Patent Document

[0001]    The current application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/242,814, entitled “A CLEANING APPARATUS FOR A COMB FOR HAIR AND LICE”, filed 16 Sep. 2009, incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of combs. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning a comb and a lice comb. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A comb includes a body and teeth extending therefrom. The teeth of a lice comb are dense, for picking out lice, eggs, and other undesirable matter. 
         [0004]    The comb, particularly when used for picking lice, must be cleaned after use. This is performed by hand, paper, flowing water or other means. 
         [0005]    Since all these means are external to the comb, and unaesthetic, lice combing is a non-preferable activity. 
         [0006]    All the methods described above have not yet provided satisfactory solutions to the problem of cleaning combs and especially lice combs. 
         [0007]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for cleaning combs and lice combs. 
         [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above-mentioned and other problems of the prior art. 
         [0009]    Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a comb ( 2 ) comprising teeth ( 4 ) extending from the body ( 8 ) of said comb, said comb comprising: a tooth cleaner ( 14 ) comprising a perforated-bar ( 6 ) in which the holes ( 20 ) thereof surrounding said teeth ( 4 ), wherein said perforated-bar ( 6 ) and said teeth ( 4 ) are movable one along and in relation to the other, thereby allowing removing stuck objects from said teeth ( 4 ). 
         [0011]    The comb ( 2 ) may further comprise a springy element ( 18 ) for normally locating the perforated bar ( 6 ) near the comb-body ( 8 ), thereby by default allowing combing, and thereby the drawing of perforated bar ( 6 ) against the springy element ( 18 ) may clean the teeth ( 4 ). 
         [0012]    The comb ( 2 ) may further comprise a lock ( 12 ), for locking the perforated bar ( 6 ) to attach the comb-body ( 8 ) to allow combing, and for unlocking the perforated bar ( 6 ), to allow the cleaning of teeth ( 4 ). 
         [0013]    The comb ( 2 ) may further comprise a limiting element ( 24 ) for limiting the motion of the perforated bar ( 6 ) along the teeth ( 4 ), thereby the perforated bar ( 6 ) is limited to be held by the teeth ( 4 ). 
         [0014]    The holes ( 20 ) of the perforated bar ( 6 ) may be elongated (length L), for substantially reaching the top ( 42 ) of the teeth ( 4 ) and yet being held thereby, thereby the perforated bar ( 6 ) can clean the edges ( 42 ) of the teeth ( 4 ). 
         [0015]    The tooth cleaner ( 14 ) may be detachable. 
         [0016]    In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for cleaning a comb ( 2 ), and a method for cleaning the teeth of a comb, the method comprising the steps of:
       providing a perforated bar in which the holes thereof surround the teeth of said comb; and   drawing said perforated bar along said teeth away from the body of said comb,
 
thereby cleaning said teeth by said perforated bar.
       
 
         [0019]    The method may further comprise the step of:
       drawing the perforated bar ( 6 ) towards the body ( 8 ) of the comb ( 2 ),
 
thereby allowing combing.
       
 
         [0021]    The method may further comprise the step of:
       locking the perforated bar ( 6 ) near the body ( 8 ) of the comb ( 2 ).       
 
         [0023]    The reference numbers have been used to point out elements in the embodiments described and illustrated herein, in order to facilitate the understanding of the invention. They are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. Also, the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated in conjunction with systems and methods thereof, which are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    Embodiments and features of the present invention are described herein in conjunction with the following drawings: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  depicts a lice comb, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  depicts the lice comb of  FIG. 1 , at the locked state. 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  depicts the lice comb of  FIG. 1 , in the disassembled state. 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is a two-dimensional sectional view of the lice comb of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is a two-dimensional sectional view of a lice comb, according to another embodiment. 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is a two-dimensional sectional view of a lice comb of  FIG. 5  in the cleaning state. 
       
    
    
       [0031]    It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0032]    The present invention will be understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which are meant to be descriptive and not limiting. For the sake of brevity, some well-known features, methods, systems, procedures, components, circuits, and so on, are not described in detail. 
         [0033]    The terms “up”, “down”, “top” and “bottom” refer herein to the position where the teeth are up and the comb body is down, as depicted in all the figures. 
         [0034]      FIG. 1  depicts a lice comb, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0035]    A lice comb  2 , according to one embodiment of the present invention, includes teeth  4  extending from the body  8  of the comb, and a teeth cleaner  14 . Teeth cleaner  14  may clean teeth  4  by raising and lowering thereof, i.e., by moving teeth cleaner  14  along teeth  4  away from body  8 . 
         [0036]    Each tooth  4  is inserted into a hole  20  of teeth cleaner  14 , thus relative motion between hole  20  and tooth  4  cleans tooth  4 . All holes  20  or at least a cluster of holes  20  of teeth cleaner  14  move altogether along teeth  4 , since a perforated bar  6  binds holes  20  together. 
         [0037]    Upon lowering teeth cleaner  14  to the lowest location, a lock  12  may lock it to a lock state. 
         [0038]      FIG. 2  depicts the lice comb of  FIG. 1 , in the locked state. 
         [0039]    In the locked state, lice comb  2  functions and seems like a common lice comb. The user may comb the hair until the comb fills with lice, dirt and hair. 
         [0040]    Instead of the prior art cleaning, a handle  10  may unlock teeth cleaner  14 , for releasing thereof, and then, raising teeth cleaner  14  to the state depicted in  FIG. 1  removes the lice, the dirt and the hair away from teeth  4 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  depicts the lice comb of  FIG. 1 , in the disassembled state. 
         [0042]    According to a preferred embodiment, a springy element  18  may normally locate holes  20  at the bottom of teeth  4 , i.e., close to body  8  of comb  2 , which is the position allowing combing. 
         [0043]    Thus, cleaning teeth  4  is performed by raising teeth cleaner  14  against springy element  18 . Release of teeth cleaner  14  returns teeth cleaner  14 , by springy element  18 , or by manual motion, to the combing state. 
         [0044]    According to one embodiment, teeth cleaner  14  may be detached from comb-body  8  and from teeth  4 .  FIG. 3  depicts a track  16  in comb-body  8 . 
         [0045]    According to one embodiment, the disassembling may be done by raising a limiting element  24  (depicted in  FIG. 4 ) against springy element  18  beyond the cleaning state depicted in  FIG. 1 . Thus, holes  20  are raised above the edges of teeth  4 , and are no longer held by them. 
         [0046]    Re-assembling teeth cleaner  14  is performed by inserting limiting element  24  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) into track  16 , raising it against springy element  24 , and inserting teeth  24  into holes  20 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 4  is a two-dimensional sectional view of the lice comb of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0048]    Teeth cleaner  14 , having holes  20 , may move in relation to comb-body  8  with teeth  4   
         [0049]    Limiting element  24  of teeth cleaner  14  is movable within track  16  of comb-body  8 . Limiting element  24  limits the motion of teeth cleaner  14 , such that holes  20  clean most or all the length of teeth  4 . 
         [0050]    According to a preferred embodiment, each of holes  20  is elongated, for example, having length L. Limiting element  24  limits the raising of holes  20 , such that the top  44  of hole  20  can reach a selected height at the top  42  of tooth  42  or even beyond, while hole  20  is yet held by tooth  4 . Thus, the entire length of tooth  4  may be cleaned. 
         [0051]    Lock  12  includes a projection  26 , falling into a recess  38 . Upon being pushed to the bottom projection,  26  of limiting element  24  falls into recess  38 , locking teeth cleaner  14  into that position. 
         [0052]      FIG. 5  is a two-dimensional sectional view of a lice comb, according to another embodiment. 
         [0053]    Teeth cleaner  14  having holes  20  may move in relation to comb-body  8  having teeth  4 . Limiting element  24  is movable within track  16  of teeth cleaner  14 . 
         [0054]    Upon pushing teeth cleaner  14  to the bottom, which is the combing state, projection  26  of limiting element  24  falls into recess  38  of teeth cleaner, locking teeth cleaner  14  and comb-body  8  into that position. 
         [0055]      FIG. 6  is a two-dimensional sectional view of the lice comb of  FIG. 5  at the cleaning state. 
         [0056]    Teeth  4  of  FIG. 5  are shown being cleaned by holes  20  of teeth cleaner  14 , as teeth  4  do not outwardly extend in this state. 
         [0057]    In the figures and/or description herein, the following reference numerals have been mentioned:
       numeral  2  denotes a lice comb according to one embodiment of the present invention;   numeral  4  denotes a tooth of a lice comb;   numeral  6  denotes a perforated bar, including a cluster of holes;   numeral  8  denotes the body of the comb;   numeral  10  denotes a handle for locking and unlocking the lock;   numeral  12  denotes a lock for locking the holes of the teeth cleaner to the bottom of the teeth;   numeral  14  denotes the teeth cleaner;   numeral  16  denotes a track;   numeral  18  denotes a springy element for pushing the teeth cleaner downwards;   numeral  20  denotes a hole surrounding a tooth;   numeral  24  denotes a limiting element, for limiting the motion of the teeth cleaner;   numeral  26  denotes a projection;   numeral  38  denotes a recess;   numeral  42  denotes the top of a tooth; and   numeral  44  denotes the top of the hole.       
 
         [0073]    The foregoing description and illustrations of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the above description in any form. 
         [0074]    Any term that has been defined above and used in the claims, should to be interpreted according to this definition.

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