EP2265110A2

EP2265110A2 - Accessory for suction device actuated by flexible cable and suction assembly including such accessory

Info

Publication number: EP2265110A2
Application number: EP09754075A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hervé JOUAN
Original assignee: NOVADIF
Current assignee: NOVADIF
Priority date: 2008-04-15
Filing date: 2009-03-30
Publication date: 2010-12-29
Also published as: FR2929825B1; WO2009144425A2; WO2009144425A3; FR2929825A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an accessory (1) for a suction device (20), including a hollow body forming a suction head (10) that has a mouthpiece opening (3) and which is provided with a connecting nozzle (11) for directly or indirectly connecting the accessory to said suction device, said accessory also comprising a comb (4) embedded inside the suction head and a member (6) for clearing out hair. According to the invention, the comb and the clearing member are pivotally mounted between two so-called active and inactive positions, and said accessory comprises an actuating mechanism formed from at least one non-extensible, deformable cable connected to the comb or to the clearing member and to a powering member for said cable. The invention also relates to a suction assembly including such an accessory.

Description

Accessory for suction device operated by flexible cable and suction assembly comprising such an accessory

The present invention generally relates to accessories for suction apparatus.

The invention more particularly relates to an accessory for suction apparatus, intended in particular for grooming animals, said accessory comprising a hollow body forming a suction head equipped with a comb and a hair release member cooperating with the comb to unhook residual hair. The invention also relates to a suction assembly comprising such an accessory.

Document DE102004028609 discloses a cleaning accessory comprising a cylindrical brush provided with teeth which cooperate with a perforated ring. When using the accessory, the brush turns on itself. The brush comprises a plurality of circumferentially distributed rows of teeth housed within the perforations of the ring, the axis of the ring being offset relative to the axis of rotation of the brush so as to allow rotation relative teeth of the brush and the perforated ring, a radial clearance of the bristles wedged between the teeth of the brush. However, the use of such a cylindrical brush and such a release member generates a very large footprint inside the suction head, which reduces the suction passage as well in front of the suction head at the back. The term "front" of the suction head, the upstream part of the head in the direction of suction, the rear of the suction head corresponding to the downstream part of the head in the direction of suction. The use of a brush also makes it difficult to release long hairs.

To solve these disadvantages, the plaintiff has replaced the brush cylindrical and perforated ring by a less bulky cleaning assembly formed of a comb and a bristle release member pivotally mounted between two end positions. According to this design of the accessory, the comb is pivotably mounted between a so-called active end position, in which the comb teeth protrude from the mouth opening, and a so-called inactive end position, in wherein the comb teeth are retracted within the suction head, said bristle member being pivotally movable within the suction head and arranged with said comb so that pivoting the comb causes the pivoting of the hair release member. Such a design of the accessory for which the comb pivots between an active position and an inactive position thus allows to use a comb provided with a single row of teeth or a comb provided with a plurality of rows of teeth (commonly called brush in this case) without having to distribute the teeth on both sides of the axis of rotation of the comb since it is always the same teeth that work the coat of the animal when using the accessory.

Such a design of the accessory requires a mechanism for actuating in pivoting of the comb assembly and the release member. The applicant initially envisaged making said actuating mechanism in the form of a lever button. Said button-lever would have been mounted on the suction head by a day made in said head and connected directly to the comb or the hair release member, said lever-button being able to be handled by the operator in the manner of lever for pivoting the comb / disengager assembly in one direction and the other.

However, such a design of the actuating mechanism would require the user, who already holds the accessory by the handle with one hand, to use his other hand to actuate the lever button. Such an accessory would be uncomfortable and inconvenient to use. In addition, the most often the operator holds the animal with one hand to prevent it from escaping. The fact of having to use both hands to rotate the combination comb / release member would no longer allow the operator to hold the animal. The grooming operation would then be painful and time consuming.

Such a mechanism formed of a button-lever connected to the comb / release member assembly would also generate an increase in space inside the suction head and thus a decrease in the suction capacity.

The present invention has the general purpose of allowing easier handling of the accessory and thus reduce the arduousness of the grooming operation.

The invention aims in particular to provide a mechanism for actuating pivoting the comb / release member assembly that allows to manipulate the accessory with one hand.

The present invention also aims to increase the suction capacity of the accessory.

To this end, the invention relates to an accessory for suction apparatus, intended in particular for grooming animals, said accessory comprising a hollow body forming a suction head which has an opening mouth and which is provided with a nozzle connection for the direct or indirect connection of the accessory to said suction apparatus, the connection end forming the handle of the accessory, said accessory also comprising, on the one hand, a comb housed inside the suction head and provided with at least one row of teeth and, secondly, a hair release member cooperating with the comb to unhook the residual hair, the comb being pivotally mounted between a so-called active end position, in which the comb teeth protrude from the mouth opening, and a so-called inactive end position, in which the comb teeth are retracted inside the suction head characterized in that said release member is pivotably mounted within the suction head and arranged with said comb so that pivoting of the comb causes pivoting of the release member, and in that said accessory comprises a mechanism for actuating the assembly of the comb and the release member in pivoting, said actuating mechanism being formed of at least one non-stretchable and deformable cable connected, on the one hand, to the comb or the release member and, secondly, to a tensioning member of the or each cable, at least a portion of said or each cable being arranged along the inner face of the wall of the suction head, in ap or close to said inner face, to release the passage of the suction flow from the mouth opening to the connecting end.

The tensioning of the cable or cables makes it possible to drive the assembly of the comb and the disengagement member in pivoting. The use of a cable which is deformable allows said cable to follow a non-linear path during its displacement resulting from its tensioning. Thus, when, in order to pivot the comb and the disengagement member, the cable is forced to move along a portion of curved trajectory, its flexibility allows it to easily follow said portion of curved trajectory. The operator can thus pivot the comb and the release member reliably.

The use of at least one deformable cable also makes it possible to circulate said or each cable along the walls of the suction head, which makes it possible to prevent this cable from encumbering the suction passage between the mouth opening and the connection piece. So thanks to the accessory according to the invention, the space inside the suction head is reduced, which increases the suction capacity of the accessory. The effectiveness of the grooming operation is thus improved.

The embodiment of the actuating mechanism using at least one deformable cable and a tensioning member further allows to deport the actuating mechanism relative to the head of the accessory. Thus, unlike the solution of a lever-button envisaged in the state of the art, it is not necessary to position the assembly of the actuating mechanism near the comb or the hair release member .

The tensioning member, for example a trigger, can thus be positioned on a portion of the accessory spaced from the animal's peeling zone, in the position of use of the accessory, which allows manipulation easier of the accessory.

The presence of the hair release member makes it possible to release the hairs remaining stuck around the teeth of the comb, which effectively cleans the comb and thus improve the grooming operation. The optimization of the suction inside the suction head further improves the efficiency of the grooming operation.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the tensioning member is situated at the level of the handle so as to be actuable by the fingers of the hand in the grasped state of the accessory, said tensioning member being preferably located under the handle, the underside of the handle corresponding to the portion of the handle located on the side of the mouth opening relative to the average line of the connection piece.

Thanks to such an arrangement of the tensioning member, the operator, who manipulates the accessory by one hand holding it by the connecting end, can control the same hand the pivoting of the comb and the organ hair release. Indeed, by simply pressing the fingers, the user can actuate the tensioning member, for example a trigger, which allows to exert a tensile force on the or each cable and thus to rotate the comb in active position.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the head of the accessory comprises means for guiding each of the cables along the inner face of the head of the accessory.

The guiding means make it possible to force the cable to move along a given trajectory. It is thus possible to impose the cable to fit the inner face of the head of the accessory and thus release the suction passage from the mouth opening to the connection end.

Preferably, the guide means are formed for each cable by two substantially parallel ribs, originating on the internal face of the suction head and delimiting a channel in which the corresponding cable is housed, said channel optionally being covered with a hood for cable protection.

The ribs are guide means easy to achieve. Preferably, these ribs come from forming with the head of the accessory by molding.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the actuating mechanism comprises two distinct cables, deformable and non-extensible, each connected, on the one hand, by one of their ends, to the comb or the release member and, on the other hand, at their other end, to the tensioning member of each cable.

The use of two separate cables allows a pivoting drive of the comb or the hair release member more reliably. According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the comb and the release member being each pivotally mounted by their side portions on opposite wall portions of the suction head, the two cables are respectively fixed on said side portions of the comb or the release member, near the inner face of the suction head.

Such attachment of each of the cables makes it possible to exert efforts on the comb or the release member in two zones spaced along the axis of pivoting of the comb or the release member, which makes it possible to obtain a better distribution of the tensile forces of the cables on the comb and / or the release member.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the tensioning member of said or each cable is formed by a trigger which comprises a piece movable between an end position close to the handle in which said or each cable is tensioned to exert a traction force on the corresponding cable to rotate the comb / release member assembly, and thus bring the comb teeth into active position, and an end position spaced from the handle, in which each cable is released from to allow the comb to come to the inactive position.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the comb is equipped with a return member, such as a spring, to return said comb in the inactive position.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the release member is formed either by a counter-comb comprising parts engaged between the teeth of the comb to disengage the bristle, or by a scraper-type tool arranged relative to the comb of in order to scrape at least one face of the teeth of the comb. The invention also relates to a suction assembly, intended in particular for grooming animals, comprising an accessory for suction apparatus as described above and a hair collector, said hair collector comprising a connection port to said accessory and another connection port to the suction device, to be arranged between the accessory and the suction device.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a view of the grooming assembly comprising a suction apparatus, a collector and an accessory according to the invention according to a first embodiment for which the hair release member is a counter-comb;

- Figure 2 is a perspective view of the accessory of Figure 1 in the active position of the comb;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the accessory of Figure 1 in the semi-folded position of the comb;

- Figure 4 is a perspective view of the accessory of Figure 1 in the inactive position of the comb; FIG. 4a is a detailed view of a part of the accessory of FIG. 4 showing a cable controlling the pivoting of the comb;

- Figure 5 is a partial exploded view of the accessory;

- Figure 6 is a detailed view of an alternative embodiment of the tensioning member of the cables; - Figure 7 is a sectional view of the area referenced VII of Figure 5 showing the cable guide means;

- Figure 8a is an axial sectional view of the accessory of Figure 1 showing the path of the cables of the comb to the trigger, in the relaxed state of the trigger; - Figure 8b is an axial sectional view of the accessory of Figure 1 in the actuated state of the trigger;

FIG. 8c is a detailed view of a part of the head of the accessory of the Figure 8a;

- Figure 9a is a perspective view of another embodiment of the accessory according to the invention, said accessory being equipped with a tilting comb and a scraper, the comb being in the active position; FIG. 9b is a view of the accessory of FIG. 9a in the semi-folded position of the comb;

- Figure 9c is a view of the accessory of Figure 9a, in the inactive position of the comb.

In Figure 1, there is shown a suction assembly, particularly for grooming animals, comprising a suction apparatus 2 and an accessory 1 between which is disposed a collector 21 of bristles. Said collector 21 of bristles comprises an orifice 22 for connection to said accessory 1 and another orifice 23 for connection to the suction apparatus 2, to be arranged in series between the accessory 1 and the suction apparatus 2. Said accessory is connected to the collector 21 by a flexible tube 24 long enough, preferably between 5m and 6m, to be able, on the one hand, the suction device 2 and, optionally, the collector, in a room and on the other hand, the suction accessory 1 in another room with the animal so as not to frighten it during the operation of the suction apparatus. The collector 21 is connected to the suction apparatus 2 by a flexible tube 25 which may be shorter.

Said accessory 1 comprises a hollow body forming a suction head provided with a hollow connection piece 11 for the direct or indirect connection of the accessory 1 to said suction apparatus 2. Said head 10 also has a mouth opening 3 intended to be arranged facing the fur of the animal to be groomed. Of course the hollow connection end opens into the suction head to allow suction through the mouth opening.

Said accessory 1 also comprises, on the one hand, a comb housed inside of the suction head and provided with at least one row of teeth and, secondly, a hair release member cooperating with the comb to unhook the residual hair. According to a first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8c, the comb is a conventional grooming comb 4 and the release member is a counter-comb 6 cooperating with the teeth of the conventional comb in order to disengage the hairs remaining stuck between and / or around the teeth of the comb. In particular, the counter-comb comprises parts engaged between the teeth 4A of the comb 4 to disengage the bristles. As described below, according to a second embodiment illustrated in Figures 9a, 9b, 9c, the hair release member is a scraper designed to scrape at least one face of the teeth of a tilting comb.

According to the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8c, the comb is pivotably mounted between a so-called active end position PA, in which the teeth 4A of the comb 4 protrude from the mouth opening 3, and a so-called inactive end position Pl, in which the teeth 4A of the comb 4 are retracted inside the suction head. Said counter-comb 6 is pivotally mounted inside the suction head and arranged with said comb 4 so that the pivoting of the comb 4 causes the counter-comb 6 to pivot.

The connection piece 11 of the suction head 10 is located at the upper zone of said suction head, that is to say above the axis of rotation of the comb. By convention, in the present application, the "part" of the accessory opposite to the mouth opening 3 with respect to the axis A4 of rotation of the comb 4 is called "superior." The lower part of the accessory is thus the one facing the fur of the animal. By convention also, the term "front" of the suction head, the upstream part of the head in the direction of suction, "the rear" of the suction head corresponding to the downstream part of the next head the sense of aspiration. The upstream portion AM of the mouth opening is also understood to mean the part of the mouth located in front of the axis of rotation of the comb in reference to the position of the connecting end. The upstream portion AM of the mouth opening also corresponds to the portion of the mouth opening located upstream according to the projected direction of the suction flow in the plane of the mouth opening. Similarly, the downstream portion AV of the mouth opening is defined as being the portion of the mouth located behind the axis of rotation of the comb in reference to the position of the connecting piece. The downstream portion AV of the mouth opening also corresponds to the portion of the mouth opening located downstream according to the projected direction of the suction flow in the plane of the mouth opening.

In a manner characteristic of the invention, said accessory 1 comprises a mechanism for actuating the assembly of the comb and the counter-comb 6, said actuating mechanism being formed of at least one deformable and non-deformable cable extensible connected, on the one hand, to the comb 4 or the counter-comb 6 and, on the other hand, to a member 9 for tensioning the or each cable 8, at least a portion of said or each cable 8 being arranged along the inner face of the wall of the suction head 10, applied or close to said inner face, to release the passage of the suction flow from the mouth opening 3 to the nozzle 11 connection.

Preferably, as illustrated in the figures, the actuating mechanism comprises two cables 8, deformable and non-extensible, each connected, on the one hand, by one of their ends, to the comb 4 or to the release member 6 and, on the other hand, at their other end, to the tensioning member 9 of each cable. In the example illustrated in the figures, each cable is formed by a nylon thread. Alternatively, each cable may be formed by a flexible metal rod, that is to say, not extensible but deformable in flexion.

In the example illustrated in the figures, the pivoting actuation mechanism is connected to the comb 4. The application of the actuation mechanism to the comb, and not to the counter-comb, reduces the dimensioning counter-comb 6, in particular at its pivot connection, which reduces the size of the counter-comb 6 in the upper space of the suction head. Such a design of the accessory thus avoids the counter-comb 6, which is located between the comb 4 and the connection tip 11, to form an obstacle for the suction flow from the upstream zone AM of the opening. 3 and passing between the axis A4 of rotation of the comb and the upper wall PS of the head, to go to the connection end 11. Such configuration of the accessory can generate suction flow important on both sides of the comb and counter-comb assembly, that is to say from the upstream zones AM and downstream AV of the mouth opening. Alternatively, it is still possible to connect the actuating mechanism pivotally to the hair release member (here the counter-comb 6), the accessory according to the invention being characterized by the use of cables deformable for the pivotal control of the comb assembly and hair release member.

The tensioning member 9 is located at the handle 11 so as to be operable by the fingers of the hand in the seized state of the accessory, said tensioning member 9 being preferably disposed under the handle , the underside of the handle corresponding to the portion of the handle located on the side of the mouth opening relative to the average line of the connection piece.

As illustrated more particularly in Figures 8a and 8b, the tensioning member of said or each cable 8 is formed by a trigger 9 in the form of a shell, mounted movably under the handle. By grasping the handle, the operator has the ability to squeeze the trigger by shaking hands. The trigger is movable between a close end position PR in which each cable 8 is stretched so as to pivot the comb 4 in the active position PA (FIG. 8a), and a remote end position PE with respect to the handle 11, in which each cable 8 is released so as to allow the passage of the comb 4 in the inactive position P1 (FIG. 8b). The trigger 9 is pivotally mounted between its two end positions Pl, PA about a pivot axis A9 transverse to the axis A11 of the nozzle. A return spring 27 brings the trigger in the position away from the handle (Figure 5).

As illustrated in FIG. 8b, when the trigger is pressed, each cable 8 is pulled and guided by a return wheel 29, fixed or free to pivot, so as to exert a traction force on the corresponding cable 8 to rotate the comb and thus bring into the active position the teeth 4A of the comb.

As illustrated in FIGS. 8a, 8b and 8c, a return spring 14 recalls the comb in the inactive position P1 inside the suction head. When the accessory 1 is moved by the user on the fur of the animal, in a direction from the head to the handle, the bristles exert frictional forces on the teeth of the comb participating in maintaining the teeth of the comb. protruding from the mouth opening. It is therefore not necessary to exert significant pressure on the trigger to keep the comb in the active position.

According to an alternative embodiment of the trigger, it is possible to dispense with the return wheel. Thus, in the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the trigger is formed by a pivoting part 19 which, when pressed, exerts a bearing force on a ramp 13A of a movement transmission member 13 to which is one end of each cable 8. Said member 13 of motion transmission is slidably mounted between two positions, an end position in which the cable is tensioned and an end position in which the cable is released, a spring 12 reminding said member in this relaxed position of the cable. The pressure on the trigger causes, by pressing said trigger on the ramp 13A, a displacement of the member 13 in cable tension position and the compression of the spring 12. Thus, when the trigger is released, the spring 12 brings the member 13 in the relaxed position of the cable and the displacement of the ramp 13A of the member 13 rotates the trigger in the separated position of the handle.

As illustrated more particularly in Figures 4a, 5 and 7, the head 10 of the accessory comprises guide means of each of the cables 8 along the side walls PL of the head, the inner side of said head. For each cable 8, the guide means are formed by two parallel ribs 28 which run along the side walls PL of the suction head, extending from an area located near the trigger 9 to a zone located near comb 4. Thus each cable, applied or in the vicinity of a side wall PL, substantially follows the profile of said side wall, which makes it possible not to clutter the suction space defined by the body of the head and thus to favor the aspiration of hairs. In addition, the ribs 28 for guiding the cables also form for said cables a protective barrier against the hairs sucked. The channel delimited by the two ribs is possibly covered with a cover for the protection of the cables.

According to the first embodiment, illustrated in Figures 1 to 8c, the comb 4 is formed of a shaft 4B carrying a row of teeth 4A, distributed along said shaft 4B, which extend transversely to the axis A4 of said shaft 4B. Said shaft 4B is pivotally mounted at its ends with respect to the suction head.

The axis of rotation A4 of the comb 4 is oriented, on the one hand, transversely to the axis A11 of the connecting piece 11, that is to say transversely to the suction flow and, on the other hand , substantially parallel to the plane of the opening mouth 3. The ends of the shaft 4B of the comb 4 are thus pivotally connected to the side walls PL of the suction head. The side walls PL of the suction head are defined as being the walls of the suction head situated on either side of a plane of symmetry of the accessory passing through the axis A11 of the nozzle. 11 connection and orthogonal to the plane of the mouth opening 3. The counter-comb 6 is formed by a member, such as a plate, a portion 6A is provided with a row of orifices through which the teeth 4A of the comb 4. The axis A6 of pivoting of the counter-comb 6 is oriented parallel to and offset from the axis A4 of pivoting of the comb 4, to allow the counter-comb 6 to slide along the teeth 4A of the comb 4. The pivot axes A4, A6 are arranged so that in the active position PA of the teeth 4A of the comb 4, the counter-comb 6 is situated close to the base of the comb teeth (FIG. 2), and, in the inactive position Pl, of the comb, the counter-comb 6 is located at near the free end of said teeth 4A (Figure 4). As illustrated in the figures, the axis A6 of rotation of the counter-comb 6 is arranged between the comb 4 and the connecting piece 11, that is to say in the downstream (or rear) part of the head of the suction, in the suction direction, which does not clutter the upstream part (or front) of the suction head.

As illustrated more particularly in Figures 2 to 4, the perforated portion 6A of the counter-comb 6 extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the teeth 4A of the comb when said comb and the comb against cooperate.

The axis of rotation A4 of the comb 4 is further disposed within the suction head at a sufficient distance from the upper wall PS (or top wall) of the suction head 10 to allow a passage suction between the axis A4 of rotation of the comb 4 and the upper wall PS of the suction head.

In the example illustrated in the figures, the portion of the plate which extends between the axis A6 of rotation of the counter-comb 6 and the portion 6A is recessed. The cons of the counter-comb 6 is made so as to leave two lateral portions 6B forming two branches carrying the portion 6A whose ends are pivotally mounted inside the suction head so as to allow the pivoting counter-comb 6 under the action of the pivoting of the comb 4. Such a recess of the plate 6 allows to release a suction passage at the axis A6 rotation counter-comb, which promotes still the suction from the upstream portion AM of the mouth opening 3 to the connection end 11 through the upper space of the suction head.

Preferably, the comb shaft 4B is of rectangular or square cross section, which makes it possible, in comparison with a conventional circular section shaft whose diameter corresponds to the diagonal of the section of the comb shaft according to the invention. , to use less material for the realization of said shaft while maintaining sufficient mechanical strength efforts. The size of the comb shaft according to the invention is thus also limited, which makes it possible to release a little more the suction passage in the upper space of the suction head, that is to say say between the axis A4 of rotation of the comb 4 and the upper wall PS of the suction head, and thus to promote the suction at the upstream portion AM of the mouth opening 3.

Between its inactive position P1 and its active position PA, the comb 4 pivots with an angle ALPHA approximately between 110 and 150 °, preferably close to 130 °. In the inactive position P1, the teeth 4A of the comb 4 are oriented in the direction of the connecting piece 11, that is to say according to the suction flow.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, in the area of the accessory corresponding to the connection endpiece, the cables 8 leave the head 10 to enter the inside of the trigger, that is to say, in the example shown in the figures, between the shell defining the trigger and the bottom wall of the connecting end. Such an arrangement of cables between the hull of the trigger and the connection piece prevents the cables from passing inside the connection piece. Thus, in this area of the accessory, the cables pass under the connection piece and therefore do not obstruct the suction flow. Said cables are thus also protected vis-à-vis the residual hair sucked into this area of the accessory. The comb 4 and the disengagement member 6 being each pivotally mounted by their side portions on opposite wall portions of the suction head, the two cables 8 are respectively fixed on said side portions of the comb or the organ 6, near the inner face of the suction head. In the example illustrated in the figures, the cables 8 are provided at their ends with a crimped tip 8 ', of cylindrical shape, which is attached to a portion 5 of the shaft 4B of the comb 4. Preferably, said portion 5 is formed in one piece with the rest of the tree. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 4a, each cable attachment portion 5 is formed by a disc of a certain thickness whose periphery is provided with a groove 5A in which an end portion of the cable provided with said tip 8 '. This peripheral groove 5A guides the corresponding cable 8 during the pivoting of the shaft 4B of the comb. The flanks of the peripheral groove 5A have orifices 5B, 5C for accommodating the attachment end 8 'for attaching the cable 8. Said orifices serving to accommodate the attachment end are formed by a hole 5B made in a sidewall of the groove and another through hole 5C formed in the opposite side of the groove, said orifice 5C opening further radially relative to the axis of the disc to allow the introduction of the nozzle 8 'in said orifices.

As illustrated in FIG. 4a, the fixing of each cable to the corresponding part 5 of the shaft is carried out, on the one hand, on the opposite side to the teeth of the comb with respect to a plane passing through the axis A4 of rotation of the comb 4 and orthogonal to the teeth 4A of the comb and, secondly, near the periphery of the disc so that the cable fixing zone is off-center with respect to the pivot axis A4 of the shaft 4B. Thus, each cable 8 is attached to an area of the shaft spaced from the axis A4 of rotation so that a tensioning of the cables 8 causes a pivoting of the teeth 4A of the comb 4 in the active position.

As illustrated more particularly in FIG. 8b, in the active position of the teeth 4A of the comb 4, said teeth are inclined relative to the normal N to the plane of the mouth 3 of the head 10, said teeth being directed towards the upstream (or forward) portion AM of the suction head. Such a configuration of the teeth of the comb makes the accessory more ergonomic and thus easier to handle by the operator who most often holds the tip with a certain angle of inclination with respect to the animal's coat. Thus, by holding the accessory inclined, the comb teeth are substantially vertical with respect to the area of the coat to be groomed, which improves the efficiency and comfort of the grooming operation.

During the transition from the inactive position Pl to the active position PA of the comb, the pivoting movement of the comb is limited by a stop 26, with which comes into contact a portion 26 'of the comb, here in the form of a finger, to prevent pivoting of the comb beyond its active position in a clockwise direction.

Preferably, the top wall of the head is transparent, at least in the area facing the comb, to allow the user to see the peeling area being groomed.

According to a second embodiment of the accessory illustrated in Figures 9a, 9b and 9c, the comb is a comb 4 'taper and the release member is a scraper 6'. The description of the accessory made above, for the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8c, applies to this second embodiment, which is a variant of the first embodiment, by replacing the comb 4 by the comb 4 'taper and counter-comb 6 by the scraper 6'.

According to this second embodiment, the comb 4 'taper comprises a rotation shaft 4B' pivotally mounted inside the suction head, which carries teeth 4A '. The teeth 4A 'of the taper comb differ from those of the comb 4 in that they comprise cutting parts and are close together. others. The length of said teeth 4A 'of the taper comb is also reduced. For example, the teeth 4A of the comb 4 (Figures 1 to 8c) have a length preferably between 20 mm and 30 mm, and are spaced apart by a distance preferably between 1 mm and 4 mm. The teeth 4A 'of the tapered comb 4' are spaced a distance preferably between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm, and have a length preferably between 0.4 mm and 10 mm.

The scraper 6 'comprises a so-called active portion 6A' carried by arms 6B 'pivotally mounted inside the suction head 10 similarly to the counter-comb 6 of the first embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 8c. The active part 6A 'of the scraper is formed by a parallelepiped shaped body in which is formed a through central slot 31. The comb 4 'taper is housed in the slot 31 of the scraper. The shape of the slot 31 corresponds substantially to the shape of the cross section of the comb 4 '. The cross section of the comb corresponding to a section in a plane orthogonal to the plane of the comb 4 'and parallel to the pivot axis of said comb 4'. An inner face of the scraper formed by a side of the slot 31 is thus in bearing contact with a face of the teeth 4A 'of the taper comb 4', which, when the comb 4 'is pivoted, allows the position to be moved through. active at the inactive position of said comb, scrape the teeth of the comb, their base towards their end, so as to clear the hair remaining trapped between and / or around them. Indeed, as illustrated in Figures 9a, 9b, 9c, the scraper 6 'is pivotally mounted, similarly to the counter-comb 6, between an end position, corresponding to the active position of the comb, in which the active part the scraper cooperates with the base of the comb teeth, and another end position, corresponding to the inactive position of the comb, wherein the active portion of the scraper is located near the ends of said teeth.

In the example illustrated in the figures, the face of the teeth of the comb scraped by the scraper corresponds to the face of the teeth located on the downstream side of the mouth opening 3 of the accessory head 10, in the active position of the comb. As illustrated more particularly in Figures 9b and 9c, the cross section of the comb is reduced from the base of the comb to the end of the teeth of said comb. Thus, to limit the play of the comb 4 'inside the slot 31 of the scraper 6' during the transition from the active position to the inactive position of the comb 4 'taper, there is provided guide means of the scraper 6' compared to the comb 4 '. These guide means are formed by grooves 30 formed along the lateral edges of the comb 4 'taper cooperating with the inner side edges of the scraper body, said inner side edges of the scraper body being of complementary shape of said grooves 30. L use of such guide means limits the relative movement of the comb 4 'and the scraper 6' in a direction orthogonal to the plane of said comb 4 'taper.

Claims

1. Accessory (1) for suction apparatus (20), especially for grooming animals, said accessory (1) comprising a hollow body forming a suction head (10) which has an opening mouth (3) and which is provided with a connecting piece (11) for the direct or indirect connection of the accessory (1) to said suction apparatus (20), the connection piece (11) forming the handle of the accessory , said accessory (1) also comprising, on the one hand, a comb (4, 4 ') housed inside the suction head (10) and provided with at least one row of teeth and, on the other hand, a hair release member (6, 6 ') cooperating with the comb (4, 4') to unhook the residual bristles, the comb being pivotably mounted between an end position, called active (PA ), in which the teeth (4A, 4A ') of the comb (4, 4') project from the mouth opening (3), and an end position, said inactive (P1), in which the teeth (4A, 4A ') of the comb (4, 4') are retracted inside the suction head (10), characterized in that said release member (6, 6 ') is mounted movably pivoting inside the suction head (10) and arranged with said comb (4, 4 ') so that the pivoting of the comb (4, 4') causes the member (6, 6 '), and in that said accessory (1) comprises a mechanism for actuating the assembly of the comb and the release member (6, 6') in pivoting, said actuation mechanism being formed at least one non-extensible and deformable cable (8) connected, on the one hand, to the comb (4, 4 ') or the release member (6, 6') and, on the other hand, to a member (9) for tensioning the or each cable (8), at least a portion of said or each cable (8) being arranged along the inner face of the wall of the suction head (10) , applied or close to said inner face, for release rer the passage of the suction flow from the mouth opening (3) to the mouthpiece (11) connection.

2. Accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the member (9) for tensioning is located at the handle (11) so as to be operable by the fingers of the hand in the seized state of the accessory, said member (9) for tensioning being preferably arranged under the handle, the underside of the handle corresponding to the portion of the handle located on the side of the mouth opening relative to the mean line of the nozzle of connection.

3. Accessory according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the head (10) of the accessory comprises means for guiding each of the cables (8) along the inner face of the head of the accessory.

4. Accessory (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the guide means are formed for each cable (8) by two ribs (28) substantially parallel, originating on the inner face of the head (10) of suction and delimiting a channel in which is housed the corresponding cable (8), said channel optionally being covered by a cover for the protection of the cables.

5. Accessory (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuating mechanism comprises two separate cables (8), deformable and non-extensible, each connected, on the one hand, by one of their ends , with the comb (4, 4 ') or with the release member (6, 6') and, on the other hand, with their other end, with the member (9) for tensioning each cable.

6. Accessory (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that, the comb (4, 4 ') and the release member (6, 6') being each pivotally mounted by their side portions on opposite wall portions of the suction head (10), the two cables (8) are respectively fixed on said lateral parts of the comb (4, 4 ') or the release member (6, 6'), close to the face internal of the suction head.

7. Accessory (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tensioning member of said or each cable (8) is formed by a trigger (9) which comprises a movable part between a position d close end (PR) of the handle in which said or each cable (8) is stretched so as to exert a tensile force on the corresponding cable (8) to rotate the comb / release member assembly and thus bring the teeth comb in the active position (PA), and a remote end position (PE) of the handle (11), wherein each cable (8) is released so as to allow the comb to come to the inactive position.

8. Accessory according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the comb (4, 4 ') is equipped with a return member (14), such as a spring, to bias said comb (4, 4'). ) in the inactive position (Pl).

9. Accessory according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the release member is formed either by a counter-comb (6) comprising parts (6A) engaged between the teeth (4A) of the comb (4) for detaching the bristles, either by a scraper type tool (6 ') arranged relative to the comb (4') so as to scrape at least one face of the teeth (4A ') of the comb (4').

10. suction assembly, intended in particular for grooming animals, comprising an accessory (1) for apparatus (2) suction according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and a collector (21) of bristles, said collector (21) bristles having an orifice (22) for connection to said accessory (1) and another orifice (23) for connection to the suction apparatus (2), to be arranged between the accessory (1) and the suction apparatus (2).