EP0919155B1 - Dispenser for hot-melt depilatory wax - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a depilatory wax dispenser melt.

We know of waxing devices in which the wax is melted then spread on the skin, and after solidification removed, which makes it possible to tear off the hairs embedded in the hardened wax layer. According to a type of device of this kind, the wax is melted in a tank, then spread on the skin with a roller applicator rotating and disposed in an opening at the outlet of the wax tank, a calibrated space is provided between this opening and roller. It is rotated by applying it against the skin and moving the device, thus forming a thick layer of wax and of determined width which is deposited on the skin.

Taking into account the morphology of the body parts to be epilated, as well as the nature of the skin or that of the subcutaneous tissue as well as that of the hairs, it is useful and even necessary, to be able to vary the width of the layer of wax, as well as its thickness.

For this purpose, devices have already been proposed with interchangeable heads, equipped rolls of different diameters, corresponding to thicknesses of different wax layers, or different lengths, allowing to vary the width of the wax strip deposited. The need to change heads is an impractical and unpleasant operation, the heads being stuck with wax.

It has been proposed to remedy these drawbacks in FR-A1-2 740 665 by to a wax application head formed by several coaxial rollers of which at least one can be locked angularly, so that the width of the tape of deposited wax is then reduced and corresponds to that of the only roller remaining free to turn. However, this solution has the disadvantage of leaving the roller locked angularly in contact with the skin, creating friction unpleasant.

Furthermore, in FR-A1-2 743 993, a wax applicator has been proposed. roller comprising means for adjusting the width of the slit distribution of the wax formed between the applicator roller and the opening of the wax tank.

It has also been proposed in the multi-roller applicator to modify the play between the rollers and the opening of the tank by a system which allows to move the axis of the rollers parallel to itself in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the opening, thereby modifying the space between the roller and the edge of this opening and therefore the width of the slit distribution of the wax. The combination of these two adjustment means requires two control members, making it possible to reverse these members leading to results contrary to those sought.

The object of the present invention is to remedy, at least in part, the disadvantages mentioned above by allowing, by a single order, make the two adjustments, width and thickness of wax deposited on the skin. We have indeed seen that the areas of the skin where it is necessary to file a narrower strip of wax are also those where the layer of wax should be thicker. This is particularly the case under the armpits, while on the leg where the deposited strip may be wider, the thickness of the wax may to be weaker.

To this end, the invention relates to a dispenser of hot-melt depilatory wax comprising a housing forming a gripping means, inside which is provided a reservoir for the wax associated with heating means and a application device comprising two rollers rotatably mounted on a common shaft mounted in a support at its two ends, these rollers being arranged in an opening of said tank, the edge of which forms a said rollers a distribution slot for the molten wax following the rotation of these rollers, a portion of their cylindrical surface used to apply the wax to the surface to be depilated, means for angular blocking being associated with one of said rollers to modify the width of the application surface of the application device.

According to the subject of the invention, said common shaft is angularly integral with a control member to rotate this shaft in its support around its longitudinal axis, this shaft comprising two cylindrical sections, one of which is offset from the pivot axis of this shaft in its support, these cylindrical sections serving as pivot means for said respective rollers, the radius of the mounted roller pivots on the section offset cylindrical being larger than that of the pivotally mounted roller around the coaxial cylindrical section, with a value corresponding to the distance between the respective axes of these two cylindrical sections, so that in an angular position around said shaft, the respective generators of these rollers are aligned and in that said blocking means of the roller mounted on said cylindrical section coaxial with said shaft are angularly fixed with respect to this common tree.

Preferably, these blocking means are engaged with the roller mounted on said cylindrical section of smaller diameter coaxial with said shaft when the external application surfaces of said rollers are offset from the pivot axis of said shaft, while they are disengaged from this roller when their external application surfaces are aligned.

The simultaneous control of the application width and its thickness is obtained by a single command, thanks to the kinematic connection between the shaft for pivoting the rollers and the means for locking the roller mounted on the cylindrical section coaxial with this shaft. It is a simple and reliable solution which requires few additional elements, therefore not causing significant increase in cost from a manufacturing point of view than that of assembly and development.

Advantageously, said blocking means comprise, a locking pivotally mounted on a cylindrical surface integral with said shaft and eccentric relative to its pivot axis, connecting means between this locking member and said support for holding this member locking in a fixed angular position relative to said shaft, so that this locking member is capable of moving in a direction perpendicular to said shaft between two limit positions, corresponding at two angular positions 180 ° apart from this shaft and the elements of radial locks arranged around the axis of said roller mounted on said cylindrical section coaxial with said shaft, so that said member locking enters the circular path of said elements of radial locking according to the position of this locking member by relative to the pivot axis of said shaft.

The means of kinematic connection between the pivot shaft of the rollers and the locking device being formed by an eccentric surface of the shaft itself, this solution does not require any additional parts such as cam or gear or adjustment, this being obtained by the angular position of the eccentric itself.

Preferably, said support is slidably mounted relative to said tank in a direction perpendicular to the pivot axis of said shaft, so as to allow said rollers to be moved away from said opening.

Advantageously, the width of said distribution slot between the roller pivotally mounted on said eccentric section to the axis of said shaft is a function of the angular position of this eccentric section around this axis.

By turning the pivot shaft, this arrangement allows you to modify the thickness of the wax deposited and to control the locking of the coaxial roller at the axis of this tree, by modifying the angular position of this tree and, by consequently that of the two eccentrics respectively controlling the distance between the other of said rollers and the edge of the opening and blocking or the release of the coaxial roller to the axis of the pivot shaft of these rolls.

More preferably, the width of said slot is narrower when the two rollers are free to rotate around said shaft only when the roller mounted on said cylindrical section coaxial with said shaft is locked angularly around this tree. Insofar as we wanted to avoid leaving the choice of thickness to the user of the device, we have seen that it is practically always better to have a thicker layer of wax when the width application is smaller and thinner when this width is greater.

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe selon I-I de la figure 2 de ce mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe selon II-II de la figure 1, illustrant le dispositif d'application de la cire dans une autre position,
• la figure 2a est une vue partielle d'un détail de la figure 2
• la figure 3 est une vue partielle en coupe, selon III-III de la figure 2,
• la figure 4 est une vue partielle en coupe, selon IV-IV de la figure 2,
• la figure 5 est une vue en coupe, semblable à la figure 3, mais dans une autre position angulaire de l'arbre de pivotement des rouleaux applicateurs,
• la figure 6 est une vue semblable à la figure 4, mais dans une autre position angulaire de l'arbre de pivotement,
• la figure 7 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne VII-VII de la figure 5.

The invention will be better understood from the study of the embodiment taken on a non-limiting basis and illustrated diagrammatically in the appended figures in which:

• FIG. 1 is a sectional view along II of FIG. 2 of this embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a sectional view along II-II of FIG. 1, illustrating the device for applying the wax in another position,
• Figure 2a is a partial view of a detail of Figure 2
• FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view, along III-III of FIG. 2,
• FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view, along IV-IV of FIG. 2,
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 3, but in another angular position of the pivoting shaft of the applicator rollers,
• FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but in another angular position of the pivot shaft,
• Figure 7 is a sectional view along line VII-VII of Figure 5.

The wax distributor illustrated in the drawing has a housing 1, inside which is a reservoir 2 for receiving the depilatory wax. A body of electric heater 3 is fixed to one of the walls of this tank 2 inside which extends a heat diffusion fin 2a. An opening 4 is formed at the top of this tank 2.

A wax applicator device is disposed in the opening 4 of this reservoir 2. This applicator device comprises two rollers 5 and 6 mounted to pivot on a shaft 7, the two ends of which are mounted through two slides respective 8, 9, in the form of plates provided with elongated openings 8a, respectively 9a, of which only the opening 8a is visible in the drawing. Each of these elongated openings 8a, 9a whose edges are parallel is engaged on two tubular guides 10, respectively 11, projecting from the face internal of the wall of the container 2. One end of each of these openings elongated 8a, 9a forms an elbow 8b, 9b to allow one of the tubular guides 10, respectively 11 and thereby tilt the device applicator, as will be explained later.

The shaft 7 of this applicator device comprises two cylindrical sections 7a, 7b. The axis of revolution A of the first cylindrical section 7a is off-center relative to the axis B of the shaft 7, while the axis of the second section cylindrical 7b is coaxial with that of the shaft 7. The radius of the first section cylindrical 7a whose axis is off-center is greater than that of the second cylindrical section 7b, of a value corresponding to that of the offset between their respective axes. Therefore, the generators of these two sections cylindrical 7a, 7b are aligned with each other in an angular position around their respective axes.

It is the same for the respective diameters of the rollers 5 and 6, the roller 5 pivotally mounted on the first cylindrical section 7a has a radius greater than that of roller 6, with a value corresponding to that of the off-center between the respective axes of the cylindrical sections 7a and 7b. As for these sections cylindrical 7a, 7b, the generatrices of these two rollers 5 and 6 are aligned with each other in an angular position around their respective axes.

This shaft 7 also has a second cylindrical surface 7c offset by relative to its axis, but the C axis thereof is angularly offset by 180 ° relative to the axis A of the first cylindrical section 7a. This surface 7c acts as a pivot for a locking member 12 having a tongue 12a engaged in a rectangular opening 9b of the slide 9, so that this locking member 12 is held in a fixed angular position relative to the shaft 7. This shaft 7 finally has a striated portion 7d on which a control button 13 is forcibly engaged, so as to be angularly secured to axis 7.

The locking member 12 is housed in a bowl 6a formed at the end outer of the roller 6. The edge of this bowl 6a has teeth 6b (Figures 4 and 6) which can engage a toothed projection 12b of the locking member, as will be explained later.

A spring 14 fixed inside the tank 2 engages with an edge of the slide 8 and serves to elastically hold the slide in each of its two positions illustrated by FIG. 1, respectively by FIGS. 3, 4, 6, 7. In the position illustrated in FIG. 1, the application device which comes to be described is not only distant from the opening 4 of the tank 2, but it is also separated from it laterally by the portion 8b of the opening 8a, which allows the tank to be filled with wax, for example in the form of granules. Then, the slides 8, 9 are pushed back inside the tank and the dispenser is ready for use after a heating period suitable for melt the wax.

When the rollers 5, 6 of the applicator device are in the position illustrated by FIGS. 2 to 4, the portions of external surfaces of these rollers 5, 6, located outside the tank 2 and intended to be applied against the surface of skin to be depilated are located at the same level with respect to the axis B of the shaft 7. Furthermore, as can be seen in FIG. 4, the projection tooth 12b of the locking member 12 is released from the teeth 6b of the edge of bowl 6a of roller 6, so that this roller is free to rotate freely around the section 7b of the shaft 7. It is the same for the roller 5 which is constantly free to rotate around section 7a of the shaft 7.

As seen in Figures 3 and 4, a slot of width J1 is provided between these rollers 5 and 6 and the outlet edge of the opening 4 of the reservoir 2. When these rollers are applied against the surface of the hair to be depilated and the body of the apparatus is moved in the direction of arrow F (FIG. 3), the rollers 5 and 6 are driven by friction in the direction F1, then bringing out a strip of wax through the slot J1, the width of this strip corresponding to the length of the two rollers 5 and 6 and its thickness to the width of the slot J1.

If the shaft 7 is rotated 180 ° relative to its angular position illustrated by FIGS. 2 to 4, by means of the control button 13, one makes also rotate the offset cylindrical sections 7a, 7c, 180 ° so that the roller 5 undergoes translation relative to the axis of the shaft 7 and that its application surface is then brought to a higher level (Figure 5) to that of roller 6, which itself always remains at the same level with respect to the axis of the shaft 7 since its pivoting surface, constituted by the section 7b of this tree 7 is coaxial with this tree 7.

Simultaneously, the axis C of the cylindrical surface 7c, also off-center, but located at an angular position 180 ° to the center of the center the cylindrical section 7a, is placed below (FIG. 7) the axis B of the shaft 7. Following this 180 ° rotation, the toothed projection 12b of the lock 12 engages in the toothing 6b of the bowl 6a of the roller 6 (Figure 6). Since the lug 12a of this locking member is engaged in the rectangular opening 9b, this locking member is angularly fixed, so that the roller 6 is immobilized by this lock 12.

As can be seen in Figure 5, the displacement in lateral translation of the roller 5 following the rotation of the shaft 7 of Another consequence of 180 ° is to increase the width J2 of the slot between this roller 5 and the opening 4 of the reservoir 2, thus increasing the thickness of the layer of wax distributed over the surface to be depilated. Since the surface roller 6 is blocked angularly and at the same time that this surface is set back from the application surface of the roller 5 which is free to rotate, not only will the wax come out only on a width corresponding to the length of the roll 5, but the surface Application of the immobilized roller 6 will not rub against the skin, improving thus significantly the comfort of use of the device.

Claims (6)

1. A dispenser for hot-melt depilatory wax, the dispenser comprising a housing (1) forming handle means, having formed therein a tank (2) for wax associated with heater means (3), and an applicator device comprising two rollers (5, 6) mounted to rotate on a common shaft (7) mounted in a support (8, 9) via each of its two ends, the rollers (5, 6) being placed in an opening (4) of said tank (2), the edge of the tank co-operating with said rollers (5, 6) to define a slot (J1, J2) through which the molten wax is dispensed when said rollers (5, 6) are set into rotation, a fraction of their cylindrical outer surfaces serving to apply the wax to the surface to be depilated, angular locking means (12) being associated with one of said rollers (6) to modify the width of the application surface of the applicator device, the dispenser being characterized in that said common shaft (7) is angularly secured to a control member (13) for causing said shaft (7) to turn in its support (8, 9) about its longitudinal axis, said shaft (7) having two cylindrical sections (7a, 7b), one of which sections (7a) is axially offset from the axis (B) about which said shaft (7) pivots in its support (8, 9), said cylindrical sections (7a, 7b) serving as pivot means for said respective rollers (5, 6), the radius of the roller (5) mounted to pivot on the axially offset cylindrical section (7a) being greater than that of the roller (6) mounted to pivot about the coaxial cylindrical section (7b) by an amount corresponding to the distance between the respective axes (A, B) of the two cylindrical sections (7a, 7b), such that in one angular position about said shaft (7) the respective generator lines of the two rollers (5, 6) are in alignment, and in that said locking means (12) for the roller (6) mounted on said coaxial cylindrical section (7b) of said shaft (7) are angularly fixed relative to said common shaft (7).
2. A dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking means (12) engage with the roller (6) mounted on said coaxial cylindrical section (7b) of said shaft (7) when the applicator surfaces of said rollers (5, 6) are offset relative to the pivot axis (B) of said shaft (7), and they are disengaged from said roller (6) when their applicator surfaces are in alignment.
3. A dispenser according to either preceding claim, characterized in that said locking means (12) comprise: a locking member pivotally mounted on a cylindrical surface (7c) secured to said shaft (7) and offset relative to its pivot axis (B); link means (9b, 12a) between said locking member (12) and said support (8, 9) to hold said locking member (12) in an angular position that is fixed relative to said shaft (7) so that said locking member (12) is capable of moving in a direction perpendicular to said shaft (7) between two limit positions corresponding to two positions of said shaft (7) that are angularly separated by 180°; and radial locking elements (6b) placed around the axis of said roller (6) mounted on said coaxial cylindrical section (7b) of said shaft (7) so that said locking member (12) penetrates into the circular trajectory of said radial locking elements (6b) depending on the position of said locking member (12) relative to the pivot axis (B) of said shaft (7).
4. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said support (8, 9) is mounted to slide relative to said tank (2) in a direction perpendicular to the pivot axis (B) of said shaft (7) so as to enable said rollers (5, 6) to be moved away from said opening (4).
5. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the width (J1, J2) of said dispensing slot between the roller (5) mounted to pivot on said section (7a) that is offset from the axis (B) of said shaft (7) is a function of the angular position of said offset section (7a) about said shaft (7).
6. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the width (J1) of said slot is narrower when both rollers (5, 6) are free to turn about said shaft (7) than when the roller (6) mounted on said cylindrical section (7b) that is coaxial with said shaft (7) is angularly locked about said shaft (7).

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