The subject of the invention is an animal grooming device comprising a grooming head and a housing, wherein there is an electric motor and a battery in the housing. The invention can be used on horses, dogs and other livestock to make brushing, currying and massaging more efficient.

A solution which eases brushing, currying and massaging of horses, dogs and similar domestic animals is known from the patent specification with Publication Number US7963253B1. According to the solution described in that, the grooming head is made of one or more rings and each ring is rotated in the same permanent direction by one motor comprising a battery as a power supply. The rotation arranges hairs tangentially; brushing and currying, therefore, are not efficient when keeping the device in one place, because hairs set in one direction cover further hairs or dirt.

The invention aims to improve the efficiency of the known solution.

The rationale behind the invention is the recognition that an animal grooming device which rotates a grooming head in alternating directions, because of the alternating rotary motion, loosens dead hairs and dirt more efficiently, compared to the unidirectional rotation, even if it is kept in one place. Moving one’s hand further improves the efficiency of loosening.

In accordance with the objectives set, the invention is an animal grooming device comprising a grooming head and a housing, the housing comprising an electric motor and a battery wherein there is an electric motor and a battery in the housing. The invention is characterised in that the housing comprises a housing base, a housing sidewall and a housing cover; the electric motor comprises a drive shaft; a torque-transmitting unit is connected to the drive shaft through a mechanism converting continuous rotary motion of the drive shaft into an alternating rotary motion; the torque-transmitting unit has an axis of rotation around which it can revolve freely in the housing base while being secured against axial displacement; the grooming head is fixed to the torque-transmitting unit.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the mechanism connecting the torque-transmitting unit with the drive shaft and the electric motor are established in a way that the motion frequency of the grooming head is between 1 and 30 Hz and the angular range of motion of the grooming head is between 2 and 45 degrees.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that a crank disc is attached to the drive shaft; the crank disc comprises a crank pin, the central axis of which is parallel to and offset from the axis of rotation of the drive shaft; the torque-transmitting unit comprises a shaft part which loosely fits in a hole of the same length in the housing base; an engagement member protrudes from the shaft part toward the interior of the housing; a washer with an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the shaft part is fixed to the end of the engagement member with a type one screw; one end of a slotted arm is attached to the engagement member between the washer and the housing base in a form- fit way; the slotted arm comprises a linear slot, the longitudinal direction of which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the torque-transmitting unit; the crank pin loosely fits in the slot; the crank pin is encircled by the slot even in the nearest and furthest position of the crank pin from the axis of rotation of the torque- transmitting unit; the electric motor is fixed in relation to the housing base. A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the housing comprises a motor stand, which is fixed to the electric motor and to the housing base with type two screws.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the torque-transmitting unit comprises a supporting disc on and concentric to the shaft part at the remote end from the interior of the housing; the grooming head is of disc shape, is coaxial with the torque-transmitting unit and one of its sides is seated on the supporting disc; the torque-transmitting unit comprises a connecting sleeve which projects out from the supporting disc opposite to the shaft part and is not rotationally symmetric to the axis of rotation of the shaft part; the grooming head comprises on its back side a connecting groove with a shape which fits to the connecting sleeve.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the grooming head is attached to the torque-transmitting unit by hook and loop fastener.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the grooming head is attached to the torque-transmitting unit by magnetic force; the grooming head comprises a ferromagnetic plate on its back side and the torque- transmitting unit comprises a permanent magnet.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the torque-transmitting unit comprises two snap fit arms with rectangular cross- sections; the grooming head comprises a snap fit groove in the middle, which together with the snap fit arms forms a snap fit connection; the snap fit groove comprises recessed shoulders at the remote end from the torque-transmitting unit; each snap fit arm comprises one snap fit hook leaning against the recessed shoulders. A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that a gap is maintained between the housing base and the grooming head; the housing base comprises a cover rim extension opposite to the housing sidewall, the inner diameter of the cover rim is larger than the outer diameter of the grooming head and the height of the cover rim is larger than the thickness of the gap between the housing base and the grooming head.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the housing cover is fixed to the housing sidewall with type three screws; the housing sidewall and the housing base are manufactured from one piece.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the housing is sealed against water.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the housing is soundproofed.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that a strap is attached to the housing cover at two points.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the housing comprises a speed control circuit with a connecting multistep switch on the housing sidewall.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the housing comprises a battery charger circuit with a connecting charger socket on the housing sidewall.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that a battery low voltage lamp is connected to the battery.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the grooming head is a massage head comprising projecting nipples on its front side. A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the grooming head is a hairbrush comprising bristles on its front side.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the grooming head is a currycomb comprising curry protrusions on its front side. Preferably, curry protrusions are, for example, wavy protrusions, or can be composed of blunt teeth arranged in lines. Preferably, curry protrusions are, for example, radial or parallel.

Some preferred embodiments of the invention are presented below with the aid of drawings not limiting the scope of the protection, wherein

Figure 1 is the cross section of a preferred embodiment of the animal grooming device in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is the offset section of a preferred embodiment of the animal grooming device in accordance with the invention, along line A-A shown in Figure 1

Figure 3 is the cross section of a preferred embodiment of the animal grooming device in accordance with the invention, along line B-B shown in Figure 1

Figure 4 is the pictorial view of a preferred embodiment of the animal grooming device in accordance with the invention,

Figure 5 is the pictorial bottom view of the grooming head according to a preferred embodiment of the animal grooming tool in accordance with the invention,

Figure 6 is the bottom view of the grooming head according to another preferred embodiment of the animal grooming tool in accordance with the invention, Figure 7 is the bottom view of the grooming head according to another preferred embodiment of the animal grooming tool in accordance with the invention,

Figure 8 is the bottom view of the grooming head according to another preferred embodiment of the animal grooming tool in accordance with the invention.

Figure 1 is the arrangement of the housing 1 , of the grooming head 2, of the battery 3, of the electric motor 4, of the housing base 5, of the housing sidewail 6, of the housing cover 7, of the drive shaft 8, of the torque-transmitting unit 9, of the engagement member 10, of the shaft part 1 1, of the hole 12, of the connecting sleeve 13, of the crank disc 14, of the crank pin 15, of the supporting disc 16, of the connecting groove 17, of the washer 18, of the slot 19, of the slotted arm 20, of the snap fit arms 21, of the snap fit groove 22, of the recessed shoulders 23, of the snap fit hooks 24, of the type one screw 25, of the type two screws 26, of the type three screws 27, of the gap 28, of the cover rim 29, of the motor stand 30, of the speed control circuit 31, of the battery charger circuit 32, of the curry protrusions 33 and of the teeth 34 in a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cross section of the snap fit arms 21 in the snap fit groove 22 and of the connecting sleeve 13 in the connecting groove 17 along cutting-plane line A-A shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cross section of the engagement member 10, of the crank pin 15, of the slot 19, of the type one screw 25 and of the motor stand 30 along cutting-plane line B-B shown in Figure 1 , and the top view of the type two screws 26 and of the housing base 5.

Figure 4 is the pictorial view of the arrangement of the housing sidewall 6, of the housing cover 7, of the type three screws 27, of the grooming head 2, of the bristles 40 and of the strap 39 in a preferred embodiment of the invention. The grooming head 2 is a hairbrush in this case.

Figure 5 is the pictorial view of the arrangement of the snap fit groove 22 in the grooming head 2, of the recessed shoulders 23 and of the nipples 38 in a preferred embodiment of the invention. The grooming head 2 is a massage head in this case.

Figure 6 is the radial arrangement of the curry protrusions 33 made of teeth 34 on the grooming head 2 and the snap fit groove 22 between the recessed shoulders 23 in a preferred embodiment of the invention. The grooming head 2 is a currycomb in this case.

Figure 7 is the radial arrangement of the curry protrusions 33 on the grooming head 2 and the snap fit groove 22 between the recessed shoulders 23 in another preferred embodiment of the invention. The grooming head 2 is a currycomb in this case. The curry protrusions 33 are wavy protrusions.

Figure 8 is the parallel arrangement of the curry protrusions 33 on the grooming head 2 and the snap fit groove 22 between the recessed shoulders 23 in another preferred embodiment of the invention. The grooming head 2 is a currycomb in this case. The curry protrusions 33 are wavy protrusions.

The animal grooming device shown in Figures 1 to 3 operates as follows. The electric motor 4 rotates the drive shaft 8 at constant angular velocity and the crank disc 14 and the crank pin 15 revolves therewith. The slot 19 on the slotted arm 20 guides the crank pin 15. As a result of the form-fit joint between the end of the slotted arm 20 and the engagement member 10 with a regular hexagon cross section in this case, the slotted arm 20 revolves together with the torque- transmitting unit 9 around the axis of rotation of the shaft part 11. The rotation of the slotted arm 20 and of the torque-transmitting unit 9 is alternating. The torque- transmitting unit 9 transmits the torque received from the slotted arm 20, through the connecting sleeve 13 to the grooming head 2. The grooming head 2 can be removed by pushing the snap fit hooks 24 toward each other to unhook them from the recessed shoulders 23, and then by pulling it out through the snap fit groove 22. The snap fit arms 21 of another grooming head 2 can be inserted after that. The animal grooming device can be dismantled the following way. First, the type three screws 27 and the housing cover 7, then the type two screws 26 and the motor stand 30 and finally the type one screw 25 and the torque-transmitting unit 9 are to be removed.

On the animal grooming device shown in Figure 4, the desired frequency of the rotary motion can be set up by turning the multistep switch 35. The speed control circuit 31 shown in Figure 1 provides the electric motor 4 with an appropriate control signal or actuating signal for achieving the frequency corresponding to the position of the multistep switch 35. The battery low voltage lamp 37 lights when the voltage of the battery 3 falls below a reference value. In this case, the battery 3 can be recharged through the charger socket 36 and the connected battery charger circuit 32. One can have a stable grip on the animal grooming device by slipping one’s hand under the strap 39.

Some preferred embodiments of the invention are described below.

A preferred embodiment of the animal grooming device in accordance with the invention is characterised by the following. The animal grooming device comprises a grooming head 2 and a housing 1 ; wherein there is an electric motor 4 and a battery 3 in the housing 1. The housing 1 comprises a housing base 5, a housing sidewall 6 and a housing cover 7; the electric motor 4 comprises a drive shaft 8; a torque-transmitting unit 9 is connected to the drive shaft 8 through a mechanism converting continuous rotary motion of the drive shaft 8 into an alternating rotary motion; the torque-transmitting unit 9 has an axis of rotation around which it can revolve freely in the housing base 5 while being secured against axial displacement; the grooming head 2 is fixed to the torque-transmitting unit 9. The mechanism connecting the torque-transmitting unit 9 with the drive shaft 8 and the electric motor 4 are established in a way that the motion frequency of the grooming head 2 is 1 Hz and the angular range of motion of the grooming head 2 is 45 degrees. A crank disc 14 is attached to the drive shaft 8; the crank disc 14 comprises a crank pin 15, the central axis of which is parallel to and offset from the axis of rotation of the drive shaft 8; the torque-transmitting unit 9 comprises a shaft part 11 which loosely fits in a hole 12 of the same length in the housing base 5; an engagement member 10 protrudes from the shaft part 11 toward the interior of the housing 1; a washer 18 with an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the shaft part 11 is fixed to the end of the engagement member 10 with a type one screw 25; one end of a slotted arm 20 is attached to the engagement member 10 between the washer 18 and the housing base 5 in a form-fit way; the slotted arm 20 comprises a linear slot 19, the longitudinal direction of which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the torque-transmitting unit 9; the crank pin 15 loosely fits in the slot 19; the crank pin 15 is encircled by the slot 19 even in the nearest and furthest position of the crank pin 15 from the axis of rotation of the torque- transmitting unit 9; the electric motor 4 is fixed in relation to the housing base 5. The housing 1 comprises a motor stand 30, which is fixed to the electric motor 4 and to the housing base 5 with type two screws 26. The torque-transmitting unit 9 comprises a supporting disc 16 on and concentric to the shaft part 11 at the remote end from the interior of the housing 1 ; the grooming head 2 is of disc shape, is coaxial with the torque-transmitting unit 9 and one of its sides is seated on the supporting disc 16; the torque-transmitting unit 9 comprises a connecting sleeve 13, which projects out from the supporting disc 16 opposite to the shaft part 11 and is not rotationally symmetric to the axis of rotation of the shaft part 11; the grooming head 2 comprises on its back side a connecting groove 17 with a shape which fits to the connecting sleeve 13. The grooming head 2 is attached to the torque-transmitting unit 9 by hook and loop fastener. The housing cover 7 is fixed to the housing sidewall 6 with type three screws 27; the housing sidewall 6 and the housing base 5 are manufactured from one piece, i.e. are one unit. The grooming head 2 is a massage head comprising projecting nipples 38 on its front side.

A further preferred embodiment of the animal grooming device in accordance with the invention is different from the first preferred embodiment in the following. The grooming head 2 is attached to the torque-transmitting unit 9 by magnetic force; the grooming head 2 comprises a ferromagnetic plate on its back side and the torque-transmitting unit 9 comprises a permanent magnet. The housing 1 is sealed against water and is soundproofed. The housing 1 comprises a speed control circuit 31 with a connecting multistep switch 35 on the housing sidewall 6. The mechanism connecting the torque-transmitting unit 9 with the drive shaft 8 and the electric motor 4 are established in a way that the motion frequency of the grooming head 2 can be set between 1 and 15 Hz by the multistep switch 35 and the angular range of motion of the grooming head 2 is 45 degrees. The grooming head 2 is a hairbrush comprising bristles 40 on its front side.

A further preferred embodiment of the animal grooming device in accordance with the invention is different from the first preferred embodiment in the following. The torque-transmitting unit 9 comprises two snap fit arms 21 with rectangular cross-sections; the grooming head 2 comprises a snap fit groove 22 in the middle, which together with the snap fit arms 21 forms a snap fit connection; the snap fit groove comprises recessed shoulders 23 at the remote end from the torque-transmitting unit 9; each snap fit arm 21 comprises one snap fit hook 24 leaning against the recessed shoulders 23. A gap 28 is maintained between the housing base 5 and the grooming head 2; the housing base 5 comprises a cover rim 29 extension opposite to the housing sidewall 6, the inner diameter of the cover rim 29 is larger than the outer diameter of the grooming head 2 and the height of the cover rim 29 is larger than the thickness of the gap 28 between the housing base 5 and the grooming head 2. The housing 1 comprises a battery charger circuit 32 with a connecting charger socket 36 on the housing sidewall 6. A battery low voltage lamp 37 is connected to the battery 3. The grooming head 2 is a currycomb comprising curry protrusions 33 on its front side. The curry protrusions 33 are composed of blunt teeth 34 arranged in lines. The curry protrusions 33 are radial. The mechanism connecting the torque-transmitting unit 9 with the drive shaft 8 and the electric motor 4 are established in a way that the motion frequency of the grooming head 2 is 30 Hz and the angular range of motion of the grooming head 2 is 2 degrees.

A further preferred embodiment of the animal grooming device in accordance with the invention is different from the previous preferred embodiment in the following. A strap 39 is attached to the housing cover 7 at two points. The curry protrusions 33 are wavy protrusions. The curry protrusions 33 are parallel. The mechanism connecting the torque-transmitting unit 9 with the drive shaft 8 and the electric motor 4 are established in a way that the motion frequency of the grooming head 2 is 10 Hz and the angular range of motion of the grooming head 2 is 8 degrees.

Technical advantages of the animal grooming device in accordance with the invention compared to the state of the art are the following. The animal grooming device in accordance with the invention, because of the alternating rotary motion, loosens dead hairs and dirt more efficiently, compared to the unidirectional rotation, even if it is kept at one place. Moving one’s hand further improves the efficiency of loosening. During the alternating motion, all those covered in the rotation to one direction are revealed in the rotation to the opposite direction. Advantage of the radial curry protrusions 33 is that, during the alternating rotary motion, dead hairs and other particles exit from under the grooming head 2 along the curry protrusions 33 away from the axis of rotation of the torque-transmitting unit 9. List of reference signs

1- housing 28- gap

2- grooming head 29- cover rim

3- battery 30- motor stand

4- electric motor 31 - speed control circuit

5- housing base 32- battery charger circuit

6- housing sidewall 33- curry protrusions

7- housing cover 34- teeth

8- drive shaft 35- multistep switch

9- torque-transmitting unit 36- charger socket

10- engagement member 37- battery low voltage lamp

11- shaft part 38- nipples

12- hole 39- strap

13 - connecting sleeve 40- bristles

14- crank disc

15- crank pin

16- supporting disc

17- connecting groove

18- washer

19- slot

20- slotted arm

21- snap fit arms

22- snap fit groove

23- recessed shoulders

24- snap fit hooks

25- type one screw

26- type two screws

27- type three screws