FR2656994A1 - Hair-removing apparatus with rotary and pivoting blades - Google Patents

Abstract

The hair-removing apparatus for domestic use comprises a motor and a rotary hair-removing head driven by the said motor. The hair-removing head comprises a drive spindle (14) and several sets of three blades (10, 11) integral with the said drive spindle, each set forming a double clamp (pinching device) so as to pinch and pull out the hairs. Each set of three blades comprises a central blade (11) of fixed direction, substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation (X X') and two movable lateral blades (10) on either side of the said central blade (11). Use for removing hair in the home.

Description

 The present invention relates to a hair removal device of the type comprising rotating discs or blades mounted on a drive shaft, in which means are provided for bringing the blades into contact with each other to pinch the hairs and pull them out, to spread the blades at least once per turn and then to free the hairs pulled out.

 According to French patent application 2,626,750 published on August 11, 1989, a depilatory device comprising a rotary roller formed by a series of blades arranged side by side is known. These blades are mounted mobile on a drive shaft and pivot one in one direction and the next in the opposite direction, each around a separate axis perpendicular to the drive shaft so as to ensure the clamping of the blades in groups of two.

 The blades are pivoted by sliding bars having transverse grooves, in which teeth provided on the epilation blades are engaged.

 This device nevertheless has drawbacks such as the small number of pairs of blades forming a clamp, the large number of precision mechanical parts, therefore expensive, and the transfer of the sum of the clamping forces on the frame by means of cams or rollers operating the sliding bars.

 The object of the present invention is to create an epilating device composed of simple and inexpensive manufacturing parts, which may include a greater number of pliers.

 According to the invention, a depilatory appliance for household use intended to be held in the hand comprising a motor and a rotary epilation head driven by said motor, is characterized in that said epilation head comprises a drive axis and several sets of three blades integral with said drive axis, each set forming a double clamp so as to pinch and pluck the hairs and in that each set of three blades comprises a central blade of fixed direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation and two movable side blades on either side of said central blade.

 Thus, each set of three blades forms a double clamp in a space substantially equal to that corresponding to a single clamp in the apparatus of the known technique: this arrangement therefore makes it possible to increase, until substantially doubling, the number of tweezers for a given epilation width and thus obtain a significant improvement in the quality and speed of epilation.

 According to an advantageous version of the invention, the lateral blades of each set bear on the central blade by pivots, which keep the lateral blades spaced apart on their part located on one side of the drive axis, while on the other side, the side blades rest on the central blade.

 According to a preferred version of the invention, the apparatus comprises, opposite each set of blades, a pair of cheeks defining between them a space in which the blades can engage at each turn of rotation, the width of this space being more small than the distance between the side blades to force them to approach each other, while opposite to them they separate by pivoting on the pivots.

 Thus the pinching forces of each set of blades are transferred to the pair of facing cheeks which can be secured to a piece of reduced dimensions.

The sum of the pinching forces is then transferred to said part and not to the frame. This avoids wear and reinforcement of said frame of the hair removal device and, on the contrary, locates this wear on said part which can be dimensioned accordingly and exchanged at will in the event of wear.

 The pivots are specific to each set of blades.

The position of each set of blades defined by said pivots can therefore be independent of the position of the other sets of blades. The wrong position of a single set of blades will not cause the epilation head to malfunction, as in sliding bars of the known technique.

 These expensive sliding bars can thus be eliminated; the pivots which replace them are not precision parts and are inexpensive to manufacture.

 Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the description below.

In the appended drawings given by way of nonlimiting examples:
FIG. 1A is a schematic view with partial cutaway of a depilatory device according to the invention,
FIG. 1B is a view in axial section of a set of blades in the closed pinching position,
FIG. 1C is a plan view of the set of blades and of the cheek ensuring their opening,
FIG. 1D is a view in axial section along HH of FIG. 1C of the set of blades in the open position controlled by cheeks,
FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C are similar to FIGS. 1B, 1C, 1D and show an alternative embodiment,
FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C respectively show in plan, in axial section along CC and in partial section according to another embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 4 shows in plan the central blade of this embodiment,
- Figures 5A, 5B to 8A, 8B illustrate the operation of this embodiment.

 According to FIG. 1A, a depilatory appliance for domestic use comprises a part 1 intended to be held in the hand.

 Part 1 contains a drive motor 2, preferably electric, and means supplying energy to said motor.

 The device also includes a part 3 called "work".

Part 3 includes a rotary epilation head 4 driven by the aforementioned motor
The rotary hair removal head 4 comprises several sets 5 of three blades forming a double clamp, the arrangement and operation of which will be explained below. These sets 5 of three blades are integral with a drive shaft 14 on which they are threaded in parallel or head to tail one after the other.

All of the aforementioned games are held in place by means 6 of translational stop along this axis, such as screws, circlips, hard fitting or the like.

 According to the embodiment of FIGS. 1B, 1C, ID, a set 5 of three blades forming a double clamp comprises a central blade 11 substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation (X-X ') of the rotary head and to a drive axis 14.

 The set also includes two lateral blades 10 movable on either side of the central blade 11. The set of three blades comprising the two lateral blades 10 and the central blade 11 is threaded on the drive axis 14.

 The blades 10, 11 and the drive axis 14 are shaped so as to allow both the rotational drive of the blade set and the pivoting of the blades 10. For this purpose, the drive axis 14 is provided with at least one drive flat or has a section making it possible to precisely position the sets of blades angularly with respect to each other, for example a square or hexagonal section as shown in FIG. 1C.

 The blades 10, 11 and the axis 14 are preferably made of metal, such as spring steel.

 The central blade 11 is substantially flat and of substantially constant thickness. The shape of the blade 11 is a surface closed by two circular sectors 11a, lic connected by two straight segments 11b and pierced with a substantially hexagonal opening îîd allowing said blade 11 to be threaded on and perpendicular to the axis 14.

 The circular sector llc closest to the opening lld of the blade is substantially in the form of a semicircle.

 The lateral blades 10 are substantially flat and disc-shaped and are identical or symmetrical to each other with respect to the central blade 11 of the same set of blades.

 The radially outer circular sector with respect to the axis of rotation XX '11a of a blade 11 has substantially the same circular curvature centered on the axis XX' as the lateral blades of the same set of blades.

 The lateral blades 10 can thus constitute by pressing on the blade 11 on the end side 11a a pair of pliers intended to pinch the hairs to be depilated. The width corresponds substantially to the sector 11a of the blade 11.

 The pivots 10a hold the lateral blades 10 spaced from the central blade 11, on one side of the drive axis 14, while the lateral blades 10 bear on the blade 11 on the other side of the axis d training 14.

 The pivots 10a thus allow the lateral blades 10 to bear on the central blade 11 by a lever effect.

 The pivots 10a can be constituted by at least two raised parts fixed to each blade 10. These raised parts are preferably directly stamped in the blades 10 when said blades are made of metal. These pivots are located on each of the side blades 10 on the face facing the corresponding central blade 11.

 Washers 13 of rubber constitute elastic means for holding the double clamp formed by a set of three blades in the closed position.

 The rubber washers 13 are threaded between each set of blades. Significantly in the form of discs pierced with a hole corresponding to the passage of the axis 14, they have an annular rim 13a which comes to bear on the lateral blades 10.

 The set of washers 13 and the blade sets is mounted on the axis 14 so as to constitute a rotary head. The assembly is done with a predetermined tightening. The washers 13 thus have a tendency, by elastic reaction, to keep the blades 10 under stress against the blade 11 and to keep the double pliers in the closed position with a predetermined gripping force.

 When a pressure P (see FIG. 1B) is exerted on one of the edges of a blade 10 applied by the force of a pressed element such as the elastomer washer 13 on the central fixed blade 11, the separation of the opposite edge causes the opening of a clamp, each constituent element being the movable blade 10 and the fixed blade 11 representing one of the arms of this clamp.

 Indeed, as soon as the pressure P exerted on the edge of the blade 10 exerts by a leverage around the pivots 10a a force greater than the pinching force coming from the washer 13, said clamp tends to open.

 To obtain the opening of the clamps, it is preferable to impose a displacement of the ends of the blades 10 rather than exerting a pressure P which should be adjusted minutely for each device.

 To this end, a control pin 12 for example made of metal or plastic which constrains the blades and therefore the double clamp at the opening consists of a cylinder comprising grooves executed in such a way that grooves are obtained with cheeks 12a substantially parallel to one another (see FIG. 1D).

 The axis 12 can be mounted free or controlled in rotation In this case its speed will be adapted to limit friction between moving parts to a minimum.

 The distance yl between the cheeks 12a is chosen so as to cause the clamps to open.

 We will now detail the operation of a depilatory head with reference to Figures 1B, 1C, 1D.

 Because the flat blades 10 with the exception of the two pivots 10a are held in stress against the blade 11 by the elastomer washers 13, they form by construction a V with a central core whose branches are distant from each other a maximum distance y2 in the closed clamp position (see figure 1B). Any action aimed at reducing this y2 rating will therefore tend to open the clamps.

 By construction, the distance between the cheeks 12a of the control shaft 12 has a value yl (see FIG. 1D) less than y2. Each passage of the blades 10 between these cheeks 12a will cause an opening, an open maintenance period, then a closure at each rotation.

 In the example of FIGS. 1B, 1C, 1D, the opening duration corresponds to the duration of passage of the arc sector P-P '(see FIG. 1C) between the cheeks 12a of the control axis 12.

 The angular position of the central support blade 11, the length of the sector lla, the distances yl and y2 are thus optimally determined to ensure the duration of the nipping necessary for gripping the hair and pulling it out.

 According to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, a set of three blades forming a double clamp similar to the set of FIGS. 1B, 1C, 1D comprises an identical central blade 11, two similar blades 10 each provided with a recess 15 and a control axis 12 identical.

 The recess 15 formed in the substantially planar side blades 10 has the effect of allowing a sudden escape of the side blades 10 leaving the zone of contact with the cheeks 12a.

 This sudden escape thus causes an instantaneous closure of the pair of pliers formed by the play of the three blades 10, 11.

 According to Figures 3A, 3B, 3C and 4, a set of three blades constituting a double clamp comprises two identical or symmetrical side blades 21 and a central blade 22 substantially planar.

 A side blade 21 has protuberances towards the inside (outside) of the double clamp, that is to say on the face situated on the side of the central blade 22 (on the face situated on the opposite side).

 We will call the protrusions 21a inwards below: support bosses 21a.

 The protuberances 21b of which the following section A is shown on line 3C will be qualified as cam bosses 21b.

 Each blade 21 thus comprises a support boss 21a and two cam bosses 21b. The support boss 21a is preferably stamped in a metal side blade 21 and the cam bosses 21b are obtained by peripheral deformation of a metal blade 21.

 The central blade 22 corresponding to the blades 21 symmetrical with respect to it is substantially planar and of substantially constant thickness.

 The shape of the blade 22 is a surface limited by two circular sectors of different radii centered on the axis of rotation (X-X ') and connected to each other by two broken lines.

 The blade 22 also has a hole for the passage of the drive axis 23, making it possible to thread said blade 22 on and perpendicular to said axis 23.

 Rubber pre-lock washers 24 are mounted between each set of three blades 21, 22.

 The sets of three blades are threaded head to tail on the drive axis 23: this assembly thus makes it possible to distribute the pre-tightening of the rubber washers 24 well without excessively deforming them.

 The axis 25 includes substantially parallel cheeks 25a for forcing the double clamps to open.

 The distance x2 between the cheeks 25a is chosen so as to cause the clamps to open.

 In the case of lateral blades 21 symmetrical with respect to the central blade 22, this distance x2 will be chosen to be less than the distance xl which separates the cam bosses 21b from two blades 21 facing each other (see FIG. 3C ).

 The shape of the central blade 22 and the side blades 21; the length of the sector 22a, the distances xl and x2 are determined optimally as a function of the desired durations, for pinching, pulling out and loosening of the bristles.

 We will now detail the operation of a depilation head comprising blade games as shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 4.

 According to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the support bosses 21a are close to the skin to be depilated.

 The lateral blades 21 are kept apart from the central blade 22 on the side of the skin to be depilated by the support bosses 21a.

 On the side opposite the skin relative to the axis of rotation (X-X ') the elastic washers 24 apply the lateral blades 21 against the central blade 22: they therefore maintain the double clamp in the closed position.

 The position in contact with the skin therefore gives rise to a combing effect allowing the introduction of the bristles between the lateral blades 21.

 According to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the epilation head has rotated by around 1200 with respect to FIGS. 5A and 5B.

 The cam bosses 21b are introduced between the cheeks 25a of the control shaft.

As a result, the lateral blades 21 undergo a leverage effect and pivot substantially around an axis
PP.

 The axis PP passes through the top of the support boss 21a and a point M located approximately at the edge of the cam boss 21b.

 The aforementioned leverage results in the maximum opening of the double clamp.

 The double clamp will thus remain open as long as the flats of the cam bosses 21b are forced into position by the cheeks 25a of the control shaft.

 According to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the epilation head has rotated by around 1800 with respect to FIGS. 5A and 5B.

 The cam bosses 21b have exceeded the area of contact with the cheeks 25a. The leverage has therefore disappeared; the double clamp subjected to the action of the adjacent elastic washers 24 is therefore kept closed.

 The double clamp thus clamps the hairs which are engaged therein with a predetermined effort.

 When the rotation continues, the hairs gripped in the double clamp are pulled out due to the rotation.

 According to Figures 8A and 8B, the epilation head has rotated by about 2400 with respect to Figures 5A and 5B.

 A second pair of cam bosses 21b have appeared between the cheeks 25a and are constrained in the constricted position by said cheeks.

 By the aforementioned leverage, it causes the opening of the double clamp and the loosening of the plucked hairs.

The main technical effects and advantages of the depilatory device according to the invention are as follows:
The arrangement in sets of three blades makes it possible to constitute, at a lower cost and more efficiently, double pliers.

 Indeed, in the known technique, it is necessary to use four pivoting blades to constitute a pair of pliers. The corresponding costs of the known technique are therefore higher than those of the invention.

 Because the central blade has a fixed direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of rotation, the pivoting of the side blades requires less space than in the known technique.

 It is thus possible to install sets of double pliers in greater number for a given epilation width: this gives an improvement and a greater epilation efficiency.

 Due to the fact that the pivoting is obtained by leverage on protuberances practiced in the blades themselves, the costly grooved bars as well as the cam and spring systems of the known technique are eliminated.

 The presence and the shape of the central blade materializes between the lateral blades a space greater than the thickness of the bristles. Thus, each hair is present during rotation in the funnel formed by the lateral blades, then is channeled by the central blade towards one or the other clamp of the pair which will close on it. OIX thus ensures the engagement of the hairs in a safe manner at each turn and the efficiency of the setting and the depilation is increased.

 To reinforce this effect, the central blade may be of a diameter slightly greater than that of the lateral blades, this in order to serve as a support on the skin and reduce the risk of pinching the latter when the clamps are closed.

 This blade may also include a whole unobstructed part in order to ensure optimum pinching of the hair by making it possible to regulate at the very end the moment of the closing of the clamps on the hair.

 However, an essential advantage of this type of depilation head construction consists in the absence of lateral stress on the supports of the axes of rotation, since they are absorbed directly on the cheeks of the control axis.

 The opening efforts of the clamps are then entirely contained in this control axis which may be of reduced dimensions.

 Therefore, the frame of the hair removal device will not undergo effort during hair removal and will not require strengthening as in the known technique.

 Therefore, the construction of said frame can be particularly economical: it can for example be made of molded plastic.

 Furthermore, when the side and central blades are all substantially disc-shaped, the type of operation described results in the absence of jolts, particularly silent operation.

 Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and many modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

 Thus, the cheeks of the control axes are not necessarily parallel but shaped according to a certain profile, so as to obtain the opening of the double clamps.

 In this case, the blades 10 and 11 can be left closed permanently, their opening will be caused by their passage between the narrowest part of the grooves of the axis 12. There will be a need to ensure in this case a synchronous rotation the control axis and the drive axis 14.

 The control axes may also be two or more in the case where it is desired to have two or more openings / closings of the blades per revolution, for pulling out the hairs, then for their release once pulled out.

 The protuberances can be made on the central blade as well as on the side blades of the same set of blades. They may vary in shape, position and size.

 Depending on the desired use, the number of outgrowths will be increased to obtain several openings / closings of the blades per revolution, to ensure pulling out, then to release the pulled hair and facilitate its evacuation.

Claims (11)

 1. A depilatory appliance for household use intended to be held in the hand, comprising a motor and a rotary epilation head (3) driven by said motor, characterized in that said epilation head (3) comprises an axis d drive (14, 23) and several sets of three blades integral with said drive axis, each set forming a double clamp so as to pinch and pluck the hairs, in that each set of three blades comprises a central blade (11, 22) of fixed direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation (X-X ') and two movable side blades (10, 21) on either side of said central blade (11, 22).  2. epilating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the blades (10, 11; 21, 22) of the same set of blades are substantially planar and comprise at their periphery substantially circular sectors (lIa, 22a) centered on the axis of rotation (X-X '), said sectors coming into lateral support one on the other to pinch the bristles engaged between the substantially parallel faces and facing one another of said blades.  3. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the drive shaft (14, 23) is integral with clamping means (13, 24) elastic interposed with said sets of three blades forming double clamp , said elastic clamping means holding the double clamps in a fixed position.  4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said elastic means are in the form of elastomeric washers (13, 24) comprising an annular flange (13a, 24a) coming to bear on the side blades (10, 21) of the sets of blades between which they are interposed.  5. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the lateral blades (10, 21) of each set bear on the central blade (11, 22) by pivots (10a, 21a), which maintain the lateral blades (10, 21) spaced apart on their part located on one side of the drive axis (14, 23), while on the other side, the lateral blades (10, 21) bear on the central blade (11, 22).  6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises, opposite each set of blades, a pair of cheeks (12a, 25a) defining between them a space in which the blades can engage at each turn of rotation, the width (yl, x2) of this space being in at least one location less than the distance (y2, xl) between the side blades (10, 21) to force them to approach one of the other, while opposite to these they are separated by pivoting on the pivots (10a, 21a).  7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the pairs of cheeks (12a, 25a) of a depilation head are formed by machining grooves in an axis (12, 25) of substantially cylindrical control.  8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the lateral blades (21) have protrusions towards the interior (21a) or the exterior (21b) of the double clamp, said protrusions being symmetrical with respect to the central blade (22) of a set of three blades.  9. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said drive axis (14, 23) comprises at least one flat, said axis preferably being of polygonal section.  10. Apparatus according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that said cheeks (12a, 25a) are substantially parallel.  11. Apparatus according to one of claims 4 to 10, characterized in that the epilation head comprises sets of three blades threaded alternately with elastomeric washers on the drive shaft, the threaded assembly being mounted with a predetermined tightening according to the pinching effects.