GB2209968A

GB2209968A - Powder dispensing comb

Info

Publication number: GB2209968A
Application number: GB8821288A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Henry Allum
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-09-24
Filing date: 1988-09-12
Publication date: 1989-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 2008-09-12
Also published as: GB8722468D0; WO1989002699A1; GB2209968B; AU2488988A; GB8821288D0

Abstract

A powder dispensing comb comprises a plurality of teeth (1) some teeth (2) of which are hollow. The teeth are mounted on a plate (3) which closes the open side of a manifold (4) which is hollow. The hollow teeth (2) communicate through the plate (3) with the inside of the manifold (4) and the plate (3) may be secured by suitable fastening means or be a push fit or snap action or a welded or glued fit may be provided. An end of the manifold (5) includes a screw cap (6) which connects with a complementary screw threading on a flexible plastics powder container (7). Positioned within the cavity of the manifold (4) is a piece of foam material (8) which extends the length of the cavity and which has one side thereof in close proximity to the surface of the plate (3). In use, the container (7) is filled with powder material which, by a squeezing action, passes into the manifold and thoroughly impregnates the foamed material (8). Squeezing action causes the powder to be displaced through the foam and hence into and subsequently out of the hollow teeth (2). When the container is released suck back of air therein is permitted by virtue of the foam material powder is not removed from the manifold (4) in any substantial quantity and consequently the next squeeze on the container will result in immediate dispensing of further powder.

Description

Improvements in Powder DisPensin Combs This invention relates to an improved comb for dispensing powder and is primarily intended to be used for introducing anti-parasite powders into the fur of animals.

According to a first aspect of this invention there is provided a powder dispenser having a hollow elongate nozzle in communication with a manifold to receive the powder, the manifold including an open pore foamed material positioned between the nozzle and a powder inlet, the powder inlet being coupled to a flexible powder container.

According to a second aspect of this invention there is provided a comb of which one or more of a plurality of teeth are hollow and in communication with a manifold to receive a powder, the manifold including an open pore foamed material positioned between the hollow teeth and a powder inlet, the powder inlet being coupled, preferably detachably, to a flexible powder container.

With such a construction pressure applied to the powder container will cause powder to be displaced into the manifold and absorbed within the foam material. The foamed material serves to evenly distribute the powder within the manifold so that it is dispensed generally evenly through the nozzle or the individual hollow teeth of the comb following a squeezing action applied to the container. When the container is released air will be sucked back through the comb teeth or the nozzle but by virtue of the foam material the powder has surprisingly been found to be retained therein so that the next squeezing action will immediately cause powder again to be dispensed through the hollow teeth.

In one particular embodiment the teeth of the comb are provided on a plate member which forms a side of the manifold structure. The plate may be permanently or detachably connected to the manifold so as to enable same to be cleaned or the foam to be replaced. One end of the manifold has an inlet duct with a coupling means to which the powder container may be detachably secured.

The advantage of the present invention is that by simply squeezing and releasing the container powder is dispensed and the foam enables air to be drawn back into the container without substantially causing powder entrained and retained within the foam matrix to be sucked back.

One embodiment according to the invention is shown by way of an example in the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows a side perspective view of a comb according to the invention, and Figure 2 shows a detail of the manifold arrangement.

Referring to the drawings, the comb comprises a plurality of teeth 1 some teeth 2 of which are hollow.

The teeth are mounted on a plate 3 which closes the open side of a manifold 4 which is hollow. The hollow teeth 2 communicate through the plate 3 with the inside of the manifold 4 and the plate 3 may be secured by suitable fastening means or be a push fit or snap action or a welded or glued fit may be provided.

An end of the manifold 5 includes a screw cap 6 which connects with a complementary screw threading on a flexible plastics powder container 7. Positioned within the cavity of the manifold 4 is a piece of foam material 8 which extends the length of the cavity and which has one side thereof in close proximity to the surface of the plate 3.

In use, the container 7 is filled with powder material which, by a squeezing action, passes into the manifold and thoroughly impregnates the foamed material 8. Squeezing action causes the powder to be displaced through the foam and hence into and subsequently out of the hollow teeth 2. When the container is released suck back of air therein is permitted but by virtue of the foam material powder is not removed from the manifold 4 in any substantial quantity and consequently the next squeeze on the container will result in immediate dispensing of further powder.

The foam material is of an open pore structure and it has been found that a very coarse foam material is particularly suitable. Such foam material comprises a structure which is similar to steel wool or the fibrous construction of a loofah".

Various types of foam may be used and the suitable combination of size of the pores and open structure of the foam can be determined by quite simple experiments to achieve proper dispensing.

A disadvantage of many forms of powder dispensing comb is that they will only operate satisfactorily if the teeth are held truly vertically and any departure from this will result in either powder being dispensed only from some teeth or no powder being dispensed at all.

The inclusion of the foam structure according to the present invention has been found surprisingly to result in a powder dispensing comb which is relatively insensitive to attitude and in which powder can even be dispensed with the comb inverted subject to the foam containing sufficient quantity within the pores.

The side of the manifold 4 opposite to that to which the plate 3 is secured may include a depending partition 4a serving as an upper abutment for the piece of foam material 8. Such a partition then leaves a sufficient cavity in the head of the manifold to accommodate and distribute powder fed from the container 7.

In another embodiment (not shown) the comb may be positioned end on in relation to the container.

Claims

1. A powder dispenser having a hollow elongate nozzle in communication with a manifold to receive the powder, the manifold including an open pore foamed material positioned between the nozzle and a powder inlet, the powder inlet being coupled to a flexible powder container.

2. A comb of which one or more of a plurality of teeth are hollow and in communication with a manifold to receive a powder, the manifold including an open pore foamed material positioned between the hollow teeth and a powder inlet, the powder inlet being coupled, preferably detachably, to a flexible powder container.

3. A comb according to Claim 2, wherein the teeth of the comb are provided on a plate member which forms a side of the manifold structure.

4. A comb according to Claim 3, wherein tbe plate may

be permanently or detachably connected2Xc the manifold so as to enable same to be cleaned or the foam to be

replaced) ane end of the manifold

lay inlet duct with a coupling means to which the powder container may be detachably secured.

5. A comb or powder dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein one end of the manifold has an inlet duct with a coupling means to which the powder container may be detachably secured.

6. A comb or powder dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the foam material comprises a structure which is similar to steel wool or the fibrous construction of a "loofah'.

7. A comb substantially as described herein and exemplified with reference to the drawings.