WO2019007519A1

WO2019007519A1 - Uv light accessory for lice combs

Info

Publication number: WO2019007519A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/067026
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mauricio David LEVANDOVSKY; Maricel Natalia LEVANDOVSKY
Original assignee: Levandovsky Mauricio David; Levandovsky Maricel Natalia
Priority date: 2017-07-06
Filing date: 2017-07-06
Publication date: 2019-01-10

Abstract

UV light accessory for lice combs, comprising a hollow housing (1) made of ABS plastic, comprising in its rear face (1b) a slit (7), and presenting in the front face (1a) a row of 33 holes (4) aligned at regular intervals, wherein the rear slit (7) and the front row of 33 holes (4) are aligned in the same central axis of the accessory, to allow inserting the lice comb (2) known as "fine-toothed comb", until the comb is finally in operating position. The accessory (1) comprises, in its front face (1a), a series of small LEDs (6) which light up by means of a switch (5) and which radiate ultraviolet (UV) light on the teeth of the lice comb, as they are arranged above said front row of 33 holes (4).

Description

UV LIGHT ACCESSORY FOR LICE COMBS

Field of Application

The present invention refers to a UV light accessory for lice combs; more specifically, an accessory that couples to the existing comb and allows the user to detect and attract lice and lice eggs.

Background of the invention

The use of UV light or "black light" to help detect lice and lice eggs is known in the art.

For example, patent US 6,053,180, published in the year 2000, refers to an electricity-powered styling comb containing UV-ray-emission sources. The object of the invention is to disinfect the comb while it is being used, removing any microorganism, spore, fungus, lice, and lice egg through direct contact with UV light. This embodiment is intended to avoid infecting another family member or client in a stylist hair salon who may share said comb, but in no way does it provide for the complete removal of lice and lice eggs in a person, as this is not the problem to be solved.

Publication US2005/166863 is also known, which refers to a brush for pets comprising a sterilizer containing a lamp that emits high-energy rays, which may be ultraviolet or infrared rays. The lamp works with a complex air-suction system and a photocatalyst filter. The object of the invention is to keep the pet's hair sterilized by regularly applying the comb, attacking bacteria and parasites, but it does not provide for the possibility of completely eradicating an infection in the animal's hair. It is not suitable for humans.

Also known are combs or brushes with handles and an amplifier for better finding lice and lice eggs, which may comprise lighting. Examples of these embodiments are patents US 5,618,289 and US 8,967,157, among others. However, their main function is to identify and visualize the infection, but they do not provide solutions that allow to remove it completely.

Also known in the art are devices such as the one disclosed by publication EP 0

693 262 A1 , which comprises a handle, an electric heater transmitting heat to a row of teeth of the comb, and an independent UV-radiating device. It is a complex apparatus that comprises many pieces, is difficult to assemble and needs to be powered by electricity. Also known is the European patent EP 2 394 528 B1 , which discloses a comb that uses black light to detect and remove lice and lice eggs from the head of an infected subject. The comb comprises a handle with a LED-emitting guide, where a series of optic-fiber or plastic teeth are embedded, which absorb the UV light and are illuminated while being used. Even though this embodiment, as well as all other mentioned embodiments, has a ready-to-use configuration, it does not allow the user to use the steel comb they already have at home. All the embodiments of the prior art are devices that the user must buy to replace the traditional fine-toothed comb they already have and, thus, discard it considering that in most cases, the devices are complex, powered by electricity, and expensive.

Object of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide an alternative solution to the existing solutions, in which the user may interact with the metal comb they already have through a simple and cheap accessory, without the need to discard their fine-toothed comb and replace it with another more complex and expensive device.

Brief description of the invention

The UV light accessory for lice combs of the present invention comprises a hollow housing that in its rear and front faces comprises means aligned along the central axis of the accessory to allow inserting the existing standard lice comb.

The accessory comprises, in its front face, a series of small LEDs which are lightened up by means of a switch and which radiate ultraviolet (UV) light on the lice comb teeth.

Brief description of the Figures

For a better understanding and application of the present invention, it has been presented in one of its preferred embodiments in the illustrative, non-limiting figures which accompany this specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the UV light accessory in operating position, with the lice comb already inserted therein;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the UV light accessory and the lice comb about to be inserted into said accessory; Figure 3 is a top perspective view of the UV light accessory in operating position, with the lice comb already inserted therein, but showing the lower face, opposed to that shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a top view of the UV light accessory in standing position, with the lice comb already inserted therein, showing the same lower face as shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 illustrates a top perspective view of the UV light accessory in standing position, showing its front face;

Figure 6 is a rear elevation view of the UV light accessory in standing position;

Figure 7 is a front elevation view of the UV light accessory in standing position; Figure 8 is a side elevation view of the UV light accessory in standing position;

Figure 9 represents a cross-sectional cut view of the UV light accessory in standing position; and

Figure 10 represents a longitudinal cut view of the UV light accessory in standing position.

In all figures, like reference numbers and letters correspond to like elements of the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The UV light accessory for lice combs comprises, in its preferred embodiment, a hollow housing (1 ) which preferably has trapezoidal shape and may be made of ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic, which is highly resistant to impacts. Said housing (1 ) presents a front face (1 a), a rear face (1 b), and two side faces (1 c). The rear face (1 b) of the housing comprises a slit (7), and the front face (1 a) presents a row of 33 holes (4) aligned at regular intervals. The cavities, both the rear slit (7) and the front row of 33 holes (4) are aligned along the same central axis of the accessory, as shown in the section of Figure 9. This particular configuration responds to the user's need to insert the lice comb (2), known as "fine-toothed comb", into said cavities, as shown in the perspective of Figure 2, with the 33 teeth first entering the rear housing (7) and then coming out (3) through the 33 aligned front holes (4) until reaching the end, where the comb is finally in operating position, as illustrated in Figure 1 .

The diameter, number, and size of the teeth (3) of the fine-toothed comb are universal, so that the measure of the 33 front holes is consistent with said standardization.

The preferred embodiment of the accessory (1 ) comprises, in its front face (1 a), a series of small LEDs (6) which radiate ultraviolet (UV) light, arranged above the front row of 33 holes (4), as shown in Figure 7. These LEDs (6) are lightened up through a switch (5) that protrudes from the lower face of the housing (1 ) of the accessory. The wave length of the LEDs (6) preferably ranges between 395 and 400 nm (nanometers), while the potency of these LEDs ranges between 300 and 400 mcd (millicandela).

The LEDs are placed on a printed circuit board fixed to the interior of the housing

(9) connected through cables to a series of batteries (10), preferably AG3-type, arranged in a compartment intended for that purpose on the inner wall of the rear face (1 B) of the housing (1 ). An opening (8) is disposed on said rear face (1 B) of the housing (1 ), through which a separating or protective film is inserted (not shown), which prevents the row of batteries from contacting the circuit that lights up the UV lights.

The accessory (1 ) is configured to achieve high precision in the detection of lice and lice eggs in order to facilitate a quick and complete removal.

The particular configuration of the UV light-emitting LEDs achieves a double effect, because on the one hand it allows lice to be attracted to UV light in order to capture them later and remove them quickly with the fine-toothed comb; on the other hand, due to their opalescent white color, lice eggs emit higher fluorescence, thereby facilitating their visualization, so that the fine-toothed comb may then be passed with precision over the affected areas of the hair. In addition, the claimed accessory has an autocleaning effect, because the user may remove it slowly, sliding the accessory (1 ) through the interdental space of the fine-toothed comb, dragging and discarding any trace of lice and lice eggs, which will be adhered to the front row of 33 holes (4) of the accessory. The user may then remove with a wet cloth all the traces of adhered lice and lice eggs and reinsert the comb (2) into the accessory (1 ) for a new use. This filter effect is achieved through the precise configuration of the diameter of each one of the holes (4), which are closely related with the diameter of each of the 33 teeth of the fine-toothed comb (2).

Another problem solved by this invention is that the possibility of the hair being cut as a result of using the fine-toothed comb is eliminated. As the fine-toothed comb (2) is embedded into the accessory (1 ), it serves as a barrier, so the comb's sharp edge is not in contact with the capillary fiber, thus preventing it from being accidentally cut.

All that has been described and illustrated herein is merely a preferred embodiment of the invention, and any other embodiment that does not depart from the following claims shall be considered within its scope.

Claims

1 . UV light accessory for lice combs comprising a through hollow housing (1 ) with means to insert an existing fine-toothed comb (2) and means for radiating UV light on the teeth (3) of the fine-toothed comb (2).

2. UV light accessory for lice combs according to claim 1 , wherein said means to insert an existing fine-toothed comb (2) consists of a continuous slit (7) located on the rear face (1 B) of the housing (1 ) and a series of aligned holes (4), arranged at regular intervals on the front face (1 A) of said housing (1 ).

3. UV light accessory for lice combs, according to claim 2, wherein the continuous rear slit (7) and the series of front holes (4) are aligned in the central axis of the housing, so that they allow inserting the existing comb (2).

4. UV light accessory for lice combs, according to claim 1 , wherein said means for radiating UV light consist of a series of small LEDs (6) which radiate ultraviolet light, arranged above the front row of aligned holes (4).

5. UV light accessory for lice combs, according to claim 4, wherein said LEDs (6) which radiate ultraviolet light are activated by means of a switch (5) and are powered by a series of batteries (10).