Comb attachment for a hair care appliance

Abstract

A comb attachment for mounting to a hair-care appliance configured to supply a heated airflow. The comb attachment includes a housing defining an inlet for receiving an airflow from the appliance when mounted thereto and an outlet fluidly connected to the inlet for discharging the airflow. The attachment further includes first and second longitudinally extending rows of outer protrusions mounted to the housing so as to extend across or alongside the outlet. The attachment also includes a longitudinally extending row of inner protrusions mounted to the housing so as to be interposed between the first and second rows of outer protrusions.

1 . A comb attachment for mounting to a hair-care appliance configured to supply a heated airflow, the comb attachment comprising:
 a housing defining an inlet for receiving an airflow from the appliance when mounted thereto and an outlet fluidly connected to the inlet for discharging the airflow;   first and second longitudinally extending rows of outer protrusions mounted to the housing so as to extend across or alongside the outlet, each outer protrusion of the first row being transversely spaced from a corresponding outer protrusion of the second row so as to define an outer protrusion pair; and   a longitudinally extending row of inner protrusions mounted to the housing so as to be interposed between the first and second rows of outer protrusions, each inner protrusion moveable longitudinally relative to the outer protrusions between:
 a retracted position in which the inner protrusion is positioned on a first side of, and is spaced from, a corresponding outer protrusion pair; and 
 an extended position in which the inner protrusion is positioned on a second side of the corresponding outer protrusion pair that is opposite to the first side. 
   
     
     
         2 . The comb attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein each outer protrusion comprises a proximal end that is proximate to the housing, and an opposite distal end, and wherein the distal ends of each outer protrusion of an outer protrusion pair are joined such that each outer protrusion pair cooperate to define a respective outer tooth having an aperture for passage of an inner protrusion therethrough. 
     
     
         3 . The comb attachment according to  claim 2 , wherein each outer tooth has a width in the transverse direction that is greater at the proximal end of the outer tooth than at the distal end of the outer tooth. 
     
     
         4 . The comb attachment according to  claim 3 , wherein the width of each outer tooth tapers inwardly from the proximal end to the distal end. 
     
     
         5 . The comb according to  claim 2 , wherein each inner protrusion has a shape that is complementary to the shape of the aperture formed in each outer tooth. 
     
     
         6 . The comb attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein the row of inner protrusions is slideably mounted to the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The comb attachment according to  claim 6 , comprising a trigger operatively connected to the inner protrusions such that depressing the trigger moves the inner protrusions away from the retracted position and towards the extended position. 
     
     
         8 . The comb attachment according to  claim 7 , wherein the operative connection between the trigger and the inner protrusions is such that there is a direct relationship between a distance moved by the trigger as it is depressed and a longitudinal displacement of the inner protrusions. 
     
     
         9 . The comb attachment according to  claim 1 , comprising a biasing mechanism configured to bias the inner protrusions towards the retracted position. 
     
     
         10 . The comb attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein in the retracted position each inner protrusion is transversely aligned with an outer protrusion pair located adjacent the respective corresponding outer protrusion pair, on the first side thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The comb attachment according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein each outer protrusion comprises a proximal end that is proximate to the housing, and an opposite distal end, and wherein the distal ends of each outer protrusion of an outer protrusion pair are joined such that each outer protrusion pair cooperate to define a respective outer tooth having an aperture for passage of an inner protrusion therethrough; and   wherein in the retracted position each outer tooth extends about a periphery of an inner protrusion of the row of inner protrusions.   
     
     
         12 . The comb attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein in the extended position each inner protrusion is disposed equidistantly between the respective corresponding outer protrusion pair and an outer protrusion pair adjacent the respective corresponding outer protrusion pair, on the second side thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The comb attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer protrusion pairs are equi-spaced from one another according to a fixed spacing distance, the fixed spacing distance being defined as a longitudinal distance between the central points of adjacent outer protrusion pairs, and wherein in the extended position each inner protrusion is displaced longitudinally from the retracted position by a distance that is equal to or greater than the fixed spacing distance. 
     
     
         14 . The comb attachment according to  claim 13 , wherein in the extended position each inner protrusion is displaced longitudinally from the retracted position by at least 1.3 times the fixed spacing distance. 
     
     
         15 . The comb attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein the spacing between the outer protrusions of each outer protrusion pair is such that a transverse gap having a width of between 0.2 mm and 1 mm is maintained between each of the outer protrusions and an inner protrusion when passing therebetween. 
     
     
         16 . The comb attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein each inner protrusion has a width in the transverse direction that is greater at a proximal end of the inner protrusion than at a distal end of the inner protrusion. 
     
     
         17 . The comb attachment according to  claim 16 , wherein the width of each inner protrusion tapers inwardly from the proximal end to the distal end. 
     
     
         18 . The comb attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein each inner protrusion and each outer protrusion has a thickness in the longitudinal direction, the thickness of each inner protrusion being less than or equal to the thickness of each outer protrusion.