Rotatable brush for animals

Abstract

A rotatable brush for animals is provided, having a longitudinal length and including a rotatable core portion with a plurality of bristles each having a first end connected to the core portion and a second free end located in a position radially outwardly of the first end with respect to a rotation axis of the brush. The brush includes at least one protective element rotationally fixedly connected to the core portion. The least one protective element is flexible and extends radially outwardly from the core portion. The protective element forms an outer hair guiding surface portion along the longitudinal length of the brush.

Claims

1. A rotatable brush for animals having a longitudinal length, the brush comprising: a rotatable core portion; a plurality of bristles each having a first end connected to the core portion and a second free end located in a position radially outwardly of the first end with respect to a rotation axis of the brush; and at least one protective element rotationally fixedly connected to the core portion, the least one protective element being flexible at least in a direction of rotation of the brush and extending radially outwardly from the core portion, the at least one protective element forming an outer hair guiding surface portion along the longitudinal length of the brush, the at least one protective element having an inner edge portion connected to the core portion and an outer free edge portion forming the hair guiding surface portion, the inner edge portion of the at least one protective element being connected within the core portion, wherein the core portion comprises a slot, and the inner edge portion of the protective element is attached in the slot.

2. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protective element has a radial extension from the core portion which is approximately the same as a radial extension of the bristles from the core portion.

3. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protective element has a radial extension from the core portion which is longer than a radial extension of the bristles from the core portion.

4. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protective element has a radial extension from the core portion which is shorter than a radial extension of the bristles from the core portion.

5. The brush according to claim 4, wherein the at least one protective element has a radial extension from the core portion which is shorter than a radial extension of the bristles from the core portion by no more than a radial distance r.sub.1 from an outer surface of the core portion to a rotation axis of the brush.

6. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the slot is a longitudinal slot defined as a C-shaped recess along the longitudinal length of the core portion.

7. The brush according to claim 6, wherein the inner edge portion of the at least one protective element is a folded bulge that is attached in the C-shaped recess.

8. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protective element is a plate-shaped element.

9. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protective element is one or more of a plastic material, a rubber material, and a textile material.

10. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protective element comprises a plurality of protective elements.

11. The brush according to claim 10, wherein the protective elements are disposed at regular intervals around the circumference of the core portion.

12. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the outer hair guiding surface portion is disposed at a constant radial distance from the core portion along an entire longitudinal length of the brush.

13. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the outer hair guiding surface portion is located at a radial distance r.sub.3 from a rotation axis of the brush which is at least twice a radial distance r.sub.1 from an outer surface of the core portion to the rotation axis.

14. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the core portion has a tubular shape.

15. A brush arrangement comprising: the rotatable brush according to claim 1; an electric motor configured to drive the rotatable brush; a sensor; and a controller configured to activate the electric motor when the controller receives information from the sensor indicating that an external force acts on the brush arrangement.

16. The brush arrangement according to claim 15, further comprising an electric switch which is settable in an off position in which no electric energy is supplied to the electric motor and in an on position in which electric energy is supplied to the electric motor when the external force acts on the brush arrangement.

17. The brush arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the brush is supported by a support arm attached to a support structure.

18. The brush arrangement according to claim 15, further comprising a hinge arrangement allowing a pivot movement of the brush around two orthogonal pivot axes.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention is now to be explained more closely by means of a preferred embodiment which is disclosed as an example and with reference to the attached drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a brush arrangement according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a brush arrangement according to the invention.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a cross section view of a brush according to a first embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of attachment of a protective element to the core portion of the brush.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a cross section view of a brush according to a second embodiment of the invention.

(7) FIG. 6 shows a cross section view of a brush according to a third embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(8) FIG. 1 shows a brush arrangement to be used by an animal 1. The brush arrangement comprises a bracket 3 to be attached to a support structure 2 such as a wall, post, beam or the like. The brush arrangement comprises a support arm 4 to be connected to the bracket 3. The support arm 4 comprises a first straight portion having a horizontal extension in a mounted state, a second curved portion and a third short straight portion having a vertical extension in a mounted state. The support arm 4 comprises a first end to be connected to the bracket 3. The support arm 4 comprises a second end to be connected to a cylindrically-shaped brush 6 via a hinge arrangement 5. The brush is provided with at least one protective element 13 as described in more detail further on. The hinge arrangement 5 comprises two orthogonal pivot axes 5a, 5b allowing a pivot movement of a brush 6 around the pivot axis 5a, 5b in relation to the support arm 4. The brush 6 has a longitudinal length between a first end 6a and a second end 6b. The brush 6 hangs vertically downwardly when no external forces act on the brush 6. In this position, the second end 6b of the brush is located vertically below the first end 6a of the brush 6. The brush 6 is rotationally arranged around a rotation axis 6c.

(9) An electric switch 7 is arranged in the bracket 3. The electric switch 7 comprises a rotary knob or button settable in an off position and an on position. A schematically indicated electric motor 8 which drives the brush 6 and a schematically indicated sensor 9 which senses when an external force acts on the brush 6 are arranged in an inner space of the brush 6. A schematically indicated control unit 10 is configured to activate the electric motor 8 when it receives information from the sensor 9 indicating that an external force acts on the brush 6. In the embodiment shown, the control unit 10 is arranged in an inner space of the support arm 4.

(10) FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a brush arrangement to be used by animals 1. The brush arrangement comprises a bracket 3 to be attached to a support structure 2 such as a wall, post, beam or the like. The brush arrangement comprises a support arm 4 pivotally connected to the bracket 3 by means of a first pivot means 5, such that the support arm is pivotable around a pivot axis 5b. The support arm 4 comprises a first straight portion having a horizontal extension in a mounted state, a second curved portion and a third short straight portion. The support arm 4 comprises a first end to be connected to the bracket 3. The support arm 4 comprises a second end to be connected to a cylindrically-shaped brush 6 via a second pivot means 5. The second pivot means 5 allows the brush 6 to pivot about a pivot axes 5a, differing from pivot axis 5b such as being orthogonal or at least close to orthogonal to the pivot axis 5b. Thus in combination, the pivot arrangement 5 comprising the first and second pivot means 5 and 5, allows a pivot movement of the brush 6 around the pivot axis 5a, 5b in relation to the support 2. The brush 6 has a longitudinal extension between a first and a second end and is rotationally arranged around a rotation axis 6c by means of an electric motor 8 which is suspended by the support arm 4 in the second pivot means 5. The rotation of the motor 8 is controlled by means of a control unit 10 connected to a sensor 9. The sensor 9 senses when an external force acts on the brush 6, such as an animal displacing or rotating the brush. The sensor may be e.g. a tilt sensor or a rotation sensor, detecting tiling or rotation of the brush by the external force.

(11) FIG. 3 shows a cross section view of a brush 6 according to a first embodiment. The brush 6 comprises a core portion 11 having a tubular shape. The core portion comprises an outer surface 11a having a circular shape in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis 6c of the brush 6. The outer surface 11a of the core portion 11 is arranged at a first radial distance r.sub.1 from the rotation axis 6c of the brush 6. The electric motor 8 and the sensor 9 may according to one embodiment be arranged in the inner space of the core portion 11. A plurality of bristles 12 are, at a first end 12a, connected to the core portion 11. The bristles 12 have a substantially radial extent from the first end 12a to a second free end 12b. The second end of the bristles 12b is located at a second radial distance r.sub.2 from the rotation axis 6c.

(12) In the embodiment shown, four flexible protective elements 13 have been attached at regular intervals around the circumference of the core portion 11. Each protective element 13 is plate- or sheet-shaped. Each protective element 13 comprises an inner edge portion 13a to be attached to the core portion 11. In the embodiment shown, the inner edge portion 13a is attached in a longitudinal slot 11b of the core portion 11 by means a suitable attachment means. The attachment means may include fastening by welding, adhesive or mechanical fastening means. As one example the protective element is configured to engage with the core portion to obtain a forms a mechanical attachment. In FIG. 4 one alternative of such a mechanical attachment means is shown in cross-section. The protective element 13 is folded along its length to form a bulge along its inner edge portion 13a. The core portion comprises a corresponding longitudinal slot 11b in the form of a C-shaped recess along its longitudinal length. The bulge of the protective element is inserted in the recess of the core portion and thus mechanically fastened in the radial direction.

(13) In FIG. 3 the protective elements have a radial extension r.sub.3 from the rotation center of the brush and comprises an outer portion forming a hair guiding surface portion 13b. The hair guiding surface portion 13b is formed at an outer portion of the protective element on the side of the protective element in the direction of rotation R of the brush. Thus the hair guiding surface portion 13b may be arranged at the outer portion of the protective element at the third radial distance r.sub.3 from the rotation axis 6c. The protective elements 13 are attached at regular intervals around the outer surface 11a of the core portion 11. The plate shaped protective elements 13 may e.g. be manufactured of a plastic material, a rubber material or a textile material having flexible properties. In the embodiment shown, the protective elements forming the hair guiding surface portions 13b have a constant radial extension from the rotation axis 6c along the entire longitudinal length of the brush 6. The hair guiding surface portion 13b may be located at a third radial distance r.sub.3 from a rotation axis 6c which is at least twice the first radial distance r.sub.1 defined by the outer surface 11a of the core portion 11. In the embodiment shown, the hair guiding surface portion 13b is located at a third radial distance r.sub.3 from the rotation axis 6c which is somewhat shorter than the second radial distance r.sub.2 defined by the second ends 12b of the bristles 12.

(14) In FIG. 5 another embodiment of a brush is shown in cross-section. This embodiment differs from what is shown in FIG. 3 in that the protective element has a radial extension r.sub.3 which is similar to, or the same as, the radial extension r.sub.2 of surrounding bristles. When the protective band has the same or similar length as the bristles, the hair strands will not penetrate among the bristles next to the protective band.

(15) In FIG. 6 yet another embodiment of a brush is shown in cross-section. This embodiment differs from what is shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 in that the protective element has a radial extension r.sub.3 which is larger than the radial extension r.sub.2 of surrounding bristles. Thus the protective elements extend outside the surrounding bristles and the hair guiding surface may also be located at a third radial distance r.sub.3 which is longer than the second radial distance r.sub.2 defined by the second ends 12b of the bristles 12. The longer the radial extension of the protective band, the less the hair strands will be able to penetrate in between the bristles of the brush, but too long and the element will bend over the bristles and may be subjected to wear and possible damage. It is advantageous to have the protective bands a bit shorter to a bit longer than the bristles, in the radial direction.

(16) When an animal provides a pressing force on the brush 6 as described in the examples shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, this is detected by the sensor 9. The sensor sends a signal to the control unit 10 which activates the electric motor 8. The electric motor provides, via suitable movement transmitting members, a rotary movement of the core portion 11. The bristles 12 and the protective elements 13, which are fixedly connected to the core portion 11, provide rotary moments in relation to the animal. At least the second ends 12b of the bristles 12 penetrate through the fur of the animals and come in contact with the skin of the animal. As a consequence, the hair strands of the fur will penetrate into the brush body formed by the bristles 12. In case the animal is long haired, the hair strands may penetrate a relatively long distance into the brush body.

(17) The risk that the hair strands get entangled in the brush body is related to the penetration depth of the hair strands into the brush body and also other properties of the hair of the animal, such as how clean it is and how curly the hair is. In the embodiment shown, one of the rotating protective elements 13 comes almost immediately in contact with a hair strand penetrating into the brush body 12. During the following rotation movement of the hair guiding surface portion 13b, it will be moved along the hair strand in a direction towards its free end. During this movement, the hair guiding surface portion 13b moves the penetrating part of the hair strand successively radially outwardly to the radial position defined by the hair guiding surface portion 13b. The third radial distance r.sub.3 defined by hair guiding surface portion 13b is a predetermined radial distance where the risk that the hair strands will become entangled in the rotary brush 6 is substantially eliminated. This may be at a position close to the outer ends of the bristles. The hair guiding surface portion 13b has an extent along the entire longitudinal length of the core portion 11. As a consequence, the protective elements 13 protect against entanglement of hair strands in the entire brush body.

(18) The invention is not restricted to the described embodiment but may be varied freely within the scope of the claims. The numbers of protective elements may, for example, be varied, and the protective elements may be of different lengths or have different lengths along the longitudinal length of the core portion. The brush arrangement may be any type of brush arrangement, and the second radial distance r.sub.2 does not need be constant around the whole core portion or along the longitudinal length of the brush.