EP1240843A2 - Hair removing apparatus with rotary roller - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus has a case that holds a motor which rotates a roller round a central shaft (10). This moves behind a window in the case and has rows of tweezers which are each formed of parallel mobile blades (20) that are inserted between fixed blades (40). The blades are cross-shaped and one pair of arms (23) are curved longitudinally and the other pair of arms (23') are curved in the opposite direction. The blades are held in support plates (30) by the base of the arms (21,41). Cams (66,75) act on rollers (84) on discs (80,85) to move the blades longitudinally on the shaft.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a hair removal device capable of being held by hand and intended to depilate the hairs of the human body considered as superfluous for aesthetic or other considerations.

PRIOR ART

A family of known epilators is based on a rotating mobile roller around a central axis arranged behind a window at one end of the housing, this roller comprising one or more rows of pliers, each row being formed of a first series of parallel blades side by side mobiles inserted in a second series of fixed discs or blades also mobile, a clamp therefore being constituted by a blade of the first series associated with the adjacent disc or blade of the second series. Control means are also provided for bringing successively the blades to be tightened one against the other to pinch the hairs with pluck and then move aside to allow the evacuation of the plucked hairs before the introduction of the following hairs between the blades.

To be effective, an epilator must simultaneously resolve several constraints. First, the row of pliers or two adjacent rows must be able to process the entire area defined by the window. Secondly, the closing of the clamps must also be possible as quickly as possible at the exact moment they pass at the base of the hair at the level of the skin, and this all the more when the pinching zone is not not very wide. Third, the value of the pinch pressure must be able be set to a value that is not too large, in which case the hair is only cut, nor too weak in which case the hair slides without being torn off. Fourth, the qualities mentioned above must be found simultaneously so homogeneous on each of the pliers forming a row. Finally, the mechanism as simple as possible to be reliable in the time and inexpensive.

A first type of epilator called "swivel blades" of this family, described in document EP 328 426 (Demmester / Braun), includes a rotary roller formed by a series of circular blades arranged side by side, each blade having two diametrically opposite protruding nip areas. These blades are mounted by a central opening on the shaft of the roller. so as to be pivotally movable along an axis perpendicular to this shaft. Two bars (or rods) slidably mounted parallel and against the shaft have transverse grooves inside each of which is engaged an edge of the central opening of a blade, these blades being coupled alternately with one of these bars and with the other. Each bar is actuated by a cam against a small deflection spring so that simultaneously, twice per turn of the roller, the pivoting of these blades one in one direction and the next in an opposite direction to come in contact like pliers.

The apparatus according to document EP 403 315 (SEB) is similar except that the clamps are each formed by a pivoting half-blade belonging to a first series in association with a fixed disc belonging to a second series, a single actuation bar then being sufficient to actuate the pliers in a row. Each half-blade is pivotally mounted around of its foot retained in a notch of the hub, this pivoting being printed by the notch of the bar engaged with the lower edge of the orifice of the half-blade through which the bar passes.

In these two devices, therefore, normally only two rows are provided. of grippers by rollers, all grippers in a row being simultaneously active when they pass in front of the window of the box.

In addition, the correct return of the blades to the spread position is dependent on springs which must be hard enough to activate all the blades, this which exerts a detrimental strain on the engine but sufficiently small to be discreetly accommodated.

The first variant of hair removal device described in the document FR 2 662 338 (Matsushita) includes a roller composed of fixed discs and laterally movable blades. These discs and blades, having an orifice central square, are alternately threaded on a central drive shaft in section rotation also square. The circular fixed discs are maintained equidistant by spacers, and have four holes arranged in a cross for the passage of control rods located close to the central tree. The movable blades have a roughly cross, and their central orifice is also cruciform except for the enlarged center in a square to be threaded in a mobile manner in rotation on the spacers. Two control rods diametrically opposite the shaft are engaged with a first series of movable blades for, moving in direction reverse, give them a pivoting movement; the other two rods located at 90 ° passing freely, but being in engagement with the second series. Each rod carries at its end a roller engaged in a groove helical with a fixed end bearing acting as a cam, this groove imposing on its own the movement back and forth without the help of a spring. The moving blades will then pivot to alternate contact with their two adjacent discs.

This device with its blades in the form of a substantially cross therefore presents four rows of pliers around the roll, one pliers on two being however inactive when passing a row in front of the window. This means that a half of the hair is pulled out offset by a quarter of a turn, which dissipates and alleviates pain.

In contrast, the control mechanism has four control rods and two cam with helical grooves is particularly complex, therefore doubtful reliability over time and a cost of manufacture and assembly not negligible. In particular, the roller is caused to change direction cyclically of rotation when it approaches an alternate slope of the helical groove during the passage from a "go" to "return" movement, or vice versa. These sudden changes in direction of rotation involve constraints, so rapid wear of the rollers.

The basic principle of these epilators with pivoting blades is therefore that the lever arm with which the control bars act on the pinch blades is relatively small making that with a stroke of relatively small bar one can obtain a spacing of pliers blades maximum facilitating the engagement of the hairs between these blades. For an opening of pliers given, the strip travel is moreover half as small in the first device in which all the blades are movable only in the two last devices described. The closing speed is then all the more great that leverage is important making the cam is less deep. However, the slightest alteration in the shape of the cam, for example by matting, can cause a detrimental delay in closing time.

On the other hand, the value of the clamping force at the level of the nip, which is then a sub-multiple of the force applied to the bar by the cam, as well as the regularity along the row, is determined by the positions many rather rigid pieces. So the slightest error in dimensions of one of them, be it the shape of the cam, the distribution grooves on the bars or the length of the blades, affects in a good Too much measurement, either initially during the manufacture of these parts, or at the as a result of wear and tear, this effective tightening value is detrimental.

Especially since the different clamping elements rotate at the level from the central axis of the rotary cylinder, they form a relatively large angle in their clamping position so that frequently the edges that are resting one against the other only cut the hairs instead of plucking them.

A second type of epilator called "with translational blades" of this family is described as a variant in document EP 147 285 (Alazet). This epilator includes a first series of parallel discs fixed on a driven hub in rotation by an electric motor, and a second series of narrow blades arranged between the discs and integral with a rod which carries them in the manner with a comb. The rod is moved axially by a cam acting in one of its ends, and this against a return spring acting in its other end. So these blades move in translation together in parallel and in principle simultaneously come into contact with the discs to produce a pinch effect.

However, the good engagement of the hairs in these clips and the regularity of the clamping force from one clamp to another also depends strongly on the precision of two elements: the stacking of the disks and the blades of the comb, the intervals must be strictly equal to each other. This disadvantage affects the cost and efficiency of this device. In addition, only two are planned rows of diametrically opposite pliers on the roller, all pliers being active when the row passes behind the window of the box.

Document FR 2 675 354 in the name of the applicant describes an epilator with rotary roller comprising a shaft carrying a series of parallel fixed disks and a series of movable blades disposed between the series of discs. The blades mobile have an inclined peripheral part which can flex on contact from the neighboring disk. Such a device finds its limits when the blades mobile only perform two pinches per rotation of the roller, while requiring cams with deep ramps and a mechanism complex and bulky operation.

WO 92/15223 (Dolev) describes another epilator with movable blades in translation in which the rotary roller on a central shaft has a series of plane discs fixed in the longitudinal direction and planar blades mobile interposed, defining between them the clamps. The discs present on one side of the studs, and on the other side of the holes so as to fit together when stacked to form the roller which is rotated by a crown arranged on one of the end flanges. Circular blades mobile have holes in correspondence with the tenons of such so that it can be arranged between the fixed disks while being movable longitudinally with respect to the roller. The central holes of these discs movable have inward facing radial studs which are engaged and locked in transverse grooves formed at intervals regular on the rotating shaft.

The inner end of the central shaft housing is itself secured to a gear wheel meshed with a clearly wider pinion. The inner side of this toothed wheel is extended by a cylindrical block at the periphery of which is cut a sinusoidal groove. Casters integral with the housing are engaged in this groove. Thus, during the rotation of the tree, the action of casters in the cam groove cause an alternative forward and backward movement of this tree in addition to its rotation, which pushes and removes the movable blades against their adjacent fixed disks. Alternative tree movements therefore cause an opening and a closing of the clamps trapping the hairs in these spaces when open and pulling them out when closed.

Alternatively, the longitudinally fixed rotary roller is formed of a tube cross-shaped in the branches of which are cut grooves to regular intervals. Cross-shaped blades are locked on the tree central movable in translation so that the blade branches emerging in the grooves pinch the hairs against the edges of grooves.

However, the springless direct cam control device, in front ensure a long round trip of each blade from one of its discs adjacent to each other, is particularly large and complex, so expensive. In addition, as mentioned above, a roller running through a groove sinusoidal is caused to change direction of rotation cyclically so abrupt, which is detrimental for its longevity.

An advantage of these epilators with movable blades in translation is that one can more easily create plane pinch zones distributing the force of tightening with a pressure that better grips the hair to pull it out.

By cons, again, the effectiveness of hair removal of this device, both in terms fixing the tightening value as the regularity of the tightening actions of each of the pliers, depends on the precision of the intervals between discs and between blades which must be strictly equal, blade flexibility for compensation having little effect during plan-to-plan contact. In the variant, it is suggested to make the groove edge oblique to allow a certain play through the flexibility of the blades. However, this oblique edge acts so rather like a knife.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a rotary drum epilator comprising clamps formed of movable blades in association with others movable blades which offer a better compromise for different constraints to be respected in order to obtain optimum depilation of the hairs to be removed.

As much as possible, a row of pliers, or two adjacent rows i.e. appearing successively in the window of the short-interval box for example less than a third of roller rotation, must be able to process practically the entire area of skin in front of the window of the housing by effective closure and at the appropriate time of all the clamps of a row.

Such an apparatus must in particular make it possible to ensure a pressure value of relatively constant toe-in without the need for an adjustment system the pinching effort during assembly, always an expensive operation, or of a user adjustment system with external control constituting a too random solution.

The control mechanism must be able to take into account inevitable games between parts necessary for their proper functioning, while remaining relatively simple design to increase reliability and lower costs of achievement.

These goals are achieved by a hair removal device comprising a housing provided to be hand-held and containing a drive motor for a movable roller rotating around a central shaft arranged behind a window in a housing, this roller comprising one or more rows of pliers, each row being formed of a first series of blades mobile side-by-side parallels inserted in a second series of blades also mobile, (each clamp thus being constituted by a blade of the first series associated with the adjacent blade of the second series), the zones blade clamping devices being offset in the axial direction by compared to the bases of the blades, as well as control means for move the movable blades in translation in the longitudinal direction of the shaft so as to press them against the others to pinch the hairs to pluck and then to spread them apart, remarkable for the fact that the first series of blades is integral of a central walkman, the other series of blades is integral with a cage surrounding the player coaxially, the control means applying to the player and to the cage of alternating translational movements respectively in direction reversed.

Thus, a normally long travel of translation is divided into two half-travel performed reciprocally by the player on the one hand and the cage on the other share which makes it possible to envisage for each of these parts a device for shallower cam control, therefore more reliable over time.

Preferably, the player is a sleeve surrounding the shaft of the roller, or the roller shaft itself, at the outer periphery of which are provided blade base retaining grooves.

Preferably, the cage is composed of a plurality of axial rods whose ends are fixed on both sides at regular intervals on the periphery two lateral flanges bordering the roller, the radially inner face of the rods with retaining grooves in the base of the blades.

In the case of the use of cruciform blades, such a structure only four rods turn out to be made up of parts that are simple to make and easy to to assemble. In particular, we can consider a relatively large tree, for example of a diameter of about a third of that of the roller, and the rods thick passing between the arms in a cross, for example equivalent to the height rectilinear arms of the cross, this assembly allowing to maintain very firmly the bases of blades equidistant from each other.

• une première paire de cames en secteurs circulaires diamétralement opposés solidaire de la face externe de l'une au moins des flasques de la cage,
• et intercalée entre la première paire, une seconde paire de cames en secteur circulaires diamétralement opposés solidaire de l'extrémité du baladeur,
• ces cames agissant contre une paire diamétrale de galets montés sur le boítier en vis-à-vis du flasque
• ainsi que des moyens élastiques de renvoi agissant d'une part sur la cage et d'autre part sur le baladeur.

Advantageously, the control means applying to the player and to the cage reciprocating translational movements respectively in opposite directions include

• a first pair of cams in diametrically opposite circular sectors secured to the external face of at least one of the flanges of the cage,
• and inserted between the first pair, a second pair of diametrically opposite circular sector cams secured to the end of the player,
• these cams acting against a diametrical pair of rollers mounted on the housing opposite the flange
• as well as elastic return means acting on the one hand on the cage and on the other hand on the player.

So when one pair of cams is driven in by the rollers, the other pair is free to come out under the effect of the means of return thus achieving elegantly a reciprocal double reciprocating movement. Thanks to this arrangement, succeeds in successively actuating two separate support members of blades, namely a walkman and a cage, by a control device of which the thickness of the volume is hardly greater than the depth of the cam in relationship to the extent of displacement.

Preferably, the blades are cruciform with a pair of opposite arms bent in one direction and the other pair of arms bent in the other direction, the blades of one series being curved in the opposite direction to the other.

So the other flange and the other end of the player have respectively a pair of circular sector cams, which pairs are interspersed between them and offset by a quarter turn relative to the cams of the first flange.

We thus interpose in the control kinematics going from the cam roller up to the pinch area an elastic element with a good coefficient predetermined allowing to establish, for a displacement value in theoretical longitudinal translation, an exact value of clamping force, but above all to establish, for an inevitable range of error of this displacement, a clamping force range, the minimum of which prevents the hair from sliding and the maximum of which remains in any case less than a critical cut value of the hair. Thanks to this elastic intermediate part, the clamping force can therefore be better controlled in terms of maximum and minimum for a game of maximum predictable kinematics, which therefore makes it possible to overcome a large measure of the disadvantage of a precision machining constraint of parts having repercussions in terms of possibilities of realization and cost.

In addition, this elasticity used for the establishment of the force of tightening can simultaneously be used to advantageously return kinematics in the reverse direction after a displacement in the imposed forward direction simply by a cam set. In other words, the bulky spring previously used to operate a cam control device is here distributed in the row of blades, each blade contributing for the equivalent of the work provided by a spring turn. This distributed operating spring in the row of blades is therefore very reliable while being discreet.

The blades themselves perform the function of elastic return in one direction then in the other, we can then consider having two sets of cams shifted by a quarter of a turn on either side of the roller, but with lesser cam depths, increasing their longevity. A so-called position "neutral" balance appears when the rollers are just between two cams which then surface in the same plane, the pinch zones of the blades being, in this position, equidistant, or even just contiguous. On the other hand, the interaction of the rollers on a pair of cams on either side of the roller acting respectively on the walkman and on the cage, or vice versa, allows to voluntarily apply the displacement in a direction called "go" for positively tighten the series of pliers, momentarily tear-off located in the second half of the window she is about to leave, and simultaneously effectively open the other adjacent series of pliers, momentarily collecting, arriving in the first half of window. The return to the neutral transient position is automatically ensured essentially by the elastic load stored in each of the arms of tight blades.

In particular, this symmetrical control device makes it possible to envisage place the window in the middle of one of the ends of the case which can then receive a substantially parallelepiped shape with rounded corners similar to electric razors, comfortable to hold in the hand.

Above all, this complex movement control device also ensures well the advance that returning double rows of blades is actually done by a relatively simple mechanism tolerant of operating clearances and including a limited number of easy-to-make parts.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe longitudinale d'un épilateur selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective éclatée des pièces principales composant l'épilateur selon la figure 1,
• les figures 3a et 3b, sont des vues en perspective schématiques de la situation d'une lame par rapport à ses deux lames adjacentes respectivement en une première position angulaire, et en une seconde position angulaire décalée d'un quart de tour,
• les figures 4a, 4b 4c et 4d illustrent des vues en perspectives des cames croisées selon l'angle de vue IV de la figure 2, respectivement en position démontée, neutre, en position "aller-baladeur" et "aller-cage", et
• les figures 5a- 5h illustrent schématiquement un premier mode de fonctionnement de l'épilateur lors d'une rotation d'un demi-tour du rouleau.
• les figures 6a- 6e illustrent schématiquement un second mode de fonctionnement de l'épilateur lors d'une rotation d'un quart-de-tour du rouleau.

The invention will be better understood from the study of an embodiment taken without any limitation being implied and illustrated in the appended figures in which:

• FIG. 1 is a view in longitudinal section of an epilator according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main parts making up the epilator according to FIG. 1,
• FIGS. 3a and 3b are schematic perspective views of the situation of a blade with respect to its two adjacent blades respectively in a first angular position, and in a second angular position offset by a quarter of a turn,
• FIGS. 4a, 4b 4c and 4d illustrate perspective views of the cams crossed according to the viewing angle IV of FIG. 2, respectively in the disassembled, neutral position, in the "walk-around" and "go-cage" position, and
• Figures 5a-5h schematically illustrate a first mode of operation of the epilator during a rotation of a half-turn of the roller.
• Figures 6a-6e schematically illustrate a second mode of operation of the epilator during a quarter-turn rotation of the roller.

BEST WAY TO IMPLEMENT THE INVENTION

In Figures 1 and 2 is illustrated a depilation head comprising a drum rotary 1 composed of a central shaft 10 movable in rotation in a cradle 5 and a cage mounted coaxially on the tree it surrounds, this cage being formed by two lateral flanges 50, 60 holding between them four rods 30.

In the example of embodiment described, the left flange 50 has a pinion lateral 52 driven by a reduction gear passing through a orifice in the wide base cross member of the cradle 5 and rotated by a motor electric contained in the housing.

The cage thus driven by its left flange is also engaged by the crenellated central holes 53, 63 of its flanges with teeth longitudinal 14 of the shaft 10. The two smooth ends 12 are supported in orifices 81 formed in arranged, non-movable bearing discs in rotation, on either side against each of the lateral branches 6 of the cradle 5.

A first series of cruciform blades 20 is mounted in parallel, side by side at regular intervals along the shaft 10. To this end, the teeth 14 have equidistant circular grooves 16. In correspondence, the junction base 21 of the blades 20 has an orifice of diameter identical to the crest of the teeth 14, and four radial tenons 22 oriented towards the inside has an internal diameter identical to that of the longitudinal toothing 14. The mounting of a blade 20 on the shaft 10 then consists in engaging the let us hold 22 in the longitudinal inter-tooth spaces to bring the blade in its longitudinal position then, by a quarter-turn rotation, engage these let us hold 22 in its corresponding groove 16 on the shaft. The blade 20 is then longitudinally integral with this tree.

A second series of cruciform blades 40 interposed in the first is as for it held by the cage, in particular by grooves 32 formed in the internal radial face of the axial rods 30. To this end, the junction base 41 of these blades 40 is in the form of a circular crown having a central orifice 42 of diameter greater than that of the crests of the longitudinal teeth 14. So, each blade 40 of the second series is threaded on the shaft 14 after each blade 20 of the first series, these blades 40 remaining temporarily free on the teeth 14 between two grooves. Once the two series threaded and the first locked in these grooves, we can then install the axial rods 30 so that the grooves 32 come snap into each of the circular junction bases 41 respectively of blades 40 of second series, as illustrated in 49, the junction bases angular 21 of the blades 20 of the first series leaving a free passage for the rods 30 as illustrated at 29 in FIG. 2.

Furthermore, the internal faces of the flanges 50 and 60 have respectively four housings 34 of ends of rods 32. Thus, once the two series of integrated blades 20, 40 placed on the shaft 10, and after installation of the axial rods 30, the flanges 50 and 60 are mounted on either side on the shaft 10 so that, simultaneously, their grooved orifices 53, 63 come into engagement with the longitudinal teeth 14 and that the rod ends axial 30 engage in their corresponding housing 34 of flanges.

More particularly according to the invention, it is provided that the shaft 10 retaining the first series of cruciform blades 20 on the one hand, and the cage 30/50/60 retaining the second series of blades 40 on the other hand, are axially movable in opposite direction to each other in addition to their rotary motion common within the cradle 5.

As such, there is provided on the one hand, on each external face of flange 50, 60, a identical nested crossed cam arrangement, but shifted by a quarter one 56/70 with respect to the other 66/75; and on the other hand, located opposite of each cross cam device, a pair of rollers 84 diametrically opposite with respect to the shaft 10, and installed respectively in a right disc 85 and a left disc 80 roller holder located at the end of the roller against the corresponding arm 6 of cradle 5.

More specifically, and as best seen in Figures 4, the flange 60 includes, in one piece on its external face, two cams 66 66 ' diametrically opposed in the shape of a circular crown portion corresponding to a circular sector of angle at the top of the order of 90 °, the central recess corresponding to the grooved orifice 63 for passage of the shaft mobile walkman 10. Between these two female cams 66 of flanges 60 is installed a male cam 75 composed of a central crown 76 of support against the teeth 14 of the sliding shaft 10, this central ring being topped by a pair of diametrically opposed 75 75 'cams each in the form of a circular crown portion of angle at the top of around 90 °.

The angular position of the cams relative to the cage determines the position of closing a row of pliers relative to its midline. This closure can thus be triggered either when this midline found in the middle of the window, either early or late. We can also consider that a row of pliers remains closed longer than the other, the angle at the top of one of the pairs of opposite cams, male or female, being greater than 90 ° for example 120 °, the angle at the center of the other pair of opposite cams being reduced by as much, for example 60 °. To the extreme, eight rows of pliers can be envisaged, the cams then being cruciform corner sector at the top of the order of 45 °, and also offset by 45 ° one in relation to the other.

This crossed cam device is found almost identically on the left flange 50 except that the pair of female cams left 56 56 ' is integrated inside the toothed drive pinion 52 while providing a inner wall of flanges 54 in the center of which appears the grooved orifice 53 through which the teeth 14 of the sliding shaft 10 pass. These female cams 56 therefore leave, inside the pinion 52, a housing for a male cam left also formed of a central crown 71 bearing against the toothing 14 of the sliding shaft 10, this crown being surmounted by two male cams 70, 70 'diametrically opposite in the form of a crown circular angle at the top of the order of 90 °.

As best seen in Figures 2 and 4, each crown cam circular, whether male or female, has a first ramp of ascent 73 followed by a flat 72 and ended by a descent ramp 74. In particular, this descent ramp can be faster than that of climb, for example this descent ramp corresponding to a sector circular angle at the top of the order of 20 ° for an ascent ramp corresponding to a circular sector of angle at the top of the order of 30 °, the flat then corresponding to a circular sector of angle at the top of around 40 °. According to another version, the climb ramp may correspond to a circular sector with an angle at the top of the order of 25 ° to 35 °, in particular 30 °, the flat may correspond to a circular sector with an angle at the top between 50 ° and 60 °, especially 55 °, the descent ramp then being very reduced, for example of circular sector with an angle at the top less than 5 °. The difference in height of the flat from the start of the climb ramp determines the displacement imposed by this cam on its corresponding part, and is between 0.4 and 1.2mm.

As best seen in Figure 1, the male cams 70, 75 are therefore mounted on the smooth end portions 12 of the sliding shaft 10, which ends move inside the bearing orifices 81 of the discs 80, 85 carrying the rollers 84, these discs being held in rotation by the cradle, by example by locking the locking pins 82 of the discs 80, 85. The male cams and the shaft being all driven at the same speed by the flanges, these parts are therefore stationary in rotation relative to one another.

The two pairs of rollers 84 being on the one hand horizontal, that is to say approximately parallel to the bottom cross member of the cradle 5 (or vertical as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2), and the crossed cam devices left and right being on the other hand shifted by a quarter turn one relative to the other, that when one of the pairs of rollers acts on a male cam to push the sliding shaft in one direction, the other opposite pair of rollers acts then on a female cam pushing the cage in the opposite direction, this situation being reversed a quarter turn afterwards thus creating a double reciprocal reciprocal movement of the wandering shaft 10 relative to the cage 30/50/60.

FIG. 4c illustrates in perspective the situation of the crossed cams 66, 75 of the right part of FIG. 1, situation in which the male cam 75 is pressed into the female cam 66, the sliding shaft being pushed as far as possible the left and the cage at most to the right. Figure 4d illustrates the situation then corresponding cams on the left side of this figure 1. Figure 4b illustrates a neutral transient situation in which cams 66 and 75 are flush in the same plane, the cage then being centered relative to the tree player 10. These back-and-forth movements between player and cage lead to then each cruciform blade 20 of the player in contact successively with these two cruciform blades 40 from adjacent cages.

According to another no less important aspect of the invention, the blades cruciforms 20, 40 of the two series are in no way plane, but doubly curved in reverse. As best seen in Figures 3a and in the lower right part of FIG. 2, the blades 20 of the first series belonging to the player 10 have a pair of arms 23 opposite curved in a first direction 24 causing the peripheral pinching zone 25 is brought closer to a peripheral pinching zone 45 of the blade adjacent 40 of the second series secured to the cage whose arms correspondents 43 'also have a curvature 44 oriented in the direction opposite, that is to say opposite. The other pair of arms 23 'of blade 20, at an angle right of the first 23, on the other hand has curvatures 26 in opposite directions moving the corresponding pinch zones 27 away. It is the same for the other pair of arms 43 opposite orthogonal to the blade 40 whose curvatures 46 also distance the corresponding pinch zones 47 which, moreover, bringing it closer to the pinching zones opposite the blade next portable cruciform.

In other words, the plane orthogonal to the wandering shaft 10 passing through the pinch zones 25 on the one hand and the orthogonal plane passing through the zones pinch 27 offset by a quarter turn on the other hand, are on the on the other, at equal distance, from the base plane 21 of junction of the blade on its support. It is the same for the two orthogonal planes passing respectively by the pinch zones 45 and 47 lying on the one hand and on the other side of the base junction plane 41 of the blade 40.

A pair of blade arms is therefore bent towards the pair of corresponding blades of the adjacent blade with which it will be put contact during movement of the sliding shaft 10 in a direction given by compared to the cage 30/50/60. The inverted curvature of the orthogonal arms is in correspondence with the displacement in reverse direction of the wandering shaft by relative to the cage a quarter turn afterwards, as well illustrated in FIG. 3.

Note that the curvature of each blade arm can be evenly distributed over the entire height of the arm which is then arched, or can be concentrated in a fold at the junction base, one second fold delimiting the peripheral pinch area bringing it in a plane substantially perpendicular to the tree as illustrated in Figures 3; or can be concentrated in a double fold under the peripheral zone of pinching as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. In the latter two examples, the arms are then substantially straight, either oblique or perpendicular to the tree.

A first operating mode of the epilator described above will now be explained in more detail, in view of the schematic figures 5a to 5h. This operating mode assumes a relatively rigid cradle 5 in combination with curved blade arms so that their areas pinch devices 25, 45 are practically contiguous in position cage neutral and walkman, and in combination with cams with notable downhill ramps.

In these figures 5 is illustrated schematically the portable player 10 arranged mobile in longitudinal translation inside the cage referenced by its rods axial 30. The angularly nested cams are here developed online thus illustrating their order of arrival in front of the pairs of rollers 84 according to the arrow (f) of FIG. 5a, and also illustrating their angular offset on the part and one in the same room. More specifically, the player 10 is first actuated on the left by the first male cam 70 then on the right by the second male cam 75, then again on the left by the third cam male 70 'diametrically opposite to the first, and finally on the right by the fourth male cam 75 'diametrically opposite the second 75. Conversely, the cage 30 is first actuated on the right by the first female cam 66, then on the left by the second female cam 56, then at again on the right by the third female cam 66 'diametrically opposite the first 66, and finally on the left by the fourth female cam 56 'diametrically opposite the second 56.

The player 10 carries a cruciform blade 20 of which a first pair of arms in the plane of the figure, these arms here being bent towards the right and carrying the pinch zones 25; as well as in the middle of the player 10, the second pair of perpendicular arms curved in opposite directions and carrying the nip area 27. The nip area 25 is found opposite a pinching zone 45 of an adjacent blade 40 secured to the cage 30 while the pinch zone 27 is found opposite a zone of pinch 47 belonging to the other adjacent blade 40 secured to the cage 31.

In the starting position at 0 ° as illustrated in FIG. 5a, the rollers 84 keep the player 10 and the cage 31 tight against each other so that the pinch zones 25 and 45 are pressed against each other while the pinch zones 27, 47 are widely spaced from each other. This situation continues as long as the rollers 84 roll along the cam flats, corresponding to a 25 ° rotation advance.

Figure 5b illustrates the situation during rotation between 25 ° and 40 °, so that the rollers are now placed on the descending ramps of the cams 66, 70. Then, the elastic tensions stored in the arms of zones 25 and 45, acting like strings of coil springs, begin to separate the player from the cage, and this as much as authorized by the position of the pebbles on the ramps.

Figure 5c illustrates the situation during the rotation between 40 ° and 44 ° so that the rollers are about to leave the descending ramps of the cams 66, 70. The tensions in the arms of zones 25, 45 are now lower, in particular to the point that the zones 25, 45 have found an initial inclination. Simultaneously, the two orthogonal pinch zones 27, 47 are noticeably close together.

Figure 5d illustrates the situation after the 45 ° rotation in which the player is in a neutral position with respect to the cage and in which, on each side, the cams are found in the same plane. The rollers 84 having left cams 70, 66, have not yet approached the following cams 56, 75. The pinch zones 25, 45 on the one hand and 27, 47 on the other hand, are just contiguous without exerting any elastic force. In this situation, no effort is therefore exercised neither on the cage nor on the player and we can see then the existence of little clearance between the rollers and the cams generally due to a perfect non-coincidence between the return stroke due to the elastic effect of cross blade arms and cam stroke. This game, which in the best cases can be zero at the start, is generally created later either because of manufacturing dispersions, either due to wear, creep or matting due to operation.

However, the U-shaped support cradle 5, mainly intended to be rigid, such as a housing, to maintain the cohesion of an assembly, may however contain a relative reserve of elasticity. In other words, a slight initial prestressing of this cradle can be established at a fair value necessary to subsequently compensate for these clearances appearing during this transition.

Figure 5e illustrates the situation during rotation between 45 ° and 70 ° when the rollers 84 now act on the rising ramps of the cams 56, 75. These rollers then impose a spacing of the player 10 relative to the cage 31 which positively constrains the other pair of orthogonal arms corresponding to the pinch zones 27, 47, these arms storing now an elastic energy. Simultaneously, the pinch zones 25, 45 begin to open relative to each other.

Figure 5f illustrates the situation during rotation between 70 ° and 90 ° rotation when the rollers are passed over the flats of the cams 56, 75 causing the player is moved as far away from the cage as possible. Pinch zones 27, 47, initially slightly oblique, have now returned to a plane perpendicular to the tree, effectively pinching the hair along a line or plan, which avoids cutting it.

It will be noted more particularly that, at this instant, the clamping force has transformed into a pressure along the line of contact of the hair. Mostly, this clamping force was mainly established, according to the invention, by the elastic flexion of the arms corresponding to the developing zones 27, 47 during the entire displacement phase corresponding to FIG. 5e. This relatively large voluntary bending causes the resulting clamping force presents at least a minimum, but also a maximum, predictable in function on the one hand of the inevitable play in displacements but on the other hand elasticity in flexing of the arms. However, the elasticity coefficient in flexing of these arms can be predetermined with relative good precision by choosing an appropriate elastic material and / or by determining the section and height of the flexible arm. This elasticity implemented throughout along the displacement corresponding to the phase of figure 5e is distinguished radically from the prior art in which the rather rigid blades do not flexed only eventually at the end of the race if and only if they were actually joined with the corresponding blade or disc, but at risk, by being too rigid, to develop clamping forces ending in a haircut.

FIG. 5g illustrates a return to equilibrium during the transition to 135 ° of rotation, this situation being substantially identical to that of FIG. 5d. Figure 5h illustrates the situation with 180 ° rotation corresponding to the return of the situation of Figure 5a.

A second alternative mode of operation of the epilator will now be described in view of schematic figures 6a to 6e. This operating mode supposes a cradle 5 having a relative elasticity around a value of prestressing, for example of the order of 3.5 kg; in combination with arms of blades of shape corresponding to that of Figures 1 and 2 and having a spacing in neutral position of cage and walkman; and in combination with cams with down ramps reduced to a minimum. In these Figures 6, references identical to those of Figures 5 are used to designate similar parts.

FIG. 6a illustrates the situation in which the player 10 is moved away from the maximum of the cage 30 by action of the rollers 84 on the cams 56 and 75 respectively. Pinch areas 27,47 are pressed together the other, their arms having accumulated elastic energy.

FIG. 6b corresponds to the moment when the axes of the rollers 84 started to exceed the downstream angular edges of the cams 56, 75. It can then be seen that these downstream angular edges of cams 56, 75 follow the arcuate peripheries of circle of their corresponding roller under the pressure in spacing of the leaf springs 27, 47. This displacement of cams 56, 75 causes the following cams 66 ', 70' are discarded in front of the rollers 84 and therefore do not necessarily come in contact with them. The movement of the cams 56, 75 back towards the neutral position is therefore done essentially under the impulse of the tension elastic of the blades 27, 47 relaxing. We also note that the cam path has better continuity which limits noise in case of positioning game.

Figures 6c and 6d correspond to an intermediate phase in which the blades 27, 47 are disjoint and no longer have an effect, but in which the pressure tightening (S) coming from the elasticity of the cradle, symbolized by the arrows acting on the rollers 84, pushes them slightly inwards which, at their turn, push the following cams 66 '70' towards each other until the nip zones 25, 45 of the following blades 20, 40 come into contact.

Figure 6e corresponds to the pinching position of the blades 20, 40, the player 10 and the cage 30 being in the extreme close position, and this following the rise of the rollers 84 on the ramps then passages on the flats of the 66 ', 70' cams. As can be seen, the rise of the pebbles on the cams resulted on the one hand in a deflection of the blade arms 20, 40 again storing elastic energy, the pinch zones 25, 45 being pressed against each other according to a pinch plane and, on the other apart, a slight spacing of the rollers 84 in the initial position outward.

This variant of the operating mode therefore simultaneously involves a elasticity of blades and elasticity of cradle for more operation flexible, therefore more reliable and less noisy.

As we have seen from this presentation, the epilator according to the present invention is essentially composed of simple parts to be produced, for example by machining the sliding shaft 10, by cutting rods 30, and by molding for parts 50, 60, 70 and 75. The blades can be cut from metal strips and simultaneously stamped and / or stamped to give them their final volume form. Above all, by putting using the elasticity of the cruciform blade arms, and also in a to some extent a pre-stress of the cradle 5, we can overcome elegantly problems due to the necessary clearance of operation between the different moving parts.

Hair removal is all the more effective when two successive rows of pinch areas cover the entire area of skin appearing in front of the window and this by action of clamps acting with clamping forces substantially homogeneous throughout the row and established within a range of predetermined value. In addition, the clamps are closed by action positive of pebbles on cams, relatively shallow, so the actions are therefore fast.

A number of improvements can be made to this device in the scope of the invention.

In particular, the external faces of the rods 30 can be used to advantage. line with brushes with tufts of aligned bristles raising the bristles for a better engagement in adjacent clamps.

On the other hand, it is conceivable that the sliding shaft 10 is composed of an axis fixed central secured to the cradle 5, this axis being surrounded by a sleeve, the periphery has teeth crossed by grooves.

Furthermore, the curvature of the arms of cruciform blades can either be given by a constant slope of these arms as illustrated in Figures 3, either by an arched shape of the arms, either by a recess between the arm and the area pinch as illustrated on the blades of figure 2. The dimensions reported in Figures 1 and 2 give orders of magnitude but may, of course, be optimized

POSSIBILITIES OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

The invention finds its application in the technical field of apparatus for hair removal and more particularly in that of consumer devices.

Claims (6)

Hair removal device comprising a housing intended to be held in the hand and containing a drive motor for a roller (1) movable in rotation around a central shaft (10) arranged behind a window formed in the housing, this roller comprising one or more rows of pliers, each row being formed by a first series of parallel blades (20) side by side movable and interposed in a second series of blades (40) also movable, the peripheral zones of pinching the blades being offset in the axial direction relative to the bases of the blades, as well as control means (56-85) for moving the movable blades in translation in the longitudinal direction of the shaft so as to clamp them against the others to pinch the bristles to be plucked and then spread apart, characterized in that the first series of blades (20) is integral with a central walkman (10), and in that the other series of blades (40) is integral with a cage (30/5 0/60) surrounding the player coaxially, the control means (56-85) applying to the player and to the cage reciprocating translational movements respectively in opposite directions. Hair removal device according to claim 1, characterized in that the walkman is a sleeve surrounding the roller shaft, or the shaft (10) itself of the roller, at the outer periphery of which are formed retaining retaining grooves (16) the base (21) of the blades (20). Hair removal device according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the cage is composed of a plurality of axial rods (30) the ends of which are fixed on either side at regular intervals on the periphery of two lateral flanges ( 50, 60) bordering the roller, the radially internal face of the rods having grooves (32) retaining the base (41) of the blades (40). Hair removal device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the control means applying to the player and to the cage reciprocating movements in opposite directions respectively, comprise a first pair of cams (66) in diametrically opposite circular sector secured to the external face of at least one of the flanges (60) of the cage, and interposed between the first, a second pair of cams (75) in circular sector, diametrically opposite integral with the end of the player (10) these cams acting against a diametrical pair of rollers (84) mounted on the housing (85) in screws -vis the flange (60), as well as elastic return means (20, 40) acting on the one hand on the cage and on the other hand on the player. Hair removal device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blades (20,40) are cruciform with one pair of opposite arms curved in the longitudinal direction and the other pair of arms curved in the other direction, the blades of a series being curved in the opposite direction to the other. Hair removal device according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the other flange (50) and the other end of the player (10) respectively have a pair of cams (56, 70) in circular sector, which pairs are interposed between them and offset by a quarter turn relative to the cams (66, 76) of the first flange.

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