FIELD OF THE INVENTION
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The invention relates to a coupling assembly configured to be used in a personal care appliance comprising at least two appliance components being detachably couplable to each other to form a functional entirety in which the appliance components are placed against each other in a longitudinal direction, wherein:
- the coupling assembly comprises an active coupling element and a holder element;
- the holder element is configured to be stationary in one of the appliance components; and
- the active coupling element is slidable relative to the holder element.
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The invention further relates to a personal care appliance, comprising at least two appliance components being detachably couplable to each other to form a functional entirety in which the appliance components are placed against each other in a longitudinal direction, and a coupling assembly as mentioned here before, wherein:
- the coupling assembly is arranged in one of the appliance components; and
- the other of the appliance components includes at least one passive coupling element configured to be put to an engaging position relative to the active coupling element in which the active coupling element is enabled to engage on the passive coupling element.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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In the field of personal care appliances, the concept of having a handle to which attachments in the form of accessories or tools can be detachably coupled is well known. A general requirement for the coupling between the handle and the attachment is that the coupling is without play. In practice, this appears to be a challenge, especially when not much space is available for the elements involved in establishing the coupling.
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An approach to securing an attachment to a handle involves applying a displaceable, biased slider which is held in the handle, which moves away from a default position in the handle when the attachment is placed on the handle, and which is biased back to a position against the attachment, whereby the attachment is locked on the handle. Typically, the attachment comprises at least one coupling element provided with a recess, and the slider engages on the coupling element at the position of the recess. In a practical example, the attachment comprises two coupling elements of similar design, which are spaced apart. In such a case, it may further be so that the slider is provided with two holes, and that the coupling element of the attachment is shaped in such a way that in the process of putting the attachment in place on the handle by realizing relative movement of the handle and the attachment in a longitudinal direction, two stages can be discerned in the relative movement. In a first stage, the coupling elements of the attachment are inserted in the holes of the slider and contact the slider through a front surface which is shaped such that the slider is pushed to move further and further against the bias as the coupling elements advance in the longitudinal direction towards a final position in the longitudinal direction. A second stage is obtained when the slider is allowed to move back under the influence of the bias, which is the case when contact of the coupling elements to the slider through the front surface of the coupling elements is lost and space is offered to the slider at the position of the recess in the coupling elements. In the second stage, the coupling elements reach the final position in the longitudinal direction, wherein the slider locks the coupling elements under the influence of the bias, and thereby locks the attachment on the handle.
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A disadvantage of using the above-described combination of the slider and the coupling element is that due to tolerances, the attachment is not locked on the handle in a play-free fashion. This may be annoying to a person handling the personal care appliance, and may be experienced by such a person as low quality of the personal care appliance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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It is an object of the invention to achieve better results in coupling appliance components of a personal care appliance to each other, particularly to provide a way to realize coupling between the appliance components with significantly less play, practically without increasing complexity of design, and also practically without increasing complexity of coupling routines. It is intended to still enable a simple coupling routine in which all that a person handling the appliance components needs to do to establish a coupling between the appliance components is putting the appliance components together in the longitudinal direction.
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In view of the foregoing, the invention provides a coupling assembly configured to be used in a personal care appliance comprising at least two appliance components being detachably couplable to each other to form a functional entirety in which the appliance components are placed against each other in a longitudinal direction, wherein:
- the coupling assembly comprises an active coupling element and a holder element;
- the holder element is configured to be stationary in one of the appliance components;
- the active coupling element is slidable relative to the holder element; and
- the active coupling element and the holder element contact each other through at least one set of sliding surfaces having an orientation which differs from an orientation perpendicular to the longitudinal direction so that the active coupling element is displaced both perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and in the longitudinal direction as the active coupling element slides relative to the holder element.
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The invention further provides a personal care appliance, comprising at least two appliance components being detachably couplable to each other to form a functional entirety in which the appliance components are placed against each other in a longitudinal direction, and a coupling assembly as defined here before, wherein:
- the coupling assembly is arranged in one of the appliance components;
- the at least one sliding surface of the holder element of the coupling assembly is positioned to face away from a side of the one of the appliance components at which the one of the appliance components is detachably couplable to the other of the appliance components; and
- the other of the appliance components includes at least one passive coupling element configured to be put to an engaging position relative to the active coupling element in which the active coupling element is enabled to engage on the passive coupling element.
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It follows from the above that a notable aspect of the invention relates to the nature of contact between an active coupling element and a holder element of a coupling assembly. This is a sliding contact through at least one set of sliding surfaces having an orientation which differs from an orientation perpendicular to the longitudinal direction so that the active coupling element is displaced both perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and in the longitudinal direction as the active coupling element slides relative to the holder element. In this way it is achieved that when the active coupling element is pressed to a position of engaging on another coupling element, the active coupling element is capable of locking that other coupling element in place under the influence of a combination of contact to that other coupling element and contact to the holder element, wherein the latter contact provides a locking force in more directions than just a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction as would the case if the respective sliding surfaces of the active coupling element and the holder element would conventionally have an orientation perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The invention covers any suitable way of subjecting the active coupling element to pressure, such as by means of a biasing mechanism comprising springs or the like.
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In the context of a personal care appliance, the coupling assembly is arranged in one of the appliance components of the personal care appliance, and the other of the appliance components includes at least one passive coupling element. Establishing a coupling between the appliance components involves putting the passive coupling element to an engaging position relative to the active coupling element so that the active coupling element is enabled to engage on the passive coupling element. Hence, when the invention is put to practice, play in the coupling between the appliance components is minimized or even practically eliminated.
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In the personal care appliance, the holder element of the coupling assembly can be integrated in the one of the appliance components, or can be a separate component which has been inserted and fixed in the one of the appliance components. In any case, it is practical if the holder element is designed as some kind of casing of the active coupling element, wherein the active coupling element is sandwiched inside the holder element, as it were, and wherein movement of the active coupling element in the longitudinal direction is delimited by the holder element. An example of a material for the respective sliding surfaces of the active coupling element and the holder element is polyoxymethylene (POM). This material can also be used in the passive coupling element included in the other of the appliance components. Other types of material are covered by the invention as well.
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A practical example of the orientation of the respective sliding surfaces of the active coupling element and the holder element is an orientation which differs at least about 15° and at most about 25° from the orientation perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. With such an orientation, it is achieved that effective and practically play-free coupling between the active coupling element and another coupling element can be realized without a need for much space in the longitudinal direction. Also, there is practically no risk of the active coupling element slipping unintendedly from the position of engagement on such other coupling element.
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The active coupling element can be of any suitable size and shape. In a practical example, the active coupling element is generally disc-shaped and is provided with at least one hole, wherein the hole is useful to enable insertion of another coupling element. In that case, the sliding surface of the active coupling element can be a surface directly adjacent the hole. As explained earlier, in the context of the personal care appliance, the other coupling element is a passive coupling element included in the other of the appliance components than the one in which the coupling assembly is located. Also the passive coupling element can be of any suitable size and shape. In one example, the passive coupling element is generally hook-shaped. It is practical if the passive coupling element comprises a supporting surface configured to support the active coupling element in the engaging position. Further, it is advantageous if an orientation of the supporting surface of the passive coupling element differs from an orientation perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein it may be so that the orientation of said supporting surface is an ascending orientation as seen from the active coupling element sliding relative to the holder element towards the passive coupling element in the engaging position. With such an orientation of the supporting surface of the passive coupling element, it is achieved that as the active coupling element is pressed towards the passive coupling element, the active coupling element is free to move to an appropriate position for engaging on the passive coupling element and to effectively lock the passive coupling element under the influence of the pressure to which the active coupling element is subjected. In the context of the invention, it is possible that as seen relative to a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the orientation of the supporting surface of the passive coupling element is generally mirrored relative to the orientation of the respective sliding surfaces of the active coupling element and the holder element. Also, it is possible that the passive coupling element is provided with a recess, and that the supporting surface of the passive coupling element is located in the recess.
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The number of passive coupling elements included in the other of the appliance components than the one in which the coupling assembly is located is at least one. In practical cases, it may be advantageous to have two passive coupling elements in spaced apart positioning, as that is a way of realizing high stability of the coupling while leaving space for other functionalities. It is possible that the two passive coupling elements are of similar design. Further, it is possible that the two passive coupling elements are part of an integral coupling entirety included in the respective appliance component.
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As suggested earlier, it is possible to use a biasing mechanism for the purpose of exerting pressure on the active coupling element as necessary for engaging on the passive coupling element in the engaging position. This implies that in the context of the personal care appliance, it is possible that a biasing mechanism configured to bias the active coupling element to a default position is arranged in the one of the appliance components. In this respect, it is further possible that the one of the appliance components is equipped with a user interface configured to enable a user of the personal care appliance to move the active coupling element away from the default position, against the action of the biasing mechanism. For example, the user interface comprises a depressible button on the one of the appliance components, which is connected to the active coupling element. In such a case, a coupling routine may involve successive user actions of taking hold of the two appliance components, pressing on the button on the one of the appliance components, placing the appliance components against each other in the longitudinal direction, and releasing the button whereby the coupling between the appliance components is established and secured. On the other hand, it is possible that pressing the button is only required for the purpose of decoupling the appliance components, and that the coupling routine only involves the user actions of taking hold of the two appliance components, and placing the appliance components against each other in the longitudinal direction.
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In a practical embodiment of the personal care appliance according to the invention, the appliance components are a handle configured to be held by a user of the personal care appliance, and an attachment configured to perform an action on the user's body, respectively. The handle may be the appliance component in which the coupling assembly is arranged, and the attachment may be the appliance component including the passive coupling element. The attachment can be of any suitable design and can be configured to perform any suitable function. For example, the attachment is configured to perform one of a hair cutting action and a hair pulling action on the user's body. In that case, the attachment can be configured to perform a shaving action, a beard trimming action or an epilating action, for example.
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The above-described and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the following detailed description of examples of elements which are useful to detachably couple two appliance components of a personal care appliance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the figures, in which equal or similar parts are indicated by the same reference signs, and in which:
- Figs. 1 and 2 diagrammatically show a personal care appliance comprising a handle and an attachment, wherein a situation in which the handle and the attachment are detachably coupled to each other is illustrated in Fig. 1, and wherein a situation in which the handle and the attachment are decoupled from each other is illustrated in Fig. 2;
- Figs. 3 and 4 diagrammatically show a sectional view of one of two passive coupling elements included in the attachment, and a coupling assembly included in the handle, comprising an active coupling element and a holder element, wherein a situation in which the active coupling element engages on the passive coupling element is illustrated in Fig. 3, and wherein a situation in which the active coupling element does not contact the passive coupling element is illustrated in Fig. 4;
- Fig. 5 shows a sectional view of the active coupling element positioned in the handle, and also a biasing mechanism configured to bias the active coupling element to a default position in the handle, and a user interface which can be operated by a user to induce movement of the active coupling element away from the default position, against the action of the biasing mechanism; and
- Figs. 6 and 7 diagrammatically show two different views of a portion of the attachment including the two passive coupling elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
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Figs. 1 and 2 diagrammatically show a handheld electric rotary shaver 1 comprising a handle 2 and an attachment 3, as an example of a personal care appliance covered by the invention. In the present example, the attachment 3 includes a number of shaving units 4 configured to be moved over a person's skin during use of the shaver 1 so that hairs protruding from the skin may be cut. In Fig. 1, the shaver 1 is shown in a condition in which the handle 2 and the attachment 3 are detachably coupled to each other. In this condition, the shaver 1 is ready for use. In Fig. 2, the shaver 1 is shown in a condition in which the handle 2 and the attachment 3 are decoupled from each other. This condition of the shaver 1 may be applicable in case it is intended to place another type of attachment on the handle 2, to clean the attachment 3, to replace one or more shaving units 4, etcetera. Generally speaking, the invention is applicable to any type of personal care appliance 1 which comprises at least two appliance components 2, 3 being detachably couplable to each other to form a functional entirety in which the appliance components 2, 3 are placed against each other in a longitudinal direction L. Especially in a case in which the appliance components 2, 3 are a handle 2 configured to be held by a user of the personal care appliance 1, and an attachment 3 configured to perform an action on the user's body, many different possibilities exist in respect of the attachment 3. For example, the attachment 3 may be configured to perform one of a hair cutting action and a hair pulling action on the user's body.
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With reference to Figs. 3-7, it is noted that both the handle 2 and the attachment 3 are equipped with elements which are functional to establish the detachable coupling between the handle 2 and the attachment 3. In the first place, use is made of a coupling assembly 5, which in the present example is arranged in the handle 2, and which comprises an active coupling element 6 and a holder element 7. In the second place, use is made of at least one passive coupling element 8, 9, which in the present example is included in the attachment 3. It is noted that the shown embodiment of the attachment 3 is equipped with two passive coupling components 8, 9 in spaced apart positioning, wherein the passive coupling components 8, 9 are of similar design, as can be seen in Figs. 6 and 7 in which a portion of the attachment 3 including the passive coupling elements 8, 9 is shown.
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The holder element 7 of the coupling assembly 5 is stationary in the handle 2, and the active coupling element 6 of the coupling assembly 5 is slidable relative to the holder element 7. According to one practical possibility, the coupling assembly 5 is provided as a separate unit during the manufacturing process of the handle 2, in which case the coupling assembly 5 is put in place in the handle 2 by inserting the coupling assembly 5 into the handle 2. The holder element 7 is secured to the handle 2 in any suitable way, such as through a snap connection. In any case, the active coupling element 6 is functional to engage on the passive coupling elements 8, 9 in a situation in which the passive coupling elements 8, 9 are in an engaging position relative to the active coupling element 6, as illustrated in Fig. 3.
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In the present example, a biasing mechanism 10 configured to bias the active coupling element 6 to a default position is arranged in the handle 2. The biasing mechanism 10 is shown in Fig. 5. Further, a user interface 11 by means of which a user can move the active coupling element 6 away from the default position, against the action of the biasing mechanism 10, is shown in Fig. 5. The biasing mechanism 10 can be of any suitable design. Fig. 5 illustrates the practical option of the biasing mechanism 10 comprising springs 12, 13 connected to a stationary area of the handle 2 on the one hand and connected to the active coupling element 6 on the other hand. Also, the user interface 11 can be of any suitable design. Fig. 5 illustrates the practical option of the user interface 11 comprising a depressible button 14 on the handle 2, which is connected to the active coupling element 6.
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A process of coupling the handle 2 and the attachment 3 to each other involves no more user actions than taking the handle 2 in one hand and the attachment 3 in the other hand, and placing the handle 2 and the attachment 3 against each other in the relative positioning as appropriate for forming the desired functional entirety. As a result of the process, tight and practically play-free coupling between the handle 2 and the attachment 3 is obtained. In the following, it is explained what happens at the level of the coupling assembly 5 and the passive coupling elements 8, 9.
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In the present example, the active coupling element 6 of the coupling assembly 5 is generally disc-shaped and is provided with two holes 15, 16 which are arranged to enable insertion of the respective passive coupling elements 8, 9 through the active coupling element 6, while the passive coupling elements 8, 9 are generally hook-shaped and are provided with a recess 17. As the passive coupling elements 8, 9 are inserted in the holes 15, 16 and are moved in the longitudinal direction L towards the engagement position, the passive coupling elements 8, 9 contact the active coupling element 6 at the position of a front surface 18 which is oriented to push the active coupling element 6 gradually away from the default position, against the action of the biasing mechanism 10. At a certain point in the advancement of the passive coupling elements 8, 9 in the longitudinal direction L, the recess 17 in the passive coupling elements 8, 9 is at the position of the active coupling element 6 so that there is space for the active coupling element 6 to move back in the direction of the default position under the influence of the biasing mechanism 10. The movement of the active coupling element 6 is stopped as the active coupling element 6 encounters and engages on the passive coupling elements 8, 9. At that moment, the detachable coupling between the handle 2 and the attachment 3 is completed.
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Each of the passive coupling elements 8, 9 comprises a supporting surface 19 configured to support the active coupling element 6 in the engaging position. The supporting surface 19 is located in the recess 17 in the passive coupling elements 8, 9, and is thereby a surface delimiting the recess 17. Advantageously, an orientation of the supporting surface 19 differs from an orientation perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L, wherein said orientation is an ascending orientation as seen from the active coupling element 6 sliding relative to the holder element 7 towards the passive coupling elements 8, 9 in the engaging position, i.e. in a direction from right to left in Figs. 3 and 4. In the process in which the active coupling element 6 contacts the passive coupling elements 8, 9 and moves towards a position in which the engagement of the active coupling element 6 on the passive coupling elements 8, 9 is complete and stable, the active coupling elements 6 slides over the supporting surface 19 of the passive coupling elements 8, 9.
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In Figs. 3-5, it can be seen that the active coupling element 6 and the holder element 7 contact each other through two sets of sliding surfaces 20, 21, and that these sliding surfaces 20, 21 have an orientation which differs from an orientation perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L. This implies that when the active coupling element 6 is made to slide relative to the holder element 7, a displacement of the active coupling element 6 is realized which has both a directional component that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L, i.e. in a left-right direction in Figs. 3 and 4, and a directional component that is in the longitudinal direction L, i.e. in an up-down direction in Figs. 3 and 4. Compared to a conventional situation in which the active coupling element 6 is movable only in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L, the engagement of the active coupling element 6 on the passive coupling elements 8, 9 can be tighter and practically without play. The fact is that due to the orientation of the respective sliding surfaces 20, 21 of the active coupling element 6 and the holder element 7, tolerances are of less influence and pressing forces are distributed in an advantageous and effective fashion, wherein both the active coupling element 6 and the passive coupling elements 8, 9 can be fixed in place as the active coupling element 6 engages on the passive coupling elements 8, 9 on the one hand and is in contact to the holder element 7 along the two particularly oriented sliding surfaces 20 on the other hand. In this respect, it is advantageous if the orientation of the respective sliding surfaces 20, 21 of the active coupling element 6 and the holder element 7 differs at least about 15° and at most about 25° from the orientation perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L. In Fig. 3, the relevant angle is indicated as α. Taking the longitudinal direction L and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L, wherein the latter may also be denoted as transverse direction, as basic directions, the orientation of the respective sliding surfaces 20, 21 of the active coupling element 6 and the holder element 7 may also be generally referred to as an inclined orientation or a slanted orientation. In the present example, this is also applicable to the supporting surface 19 of the passive coupling elements 8, 9, wherein as seen relative to the transverse direction, the orientation of the supporting surface 19 is generally mirrored relative to the orientation of the respective sliding surfaces 20, 21.
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By means of the above-described configuration, it is achieved that coupling the handle 2 and the attachment 3 requires only minimal action from the user. Further, it is achieved that the coupling is very stable, wherein the user practically does not notice any play. Decoupling the handle 2 and the attachment 3 can simply be done by pushing the button 14 on the handle 2 while pulling the handle 2 and the attachment 3 apart. The position of the active coupling element 6 that is obtained when the button 14 is pushed is a position in which the passive coupling elements 8, 9 can freely be retracted, as can be seen in Fig. 4. Alternative embodiments are feasible in which it is not necessary to have a user interface 11 for enabling the decoupling process.
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It follows from the foregoing that all of the coupling and decoupling functionalities are realized by using relatively simple elements which do not require much space. For the purpose of achieving the practically play-free character of the coupling, there is no need for measures such as increasing manufacturing accuracy, enlarging one or more elements and/or adding one or more elements, which would involve disadvantages such as an increase of costs and/or an increase of bulkiness of the design of the handle 2 and/or the attachment 3. Instead, according to the invention, a relatively simple solution is found in the design of the coupling assembly 5, namely, a specific orientation of respective sliding surfaces 20, 21 through which the active coupling element 6 and the holder element 7 contact each other.
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It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the invention is not limited to the examples discussed in the foregoing, but that several amendments and modifications thereof are possible without deviating from the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such amendments and modifications insofar they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalents thereof. While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary only, and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The drawings are schematic, wherein details which are not required for understanding the invention may have been omitted, and not necessarily to scale.
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Variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by a person skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the figures, the description and the attached claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other steps or elements, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.
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Elements and aspects discussed for or in relation with a particular embodiment may be suitably combined with elements and aspects of other embodiments, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Thus, the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.
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The terms "comprise" and "include" as used in this text will be understood by a person skilled in the art as covering the term "consist of". Hence, the term "comprise" or "include" may in respect of an embodiment mean "consist of", but may in another embodiment mean "contain/have/be equipped with at least the defined species and optionally one or more other species".
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Notable aspects of the invention are summarized as follows. In the context of a personal care appliance 1 comprising at least two appliance components 2, 3 being detachably couplable to each other, a coupling assembly 5 comprising an active coupling element 6 and a holder element 7 is provided. The holder element 7 is configured to be stationary in one of the appliance components 2, 3, and the active coupling element 6 is slidable relative to the holder element 7. The active coupling element 6 and the holder element 7 contact each other through at least one set of sliding surfaces 20, 21 having an orientation which differs from an orientation perpendicular to a longitudinal direction L so that the active coupling element 6 is displaced both perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and in the longitudinal direction L as the active coupling element 6 slides relative to the holder element 7. This is helpful in achieving practically play-free coupling of the appliance components 2, 3, which coupling may be realized through engagement of the active coupling element 6 on at least one coupling element 8, 9 included in the other of the appliance components 2, 3.