a person&#39;s fingers or one or more tools. All of these methods suffer from one or more disadvantages, such as consuming excessive amounts of time, not being completely effective, requiring repeated applications of the treatment, being financially expensive, potentially damaging the infected individual&#39;s hair, failing to contain the nits, potentially re-introducing stripped lice or nits back into the infected individual&#39;s hair, and/or requiring excessive clean-up. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    According to one aspect of the present invention, an improved lice and nit removal apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus and method allow for easier and more efficient removal of nits while reducing one or more of the disadvantages of the various prior art treatment techniques. In general, the apparatus and methods disclosed herein substantially prevent the reintroduction of nits back into the infected individuals&#39; hair (or introduction into anyone else&#39;s hair), effectively remove the nits from the individual&#39;s hair, and contain the stripped nits in an easy and convenient manner. 
         [0004]    According to a first embodiment, a method for removing lice nits from a person&#39;s hair is provided. The method includes grasping a first fabric sheet having a plurality of projections on a first face of the first fabric sheet; folding the first fabric sheet around a first lock of the person&#39;s hair such that the first face of the first fabric sheet contacts the first lock of the person&#39;s hair; squeezing the first fabric sheet while folded around the first lock of the person&#39;s hair; moving the first fabric sheet lengthwise along the first lock of the person&#39;s hair while squeezing the first fabric sheet around the first lock of the person&#39;s hair; disposing of the first fabric sheet; and then repeating the aforementioned steps with one or more additional fabric sheets. 
         [0005]    According to another embodiment, another method for removing lice nits from a person&#39;s hair is provided. This method includes providing a fabric sheet having a plurality of projections on a first face of the fabric sheet; having a person insert his or her thumb into a first pocket defined on a second face of the fabric sheet, the first pocket defined adjacent a first end of the fabric sheet; having the person insert one or more of his or her fingers into a second pocket defined on the second face of the fabric sheet, the second pocket defined adjacent a second end of the fabric sheet; folding the fabric sheet around a lock of the person&#39;s hair such that the first face of the fabric sheet contacts the lock of the person&#39;s hair; squeezing the fabric sheet around the lock of the person&#39;s hair such that the first and second ends are pressed against the lock of the person&#39;s hair and each other; and moving the fabric sheet lengthwise along the lock of the person&#39;s hair while squeezing the fabric sheet around the lock of the person&#39;s hair. 
         [0006]    According to still another embodiment, an apparatus is provided for removing lice nits from a person&#39;s hair. The apparatus comprises a fabric sheet, a first pocket, a second pocket, and a plurality of projections. The fabric sheet includes a first face, a second face, a first end, and a second end. The plurality of projections are defined on the first face of the fabric sheet. The first pocket is defined on the second face of the fabric sheet adjacent the first end. The second pocket is defined on the second face of the fabric sheet adjacent the second end. The first and second pockets are dimensioned and positioned to allow a user to insert a plurality of his or her digits into the first and second pockets while squeezing the first and second ends toward each other when a lock of the person&#39;s hair is positioned between the first and second ends. 
         [0007]    According to other aspects, one or both of the methods include using fabric sheets that include a non-woven fabric layer. In some embodiments, the non-woven fabric sheets are made from a needled fleece material. In some embodiments, the fabric sheets are made from a fusible fabric that has not been fused. 
         [0008]    The fabric sheets may be stored in a container in such a manner that a user can easily remove them from the container by inserting his or her fingers and thumb into the pockets of one of the fabric sheets and then lifting the fabric sheet from the container. Once removed from the container in this manner, the sheet is ready to be folded over a lock of the person&#39;s hair. The user therefore does not need to do any repositioning or re-grasping of the sheet after removing it from the container and prior to using it to strip and capture nits from the person&#39;s hair. 
         [0009]    The fabric sheets are constructed, in some embodiments, to mechanically strip the nits from the hair and capture the stripped nits such that they remain attached to the fabric sheet, rather than falling off and spreading to other locations. Subsequent disposal of the fabric sheet with the stripped nits clinging to the sheet therefore prevents the nits from spreading to the premises where the nit stripping is taking place and/or being reintroduced back into the infected individual&#39;s hair. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, the projections on the fabric sheet are made from a thermoactive adhesive material adapted to become sticky in response to applied heat. The thermoactive adhesive material does not become thermally active in response to the normal body heat generated in the person&#39;s fingers and thumbs. 
         [0011]    Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of operation or to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention may be implemented in various other embodiments and is capable of being practiced or being carried out in alternative ways not expressly disclosed herein. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof. Further, enumeration may be used in the description of various embodiments. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the use of enumeration should not be construed as limiting the invention to any specific order or number of components. Nor should the use of enumeration be construed as excluding from the scope of the invention any additional steps or components that might be combined with or into the enumerated steps or components. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of an apparatus for removing nits from a person&#39;s hair according to one embodiment; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  taken along the line III-III of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  shown in a folded configuration for wrapping around a lock of a person&#39;s hair; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  illustrating a users hand being inserted into pockets defined on the apparatus; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  shown being applied to a lock of the infected person&#39;s hair; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  shown in a container containing a plurality of the apparatuses; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a user&#39;s hand removing the apparatus from the container of  FIG. 7  using the pockets defined in the apparatus; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a plurality of the apparatuses shown nested together illustrating one manner in which they may be contained within the container prior to use; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  showing it in a crumpled state after being used; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    A lice/nit removal apparatus  20  according to one embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . Lice/nit removal apparatus  20  is made of a flexible fabric sheet having a generally square shape, although it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the shape of lice/nit removal apparatus  20  can vary from what is shown in  FIG. 1 . As can be seen more clearly in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , lice/nit removal apparatus  20  includes a first face  22  and a second face  24 . First face  22  includes a plurality of projections  26  that are adapted to help facilitate the stripping and capture of nits from a person&#39;s hair, as will be explained in greater detail below. Second face  24 , which is opposite first face  22 , does not include the projections  26  in the illustrated embodiment because second face  24  is not intended to contact the person&#39;s hair. It will be understood, however, that second face  24  could be modified from the embodiment shown to include projections  26  as well, if desired. 
         [0023]    A first pocket  28   a  is defined on second face  24  of lice/nit removal apparatus  20  generally adjacent a first end  30   a  of lice/nit removal apparatus  20  ( FIGS. 1-3 ). A second pocket  28   b  is defined on second face  24  of lice/nit removal apparatus  20  generally adjacent a second end  30   b  of lice/nit removal apparatus  20 . First and second pockets  28   a  and  28   b  are configured to receive the finger(s) and thumb of a user, as will be discussed in greater detail below. 
         [0024]    In the illustrated embodiment, each of the pockets  28   a  and  28   b  include a pair of seams  32   a  and  32   b  defined along their respective sides ( FIG. 1 ). Seams  32   a  and  32   b  are located at positions that are generally aligned with each of sides  34   a  and  34   b  of lice/nit removal apparatus  20 . It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that the location of seams  32   a  and  32   b  can be changed from that shown in the illustrated drawings. For example, seams  32   a  and  32   b  could be moved inwardly from sides  34   a  and  34  toward the interior of lice/nit removal apparatus  20  in order to reduce the size of pockets  28   a  and  28   b . Still further, the shape of seams  32   a  and  32   b  and/or their orientation can be changed from that shown. In the illustrated embodiment, seams  32   a  and  32   b  are formed by adhesive, although it will be understood that other methods may be used, such as stitching, thermal bonding, fasteners, or the like. 
         [0025]    In at least one embodiment, the fabric sheet from which lice/nit removal apparatus  20  is constructed is made from a needled fleece material, such as, but not limited to, type TP971F Fusible Thermolam® Plus, marketed by Pellon Consumer Products of Saint Petersburg, Fla., where the needling forms projections  26 . In an alternative embodiment, the fabric sheet from which lice/nit removal apparatus  20  is constructed is made from the type of material disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,196 issued to Kamat and entitled Composite Fusible Interlining Fabric and Method, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. As disclosed in the &#39;196 patent, the fabric includes a non-woven layer and a plurality of thermoactive adhesive dots secured thereto on at least one face of the fabric. When lice/nit removal apparatus  20  is made from the material disclosed in the &#39;196 patent, the thermoactive adhesive dots form projections  26 . Further, when used from this material, the adhesive properties of the themoactive adhesive dots are not utilized as the amount of heat necessary to activate these thermoactive adhesive dots is more than the body heat provided by the user whose finger(s)/thumb are inserted into pockets  28   a  and  28   b . Thus, when using the material of the &#39;196 patent, the thermoactive adhesive dots are not used for securing the fabric to another fabric, but instead are used to assist in the process of scraping and capturing nits from the person&#39;s hair. 
         [0026]    Other materials besides the specific ones mentioned above may also be used for constructing lice/nit removal apparatus  20 . In general, such materials should be flexible fabric materials (whether woven or non-woven) having physical projections on at least one face of the material that facilitate the physical scraping of nits from a person&#39;s hair. Still further, the flexible fabric should be made from a material that retains the nits in contact with the material after being stripped from the person&#39;s hair, rather than allowing the nits to fall onto the floor or other surface. Such retainment may be accomplished by any suitable means, such as electrostatic attraction, fibrous physical gripping of the nits, folds, mild adhesive properties, and/or any combination of these or other means. In some embodiments, the flexible fabric is made from recycled plastics (post-consumer or post-industrial), or from non-petroleum sources such as, but not limited to, natural fibers like bamboo or plant based polymers (e.g. polyactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), polybutylene succinate (PBS), or others). 
         [0027]    When using a nonwoven fabric, the fibers used in the fabric form a web as a result of the manufacturing process. This web has projections on its surface that are rough in nature and in close proximity to one another. The non-woven fabric should be selected so as to have projections that are sufficiently rough to trap the lice/nits. 
         [0028]    The manner in which lice/nit removal apparatus  20  is used to remove nits from a person&#39;s hair is better understood with reference to  FIGS. 4-6 . In order to use lice/nit removal apparatus  20 , a user folds over the sheet of fabric comprising lice/nit removal apparatus  20  such that first end  30   a  is positioned generally near second end  30   b , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Further, this folding is done such that the pockets  28   a  and  28   b  are positioned to face outward while projections  26  face inward. This folding is easily accomplished by the user with only a single hand by inserting his or her thumb  36  into one of pockets  28   a  and  28   b , and one or more of his or her fingers  38  into the other of pockets  28   a  and  28   b , such as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0029]    The user then grasps a lock  40  of the person&#39;s hair with his or her other hand. In the example shown in  FIG. 4 , the lock of hair  40  is depicted as a cross-sectional view of the hair with the individual strands of the person&#39;s hair extending into and out of the plane of  FIG. 4 . The amount of hair shown in  FIG. 4  is also exaggerated for purposes of illustration. The amount of hair grasped by the user generally should be an amount that can be squeezed flat enough so as to have a thickness of substantially no more than a single layer of hair strands. The squeezing of the hair lock  40  into such a flattened shape helps ensure that all of the individual hair strands in the lock  40  will come into contact with projections  26  and/or first face  22  of lice/nit removal apparatus  20 . Such contact provides the mechanism for stripping any nits in the lock of hair  40  off of the hair and onto lice/nit removal apparatus  20 . A user, however, may grasp a lock of hair that is more than what can be squeezed flat into a single hair-width layer and still effectively remove nits by, for example, rubbing and/or rolling his or her thumb and fingers together, as discussed below. 
         [0030]    After the user has grasped a lock of hair  40  with one of his or her hands and folded lice/nit removal apparatus  20 , the user positions the lice removal apparatus such that it wraps around the lock of hair  40  generally in the manner shown in  FIG. 4 . Thereafter, the user squeezes his or her fingers  38  toward his or her thumb  36  in the directions indicated by arrows  42   a  and  42   b . The lock of hair  40  is thus pinched and flattened between opposite portions of first face  22  of lice/nit removal apparatus  20  by the forces exerted by the users thumb and fingers ( FIG. 6 ). This force urges first face  22  and projections  26  into contact with the individual strands of hair in the lock  40 . The user then draws the lice/nit removal apparatus  20  along the length of the person&#39;s hair while continuing to squeeze his or her fingers and thumb together, thereby maintaining constant contact between the individual strands of hair and first face  22  (including projections  26 ) of lice/nit removal apparatus  20 . 
         [0031]    While the user is drawing the lice/nit removal apparatus  20  along the length of the person&#39;s hair, he or she may increase the effectiveness of the nit removal process by rubbing his or her thumb and finger(s) together. This rubbing may occur in multiple directions. For example, assuming that the user&#39;s thumb and finger(s) are oriented substantially parallel to axis  44  of  FIG. 4  (which they would be when using lice/nit removal apparatus  20  shown in  FIG. 4 ), the user may wish to slide his or her thumb lengthwise in the direction of arrow  44  along his or her finger(s) so that the points of contact between the user&#39;s thumb and finger(s) shifts lengthwise along the thumb and fingers. Alternatively, or additionally, the user may wish to roll his or her thumb and fingers with respect to each other while drawing the lice removal apparatus along the length of the person&#39;s hair. Such rolling changes the points of contact between the thumb and fingers, not in the lengthwise direction (direction  44 ), but rather with respect to the circumferential regions of the thumb and finger(s) that come into contact with each other. That is, if the users thumb and fingers are oriented substantially parallel to direction  44  of  FIG. 4 , the user may wish to move his or her thumb or finger in a direction perpendicular to direction  44  that extends out of or into the plane of the page of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0032]    It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the “points of contact” referred to in the preceding paragraphs are not points at which direct contact is made between the user&#39;s thumb and finger(s). Instead, the contact points refer to the points where the users thumb and finger(s) would otherwise make direct contact with each other were they not separated by lice/nit removal apparatus  20  and the infected individual&#39;s lock of hair  40 . 
         [0033]    The aforementioned shifting and/or rolling of the person&#39;s thumb and finger(s) not only helps ensure that the lock of hair  40  is more effectively flattened between the users thumb and finger(s), but also tends to at least temporarily separate the hair strands from each other, thereby exposing their outer surfaces to contact with lice/nit removal apparatus  20 . The shifting and/or rolling also helps to roll the hair strands along their longitudinal axes so that all of their surface area comes into contact with lice/nit removal apparatus  20  at least once, and perhaps repeatedly. 
         [0034]    In order to more effectively remove the nits from the person&#39;s hair, the user may also wish to run the squeezed lice/nit removal apparatus  20  along the entire length of the lock of hair  40 . Further, in order to avoid scraping and pulling nits toward the person&#39;s head, rather than away from the person&#39;s head, the user may wish to initially squeeze lice/nit removal apparatus  20  around the roots of the hairs in the lock  40 , or as close as possible to the person&#39;s scalp. Thereafter, the user moves lice/nit removal apparatus  20  away from the person&#39;s head along the entire length of the hair strands, thereby scraping the nits off the hair and moving the removed nits away from the person&#39;s scalp. 
         [0035]    After the user has used the lice/nit removal apparatus  20  to scrape nits from the entire length of the lock of hair, the user may wish to discard the used lice/nit removal apparatus  20  and grab a new lice/nit removal apparatus  20  for use with a second lock of hair. Disposing of each lice/nit removal apparatus  20  after a single pass along a lock of hair helps ensure that any stripped nits that are clinging to first face  22  and/or projections  26  are not carried to a second lock of hair that could be subsequently scraped with the used lice/nit removal apparatus  20 . Instead, the scraped nits are maintained in the lice/nit removal apparatus  20  and make their way into the trash when the used lice/nit removal apparatus  20  is discarded. 
         [0036]    In order to effectively remove nits from all of a person&#39;s hair while discarding each lice/nit removal apparatus  20  after a single pass, multiple lice removal apparatuses  20  will typically be needed. In order to facilitate the process of using multiple lice removal apparatuses  20 , a container, such as container  46  of  FIGS. 7-8  may be provided. Container  46  stores a plurality of lice removal apparatuses  20  in a manner that facilitates their easy removal from container  46  and subsequent use on a person&#39;s hair. More particularly, container  46  stores the lice removal apparatuses  20  in a manner that enables a user to grasp a single one of the lice removal apparatuses  20  with one hand and immediately use the apparatus  20  on a person&#39;s hair without requiring the person to use his or her other hand, or to reposition his or her fingers or thumb on the lice/nit removal apparatus  20 . This can be better understood with reference to  FIGS. 7-9 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 9  illustrates one manner in which lice removal apparatuses  20  may be stacked when inside of container  46  (container  46  is not shown in  FIG. 9  in order to better illustrate the manner in which apparatuses  20  are stacked). Apparatuses  20  are draped over a roll  48 , or other structure, positioned on the bottom of container  46 . Each lice/nit removal apparatus  20  is draped in such a manner that second face  24  faces upwardly while first face  22  faces downwardly. By draping each of lice removal apparatuses  20  in this manner, both of the pockets  28   a  and  28   b  of the top-most lice/nit removal apparatus  20  are easily accessible from the top, thereby allowing a person to insert his or her fingers and thumb into pockets  28   a  and  28   b  while the lice/nit removal apparatus  20  is positioned inside of container  46 , such as shown in  FIG. 8 . After the person has inserted his or her fingers and thumb into the pockets  28  of the top-most lice/nit removal apparatus  20 , the person squeezes his or her fingers and thumb together sufficiently to grip the lice/nit removal apparatus  20  such that, when he or she pulls upwardly on the apparatus  20 , it is lifted out of the container  46 . 
         [0038]    After being lifted out of the container  46 , the person&#39;s finger(s) and thumb are already positioned inside of pockets  28   a  and  28   b , and therefore immediately in proper position for using the lice/nit removal apparatus  20  on a person&#39;s hair. The user can therefore easily grasp and remove a first lice/nit removal apparatus  20  from container  46  with one hand, use the first lice/nit removal apparatus  20  with the same hand to pass it over a lock of hair  40 , dispose of it, and grasp a second lice/nit removal apparatus  20  with the same hand, pass it over another lock of hair  40 , dispose of it, and so on. The users other hand therefore remains free at all times to hold onto and manage the infected hair so that the hair locks that have been cleaned are maintained separately from those that have yet to be cleaned. 
         [0039]    When the user is ready to discard a lice/nit removal apparatus  20  that has been passed over a person&#39;s hair, the user can simply crumple the lice/nit removal apparatus  20  while the users fingers and thumb remain in the pockets  28   a  and  28   b , such as shown in  FIG. 10 . By crumpling the lice/nit removal apparatus  20  with the fingers and thumb still in the pockets, the lice/nit removal apparatus  20  can be folded such that those areas of first face  22  that were in contact with the person&#39;s hair are safely wrapped up by other portions of the lice/nit removal apparatus  20 . This ensures that any scraped nits that might get dislodged from lice/nit removal apparatus  20  do not have the opportunity to fall onto the floor, or other surface underneath lice/nit removal apparatus  20 . Instead, such dislodged nits will merely fall onto another portion of the crumpled fabric sheet, which is then discarded. The problem of removed nits subsequently returning to the infected person&#39;s hair, or another person&#39;s hair, is therefore avoided. 
         [0040]    It will be understood that, although the foregoing description of lice/nit removal apparatus  20  has been provided with reference to a user who uses apparatus  20  to remove nits from another person&#39;s hair, lice/nit removal apparatus  20  can also be used by a person to remove nits from his or her own hair. That is, the person can grasp one of lice removal apparatuses  20  with one hand while holding a lock of his or her own hair and running the lice/nit removal apparatus  20  along the length of the lock of hair. Discarding the used apparatus  20  and grasping a new one can all be done with a single hand, thereby enabling the person to use his or her other hand to maintain the cleaned and uncleaned hair separate from each other, as described previously. 
         [0041]    It will further be understood that, in some embodiments, the lice/nit removal apparatus  20  can be modified to include one or more chemicals, oils, or other substances designed to kill and/or prevent the return of the lice or nits. In such embodiments, lice/nit removal apparatus  20  operates to both mechanically strip nits and lice while also applying a chemical film (or film of another type of substance) to the individual&#39;s hair that helps eradicate the lice and nits. Such embodiments therefore provide a means for mounting a dual mechanical and chemical attack on the nits/lice. In other embodiments, however, no chemicals, oils, or other lice-killing or repelling substances are incorporated into the fabric of lice/nit removal apparatus  20 . 
         [0042]    Various alterations and changes can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. This disclosure is presented for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted as an exhaustive description of all embodiments of the invention or to limit the scope of the claims to the specific elements illustrated or described in connection with these embodiments. For example, and without limitation, any individual element(s) of the described invention may be replaced by alternative elements that provide substantially similar functionality or otherwise provide adequate operation. This includes, for example, presently known alternative elements, such as those that might be currently known to one skilled in the art, and alternative elements that may be developed in the future, such as those that one skilled in the art might, upon development, recognize as an alternative. Further, the disclosed embodiments include a plurality of features that are described in concert and that might cooperatively provide a collection of benefits. The present invention is not limited to only those embodiments that include all of these features or that provide all of the stated benefits, except to the extent otherwise expressly set forth in the issued claims. Any reference to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” “the” or “said,” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular.