EP0814681A1

EP0814681A1 - Electric comb having oscillatory movement

Info

Publication number: EP0814681A1
Application number: EP96908153A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Claude Revil
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-03-23
Filing date: 1996-03-19
Publication date: 1998-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 2016-03-19
Also published as: CA2214846A1; WO1996028990A1; CN1182353A; EP0814681B1; DE69606285D1; US5915391A; AU5149896A; ATE188851T1

Abstract

An electric comb particularly suitable for disentangling and styling unmanageable hair using a plurality of oscillating teeth that are individually mounted and guided. The comb consists of a handle (10), a body (20) containing a tooth drive mechanism, a series of teeth (22) and an electric motor (12). The tooth drive mechanism is a shaft (16) rotated by the motor (12) and comprising eccentric elements (18) forming a camshaft. The second portion of each tooth comprises means whereby the teeth may be guided by the eccentric elements of the drive mechanism, which means may be forked.

Description

ELECTRIC COMB WITH OSCILLATORY MOVEMENTS

The present invention relates to an electrical device which makes it possible to disentangle, comb and style the hair, and more particularly frizzy or delicate hair.

Existing electrical devices are in particular intended to stimulate the scalp, by massaging it with slow oscillatory movements. In this case, a single or multiple comb is driven in a slow oscillating movement by an electric motor. The comb is not used for styling the hair, but as a means of traversing the hair and reaching the scalp to massage it. In order for the massage to be effective, it is assumed that the hair is neither dense nor delicate, since otherwise the hair would be pulled, broken or tangled.

The problem of disentangling a frizzy or tangled hairstyle is a more complex problem than massage, since it requires that each small tangled tuft be treated separately from the neighboring tuft. If we try to oscillate a conventional comb by an electric motor, as described for example in patents US-A-3384096 and

US-A-3870056, in frizzy or fragile hair, the result will be disastrous, because we will apply a repetitive force to the first tuft that the comb will meet, which will result in the pulling out or breakage of this hair. Frizzy hair, by the shape of its ovoid and twisted stem, a low breaking load of 40 to 60 gr, is exposed to any trauma during usual styling. The main objective of the present invention is to provide an electric comb specially adapted for disentangling and styling delicate or difficult hair. In order to remedy this problem, we thought that each clump should be treated differently from the neighboring clump. It is desirable for this, to reproduce with an electric comb, the movement of the fingers of a person when he tries to untangle his hair: the fingers do not move in parallel, but they move back or they advance relative to each other .

For this to be achievable, the comb must no longer be a compact body whose teeth move in the same way, but each tooth must be provided with a different movement or offset from the movement of the neighboring tooth. For this, each tooth of the apparatus according to the present invention is individually mounted on a drive mechanism, which guides it in a movement offset from the neighboring tooth.

According to the main embodiment of the present invention, the electric comb which is the subject of this application consists of a handle, an electric motor powered by the sector or by batteries, a body containing a mechanism teeth, and a series of teeth. Each tooth consists of a first part outside the body which comes into contact with the hair, and a second part inside the body, which is in permanent contact with the drive mechanism.

The tooth drive mechanism is a rotary mechanism with eccentric elements. According to always the main embodiment, the drive mechanism, called camshaft, is an axis driven in rotation by said motor, comprising discs, said cams, fixed eccentrically on said axis. Said cams are discs of circular, elliptical or ovoid section. The second part of each tooth has means for coupling the tooth with the eccentric elements of the drive mechanism. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second part of each tooth has an approximate form of fork with two straight branches, which enclose a cam therebetween. The two branches of the fork can be parallel, but they can also form a certain angle, so as to be able to confine between them a cam, which will guide it by its rotation.

Each tooth is also crossed by a second axis called the fixed axis, perpendicular to its length. The rotation of the first axis, causes an eccentric rotational movement of the cam. This, via the fork, transmits this movement to the tooth, which it will oscillate around the fixed axis. Therefore, the outer part of the tooth which is in contact with the hair, will have a regular and uniform oscillation movement. If the cams have an elliptical or ovoid shape, the distance between the two branches of the fork will be at least equal to the major axis of the ellipse or the ovoid.

When the axis of the camshaft is rotated by the engine, the set of teeth is caused to pivot or oscillate relative to the common fixed axis. The end of each tooth will describe an oscillation movement in an arc. If the cams are offset from each other, the movement of each tooth will be offset from that of the two teeth adjacent to it. If the offset between two neighboring cams is

180 degrees, the teeth will oscillate in phase opposition.

In the preferred embodiment, the cams are offset by an angle between 15 and 120 degrees, preferably 90 degrees. In order to make the second part of the tooth more compact and more rigid, the two branches can be replaced by an oblong opening, called a lumen, which confines the cam between its two parallel sides.

The use of light in place of the fork with two branches, allows us to make other variants of the first embodiment of the present invention. According to the first variant, the camshaft is located between the fixed axis and the outer part of the comb. This arrangement has certain advantages over the previous arrangement, in particular as regards the amplitude of the movements of the tooth. It also makes it possible to reduce friction on cam-tooth contact, which leads to a longer use time of the comb and less wear.

The outer part of each tooth can have any shape suitable for styling and detangling particular hair. It can, for example, be single, double or multiple, with or without rounded tips, of round or elliptical section, flexible or rigid.

According to another variant, the device comprises teeth on both sides relative to the drive mechanism, with for example on one side single teeth which allow disentangling and on the other side multiple or more closely spaced teeth which allow the hair styling.

It will also be noted that according to the first embodiment, it can be provided that all of the teeth and of the fixed axis are partly or entirely removable, by means of a device of two clips at the two ends of the fixed axis , which attach to the camera body. In this case, the set of teeth can easily be replaced by another if the user judges that this other set is more effective. Similarly, the camshaft can be made removable, thanks to a system of clips, so that it can be replaced by another, in order to be able to change the offset of the cams. According to another embodiment, the tooth drive mechanism is a crankshaft rotated by said engine having cranks eccentric relative to said axis. Each tooth is guided by a crankshaft crank, by means of a fork or an oblong slot, as already described in the first embodiment. Each tooth is also crossed by a fixed axis, around which it can pivot. The rotating crank will also guide each tooth in an oscillating movement.

In the two embodiments presented here, the fork with two branches or the oblong opening which encloses a cam or a crank, can be replaced by a circular opening, with a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the cam or of the crank. In this case, each tooth must have, at the level of the fixed axis, an oblong lumen which it traverses by the fixed axis, and which allows the tooth the degree of freedom necessary for it to be guided by the eccentric element.

According to a third embodiment, the tooth is guided in an oscillatory movement by a combination of springs and straight teeth: all the teeth are straight and are arranged on one side relative to the camshaft, and can oscillate around a fixed axis. The rotation of the cam causes the tooth to move away from its initial position and a spring which connects the second part of the tooth to a fixed point on the device, for example a wall causes the tooth to return to the position closer together. The return or permanent contact of the tooth with the camshaft can be ensured by any means for returning to an initial position, such as a push spring, a blade, a pair of magnets of opposite polarity, or a pair of magnets of the same polarity. Without departing from the scope of the invention, we can replace the fixed axis which crosses all the teeth, with cylindrical walls which confine a central part of each tooth, allowing it to rotate. The fixed axis which crosses each tooth, can also be replaced by centering pins, which are protuberances and aligned cavities. A protuberance fits into the cavity of the next tooth, leaving each tooth free to pivot.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the engine is contained in the handle of the device, and the axis of the camshaft or any other device with eccentric movement, is in the extension of the engine axis. , and the teeth are perpendicular to the handle.

However, one can consider a comb whose handle is perpendicular to the camshaft, therefore parallel to the teeth. In this case, the movement is transmitted from the axis of the engine to the camshaft by frustoconical pinions, worms, or any other means of transmission of a movement of rotation from one axis to another, perpendicular to the first.

The motor used is an AC motor powered by the mains, or a DC motor powered by batteries or by rechargeable batteries. It is also expected that the motor is not incorporated in the device, but that it is external. In this case, the rotational movement is transmitted from the external motor to the device by a transmission cable. It is obvious that this device can be supplied with any other known means which aids in the styling of the hair, such as for example blowers of hot or cold air.

The aims and characteristics of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the description which follows. This description, which is in no way limiting, must be read with reference to the appended figures, among which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the electric comb according to the invention, showing an exploded view of the handle showing part of the interior elements.

FIG. 2 is a representation of a portion of a camshaft,

FIG. 3a represents a tooth of the comb engaged on a cam of the camshaft,

FIG. 3b represents a tooth of the comb with two non-parallel branches,

FIG. 3c represents a tooth of the comb with a cylindrical central part,

FIG. 3d represents a cam confined in a circular lumen of a tooth,

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of another embodiment, according to which the teeth are driven by a crankshaft,

FIG. 5a represents a tooth having an oblong lumen in place of the fork,

FIG. 5b represents a variant of the previous one, with the camshaft and the fixed axis reversed,

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section of a tooth with centering pins,

FIG. 7a represents a sectional view of a device with multiple teeth, Figure 7b shows a longitudinal section of the previous one with two adjacent teeth connected by centering pins.

FIGS. 8a and 8b are two schematic representations of two other embodiments, according to which the guidance of each tooth is ensured by a camshaft and a spring,

FIG. 8c is a representation of another embodiment, according to which the guidance of each tooth is ensured by a camshaft and a leaf spring.

FIGS. 8d and 8e are two schematic representations of two other embodiments, according to which the guidance of each tooth is ensured by a camshaft and a pair of magnets,

FIG. 9 represents a comb, the handle of which is perpendicular to the camshaft,

A preferred embodiment of a comb according to the invention is illustrated in Figure 1 where an exploded view allows to see the essential characteristics. The comb has a handle, a first part 10 held in the hand of the user contains a rotary electric motor 12 supplied by the sector by means of supply wires 14. The motor 12 rotates a drive shaft 16 which serves axis to a camshaft 18 located in a second part 20 of the handle. Generally, the camshaft 18 is composed of a series of cams in permanent contact with the ends of a set 22 of rigid teeth. When the axis 16 of the camshaft 18 is rotated by the electric motor 12, the set of teeth 22 is caused to pivot or oscillate with respect to a common fixed axis 24 located in the second part 20 of the handle. As we will see, the movement of each tooth is different from that of the two teeth adjacent to it. In operation, the user maintains the set of teeth 22 in a horizontal position and the activation of the motor causes the teeth to move, which, by virtue of the different movements from one tooth to the other, effect the disentangling of the hair. As the untangling progresses, the user can move the comb from bottom to top and also from front to back.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the camshaft is composed of circular cams as illustrated in FIG. 2. Each circular cam 30 or 32 is fixed eccentrically on an axis with a square section 34. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, each cam has an angular deviation of 180 ° with respect to the previous one, that is to say that all the even cams are fixed in the same way, all the odd cams are fixed in the same way way on the axis and the ones are offset by 180 ° with respect to the others.

A tooth of the comb is engaged with the cam which is associated with it as shown in FIG. 3a. The tooth comprises a first part 40 external to the handle and which is used for disentangling the hair, and a second part 42 in the form of a fork with two parallel branches, the two parts 40 and 42 integral being articulated around the fixed axis 24. two branches 43, 45 of the part of the tooth 42 surround the cam 44 while remaining in contact with it.

In the position shown in FIG. 3a, the tooth is at its highest point because the distance between the axis 34 and the point of tangency 46 of the cam 44 with the lower branch 45 of the fork 42 is the most big. At the same time, with the arrangement of the cams illustrated in FIG. 2 where two adjacent cams have an angular difference of 180 °, the two teeth adjacent to the tooth shown in FIG. 3a are in the low position. As the axis 34 rotates in the direction of the arrow, the cam approaches the part connecting the two branches of the fork and is at a minimum distance (which can be contact) when the part 40 is horizontal, that is to say at the midpoint of its oscillatory movement. Then, the axis 34 continuing to rotate, the point 46 of the cam (the point farthest from the axis 34) is at the highest and is the point of tangency of the cam with the upper branch 43 of the fork 42 when the part 40 is in the low position. We therefore see that as the fixed axis 34 is rotated, each tooth performs an oscillatory or pivoting movement relative to the fixed axis 24, the reciprocating or oscillatory movements of two adjacent teeth being opposite (or inverse) if a camshaft is used as illustrated in figure 2.

However, while using circular cams offset from the drive axis, it is possible to adjust the angular offsets between two adjacent cams to obtain a different movement of the teeth. Thus, unlike the embodiment of FIG. 2 where the oscillatory movements of two adjacent teeth are opposite, an advantageous embodiment consists in fixing the cams on the camshaft by angularly shifting each cam relative to that which precedes it from a smaller angle, for example 15 ° to 120 °, preferably 90 °. In this case, the oscillatory movement of each tooth has a delay corresponding to this angular deviation from the oscillatory movement of the previous tooth. The general movement of the set of teeth is therefore an undulating movement corresponding to a reduced gap between two adjacent teeth. It turns out that this movement, softer than the movement above where the gap between the teeth is maximum, is more comfortable and not traumatic for the hair. In addition, this movement creates a very pleasant feeling, especially for

5 individuals whose scalp is particularly sensitive.

FIG. 3b represents a tooth with at its rear part two branches 43 ′ and 45 ′ which are not parallel. In this case, the cam 44 is not always in permanent contact with the two branches. 10 As can be seen in FIG. 3c, it is within the reach of a person skilled in the art to replace the fixed axis 24 by walls in an arc of a circle 25 which confine between them the central cylindrical part 47 of each tooth, in it allowing to perform an oscillating movement.

A second embodiment of the method according to the invention also makes it possible to obtain the desired effect, namely the disentangling of the hair. In this embodiment, the camshaft is replaced by a crankshaft 50 shown in FIG. 4. Each tooth 52 is articulated on a crank

20 54 of the crankshaft. Because the tooth 52 performs a movement back and forth (or vice versa) at the same time as a movement up and down (or vice versa) due to the rotation of the crank 54 of the crankshaft which drives it, it comprises an oblong hole 56 through which the common fixed axis 24 passes and

25 allowing the latter the necessary degree of freedom. The part 58 of the tooth which is in the hair is therefore driven by a rotary movement represented diagrammatically in FIG. 4 by a circular arrow, movement which is opposite (by 180 °) to that of the two adjacent teeth. This movement

30 circular can be advantageous for certain types of hair for which the simply vertical movement is not sufficient for disentangling.

Figure 5a shows a tooth having a lumen 62 in place of a two-tooth fork. The cam 44 is in permanent contact with the two parallel walls of the light 62. FIG. 5b represents a variant of the previous one, with the camshaft 34 44 and the fixed axis 24 inverted. Here, the cam 44 is at its lowest point, therefore, the tip of the tooth will also be at its lowest point.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a tooth with pins 60 for centering. Each pin 60, fits into the female part 61 of the neighboring tooth (not shown).

FIG. 7a represents a sectional view of a device with multiple teeth, or with different teeth. It is seen that the device can have two sets of teeth, one on each side of the drive mechanism 40 and 40 '.

FIG. 7b represents a longitudinal section of the previous one with, in addition, two adjacent teeth connected by pins 60 for centering. Here the teeth of the first series 40, intended for disentangling, are more spaced and less numerous than those of the opposite series 66, intended for styling.

Figures 8a and 8b are two schematic representations of two other embodiments, according to which the cams are substantially straight and the guidance of each tooth is ensured by a camshaft 34, 44 and a spring. The spring 48 can be on the same side of the camshaft, as shown in FIG. 8a, and in this case, it connects the rear end of the tooth to the wall, and by this traction, it keeps the tooth in permanent contact with the cam 44. It can also be on the side opposite the camshaft, as shown in FIG. 8b. In this case, the spring 48 'connects the rear end of the tooth to the wall opposite the camshaft, and by its thrust, it keeps the tooth in permanent contact with the cam 44. FIG. 8c is a representation of another embodiment, according to which the spring of the previous embodiment is replaced by a leaf spring 48 ".

Figures 8d and 8e are two other representations, according to which the guidance of each tooth is ensured by a camshaft and a pair of magnets. In FIG. 8d, two magnets 49 of the same polarity (here positive) keep the tooth 40 in permanent contact with the cam 44. In FIG. 8e, two magnets 49 ′ of opposite polarity, by their attraction, keep the tooth 40 in permanent contact with cam 44.

FIG. 9 represents a comb, the handle 10 of which contains the electric motor 12 and is perpendicular to the camshaft 34. The rotational movement is transmitted by the axis 16 of the engine to the camshaft 34 by a screw unending.

The comb according to the invention can include more or less long teeth, for example between 4 cm and 15 cm, and even have teeth of different lengths. The width of the tooth can be for example from 1.5 mm to 5 mm. Their spacing can be more or less important depending on the size of the hair to be disentangled, for example from 2 mm to 6 mm.

The teeth are preferably made of plastic, but can also be made of metal. They can be of any shape, with straight edges or slightly curved edges. Thus, the curved tooth shape presented in Figure 5 is perfectly suited to give volume to the hairstyle.

Although several preferred embodiments have been described above, it is within the reach of those skilled in the art to use any other mechanism for actuating the teeth instead of a camshaft or a crankshaft without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1- Electric comb, in particular for detangling and hairdressing comprising:

a handle (10) to be held by the user, a body (20) containing a tooth drive mechanism, a series (22) of teeth, each tooth having a first part (40) external to the handle, and a second part (42) inside the handle, an electric motor (12) characterized in that the tooth drive mechanism is an axis driven in rotation by said motor (12) comprising eccentric elements, and, the second part (42 ) of each tooth has means for guiding the tooth by the eccentric elements of the drive mechanism.

2- electric comb according to claim 1, characterized in that the tooth drive mechanism is an axis (34) having cams (30,32,44) fixed eccentrically on said axis (34).

3- Electric comb according to claim 2, characterized in that each cam of the camshaft has a substantially circular section.

4- Electric comb according to claim 2, characterized in that each cam of the camshaft has a substantially ellipsoidal section. 5- Electric comb according to claim 1, characterized in that the tooth drive mechanism is a crankshaft (50), comprising cranks (54) eccentric relative to the axis of the crankshaft.

6- Electric comb according to any one of claims 2 and 5, characterized in that the second part (42) of each tooth has two straight branches, which enclose between them an eccentric element.

7- Electric comb according to any one of claims 2 and 5, characterized in that the second part (42) of each tooth has an oblong lumen which encloses an eccentric element.

8- Electric comb according to any one of claims 2 and 5, characterized in that the second part (42) of each tooth has a circular lumen which encloses an eccentric element.

9- Electric comb according to any one of claims 2 and 5, characterized in that the tooth drive mechanism has a second fixed axis (24), passing through each tooth, and around which each tooth can pivot.

10- Electric comb according to claim 9, characterized in that the part of each tooth which is crossed by the fixed axis (24) is a circular lumen.

11- Electric comb according to claim 9, characterized in that the part of each tooth which is crossed by the fixed axis (24) is an oblong slot. 12- Electric comb according to any one of claims 2 and 5, characterized in that each tooth has a centering pin which fits into the female part of the next tooth.

13- Electric comb according to any one of claims 2 and 5, characterized in that each tooth has a part, of shape substantially in an arc of a circle, which is confined in a substantially cylindrical part of the housing, allowing it a movement of pivoting.

14- Electric comb according to any one of claims 9, 12 and 13, characterized in that the axis of rotation or pivoting (24, 25, 60, 61) of the teeth is between the drive mechanism (34 , 44) and the outer part (40) of each tooth.

15- Electric comb according to any one of claims 9, 12 and 13, characterized in that the drive mechanism (34, 44) is located between the axis of rotation or pivoting of the teeth (24, 25, 60 , 61) and the outer part (40) of each tooth.

16- Electric comb according to claim 1, characterized in that the eccentric elements do not have an angular difference between them and rotate in phase during their rotation.

17- Electric comb according to claim 1, characterized in that each eccentric element has a predetermined angular deviation from the element which precedes it on said rotary mechanism.

18- electric comb according to claim 17, characterized in that the angular difference is equal to 90 degrees. 19- Electric comb according to claim 1, characterized in that the tooth drive mechanism is an axis (34) rotated by said motor (12), comprising cams (44) fixed eccentrically on said axis ( 34) which acts on straight teeth (40) and cooperates with return means (48, 48 ', 48 ", 49, 49').

20- Electric comb according to claim 19, characterized in that the return means are magnets (49, 49 ').

21- Electric comb according to claim 19, characterized in that the return means are leaf springs (48 ").

22- Electric comb according to claim 19, characterized in that the return means are springs (48, 48 ').

23- Electric comb according to any one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that the comb is provided with teeth on both sides (40, 40 ') relative to the drive mechanism (64).

24- Electric comb according to any one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that certain teeth are provided with multiple ends (66).

25- electric comb according to any one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that the comb is provided with an air blower.

26- Electric comb according to any one of claims 1 to 25, except 23 and 24, characterized in that the axis of the engine is perpendicular to the camshaft (34) and to the fixed axis (24). 27- Electric comb according to any one of claims 1 to 26, characterized in that the set of teeth (22) is removable.

28- Electric comb according to any one of claims 1 to 27, characterized in that the motor is external to the device, and the rotational movement is transmitted by a transmission cable.