US3639984A

US3639984A - Electric dry shaver with inclined shaving head

Info

Publication number: US3639984A
Application number: US831179A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wilbur C Jackson; William P Beck
Original assignee: Sunbeam Corp
Current assignee: Sunbeam Corp
Priority date: 1969-06-06
Filing date: 1969-06-06
Publication date: 1972-02-08
Anticipated expiration: 1989-02-08
Also published as: CA960028A; GB1302262A; DE2023125A1; FR2048406A5; US3791030A; CH554222A

Abstract

Electric dry shaver having a generally flat, rectangular housing with a shaving head extending the length of one of the edges of the housing and with the shaving head having a supporting frame which positions the shearing portion of the head in an inclined and displaced position with respect to the hand gripped portions of the housing. A long hair trimmer positioned at one end of the shear portion of the shaver extends perpendicular to the plane of the housing to facilitate the trimming of sideburns. The driving connection between the cutting assemblies in the shaving head and the shaver motor include elongated lever arms which overlap each other. The motor and battery power supply for the shaver are interconnected and supported between the shaving head and the housing by apertured yoke members.

Description

I United States Patent [151 3,639,984

Jackson et al. 51 Feb. 8, 1972.

[54] ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER WITH D2l4,823 7/1969 Seymour et al. ..D95/3 (.l)

INCLINED SHAVI EAD NG H FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [72] g z g g gzgg k gfifif 62,879 11/1944 Denmark ..3o/43.92 v 718,067 I l/l954 Great Britain ..30/43.92 [73] Assignee: Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago, Ill.

. I Primary Examiner-Othell M. Simpson [22] 1969 AttrneyGeorge R. Clark [2i] Appl. No.: 831,179

[57] ABSTRACT 52 US. (:1 ..30/34.1 Electric dry Shaver having a generally flat, rectangular housing 151 1 Int. Cl ..B26b 19/10 with a Shaving head-extending h length of n of the edges of 58 Field ofSearch. Mao/34,34.1,43.8,43.9,43.91, the houslpg andylth the shavlug heaqhavmg a ppq s 30/4392; 095/3 frame which posltions the shearmg portn of the head 1n an inclined and displaced position with respect to the hand [56] References Cited gripped portions of the housing. A long hair trimmer positioned at one end of the shear portion of the shaver extends UNITED STATES PATENTS perpendicular to the plane of the housing to facilitate the trimming of sideburns. The driving connection between the 2,458,417 H1949 Pollifrone ..30/346.51 X cutting assemblies in the Shaving head and the Shaver motor 2'323745 7/1943 include elongated lever arms which overlap each other. The 2'344360 3/1944 Lomaz motor and battery power supply for the shaver are intercon- 311711567 3/1965 somFrs et nected and supported between the shaving head and the housg tzt l li ggl ing by apertured yoke members. D2l4,822 7/1969 Ernest et al ..D95/3 (.1) 8 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures 58a .95 3 5g 52 ,3. 7 w 50 51 g6 l I I 25 ll r' i-zfl g 5 1 32 3 1 91 2 l "-1 39 3 59 a? 72 51 38 go I 38 23 37 9 1' 25 61 52 l 73 .90 E. ;:f, -:5

PATENTEU FEB 81972 3. ,639 ,984

sum 1 [IF 4 PATENTEDFEB em I 3,639,984

' snmaum Lynne/Liars: WJU JSW Jffi PATENTEU FEB 8 I872 SHEET Q 0F 4 ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER WITH INCLINEI) SHAVING HEAD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to an electric shaver of the type having a perforated shearing member mounted on the edge of a generally rectangular, flat motor enclosing housing. For about the last years it has been conventional to provide electric dry shavers with such flat, rectangular housings which are similar in size and shape to a cake of soap. Prior to the trend to this flat type of housing, it was common practice to house electric shavers in generally elongated, tubular housings which were gripped by wrapping the fingers around the housing in the manner of gripping a bicycle handle, for instance. The flat, rectangular housings are, however, gripped in a different way with the shaver more or less lying in the palm of the hand with the fingers extending along one flat side and the thumb along the other side. With the housing of the shaver gripped between the thumb and fingers, the user had much more flexibility in applying the shaving head against the various portions of the face than with the tubular housing shaver which required considerably flexing of the wrist to apply the shaving head to the face.

In view of the fact that most portions of the face extend generally vertically during the shaving operation, it has been found that even with the flat, rectangular housing the thumb and finger positioning cannot compensate completely for the angular position of the shaver, and it is necessary to flex the wrist somewhat during most of the shaving operation. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a flat, rectangular shaver with a shaving head orientation which would minimize the difficulties and contortions involved in applying the shaving head against the area of the face to be shaved.

It has become common in recent years to provide some types of electric shavers, particularly those having perforated combs, with separate long hair trimmers. These trimmers are similar to a barber trimmer having a blade set with a row of interengaging teeth which are designed to trim sideburns and long hairs which have not been picked up by the shaving head with its small openings for close shaving. The trimmer is conventionally positioned close to the shaving head so that the user may conveniently switch from shaving to trimming with a long hair trimmer without repositioning the shaver in his hand. In some instances, the trimmer has been positioned extending the full length of the shaving head and closely adjacent thereto or in other instances extending transversely of the shaving head at one end thereof. Recognizing that the long hair trimmer is generally used for trimming a mustache or sideburns and, in that connection, must be used very carefully and precisely and in a different manner from the shaving head, it is obvious that the positioning of the trimmer with respect to the gripped portion of the housing is designated by different considerations. In this regard, it would be desirable to have a trimmer arranged so that the shaver might be held vertically with the trimmer being readily visible and in a horizontal position so that an accurate horizontal line on the sideburns and on a mustache could be established.

Ever since the development of small, high capacity sealed and rechargeable batteries, it has been common to provide electric dry shavers with self-contained power supplies which incorporate or utilize such batteries. Since the electric shaver is held in the hand throughout the shaving operation, it is important that the size and weight of the shaver, even when including batteries, be kept to a minimum. Accordingly, the internal design and construction of the shaver permitting it to accommodate within the housing both a motor and the batteries necessary to power the motor become extremely important. There are examples in the prior art of various approaches to integrating the motor and battery supporting portions in order to achieve a simple and compact design. It is desirable, however, that the motor and battery supporting structure be as simple as possible and be arranged so that the batteries may be removed and replaced when they become defective.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention involves a battery operated shaver having a flat, rectangular housing which has the shaving head mounted along one end thereof with the shearing portion of the head inclined and displaced toward one of the flat sides of the shaver. The effect is to provide a housing which is somewhat curved with the shaving hear more or less overhanging one side of the shaver. When the shaver is gripped naturally with the thumb and fingers paralleling opposite sides of the shaver, the shearing surface may be held against the generally vertical portions of the face with the wrist held in a natural and unflexed position. As a consequence of this arrangement, the user is able to shave with a minimum of effort and as much comfort as possible. The head is inclined at about 30 with respect to the normal, horizontal position characteristic of prior art shavers, and the head is displaced so that when the shaver is engaged with the face, the thumb on the gripped surface towards which the head is inclined has no tendency to engage the face or interfere with the shaving operation.

Recognizing that the long hair trimmer is not used in the same manner as the close shaving head, we have arranged the trimmer at one end of the shaving head with the row of teeth thereon extending perpendicular to the flat surfaces of the shaver even though the adjacent portion of the shaving head is inclined with respect to the flat surfaces of the housing. This arrangement permits the user to hold the shaver in a vertical or upright position and apply the trimmer to his sideburns or mustache with the assurance that the hair will be trimmed or clipped along a horizontal line. This arrangement of the trimmer and the close shaving head provides a shaver which is adapted to perform a complete shaving function in the easiest and most effective manner.

The inclined orientation of the shaving head might increase the size and bulk of the shaver were it not for the significant departures which have been made in the internal construction of the shaver also. The shaver housing is formed by two abutting housing members which assemble to form a housing having an upwardly facing recess which is closed by the shaving head assembly. This assembly is recessed at its lower face so that the shaver motor is positioned partially within the shaving head assembly and partially within the adjacent portion of the housing. The shaving head assembly, the motor and the housing are related together by the battery supporting yokes which provide a simple and effective method of tying the entire assembly together and supporting the batteries in such a way that they may be easily removed when defective.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric dry shaver having an improved arrangement of the shaving head with respect to the housing which facilitates use thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved electric dry shaver having a substantially flat, rectangular housing with a shearing head positioned along one end thereof with the shearing head being inclined and displaced toward one of the flat sides of the shaver.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a shaver having a close shaving head inclined with respect to the gripping portions and having a long hair trimmer which extends substantially perpendicular to the gripping portions of the shaver.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved battery operated shaver having apertured yoke members which interconnect the motor and head assembly to the housing and support the batteries for operating the shaver.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the present invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric dry shaver embodying our invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line 22 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 with portions of the housing and comb cut away for illustrative purposes;

FIG. 4 is an exploded assembly of the shaver embodying our invention;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the inner and outer frames which make up a part of the shaving head;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the shaver motor shown removed from the shaver;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a front view of the shaver shown in FIG. 1 but with the front housing member removed to expose the interior parts of the shaver;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view taken on line 99 of FIG. 8 with the assembly screw and retaining washer removed for illustrative purposes;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the battery supporting yokes included in the shaver illustrated in the preceding figures.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the outer frame which is shown in end view in FIG. 5;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on line 12-l2 of FIG. 1 1;

FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the outer head frame shown in FIG. 11.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 an electric dry shaver designated generally by reference numeral 20. The shaver includes a boxlike housing 21 on which is superimposed a shaving head assembly 22. The housing 21 is formed by two

interfitting housing members

23 and 24 which abut to form a housing with an outwardly facing opening 25. The shaving head assembly 22 is received within the opening 25 and cooperates with the housing 21 to form an enclosure 26 within which a motor 27 and batteries 28 are mounted.

As is well known in the art, the batteries 28 are of the nickel cadmium rechargeable type, and suitable means are provided for connecting the batteries 28 to an external power source for recharging purposes. The batteries 28 are electrically connected to the motor 27 through a switch 29 which controls the energization of the motor 27. The shaving head assembly 22 is made up of an outer frame 31 which has an open, somewhat rectangular shape and an inner frame or motor supporting block 32. The outer and

inner frames

31 and 32 are best shown in FIGS. 5, 11, 12, and .13. Referring to FIG. 12, the frame 31 has lengthwise extending

sidewalls

33 and 34 which

interconnect end walls

35 and 36. Received within the space defined by the

walls

33, 34, 35, and 36 is the inner frame 32, as is best shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5. The inner frame 32 is secured to the outer frame 31 by means of three assembly screws 38 which extend through supporting brackets 39 into threaded engagement with bosses 41 formed on the outer frame 31. The assembly screws 38 also extend through openings in supporting projections 40 projecting outwardly from the ends of the motor 27.

The outer frame 31 and the inner frame 32 define a recess 42 'within which beard or hair clippings are received. This recess is formed by the

end walls

35 and 36 of the outer frame and the inner frame 32 which extends therebetween. Overlying the recess 42 is a perforated comb assembly 43 which is made up of a thin, flexible perforated comb 44, a supporting frame 45, and a hinge plate 46 which pivotally connects the comb to the outer frame 31. The supporting frame 45 is shaped so that the comb 44 is supported in a more or less M shape with two lengthwise extending arch-shaped portions. Each of these arch-shaped portions define the outer shearing members or combs of more or less separate shaving heads 48, as are best shown in FIGS. 1 and 8.

Each of the shaving heads 48 also includes in addition to the comb portion an inner cutter assembly 50, each of which is made up of a cutter supporting shaft 51 and three radially extending cutters or blades 52 which engage the underside of the comb 44. Means to be described below are provided to oscillate the cutter supporting shafts 51 through limited angular movement so that the cutters 52 sweep across the perforations in the comb 44. The structure and function of the cutter assemblies 50 and the comb 44 are well known and form no part of the present invention being completely disclosed in Bauer US. Pat. No. 3,401,453 which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

For the purpose of supporting the shafts 51, the outer frame 33 is formed with two pairs of downwardly facing channels 54 which receive the two bearings 53 for each of the shafts 51. The inner frame 32 is similarly formed with upwardly extending channel portions 55, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, which portions engage the lower halves of the shaft supporting bearings 53 one of which is shown in FIG. 3.

In order to oscillate the shafts 51, there are provided plastic drive arms 58 which extend in overlapping relationship from adjacent ends of the shafts 51 as is best shown in FIG. 2. By utilizing the overlapping relation of the drive arms 58, it is possible to provide an efficient and easily manufactured linkage to drivingly interconnect the motor 27 and the shafts 51. The outer ends of the drive arms 58 are pivotally connected to downwardly extending connecting rods 59. The connecting rods 59 are bifurcated at their upper ends as is best shown in FIG. 3. The pivotal connection between the connecting rods 59 and the drive arms 58 is accomplished by spreading the flexible bifurcated portions of the rods 59 and snapping them over integrally molded portions 58a formed on the ends of the drive arms 58. The lower ends of the connecting rods 59 are secured to a common crank pin 60 which is eccentrically mounted on a counterweight 61 received on the end of armature shaft 62. Thus, as the motor drives the armature shaft 62, the crank pin 60 rotates about the armature shaft and causes the two connecting rods 59 to move up and down, thereby oscillating the shafts 51 by means of their connections through the drive arms 58.

The outer frame 31 is formed at one end with an opening or recess 64 within which a trimmer assembly 65 is mounted with respect to the shearing head assembly 22. The trimmer assembly consists of an upper fixed shearing member 66 having teeth 67 extending along the exposed edge thereof. Mounted for slidable movement beneath the fixed shearing member 66 is a movable shearing member 68 which includes teeth 69 which are positioned in shearing engagement with the teeth 67 on the fixed shearing member 66. Spring means received within the recess 64 bias the movable shearing member or cutter 68 into engagement with the shearing member 66. A trimmer drive arm 70, best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, extends outwardly from the end of one of the shafts 51 into driving engagement with the cutter 68. The trinuner drive arm 70 is mounted at a position spaced from the axis of the shaft 51 but extending generally parallel thereto so that, as the shaft 51 oscillates, the trimmer drive arm 70 oscillates thereby causing the cutter 68 to reciprocate in engagement with the fixed shearing member 66.

It should be noted that the interengaging

teeth

67 and 69 in the trimmer assembly 65 are in a straight line which is substantially perpendicular to the plane equidistant between the substantially flat sidewalls of the

housing members

23 and 24. Thus, when the shaver is gripped as shown in FIG. 1 and held in an upright position as is normal for use of the trimmer, the

teeth

67 and 69 will lie along a substantially horizontal line thereby facilitating proper and accurate end trimming of sideburns and mustaches.

As is evident from the broken lines included in FIG. 2, the shearing surface, as defined by the arch-shaped portions of comb 44, lies at an angle which is inclined or tilted 30 with respect to a plane generally perpendicular to the flat gripping portions of the shaver. As is also evident from FIGS. 1 and 2,

the housing member 23 is provided with a sidewall 72 which includes a gripping pad 73 and at its upper edge sidewall 72 has outwardly sloping portion 72a. As a consequence, the shaving heads 48 are displaced laterally toward the same side of the shaver as the head is inclined. Actually, as shown in FIG. 2, the shaving head, which is positioned to the left, is located substantially on the vertical centerline of the shaver whereas the other shaving head positioned to the right in FIG. 2 is arranged so that it overhangs somewhat the sidewall 72 and the gripping pad 73.

When the shaver housing 21 is grasped in the normal manner as shown in FIG. 1, the shaving head assembly 22 extends from the end of the shaver which is located most remote from the palm of the hand, while the thumb and fingers extend along the opposite, flat rectangular gripping surfaces. This provides a natural gripping arrangement where the user may more or less point his thumb and fingers at the area he wishes to shave, and the head of the shaver will be oriented to shave that area. Because the normal disposition of the forearm of the user is generally vertical during the shaving operation, it is inconvenient or unnatural for the user to bring the shaver to a horizontal position so that the shaving head may properly engage a generally vertical portion of the face. Ifone considers the portion of the hand while gripping the shaver as shown in FIG. 1, it will be recognized that the fingers in their relaxed condition have a tendency to incline the shaver slightly while the shaver is supported with the forearm extending vertically. By adding the 30 inclination to the shearing surface, the shaving head assembly is positioned to properly engage the face with a minimum amount of flexing of the wrist. In addition, the lateral displacement of the shaving heads 48 prevents any interference between the hand or thumb of the user and his face being shaved. Tests and observations have indicated that the amount of inclination should ideally be between and 30. In the preferred embodiment disclosed herein, the maximum desirable inclination was selected because the effect of the inclination is more obvious with the greater inclination.

The motor 27 is a compact, permanent magnet type of motor which may be positioned within the enclosure 26 while leaving ample space for the batteries 28. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the motor 27 includes a pair of permanent magnets 75 supported by a generally U-shaped frame member 76 to which is attached at the right end as shown in FIG. 6 a die-cast end bell 77. The end bell 77 has formed thereon the motor supporting projections 40 as well as means for supporting the brush assemblies 78. The brush assemblies 78 comprise molded plastic blocks 79 which are assembled by dovetailed engagement with the end bell 77 and which have integrally molded posts 80 on which brush biasing springs 81 are supported. The brushes themselves consist of the commutator engaging blocks 82 which are supported on conducting arms 83 to which suitable leads 84 are connected. The helical springs 81 engage directly against the conducting anns 83 to retain them in assembled relationship with the brush assembly 78 and to bias the blocks 82 against motor commutator 85. The enclosure for the motor armature and magnets 75 is completed by a pair of lengthwise extending plates 86 which extend across the legs of the U-shaped motor frame 76.

As was described above, the motor 27 is secured to the underside of the inner frame 32 by means of assembly screws 38. As shown in FIG. 2, the motor 27 is partially recessed within the bottom of the shearing head assembly 22. The inner frame 32 is cut away as indicated by reference numeral 87 in FIG. 2 to provide an opening through which the connecting rods 59 extend to effect the driving connection between the motor 27 and the cutter supporting shafts 51. In addition, the inner frame 32 is formed with a downwardly projecting wall 88, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, which interlocks in a recess 89 formed in housing member 24 to assure a rigid engagement between the shearing head assembly 22 and the housing 21.

The outer head frame 31 is formed around its periphery with an overhanging lip or flange 90 which terminates on the inside against a shoulder 91 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 13. As is perhaps best shown in FIG. 2, the lip or flange 90 overlies the upper edge of the

housing members

23 and 24 and thereby retains the two housing members in assembled relation. There are also additional projections 92 positioned around the lower edge of the head frame 31 to engage inside the upper edges of the

housing members

23 and 24 in the opening 25 to assure smooth and continuous engagement between the walls of the housing members and the shearing head assembly. These additional projections 92 are best shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

In order to retain the shaving head assembly securely against the upper edge of the housing 21 and positioned within the opening 25, there are provided a pair of

yoke members

94 and 95 which are shown in their disassembled condition in FIGS. 4 and 10 and are shown in their assembled relation in FIGS. 2, 3, and 8. The

yoke members

94 and 95 are preferably fabricated of injection molded plastic such as nylon and include

cylindrical center portions

94a and 95a which define cylindrical apertures which are of suitable size to snugly receive the batteries 28. As is evident from FIG. 9, the batteries 28 are aligned coaxially and are positioned with the cylindrical portions 940 and 95a of the yoke members extending around the midpoint of each of the batteries 28.

In order to provide the supporting function referred to above, the

yoke members

94 and 95 are formed at their upper ends with

brackets

94b and 95b which extend upwardly and to one side of the cylindrical batteries supporting portions 940 and 95a. These

brackets

94b and 95b are formed with inwardly facing

openings

94c and 95c which openings are adapted to engage and receive. therein

assembly tabs

96 and 97 which extend from opposite ends of the motor 27. The assembly tabs 96 are formed integrally with the die-cast end bell 77, as is best shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, and are tapered for wedging engagement with the openings c in the yoke member 95. At the other end of the motor 27, the assembly tabs 97 are formed integrally from the motor frame 76 and project in the opposite direction from the assembly tabs 96. The

yoke members

94 and 95 are assembled to the motor 27 by merely applying the

brackets

94b and 95b over the

assembly tabs

96 and 97, as is illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 4. The batteries 28 are inserted into the central

cylindrical portions

94a and 95a with cylindrical sections 94d and 95d serving to maintain the batteries 28 in their aligned position and adding rigidity to the assembly of the motor 27, the batteries 28, and the

yoke members

94 and 95.

For the purpose of securing the above-described assembly rigid with respect to the

housing members

23 and 24, the

yoke members

94 and 95 are formed with downwardly extending support posts 94e and 95e which terminate adjacent bottom wall 98 of the housing 21. As is best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 of the drawings, the bottom wall 98 of the housing 21 is provided with apertures 99 through which assembly screws 100 extend into threaded engagement with the support posts 94e and 95e. The assembly screws 100 serve to not only retain the shaving head assembly 22 assembled to the housing 21 through retention of the

yoke members

94 and 95 against the bottom wall 98, but also retain the lower portions of the

housing members

23 and 24 in assembled relation. This last mentioned function is accomplished by means of cup-shaped assembly washers 101 which are received over complementary bosses 102 which bosses are formed half on the front housing member 23 and half on the back housing member 24. Thus, when the assembly screws 100 are in threaded engagement with the support posts 94e and 95e, the cup-shaped washers 101 retain the

housing members

23 and 24 together by virtue of the bosses 102 being received within the cup-shaped washers 101, as is illustrated in FIGS. 4, 8, and 9.

It should be understood that the

housing members

23 and 24 are also provided with internal projections 103, as best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 which restrain the

yoke members

94 and 95 from twisting or being deflected from their supporting positions within the housing 21. In the light of the above description, it should be evident that the two assembly screws 100 provide a simple means for retaining the entire head,

motor and battery assembly secured within the housing 21, and in addition, the screws 100 along with the washers 101 provide means for retaining the bottom half of the housing 21 assembled together. The head assembly 22 and its downwardly extending lip or flange 90'accomplish the func tion of retaining the upper half of the housing assembly secured together.

In the description the housing of the shaver has been described as a flat, rectangular housing. To avoid any question as to the intended meaning of this term as used in the claims, a further brief explanation may be in order. Although the housing in the type of shaver intended to be covered by the claims has considerable thickness as is shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings and may even be somewhat tapered in configuration, the thickness is such that the shaver may be conveniently and, in normal use, is held between the thumb and fingers in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 9. This type of gripping is dietated principally by the fact that the width and height of the rectangular sides, as seen in FIG. 4 for instance, is such that the hand cannot conveniently extend around the rectangular faces in the more or less bicycle handle type gripping, and, therefore, the bottom of the shaver must rest in the palm of the hand with the thumb and fingers disposed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 9. This housing configuration will be characterized in having the thickness dimension considerably less than either the height or width dimensions of the rectangular sides. These sides may, of course, be generally square or have the height dimension, i.e., the dimension from the bottom up to the head either somewhat less than or greater than the width dimension, i.e., the dimension across the side in a direction parallel to the edge along which the shaving head extends.

The position of the shaving head has been described in the specification as inclined with respect to the housing at an angle which in the disclosed embodiment is When the term inclined is used in this context, it refers to an inclination with respect to the more or less conventional disposition of the shaving head which is in a plane normal to the vertical axis of the shaver when positioned generally upright with the side supporting the shaving head uppermost.

In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, the clipper or trimmer assembly 65 has its shearing

teeth

67 and 69 disposed along a line which would be parallel to the plane in which a shaving head or shearing surface would normally be disposed.

- The advantages associated with the disposition of the shearing surface in the inclined and displaced position and with the clipper in a more or less level position with respect to the shaver housing have been fully set forth above.

While there has been shown and described a single embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made to the claims by those skilled in the art and it is, therefore, intended by the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

I. An electric dry shaver having a generally flat rectangular housing defined by two flat closely spaced sidewalls and means connecting their edges, the combination comprising a head assembly extending along one end of said housing and forming a closure therefor, said head assembly having an outer shearing member which is angled toward and displaced laterally with respect to one of said sidewalls of said housing, a long hair clipper positioned at one end of said head assembly, said clipper having fixed and movable shearing members with a row of interengaging teeth on one side thereof, said clipper teeth extending outwardly beyond the adjacent portions of the housing and said row of teeth lying along a line perpendicular to a plane centrally positioned with respect to the sides of said flat housing and being displaced laterally with respect to said one end of said housing as is the outer shearing member.

2. The electric dry shaver of claim 1 wherein said outer shearing member is disposed at an angle of approximately 60 with respect to a plane positioned centrally and parallel to the fiat rectangular sides of said housing.

3. The electric dry shaver of claim 2 wherein said outer shearing member is asymmetrically mounted on said end with said shearing member being displaced to the sidewall toward which said member is angled.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a pair of mating members abutting along said central plane and defining an open topped receptacle within which a motor is received, said head assembly comprising a head frame which is secured to said housing members in the top opening to form a motor enclosure, said frame having a central recess within which a pair of shaving heads are mounted extending lengthwise of said one end, said motor being secured to the head frame within said enclosure.

5. In a dry shaver having a motor and a shearing head assembly drivingly connected to said motor, the combination comprising a generally flat rectangular housing defined by two flat closely spaced rectangular sidewalls and means connecting their edges which housing is shaped to be grasped with the thumb on one rectangular side and with the fingers on the other rectangular side, said motor being enclosed in said housing and said shearing head assembly being mounted on an end of said housing adapted to be remote from the palm of the hand in which the housing is grasped so that the shearing head assembly faces in the same direction as the thumb and fingers of the hand when it is grasping said housing, said head as sembly including a short hair shaving head and a long hair trimmer, said short hair shaving head being inclined and displaced toward the thumb engageable side of the housing so that said shaving head may be conveniently engaged against the face without bending and twisting of the wrist, and said long hair trimmer extending across the narrow width of the housing and being substantially perpendicular to the rectangular sides of the housing for easy trimming of sideburns with said housing in an upright position.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said rectangular sidewalls are angled slightly with respect to each other to provide a taper between said sidewalls in which the housing is thinner at the end remote from said shearing head assembly, and a padded gripping surface on the rectangular sidewall engaged by the thumb of the users hand.

7. The combination of claim 5 wherein said shaving head comprises a double arched foraminous member extending lengthwise of the said remote end, movable cutters driven by said motor in shearing engagement with said foraminous member, one arch of said foraminous member being centrally positioned on said remote end and the other arch of said foraminous member overhanging the one of said rectangular sidewalls engaged by said thumb, said centrally disposed arch being positioned a greater distance from said housing than said other arch.

8. The combination of claim 5 wherein said long hair trimmer comprising a pair of shearing plates each plate having a row of teeth in shearing engagement with the other row of teeth, said engaging rows of teeth extending outwardly from said head assembly and overhanging the adjacent portions of said housing, one end of said row of teeth being aligned with a lengthwise extending edge of said shaving head adjacent the rectangular sidewall engaged by the thumb with the other end of said row of teeth being positioned below said short hair shaving head.

Claims

1. An electric dry shaver having a generally flat rectangular housing defined by two flat closely spaced sidewalls and means connecting their edges, the combination comprising a head assembly extending along one end of said housing and forming a closure therefor, said head assembly having an outer shearing member which is angled toward and displaced laterally with respect to one of said sidewalls of said housing, a long hair clipper positioned at one end of said head assembly, said clipper having fixed and movable shearing members with a row of interengaging teeth on one side thereof, said clipper teeth extending outwardly beyond the adjacent portions of the housing and said row of teeth lying along a line perpendicular to a plane centrally positioned with respect to the sides of said flat housing and being displaced laterally with respect to said one end of said housing as is the outer shearing member.

2. The electric dry shaver of claim 1 wherein said outer shearing member is disposed at an angle of approximately 60* with respect to a plane positioned centrally and parallel to the flat rectangular sides of said housing.

5. In a dry shaver having a motor and a shearing head assembly drivingly connected to said motor, the combination comprising a generally flat rectangular housing defined by two flat closely spaced rectangular sidewalls and means connecting their edges which housing is shaped to be grasped with the thumb on one rectangular side and with the fingers on the other rectangular side, said motor being enclosed in said housing and said shearing head assembly being mounted on an end of said housing adapted to be remote from the palm of the hand in which the housing is grasped so that the shearing head assembly faces in the same direction as the thumb and fingers of the hand when it is grasping said housing, said head assembly including a short hair shaving head and a long hair trimmer, said short hair shaving head being inclined and displaced toward the thumb engageable side of the housing so that said shaving head may be conveniently engaged against the face without bending and twisting of the wrist, and said long hair trimmer extending across the narrow width of the housing and being substantially perpendicular to the rectangular sides of the housing for easy trimming of sideburns with said housing in an upright position.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said rectangular sidewalls are angled slightly with respect to each other to provide a taper between said sidewalls in which the housing is thinner at the end remote from said shearing head assembly, and a padded gripping surface on the rectangular sidewall engaged by the thumb of the user''s hand.