US3339277A - Cutter head assembly for dry shaver having skin undulating means - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 5, 1967- o. R. LOCKE ET AL ,3

. CUTTER HEAD ASSEMBLY FOR DRY SHAVER HAVING SKIN UNDULATING MEANS Filed April 2, 1965 5 5, a w w x w L fiw m INVENTORS. DA V/D E. ZOCKE J0/7'A/ F DAM/5L5 ATTOf VE) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure is directed to a cutter head assembly for an electric dry shaver wherein skin engaging means are arranged between a pair of spaced and parallel cutter units on the same side of a mounting plate which is adapted for attachment to a shaver casing. The skin engaging means are mounted on spring means for yieldable movement transversely of the cutter units and positioning means are provided for locating and establishing the limits of transverse movement of the skin engaging means.

The present invention relates to electric shavers and more particularly to an improved cutter head assembly.

It is desirable to provide an electric shaver with a cutter head assembly having a skin engaging member that during operation is urged against the users skin in the area adjacent the cutting elements and in the path thereof. In some electric shavers a barrier or comb is mounted between transverse slotted outer cutter members and which outer cutter members have reciprocating inner shearing members operatively disposed therein. The purpose of such barrier or comb is to engage the skin during manipulation of the shaver back and forth across the skin of the user in a manner such that the skin undulates (or progressively bulges) in advance of the shaver whereby individual hairs thereon are disposed in optimum cutting position for engagement with the adjacent cutter members.

In the past, problems have been encountered in the use of shavers having such skin engaging members. For example, when a barrier or comb is rigidly mounted it is not uncommon for the user to experience a pinching or.

hair pulling sensation as a result of an excessive amount of bulging skin becoming wedged between the barrier and an adjacent cutter member. To overcome this problem and add to the users comfort many prior art shavers have utilized skin engaging members that are movable relative to the shaver.

It is further desirable to provide an electric shaver having a cutter head assembly with yieldingly mounted skin engaging means operatively associated with the cutter members, which cutter head assembly is readily assembled or disassembled without the use of any tools or special .implements.

The present invention contemplates a cutter head assembly which includes a novel skin engaging structure interrelated with a novel arrangement of associated elements readily adapted for disassembly. In one embodiment, the skin engaging structure comprises a floating bar mounted adjacent to and cooperating with associated cutter members. The cutter members and the bar each have skin engaging surfaces that are disposed in a substantially coplanar relationship when the shaver is not in use. More specifically the bar is mounted to yield when subjected to a force exerted on the skin engaging surface thereof, and which force necessarily results in a varying manner when the shaver is pressed against the face of the user. To this end the bar is urged against a spring bias in accordance with the amount of bulging of the users United States Patent 'ice skin, and is thereby adaptable to the particular shaving habits and skin conditions of a user.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electric shaver with an improved cutter head assembly that can be passed smoothly over the face of the user.

Another object is to provide an electric shaver with an improved cutter head assembly having a novel means for mounting a skin engaging member that yields in response to varying pressure of the shaver against the face of the user.

Still another object is to provide an electric shaver with an improved cutter head assembly having stationary cutter members which operatively cooperate with a novel yieldingly mounted skin engaging member.

Yet another object is to provide an electric shaver with an improved cutter head unit having a novel floating bar assembly which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which may easily be disassembled and reassembled without affecting the operation thereof.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawing wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the upper end of an electric shaver incorporating the improved cutter head assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial exploded view of the cutter head assembly; and

FIG. 5 is a partial vertical section taken along the line 55 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawing for a detailed description of the invention and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a shaver cutter head assembly is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. Cutter head assembly 10 is mounted on a main casing 11, which is fashioned to accommodate a conventional detachable hair pocket casing (not shown) for enclosing cutter head assembly 10. It is not necessary to show a hair pocket casing in that for the purposes of the present invention any conventional, dome-shaped, hair pocket casing may be employed which will abut against the top surface 12 or the adjacent side surfaces 13 of the main casing 11 and be held thereto by frictional engaging means such as clips, snaps, or the like, well known in the art.

The cutting means are of a known type and as illustrataed comprise two standard elongated cutter units 14 and 15 secured in a suitable manner in spaced and parallel relationship on a rectangular mounting plate 16 by means of detachable resilient U-shaped clips 17. Each cutter unit, 14 and 15, includes an elongated stationary outer cutter member 18 of substantially tubular configuration and an elongated movable inner cutter member 19 maintained in cutting cooperation therein by a leaf spring of the general type designated by reference nu meral 21 in FIG. 2. The outer cutter members 18 are provided with transverse hair receiving slots 22 (see FIG. 1) disposed in the skin engaging portions thereof for permitting hair to be sheared by the movable inner cutter members 19 which traverse the inner surface of the slotted skin engaging portions for cutting hair in a manner well known in the art. The outer cutter members are also provided with an integral channel shaped reinforcement portion 23 which defines the bottom surface thereof.

Now referring only to FIG. 2, a motor drive assembly of any conventional form is mounted within the main casing 11 and includes a pair of oscillatable drive arms 24 which project outwardly of casing 11 through an aperture 25 therein. The drive arms 24 impart common reciprocal motion to inner cutter members 19 through intermediate leaf springs 21 which are operably engaged therewith at bends 26 through which the cross sectional view of FIG. 2 is taken. The bends 26 in the leaf springs provide seats for each of the drive arms 24 in a manner which is quite common in drive assemblies used in the shaver art.

Referring now to FIG. 3 as well as to FIG. 2, mounting plate 16, upon which the cutter units 14 and 15 are detachably mounted, is secured to a cover plate 30, which is attached to the main casing in any standard manner. To this end resilient latching fingers 31 (see FIG. 3), which are integral members extending from cover plate 30, are disposed to cooperate with the ends of angular tabs 32 extending from mounting plate 16. More specifically, the securement is elfected by urging mounting plate 16 downward against cover plate 30 such that angular tabs 32 contact the end portions 33 of latching fingers 31 and cause the fingers to flex outwardly to the extent necessary to allow tabs 32 to pass and seat in the rest position shown at FIG. 3, at which position the fingers return to their normal non-flexed state and retain mounting plate 16 securely against cover plate 30. Mounting plate 16 is of substantially rectangular configuration and includes depending flange portions 34 extending downwardly from spaced side edges thereof, which flange portions are urged against the top surface 12 of casing 11 in the assembled condition described hereinabove. It should be further noted that mounting plate 16, cover plate 30, and outer cutter members 18 are provided with registering apertures 35, 36, and 37 respectively (see FIG. 2) for accommodating drive arms 24.

In order to prevent pinching and pulling from occurring when the shaver head is moved across the skin of the user and to present a smooth and comfortable operation whereby the hair to be cut is disposed in optimum cutting position, it is a feature of this invention to provide a floating bar assembly 40 disposed between spaced cutter units 14 and 15. As pointed out above it is further contemplated to provide bar assembly structure that is operatively associated with cutter units 14 and 15 and mounting plate 16 in a manner that lends itself to fast and easy manual disassembly and reassembly without necessitating the use of tools or special implements. To this end floating bar assembly 40 comprises a skin engaging member 41, a plastic insert 42 and a leaf spring 43, all of which are illustrated clearly in the exploded view at FIG. 4. Skin engaging member 41, is retained in frictional engagement with plastic insert 42, both of which are disposed between spaced cutter units 14 and 15 in a manner whereby the exposed outer surface 44 of skin engaging member 41 is maintained substantially coplanar with the slotted surfaces of outer cutter members 18, when the shaver is not in use. The structure involved in the retention of bar assembly 40 will be described in further detail hereinafter. Skin engaging member 41 which is substantially channel-shaped includes center portion 44a and spaced side walls 45, the latter walls each being provided with apertures 46 and a slot 47 disposed for registration with insert projections 48, and 49 respectively. In assembled form, skin engaging member 41 is clamped over and in frictional engagement with plastic insert 42 as shown in FIG. 2, such that, when the top surface 50 (shown clearly in FIG. 4) of plastic insert 42 engages the under surface of center portion 44a of the skin engaging member the under surfaces 53 (see FIG. 3) of insert projections 48 rest on the lower edge of apertures 46, thus preventing relative transverse motion between skin engaging member 41 and plastic insert 42. Relative longitudinal motion between these elements is disposed in leaf spring 43, which slot has dimensions slightly larger than the cross section of projection 54. Spaced arms 56 of leaf spring 43 are disposed in flexing engagement with mounting plate 16.

When the shaver is not in use bar assembly 40 is retained between spaced outer cutter members 18, in the position shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5. Leaf spring 43 imparts an outward biasing force on plastic insert 42, which is retained in said position by the limiting effect of the rectangular lugs 60 and 60 which cooperate with oversized recesses 61 and 61' in the side walls of outer cutter members 18. Recesses 61 and 61' are of general rectangular configuration and provide a slot for the lugs associated therewith to traverse. The relative size of lugs 60 and 60 with respect to the recesses is shown in FIG. 3, wherein for example lug 60 (in phantom) is shown urged against the top edge of slot 61. When pressure is exerted on skin engaging member 41 and plastic insert 42 is urged against the bias of leaf spring 43, lugs 60 and 60' are permitted to traverse recesses 61 and 61' respectively, in accordance with the amount of pressure applied. It should also be noted that the clearance provided between the side surfaces of lug 60 and the vertical edges of recess 61 prevents lug 60 from becoming wedged on an angle in recess 61 when a non-uniform pressure is applied to skin engaging member 41 such that the bar assembly yields on a slight longitudinal incline.

FIG. 5 illustrates in still more detail the cooperation between lugs 60' and recess 61 in outer cutter member 18. FIG. 5 also shows (as does FIG. 2), the necessary clearance between the spaced side walls 45 of skin engaging member 41 and the opposing outer walls of outer cutter members 18 that define the space in which the bar assembly is disposed. The clearance provided is sufficient to permit bar assembly 40 to be urged in its extreme position against the bias of leaf spring 43 without allowing it to become wedged between such walls of the outer cutter members.

It is seen (FIGS. 1 and 2) that the cutter head assembly is provided with holding tabs 62 which are rigidly attached to the outwardly facing surface of outer cutter members 18, and extend downwardly therefrom. (A holding tab 62 associated with cutter unit 15 is shown in FIG. 1 and a holding tab 62 associated with cutter unit 14 is shown in FIG. 2.) Corresponding notched out portions 63 of mounting plate flanges 34 are provided such that in assembled relation the tabs cooperate with notches 63 to prevent relative longitudinal movement between mounting plate 16 and outer cutter members 18. Such cooperative relationship also aids clips 17 in securing outer cutter members 18 against sideward movement with respect to mounting plate 16 and also against longitudinal and sideward movement with respect to casing 11 (see the corresponding notch 64 in the casing shown at the cutaway portion of the casing shown in FIG. 1).

In light of the structure set forth in the above detailed description the disassembling and reassembling procedure is readily apparent. For example, to disassemble the cutter head assembly 10, it is first removed as a unit from casing 11 and actuator arms 24 by pulling it up with enough force to disengage resilient latching fingers 31 from their cooperative engagement with angular tabs 32. Referring now specifically to FIG. 4, it is next necessary to remove resilient U-shaped clips 17, which permits the associated outer cutter member 18 (and the inner cutter member disposed therein) to become disengaged from the mounting plate 16. At this point, the floating bar assembly, comprising skin engaging member 41, plastic insert 42 and leaf spring 43, is accessible and may be removed by a slight lateral displacement thereof. It then just remains necessary to remove the clips holding the remaining outer cutter member 18 to the mounting plate and by so doing the cutter head assembly is completely disassembled and ready for cleaning or whatever operation is desired that requires such disassembly. Reassembling is obvious from the simple disassembly procedure outlined above. To this end it includes clipping one outer cutter to the mounting plate, centrally positioning the bar assembly on the mounting plate, urging the assembly downward until the lug associated with the recess in the positioned cutter member cooperates therewith, then clipping the other outer cutter in place on the mounting plate such that the other lug interfits with its associated recess, and lastly snapping the entire cutter head assembly in place on the casing.

In operation, the cutter head assembly described above is manipulated in a back and forth motion across the surface of the users face to effect a cutting action of hair thereon, by the reciprocal motion of the conventional shearing edges of the inner cutter member relative to the slotted outer cutter member. The skin engaging surface of the floating bar assembly and the substantially coplanar slotted skin engaging surface of the outer cutter members are urged against the users face during such manipulation to the extent necessary to permit hair on the users face to enter the slots and be sheared by the reciprocating inner cutter members. The bar assembly is mounted such that it effectively floats in response to force applied thereto, while in contradistinction the outer cutter members, with which the bar assembly cooperatively engages, are rigidly mounted. Thus, as mentioned above the bar tends to yield or give way to the skin as it bulges in response to the varying force exerted thereon by the pressure of the non-yielding preceding cutter unit. Such yielding action in effect permits the hair on the bulged portion of the skin to be positioned in optimum condition for shearing, while at the same time preventing the skin from becoming wedged or pinched between stationary members.

In view of the structure set forth above and particularly the novel features concerning the bar assembly, it is readily apparent that the advantages thereof are obvious to the skilled artisan. Included among such advantages is the fact that the improved cutter head assembly when adapted to a cutter head permits ease and comfort of manipulation. Also, the cutter head unit is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and lends itself to ready manual disassembly and reassembly without using tools or special implements, thus, facilitating the periodic cleaning and maintenance required of such shaver units.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by way of example, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto; various changes may be made in the design and in the arrangement of parts Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims as will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cutter head assembly:

(a) a substantially rectangular mounting plate;

(b) two identical cutter units detachably mounted in spaced and parallel relation on one side of said mounting plate;

(c) skin engaging means arranged on said one side of said mounting plate between said cutter units;

((1) positioning means provided on adjacent portions of said cutter units and skin engaging means for po-sitioning the skin engaging means for movement transversely of said cutter units between predetermind limit positions; and

(e) resilient means for yieldingly mounting said skin engaging means intermediate said cutter units and extending longitudinally thereof;

(f) said resilient means including means urging said skin engaging means away from a center portion of said mounting plate.

2. In a cutter head assembly:

(a) a substantiallyrectangular mounting plate;

(b) a pair of cutter units mounted in spaced and parallel relationship on said mounting plate, each of said cutter units having opposing surfaces with recesses on opposite ends thereof;

(0) skin engaging means arranged between the opposing surfaces of said cutter units and extending longitudinally thereof;

(d) said skin engaging means including lugs registering with said recesses to retain said skin engaging means in position between said cutter units and to permit movement of said skin engaging means transversely of said cutter units.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said skin engaging means further include a bar urged away from said mounting plate by resilient 'means disposed between said mounting plate and said bar.

4. In a cutter head assembly:

(a) a substantially rectangular mounting plate;

(b) a pair of cutter units mounted in spaced and parallel relationship on said mounting plate; and

(c) skin engaging means arranged between said cutter units and extending longitudinally thereof;

' (d) said skin engaging means including a channel shaped member and a bar shaped member, the latter memher being disposed in frictional engagement between the side portions 01f said channel member;

(e) said skin engaging means further including means integral with said bar shaped member and disposed v[for cooperation with each of said cutter units to position said channel and bar shaped members on said mounting plate for movement transversely of said cutter units.

5. In a cutter head assembly:

(a) a substantially rectangular mounting plate;

(b) a pair of cutter units mounted in spaced and parallel relationship on said mounting plate, each of said cutter units having opposing surfaces with recesses on opposite ends thereof;

(0) skin engaging means arranged between said cutter units and extending longitudinally thereof, said skin engaging means including lugs extending therefrom and in registration with said recesses for retaining skin engaging means for limited movement transversely of said cutter units;

(d) said skin engaging means further including a channel shaped member and a bar shaped member, the latter member being disposed in frictional engageme'nt between extending side portions of said channel member;

(e) said skin engaging means still [further including a leaf spring disposed between said mounting plate and said bar shaped member for resiliently urging said bar shaped member and said channel shaped member away [from said mounting plate to a position established by the disposition of said lugs in said recesses.

, 6. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein the channel shaped member comprises a center portion and substantially parallel side walls extending from spaced side edges thereof, which side walls are provided with spaced apertures; and wherein said bar shaped member is provided with integral projecting portions on opposing sides thereof, said projecting portions each being positioned to register with a corresponding aperture in said channel shaped member and each having a cross sectional area with dimensions that correspond to the dimensions of the aperture with which it registers.

7. An electrical dry shaver comprising,

(a) a casing having recessed portions provided in one end thereof;

(b) a substantially rectangular mounting plate attached to said one end of said casing and having recessed portions therein in alignment with said recessed portions of said shaver casing;

(c) a pair of cutter units mounted in spaced and parallel relationship on said mounting plate and each including an inner cutter member disposed within a fixed outer cutter mem'ber;

(d) said cutter units including holding means in rigid engagement with said casing and said mounting plate;

(e) holding means comprising tabs extending downwardly from said outer cutter members and engaged in said aligned recessed portions; and

(f) skin engaging means arranged between said cutter units and extending longitudinally thereotf;

(g) said skin engaging means including means cooperating with each of said icutter units to position said skin engaging means on said mounting plates for movement transversely of said cutter units.

8. A cutter head assembly adapted for attachment as a 'unit to an electric dry shaver casing, said assembly comprising (a) a substantially rectangular mounting plate,

( b) a pair of elongated cutter head units disposed in predetermined position on one side of said mounting plate in spaced and parallel relationship thereon,

(c) skin engaging means carried by said assembly and including an elongated rectangular member disposed between said cutter head units and extending longitudinally thereof,

(d) means provided on the lower spaced end portions of said rectangular member for positioning said member in predetenmined position within said assembly between said |cutter head units upon said one side of said mounting plate,

(e) a leaf spring member seated on said one side of said mounting plate and having a portion in engagement with said rectangular member to support the latter member for yieldable movement transversely of said cutter units between spaced limit position within said assembly established by said positioning means, and

(f) readily releasable clip means securing said cutter head units to said mounting plate to maintain said skin engaging means and cutter head units in said mutually predetermined assembled position on said one side of said mounting plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,309,431 1/1943 Alexay 30-4391 2,335,413 11/1943 Hicks 3043.1 2,343,705 3/1944 Rand 3034.2 2,670,534 3/1954 Halber 3034.2 2,725,625 12/1955 Muntz 30-34.2 2,880,503 4/1959 Carissimi 30-341 FOREIGN PATENTS 270,913 9/1950 Switzerland.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MYRON C. KRUSE, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A CUTTER HEAD ASSEMBLY: (A) A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR MOUNTING PLATE; (B) TWO IDENTICAL CUTTER UNITS DETACHABLY MOUNTED IN SPACED AND PARALLEL RELATION ON ONE SIDE OF SAID MOUNTING PLATE; (C) SKIN ENGAGING MEANS ARRANGED ON SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID MOUNTING PLATE BETWEEN SAID CUTTER UNITS; (D) POSITIONING MEANS PROVIDED ON ADJACENT PORTIONS OF SAID CUTTER UNITS AND SKIN ENGAGING MEANS FOR POSITIONING THE SKIN ENGAGING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT TRANSVERSELY OF SAID CUTTER UNITS BETWEEN PREDETERMINED LIMIT POSITIONS; AND (E) RESILIENT MEANS FOR YIELDINGLY MOUNTING SAID SKIN ENGAGING MEANS INTERMEDIATE SAID CUTTER UNITS AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF; (F) SAID RESILIENT MEANS INCLUDING MEANS URGING SAID SKIN ENGAGING MEANS AWAY FROM A CENTER PORTION OF SAID MOUNTING PLATE.

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