EP0630596B1 - Apparatus for removing body hair - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus (1) for removing body hair is described, onto which apparatus there can be fitted alternatively a first attachment part (3) with an epilation cylinder (5) or a second attachment part (20) with a long-hair cutter (22). The attachment part (20) with the long-hair cutter (22) has a razor or upper blade (36) which can be driven via a gear and carries out an alternating back and forth movement in relation to a comb or lower blade (37). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a device, an attachment for the device and a method for Removal of body hair from the human body. The device has a a housing mounted motor and two interchangeable on the Attachable housing and removable attachments, namely a first as an epilation head trained attachment part and a second attachment part, which means for depilation having.

Such a device is known from FR-A-2 588 732. The first is as Epilation head designed attachment for pinching and plucking the hair in the essentially consisting of two combs arranged one above the other, one with a Drive means is connected such that both combs have an alternating translational movement To run. The teeth of the combs are designed so that they pinch and pluck any hair that has got in between.

Epilation devices of this or a similar type are also already from, for example Publications US 4 575 902 A, US 4 960 422 A or US 5 084 055 A are known, by express reference in the disclosure content of the present application be included. There are basically two types of hair removal, namely removing hair from the surface of the skin (depilation) and removing the hair with the hair root (epilation). Motorized epilation devices are based on the principle, by means of periodically opening and closing tweezers-like clamping elements to grasp the hair to be removed, pinch it and root it out pulling out the skin. The latter process is realized in that the tweezer-like clamping elements after pinching the hair or hair be quickly moved away from the skin. This movement of the clamping elements away from the skin can be accomplished, for example, in that the clamping elements Are part of a rotatable cylinder and during the rotation of the cylinder periodically moved towards and away from each other.

A general problem of the devices of the type mentioned is that To increase effectiveness and the pain sensation of the user diminish when removing hair. Furthermore, it is the task of the present Invention, an improved device and an improved attachment part for the device as well specify a method for removing body hair, in particular the device and the attachment part is carried out simply and safely, or the method is easy to use are.

The object is essentially achieved in that, on the one hand, at a device of the type mentioned the epilation head one of the engine in Has rotatable epilation cylinder for epilating the body hair and that second attachment part is designed as a cutting device for depilating the body hair and contain a gear for driving the cutting device in the second attachment part is.

Since the first and the second attachment part are interchangeable on the housing can be plugged on, the device can be used for both depilation and depilation, so to speak can be used as a "combination device". The first attachment part is now advantageously provided with an epilation cylinder, with the help of which the body hair is effective can be pinched and plucked. With the first attachment part, the device can can thus be used in a known manner as an epilation device. With the second Attachment part, which is designed as a cutting device for depilating the body hair deviating from this, however, a different function, namely a Depilation of the body hair can be performed. So that's the second attachment part for it provided a pretreatment of the body hair before the actual epilation too accomplish. This pretreatment makes it possible for the epilation cylinder removes body hair more effectively and reduces user pain becomes. In particular by the arrangement of a gearbox for driving according to the invention the cutting device in the second attachment part is a simple and safe design of the device. Furthermore, through the transmission in the second Attachment part an adaptation of the oscillation frequency of the cutting device to the corresponding Conditions of use when cutting the hair possible, so that the Cutting process with the help of the second attachment part is particularly effective and painless can be carried out. The invention thus provides a device for removing Body hair provided with the interchangeable attachment parts different function overall improve the quality of hair removal is achievable.

In an advantageous development of the invention, the transmission in the second Attachment part such a translation that the oscillation frequency one in the second Attachment part arranged blade for cutting the hair about 3 to 7 times, is in particular about 5 times the rotational frequency of the epilation cylinder. In the Practice is the epilation cylinder with about 1200 to 1400 / min and the blade with about 6000 rpm moved.

According to the invention, the object is also achieved by an attachment part with means for depilation for a device for removing hair from the human body, the device essentially consisting of a motor mounted in a device housing, a drive wheel and from two interchangeable on the housing and removable attachment parts, namely a first designed as an epilation head Attachment section and a second attachment section, which contains the means for depilation having. The second attachment part is according to the invention with a long hair trimmer and an integrated gear wherein the company is designed so that it can be driven by the drive wheel, so that advantageously a constructive simple structure of the second attachment part is specified.

With the help of the long hair trimmer, the body hair can also be pretreated in this way be that the user in a first step the body hair on the surface of the Cut off the skin, then in a second step after a certain, individually varying duration the regrown, approximately the same length or in any case a common upper length body hair using the on the Pluck the device of a removable epilation head. It is due to the approximately same length of body hair that the epilation cylinder reaches the body hair can be gripped and plucked safely because the hair is better in the plucking organs of the epilation cylinder thread. Overall, the pretreatment of the body hair with the Long hair trimmer achieves that the body hair is more reliable from the epilation cylinder plucked and the number of empty plucks (pinching the hair without Plucking) and thus the feeling of pain can be reduced.

In an advantageous embodiment, the transmission has one in the second attachment part such translation that the oscillation frequency of the blade about 3 to 7 times, in particular approximately 5 times the rotational frequency of one provided in the first attachment part Epilation cylinder.

The long hair trimmer advantageously has a blade which can be driven by a gear, in particular an upper knife which has an oscillating movement with respect to a Comb or a stationary lower knife.

Alternatively, the blade which can be driven via the gear is a lower knife, which an alternating movement with respect to a comb, in particular a stationary one Executes the upper knife.

The gear is advantageously designed as an angular gear and sets the rotary motion a drive wheel in an alternating movement of the blade.

The gearbox in turn has a crown wheel that can be driven by the drive wheel a pinion meshes, which is provided with an eccentrically arranged driver, which is coupled to the blade. This way it is easy and inexpensive Components of a long-hair trimmer that can alternatively be plugged onto the device for epilation realized.

The object on which the invention is based is essentially also achieved by a Body hair removal procedure solved. First, a second Attachment part with a cutting device on a hair removal device and The body hair is depiled with the second attachment. Then after a period in the range of days the second essay part against a first essay part exchanged with an epilation cylinder and with the first attachment part the body hair is epilated.

The time interval between the use of the second attachment part is advantageously and the following first part of the essay about 3 to 12 days, in particular about a week. The individual duration depends on the growth rate the hair of the individual user. Through this staggered use the pain sensation during epilation is reduced. This can be explained as follows: Body hair grows quickly in an initial growth phase, after which that Slow growth in a second phase to a standstill (third phase). Eventually the body hair falls out in the last, fourth phase. Become the body hair depilated for a certain period of time before the actual epilation, so grow the body hair in the third phase no longer falls and eventually falls the body hair in the fourth phase by itself. For those in this Epilation is no longer necessary for hair in the growth phase; i.e. it these hairs are not grasped and plucked by the epilation cylinder. Through the due to the previous depilation, less number of epilation Plucking hair, however, becomes the pain felt by the user when plucking further significantly reduced.

Fig. 1

eine teilweise geschnittene, schematische Darstellung einer Seitenansicht eines Gerätes zum Entfernen von Haaren am menschlichen Körper nach einem Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung eines ersten Aufsatzteiles mit einem Epilationszylinder für das Gerät nach der Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung eines zweiten Aufsatzteiles mit einem Langhaarschneider für das Gerät nach der Fig. 1 und

Fig. 4

eine schematische Darstellung des Getriebes des Langhaarschneiders der Fig. 3.

Show it:

Fig. 1

2 shows a partially sectioned, schematic representation of a side view of a device for removing hair from the human body according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 2

2 shows a schematic sectional illustration of a first attachment part with an epilation cylinder for the device according to FIG. 1,

Fig. 3

is a schematic sectional view of a second attachment part with a long hair cutter for the device according to FIGS. 1 and

Fig. 4

3 shows a schematic illustration of the gear mechanism of the long hair trimmer of FIG. 3.

The device 1 shown in FIG. 1 for removing Hair on the human body consists of a housing 2 and a first attachment part 3 together. By doing Housing 2 is a motor, preferably an electric motor housed with or directly via a gearbox a drive wheel 4 rotatably mounted in the housing 2 and this is in the switched on state of the Motor set in rotation.

The first attachment part 3 designed as an epilation head contains an epilation cylinder 5 which is connected to the drive wheel 4 is coupled and in the switched-on state of the Motor rotates or oscillates around its longitudinal axis. As will be explained below, the rotating serves Epilation cylinder 5 to pinch body hair and pluck.

2 is the first attachment part 3 with the epilation cylinder 5 shown in more detail. The epilation cylinder 5 has a shaft 6, which in the first attachment part 3 is rotatably mounted. Via a non-rotatably connected gear 7, the shaft 6 is coupled to the drive wheel 4. The shaft 6 carries a number of disks 8, approximately protrude radially outward from the shaft 6. Between Discs 8, clamping elements 9, 10 are introduced are also arranged approximately radially to the shaft 6 and stick outwards. Located between two disks one of the clamping elements 9, 10. According to the 2 are above the shaft 6 the clamping elements 9 and below the shaft 6 the clamping elements 10 provided so that the clamping elements 9th and 10 diametrically opposed. The clamping elements 9 are on an operating rod 11 and the clamping elements 10 held on an operating rod 12. The disks 8 have cutouts for the actuating rods 11, 12 on. The actuating rods 11, 12 are on the one hand in the Gear 7 and on the other hand slidable in a flange 13 guided and take part in a rotation of the epilation cylinder 5 part. The free end of the operating rod 11 lies on a track 14 and the free end of the actuating rod 12 on a track 15. On the tracks 14, 15 opposite ends of the actuating rods 11, 12 springs 16, 17 are provided which the Press actuating rods 11, 12 against tracks 14, 15. The tracks 14, 15 are provided with cams which in Stand out towards the disks 8 and clamping elements 9, 10. The cams are arranged so that the actuating rods 11, 12 are always moved when the associated clamping elements 9, 10 via the are located in the area in Fig. 2 an opening 18 of the first attachment part 3.

When the shaft 6 rotates, the actuating rods become 11, 12 by the cams of the tracks 14, 15 against the springs 16, 17 shifted, namely according to FIG. 2nd in the direction of arrows F1 and F2. With that, too respectively associated clamping elements 9, 10 in the same direction moved and come up with the neighboring ones Discs 8 in contact. Body hair that is between the Clamping elements 9, 10 and the disks 8 are located pinched like tweezers. Through the further rotation of the shaft 6 and thus the clamping elements 9, 10 and the washers 8 become the pinched body hair plucked from the skin. By further rotation the shaft 6 reach the actuating rods 11, 12 the end of the cams so that the clamping elements 9, 10 through the springs 16, 17 again in their shown in FIG. 2 Position to be pushed back and the plucked hair can fall out.

The first attachment part 3 and the housing 2 are in their Shape, especially in their outer form to each other customized. Furthermore, the first attachment part 3 and provide the housing 2 with means by which they put together and pulled apart again can. These means can be latching devices or clamps act with actuators to lock or unlock the first attachment part 3 can be provided by the housing 2. In the present embodiment is preferred a locking device is provided which when plugging the Attachment part 3 automatically engages on housing 2, which, however, as shown in FIG. 1, with at least one actuation button 19 is provided with whose help the locking connection is released again and thus the first attachment part 3 is pulled off the housing 2 again can be.

Instead of the first attachment part 3 with the epilation cylinder 5 can also be a second attachment part with different Components and thus different functions the housing 2 can be plugged on. Prerequisite for this is that the second attachment part in terms of shape and the clamping or locking device on the housing 2 is adjusted. The two attachment parts can then according to the function desired by the user exchanged and used.

In Fig. 3, a second attachment part 20 is shown, the in terms of shape and that of the present Embodiment preferably provided locking device is adapted to the housing 2. To this end is the second attachment part 20 also with an actuation button 21 for releasing the locking connection provided, with the help of the second attachment part 20 of the housing 2 can be removed.

The second attachment part 20 contains a long hair trimmer 22, which is coupled to the drive wheel 4 via a gear 23 and is thereby in the switched on state of the Motors performs a linear and oscillating movement. The long hair cutter 22 is used to body hair on the Cut off skin surface.

4, the gear 23 has a crown wheel 24 on, which is coupled to the drive wheel 4. The drive wheel 4 is mounted in the housing 2 by means of an axle 25, while the crown wheel 24 by means of an axis 26 in second attachment part 20 is rotatably held. The drive wheel 4 and the crown wheel 24 are arranged axially parallel. The drive wheel 4 and the crown wheel 24 have their Surround radial toothings 27, 28 assigned to one another and comb each other. The crown wheel is on the front 24 provided with end teeth 29 which are ring-shaped is designed.

The gear 23 has a pinion 30, which on a Axis 31 is rotatably supported, which has an angle of 90 Degree to the axis 26 of the crown wheel 24 occupies. The pinion 30 has a radial toothing 32 on its circumference, the the front toothing 29 is assigned and this meshes. Parallel to the axis 31 is a driver of the pinion 30 33, which is arranged eccentrically to the axis 31.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the driver engages 33 into a groove 34 of a carrier part 35 on which a blade-like upper knife 36 is held. The upper knife 36 extends across the entire width of the long hair trimmer 22 and together with the carrier part 35 slidable in this direction. For this purpose Carrier part 35 associated guide means, the one back and forth Movement of the support member 35 together with the blade 36 enable.

With regard to the described back and forth movement the groove 34, in which the driver 33 engages under arranged at an angle of 90 degrees so that the driver 33 also move back and forth in the groove 34 can.

A lower knife 37 is arranged parallel to the upper knife 36, that like the upper knife 36 over the entire Width of the long hair cutter 22 extends and the fixed is held in the second attachment part 20. The upper knife 36 and the lower knife 37 are on the Front of the second attachment part 20, which at a Facing the skin.

By rotating the drive wheel 4, the crown wheel 24 and thus the pinion 30 in rotation about its axis 31 offset. The eccentric arrangement of the driver 33 to the axis 31 has a rotation of the pinion 30 and one Back and forth movement of the carrier part 35 together with the Upper knife 36 result. At the same time the moves Driver 33 in the groove 34 also back and forth. All in all is the rotation of the pinion 30 over the Driver 33 in a linearly oscillating movement of the Upper knife 36 implemented.

Body hair that lies between the teeth of the upper knife 36 and the teeth of the lower knife 37 are located due to the linear oscillating movement of the upper knife 36 cut off with the lower knife 37 stationary.

It is understood that of course the function of the upper knife 36 and lower knife 37 can be changed accordingly can that the lower knife 37 is driven to oscillate and the upper knife 36 stands still. Essential to guarantee an extremely advantageous, short cutting length of the hair to be removed is that the upper knife is it is now driven or stationary, extremely thin in the Range of 0.2 mm or less, practical as a film, is trained.

The described device 1 for removing body hair is preferably used as follows:

First, the second attachment part 20 on the housing 2 attached. With device 1 turned on then the body hair with the help of the long hair cutter 22 cut off on the surface of the skin. Then wait the user an individually different period of time of about a week. Now the first attachment part 3 plugged onto the housing 2 and the device 1 switched on. With that contained in the first article 3 Epilation cylinder 5 are the regrown body hair pinched and plucked of about the same length.

It is also possible that the first attachment part 3 with the Epilation cylinder 5 and / or the second attachment part 20th used with the long hair trimmer 22 independently will. It is also in specially stored Cases possible that first the epilation head and then the long hair trimmer 22 can be used.

Claims (11)

1. An appliance for the removal of human body hairs, with a motor mounted in a casing (2) and two interchangeable attachments attachable to and detachable from the casing (2), namely a first attachment configured as an epilation head, and a second attachment (20) having means for depilation, characterized in that the epilation head includes an epilating cylinder (5) for epilation that can be rotated by the motor, and that the second attachment (20) is configured as a cutting device for depilation, said second attachment (20) accommodating a gear arrangement (23) for driving the cutting device.
2. The appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transmission ratio of the gear arrangement (23) is such that the oscillating frequency of a blade disposed in the second attachment is about three to seven times, in particular about five times, the rotational frequency of the epilating cylinder (5).
3. An attachment having means for depilation for use with an appliance for the removal of human body hairs, with a motor carried in an appliance casing (2), a driving gear (4), and two interchangeable attachments attachable to and detachable from the casing (2), namely a first attachment configured as an epilation head, and a second attachment (20) having the means for depilation, characterized in that the second attachment includes a long-hair trimmer (22) and a gear arrangement (23) integrated therein which is configured such as to be drivable by the driving gear.
4. The attachment as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the gear arrangement (23) has a transmission ratio such that the oscillating frequency of the blade is about three to seven times, in particular about five times, the rotational frequency of an epilating cylinder (5) provided in the first attachment.
5. The appliance or the attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the long-hair trimmer (22) includes a blade, in particular an outer cutter (36), which is adapted to be driven by the gear arrangement (23) and performs a reciprocating motion in alternate directions relative to a comb, in particular a stationary inner cutter (37).
6. The appliance or the attachment as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the long-hair trimmer (22) includes a blade, in particular an inner cutter, which is adapted to be driven by the gear arrangement (23) and performs a reciprocating motion in alternate directions relative to a comb, in particular a stationary outer cutter.
7. The appliance or the attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gear arrangement is configured as an angular gear arrangement converting the rotary motion of a driving gear (4) into an alternating motion of the blade.
8. The appliance or the attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gear arrangement (23) includes a crown gear (24) adapted to be driven by the driving gear (4) and meshing with a pinion (30) provided with an eccentrically arranged engaging means (33) coupled to the blade (36).
9. The appliance or the attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer cutter (36) is configured in the manner of a foil of a thickness of less than 0.2 mm, in particular 0.15 mm.
10. A method of removing body hairs, characterized in that it first involves the step of placing a second attachment (20) having a cutting device and a gear arrangement onto a hair-removing appliance and performing a depilating operation with said second attachment, and that subsequently, after a period of some days, a first attachment (3) having an epilating cylinder (5) is substituted for said second attachment (20) and performs an epilating operation.
11. The method as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the time interval between successive uses of the second attachment (20) followed by the first attachment (3) is between 3 to 12 days, approximately, in particular about one week.

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