METHOD FOR REMOVING SHEDDING HAIR FROM A PET ANIMAL
A vacuum grooming tool is disclosed that includes a vacuum nozzle attachable to a vacuum source and has a hollow body with a mouth opening. A grooming device selected from a variety of standard animal grooming hand tools, such as a shedding blade, rake or de-matting tool, may span the mouth opening. The grooming device is positioned such that the airflow created by the vacuum source flows over at least one side of the grooming device. A vacuum cleaning tool for removing any animal hair from a grooming tool is also disclosed. A vacuum plenum of the cleaning tool is attachable to a vacuum source and has an opening for cleaning the grooming tool in one pass. The cleaning tool can be mounted on a stationary support may also include a pivot-action mechanism that connects the vacuum grooming tool or the cleaning tool to the vacuum source.
1 . A method of using a grooming tool to remove pet hair, the method comprising:
setting an angle between a handle and one or more grooming blades of the grooming tool;
moving the one or more grooming blades across a coat of a pet;
lifting topcoat hair to expose undercoat hair to sharp edges of the grooming blade; and
removing the ready-to-be-shed undercoat hair by snagging the exposed undercoat hair with the sharp edges of the one or more grooming blades.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the angle formed between the handle and the one or more grooming blades.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lifting of the topcoat hair is done by hand.
4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising creating a negative airflow over the one or more grooming blades, wherein the lifting of the topcoat hair is effected by the negative airflow.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the creating the negative airflow comprises creating the negative airflow over both sides of at least one of the one or more grooming blades.
6 . A method of removing pet hair, the method comprising:
setting an angle between a handle and one or more grooming blades of a grooming tool;
attaching a vacuum plenum of the grooming tool to a vacuum source;
moving the one or more grooming blades across a coat of a pet;
lifting topcoat hair to expose undercoat hair to sharp edges of the grooming blade; and
removing the ready-to-be-shed undercoat hair by snagging the exposed undercoat hair with the sharp edges of the one or more grooming blades.
7 . The method of claim 6 further comprising adjusting the angle formed between the handle and the one or more grooming blades.
8 . A method of using an animal hair removal tool to remove ready-to-be-shed animal hair, the method comprising:
coupling a vacuum source to the animal hair removal tool;
snagging ready-to-be-shed animal hair with a grooming device of the animal hair removal tool;
engaging one or more sharp edges of the grooming device with the animal hair;
moving the animal hair removal tool while engaging the animal hair; and
pulling the ready-to-be-shed animal hair from the animal.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising adjusting the angle of engagement of the grooming device.
10 . A method of removing pet hair, the method comprising:
attaching a first end of a vacuum nozzle to the grooming tool;
attaching a second end of the vacuum nozzle to a vacuum source;
allowing a negative airflow created by the vacuum source to flow over the grooming device;
engaging the grooming device with an animal; and
moving the grooming tool across a coat of the animal;
lifting, via the negative airflow, hair in the coat; and
snagging the hair while moving the grooming tool.
11 . A method for increasing efficiency of de-shedding operations as compared to conventional de-shedding operations by eliminating operational strokes and reducing time associated with the de-shedding operations, the method comprising:
attaching a vacuum source to a first end of a vacuum nozzle;
attaching a grooming blade to a second end of the vacuum nozzle;
allowing a negative airflow created by the vacuum source to flow over at least one of the two sides of the grooming blade;
moving the grooming blade across a pet's coat;
lifting, using the negative airflow, topcoat hair of the pet's coat to expose undercoat hair to the sharp edges of the grooming blade; and
snagging ready-to-be-shed undercoat hair with the sharp edges.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the grooming blade is made of stainless steel and the sharp edges are a result of a metal stamping process.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the grooming blade is one of a plurality of grooming blades which are aligned in a substantially parallel manner.
14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising varying an angle of engagement of the grooming blade to a plurality of different orientations.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein moving the grooming blade across the pet's coat comprises moving the grooming blade across the pet's coat such that the grooming blade is substantially perpendicular to the pet's coat.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein moving the grooming blade across the pet's coat comprises moving the grooming blade across the pet's coat such that the grooming blade is at an angle with respect to the pet's coat.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein moving the grooming blade across the pet's coat further comprises moving the grooming blade across the pet's coat such that the grooming blade is at an obtuse angle with respect to a direction of motion of the moving across the pet's coat.
18 . A method for increasing efficiency of de-shedding operations as compared to conventional de-shedding operations by eliminating operational strokes and reducing time associated with the de-shedding operations, the method comprising:
coupling a first end of a vacuum nozzle to a grooming device;
coupling a second end of the vacuum nozzle to a vacuum source;
allowing negative airflow created by the vacuum source to flow over at least one of the two sides of the grooming device;
lifting the topcoat hair of the pet's coat with the negative airflow created by the vacuum source to expose undercoat hair to sharp edges of the grooming device;
moving the grooming device across a pet's coat; and
snagging, via the sharp edges, ready-to-be-shed undercoat hair.
19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising coupling the animal grooming device to a wall surrounding a mouth opening of the first end of the vacuum nozzle.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the animal grooming device comprises a de-matting tool.
21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the grooming device further comprises an additional grooming device, wherein the multiple grooming devices are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other.
22 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the sharp edges comprise burrs.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the animal grooming device comprises a grooming device having teeth.
24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the grooming device comprises a shedding blade.
25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the animal grooming device comprises a comb.
26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the animal grooming device comprises an undercoat rake.
27 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the vacuum source includes a vacuum port and a blower port, the vacuum port and the blower port being alternately attachable to the vacuum nozzle.
28 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the vacuum nozzle defines a vent on the hollow body for reducing suction at the mouth opening.