DEVICE, SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF ERADICATING PARASITES

Abstract

A parasite eradicating device configured for eradicating parasites by producing a high-temperature airflow, directing it in a stream at an infestation area where parasites thrive, and suctioning the airflow away from the infestation area, such that the parasites are killed and their eggs rendered nonviable by the heat of the airflow.

Claims

1-38. (canceled)

39. A parasite eradicating device configured for eradicating parasites by, producing a high-temperature airflow; directing the high-temperature airflow in a stream at an infestation area where parasites thrive; and suctioning the high-temperature airflow away from the infestation area, such that the parasites are killed and eggs of the parasites are rendered nonviable by the heat of the high-temperature airflow.

40. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 39, further comprising: a hand-held unit having a housing with at least two operational combing teeth extending from said housing, and configured such that a distal end of each of the at least two operational combing teeth comes into close proximity with a surface of parasite infestation area during a combing operation; wherein at least one operational combing tooth of said at least two operational combing teeth has at least one high-temperature airflow outlet nozzle disposed on a first surface of said at least one operational combing tooth and is configured to emit a stream of hot air, and another at least one operational combing tooth of said at least two operational combing teeth has at least one airflow intake aperture disposed on a facing surface of said another at least one operational combing tooth, wherein said facing surface is at least partially facing said first surface, and said at least one airflow intake aperture is configured for suctioning said stream of hot air by a suction force generated in said device.

41. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 40, wherein said stream of hot air is organized into a concentrated stream of hot air by said suction force such that said concentrated stream of hot air flows forcefully across a separating space between said at least one high-temperature airflow outlet nozzle and said at least one airflow intake aperture.

42. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 40, wherein said stream of hot air has a temperature in a range between 80 C. and 120 C.

43. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 41, wherein said separating space is unobstructed.

44. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 41, wherein said separating space is the shortest possible distance between said first surface of said at least one operational combing tooth and said facing surface of said another at least one operational combing tooth.

45. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 40, wherein at least one of said at least two operational combing teeth comprises said at least one high-temperature airflow outlet nozzle and as said at least one airflow intake aperture.

46. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 40, wherein said at least one high-temperature airflow outlet nozzle is configured to emit said stream of hot air in a direction that is generally tangential to said surface of said infestation area.

47. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 40, wherein said distal end of at least one of said at least two operational combing teeth is configured with a spacer to maintain a space between said distal end and said surface of said infestation area when said hand-held unit is brought as close as possible to said surface of said infestation area.

48. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 40, wherein said at least one high-temperature airflow outlet nozzle is disposed near a distal end of said at least one operational combing tooth, and said at least one airflow intake aperture is disposed near a distal end of said another at least one operational combing tooth, such that when said distal end of said each operational combing tooth comes into said close proximity with said surface of said infestation area during said operation of said combing hair, said at least one high-temperature airflow outlet nozzle and said at least one airflow intake aperture are located within a range of 0-6 mm from said surface of said infestation area.

49. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 47, wherein said spacer is composed of a non-thermally conductive material.

50. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 47, wherein said spacer includes an auxiliary combing tooth, located adjacent to said operational combing tooth, so that when said hand-held unit is brought as close as possible to said surface of said infestation area, said auxiliary combing tooth comes into contact with said surface, and said distal end of said operational combing tooth is kept at a distance of said space between said distal end and said surface.

51. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 47, wherein at least a portion of said spacer that comes into contact with said infestation area surface is cooled by an active cooling system.

52. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 51, wherein said spacer includes a thermally conductive material.

53. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 51, wherein said spacer includes tubing having a thermally conductive material and forms part of a closed circuit through which coolant fluid flows and draws heat away from the tubing in order to reduce or eliminate hot contact with infestation area.

54. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 40, further comprising an air pump for generating an airflow for emitting the stream of hot air via the at least one high-temperature airflow outlet nozzle and for generating the suction force for suctioning said stream of hot air via the at least one airflow intake aperture.

55. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 54, further comprising a heating mechanism for heating the airflow.

56. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 54, further comprising: at least one sensor; a processor; and a controller; wherein said at least one sensor is configured to sense at least one parameter of operation of said device; wherein said processor is configured to determine at least whether said at least one parameter of operation falls within a predetermined allowable range of values for said at least one parameter; and Wherein said controller is configured to vary said operation of said parasite eradicating device in order to maintain said at least one parameter of operation within said predetermined allowable range.

57. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 56, wherein said at least one sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a motion sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an orientation sensor, a positioning sensor, a compass, an illumination level sensor, or an acoustic sensor.

58. The parasite eradicating device according to claim 40, wherein at least one of the operational combing teeth is configured with a retraction mechanism disposed between said at least one of said operational combing teeth and said housing, wherein the retraction mechanism is normally biased such that a combing tooth thereof is in a normally extended position and such that the combing tooth retracts under pressure exerted upon the combing tooth by said surface of the infestation area at a start of said combing operation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0089] In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0090] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a hand-held unit of a parasite eradicating device according to one example of the presently disclosed subject matter;

[0091] FIG. 2 is an enlarged bottom view of the device head of the hand-held unit shown in FIG. 1;

[0092] FIG. 3A is a perspective side view of the device, oriented so that the distal faces of the combing teeth can be seen;

[0093] FIG. 3B is a perspective side view of the device head shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3A, oriented so that the proximal faces of the combing teeth can be seen;

[0094] FIG. 4 is an end view of the proximal end of the hand-held unit shown in FIG. 1;

[0095] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the hand-held unit shown in FIG. 1, shown with its base unit;

[0096] FIG. 6 is a perspective top view of the device head;

[0097] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a manifold and set of combing teeth, for use in a hand-held unit of a parasite eradicating device according to a second example of the presently disclosed subject matter;

[0098] FIG. 8 is a side view of the manifold and set of combing teeth shown in FIG. 7;

[0099] FIG. 9A is a perspective bottom view of the manifold and set of combing teeth shown in FIG. 7, oriented so that the left-side faces of the combing teeth can be seen; and

[0100] FIG. 9B is a perspective bottom view of the manifold and set of combing teeth shown in FIG. 7, oriented so that the right-side faces of the combing teeth can be seen; and

[0101] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the hand-held unit and its base unit according to another example of the presently disclosed subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0102] Reference is now made to FIGS. 1-6, which illustrate a hand-held unit 30 of a parasite eradicating device 10 according to one embodiment of the presently disclosed subject matter.

[0103] The hand-held unit 30 is operable like a hair brush or comb, having a handle 32 configured for holding manually, and a device head 38 at the distal end of handle 32. As shown in FIG. 1, the handle 32 is oriented along a longitudinal axis X.sub.H of the device 10.

[0104] The device head 38, an enlarged view of which is shown in FIGS. 2, 3A, 3B and 6, comprises a housing 34 and a set of combing teeth 36. The set of combing teeth 36 is configured to be passed through a section of hair, in an ordinary combing motion, along a surface from which the hair grows where a parasite infestation has been detected, such as along a scalp surface of a human head of hair which is infested with lice. This surface, labeled S, is shown in FIG. 4.

[0105] In accordance with the presently disclosed subject matter, lice and their nits are eradicated during a treatment performed using device 10, in which the lice and nits are subjected to high-temperature air flow, emitted out of an at least one high-temperature airflow outlet nozzle 52 located on a side of at least one combing tooth T.

[0106] On a side of a neighboring combing tooth T, at least partially facing the high-temperature air flow emitted out of the high-temperature airflow outlet nozzle 52, a suction force is exerted into an inlet aperture 56, which suctions the high-temperature air flow into it. Suctioning of the high-temperature air flow emitted out of the high-temperature airflow outlet nozzle 52 into the inlet aperture 56 accomplishes two objectives.

[0107] Firstly, the suction force serves to organize the high-temperature air flow into a concentrated stream, which then flows forcefully across the distance which separates the inlet aperture 56 from the high-temperature airflow outlet nozzle 52, in the space H between the combing teeth T.

[0108] Secondly, the suction force serves to remove heat form the infestation surface area, where a buildup of excessive heat could cause discomfort to the host of the parasite infestation, i.e., the recipient of the parasite eradicating treatment performed by device 10.

[0109] As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, set of combing teeth 36 has six combing teeth T1 through T6, where combing tooth T1 is located at the distal extremity of the set of combing teeth 36, and combing tooth T6 is located at the proximal extremity of the set of combing teeth 36.

[0110] It will be appreciated that a combing tooth T can be shaped so as to be functional in terms of performing a combing operation, while not necessarily having the functionality of emitting or suctioning hot air. For example, combing tooth T1, illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, is a motion sensing combing tooth configured for sensing movement of the device 10, while not being configured for emitting or suctioning hot air.

[0111] It will be further appreciated that sensors of various types, such as temperature sensors, can be provided on a combing tooth T which does have the functionality of emitting or suctioning hot air.

[0112] Each combing tooth T1-T6 has a respective longitudinal axis X1-X6 as shown in FIG. 2. It will be appreciated that the longitudinal axes X1-X6 are oriented in a transverse direction with respect to the longitudinal axis X.sub.H of the device 10, shown in FIG. 1.

[0113] As indicated by arrow R shown in FIG. 2, hand-held unit 30 is configured for combing in either direction along a line parallel to the longitudinal axes X1-X6 of combing teeth T1-T6. Thus, during combing, strands of hair pass in the combing paths H1-H5 formed by the spaces between the combing teeth T1-T6.

[0114] Human head lice tend to live, feed, and lay their eggs (nits), within a distance of about 6 mm from the human scalp, where the conditions of temperature and humidity, as well as the proximity to their source of food is ideal for their survival and prosperity. Therefore, hand-held unit 30 and combing teeth T are configured so that when device head 38 is brought as close as possible to the infestation area surface, such that contact is made between the most distal contact points of combing teeth T and the infestation area surface, the stream of hot air flowing between each high-temperature airflow outlet nozzle 52 and its facing inlet aperture 56 is propelled along a flow path located between 0-6 mm from the infestation area.

[0115] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3A and 3B, each of combing teeth T2-T6 is comprised of three components. Combing tooth T1 is a sensing combing tooth, the function of which will be discussed below in further detail. In the end view of hand-held unit 30 shown in FIG. 4, a side view of the three components comprising combing tooth T6 can be seen.

[0116] The central part of each combing tooth T2-T6, is a central operational combing tooth C2-C6, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. Central operational combing tooth C6 of combing tooth T6 can also be seen in FIG. 4. Central operational combing teeth C2-C6 can be seen to be lined up in a row along central axis L shown in FIG. 2, which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis X.sub.H of the device 10, shown in FIG. 1.

[0117] Each central operational combing tooth C is flanked on both of its sides, along longitudinal axis X of the combing tooth T, by an auxiliary combing tooth Y. In FIG. 4, auxiliary combing teeth Y6R and Y6L can be seen to be flanking operational combing tooth C6 on its right and left sides respectively. In FIGS. 3A and 3B, the auxiliary combing tooth Y1L of sensing combing tooth T1, and the auxiliary combing teeth Y2L-Y6L, which flank operational combing teeth C2-C6, respectively, on their left side, can be seen. Furthermore, in FIG. 3A, the auxiliary combing tooth Y1R of sensing combing tooth T1 can also be seen. In FIG. 3B, the auxiliary combing tooth Y6R of sensing combing tooth T6 can also be seen.

[0118] Auxiliary combing teeth Y can be seen to be fin-shaped with tapered edges and rounded end points. The purpose of this shape is to separate and lift the hairs in the infestation area as they are combed with the set of combing teeth 36, thereby guiding the hairs into the combing paths H and facilitating effective treatment of the 0-6 mm zone near the root of each hair.

[0119] As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, high-temperature airflow outlet nozzles 52 and inlet apertures 56 are disposed at the distal ends of operational combing teeth C where, when device head 38 is brought as close as possible to the infestation area surface and the most distal extremity points of exemplary combing teeth T come into contact with the infestation area surface, high-temperature airflow outlet nozzles 52 and inlet apertures 56 will be located in the 0-6 mm zone from the infestation area surface.

[0120] Operational combing teeth C can be considered to be hot in temperature, as heated air flows through them and therefore, in order to protect the treatment recipient from discomfort due to heat, the operational combing teeth C are prevented from coming into contact with the infestation area surface.

[0121] This can be done in a variety of ways, including the attachment of spacers to the distal ends of the operational combing teeth, for example, or by provision of at least one auxiliary combing tooth, located in a position adjacent to an operational combing tooth, and configured to come into contact with the infestation area surface when the hand-held unit is brought as close as possible to the infestation area surface, such that the operational combing tooth does not come into contact with the infestation area surface.

[0122] As shown in FIG. 4, when device head 38 is brought as close as possible to the infestation area surface S, contact is made with infestation area surface S by distal extremity points 63R and 63L of auxiliary combing teeth YR and YL respectively, while the distal end of operational combing tooth C6 remains at the level indicated by the letter D, at a distance dx from infestation area surface S.

[0123] In the example shown in FIG. 4, the distal end of operational combing tooth C is further prevented from coming into contact with infestation surface S by spacer 62. In the embodiment of parasite eradicating device 10 illustrated in FIG. 4, spacer 62 is a flattened section of tubing, constructed of highly thermally conductive material for drawing heat from infestation surface S when in contact with it. The tubing can be seen in FIG. 4 to bend around the edges of operational combing tooth C6 and continue upwards, forming part of a complete circuit of tubing through which coolant fluid flows. The tubing envelops each one of operational combing teeth C2-C6, thus providing active cooling to the entire set of combing teeth 36 of the device 10.

[0124] It will be appreciated that spacer 62 is an actively cooled spacer and is cool to the touch, while operational combing tooth C is hot, so it is preferable that device 10 is configured such that they do not come into contact, in order that each can retain its own thermal properties to the greatest extent by being isolated from one another. However, it is also necessary that the distal end of operational combing tooth C come into very close proximity with infestation area surface S. Therefore, as best illustrated in FIG. 4 and in particular in the zoomed out portion designated IV in that figure, spacer 62 is configured to be very thin, preferably less than 1 mm in thickness, and being in close proximity thereto, spaced dt from the distal end of the combing tooth. The tubing of which spacer 62 is formed is flattened to an extreme extent, while a thin space remains within through which the coolant fluid can flow.

[0125] In the embodiment of parasite eradicating device 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, seen most clearly in FIGS. 3A and 3B, high temperature airflow outlet nozzles 52 are grouped in sets 54 of three nozzles 52 each, and two such sets 54 can be seen in FIG. 3A to be disposed on the distally facing sides of operational combing teeth C4 and C6. In FIG. 3B, another two such sets 54 of three nozzles 52 each can be seen on the proximally facing sides of operational combing teeth C2 and C4. It can consequently be understood that operational combing tooth C4 has high-temperature airflow outlet nozzles 52 on both of its faces which are parallel to the longitudinal axis X4 of combing tooth T4.

[0126] Two inlet apertures 56 can be seen in FIG. 3A to be disposed on the distally facing sides of operational combing teeth C3 and C5. In FIG. 3B, another two inlet apertures 56 can be seen on the proximally facing sides of operational combing teeth C3 and C5. It can consequently be understood that both operational combing teeth C3 and C5 have inlet apertures 56 on both of their faces which are parallel to the longitudinal axes X3 and X5 of combing teeth T3 and T5 respectively.

[0127] In FIG. 5, hand-held unit 30 of parasite eradicating device 10 is shown to be connected by flexible tubing 40 to a base unit 20. In the embodiment of the device 10 shown in FIGS. 1-6, the device 10 comprises a hand-held unit 30, shown in FIGS. 1-6, as well as a base unit 20, shown in FIG. 5. Some of the elements of the device 10 which can operate remotely from the hand-held unit 30, via connections through the flexible tubing 40, can be located in the base unit 20, thus keeping the weight of the hand-held unit 30 to a minimum and thereby increasing its ease of use. The base unit 20 can further serve as a cradle for the hand-held unit 30 when it is not in use. Tubing 40 can be detachable at either of its ends.

[0128] As shown in FIG. 5, the base unit 20 comprises a power supply unit 68, an air pump 70 and a coolant fluid pump 72. The base unit 20 further comprises a control panel 75, which can comprise a screen 77 and control buttons 79. In another embodiment, control panel can have fewer or no control buttons 79, and screen 77 could be a touch-screen which could be used to control the device 10.

[0129] The power supply unit 68 is shown to be connected by a power cord 45 to an ordinary power supply outlet, such as is located in a residence or commercial establishment. The power supply unit 68 converts the power from the provided household voltage to the low voltage required to operate the device 10. The power supply unit 68 supplies power to the units in the device 10 which require power, e.g., the air pump 70, the air heating system, and the active cooling system.

[0130] In order for device 10 to begin operation, power is supplied to the air pump 70 to begin the flow of air, and to the heating system to begin heating the air. One method for heating the air can be the use of a heating coil 76 located in the air supply pipe 91 connecting the air pump 70 in the base unit 20 and the manifold 82 (shown in FIG. 6) in the hand-held unit 30.

[0131] In another embodiment, individual heating coils can be located in each positive pressure channel of each combing tooth having a high-temperature airflow outlet nozzle. In yet another embodiment, recycled heat from other systems in the device, e.g. the active cooling system, can be used to heat the air.

[0132] The air pump 70 provides both positive air pressure for the flow of air propelled out of the high-temperature airflow outlet nozzles 52, as well as negative air pressure, i.e., suction, at the inlet apertures 56. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the air pump 70 is connected to a positive pressure manifold chamber 84 in the manifold 82 via an air supply pipe 91. The air pump 70 is also connected to a negative pressure manifold chamber 86 in manifold 82 via a negative pressure (suction) pipe 92.

[0133] The positive pressure hot air flow is channeled from the positive pressure manifold chamber 84 to positive pressure hot air channels in the operational combing teeth C having high-temperature airflow outlet nozzles 52. Negative pressure hot air flow (suction) is channeled from the intake apertures 56 through negative pressure (suction) hot air channels in the operational combing teeth C (which have intake apertures 56), to negative pressure manifold chamber 86, and then through negative pressure pipe 92 back to air pump 70.

[0134] Base unit 20 in FIG. 5 is further shown to comprise a coolant fluid pump 72 for pumping the coolant fluid for the active cooling system of the device 10, of which the spacer 62, shown in FIG. 4 forms a part. As further shown in FIG. 5, the coolant fluid pump 72 has a coolant fluid outflow pipe 93, out of which relatively cool coolant flows towards hand-held unit 30, and a coolant fluid intake pipe 94, into which relatively heated coolant flows back into the coolant fluid pump 72 after being circulated around the operational combing teeth C2-C6 in set of combing teeth 36.

[0135] The flexible conduit 40 is configured to be of sufficient diameter to allow the passage through it of the wires and tubes required for connections between elements in the hand-held unit 30 and the base unit 20, e.g., electrical and communications wiring for power and signal transmission, the air supply pipe 91, the suction pipe 92, the coolant fluid outflow pipe 93, and the coolant fluid intake pipe 94.

[0136] As mentioned above, combing tooth T1, illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, is a motion sensing combing tooth configured for sensing movement of the device 10 with respect to a treatment area surface. Motion sensing can be provided in device 10 by any suitable method known in the art. In the example of device 10 shown in FIGS. 1-6, motion sensing is enabled by an optics assembly 39, which, as illustrated in FIG. 2, is located at an opening in housing 34 which is in line with an imaginary point P where central axis L intersects longitudinal axis X1 of combing tooth T1. Information from the optics assembly is then transferred to a PCB 87 (which is shown in FIG. 6) for generating a signal responsive to motion.

[0137] Base unit 20 in FIG. 5 is further shown to comprise a computing unit 81, which comprises a processor 83 and a controller 88. The processor 83 can process the signals received from the sensors in device 10, and the controller 88 can adjust the operating parameters of the device 10 accordingly. For example, the controller 88 can adjust the power supplied to the air pump and to the heating system to automatically shut off the flow of hot air in response to a signal received from the processor 83 indicating that an automatic shut-off of the device is required to ensure the comfort or safety of the treatment recipient.

[0138] Base unit 20 in FIG. 5 is further shown to comprise a speaker 89. The controller 88 of device 10 can convey treatment or operational information, guidance or warnings to a user in an audible manner (e.g., beep sounds, or pre-recorded speech message) via audio speaker 89. Alternatively, messages can be conveyed visually, (e.g., displayed on display unit 77, or via one or more LEDs or other visual indicator).

[0139] Processor 83 may track, log, or otherwise supervise the treatment along a time-line, such as, within single usage session and/or across multiple usage sessions (e.g., across multiple hours or days or weeks) on the basis of data provided by the sensors of device 10.

[0140] Controller 88 may ensure safety of the user that operates the device 10 and/or safety of the user that is being treated by the device 10; for example, by utilizing one or more temperature sensors; detection or sensing of device movement relative to the scalp or the head or the hair; ensuring that hot air is blown away from the scalp and/or in a direction that is tangent to the scalp or parallel to the scalp (and not towards the scalp, directly or in a slanted manner); a mechanism or activator/deactivator controller, to enable full hot-air jet capacity through nozzles or air-outlets, only when all (or most) of the teeth are activated by physical pressing on the scalp (e.g., by using springs or membranes or flexible intermediate elements); mechanism to enable a stand-by mode when the device is powered, but not yet activated, in order to keep the device ready to operate with hot-air output at full air jet capacity, and such that during the stand-by mode the air is optionally heated with low capacity (e.g., lower temperature, and/or lower air speed).

[0141] In some embodiments, the user safety controller 88 and/or other related sensors or controllers (e.g., movement motion or movement sensor), are used for safety measures or safety purposes. For example, the jet of hot air will ceased or stopped or paused, if the device is not moving relative to scalp/hair, or is not moving at all, or is not moving for a pre-defined time period (e.g., for at least 1 second, or for at least 2 seconds, or for at least K seconds wherein K is a positive number). In some embodiments, a temperature sensor may be used for safety measures or safety purposes; for example, the jet of hot air is ceased or stopped or paused if the contact tip(s) temperature is too high, or is greater than a pre-defined threshold value; thereby detecting a possible failure in the cooling system and/or the heat evacuation system of the device. It is noted that portions herein, that relate to a spring or flexible mechanism being Shrunk or Compressed, may further comprise a state of such spring or mechanism being loaded or armed or triggered or pressed.

[0142] Optionally, controller 88 may take into account data that is sensed or acquired or measured by one or more sensors which may be included in device 10 or which may be operatively associated with device 10; for example, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, accelerometer(s), gyroscope(s), orientation sensors, positioning sensors, compass, illumination level sensor, acoustic sensors, or the like.

[0143] An alternative embodiment of the assembly comprising the combing teeth set 36 and the manifold 82 is shown FIGS. 7, 8, 9A and 9B. Corresponding elements of the alternative embodiment have been numbered similarly to the elements with which they correspond in the first embodiment. The reference numerals of the alternative embodiment have been increased by 100 with respect to the reference numerals of the first embodiment, or appended with a prime () symbol.

[0144] As shown in FIG. 7, set of combing teeth 136 of the alternative embodiment has five combing teeth T1 through T5.

[0145] Each combing tooth T1-T5 has a respective longitudinal axis X1-X5 as shown in FIG. 7. As indicated by arrow R shown in FIG. 7, the set of combing teeth 136 is configured for combing in one direction only along a line parallel to the longitudinal axes X1-X5 of the combing teeth T1-T5. The manner of gripping a parasite eradicating device having combing teeth 136 can best be understood as being similar to gripping a hair trimmer, such as those used for trimming hair close to the head. Thus, during combing, strands of hair pass in the combing paths H1-H4 formed by the spaces between the combing teeth T1-T5.

[0146] As in the example of the hand-held device 30 shown in FIGS. 1-6, each of the combing teeth T1-T5 is comprised of three components, which can be seen most clearly in FIG. 8 for the combing tooth T5. The respective three components of each of the combing teeth T1-T4 can be seen in FIGS. 9A and 9B.

[0147] The central part of each combing tooth T1-T5 is a central operational combing tooth C1-C5, respectively, of which central operational combing tooth C5 is visible in FIG. 8. Central operational combing teeth C1-C5 can be seen to be lined up in a row along their central axis L, shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B.

[0148] As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, each of the high-temperature airflow outlet nozzles 152 and the inlet apertures 156 are disposed toward a distal end of the operational combing teeth C, such that, when the device head 138 (not shown) from which the set of combing teeth 136 extends, is brought as close as possible to the infestation area surface and the most distal contact points of exemplary combing teeth T make contact with the infestation area surface, the high-temperature airflow outlet nozzles 152 and the inlet apertures 156 will be located in the 0-6 mm zone from the infestation area surface.

[0149] Like the operational combing teeth C of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6, operational combing teeth C of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7-9B can be considered to be hot in temperature, as heated air flows through them and therefore, in order to protect the treatment recipient from discomfort due to heat, the operational combing teeth C are also prevented from coming into contact with the infestation area surface.

[0150] In the embodiment of hand-held device 10 shown in FIGS. 7-9B, as shown in FIG. 8, the distal end of operational combing tooth C5 is prevented from coming into contact with the infestation surface S by the configuration of its adjacent auxiliary combing teeth, A5F and A5B, located to the front and back (with respect to combing direction R) of the operational combing tooth C5 respectively. It can be seen that when the set of combing teeth 136 is brought as close as possible to the infestation area surface S, contact is made with the infestation area surface S by the distal extremity points 163F and 163B of auxiliary combing teeth A5F and A5B respectively, while the distal end of operational combing tooth C5 remains at the level indicated by the letter D, at a distance dx from the infestation area surface S.

[0151] As can further be seen in FIGS. 7-9B, and most clearly in FIG. 8 which shows the shape of combing tooth T5 in profile, combing teeth T1-T5, and the front row of auxiliary combing teeth A1F-A5F in particular, have an angled shape designed to effectively plow through, separate and lift the hairs in the infestation area S as they are combed, guiding the hairs into the combing paths H1-H4 and facilitating effective treatment of the 0-6 mm zone near the root of each hair as the penetration of the distal ends of the combing teeth T1-T5 into the 0-6 mm zone near the hair roots is optimized. The number of lice and nit targets intercepted and eradicated by the hot air stream emitted at the distal ends of the teeth, and therefore, the overall efficacy of the device, is thus maximized.

[0152] It can further be seen in FIGS. 7-9B, and most clearly in FIGS. 9A and 9B, that the high temperature airflow outlet nozzles 152 of combing teeth 136 are grouped in sets 154 of four nozzles 152 each. Four such sets 154 can be seen in FIG. 9A to be disposed on the left-facing sides of the operational combing teeth C2, C3, C4, and C5.

[0153] In FIG. 9B an inlet aperture 156 can be seen to be disposed on each of the right-facing sides of the operational combing teeth C1, C2, C3 and C4. It can consequently be understood that except for the operational combing teeth C1 and C5 disposed at the two ends of set of combing teeth 136, each of the operational combing teeth C2, C3 and C4 contain both a positive pressure hot air flow channel and a negative pressure (suction) hot air flow channel.

[0154] Positive air pressure for the flow of hot air is supplied to the positive pressure hot air flow channels in the operational combing teeth C1-C5, in a similar manner as that described above for the first embodiment, from a positive pressure manifold chamber 184 (not shown) inside of manifold 182.

[0155] Negative air pressure (suction) is supplied to the negative pressure (suction) hot air flow channels in the operational combing teeth C1-C5, in a similar manner as that described above for the first embodiment, from a negative pressure manifold chamber 186 (not shown) inside of manifold 182.

[0156] Manifold block 187F contains channels for the circulation of coolant fluid to the auxiliary combing teeth A1F-A5F, which are actively cooled. Manifold block 187B contains channels for the circulation of coolant fluid to the auxiliary combing teeth A1B-A5B, which are also actively cooled.

[0157] In an alternative embodiment of the set of combing teeth 136 illustrated in FIGS. 7-9B, central operational combing teeth C1-C5 could be actively cooled by actively cooled spacers such as actively cooled spacers 62 described above with respect to the embodiment of hand-held device 30 shown in FIGS. 1-6.

[0158] In yet another embodiment of the set of combing teeth 136 illustrated in FIGS. 7-9B, one of the combing teeth T1-T5 could be a motion sensing combing tooth, such as combing tooth T1, described above with respect to the embodiment of hand-held device 30 shown in FIGS. 1-6, and as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B.

[0159] An alternative embodiment of the device 10 shown in FIGS. 1-6, device 10, an example of which is illustrated in FIG. 10, comprises additional components which enable device 10 to implement computerized vision and/or digital imaging technologies, including digital image analysis, utilizing imaging capabilities, data collection capabilities and processing capabilities. Device 10 can then, with the addition of these capabilities, be used to detect the presence of parasites or nits in an area which is a potential infestation area. Device 10 can further have additional functions facilitating the eradication of parasites and nits in an infestation area, owing to these additional capabilities, as will be described in further detail below.

[0160] Device 10 can comprise an image recognition system such as computerized vision and/or digital imaging technologies. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, an exemplary device 10 can comprise one or more image capturing device 205, an illumination unit 208, an optics assembly 39 and a computing device 211 in order to provide imaging capabilities, data collection capabilities and processing capabilities needed to perform computerized vision and/or digital imaging technologies, including digital image analysis.

[0161] In accordance with the presently disclosed subject matter, the image capturing device 205 can be configured to capture images and/or video, the illumination unit 208 can be configured to illuminate a field-of-view of an area-of-interest for image acquisition or for video acquisition. The optics assembly 39 can be used in conjunction with image capturing device 205 and/or illumination unit 208, to improve or to facilitate the illumination and/or the acquisition. An image capturing device can be configured at any one or more combing tooth, preferably near a distal end thereof.

[0162] Image data and/or video data that are acquired by image capturing device 205 can be temporarily stored in a local memory unit 207 within device 10; and/or may be transferred or transmitted to a remote processing device, via a wired or wireless transmitter or transceiver 212. In FIG. 10, local memory unit 207 and transmitter or transceiver 212 are shown to be located in base unit 20, however, they could alternatively be located in hand-held unit 30.

[0163] Alternative optics assembly 39 has additional capabilities beyond the motion sensing capabilities of optics assembly 39 of device 10 shown in FIGS. 1-6. For example, optics assembly 39 can have a lens and/or other optics elements such as a mirror, a curved mirror, a concave mirror, a convex mirror, a focusing element, a defracting element, a prism, etc., which may enable efficient and/or maximum depth of field, and/or may otherwise facilitate high quality imaging by image capturing device 205.

[0164] Image capturing device 205 can be a camera or other imager, such as video camera, image-acquisition unit, CCD camera, CMOS camera, HD camera, camera-on-a-chip unit, or the like. Optionally, raw image data and/or raw video data, may be immediately transferred to an external memory unit and/or external storage unit and/or external processing unit, via a wireless link and/or wired link; optionally utilizing a wired transceiver and/or wireless transceiver (e.g., Wi-Fi transceiver, BlueTooth transceiver, ZigBee transceiver, or the like); optionally using one or more antennas or micro-antennas; optionally utilizing a short-term memory or buffer or cyclic buffer or accumulator unit to temporarily store image data and/or video data prior to its transfer to external unit(s); optionally utilizing a controller or processor or encoder or compression-unit to compress or encode the data (e.g., image data and/or video data) prior to such transmission. Image data and/or video data may be captured in a raw format and then may be locally compressed; or may be captured by the imager or by the camera in a manner that integrally outputs a compressed image type (e.g., JPG or PNG) and/or a compressed or encoded video format (e.g., MP4 or MP5 or MJPEG).

[0165] Illumination unit 208 can be any suitable illuminating element, such as a LED 3 or Organic LED (O-LED), other light-source or illumination component (e.g., a set of multiple LEDs), may be used to provide light and/or illumination; particularly, to generate light with automatic intensity adjustment to the cell interest, thereby enabling high-quality imaging and/or image acquisition and/or video acquisition by the image capturing device 205.

[0166] An optional data transfer cable 215 (e.g., a fiber or wired link) can be used to transfer the captured data, in raw format or in compressed or encoded format, to an external component or processor or processing unit 211 (e.g., laptop computer, tablet, smartphone, desktop computer). Optionally, instead of the data transfer cable or in addition thereto, a wireless communications transceiver may be included in device 10, and may wirelessly transmit or upload such data (e.g., image data, video data) to external recipient devices. Optionally, data may be transferred from the device 10, over wired links and/or wireless links, to a remote location or remote recipient, remote server, cloud computing server or repository, or other remote and/or local recipient devices.

[0167] Computing device 211 may receive and process the image data and/or video data, in real time and/or in retrospect; and may generate treatment feedback, treatment status updates, treatment options, treatment recommendations, proposed action items, progress indicators, and/or other indicators or feedback related to the extermination process and/or eradication process. Computing device 211 may be a local or a remote computing platform, and may be implemented by using, for example, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a smartphone or tablet or phablet or smart-watch (e.g., optionally using a mobile app or mobile application), a remote server, a cloud computing server, or the like.

[0168] Optionally, an intermediary component 217 may facilitate the transfer of data from the device 10 to the computing device 211; for example, by buffering data being transferred, or by providing short-term storage of data, or by providing other intermediate services (e.g., data compression, data encoding, data encryption) prior to or during data transfer.

[0169] As shown in FIG. 10, device 10 can further comprise and image processor 213 which can locally process some or all of the image data and/or video data that is acquired by image capturing device 205. Image processor 213 may perform one or more image (or video) recognition algorithms, image (or video) analysis algorithms, image (or video) comparison algorithms, computer vision algorithms, and/or other processes which may be implemented via a computer vision module 218; and a lice treatment feedback/recommendations generator 219 may generate feedback and/or insights and/or treatment recommendations, which may then be conveyed to the user by one or more means; for example, by audible feedback (beep sounds, or pre-recorded speech message) which may be outputted via the audio speaker 89, by visual feedback (e.g., displayed on display unit 77, or via one or more LEDs or other visual indicator), and/or by transferring or transmitting such feedback or recommendations to an external device (e.g., transmitting the feedback or the recommendations via the transceiver 212, to be conveyed to the user via a smartphone or a tablet or a computer or other electronic device).

[0170] In a demonstrative example, image processor 213 may perform image analysis by comparing portions of an acquired image, to pre-defined images of a hair or a scalp or a louse or a nit, in order to determine or to estimate whether a region-of-interest comprises lice and/or nits, and in order to convey such feedback to the user.

[0171] Optionally, a lice gender detection module 214 may perform advanced image analysis, to determine whether a particular parasite that is imaged is a female parasite (which can hatch eggs or nits) or a male parasite (which cannot hatch eggs or nits); and to convey to the user suitable feedback, for example, indicating that a female louse (or several female lice) are detected in a particular region. This may be performed, for example, by image analysis or image comparison, between: (i) an image acquired by the image capturing device 205, and (ii) one or more reference images of a female louse, and (iii) one or more reference images of a male louse. Additionally or alternatively, this may be performed by a computer vision algorithm that searches for, and detects, particular visual features that characterize only a female louse and not a male louse. Some implementations may utilize, for example, one or more of the following differences between male lice and female lice: (I) in male lice, the front two legs are slightly larger than the other four; (II) male lice are generally smaller in size than female lice; (III) male lice are characterized by a pointed end of the abdomen and a well-developed genital apparatus visible inside the abdomen; (IV) female lice are characterized by two gonopods in the shape of a W at the end of their abdomen.

[0172] Optionally, a lice group detection module 223 may perform additional image analysis to determine that a particular region, which is imaged by a single image, or which is imaged across multiple images or within a video segment, contains therein multiple lice (or multiple nits, or multiple female lice); and to generate a suitable feedback to the user. For example, a lice counting module 216 may count the number of lice (and/or nits) that are detected within an image (or a set of images, or a video segment); and a lice infestation score generator 224 may generate a score (e.g., in a range of 0 to 10, or 0 to 100), indicating how severe the lice infestation is, for example, by comparing the counted number of lice and/or nits, per image (or per set of images, or per video segment, or for the area of a region-of-interest) to one or more pre-defined threshold values or ranges.

[0173] In some embodiments, the computer vision module 218 and/or the image processor 213 may perform other types of analysis, for example: automatic diagnosis of the existence and/or the severity of lice infestation; computer vision processes that utilize deep learning and/or machine learning, in order to improve the detection rate of lice and/or eggs as the device 10 is utilized by the same user and/or by other users; detection of water, liquid, and/or other substances between or nearby the teeth or the outlets/inlets, which may interfere with the proper operation of device 10; or the like.

[0174] In some embodiments, device 10 may utilize specific wavelength illumination and/or fluorescence and/or Ultra-Violet (UV) light and/or a combination of the above, in order to excite fluorescence characteristics of lice or/and nits to enhance or improve or highlight or emphasize the lice and nits with reference to its surrounding environment by improved illumination and/or to similarly improve the imaging and/or the image analysis and/or the computer vision processes; and/or may optionally utilize or create backlight shading effect(s) to achieve similar improvements.

[0175] In some embodiments, optionally, processor 83 may further track, log, or otherwise supervise the treatment along a time-line, such as, within single usage session and/or across multiple usage sessions (e.g., across multiple hours or days or weeks). Optionally, changes in lice infestation status may be automatically tracked, logged, stored, and reported to the user; and may also be reported, in some implementations, to a remote third-party recipient (e.g., a physician's computer; a hospital or clinic computer; a school nurse computer; a school district computer; a governmental authority computer; a health department computer; or the like).

[0176] In some embodiments, some or all of the components and/or modules that are shown in FIGS. 5 and 10 to be located in base unit 20 and 20 respectively, can be located in hand held unit 30, or alternatively, in an external unit wired to base unit 20, or communicating wirelessly with hand held unit 30 and/or base unit 20. In other embodiments, some or all of the components and/or modules that are shown in in in FIGS. 5 and 10 to be located in base unit 20 and 20 respectively, may be implemented externally to device 10 and 10 respectively, as external components and modules that are external to device 10 and 10, and/or as part of a computing device, tablet, smartphone, laptop computer, desktop computer, local server, remote server, cloud computing server or device, or the like. In some embodiments, some or all of the components and/or modules that are shown in FIGS. 5 and 10 to be located in base unit 20 and 20 respectively, are implemented both locally within device 10 and 10, either in the hand-held unit 30 or 30 respectively, or in the base unit 20 or 20 respectively as well as externally to (or remotely from) device 10 and 10 or may be otherwise distributed among device 10 and 10 and one or more other devices.

[0177] Optionally, a vibration module 226 may be included in device 10, and may generate vibrations for one or more purposes and/or at pre-defined time intervals and/or triggered by one or more conditions. For example, vibrations may be generated at pre-defined intervals (e.g., every second, or every three seconds), to ensure that a hot-air treatment or other type of treatment is being employed towards additional vibrations due to the generated vibration.

[0178] Optionally, one or more of the combing teeth of the device, such as combing teeth T2-T6 of FIGS. 1-6, or combing teeth T1-T5 of FIGS. 7-9B, or another component of the device 10 or 10, may comprise other modules or components for lice detection and/or lice eradication. For demonstrative purposes, there are shown two such treatment units 265 (FIG. 10), that may be part of teeth T2 and T6, respectively. For example, treatment units 265 may spray or eject a chemical agent that kills lice and/or nits, or may provide or generate an electric signal or electric voltage or electric current that can electrocute lice and/or nits, and/or may provide a mechanical force that kills (or breaks apart) lice and/or nits, and/or may perform a suction operation that sucks-away lice and/or nits, and/or may perform other suitable treatment operations, which may be performed in addition to or instead of the blowing of hot-air.