WO2022058837A1

WO2022058837A1 - Universal device for progressively adjusting the length of a haircut

Info

Publication number: WO2022058837A1
Application number: PCT/IB2021/058105
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alessandro SENSOLI
Original assignee: Sensoli Alessandro
Priority date: 2020-09-17
Filing date: 2021-09-06
Publication date: 2022-03-24
Also published as: CN116194262A; IT202000021940A1

Abstract

Universal device for progressively adjusting the length of a haircut, comprising: - a cable winder (20) for automatically re-winding a cable (21) following each pull by a user; - a kinematic mechanism inside the hair cutting machine (10) for determining a translation of said adjustable spacer (13) as a result of the rotation of the cable winder (20); - a speed reducer engaged with the cable winder (20) and with the adjustable spacer (13); - an adjustment lever (25), connected to the speed reducer, suitable to be positioned by the user-barber, in the position corresponding to the desired translation/winding ratio; - a gripping device (22), positioned at the free end of said cable (21), suitable to allow a user to stretch said cable (21) to determine the unwinding thereof with respect to said cable winder (20); - activation button (23), connected to a translating mechanism, for reversibly connecting and disconnecting the speed reducer from the cable winder (20).

Description

“Universal device for progressively adjusting the length of a haircut”

Description Technical field

The present mechanical engineering invention relates to the field of hair cutting devices. More in detail, the device described in detail below is designed to eliminate the use of spacers which, to date, are applied to common hair cutting machines to obtain certain lengths of the hair to be cut. Even more in detail, the present invention is provided through two main embodiments: an application to be installed on existing hair cutting machines; a hair cutting machine already integrated with all the mechanisms required to achieve the intended objects.

Prior art

Hair cutting is a necessary practice for every person. Men, and people in general who have short cuts, must obviously have haircuts more often.

Apart from some cuts that provide for the same hair length on the whole scalp, the barber or hairdresser must acquire manual skills to harmonize different hair lengths depending on the area of the head. As a matter of fact, cuts with so-called “taper” are fashionable. In these cuts the hair length varies from the edge of the scalp toward the centre of the head, with shorter hair at the beginning of the cut and gradually longer toward the top part of the head. A correctly performed taper is progressive and gradual, it does not show sharp lines and it is normally performed by the barber in several steps.

To date, special hair cutting machines are used, which are provided with combs with very narrow teeth that untangle the hair before conveying them toward the electric shaver positioned at the rear part of the teeth of the comb. The aforementioned hair cutting machines are then provided with a certain number of applicators which must be installed to cover the comb in order to modify the thickness thereof and therefore the distance between the razor and the scalp, thus changing the cutting length. Therefore, with modem technologies the barber cuts the hair “by areas”: first the area intended to have shorter hair; then the comb spacing is changed and a second area with intermediate length is cut; then the distance is further changed, possibly using applicators to perform the haircut in a third area where the hair is even longer. All this must be done following the shape of the head and therefore with a good level of manual skill, experience and expertise in cutting.

All the operations described above require a significant expenditure of time which has not yet been solved by the prior art.

Some international patents address hair cutting machines. An example of this is patent WO20155393 which claims a sort of pivot so that the head of the razor can rotate adapting to the head of the customer.

Another example is the Chinese utility model CN210551375 which describes a hair styler. The machine comprises a machine body, an assembly consisting of a front and a rear tip. A plurality of cutting holes may be coupled with hair cutting blades. A motor for the reciprocating actuation of the two blades and a switch for the control of the motor are arranged on the machine body. The machine body is removably connected to the cover of the head which is designed to be coupled with a head comprised in a dedicated kit.

From the patents mentioned above, as well as from the known techniques present on the market, it does not seem possible to avoid the use of removable heads which serve to create the desired thickness and therefore a different length of the cut hair. The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, by providing a hair cutting device or an application for such devices that allow a variable length cut with a single pass, speeding up the cutting operation, facilitating it and eliminating the need for the shims to be applied. Description of the invention

According to the present invention, herein provided is universal device for progressively adjusting the length of a haircut, which effectively overcomes the problems outlined above. The device of the present invention is referred to as “universal” given it is compatible with the operation of all hair cutting machines currently on the market.

In particular, the operating mechanism which will be described in detail below may be included in a kit applicable to already existing hair cutting machines or, alteratively, it may be fully integrated in a specially designed machine. The main function of the device is to allow a progressive adjustment of the haircut, so as to obtain a shorter cut at the base of the head and longer toward the top part, obtaining an effect that, in the technical jargon, is referred to as “taper”. The progressive adjustment is automatic and it avoids both the need to use fixed spacers to be fixed and removed several times during the same cut, and the positive outcome of the cut as an effect linked to the skills of the barber- hairdresser.

These objects are obtained by means of the following components:

- a spring cable winder, inside or outside the body of the hair cutting machine, able to re-wind a cable, preferably made of steel wire, automatically following each pull of the cable by a user;

- at least one gripping device, positioned at the free end of said cable, suitable to allow a user to stretch the cable. More in detail, when using the machine, the gripping device must be positioned in a fixed manner with respect to the head of the user whose hair is to be cut. Such gripping device may consist of a ring that the barber will wear on the finger thereof and, placing the hand on the user's shoulder, the barber will start to move the hair cutting machine vertically, thus determining the unwinding of the cable when the machine is moved upwards, and the subsequent winding of the cable when the machine is moved downward. Alternatively, the gripping device is an anchorshaped, inverted T-shaped, cone-shaped device or a magnetic device or any other device suitable for the purpose;

- at least one kinematic mechanism inside said hair cutting machine suitable to determine the translation of the adjustable spacer arranged on the head of the hair cutting machine, in an axial (and/or perpendicular) direction with respect to the machine, as a result of the rotation of the cable winder. More in detail, when the cable is stretched and therefore unwound, the adjustable spacer moves away from the cutting blades of the hair cutting machine. When the machine is moved downward, the cable loses tension, the cable winder re-winds it again and the spacer once again approaches the cutting blades and returns to the initial position. The components described heretofore would have already allowed to achieve the objects of the invention. However, herein provided is a greater specification of further elements of the invention which allows to customise the cut (“taper”) according to the shape of the head of the user, the hair thereof and the hairstyle tastes thereof

An activation button connected to a translation mechanism allows the barber-hairdresser to advantageously reversibly connect and disconnect the linkages that connect the cable winder with the adjustable spacer. Upon disconnecting the two components, the cable may be freely stretched and left without any effect on the adjustable spacer. This allows the barber- hairdresser to first choose the fixed point on which to fasten the gripping device and move the hair cutting machine vertically up to the hair attachment level, at which the spacer will still be at the distance zero, that is, attached to the cutting blades. Should one intend to start the cut from a thickness of the hair equal to zero, the barber may therefore press the activation button at (“height zero”, that is, the distance between the head of the hair cutting machine and the fixed point of the gripping device at which the length of the cut hair is 0.

From height zero upwards, that is, by moving the hair cutting machine upwards, the mechanism of the present invention will begin to operate ensuring that the adjustable spacer progressively moves away from the cutting blades as the hair cutting machine rises toward the top part of the head of the user, performing a longer cut on the hair encountered and therefore obtaining the “taper” cut in a single pass.

The so-called “taper height” is another customisable aspect of the taper. With a “high taper” the length of the hair i s very small for a greater height of the head, ending with a longer length more toward the top part of the head. On the contrary, the low taper has a faster progression, leaving the longer hair at a lower height of the head.

To adjust also this aspect automatically, the present invention also includes a speed reducer engaged with said cable winder and said adjustable spacer. Just like an automotive gearbox, the speed reducer comprises a predetermined number of gears suitable to determine the horizontal translation distance following the vertical displacement of the head of the hair cutting machine. With an adjustment lever connected to said speed reducer, the barber- hairdresser can adjust the desired translation/winding ratio.

Advantageously, in proximity of said adjustment lever there is preferably shown a graduated scale suitable to guide the barber to correctly position the adjustment lever as a function of the desired progressiveness of the cut.

Lastly, it should be observed that, in order to achieve the objects of the present invention, it is preferable that the gripping device, the cable and the cable winder are installed at the head of the hair cutting machine.

The advantages offered by the present invention are apparent in the light of the description set forth herein and will be further clarified by the accompanying figures and the detailed description thereof.

Description of the figures

The invention will be described hereinafter in at least one preferred embodiment by way of non-limiting example and with the aid of the attached figures, wherein:

- FIGURE 1 schematically shows an existing hair cutting machine 10, to which the device of the present invention was applied to determine the displacement of the adjustable spacer 13 automatically, according to the direction of the arrows, following the movement of the head 11 of the hair cutting machine 10 with respect to a fixed point constrained to the gripping device 22.

- FIGURE 2 shows the speed reducer integrated in the hair cutting machine 10 to determine the adjustment of the distance travelled by said adjustable spacer 13 when the cable 21 is pulled.

Detailed description of the invention The present invention will now be illustrated by way of non-limiting or binding example, using the figures which illustrate some embodiments in relation to the present inventive concept. With reference to FIG. 1, shown is the appearance of a hair cutting machine 10 of the known type, which, however, is implemented with the technical components of the present invention, in order to allow a barber-user of such machine 10 to perform “taper” in a single pass on the head of the user.

The figure shows the body of the machine 10 consisting of a handle and a head 11. The cutting blades 12 are behind an adjustable spacer 13 which, unlike the common hair cutting machines 10, is able to move automatically and progressively, not manually. At the head 11 there is visible a cable winder 10 from which a steel wire 21 protrudes at whose end there is a ring 22.

On the back of the handle of the hair cutting machine 10 there is an activation button 23 and an adjustment lever 25.

The barber wears the ring 22 on the finger thereof and places the hand thereof on the shoulder of the user whose hair is to be cut. Then, the barber adjusts the height of the taper by moving the adjustment lever 25.

As a matter of fact, the adjustment lever 25 is used to modify the ratio between the horizontal movement (in a normal direction with respect to the head of the user whose hair is to be cut) of the adjustable spacer 13 and the vertical movement of the hair cutting machine 10. This vertical movement causes the unwinding (upward movement) of the cable 21 while the winding thereof is a signal of a downward movement of the hair cutting machine 10.

For example, if the barber wants each centimetre of unwound 21 cable to correspond to 3 mm of horizontal movement. The barber starts to move the hair cutting machine 10 away from the point where the ring 22 is constrained, which remains fixed for the entire duration of the cut. Initially, nothing moves because the adjustable spacer 13 is disconnected from the lever systems that connect it to the movement of the cable winder 20.

At the height at which the barber decides to perform the cut, he/she presses the activation button 23 which starts the translation mechanism that connects the cable winder 20 with the adjustable spacer 13.

At this point the taper cut is very simple; all the parameters are set so that the barber, by raising and lowering the hair cutting machine 10 on the skin of the user, obtains a cut at a different length at each height, in a homogeneous way on the whole head and with a single pass. Lastly, it is clear that modifications, additions or variations may be applied to the invention described heretofore which are obvious to a person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of protection provided by the attached claims.

Claims

1. Universal device for progressively adjusting the length of a haircut, suitable to automatically modify the haircut length as a function of the distance between the head (11) of any haircutting machine (10) and a fixed point; said haircutting machine (10) comprising a handle and a head (11) at which a plurality of cutting blades (12) are present and an adjustable spacer (13) suitable to be positioned by the barber in contact with the skin of the user and suitable to adjust the length of the hair to be cut; said universal device being characterised in that it comprises:

- a spring cable winder (20) suitable to automatically re-wind a cable (21 ) following each pull of the cable (21) by a user;

- at least one kinematic mechanism inside said haircutting machine (10) suitable to determine a translation of said adjustable spacer (13), in an axial direction with respect to said haircutting machine (10), subsequently to the rotation of said cable winder (20); namely causing the distancing of the adjustable spacer (13) from said cutting blades (12) following the unwinding of said cable winder (20) and the subsequent new approach of said adjustable spacer (13) following the new winding of the cable (21) on said cable winder (20);

- at least one speed reducer engaged with said cable winder (20) and with said adjustable spacer (13) of said haircutting machine (20); said speed reducer comprising a predetermined number of ratios suitable to determine the translation distance of said adjustable spacer (13) following the unwinding or winding of a predetermined length of cable (21) on said cable winder (20);

- at least one adjustment lever (25), connected to said speed reducer, suitable to be positioned by the user-barber, in the position corresponding to the desired translation/winding ratio;

- at least one gripping device (22), positioned at the free end of said cable (21), suitable to allow a user to stretch said cable (21) to determine the unwinding thereof with respect to said cable winder (20);

- at least one activation button (23), connected to a translation mechanism, suitable to reversibly connect and disconnect said speed reducer from said cable winder (20), the disconnection between said two elements causing the free movement of the cable (21) and cable winder (20) with zero effect on said adjustable spacer

(13).

2. Universal device for progressively adjusting the length of a haircut, according to the preceding claim 1, characterised in that said cable winder (20) is external to the haircutting machine (10).

3. Universal device for progressively adjusting the length of a haircut, according to the preceding claim 1 , characterised in that said cable winder is integrated in the haircutting machine (10), leaving only the gripping device (22) to exit.

4. Universal device for progressively adjusting the length of a haircut, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said gripping device (22) is a ring which the barber can wear on the finger of a hand and choosing a fixed position, for example the user’s shoulders, at which to statically rest the hand throughout the execution of the haircut.

5. Universal device for progressively adjusting the length of a haircut, according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said gripping device (22) is any device which the barber constrains to a fixed point such as, for example, the barber's hand or the collar of the sweater or shirt worn by the user receiving the haircut; said gripping device (22) being able to be in the form of an anchor, an inverted T, a magnet device, a cone-shaped element or the like.

6. Universal device for progressively adjusting the length of a haircut, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that near said adjustment lever (25) a graduated scale (24) is shown which is suitable to guide the barber in the correct positioning of the adjustment lever (25) according to the desired progressivity of the haircut, in jaigon called

“fading”.

7. Universal device for progressively adjusting the length of a haircut, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said cable (21) is a steel wire. 8. Universal device for progressively adjusting the length of a haircut, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said adjustable spacer (13) is suitable to move vertically, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said haircutting machine

(10). 9. Universal device for progressively adjusting the length of a haircut, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said cable winder (20) is installed at the area of the head (11) of said hair cutting machine (10).