Brush for animals

Abstract

The invention relates to a brush for animals, said brush comprising a first flat side, an opposite second flat side, and a narrow side that connects the first flat side and the second flat side, wherein the first flat side has a plurality of distributed projecting bristles and the second flat side has no bristles, wherein the first flat side, the second flat side and the narrow side form a housing, characterised in that: the bristles are designed to be translucent; and light sources located in the housing are associated with the bristles in order to emit light through the bristles from the housing.

Description

[0001] Brush for animals

[0002] The invention relates to a brush for animals having a first flat side, an opposite second flat side and a narrow side connecting the flat side and the second flat side, wherein the first flat side has a plurality of distributed projecting knobs and wherein the second flat side has no knobs.

[0003] From European Patent Application No. 009205461, a brush for animals is known, comprising a brush body and a handle integrally connected thereto. The brush body has a first flat side, an opposite second flat side, and a narrow side connecting the same flat sides. Only the first flat side has a plurality of distributed knobs. A disadvantage of the known brush is that it is relatively bulky and therefore requires a relatively large amount of space.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to further develop a brush for animals in such a way that the space requirement is reduced and the handling and in particular the brush force can be dosed more easily when the brush is operated manually.

[0005] To achieve this object, the invention in conjunction with the preamble of patent claim 1 is characterized in that the first flat side, the second flat side and the narrow side form a housing, that the knobs are designed to be translucent, that light sources arranged in the housing are assigned to the knobs for emitting light through the knobs out of the housing.

[0006] The particular advantage of the invention is that the brush or brush body is completely defined by a first flat side, an opposite second flat side, and a narrow side. The user directly touches the brush body and thus has a "better feel" when brushing. This results from the user's palm resting directly on the second flat side, and thus the palm moves parallel to the skin of the living being, especially the animal, in the direction of stroke.The formation of nubs makes it easier to dose the brush force exerted on the skin. Because the brush body is designed as a housing within which a number of light sources are arranged, the emitted light from which passes through the translucent nubs onto the skin of the living being, additional light pulses can be emitted onto the skin of the living being, which can be used for therapeutic purposes. If necessary, the light can also be designed as infrared light, so that additional heat is emitted to the skin of the living being.

[0007] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the nubs are each dome-shaped and / or lens-shaped and / or hemispherical, so that the contact surface on the skin is not a point-like area, but rather a flat area of ​​at least 1 mm². This advantageously allows the brush force to be controlled and, in addition, a massage of the living being, especially the animal, to be achieved.

[0008] According to a further development of the invention, a first colored surface and a second colored surface are arranged at a distance from one another on the second flat side. The first colored surface and the second colored surface are preferably designed as filter elements that reflect light at different wavelengths. The nubs are arranged in a ring around the first colored surface and / or second colored surface, so that uniform light reflection can occur at the filter elements.

[0009] According to a further development of the invention, an electrical control unit with control means is arranged in the housing, so that the light sources preferably emit synchronous light pulses of a predetermined pulse frequency. The pulse frequency can, for example, be in the range of 1 Hz to 10 Hz. This creates a type of flickering light, which has a positive effect on the living being during the massage by moving the brush.

[0010] According to a further development of the invention, an indicator is arranged on the second flat side, which indicates the direction of stroke of the brush to the user. This can advantageously produce a targeted stroke movement.

[0011] Further advantages of the invention emerge from the further subclaims

[0012] An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] Fig. 1 is a plan view of a brush,

[0014] Fig. 2 a longitudinal section through the housing according to the section line

[0015] II-ll in Figure 1,

[0016] Fig. 3 a longitudinal section through the housing according to the section line

[0017] III-lll in Figure 1 and

[0018] Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a brush control system.

[0019] A brush according to the invention for resting on the skin 24 of a living being, for example a human or an animal, has a housing 1 which consists of a receiving part 2 and a cover part 3 connected to the same by a screw connection. The receiving part 2 has a plurality of inwardly projecting pins 4, each having a threaded bore, which are aligned with fastening bores (not shown) of the cover part 3. For the detachable connection between the receiving part 2 and the cover part 3, screws 6 containing a head 7 are inserted into the fastening bores and brought into screw engagement with the respective pins 4. In the assembled position, edges 8 and 9 of the receiving part 2 andof the cover part 3 firmly to one another, so that the housing 1 in the assembled state has a second flat side 10 having the fastening holes of the cover part 3, a first flat side 11 opposite the same and a narrow side 12 connecting the first flat side 11 and the second flat side 10.

[0020] The first flat side 11 and the second flat side 10 are flat. The narrow side 12 has opposite straight sections 12' and opposite semicircular sections 12 1J The straight sections 12' have recessed grips 13 for easier gripping of the housing 1 or the brush body.

[0021] The receiving part 2 or the first flat side 11 of the housing 1 has two recesses 14, 14' arranged at a distance a from one another, into which filter elements can be inserted from the outside. In the present embodiment, a first filter element 15 is inserted into a first recess 14 and a second filter element 16 is inserted into a second recess 14'. The two filter elements 15, 16 are circular and completely fill the respective recesses 14, 14'.

[0022] The second filter element 16 differs from the first filter element 15 in that it filters out and reflects light of a different wavelength. In the assembled position, the first filter element 15 has a red filter section 18 made of a red-colored material on a side facing away from a base 17 of the recess 14. The second filter element 16 has a red filter section 18 on a side facing away from a base 17 of the recess 14. 1a blue filter section 19 made of a blue-colored material on the side facing away from the recess 14'

[0023] The red filter section 18 and the blue filter section 19 are each fastened in a plate-shaped receiving body, wherein a reflection surface is arranged between a bottom of the receiving body and the red filter section 18 or the blue filter section 19.

[0024] Since the recesses 14. 14 1are arranged at a fixed distance a from one another, the first filter element 15 and the second filter element 16, which are each fixedly arranged in the recess 14 or 14', are also arranged at a fixed distance a from one another. The first filter element 15 and the second filter element 16 are of the same size. They are each fastened in the respective recess 14, 14' in a materially or positively locking and / or non-positively. In addition, the receiving part 2 has a plurality of knobs 20 on the first flat side 11, which knobs are designed as light passages and protrude from an upper side of the first flat side 11.

[0025] The nubs 20 are annular and / or circular and are preferably arranged at the same circumferential distance from one another around the first filter element 15 and the second filter element 16. This forms a first light transmission ring 21 that extends around the first filter element 15, and a second light transmission ring 22 that extends around the second filter element 16. In the present exemplary embodiment, the first light transmission ring 21 and the second light transmission ring 22 each consist of eight nubs 20. The adjacent nubs 20 are thus spaced apart in the circumferential direction U by 45 :: Arranged offset from one another. A diameter d of the recesses 14, 14' or of the first filter element 15 and the second filter element 16 lies in a range between 5 cm and 7 cm, preferably 6 cm. The knobs 20 of the first light transmission ring 21 and the second light transmission ring 22 have the same radial distance c from an edge of the respective recesses 14, 14'.

[0026] According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the diameter of the filter elements can be 3 cm. The corresponding light transmission rings 21, 22 then each have five light transmissions, so that the knobs 20 are arranged offset from one another by approximately 70° in the circumferential direction.

[0027] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the nubs 20 are each designed as lens elements 23, 23', which have a light-focusing effect. The light emitted by the light source 26 can advantageously be collected in the direction of the skin 24. The lens elements 23, 23' are each fastened as plug-in parts in a bore in the first flat side 11, preferably by a material fit. In the present exemplary embodiment, the first light transmission ring 21 and the second light transmission ring 22 intersect in an area between the first filter element 15 and the second filter element 16. This means that two bores and two lens elements 23' are located between the first filter element 15 and the second filter element 16 and are thus part of the first light transmission ring 21 and part of the second light transmission ring 22.These central lens elements 23' have a lower elevation than the outer lens elements 23, which are part of the first light transmission ring 21 and the second light transmission ring 22. A radius of curvature of the central lens elements 23' is thus larger compared to a radius of curvature of the outer lens elements 23. The inner lens elements 23' are thus more lens-shaped, while the outer lens elements 23 are dome-shaped and / or hemispherical.

[0028] A dome tip 25 of the lens elements 23 has a distance b from the first flat side 11 of approximately 6 mm. A dome tip 25' of the lens elements 23' has a distance b? of 3 mm from the top side 11.

[0029] Alternatively, the lens elements 23, 23' can all be lens-shaped and / or hemispherical

[0030] The knobs 20 or the lens elements 23. 23' are made of a rigid material, in particular of a translucent polymer material

[0031] They are preferably firmly connected to the bore of the first flat side 11. Alternatively, the knobs 20 or the lens elements 23, 23 L also be held in the bore of the first flat side 11 in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting manner. The first flat side 11, the second flat side 10 and the narrow side 12 of the housing 1 are made of an opaque material, in particular an opaque polymer material.

[0032] Alternatively, the distance b< of the lens elements 23 to the first flat side 11 can be in a range between 5 mm and 7 mm and the distance b? of the lens elements 23' can be in a range from 1 mm to 3 mm.

[0033] The studs 20 are each assigned to the light sources 26, which are each designed as LED light sources. The light sources 26 and a control unit 27 for controlling the light sources 26 are arranged on a preferably rigid printed circuit board 28. The printed circuit board 28 has holes 29 through which the pins 4 can be inserted with play.

[0034] The light sources 26 are arranged on a side of the circuit board 28 facing the first flat side 11 of the receiving part 2. The control unit 27 is arranged on a side of the circuit board 28 facing away from the first flat side 11 of the receiving part 2.

[0035] In the assembly position, the circuit board 28 rests partially against the bottom 17, 17' of the recesses 14, 14', see the dashed circuit board 28 in Figure 3. The bottom 17, 17' of the recesses 14, 14' thus forms a stop surface when the circuit board 28 is mounted within the housing 1. This advantageously determines the installation position of the light sources 26 relative to the lens elements 23, 23'.

[0036] The recesses 14, 14' have a depth t such that the light sources 26 are arranged at a fixed and predetermined distance from the respective lens elements 23, 23'. The light sources 26 are preferably arranged within the housing 1, i.e., with respect to a cutting plane of the nubs 20, on the inside of the first flat side 11 of the receiving part 2.

[0037] The holes in the first flat side 11 for receiving the lens elements 23, 23' have the same diameter. In the assembled position, the light sources 26 are each located in a focal plane of the lens elements 23, 23*.

[0038] The circuit board 28 is arranged in the mounting position at such a distance from the second flat side 10 of the housing 1 that one or more batteries or accumulators can be positioned by means of a closure plate (not shown) of the second flat side 10. They serve as the electrical power supply for the control unit 27 and the light sources 26.

[0039] The electrical control unit 27 has control means such that the light sources 26 generate light pulses of a predetermined pulse frequency fp, which are transmitted to the light sources 26 via an electrical line 30. For this purpose, the control unit 27 has a pulse generator 31, which generates light pulses of the same period Tp. The pulse frequency fp lies in a range between 1 Hz and 10 Hz. The pulse generator 31 is connected to a microprocessor 33, which controls the pulse generator 31 with correspondingly adjustable specifications. For example, operating means can be provided by means of which the user can set the pulse frequency fp. In addition, operating means can also be provided so that the microprocessor 33 controls the LEDs 26 designed as RGB light sources in such a way that they emit green light in one operating state, red light in another operating state and blue light in a third operating state.

[0040] For therapy, the housing 1 is held with its first flat side 11 oriented toward the skin 24 of the living being. A longitudinal center plane L io of the housing 1 preferably runs along meridians and / or acupuncture points. During therapy, light or biophotons are reflected toward the skin 24, whereby the optical filtering by the first filter element 15 and the second filter element 16 allows regeneration of the cells beneath the skin.

[0041] The control unit 27 preferably generates a control signal such that the light sources 26 emit light pulses at a predetermined pulse frequency fp. The pulse frequency fp is preferably constant and runs within a predetermined frequency range.

[0042] According to an alternative embodiment of the invention (not shown), a light-coupling surface of a light guide can be arranged in alignment with the knobs 20 instead of the light sources 26, at the opposite end of which a light source is arranged for coupling the light into the light guide. Preferably, several light guides converge on a side facing away from the knobs 20, so that the number of light sources can be reduced.

[0043] On the second flat side 10, indicator means are arranged, by means of which the user is shown a stroke direction 35 for the brush. The indicator means is preferably designed as a symbol, in particular as an arrow.

[0044] According to an alternative embodiment of the invention (not shown), the knobs 20 can also be assigned ends of optical fibers, so that the number of light sources can be reduced. For example, the light can be coupled in at one end of the optical fiber, while the optical fiber has several light output branches at an opposite end that lead to the knobs 20.

Claims

Patent claims 1 Brush for animals with a first flat side (11), with an opposite second flat side (10) and with a narrow side (12) connecting the flat side (11) and the second flat side (10), wherein the first flat side (11) has a plurality of distributed projecting knobs (20) and wherein the second flat side (10) has no knobs (20), characterized in that - that the first flat side (11), the second flat side (10) and the narrow side (12) form a housing (1), - that the knobs (20) are translucent, - that the knobs (20) arranged in the housing are assigned light sources (26) for emitting light through the knobs (20) out of the housing.

2. Brush according to claim 1, characterized in that the knobs (20) are each assigned a light source (26) which is positioned on a common circuit board (28). 3 Brush according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the knobs (20) are each designed as lens elements (23, 23 ) in a dome-shaped and / or lens-shaped and / or hemispherical shape. 4 Brush according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the knobs (20) extend with an extension (bi, bz) in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm to a surface of the first flat side (1 1 ) protrude.

5. Brush according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the knobs (20) are arranged around a first colored surface (15) and / or one spaced from the same second color surface (16). Brush according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the knobs (20) are arranged evenly distributed around the first color surface (15) and the second color surface (16). Brush according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the knobs (20) consist of a rigid material, in particular of a translucent polymer material, and are fastened as an insert part in a bore of the first flat side (11). Brush according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the knobs (20) have a rounded and / or curved end on a side facing away from the upper side of the first flat side (11). Brush according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that an electrical control unit (27) with control means is arranged in the housing (1), so that the light sources (26) emit light pulses of a predetermined pulse frequency (fp).Brush according to claim 9, characterized in that the pulse frequency (fp) lies in a range from 1 Hz to 10 Hz. Brush according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the first flat side (11) and the second flat side (10) are connected to one another via a narrow side in a force-fitting and / or form-fitting or material-fitting manner, wherein the first flat side (11) has bores for receiving the knobs (20), and. that pins (4) projecting from the first flat side (11) of the housing (1) in the direction of the second flat side (10) are provided, which pins extend through bores (29) of a circuit board (28) accommodating the light sources (26) and the control unit (27) for the correct positioning of the light sources (26) in a plane of extension of the first flat side (11) relative to the knobs (20) in the assembly position. Brush according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the first flat side (11) has two recesses (14, 14') in which the first filter element (15) and the second filter element (16) are mounted in a form-fitting or material-fitting manner. Brush according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the narrow side has indentations on opposite longitudinal sides of the housing (1) for manually gripping the brush. Brush according to claim 13.characterized in that display means are provided on the second flat side (10) for displaying a stroke direction (35) of the brush.

Images