Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
  • B26B—HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B26B19/00—Clippers or shavers operating with a plurality of cutting edges, e.g. hair clippers, dry shavers
  • B26B19/14—Clippers or shavers operating with a plurality of cutting edges, e.g. hair clippers, dry shavers of the rotary-cutter type; Cutting heads therefor; Cutters therefor
  • B26B19/143—Details of outer cutters
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
  • B26B—HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B26B19/00—Clippers or shavers operating with a plurality of cutting edges, e.g. hair clippers, dry shavers
  • B26B19/02—Clippers or shavers operating with a plurality of cutting edges, e.g. hair clippers, dry shavers of the reciprocating-cutter type
  • B26B19/04—Cutting heads therefor; Cutters therefor; Securing equipment thereof
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
  • B26B—HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B26B19/00—Clippers or shavers operating with a plurality of cutting edges, e.g. hair clippers, dry shavers
  • B26B19/14—Clippers or shavers operating with a plurality of cutting edges, e.g. hair clippers, dry shavers of the rotary-cutter type; Cutting heads therefor; Cutters therefor
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
  • B26B—HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B26B19/00—Clippers or shavers operating with a plurality of cutting edges, e.g. hair clippers, dry shavers
  • B26B19/14—Clippers or shavers operating with a plurality of cutting edges, e.g. hair clippers, dry shavers of the rotary-cutter type; Cutting heads therefor; Cutters therefor
  • B26B19/141—Details of inner cutters having their axes of rotation perpendicular to the cutting surface
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
  • B26B—HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B26B19/00—Clippers or shavers operating with a plurality of cutting edges, e.g. hair clippers, dry shavers
  • B26B19/38—Details of, or accessories for, hair clippers, or dry shavers, e.g. housings, casings, grips, guards
  • B26B19/384—Dry-shaver foils; Manufacture thereof
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
  • B26B—HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B26B19/00—Clippers or shavers operating with a plurality of cutting edges, e.g. hair clippers, dry shavers
  • B26B19/38—Details of, or accessories for, hair clippers, or dry shavers, e.g. housings, casings, grips, guards
  • B26B19/40—Lubricating

Definitions

• the invention relates to a shaving apparatus having a skin contact surface accommodating at least one cutting unit comprising an external cutting member and a matching internal cutting member, and a device for providing a shaving aid to said skin contact surface.
• Such a shaving apparatus is known ,for example, from WO 98/08660.
• This known shaving apparatus (or shaver) has three cutting units or shaving heads, which are provided in the skin contact surface.
• Each shaving head comprises an annular region provided with hair-trapping apertures, and an internal cutting member rotating during operation and having a number of knives for cutting hair protruding through the hair-trapping apertures.
• the skin contact surface in use contacts and supports the skin of the user during shaving and therefore also is called a skin support surface or skin support region.
• the skin contact surface surrounds the annular regions of the shaving heads and further comprises the region(s) enclosed by the annular region(s) of the shaving head(s).
• a shaving apparatus of the above type typically comprises a holder for an additive or shaving aid like a shaving liquid, as well as means for supplying a certain amount of additive to the skin contact surface during shaving.
• a push button will be provided which may be operated by the user of the shaver whenever he desires to obtain or increase a gliding effect provided by the additive.
• a problem of the known shavers is that the shaving aid supplied to the skin contact surface has a tendency to flow into the shaving head(s) because of suction forces caused by the rotating internal cutting member(s).
• a holder for shaving aid cannot be very large.
• the shaving aid supplied to the skin contact surface of a shaver is rapidly drained away through the hair trapping apertures of the shaving head(s).
• it only takes a short time before the shaving aid is drawn away from the skin contact surface through the hair trapping apertures a certain risk exists that the shaving head will run dry and a user with a sensitive skin will damage his skin. Obviously this is undesirable.
• a shaving apparatus providing an improved effectiveness of the shaving liquid and/or other additive supplied to the skin contact surface of the shaving apparatus.
• a shaving apparatus of the type indicated above is characterized by shaving aid retaining means provided on at least part of the skin contact surface.
• Fig. 1 shows an example of a prior art shaving apparatus having three shaving heads
• Fig. 2 diagrammatically shows, partly in cross-section a shaving apparatus similar to the apparatus of Fig. 1 and in particular shows means for supplying additive to the skin contact surface;
• Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of an example of a shaving head holder for a shaving apparatus of the present invention
• Fig. 4 diagrammatically shows, partly in cross-section, an embodiment of a shaving head of a shaving apparatus in accordance with the invention
• Fig. 5 diagrammatically shows a detail of Fig. 3 in cross-section
• Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view partly in cross-section, taken on the line VI -VI in Fig. 3 of a ring-shaped element surrounding a shaving head in accordance with the invention
• Fig. 7 diagrammatically shows another type of shaving apparatus in which the invention may be embodied.
• Fig. 8 diagrammatically shows a detail of an embodiment of a shaving apparatus of the vibrating type.
• Fig. 1 shows a prior art shaving apparatus to which the invention may be applied, and
• Fig. 2 shows a similar shaving apparatus.
• the shown apparatus 10 has a housing 1 and a shaving head holder 2, which holder can be detached from the housing and/or is hinged to the housing.
• Three shaving heads or cutting units 3 are present in the shaving head holder, each comprising a stationary external cutting member 4 provided with hair trapping apertures 5 and an internal cutting member 6 with cutters 7 which can be driven into rotation with respect to the external cutting member.
• An on/off switch 8 is also provided.
• the internal cutting member 6 is driven by a motor 11 , through suitable transmission means 12,13.
• the shaving head holder 2 has a skin contact surface 9 comprising a first skin contact region 15 surrounding the shaving head(s) 3 and a second skin contact region 16 enclosed by the stationary annular cutting member of each shaving head.
• the shaver 10 has a space 17 for accommodating a holder 40 for shaving aid.
• the space 17 in this example further accommodates a pump 20 for pumping shaving aid from the holder to an outlet opening 18 in or near the skin contact surface of the shaver.
• a switch in this case a push-button switch 19, has been provided for operating the pump 20.
• Fig. 3 is a plan view of an example of a shaving head holder 2 for a shaver in accordance with the present invention.
• the shaving head holder is similar to the shaving head holder shown in Fig. 1 and has three cutting units 3.
• Fig. 3 is a plan view of an example of a shaving head holder 2 for a shaver in accordance with the present invention.
• the shaving head holder is similar to the shaving head holder shown in Fig. 1 and has three cutting units 3.
• Fig. 3 is a plan view of an example of a shaving head holder 2 for a shaver in accordance with the present invention.
• the holder has a hard shell 40 provided with hinge elements 41 for mounting the shaving head holder on the housing of a shaver.
• the shaving head holder accommodates a skin support member 42, which in turn accommodates the three cutting units 3.
• the skin support member has three sections 42a, 42b and 42c which are connected to each other by pivot lines 43, 44, 45 allowing a pivoting movement of the cutting units with respect to each other. Thereby the shaving heads may adapt to the local shape of the face of the user.
• Each section 42a, 42b, 42c has a kind of socket like an eye socket, accommodating a having head.
• Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of an example of a shaving head or cutting unit 3, partly in cross-section, in accordance with the present invention.
• the shaving head as shown is generally similar to the shaving heads of the prior art shavers.
• Various parts of the shaving head of Fig. 4 have been given reference numbers corresponding to the reference numbers used in the other Figs, for similar parts.
• the shaving head of Fig. 4 differs from shaving heads of prior art shavers in that shaving aid retaining means have been provided in the skin contact region 16 within the annular cutting member 4.
• the shaving aid retaining means in this example comprise a number of concentric ridges 30, 31, 32.
• the concentric ridges are part of a profiled decorative cap 33 which is placed on a flat portion 34 of the shaving head within the annular cutting member 4. If so desired the portion 34 itself may be provided with a profiled surface.
• the decorative cap 33 is shown in cross-section on a somewhat larger scale in Fig. 5.
• the profiled decorative cap in this embodiment has a generally slightly domed shape and has three circular ,concentric, gently sloping ridges 30, 31, 32.
• any shaving aid present on the decorative cap i.e. between the decorative cap and the skin of the user, will to a certain extent be retained in the grooves 34, 35, 36 between the ridges and will be prevented from flowing straight to the hair trapping apertures 5.
• the grooves 34, 35, 36 function as temporary storage zones for shaving aid. The time it takes on average for a certain quantity of shaving aid on the decorative cap to completely flow away through the hair trapping apertures will be notably longer if a profiled decoration cap is used instead of a prior art flat cover.
• the shaving aid retaining means described above and shown in Figs. 4 and 5 do comprise a number of circular concentric ridges, it will be understood that any type of profile which prevents additive from flowing straight and unimpeded to the hair trapping apertures may be used.
• a star-shaped flower-shaped, or spiral-shaped pattern of ridges, or a pattern of dimples as on a golf ball or similar surface patterns may be used.
• the decoration cap may have a low friction surface.
• Shaving aid will also be present in the skin contact region 15 on the skin support member 42 surrounding the shaving head(s) during operation of the shaving apparatus. Such shaving aid will also be sucked into the hair trapping apertures.
• shaving aid retaining means may be provided around the shaving head(s).
• At least one groove surrounds each annular cutting member.
• An example of such a groove is shown at 48 in Fig. 4. Such a groove will prevent shaving aid present in the skin contact region 15 surrounding the shaving head(s) of a shaver from being sucked straight into the shaving head.
• a separate ring-shaped element 46 is provided around each socket for a shaving head.
• a ring-shaped element will be mounted in the skin support member around each annular cutting member and will form a low ridge preventing shaving aid from flowing straight from the skin contact region 15 into the hair trapping apertures of a shaving head.
• Such ring-shaped elements 46 may be made from a suitable synthetic material or metal. The ring may be (partly) embedded into the material of the skin support member.
• the top of the ring may be somewhat higher than the surrounding surface of the skin support member region, or the top of the ring may substantially be flush with the skin contact region, if a small groove is formed at the connecting faces of the shaving head holder and the ring.
• a groove may result from a somewhat lower shoulder of the shaving head holder and or the ring, or from differences in shape of mutually facing connecting surfaces of the shaving head holder and the ring near the skin contact surface.
• FIG. 6 is a perspective view, partly in cross section taken on the line VI-VI in Fig. 3.
• Fig. 6 shows part of a section of a skin support member 42 and a corresponding part of a separate ring-shaped element 46 mounted in said skin support member.
• a groove 48 is provided at least partly along the junction of the ring- shaped element 46 and the skin support member 42 retaining shaving aid present on the skin support member and for preventing such additive from being sucked straight into the hair trapping apertures of the shaving head.
• the ring-shaped element may be circular, but in the embodiment shown a small triangular section is part of the ring-shaped element. Said triangular section is located at the center of the shaving head holder near the Y-shaped junction of the three pivot lines 43, 44, 45,
• the groove 48 may either extend along the outer contour of the triangular section or may follow the contour of the annular cutting element, or both.
• the ring-shaped element 46 or at least the top of said ring-shaped element has a low friction surface, as may be obtained, for example, by high-gloss polishing in order to enhance the gliding performance during shaving.
• a shaving aid additive as referred to in this description may be a liquid or any other type of material suitable for the intended purpose such as, for example, a gel, a foam, a cream, a water-soluble hard material etc...
• FIG. 7 diagrammatically shows an electric shaver 50 having a housing 51, a skin contact surface 52, and two cutting units 53 having outer cutting members 55 in the form of shaving foils and inner cutting members 56 cooperating with said foils.
• the skin contact surface 52 may be provided with one or more ridges and/or grooves along the tunnel-shaped shaving foils 53.
• Such ridges and/or grooves may be similar to the ridges and/or grooves disclosed above for the skin support member surrounding the annular cutting members.
• the ridges and/or grooves may just extend along the long side of the foil(s).
• a suitable pattern of dimples golf ball pattern
• foils covering a cutting unit as well as at least part of the intermediate area 54 between two adjacent cutting units.
• Such foils would leave a slit or strip-shaped area 61 between their adjacent edges, as is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 8. It would even be possible to use a single foil suitably-shaped to match at least two elongate cutting member sections for covering at least two adjacent internal cutting members as well as the intermediate area 54 between said cutting members.
• the foil(s) need not be perforated in said intermediate area and may be provided with longitudinal ridges and/or grooves or dimples or the like having a shaving aid retaining effect.
• the strip-shaped area(s) 61 with shaving aid retaining means, possibly in combination with shaving aid retaining means on the foil(s) in the flat area(s) adjacent the cutting units.
• shaving aid retaining means in the strip-shaped area(s) may be provided on strip-shaped elements, which may be replaceable or not, covering at least the strip-shaped area(s), as is shown at 62 in Fig. 8.
• a frame 57 for example made of synthetic resin as shown in Fig. 7, above the foils 53.
• Said frame has a recess 58 for each cutting member, which recess has a shape narrowly fitted around the cutting member(s). In the example shown in Fig.
• the frame is designed for two cutting members and has two outer sections 60 extending along the outer edges of the cutting members and one central section 59 extending between the cutting members.
• the sections 59 and 60 have shaving aid retaining means as disclosed above. It is obviously possible to use a separate frame for each separate cutting member.
• the frame or frames may have a low-friction surface.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Forests & Forestry (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Dry Shavers And Clippers (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=33495635

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (6)

Families Citing this family (15)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (8)

• 2004
  • 2004-05-28 EP EP04735308A patent/EP1635997B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-05-28 JP JP2006516626A patent/JP4954703B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-05-28 CN CNB2004800159046A patent/CN100358690C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-05-28 AT AT04735308T patent/ATE387293T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2004-05-28 KR KR1020057023510A patent/KR20060016110A/ko not_active Ceased
  • 2004-05-28 US US10/559,360 patent/US20060150420A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2004-05-28 DE DE602004012101T patent/DE602004012101T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-05-28 WO PCT/IB2004/050806 patent/WO2004108368A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (4)

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