Surgical hair clippers and vacuum apparatuses including sensing and feedback devices

1 . A vacuum apparatus for collecting cut hair comprising:

a housing;

a motor located in the housing;

a fan operatively connected to the motor for producing a negative pressure within a filter assembly;

the filter assembly comprising a filter housing and a filter located in the filter housing, the filter configured to move away from an end of the filter housing and increase a storage volume for cut hair within the filter housing;

a first position sensor located in the filter housing that is configured to detect the filter;

a second position sensor located in the filter housing that is configured to detect the filter, wherein the first position sensor is positioned closer to the end of the filter housing than the second position sensor;

a third position sensor located in the filter housing that is configured to detect the filter, wherein the first position sensor and the second position sensor are positioned closer to the end of the filter housing than the third position sensor; and

a processor that receives signals from the first position sensor, the second position sensor and the third position sensor when each of the first position sensor, the second position sensor and the third position sensor detects presence of the filter and the processor uses logic saved in a memory to instruct the motor to increase or decrease speed of the motor based on which of the first position sensor, the second position sensor and the third position sensor provides the signal.

2 . The vacuum apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a hose connector located at the end of the filter housing.

3 . The vacuum apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the hose connector is configured to draw air into the filter housing in a direction parallel to the filter.

4 . The vacuum apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor uses logic saved in the memory to instruct the motor to increase speed from an initial speed to a first intermediate speed when a first signal is received from the first position sensor.

5 . The vacuum apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor uses logic saved in the memory to instruct the motor to increase speed from the first intermediate speed to a second intermediate speed when a second signal is received from the second position sensor.

6 . The vacuum apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the processor uses logic saved in the memory to instruct the motor to increase speed from the second intermediate speed to a third intermediate speed when a third signal is received from the third position sensor.

7 . The vacuum apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the processor uses logic saved in the memory to instruct the motor to decrease speed from the third intermediate speed to the initial speed when no signal is received from the first, second and third position sensors.

8 . The vacuum apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the processor uses logic saved in the memory to instruct a light to activate when the third signal is received from the third position sensor.

9 . A method of controlling operation of a vacuum apparatus, the method comprising:

detecting a first position of a filter within a filter housing using a first position sensor located in the filter housing, the filter configured to move away from an end of the filter housing and increase a storage volume for cut hair within the filter housing, a processor receiving a first signal from the first position sensor when the first position sensor detects presence of the filter;

detecting a second position of the filter within the filter housing using a second position sensor that is positioned farther from the end of the filter housing than the first position sensor;

detecting a third position of the filter within the filter housing using a third position sensor that is positioned farther from the end of the filter housing than the second position sensor; and

wherein the processor receiving signals from the first position sensor, the second position sensor and the third position sensor when each of the first position sensor, the second position sensor and the third position sensor detects presence of the filter and the processor using logic saved in a memory to instruct the motor to increase or decrease speed of the motor based on which of the first position sensor, the second position sensor and the third position sensor provides the signal.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a hose connector is located at the end of the filter housing.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the hose connector is configured to draw air into the filter housing in a direction parallel to the filter.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein

the processor instructing the motor to increase speed of the motor from an initial speed to a first intermediate speed when the first signal is received from the first position sensor;

the processor instructing the motor to increase speed of the motor from the first intermediate speed to a second intermediate speed when the second signal is received from the second position sensor; and

the processor instructing the motor to increase speed of the motor from the second intermediate speed to a third intermediate speed when the third signal is received from the third position sensor.

13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising the processor instructing the motor to decrease speed of the motor from the third intermediate speed to the initial speed when no signal is received from the first, second and third position sensors.

14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising the processor instructing a light to activate when the third signal is received from the third position sensor.