WO2005063076A1

WO2005063076A1 - Hair removal system

Info

Publication number: WO2005063076A1
Application number: PCT/IB2004/003152
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yehuda Poran
Original assignee: Epilady 2000 Llc
Priority date: 2003-12-21
Filing date: 2004-06-24
Publication date: 2005-07-14
Also published as: EP1703821A1; US20050125008A1; US7597696B2; IL159483A0; EP1703821B1; US20090182349A1; US8366724B2

Abstract

A depilator assembly (10) for trapping hair for removal, wherein said assembly includes an symmetric disk (30) formed of two lobes (31, 31’) two pincers (20, 20’). At least two pressure-transferring protrusions (34) and at least one rotation-transferring protrusion (35) are formed and positioned on a first face of said disc (30). Further at least two pressure-transferring protrusions (34) and at least two spacer elements (33) are formed and positioned on a second face of said disc (30). The spacer elements (33) being operative to prevent the accumulation of debris between adjacent said disks (30) and to allow for periodic tilting of said disks (30) when pressure is provided to said depilator assembly (10). The second face of the disc (30) further has formed therein at least one recess (32) configured to accommodate said at least one rotation-transferring protrusion (35) of a similar disk (30) of an adjacent depilator assembly (10) in force transferring engagement, such that, in response to a rotational force applied to said assembly (10), said at least one rotation-transferring protrusion (35) is operative to transfer rotation to said adjacent assembly (10).

Description

HAIR REMOVAL SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a hair removal system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Depilating devices use one of two methods for removing hair. In one method, the hair is cut, leaving the roots intact beneath the skin surface. In the other method, hair is removed by pulling it out from its roots. There are several mechanisms for removing hair according to the latter method. Disk mechanisms are often used. In general, these mechanisms include discs and associated pincer-like elements. When two pincer-like elements are brought close together, hair is trapped between them. The discs, which rotate and produce a torque, then uproot the hair trapped between their associated pincers. The pincer-like elements and their associated discs move in unison and all pincer-like elements within a fixed distance move close to their adjacent pincer-like elements synchronously. The forces required in such mechanisms are multiples of the number of pincers. In some of these depilatory devices, the disc mechanisms have cylindrical shapes. Other depilating devices which use disc mechanisms employ a large spring with bearings connected to its ends. In such devices, the spring presses on the bearings producing a constant force which acts identically over all the disks and their associated pincer-like elements. The magnitude of the force is the same throughout the entire mechanism. The forces required in such mechanisms are relatively small and the energy required is not great. Several of the proposed disk hair removal systems involve the use of tilted discs which come together at a point to grasp one or more strands of hair. Other disc mechanisms involve the use of cams to alternately bring the discs together and apart, thereby trapping strands of hair. Various disc mechanisms are discussed in US Pat. Nos. 4,935,024 to Dolev, 5,057,115 to Dolev, 5,190,559 to Gabion, et al, 5,797,925 to Heintke, 5,857,903 to Ramspeck, et al, 5,312,419 to Garenfeld, et al, 5,196,021 to Kabla, 5,281 ,233 to Dolev, and 5,462,557 to Jordan, et al. A depilatory device using a disk mechanism is subject to several constraints. The pincer-like elements associated with each disk must close quickly. The pressure exerted by each contacting pair of pincers must be neither too great nor too little. In the former case, the hair would be cut, while in the latter case, the hair would slide through without being pulled out at its roots. Typically, all the pincers associated with a row of disks must contact their adjacent pincers simultaneously. Lastly, the contacting mechanism must be simple, operate reliably over time, and be easy to maintain. Presently, there is a need for a depilatory device that is easy and inexpensive to assemble and to maintain and which can uproot a greater number of hairs over a larger area than is possible using prior art devices. In addition, there is also an ongoing need for a depilating device that reduces discomfort associated with hair removal.

TERMINOLOGY

The terms "contacting" , "contact" and the like are used interchangeably with the terms "brought close to", "close", "closing" or other similar such expressions when discussing the operation of the pinching surfaces of the pincers described herein. It should be understood that the pinching surfaces must be close enough to trap hairs without cutting them before the hairs are uprooted. No attempt at distinguishing between the different sets of terms is intended and they are used synonymously herein. As used herein below, the terms "interlock" and "engage" and words derived therefrom will be used interchangeably in relation to the rotation-transferring protrusion of a disk and its receiving recess on another adjacent disk. No attempt at distinguishing between the different sets of terms will be made. SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a depilator assembly that when aggregated into a series of such assemblies in a shaving head provides a larger contact area for shaving. It is an object of the present invention to provide a depilator assembly using a disk mechanism wherein the pincers of the assembly are more accurately brought into contact with each other. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a depilator assembly that when aggregated into a series of such assemblies in a shaving head produces less noise than other shaving heads. A further object of the present invention is to provide a depilator assembly that when aggregated into a series of such assemblies in a shaving head is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a depilator assembly for trapping hair to be removed. The assembly includes an asymmetric disk formed of two lobes and having a first and second face. The disk includes a first and second sloping region between the lobes with the first sloping region positioned on the first face and the second sloping region positioned on the second face. The disk also includes two or more pressure-transferring protrusions formed and positioned on the first face, one or more rotation-transferring protrusions formed on the first face, this latter protrusion displaced at a predetermined angle and distance from the at least two pressure-transferring protrusions on the first face, and two or more pressure-transferring protrusions formed and positioned on the second face. On the second face there are two or more spacer elements, the spacer elements preventing the accumulation of debris between adjacent disks and allowing for periodic tilting of the disks when pressure is provided to the depilator assembly. The second face also includes one or more recesses configured to accommodate the one or more rotation- transferring protrusions of a similar disk. This arrangement allows for a force transferring engagement, such that, in response to a rotational force applied to the assembly, the one or more rotation-transferring protrusions transfers rotation to an adjacent assembly. The depilator assembly also includes first and second pincers. Each of the pincers has a plurality of arms, with each arm having a pinching surface at its extremity. The first pincer is positioned along the sloping region on the first face while the second pincer is positioned along the sloping region on the second face. The pincers tilt synchronously in their respective sloping regions when pressure- transferring protrusions from similar disks in adjacent depilator assemblies press on an arm of each of the pincers. This causes the arms to contact each other, that is draw close to each other, so that hair is trapped between their pinching surfaces. In another embodiment of the assembly of the present invention, the one or more rotation-transferring protrusion are two rotation-transferring protrusions. In yet another embodiment of the assembly of the present invention the pincers are linear having two arms. In some of these embodiments, the two pressure- transferring protrusions on each of the faces of the disk are positioned 180^Q apart. In other embodiments, when the pincers are linear, each of the sloping regions slope from the center of the disk in two directions, 180° apart from each other. In a further embodiment of the assembly of the present invention, the pressure- transferring protrusions are positioned proximate to the periphery of the asymmetric disk. In still another embodiment of the assembly, the disk may be made from a material chosen from a group consisting of plastic, metal and rubber, and the pincers may be made of metal. In some embodiments of the assembly of the present invention, pressure is provided by a spring. In yet other embodiments, pressure may be provided by an arcuate shaft. In a further embodiment of the assembly of the present invention, tilting of the pincers is effected along an axis located within the disc, running through its center and perpendicular to the long axis of the first and second pincers. In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for removing hair. The device includes a housing and a shaving head. The shaving head is fixedly positioned in the housing, and at least part of the shaving head is arranged to engage an area of the human body requiring depilation. The shaving head includes a plurality of generally disk-like depilator assemblies mounted on a shaft. Each of the assemblies includes an asymmetric disk formed of two lobes, and the disk has a first and second face. The disk includes a first and second sloping region between the lobes. The first sloping region is positioned on the first face of the disk and the second sloping region is positioned on the second face of the disk. The disk also includes two or more pressure-transferring protrusions formed and positioned on the first face and one or more rotation-transferring protrusions formed on the first face. The one or more rotation-transferring protrusions are displaced at a predetermined angle and distance from the two or more pressure-transferring protrusions. The second face of the disk includes two or more pressure-transferring protrusions and two or more spacer elements. The spacer elements prevent the accumulation of debris between adjacent disks of the plurality of depilator assemblies. They also allow for periodic tilting of adjacent disks when a pressure- inducing element provides pressure to the plurality of assemblies. The second face also includes one or more recesses configured to accommodate the one or more rotation-transferring protrusions of a similar disk in an adjacent depilator assembly. This arrangement allows for a force transferring engagement, such that, in response to a rotational force applied to the assembly, the one or more rotation-transferring protrusions transfers rotation among the plurality of assemblies. Each disk assembly also includes first and second pincers. Each pincer has a plurality of arms, each arm having pinching surfaces positioned at its extremity. The first pincer is positioned along the sloping region on the first face of the disk, and the second pincer being positioned along the sloping region on the second face of the disk. The pincers tilt synchronously in their respective sloping regions, when pressure-transferring protrusions from similar disks in adjacent assemblies periodically press on an arm of each of the pincers. The pressure causes the arms to contact each other, that is to draw close to each other at their pinching surfaces, so that hair may be trapped between the surfaces. The device also includes a motor and gear drive in mechanical communication with the shaft. The motor and gear drive provide a torque to the plurality of assemblies with which to uproot hairs trapped between the pinching surfaces when the latter are brought into close proximity with each other. In an embodiment of the device of the present invention, the one or more rotation-transferring protrusions are two rotation-transferring protrusions. In yet another embodiment of the device of the present invention, the pincers are linear having two arms. In some of these embodiments, the two pressure- transferring protrusions on each of the faces of the disk are positioned 180^δ apart. In a further embodiment of the device of the present invention, the pressure- transferring protrusions are positioned proximate to the periphery of the disk. In another embodiment of the device of the present invention, the disk may be made from a material chosen from a group consisting of plastic, metal and rubber. The pincers may be made of metal. In yet another embodiment of the device of the present invention, each of the sloping regions slope from the center of the disk in two directions, 180° apart from each other. In some embodiments of the device of the present invention, the pressure- inducing element may be a spring, while in others, it may be an arcuate shaft. In still another embodiment of the device of the present invention, tilting of the pincers is effected along an axis located within the disc, running through its center and perpendicular to the long axis of the pincers. In yet other embodiments of the device, adjacent assemblies of the plurality of assemblies have their pincers offset from each other by a predetermined number of degrees. Generally, the offset is determined by the positioning and spacing of the one or more rotation-transferring protrusions in relation to the pincer axis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a depilator assembly constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figs. 2A and 2B are top and bottom views respectively of the depilator assembly constructed according to the embodiment in Fig. 1 ; Figs. 3A and 3B are side-top and side-bottom views respectively, showing the depilator assembly constructed according to the embodiment in Fig. 1 ; Fig. 4A is a lateral view of a stack of three interlocking depilator assemblies, the assemblies constructed according to the embodiment in Fig. 1 ; Figs. 4B and 4C are exploded views of the depilator stack shown in Fig. 4A; Figs. 5 is a lateral view of the pincers and disk during operation, the pincers and disk constructed according to the embodiment in Fig. 1 ; Fig. 6A is an isometric view of a shaving head including a plurality of depilator assemblies constructed according to the embodiment in Fig. 1 ; Fig. 6B is an exploded view of the shaver head shown in Fig. 6A; Fig. 7 is a cut-away view of a shaver constructed using the shaver head illustrated in Figs. 6A-6B; Fig. 8 is a view of a stack of depilator assemblies constructed according to the embodiment in Fig. 1 showing the angular positioning of pressure-transferring protrusions in the stack; Fig. 9A is a view of the operation of a stack of disk assemblies constructed according to the present invention; and Fig. 9B are views of the operation of a depilator constructed according to prior art. Similar elements in the Figures are numbered with similar reference numerals.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by the drawings and description hereinabove presented. Rather, the invention is defined solely by the claims that follow.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference is now made to Fig. 1 which shows an exploded view of a depilator assembly, the assembly generally referenced 10, constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention. Depilator assembly 10 in Fig. 1 includes a disk 30 and two pincers 20 and 20'.

Each pincer 20 and 20' is constructed linearly and has two arms 22 and 22' joined to a central section 24. In Fig. 1 , central section 24 has a generally circular shape but in other embodiments, other shapes are also possible. Extending from central section 24 are two rotatable extensions 26. One pincer 20 is positioned on a first side of disk 30 while the other pincer 20' is positioned on a second side of disk 30. At the end of each arm 22 and 22' is a pinching surface 132. When adjacent pinching surfaces 132 contact each other, best seen in Figs. 4A and 5 below, they can trap hair which is then torn out from their roots while disk 30 rotates. At the end of each arm 22 and 22' is a trapping element 28 which assists in directing hair toward pinching surfaces 132. Disk 30 may be constructed of metal, plastic, or rubber. Pincers 20 and 20' may be constructed of metal. Disk 30 is integrally formed of two lobes 31 and 31'. Two sets of protrusions 35 and 34 are positioned on the side of disk 30 shown in Fig. 1. Protrusions 34 and 35 are typically integrally formed with disk 30. As will be better seen when viewing and discussing Figs. 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B below, protrusions 35, hereafter called "rotation- transferring protrusions", interlock with disk 30 of an adjacent depilator assembly 10. Protrusions 34, hereinafter called "pressure-transferring protrusions", periodically contact and press on the arms 22 and 22' of a pincer 20 belonging to an adjacent depilator assembly. As a result, pincer 20 tilts toward a second pincer 20' also associated with the adjacent depilator assembly. This tilting is best illustrated below in Figs 3B, 4A and 5. As can be noted in Fig. 1 , each of the pressure-transferring protrusions 34 extends beyond the plane of disk 30. Central section 24 of pincers 20 and 20' is shaped and sized to be disposed over a projecting hub 38 of disk 30. There are sized and shaped recesses 37 near hub 38 into which rotatable extensions 26 of pincers 20 and 20' fit, thereby holding the pincers in place. When placed in recesses 37, rotatable extensions 26 can rotate and allow pincers 20 and 20' to tilt. As will be discussed more fully below, rotatable extensions 26 are positioned colinearly with the axis around which pincers 20 and 20' tilt. Projecting hub 38 is sized and shaped to be mounted on a shaft 48 (seen in and discussed in conjunction with Figs 6A and 6B below). The shaft 48 is positioned so that it passes through the plane of disk 30 substantially perpendicularly. Extending away from projecting hub 38 are slopes 36 in the region between lobes 31 and 31'. The slopes 36 are present on both sides of disk 30 and they extend in the same general direction. The slopes on both sides of disk 30 extend away from hub 38 in two directions. They descend from the hub in both directions forming linear ramp-like structures. The ramp-like structures receive pincer 20 or 20' when they tilt. The construction of the slopes is best seen in Fig. 5 which will be discussed below. Reference is now made to Figs. 2A and 2B in which top and bottom views respectively of depilator assembly 10 are shown. It is readily noted that the top (Fig. 2A) and bottom (Fig. 2B) surfaces of disk 30 of depilator assembly 10 are not identical. The top surface (Fig 2A) includes two pressure-transferring protrusions 34 and two rotation- transferring protrusions 35. On the bottom surface shown in Fig 2B, there are two pressure-transferring protrusions 34, two spacing elements 33 and two recesses 32. Recesses 32 receive and engage with the two rotation-transferring protrusions 35 of an adjacent disk belonging to a second depilator assembly. As will be described below, this interlocking structure assists in transferring rotational motion between adjacent depilator assemblies 10 in the plurality of depilator assemblies positioned in a shaving head. The axis of rotation of the depilator assembly 10 is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figs. 2A and 2B and proceeds through a hole 38A in projecting hub 38. Figs. 3A and 3B to which reference is now made are two isometric, side-top and side-bottom views respectively, of depilator assembly 10 constructed as described above in conjunction with Figs. 2A and 2B. Figs. 3A and 3B correspond to side views of the views shown in Figs. 2A and 2B respectively. The elements in Figs. 3A and 3B, as well as their operation, have been discussed in conjunction with Figs 1A-2B above; accordingly, their description will not be repeated. It should be noted that while lobes 31 and 31' of disk 30 are generally identical, they are not symmetrical when reflected along a plane running through hub 38 and recesses 37. They are also not symmetrical when reflected along a plane running through hub 38 and slopes 36. This is a result, inter alia, of the positioning and number of protrusions 34 and 35, elements 33, recesses 32 and the truncated edges 39 of lobes 31 and 31', the need for the latter being obvious when viewing Fig. 2B discussed above. Reference is now made to Fig. 4A which shows a stack of three interlocking depilator assemblies 10A, 10B and 10C, each assembly including a disk 30, 30' and 30" and two pincers 20 and 20'. Reference is also being made to Figs. 4B and 4C which represent exploded views of Fig. 4A as viewed from the two sides of disks 30, 30' and 30". The disk and pincers are constructed as shown and described in conjunction with Fig. 1. Fig. 4A shows how the pinching operation is effected and how a hair may be trapped between contacting pinching surfaces 132 when two pincers 20 and 20' on a single assembly 10A are made to tilt toward each other. As pressure-transferring protrusions 34 contact proximate pincer arms 22 and 22', they cause the arms to move toward each other. This can be understood by viewing Figs. 4B and 4C. Pincer arms 22 and 22' of pincers 20 and 20' contact each other at flattened pinching surfaces 132 (Fig. 4A), where hair is trapped. The trapped hair is then torn from its roots and removed by a torque operating on rotating depilator assembly 10A. The torque is generated by a motor as discussed below. It should be noted that pincers 20 and 20' which contact each other, both belong to a single depilator assembly 10A (Fig. 4A), while pressure-transferring protrusions 34 belong to disks 30' and 30" of adjacent depilator assemblies 10B and 10C respectively. A pressure-transferring protrusion 34 on side A of disk 30' presses on one pincer arm 22 of pincer 20' while a pressure-transferring protrusion 34 on side B of disc 30" presses on a pincer arm 22 of pincer 20. Pincer arms 22 and 22' are visible in Figs. 4B and 4C but are not visible in Fig. 4A. Figs. 4A and 4B show that side B of disc 30' of depilator assembly 10B contains rotation-transferring protrusions 35. Two recesses 32 are located on assembly 10B's second surface, side A, visible only in Fig. 4C. These recesses engage with rotation- transferring protrusions 35 on side B of adjacent depilator assembly 10A. On the second surface, side A, of disk 30 of depilator assembly 10A are two recesses 32, visible only in Fig. 4C, which interlock with rotation-transferring protrusions 35 in Fig. 4B on side B of disk 30" of depilator assembly 10C. On the second side, side A, of disk 30" of depilator assembly 10C are two recesses 32 (Fig. 4C) which interlock with yet another depilator assembly (not shown). The interlocking of adjacent depilator assemblies 10A-10C allows for the smooth transfer of rotational motion provided by a motor and gear drive along a series of interlocked depilator assemblies positioned in a shaver head. This transfer will be further discussed below in conjunction with Figs. 6A and 6B. Rotation-transferring protrusions 35 are positioned and spaced on discs 30, 30' and 30" in a manner which ensures that the pincers of adjacent stacked depilator assemblies 10A, 10B and 10C are properly offset one from another. In Figs. 4A, 4B and 4C the pincers of the stack are spaced apart at an angle of 60°. Generally, this allows for more pincers than in prior art. Accordingly, the rate of depilation is faster. In Fig. 4C, two spacing elements 33 are shown. These are positioned on side A of discs 30, 30' and 30". They function as spacers between adjacent disks 30 and aid in preventing maintenance problems resulting from deposits of hair, dirt, oil etc. which may accumulate during use. Moreover, they function as pivots around which disks 30 may tilt as a result of pressure exerted by spring 45. Spring 45 is best seen in Figs. 6A and 6B. Because spring 45 is positioned so as to exert more pressure on the top of the disks than on their bottom, disks 30 periodically tilt around element 33 as they rotate. The position of spacing elements 33 is such that the periodic tilt of disks 30 is synchronized with pressure-transferring protrusions 34 being aligned to press on pincers 20 and 20'. The synchronization is such that pincers 20 and 20' are brought to their closed position when they are near the portion of shaving head 49 (as seen in Figs. 6A, 6B and 7) exposed to a dermal region having hairs to be uprooted. Reference is now made to Fig 5 where a lateral view of adjacent pincers 20 and 20' related to disc assembly 10 are shown. Fig. 5 is presented along line A-A shown in Fig. 2A. As previously discussed, adjacent pincers 20 and 20' are operative to uproot a hair when pinching surfaces 132 are brought close to each other as shown in Fig. 5. The pincers tilt around axis 131 shown in Figs. 3A and 3B which runs through recesses 37. In the present invention, no edge is required for tilting the pincers. The pincers are tilted along slopes 36 which extend away from projecting hub 38. As described, tilting occurs when pressure-transferring protrusions 34 of an adjacent depilator assembly press on pincer arm 22 of pincer 20 (or alternatively arm 22 of pincer 20'). The view in Fig. 5 corresponds to closed pincers 20 and 20' shown in Fig. 4A with pinching surfaces 132 proximately positioned. Fig. 6A, reference to which is now made, shows a shaving head 49 including a plurality of depilator assemblies 10 having pincers 20, constructed as illustrated in Figs. 1-5 and described in conjunction therewith. Shaving head 49 includes a stack of nine depilator assemblies 10, a typical, but only exemplary and non-limiting, number of such units. The stack is an expansion of the three disk stack in Figs. 4A-4C. Depilator assemblies 10, attached to shaft 48 are activated by motor 47 through a gear drive 46. Shaft 48 is received within the central openings 38A (see Figs. 2A-2B) of disks 30 in depilator assemblies 10. A biasing spring 45 holds the engaged individual depilator assemblies 10 tightly together, reinforcing the protrusion-recess engagement mechanism described above in conjunction with Figs. 4A-4C. Gear drive 46 serves to convert the rotational speed generated by motor 47 to the rotational speed required by the depilator assemblies 10. It is readily evident to one skilled in the art that any of many different known gear drives may be used. There are two pressure disks 44 and 44' at the ends of shaving head 49 which transfer the pressure exerted by spring 45 to the depilator assemblies 10. Between pressure disks 44 and 44' and the plurality of depilator assemblies 10 are two pressure bearings 43 and 43'. Bearings 43 and 43' allow the series of depilator assemblies 10 to rotate without degrading disks 44 and 44'. They also assist in transferring pressure from spring 45 and pressure disks 44 and 44' to depilator assemblies 10. Both pressure disks 44 and 44' and pressure bearing 43 and 43' are positioned around shaft 48. As readily seen in Fig. 6A, the positioning of spring 45 on one side of the depilator assemblies, the upper side, subjects that side to greater pressure than the other side, the bottom side. Such pressure asymmetry assists in transferring the forces from spring 45 to pressure disks 44 and 44' and pressure bearings 43 and 43' to the series of depilator assemblies 10 in a fashion which causes pressure-transferring protrusions 34 to periodically press on pincers 20 and 20' of a depilator assembly 10 forcing them to come together. As mentioned previously, spacing elements 33 act as a pivot on which disks 30 tilt allowing pressure-transferring protrusions 34 to periodically press on pincers 20 and 20'. Figure 6B, to which reference is now made, shows an exploded view of the shaving head 49 shown in Figure 6A. For simplicity only one complete depilator assembly is shown. Disk 61, the disk closest to topmost gear 63 has projections 62 on its side proximate to topmost gear 63. These projections interlock with recesses (not shown) on gear 63 allowing the transfer of rotational motion from gear drive 46 to the series of engaged depilator assemblies 10 in shaving head 49. Motor 47 in Figs. 6A and 6B may be of any suitable type known to those skilled in the art. As with other electric shavers, motor 47 may be operated using any convenient power source, such as house current and/or a battery (not shown). When the electric motor 47 is energized, the shaving head is manipulated to move across a dermal area having hair to be removed. As the series of interlocked depilating assemblies 10 is rotated by electric motor 47, pressure-transferring protrusions 34 (not shown) periodically and synchronously press on the pairs of pincers 20 and 20' of the several depilator assemblies 10 included in the shaving head. Protrusions 34 bring pinching surfaces 132 (not shown) of pincers 20 and 20' close to each other, thereby trapping hair located between them. All reference numerals referred to in this paragraph refer to elements similarly labeled in Figs. 1-5. Reference is now made to Fig. 7 which shows a cut away view of a shaver 50 partly exposing a shaving head 49 constructed as in Figs. 6A and 6B. The motor 47, gear drive 46, spring 45, pressure disks 44 and 44', and pressure bearings 43 and 43' shown in Figs. 6A and 6B are not visible in Fig. 7 as they are hidden by gripable housing 51. It is readily understood by one skilled in the art that housing 51 may be constructed in any of many different shapes using any of many materials known to those skilled in the art. The pincers of a stack of depilator assemblies, constructed according to the present invention, are spaced apart by 60°. This is shown in Fig. 8 to which reference is now made. Fig. 8 includes a stack of nine depilator assemblies 10A-10I, a typical, but non-limiting, number. Each disk in the stack is schematically set out linearly with the location of the pincers identifiable. The depilator assembly triads shown in Fig. 8 are equivalent to a dyad of assemblies each having pincers of three arms known in prior art. But because the present invention requires an extra depilator assembly, the span covered by the present invention's triad exceeds that of a prior art dyad when disk thickness is the same in both cases. Using the triad configuration of the present invention increases the probability of encountering a hair for uprooting by 50% over prior art. As described above, the axis (item 131 in Figs. 3A and 3B) used to tilt pincers 20 is in the plane of disc 30, running through projecting hub 38 and recesses 37. Because 1. the distance between the tilting axis and the point of contact, i.e. the pinching surfaces 132, of a pair of pincers is relatively long and because 2. no edge is required for pivoting, the pincers in the present invention contact each other more precisely than do pincers in prior art assemblies. The resulting shave is closer than with prior art assemblies and shavers, and shaving is less painful. A shaver employing depilator assemblies constructed according to the present invention uses a larger number of discs for a given distance along the shaving head than in prior art. As a result of the extra disks, each pincer when closing needs to move through a shorter arc than do pincers of prior art assemblies. A shorter arc requires decreased acceleration on the part of the moving pincers (see Fig. 9A), resulting, inter alia, in a device producing less noise. A feature of the present invention is that the pincers of one assembly is activated by the protrusions of adjacent depilator assemblies. The pressure-transferring protrusion and spacer asymmetry of the disks, also provide an advantage over prior art. Finally, it should be noted that rotary motion is transferred from one disc to another more reliably because the rotation-transferring protrusions 35 are positioned at a greater radius than in prior art assemblies. In the above embodiment, the shaft is an essentially linear shaft. In another embodiment, the shaft may be an arcuate shaft. This could be used with or without spring 45 shown in Fig 6A. Because a fixed number of depilator assemblies are present, the assemblies are invariably brought closer together on the concave side of the arc than on the convex side of the arc. This closer positioning on the concave side brings pressure-transferring protrusions 34 into contact with pincers 20 of an adjacent assembly forcing them into their closed, i.e. contacting, position. The assemblies open when the pincers are on the convex side of the arc. Figs 9A and 9B are now introduced. Fig 9A shows the effect of force P generated by spring 45 on a series of depilator assemblies 10. The force is operative on the top of disc assemblies 10 causing the distance D to increase at the bottom and decrease at the top of the disks. This can be contrasted with the prior art depilator device in Fig. 9B which requires forces operative at both the top and the bottom of the mechanism. Moreover, the magnitude of the force required in Fig. 9B is larger than the force required by the device shown in Figure 9A, a schematic diagram of the present invention, where the magnitude is a multiple of the disks being tilted. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described herein above. Rather the scope of the invention is defined by the claims that follow:

Claims

1. A depilator assembly for trapping hair for removal, said assembly including: an asymmetric disk formed of two lobes, said disk having a first and second face, and including: a first and second sloping region between said lobes, said first sloping region being positioned on said first face and said second sloping region being positioned on said second face of said disk; at least two pressure-transferring protrusions formed and positioned on said first face; at least one rotation-transferring protrusion formed on said first face, displaced at a predetermined angle and distance from said at least two pressure- transferring protrusions; at least two pressure-transferring protrusions formed and positioned on said second face; at least two spacer elements formed on said second face, said spacer elements being operative to prevent the accumulation of debris between adjacent said disks and to allow for periodic tilting of said disks when pressure is provided to said depilator assembly, and said second face further having formed therein at least one recess configured to accommodate said at least one rotation-transferring protrusion of a similar disk of an adjacent depilator assembly in force transferring engagement, such that, in response to a rotational force applied to said assembly, said at least one rotation-transferring protrusion is operative to transfer rotation to said adjacent assembly; and first and second pincers, each of said pincers having a plurality of arms, each arm having a pinching surface at its extremity, said first pincer being positioned along said sloping region on said first face, and said second pincer being positioned along said sloping region on said second face, and said pincers tilting synchronously in their respective sloping regions when pressure-transferring protrusions from similar disks of adjacent depilator assemblies press on one of said arms of each of said pincers, thereby to cause said arms to contact each other at their said pinching surfaces trapping hair therebetween.

2. A depilator assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said at least one rotation-transferring protrusion are two rotation-transferring protrusions.

3. A depilator assembly according to claim 1 wherein said pincers are linear having two arms.

4. A depilator assembly according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said two pressure-transferring protrusions on each of said faces are positioned 180^s apart.

5. A depilator assembly according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of said sloping regions slope from the center of said disk in two directions, 180° apart from each other.

6. A depilator assembly according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said pressure- transferring protrusions are positioned proximate to the periphery of said asymmetric disk.

7. A depilator assembly according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein said disk is made from a material chosen from a group consisting of plastic, metal and rubber.

8. A depilator assembly according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein said pincers are made of metal.

9. A depilator assembly according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the pressure provided to said assembly is by a spring.

10. A depilator assembly according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the pressure provided to said assembly is by an arcuate shaft.

11. A depilator assembly according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the tilting of said pincers is effected along an axis located within said disc, running through its center and perpendicular to the long axis of said first and second pincers.

12. A device for removing hair, the device including; a housing; a shaving head fixedly positioned in said housing, at least a portion of said shaving head being arranged for operative engagement with an area of the human body requiring depilation, said shaving head including; a plurality of generally disk-like depilator assemblies mounted on a shaft, each of said assemblies including: an asymmetric disk formed of two lobes, said disk having a first and second face, and including: a first and second sloping region between said lobes, the first sloping region being positioned on said first face and the second sloping region being positioned on said second face of said disk; at least two pressure-transferring protrusions formed and positioned on said first face; at least one rotation-transferring protrusion formed on said first face, displaced at a predetermined angle and distance from said at least two pressure-transferring protrusions; at least two pressure-transferring protrusions formed and positioned on said second face; at least two spacer elements formed on said second face, said spacer elements being operative to prevent the accumulation of debris between adjacent disks of said plurality of depilator assemblies, and to allow for periodic tilting of said adjacent disks when a pressure-inducing element provides pressure to said plurality of depilator assemblies, said second face further having formed therein at least one recess configured to accommodate said at least one rotation-transferring protrusion of a similar disk of an adjacent depilator assembly in force transferring engagement, such that, in response to a rotational force applied to said assembly, said at least one rotation-transferring protrusion is operative to transfer rotation among said plurality of assemblies; and first and second pincers, each of said pincers having a plurality of arms, each arm having pinching surfaces positioned at its extremity, said first pincer being positioned along said sloping region on said first face, and said second pincer being positioned along said sloping region on said second face, and said pincers tilting synchronously in their respective said sloping regions, when pressure- transferring protrusions from similar disks in adjacent assemblies periodically press on one of said arms of each of said pincers, thereby to cause said arms to contact each other at their said pinching surfaces trapping hair therebetween; and a motor and gear drive in mechanical communication with said shaft, said motor and gear drive providing a torque to said plurality of assemblies with which to uproot hairs trapped between said pinching surfaces of said two pincers when said pinching surfaces are brought into contact with each other.

13. A device according to claim 12, wherein said at least one rotation-transferring protrusion are two rotation-transferring protrusions.

14. A device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein said pincers are linear having two arms.

15. A device according to any of claims 12 to 14, wherein said two pressure- transferring protrusions on each of said faces are positioned 180^s apart.

16. A device according to any of claims 12 to 15, wherein each of said sloping regions slope from the center of said disk in two directions 180° apart from each other.

17. A device according to any of claims 12 to 16, wherein said pressure-transferring protrusions are positioned proximate to the periphery of said asymmetric disk.

18. A device according to any of claims 12 to 17, wherein said disk is made from a material chosen from a group consisting of plastic, metal and rubber.

19. A device according to any of claims 12 to 18, wherein said pincers are made of metal.

20. A device according to any of claims 12 to 19, wherein said pressure-inducing element is a spring.

21. A device according to any of claims 12 to 20, wherein said pressure-inducing element is an arcuate shaft.

22. A depilator assembly according to any of claims 12 to 21 , wherein the tilting of said pincers is effected along an axis located within the disc, running through its center and perpendicular to the long axis of said pincers.

23. A device according to any of claims 12 to 22, wherein adjacent assemblies of said plurality of assemblies have their pincers offset from each other by a predetermined number of degrees.

24. A device according to claim 23, wherein the offset is determined by the positioning of the at least one rotation-transferring protrusion in relation to the pincer axis.