US3811188A

US3811188A - Shaver with removable head

Info

Publication number: US3811188A
Application number: US00295893A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Brenneman; R Waters
Original assignee: Schick Inc
Current assignee: Philips North America LLC; Schick Inc
Priority date: 1972-10-10
Filing date: 1972-10-10
Publication date: 1974-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 1991-05-21
Also published as: SE385802B; JPS5243426B2; AR198254A1; CA999422A; CH591936A5; AU5982773A; BR7307869D0; JPS4972049A; NL7313811A; ATA855473A; DE2348914A1; GB1413422A; ZA737487B; FR2202456A5; IT996798B; BE805903A

Abstract

An electric shaver particularly adaptable for use as a lady''s shaver, having a detachable pop-out shaving head which is snugly positioned between fixed end walls. The detachable shaving head includes an integral base having a slot into which an outer cutter is releasably secured. The entire head assembly is pivotally released from between the end walls by a user operated head ejector which causes the head to pivot about axes perpendicular to said end walls. In a preferred embodiment, the shaving head includes rows of brushes extending along both sides of the cutter. Also, in a preferred embodiment, the head portion of the shaver includes a special lighting assembly adjacent the shaving head for illuminating the skin adjacent the shaver.

Description

United States Patent [191 Brenneman et al.

[11] 3,811,188 [451 May 21, 1974 SHAVER WITH REMOVABLE HEAD [73] Assignee: Schick Incorporated, Lancaster, Pa.

[22] Filed: Oct. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 295,893

Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-Gary L. Smith 5 7] ABSTRACT An electric shaver particularly adaptable for use as a ladys shaver, having a detachable pop-out shaving head which is snugly positioned between fixed end walls. The detachable shaving head includes an integral base having a slot into which an outer cutter is releasably secured. The entire head assembly is pivotally released from between the end walls by a user oper ated head ejector which causes the head to pivot about axes perpendicular to said end walls. In a preferred embodiment, the shaving head includes rows of brushes extending along both sides of the cutter. Also, in a preferred embodiment, the head portion of the shaver includes a special lighting assembly adjacent the shaving head for illuminating the skin adjacent the shaver.

18 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures minimum: m4 3Q8l1188 sum 2 or z 1 SHAVER WITH REMOVABLE HEAD This invention relates to the field of electric dry shavers, and, particularly, to shavers having a detachable shaving head.

It is highly desirable to provide means for detaching the shaving head of an electric shaver for the purpose of brushing hair clippings out of the cutter assembly. Hair clippings are normally deposited within the shaving head, and would accumulate unless so removed. It would be highly desirable to provide a detachable head which is especially suitable for a ladys shaver, and which can be readily manipulated by someone with little mechanical skill, and with a minimum of likelihood that the shaver or the shaving head assembly would be damaged in the process, or that it would be reassembled improperly.

It is more likely that cleaning the cutter assembly will become part of the users routine, if the manipulation steps involved are simple, almost instantaneously accomplished, and virtually error-proof. Hence, it is desirable to provide a shaver having these features.

Shaving heads in electric shavers are operatively connected to an electric motor, typically through a vigorously oscillating driving arm. Consequently, even though it is desirable that the head be easily and conveniently detached and easily re-attached to the shaver, it is imperative that the head be attached so as to withstand the vigorous mechanical action and vibration, as well as to withstand the dislodging forces which are encountered in normal use.

Furthermore, the manufacture and sale of electric shavers is a highly competitive business, and it is imperative that such shavers, including the shaving head retention and release features, be simple and economical to manufacture.

In addition, an electric shaver which is intended for use as a ladys shaver must be readily and safely adaptable for shaving angular surfaces and recessed regions, such as, for example, shaving legs, armpits, and the like, as well as lend itself to good styling features.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric shaver having a pop-out shaving head which can be simply and almost instantaneously removed from the shaver by the user, and which can be replaced as easily.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a shaver in which the shaving head can be conveniently and simply removed from the shaver by a person with little mechanical skill for the purpose of cleaning, and in which the shaving head assembly can be reassembled by the user and re-attached to the shaver with virtually no likelihood of errors in re-assembly or re-attachment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a shaver in which the cutter assembly can be removed from the shaving head and replaced from time to time by a person with a low leval of manual skill and with no special tools.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a shaver which can be manufactured in a relatively simple manufacturing and assembly operation, and, which, because of the simplicity of the structures and the assembly sequence involved, can be manufactured economically.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a shaver which readily lends itself to a good styling feature, whereby the shaver, although utilizing a detachable' head, presents a well-contoured, free-flowing unitary appearance.

1 These and other objects which will be apparant hereinafter are all achieved in accordance with the present of being removed from the shaver shown in FIGS. 1 and i FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken approximately along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the shaver shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken approximately along the line 66 of FIG. 2 taken through the shaving head and a portion of the driving arm.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, an electric ladys shaver is generally indicated by the numeral l0, and includes a body or housing generally indicated by the numeral 12 comprising a handle portion l4 and head portion 16. Head portion 16 houses and supports the shaving head assembly generally indicated by the numeral 18 and the lighting assembly generally indicated by the numeral 20.

ShaverlO includes an electric motor 22, transmission means 24 including an eccentric 25 for converting the rotary drive of motor 22 to the oscillating drive of driving arm 26 which operates shaving head 18. Conventional electrical cord plug-in means (not shown because conventional) are provided at the base 28 of handle l4 and an omoff switch 30 controls the operation of the shaver 10.

Shaving head assembly 18 is mounted within upwardly facing recess 32. The recess 32 is defined by up- I wardly projecting side wall 34, a central wall 36 which is'parallel to side wall 34, and

end walls

38, 40. Central wall 36 divides recess 32 fromlighting assembly 20. Housing 12 isformed by a pair of cup-

shaped members

42, 44 which are formed with opposing halves of

side walls

34, 36 which abut in a common plane to form

side walls

34, 36. Generally speaking,

members

42, 44 are mirror images, and it is apparent that switch 30 and motor 22 reside within hollow handle portion 14 formed by butting

housing members

42, 44.

End walls

38, 40 are integral'extensions of

members

42, 44 respectively. The bottom of recess 32 is defined by a wall 48 which is made of portions of

housing members

42, 44 which extend inwardly in a common plane.

Central opening 50 extends through bottom wall 48 and motor drive arm 26 extends therethrough, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A heavy C clip 52 having a flat bridging portion 54 extending between

members

42, 44 helps to maintain these

members

42, 44 in proper butting position, and includes end hooking fingers 56, 58 extending downwardly into

recesses

60, 62 in

housing portions

42, 44, respectively, to engage and secure these portions.

Shaving head 18 is retained in recess 32 by a resilient detent, generally 66. Detent 66 includes a flat base portion 68 which extends across

housing members

42, 44 and includes

end tab portions

70, 72 which reside in

respective recesses

74, 76 in

housing members

42, 44, re-

l spectively. It is noted that at least some gap exists between

end

70, 72 and the adjacent walls of

recesses

74, 76, respectively. (See FIGS. 4 and 5).

It is also noted that, due to the usual manufacturing tolerances, some gap also exists between the sides of

ends

70, 72 and opposing portions of

housing

42, 44 with the result that some play or movement of detent 66, both laterally and longitudinally along the elongated dimensions is possible. Moreover, some slight angular rotation with respect to a plane passing perpendicularly through the center of base 68, for example, is also possible.

Detent 66 also provides a central opening 78 through which drive arm 26 passes and in which drive arm 26 oscillates. Detent 66 also includes two

pair

80, 82 of opposing resilient members of latching detents 8484. It is noted that detent 66 is elongated, and that resilient members 84-84 are located near the

respective ends

70, 72 of detent 66. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, detent 66 consists of spring stock which has been formed to include the laterally extending projections 84-84 which initially smoothly curve upwardly and reverse direction towards the direction of body portion 68, and then, smoothly curve upwardly again and'reverse direction again to the direction generally away from body portion 68. It is the latter curved latching portions FIG. 2 shows that latch portions 86 not only assist in the proper aligning of head 18 along its long dimension, but, moreover, assists in drawing head 18 inwardly with respect to recess 32 to bring the

sides

90, 92 which are smoothly curving, to rest against respective opposing and confining

sides

94, 96 which constitute part of

walls

34, 36. Moreover, in accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, head 18 is dimensioned so that

ends

98, 100 thereof, fit snugly between

end walls

38, 40. (See FIG. 4). Partly as a result of these structural relationships, cutter head 18 is very securely retained in recess 32 with substantially no motion during operation.

A shaving head ejector is generally indicated by the numeral 104 and includes an external finger gripping portion 106 and a pair of laterally extending lugs 108-108 which are retained in recess 109-109 in housing members '42, 44.

Recesses

109, 109 are elongated and ejector 104 can move in the direction along the long dimension of the shaver handle to the extreme positions illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The shaving head assembly which is generally indicated by the numeral 18 comprises an integral molded plastic base 110, an outer cutter 112 which is received in a slot 114 in base 110, an inner cutter assembly 116, hair-raising brushes 1 18- 118 disposed at both sides of outer cutter 112, and facing elements 120-120.

Brushes 118-118 are made of tufts 119 bonded into base 110, and mid-portion 121 of facing plate resembles a plurality of fingers which are spacedapart from block 110, extending laterally to help maintain tufts 119 in desired perpendicular relationship with respect to base 110.

From a consideration of the drawings, it will be appreciated that cutter assembly 18 is bilaterally symmetrical with respect to a middle cross-sectional plane extending transversely across the narrow dimension, and also is bilaterally symmetrical with respect to a middle cross-sectional plane extending through the long dimension of cutter assembly 18.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 6, outer cutter assembly 112 includes a plurality of rows 122 of cutters, and inwardly directed side portions 124 which are bonded at the rearward extreme to the outside of an inner U shaped bridging element 126. Outer cutter 112 is shaped from flat stock with elongated U-shaped recessed 113 extending between rows 122 of cutters. It is apparant from a consideration of FIG. 6 that bridging element 126 extends the entire length of outer cutter 112, and that the bottom portion 128 of bridging portion 126 includes a central opening 128 through which driving arm 26 passes, as 'well as a plurality of other openings which provide bridging bands 131 around which retaining

bosses

134, 136 at the bottom of recess 114 in base 110 are snugly received, to fix outer cutter 112 with respect to base 110. The bottom portion 128 of outer cutter 112 presses against the bottom 138 of slot 1 14 and the sidewalls of slot 114 snugly rearwardly extending portions of sidewalls 124 to provide excellent stability characteristics. Inner cutter assembly 116 comprises a movable cutter 140 and a spring drive arm coupling element 142. The outer configuration of inner cutter 140 is adapted to mate with the inner configuration of outter cutter 112.

Inner cutter 146 includes a plurality of rows 143 of I cutter blades and is shaped to include recessed regions 144 therebelow. Recessed regions 144 of inner cutters receive recessed regions 123 to maintain alignment between

respective rows

122 and 143 of inner and outer cutters. f

It is noted that when viewed from the underside of cutter 140 the central row 146 of inner cutter 140 appears as a recess and it is apparant from a consideration of FIGS. 2 and 6 that drive arm 26 extends into the region defined by the central row 1460f the inner cutter 140. End 148 of drive arm 26 is received in a U- shaped detent 149 in spring 142. Spring 142 also includes

lateral arm portions

150, 152 having bridging detents 154 at each end which include clips 156 which pass through openings 158 in inner cutter 140. Inner cutter assembly 116 can move easily within cutter l 12. Tensioning of spring 142 by insertion of end 148 into detent 149 uniformly urges cutting faces of cutter 140 against opposing operating surfaces on cutter 112.

The underside of the plastic block or base 110 includes two pairs of opposing

recesses

160, 162 defined by undercut latching surfaces 164-164 which engage the latching portions 86-86 of detent 66.

The underside of block 110 also includes a plurality of openings 168-168 through which a small pushing tool (not shown) can be brought to bear against the bottom 128 of bridge element 126 of outer cutter 1 12. This makes it possible to replace a set of outer cutters 112 and inner cutters 116 without necessitating the purchase of a new base element 1 l0, and structures associated therewith. Hence, to remove cutter 112 from head 18, head 18 is first removed as for cleaning and cutter 112 is snapped out of slot 114, for example, by pressing the point of a pencil through openings 168-168 against bottom 128.

FIG. 3 shows the cutter head 18 in a moved position,

that is, in that position which is obtained during the ejection of head assembly 18 from recess 32 as for cleaning. As indicated above, the ejection mechanism, generally 104, can move to several positions in a direction corresponding to the lengthwise direction of handle portion 14. During ejection, surface 94 of ejector 104 bears under rounded side 90 of head 110 and urges shaving head 110 to pivot. Because of the mating configuration between the latching portions 164 of head base 110 and springlatching portions 86 of detent 66, and because of the close proximity of lateral surface 90 of head 110, and opposing surface 96 of recess 32, shaving head 18 pivots as indicated in F IG. 3. The pivot axis is substantially parallel to the direction of the elongated dimensions of head 18, that is, perpendicular to ends 38, 40. Shaving head 18 can be completely removed from recess 32 to permit cleaning or replacement.

It will also be appreciated that shaving head 18 is bilaterally symmetrical with respect to both transverse and longitudinal mid-sectional planes, and, consequently, there is no right or wrong way in which to orient, end for end, the shaving head 18 after cleaning.

Immediately upon release of shaving head 18 out of recess 32, it will be appreciated that drive arm 26 is disengaged from detent 149 of spring 142 and, because of the resiliency of spring 142,

arm portions

150, 152 immediately flex downwardly. lnner cutter 116 can slide freely along the length of outer cutter 112, but spring 142 and larger bosses 134 in base 110 cooperate so that bosses 134 serve as detents to keep inner cutter 116 from inadvertently separating from outer cutter 112 and falling to the floor, for example. When inner cutter 116 is in the position in which spring 142 encounters larger bosses 136, portions of spring 142 are available for manual depressing whereby cutter 116 can be removed from outer cutter 112 by sliding it out axially. Alternatively, cutter 140 can be grasped by the fingers and simply pulled free, the spring 142 giving way due to the neutral flexibility and resilience.

Removal of inner cutter 1 16 greatly facilitates cleaning of both inner cutter 116 and outer cutter 112, and a brush can be passed through the interior of outer cutter 112, for example. inner cutter l 12 is replaced in operating relationship with outer cutter 112 by reversing the steps described immediately above, and, again, it is noted that because of the bilateral symmetry of the shaving head assembly generally, and particularly because of the bilateral symmetry of the outer cutter 116 and inner cutter 112 along the longitudinal midsectional plane, theinner cutter 116 can be inserted starting at either end thereof into either end of outer cutter 112, and there is no right or wrong end-for-end insertion on re-assembly.

To replace the shaving head assembly 18 in recess 32, either

side

90, 92 of head assembly 18 can be placed approximately against either

surface

94 or 96 of recess 32 in housing 12 to bring the resilient latch portions 86-86 of detent 66 into mating latching engagement with detents 164--164 at the underside of base 1 10 of cutter head 18. Because of the rounded character of

sides

94, 96, and opposing surfaces on head 18, inward or downward pressure on head 18 automatically causes a shifting about the long dimension until head 18 is secured by detent 66 in proper orientation.

Another aspect of the present invention involves the relationship between the lighting assembly generally indicated by the numeral 176 and the head portion 16. Lighting assembly 176 includes a lamp 178, a receptacle 180, diffusion lens 182 and associated electrical supply components generally indicated by the numeral 184. Emminently satisfactory lighting circuits and associated lighting circuit structures are disclosed in copending patent application Ser. No. 276,517 filed July 13, 1972 by Edward J. Brennaman et al. (Attorney Docket Case 720607) which application is assigned to a common assignee with this application.

In the illustrated embodiment, it is noted that head 18 is received in a low profile configuration, that is, with cutters 112 being no higher than, and, in fact, slightly recessed below, associated

end walls

38, 40 of end portion 16 of housing 12.

Cutter head 18 is positioned on an inclined portion adjacent diffuser lens 182, with lens 182 being positioned to illuminate the users skin immediately adjacent the upper portion 186 of head portion 16. It is also noted that when shaver 10 is being operated in such a way that shaving head 18 is substantial 16 parallel with respect to the skin of the user, the portion 186 of head portion 16 of housing 12 will be elevated so that lens 182 is at an angle with respect to the skin, thereby permitting an increased illumination of the surfaces immediately ahead of the razor.

lt will be appreciated from a consideration of the foregoing disclosure that the shaver of the present invention provides a head configuration which is readily used for shaving curves, angles, recessed areas, and the like, and is adaptable and highly satisfactory for use in connection with shaving legs, underarms, and the like. It is also extremely convenient to remove shaving head 18 for cleaning or replacement and to remove cutter 112 from base for replacement. The invention is particularly suited for use in connection with a ladys shaver in that there is no need to exactly re-assemble head 18 in shaver 10, or inner cutter 112, or outer cutter 116 in base 110, in any particular end-for-end orientation. Moreover, new cutters can be installed in head 18 conveniently and easily without any tools. For example, cutters 112 can be separated from block 110 by pressing the point of a pencil through opening 168 and a replacement cutter 112 is aligned in slot 114 and is snapped to secure attachment.

Moreover, the cutter assembly 18 is readily rolled free of detent 66.

Moreover, the fact that cutter 112 is secured to a snap-out base 110 provides an additional advantage referred to hereinbefore. Because of the novel roll-out action imparted by the shaving head ejector 104 described hereinbefore, the shaving head 18 is disengaged from detent 66 in a motion which corresponds approximately to a roll or pivot around an axis which is parallel to the long dimension of head 18. This is a substantial improvement over ejection systems which impart a roll or pivot around an axis which is parallel to a transverse or narrower dimension of a cutter head. As a consequence of this combination of structural elements,

end walls

30, 40 can be and are spaced-apart to very snugly "cutter 112 be the same length as base 110 because this relationship better assures that end walls 38-40 provide immovable positioning support for cutter 112 during operation.

We claim:

1. A removable shaving head for use in an electric shaver having a recess for receiving said head, said recess being defined by a pair of fixed opposing end walls, and further having a drive arm, and means for oscillating said drive arm along a line extending between and normal to said pair of opposing end walls, said shaving head comprising:

a base having a first dimension and a second dimension, and an inner face and an outer face, said base being dimensioned to extend across substantially said entire recess, and having a first dimension such that said shaving head is snugly received between said end walls, and said outer face having a walled slot parallel with the direction of said first dimension;

an elongated outer cutter;

an elongated inner cutter adapted to be cooperatively received within said outer cutter;

means for biasing said inner cutter into shearing engagement with said outer cutter;

means in said base for snugly and releasably securing said outer cutter in said walled slot;

coupling means for coupling said inner cutter to said drive arm whereby said inner cutter is reciprocatively driven along the direction of said first dimension;

head retaining means comprising a pair of opposed resilient fingers mounted in said recess so as to exert opposing forces in a direction parallel to the direction of said second dimension, and a pair of recesses in said base member adapted to receive said resilient fingers in locking engagement.

2. A shaving head as defined in claim 1 wherein said outer cutter and said base have equal first dimensions,

and wherein the ends of said outer cutter are also snugly received between said end walls.

3. A shaving head as defined in claim 1 wherein said outer cutter has a rearwardly facing member received in said walled slot, said rearwardly facing member having a plurality of openings, and wherein said base has means comprising a plurality of opposing bosses at the bottom of said slot for operatively engaging said openings to secure said outer cutter to said base.

4. A shaving head as defined in claim 3 in which said base has an opening passing through the bottom of said slot, said opening being adapted to provide access to the face of said rearwardly facing member for pushing said outer cutter out of said slot.

5. A shaving head as defined in claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprise an elongatedgenerally downwardly arched spring, the ends of said spring being secured to said inner cutter at the rear thereof, and wherein said spring includes a downwardly-opening U-shaped bend adapted to operatively engage said I drive arm, and wherein engagement of said resilient fingers by said recesses urges said shaving head downwardly over said drive arm against the bias of said spring, thereby biasing said inner cutter against said outer cutter.

6. A shaving head as defined in claim 1 wherein said shaving head further includes a row of hair-raising brushes mounted in said base in rows extending along said first dimension, and at both sides of said outer cutter.

7. A shaving head as defined in claim 1 wherein said shaving head is bilaterally symmetrical with with respect to a mid-sectional plane extending in the direction of said first dimension, and is also bilaterally symmetrical with respect to a mid-sectional plane extending in the direction of said second dimension.

8. In combination in an electric shaver:

a housing including a recess at one end thereof for receiving a shaving head therein, said recess being defined, in part, along two opposing edges thereof by fixed end walls integral with said housing;

t means including a drive arm extending upwardly into said recess;

means for oscillating said drive arm in a first direction along a line between, and normal to, said pair of fixed end walls;

a shaving head comprising an outer cutter, and an inner cutter adapted to be cooperatively received within said outer cutter, and including means for coupling said inner cutter with said drive arm;

said shaving head also including an integral molded base having a first dimension and a second dimension, said first dimension being in said first direction, said second dimension being transverse thereto, said first dimension being such that said base is snugly received between said end walls, said base having a walled slot in the outer face thereof, said slot running in said first direction, and means in said base for releasably securing said outer cutter in said slot, said base also having a pair of recessed detent means in the underside thereof;

means comprising a pair of opposed resilient fingers mounted in said recess and adapted to be releasably received by said recessed detent means, and to exert opposing forces along a direction parallel to the direction of said second dimension to grip at least a portion of said head therebetween; and

head ejector means comprising a user-operated traveller movably mounted in said housing and adapted to enter said recess and push against the underside of said shaving head at an edge thereof extending in said first direction and to pivot said shaving head outwardly around axes parallel to the said first direction and thereby pivotally release said shaving head from said resilient detent means.

9. The combination of claim 8 in which said shaving head is bilaterally symmetrical with respect to a midsectional plane extending in said first direction, and is also bilaterally symmetrical with respect to a midsectional plane extending in the direction of said second dimension.

10. The combination of claim 8 wherein said outer cutter and said base have equal first dimensions, and wherein the ends of said outer cutter are also snugly received between said end walls.

11. The combination of claim 8 wherein said outer cutter has a rearwardly facing member, wherein said rearwardly facing member is received in said slot, wherein said rearwardly facing member has a plurality of openings, and wherein said base has a plurality of opposing bosses at the bottom of said slot for operatively engaging said openings to secure said outer cutter to said base.

12. The combination of claim 8 wherein said base has an opening passing through the bottom of said slot, said opening being adapted to provide access to the face of said rearwardly facing member for pushing said outer cutter out of said slot.

13. The combination of claim 8 wherein said means for coupling said inner cutter to said drive arm comprise an elongated generally downwardly arched spring, the ends of said spring being secured to said inner cutter at the rear thereof, and wherein said spring includes a downwardly-opening U-shaped bend adapted to operatively engage said drive arm, and wherein engagement of said resilient fingers by said recesses urges said shaving head downwardly over said drive arm against the bias of said spring, thereby biasing said inner cutter against said outer cutter.

14. The combination of claim 8 wherein said shaving head also includes a row of hair-raising brushes mounted in said base in rows extending along said first direction and at both sides of said outer cutter.

15. The combination of claim 8 wherein said shaving head has a plurality of rows of cutters having cutting portions arranged substantially in a first plane and wherein said shaver also includes a lamp assembly and light diffusion lens, said lens being positioned along a second plane which forms an acute angle with the skin of the user when said first plane is in contact with and parallel to said skin of the user.

16. An electric shaver comprising a housing, a popout shaving head and a head ejector; said housing including a recess at one end thereof for receiving said shaving head, said recess being defined along two opposing edges thereof by end walls integral with said housing; said shaving head comprising an integral molded base element having a first dimension along the line extending between and normal to said end walls, said first dimension being such that said head is snugly received between said opposing end walls, said base having a second dimension along a line transverse to said first dimension and across the face thereof; headsecuring means comprising flexible resilient opposing detent means mounted in said recess for grasping portions of said head therebetween with opposing forces being exerted in the direction parallel with said second dimension; said head ejector comprising means including a user-operated traveller movably mounted in said housing immediately adjacent said recess and adapted to enter into said recess and to engage a rearward portion of said shaving head adjacent an edge running along said first dimension for pivoting said shaving head around axes which are parallel to the direction of said first dimension and urging said shaving head out of engagement with said resilient detent means.

17. An electric shaver as defined in claim 16 wherein said head-securing means include means for biasing said shaving head inwardly into said recess, and wherein said recess is also defined by two additional opposing edges extending between said end walls, said additional opposing edges having a curved seating configuration for receiving mating seating surfaces on said shaving head.

18. A shaving head for use in an electric shaver having a recess for receiving said head, said electric shaver including a drive arm and means for oscillating said drive arm along a line extending in a first direction between and normal to a pair of opposing end walls, said shaving he'ad comprising:

an integral molded base having a walled slot in the outer face thereof, said slot extending in said first direction;

an elongated outer cutter, and an inner cutter adapted to be cooperatively received within and biased outwardly against said outer cutter;

means in said base securing said outer cutter in said slot;

said shaving head also including a hair-raising brush positioned along the edge of said outer cutter, said brush comprising a plurality of closely associated tufts bonded in said base, and a facing element mounted in said base and including a portion thereof spaced-apart from said base, said facing element including a portion thereof having the configuration of fingers extending between said tufts and toward the edge of said base, said fingers terminating at the free ends thereof immediately adjacent said base.

Claims

1. A removable shaving head for use in an electric shaver having a recess for receiving said head, said recess being defined by a pair of fixed opposing end walls, and further having a drive arm, and means for oscillating said drive arm along a line extending between and normal to said pair of opposing end walls, said shaving head comprising: a base having a first dimension and a second dimension, and an inner face and an outer face, said base being dimensioned to extend across substantially said entire recess, and having a first dimension such that said shaving head is snugly received between said end walls, and said outer face having a walled slot parallel with the direction of said first dimension; an elongated outer cutter; an elongated inner cutter adapted to be cooperatively received within said outer cutter; means for biasing said inner cutter into shearing engagement with said outer cutter; means in said base for snugly and releasably securing said outer cutter in said walled slot; coupling means for coupling said inner cutter to said drive arm whereby said inner cutter is reciprocatively driven along the direction of said first dimension; head retaining means comprising a pair of opposed resilient fingers mounted in said recess so as to exert opposing forces in a direction parallel to the direction of said second dimension, and a pair of recesses in said base member adapted to receive said resilient fingers in locking engagement.

2. A shaving head as defined in claim 1 wherein said outer cutter and said base have equal first dimensions, aNd wherein the ends of said outer cutter are also snugly received between said end walls.

5. A shaving head as defined in claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprise an elongated generally downwardly arched spring, the ends of said spring being secured to said inner cutter at the rear thereof, and wherein said spring includes a downwardly-opening ''''U''''-shaped bend adapted to operatively engage said drive arm, and wherein engagement of said resilient fingers by said recesses urges said shaving head downwardly over said drive arm against the bias of said spring, thereby biasing said inner cutter against said outer cutter.

8. In combination in an electric shaver: a housing including a recess at one end thereof for receiving a shaving head therein, said recess being defined, in part, along two opposing edges thereof by fixed end walls integral with said housing; means including a drive arm extending upwardly into said recess; means for oscillating said drive arm in a first direction along a line between, and normal to, said pair of fixed end walls; a shaving head comprising an outer cutter, and an inner cutter adapted to be cooperatively received within said outer cutter, and including means for coupling said inner cutter with said drive arm; said shaving head also including an integral molded base having a first dimension and a second dimension, said first dimension being in said first direction, said second dimension being transverse thereto, said first dimension being such that said base is snugly received between said end walls, said base having a walled slot in the outer face thereof, said slot running in said first direction, and means in said base for releasably securing said outer cutter in said slot, said base also having a pair of recessed detent means in the underside thereof; means comprising a pair of opposed resilient fingers mounted in said recess and adapted to be releasably received by said recessed detent means, and to exert opposing forces along a direction parallel to the direction of said second dimension to grip at least a portion of said head therebetween; and head ejector means comprising a user-operated traveller movably mounted in said housing and adapted to enter said recess and push against the underside of said shaving head at an edge thereof extending in said first direction and to pivot said shaving head outwardly around axes parallel to the said first direction and thereby pivotally release said shaving head from said resilient detent means.

9. The combination of claim 8 in which said shaving head is bilaterally symmetrical with respect to a mid-sectional plane extending in said first direction, and is also bilaterally symmetrical with respect to a mid-sectional plane extending in the direction of said second dimension.

13. The combination of claim 8 wherein said means for coupling said inner cutter to said drive arm comprise an elongated generally downwardly arched spring, the ends of said spring being secured to said inner cutter at the rear thereof, and wherein said spring includes a downwardly-opening ''''U''''-shaped bend adapted to operatively engage said drive arm, and wherein engagement of said resilient fingers by said recesses urges said shaving head downwardly over said drive arm against the bias of said spring, thereby biasing said inner cutter against said outer cutter.

16. An electric shaver comprising a housing, a pop-out shaving head and a head ejector; said housing including a recess at one end thereof for receiving said shaving head, said recess being defined along two opposing edges thereof by end walls integral with said housing; said shaving head comprising an integral molded base element having a first dimension along the line extending between and normal to said end walls, said first dimension being such that said head is snugly received between said opposing end walls, said base having a second dimension along a line transverse to said first dimension and across the face thereof; head-securing means comprising flexible resilient opposing detent means mounted in said recess for grasping portions of said head therebetween with opposing forces being exerted in the direction parallel with said second dimension; said head ejector comprising means including a user-operated traveller movably mounted in said housing immediately adjacent said recess and adapted to enter into said recess and to engage a rearward portion of said shaving head adjacent an edge running along said first dimension for pivoting said shaving head around axes which are parallel to the direction of said first dimension and urging said shaving head out of engagement with said resilient detent means.

18. A shaving head for use in an electric shaver having a recess for receiving said head, said electric shaver including a drive arm and means for oscillating said drive arm along a line extending in a first direction between and normal to a pair of opposing end walls, said shaving head comprising: an integral Molded base having a walled slot in the outer face thereof, said slot extending in said first direction; an elongated outer cutter, and an inner cutter adapted to be cooperatively received within and biased outwardly against said outer cutter; means in said base securing said outer cutter in said slot; said shaving head also including a hair-raising brush positioned along the edge of said outer cutter, said brush comprising a plurality of closely associated tufts bonded in said base, and a facing element mounted in said base and including a portion thereof spaced-apart from said base, said facing element including a portion thereof having the configuration of fingers extending between said tufts and toward the edge of said base, said fingers terminating at the free ends thereof immediately adjacent said base.