CA1152310A - Cutting unit for a dry-shaving apparatus - Google Patents
Cutting unit for a dry-shaving apparatusInfo
- Publication number
- CA1152310A CA1152310A CA000335576A CA335576A CA1152310A CA 1152310 A CA1152310 A CA 1152310A CA 000335576 A CA000335576 A CA 000335576A CA 335576 A CA335576 A CA 335576A CA 1152310 A CA1152310 A CA 1152310A
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- hair
- cutter
- cutting unit
- pulling
- blade
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
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- Dry Shavers And Clippers (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT:
The movable cutting unit of a dry-shaver comprises a plurality of cutters and a corresponding plurality of hair-pulling blades each arranged in front of one of the cutters for movement therewith relative to the shear plate or foil of the shaver, and each mov-able relative to the associated cutter for its hair-pulling action. The latter movement is usually a wholly sliding movement of the hair-pulling element on the cutter and can be impeded by hair-cuttingt which tend to become trapped between the hair-pulling blade and the cutter. To mitigate this, in the present invention, each hair-pulling element is arranged to pivot on the associated cutter.
The movable cutting unit of a dry-shaver comprises a plurality of cutters and a corresponding plurality of hair-pulling blades each arranged in front of one of the cutters for movement therewith relative to the shear plate or foil of the shaver, and each mov-able relative to the associated cutter for its hair-pulling action. The latter movement is usually a wholly sliding movement of the hair-pulling element on the cutter and can be impeded by hair-cuttingt which tend to become trapped between the hair-pulling blade and the cutter. To mitigate this, in the present invention, each hair-pulling element is arranged to pivot on the associated cutter.
Description
3~
.
9-~-1979 1 PHN 9232 "Cutting unit for a dry-shavin;g apparatus~' The invention relates to a cutting unit for a dry-shaving apparatus of the kind (hereinafter referred to as "the kind described") having a shear plate or foil with ha:ir-entry apertures and a cutting unit which is movable relative to and cooperates ~rith the shear plate or foil.
The invention relates particularly -to a cutti~g unit com-prising a plurality of cutters and a plurality of hair-pulling elements each of which is disposed in front of an associated one of the cut-ters with respect to the direction 10 o~ the cutting movement thereof and is movable relative thereto and each of which has a sharp edge which, as the element moves over a hair-entry aper-ture of -the shear plate or foil in front of -the associated cutter when the cu-tting unit is in operation in a shaving apparatus, pene-15 trates hairs protruding through that aperture'and, by movement of the hair-pulling element relative -to the cutter under the reaction force from said hairs, moves away -from the shear plate or foil and pulls these hairs' further through the aperture.
Such a cuttlIlg unit is known from our prior IJnited ~ingdom Batent Specification No. 1,~67,~57. In this known cut-ti,ng unit each 'h.a:i.r~pulling elemen-t has sli.ding contact.over a substan-tial area wit'h an inclined front sur-face of the associated cu-tter, and -this conta.ct is sustained ~' 33L~
9_4-1979 2 PIIN 9232 t;hroughout the movement of the hair-pulling element rela-tive to the cutter. If hair cuttings or other contaminants get between the hair-pulling element and -the cutter, the mobility of the former relative to the latter is likely to be impaired or even stopped al-together.
According to the present invention there is provided a cutting unit for a dry-shaving apparatus of the kind described, comprising a plurality of cutters and a plurality of hair~pulling elements each of whlch is disposed 10 in front of an associated one of the cutters ~ith respec-t to the direction of the cutting movemen-t thereof and is movable relative thereto and each of` which has a sharp edge wh:ich, as the element moves over a halr-entry aperture of the shear pla-te or foil in fron-t of the associa-ted cut-ter 15 when the cutting unit is in opera-tion in a shaving appara-tus penetrates hairs protruding -through tha-t aperture and, by movement of the hair-pulling element rela-tive -to the cutter under the reaction force from said hairs, moves away from the shear plate or foil and pulls these hairs further -through 20 the aperture, wherein each hair-pulling element is arranged to pivot on the associated cutter in the movement of the elemen-t relative to the cutter.
Preferably, each hair-pulling element has sub-stantially line con-tact with the associated cu-tter and is 25 pivotable relative to the cutter a~out the line of contact.
In one embodiment of the invention each cutter has a groove in which the associated hair-pulling element is pivotable.
In ano-ther embodimen-t each hair-pulling element 30 has a convexly curved surface which has both pivotal and sliding contact with the associated cut-ter.
~ ach hair-pulling element may comprise a first portion which projec-ts forwarclly in front of the associatecl cutter and which is formed wi-th said sharp edge, and a se--35 cond portion which joins the first por-tion antl which, when -the c~ltting unit is moun-ted in a shaving appara-tus, e~tends from -the first por-tion in a direction away from the shear pla-te or foil of the shaving apparatus, the hair pulling .. ~ . . .. , . . . . ... ~
3~
L~_g_ 1979 3 P~IN 9232 element having pivotal contact with the cutter at the junc-tion between the two,portions.
The invention ~urther provides a dry-shaving apparatus o~ the kind described having a cutting uni-t accor-ding to the invention.
Embodiments of the invention will now be des-cribed with reference -to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fron-t elevation o~ a dry-shaving apparatus o~ the kind described having three shear plates ' 10 and associated cutting units, - ' Fig. 2 ls a s:ide elevation o~ the sha~ing appara-tus o~ Fig. 1, showing one o~ the shear plates and cutting units and an associated driving means in cross-sec-tion, the section being taken on thc line lI-II in Fig. 1, ~ig. 3 is a perspective view drawn to an en-larged scale, of an embodiment o~ a cu~tting unit accord:ing to the invention ~or the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, Figures 4 and 5 are diagrammatic side views, drawn to an even larger scale, of a cutter and associated 20 hair-pulling element o~ the cutting unit shown in Figure 3, and a portion o~ the associated shear pla-te, illustrating the operation o~ the hair-pulling element, - Figure 6 is a diagrammatic side view, drawn to an enlarged scale, o~ a hair-pulling element and part of 25 the associated c'utter of a ~urther embodiMent o~ a cutting unit according to the invention, and Figure 7 is a view similar to Fi~ur'e 6 illus-trating yet another embodiment o~ a cutting unit according to the invention.
The shaving apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a housing 1 on which is mounted a shear pla-te hol-der 2 ~or three shear plates 3. The shear plates 3 are of circular ~orm and each have a circular pattern o~ hair-entry apertures in the ~orm o~ slots L~, A rotary cutting unit 5 ~Fig. 2) i,s si-tua-ted on the inner side o~ each shear plate 3 for cooperation therel~ith~ The cutting units 5, o~ which o~e is shown ~schematically :in Fig. 2, each comprise a plurality o~ cutters Z;~LO
9~ 1979 4 ` PHN 9232 in the form o~ hair-cutting blades, and a corresponding plurality of hair-pulli.ng elements in the ~orm o* hair-pull:ing blacles, as w:ill be described later herein with re~erence to Fig. 3.
The cutting units 5 are rotated relative to the shear plates 3 by an electric motor 10to which each cutting unit is coupled by an as'sociated hollow spindlc 6 and a gear wheel 7 and a gear wheel 8 ~ixed on -the sha~t 9 ,of the motor 10. The gear wheels 7 are each rotatably '~our--10 nalled on an associated spindle -l1 which is ~ixed in a - mounting plate 12. The gear wheel 7 has a recess 13 which is cl.osed by a cover plate 14. This recess accommodates a flange 15 ~ormed at the end o~ the hollow spindle 6. The flange 15 has a non-circular, ror example, s~uare, shape and lS the recess 13 is shaped accordingly, so that a coupling is obtained for the transmiss:ion of the rotary movement o~ -the gear wheel 7 -to the spindle 6. A spring 16, which f`or the greater part is situated in the hollow spindle 6 ancl wh:ich is compressed between an end wall o~ -the hollo~ spindle 6 20 and an end wall o~ the recess 13 in the gear wheel 7, e~erts a ~orce on the spindle 6 in the direction o~ the cu-t-ting uni-t 5. A conical portion 17 o.~ the spindle 6 bears against the cutting unit 5 to transmit this force to the cutting unit an,d via the cutting unit to the sheQr plate 3, so -that 25 a flange 18 around the~ periphery o~ the shear plate is urged against the shear plate holder 2. During use o~ the shaving apparatus, the shear plates 3, together wi-th associated cutting units 5 and spindles 6, can be pressed inwards against the action o~ the springs 16 under the pressure 30 with which the shear plates are held against the user's skin.
A coupling ~or the transmission o~ the rotary movement o~ each spindle 6 -to the associated cutting un:i,t 5 is ~ormed by an end portion 19 o~ the spindle 6 o~ subs-tan-tially rectangular cross-section engaging in a central 35 couplin.g aperture 20 of correspoi~ding shape in -the cu-tting ~it 5.
All three cut-ting un:its o~ t:he apparatus o:~
Figures 1 and 2 are coupled to -the mol-or 10 in the above 3~
9-4-1979 P~IN 9232 manner, the three gear wheels 7 meashing with the one een-trally disposed gear wheel 8 on the motor shaft 9.
As shown in Fig. 3, eaeh eu-tting uni-t 5 eom-prises a cutting member 21 ~hieh eomprises a eentral body 22 on whieh is formed a plurality of hair-eutting blades 23, whieh are evenly distributed around the periphery of the body 22. The coup~ing aperture 20 is formed in the central body 22. As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, each hair-cutting blade 23 has at its front (with respeet to the direetion of 10 movement P of the blade) a sloping surfaee 37 whieh forms an aeute angle with a surfaee L~1 whieh is in sliding eontact w:ith the inner side of the respeetive`shear plate 3. The edge 35 at whieh the surfaees 37 and ~1 meet is the eutting edge of -the ha-ir-eut-ting blade. In the operation of the 15 shaving apparatus the sliding surfaee 41 of each hair-cu-tting blade travels over the hair-entry slots 4 in the respective shear plate and the eutting edge 35 of the blade, in eooper-ation with the shear plate at the boundaries of the slots, severs the hairs whieh protrude through the slots.
Each cutting unit 5 also comprises a plurality of hair-pulling blades 24 which are arranged one in front of each hair-eutting blade 23. ~aeh hair-pulling blade 24 is pivo-tably supported on the front surface 37 of the asso-ciated hair-cutting blade 23. For this purpose eaeh hair-25 pulling blacle 24, in the embodiment of Figures 3, 4 and 5, is sharply bent so that it has the shape of an elonga-ted L, and at the bend, on the outer side thereof, the blade engages rockably in a groove 25 in the fron-t surface 37 of the hair-cutting blade 2~. The groove extends across the 30 surfaee 37 adjaeent and substantially parallel t-o the eutting edge 35 of the hair-eutting blade. The hair-pulling blade has substantially line eontact with t'he hair-cut-ting ~,lade :iIl the groove 25, which contact extends substantially paral-lel to -the eut-ting edge of the hair-cutting blade and pro-35 vides -the pivotal support of the hair--pulling blade. The longer- arm 24a of ezch hair~pulling blade 24 extends in a d:irect:ion al~ay from the shear plate 3 throug an associated aperture 27 in a disc 28 which is fixecl to the central body 23~
' 9_4-1979 6 PHN 9232 .
22 of the cuttlng rnember 21, for e~ample by spot~welding.
~ach aperture 27 is large enoLIgh to allow the respectivc hair-pullillg blade 24 to pivot on thc associated hair-cutting blade 23 and has two opposed walls 29 and 3O which are constructed to serve as stops ~or limiting the pivo-tal movement o~ the hair-pulling blade. The longer arm 24a o~
each hair-pulling blade is urged in a ~orward direction to-wards the associated stop 29 by an associated lcaf spring '31 which is cut and bent from the disc 2~. This urges t~le lO shorter arm 24b o~ the blade towards the shear plate 3. Each hair-pullillg blade 24 is also coupled to the disc 28 ancl thus to the cutting member 2'l by the associated lea~ spring~
31, the free end 32 o~ which passes through an opening 33 in the longer arm 2lla of the hair-pulling blade. The opening 15 33 is situated on the opposite side o~ the disc 28 -to the place where the hair~pulling blade is in con-tact with the associa-ted hair-cu-tting blzde~ so that when -the hair-pulling blade is in abutment with the associa-ted stop 29 the ~orce of the spring 31 acts to hold the hair-pulling blade in con-20 tact with the hair-cutting blade. The shorter arm 24b o~
each hair-pulling blade extends forwardly in fron-t o~ the associa-ted hair-cutting blade and at its forward end is f'ormed with a sharp edge 26. This edge extends parallel with -the axis of the bend in the hair-pulling blade and there~ore 25 parallel with the line of contact be-tween thi~ blade and the hair-cutting blade.
The operation o~ a hair~pulling blade 24 will now be explained wi-th re~erence to Figs. 4 and 5. When a hair 34 ls caugh-t in a hair-entry aper-ture 4, the sharp edge 30 26 o~ the hair-pulling blade 24 moving in the direction o~
the arrow P, will contact the hair at loca-tion A thereon (Fig. Il). The edge ~6 has a sharpness such that it wil:L
slightl~- pene-trate -the hair 34 at A wi-thout severing ;t. A
reaction force K is exerted on -the hair~pulling 'b]ade 24 35 by- the hair 34, wh:ich ~o:rce CaLlSeS the hair-pul]ing blade 24 to pivot on the associated hair-cutting blade 23 so tha-t the sharp edge 26 o~ the hair pul]ing blade moves away ~rom the sh~ar pla-te 3. As a resul-t o:~ i r c!lia~ the natLlral ~23~
9_L~_1979 7 PHN 9232 elasticity of the user's skin, the hair 34 is pulled ~urther through the hair-entry aperture 4 by the edge 26 o~ the hair-pulling blade until the cutting adge 3~ o~ the hair-cutting blade 23 has reached the hair at location B there-on (Fig. S~- The hair is then cut by the blade 23 in cooper-ation with the shear plate 3. Thus, a leng-th of` the hair 3 is cut which is longer by an amount equal to the distance between A alld B tha~ the length which would be cu-t off with-.
out the aid o~ the hair-pulling blade, so that a closer 10 shave is obtained.
~ he pi.votal Movement o~ the ha:ir-pulling blade 24 by the reaction f`orce IC ta]ces pl.ace against the action of the associated lea~ spring 31. When hair 3~ has been cut of`f~ the spring 31 urges the hair-pulling blade 24 bacl~
15 into its initial position (~ig. 4), in which position the sharp edge 26 of the blade engages the shear plate 3 under a slight pressure f`rom -the spring 31.
~ n the embodiment o~ Figure 6, each hair-pull--ing blade 24 has a conve~ly curved sur~ace 36 at the oute:r 20 side of` the bend between the longer and shorter arms o:~
the blade, which is still basically L-shapecl, and this curved surface 36 has both sliding and rolli.ng contact wi-th the inclined front surf`ace 37 of the associated hair-cutting blade 23, which surface is no-t grooved in this 25 embodiment. In operation the hair-pulling b]ade 24, uncler the reaction force K, slides on the f`ront sur:~ace 37 of the hair-cutting blade 23 in a direction away f`rom the shear plate 3 5 with the result that the sharp edge 26 of` the halr-pull;.ng blade 24 moves away f`rom the shear plate and pulls 30 -the hair 3~ which has been penetrated by the edge 26 ~`urthar t~rough the hair-entry aperture 4. A-t the same time, a guide surface 39 on -the hair-cutting blade 23 derlects the end ,8 of the hair-pulling blade 2L~ hich is remote f`rom the shear plate 3 in a rearward dixec-tion so that the curved sllr~ace 35 36 o.~ the blade 2L, rolls on the f`ront surface 37 o~ -the ha:ir-cl1ttillg blacle 23 ancl there~y moves -the edge 2~ of` the blade 2~ :rurther f`rom the shear plate 3 to pull -the hair 3l~
even f`urt~.ex throu~;h the hair-en-tr~ ape:rtu:re ~. Th.c- hair--3~
pulling blade 24 now occupies the posi.tion shown in brolcen lines in Figure 6. 1~hen the hair 34 has been cut off by the hair-cutting blade 23, the hair-pulling blade 2l~ returns -to its initial posit:ion under the influence of a resilient element which is not shown in the drawings.
The embodiment shown in I~'igure 7 is similar to that shown in ~igure 6 except that the end 38 of each hair-pulling blade 24 is deflected rearwardly by a link 4O which connects the blade -to the cutting unit 5, instead of by -the lO guide surface 39.
The invention :is no-t limi-ted to a cutting unit of the rotary type; it can also be applied -to a reciproca-tory cutting unit, for example.
.
9-~-1979 1 PHN 9232 "Cutting unit for a dry-shavin;g apparatus~' The invention relates to a cutting unit for a dry-shaving apparatus of the kind (hereinafter referred to as "the kind described") having a shear plate or foil with ha:ir-entry apertures and a cutting unit which is movable relative to and cooperates ~rith the shear plate or foil.
The invention relates particularly -to a cutti~g unit com-prising a plurality of cutters and a plurality of hair-pulling elements each of which is disposed in front of an associated one of the cut-ters with respect to the direction 10 o~ the cutting movement thereof and is movable relative thereto and each of which has a sharp edge which, as the element moves over a hair-entry aper-ture of -the shear plate or foil in front of -the associated cutter when the cu-tting unit is in operation in a shaving apparatus, pene-15 trates hairs protruding through that aperture'and, by movement of the hair-pulling element relative -to the cutter under the reaction force from said hairs, moves away -from the shear plate or foil and pulls these hairs' further through the aperture.
Such a cuttlIlg unit is known from our prior IJnited ~ingdom Batent Specification No. 1,~67,~57. In this known cut-ti,ng unit each 'h.a:i.r~pulling elemen-t has sli.ding contact.over a substan-tial area wit'h an inclined front sur-face of the associated cu-tter, and -this conta.ct is sustained ~' 33L~
9_4-1979 2 PIIN 9232 t;hroughout the movement of the hair-pulling element rela-tive to the cutter. If hair cuttings or other contaminants get between the hair-pulling element and -the cutter, the mobility of the former relative to the latter is likely to be impaired or even stopped al-together.
According to the present invention there is provided a cutting unit for a dry-shaving apparatus of the kind described, comprising a plurality of cutters and a plurality of hair~pulling elements each of whlch is disposed 10 in front of an associated one of the cutters ~ith respec-t to the direction of the cutting movemen-t thereof and is movable relative thereto and each of` which has a sharp edge wh:ich, as the element moves over a halr-entry aperture of the shear pla-te or foil in fron-t of the associa-ted cut-ter 15 when the cutting unit is in opera-tion in a shaving appara-tus penetrates hairs protruding -through tha-t aperture and, by movement of the hair-pulling element rela-tive -to the cutter under the reaction force from said hairs, moves away from the shear plate or foil and pulls these hairs further -through 20 the aperture, wherein each hair-pulling element is arranged to pivot on the associated cutter in the movement of the elemen-t relative to the cutter.
Preferably, each hair-pulling element has sub-stantially line con-tact with the associated cu-tter and is 25 pivotable relative to the cutter a~out the line of contact.
In one embodiment of the invention each cutter has a groove in which the associated hair-pulling element is pivotable.
In ano-ther embodimen-t each hair-pulling element 30 has a convexly curved surface which has both pivotal and sliding contact with the associated cut-ter.
~ ach hair-pulling element may comprise a first portion which projec-ts forwarclly in front of the associatecl cutter and which is formed wi-th said sharp edge, and a se--35 cond portion which joins the first por-tion antl which, when -the c~ltting unit is moun-ted in a shaving appara-tus, e~tends from -the first por-tion in a direction away from the shear pla-te or foil of the shaving apparatus, the hair pulling .. ~ . . .. , . . . . ... ~
3~
L~_g_ 1979 3 P~IN 9232 element having pivotal contact with the cutter at the junc-tion between the two,portions.
The invention ~urther provides a dry-shaving apparatus o~ the kind described having a cutting uni-t accor-ding to the invention.
Embodiments of the invention will now be des-cribed with reference -to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fron-t elevation o~ a dry-shaving apparatus o~ the kind described having three shear plates ' 10 and associated cutting units, - ' Fig. 2 ls a s:ide elevation o~ the sha~ing appara-tus o~ Fig. 1, showing one o~ the shear plates and cutting units and an associated driving means in cross-sec-tion, the section being taken on thc line lI-II in Fig. 1, ~ig. 3 is a perspective view drawn to an en-larged scale, of an embodiment o~ a cu~tting unit accord:ing to the invention ~or the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, Figures 4 and 5 are diagrammatic side views, drawn to an even larger scale, of a cutter and associated 20 hair-pulling element o~ the cutting unit shown in Figure 3, and a portion o~ the associated shear pla-te, illustrating the operation o~ the hair-pulling element, - Figure 6 is a diagrammatic side view, drawn to an enlarged scale, o~ a hair-pulling element and part of 25 the associated c'utter of a ~urther embodiMent o~ a cutting unit according to the invention, and Figure 7 is a view similar to Fi~ur'e 6 illus-trating yet another embodiment o~ a cutting unit according to the invention.
The shaving apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a housing 1 on which is mounted a shear pla-te hol-der 2 ~or three shear plates 3. The shear plates 3 are of circular ~orm and each have a circular pattern o~ hair-entry apertures in the ~orm o~ slots L~, A rotary cutting unit 5 ~Fig. 2) i,s si-tua-ted on the inner side o~ each shear plate 3 for cooperation therel~ith~ The cutting units 5, o~ which o~e is shown ~schematically :in Fig. 2, each comprise a plurality o~ cutters Z;~LO
9~ 1979 4 ` PHN 9232 in the form o~ hair-cutting blades, and a corresponding plurality of hair-pulli.ng elements in the ~orm o* hair-pull:ing blacles, as w:ill be described later herein with re~erence to Fig. 3.
The cutting units 5 are rotated relative to the shear plates 3 by an electric motor 10to which each cutting unit is coupled by an as'sociated hollow spindlc 6 and a gear wheel 7 and a gear wheel 8 ~ixed on -the sha~t 9 ,of the motor 10. The gear wheels 7 are each rotatably '~our--10 nalled on an associated spindle -l1 which is ~ixed in a - mounting plate 12. The gear wheel 7 has a recess 13 which is cl.osed by a cover plate 14. This recess accommodates a flange 15 ~ormed at the end o~ the hollow spindle 6. The flange 15 has a non-circular, ror example, s~uare, shape and lS the recess 13 is shaped accordingly, so that a coupling is obtained for the transmiss:ion of the rotary movement o~ -the gear wheel 7 -to the spindle 6. A spring 16, which f`or the greater part is situated in the hollow spindle 6 ancl wh:ich is compressed between an end wall o~ -the hollo~ spindle 6 20 and an end wall o~ the recess 13 in the gear wheel 7, e~erts a ~orce on the spindle 6 in the direction o~ the cu-t-ting uni-t 5. A conical portion 17 o.~ the spindle 6 bears against the cutting unit 5 to transmit this force to the cutting unit an,d via the cutting unit to the sheQr plate 3, so -that 25 a flange 18 around the~ periphery o~ the shear plate is urged against the shear plate holder 2. During use o~ the shaving apparatus, the shear plates 3, together wi-th associated cutting units 5 and spindles 6, can be pressed inwards against the action o~ the springs 16 under the pressure 30 with which the shear plates are held against the user's skin.
A coupling ~or the transmission o~ the rotary movement o~ each spindle 6 -to the associated cutting un:i,t 5 is ~ormed by an end portion 19 o~ the spindle 6 o~ subs-tan-tially rectangular cross-section engaging in a central 35 couplin.g aperture 20 of correspoi~ding shape in -the cu-tting ~it 5.
All three cut-ting un:its o~ t:he apparatus o:~
Figures 1 and 2 are coupled to -the mol-or 10 in the above 3~
9-4-1979 P~IN 9232 manner, the three gear wheels 7 meashing with the one een-trally disposed gear wheel 8 on the motor shaft 9.
As shown in Fig. 3, eaeh eu-tting uni-t 5 eom-prises a cutting member 21 ~hieh eomprises a eentral body 22 on whieh is formed a plurality of hair-eutting blades 23, whieh are evenly distributed around the periphery of the body 22. The coup~ing aperture 20 is formed in the central body 22. As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, each hair-cutting blade 23 has at its front (with respeet to the direetion of 10 movement P of the blade) a sloping surfaee 37 whieh forms an aeute angle with a surfaee L~1 whieh is in sliding eontact w:ith the inner side of the respeetive`shear plate 3. The edge 35 at whieh the surfaees 37 and ~1 meet is the eutting edge of -the ha-ir-eut-ting blade. In the operation of the 15 shaving apparatus the sliding surfaee 41 of each hair-cu-tting blade travels over the hair-entry slots 4 in the respective shear plate and the eutting edge 35 of the blade, in eooper-ation with the shear plate at the boundaries of the slots, severs the hairs whieh protrude through the slots.
Each cutting unit 5 also comprises a plurality of hair-pulling blades 24 which are arranged one in front of each hair-eutting blade 23. ~aeh hair-pulling blade 24 is pivo-tably supported on the front surface 37 of the asso-ciated hair-cutting blade 23. For this purpose eaeh hair-25 pulling blacle 24, in the embodiment of Figures 3, 4 and 5, is sharply bent so that it has the shape of an elonga-ted L, and at the bend, on the outer side thereof, the blade engages rockably in a groove 25 in the fron-t surface 37 of the hair-cutting blade 2~. The groove extends across the 30 surfaee 37 adjaeent and substantially parallel t-o the eutting edge 35 of the hair-eutting blade. The hair-pulling blade has substantially line eontact with t'he hair-cut-ting ~,lade :iIl the groove 25, which contact extends substantially paral-lel to -the eut-ting edge of the hair-cutting blade and pro-35 vides -the pivotal support of the hair--pulling blade. The longer- arm 24a of ezch hair~pulling blade 24 extends in a d:irect:ion al~ay from the shear plate 3 throug an associated aperture 27 in a disc 28 which is fixecl to the central body 23~
' 9_4-1979 6 PHN 9232 .
22 of the cuttlng rnember 21, for e~ample by spot~welding.
~ach aperture 27 is large enoLIgh to allow the respectivc hair-pullillg blade 24 to pivot on thc associated hair-cutting blade 23 and has two opposed walls 29 and 3O which are constructed to serve as stops ~or limiting the pivo-tal movement o~ the hair-pulling blade. The longer arm 24a o~
each hair-pulling blade is urged in a ~orward direction to-wards the associated stop 29 by an associated lcaf spring '31 which is cut and bent from the disc 2~. This urges t~le lO shorter arm 24b o~ the blade towards the shear plate 3. Each hair-pullillg blade 24 is also coupled to the disc 28 ancl thus to the cutting member 2'l by the associated lea~ spring~
31, the free end 32 o~ which passes through an opening 33 in the longer arm 2lla of the hair-pulling blade. The opening 15 33 is situated on the opposite side o~ the disc 28 -to the place where the hair~pulling blade is in con-tact with the associa-ted hair-cu-tting blzde~ so that when -the hair-pulling blade is in abutment with the associa-ted stop 29 the ~orce of the spring 31 acts to hold the hair-pulling blade in con-20 tact with the hair-cutting blade. The shorter arm 24b o~
each hair-pulling blade extends forwardly in fron-t o~ the associa-ted hair-cutting blade and at its forward end is f'ormed with a sharp edge 26. This edge extends parallel with -the axis of the bend in the hair-pulling blade and there~ore 25 parallel with the line of contact be-tween thi~ blade and the hair-cutting blade.
The operation o~ a hair~pulling blade 24 will now be explained wi-th re~erence to Figs. 4 and 5. When a hair 34 ls caugh-t in a hair-entry aper-ture 4, the sharp edge 30 26 o~ the hair-pulling blade 24 moving in the direction o~
the arrow P, will contact the hair at loca-tion A thereon (Fig. Il). The edge ~6 has a sharpness such that it wil:L
slightl~- pene-trate -the hair 34 at A wi-thout severing ;t. A
reaction force K is exerted on -the hair~pulling 'b]ade 24 35 by- the hair 34, wh:ich ~o:rce CaLlSeS the hair-pul]ing blade 24 to pivot on the associated hair-cutting blade 23 so tha-t the sharp edge 26 o~ the hair pul]ing blade moves away ~rom the sh~ar pla-te 3. As a resul-t o:~ i r c!lia~ the natLlral ~23~
9_L~_1979 7 PHN 9232 elasticity of the user's skin, the hair 34 is pulled ~urther through the hair-entry aperture 4 by the edge 26 o~ the hair-pulling blade until the cutting adge 3~ o~ the hair-cutting blade 23 has reached the hair at location B there-on (Fig. S~- The hair is then cut by the blade 23 in cooper-ation with the shear plate 3. Thus, a leng-th of` the hair 3 is cut which is longer by an amount equal to the distance between A alld B tha~ the length which would be cu-t off with-.
out the aid o~ the hair-pulling blade, so that a closer 10 shave is obtained.
~ he pi.votal Movement o~ the ha:ir-pulling blade 24 by the reaction f`orce IC ta]ces pl.ace against the action of the associated lea~ spring 31. When hair 3~ has been cut of`f~ the spring 31 urges the hair-pulling blade 24 bacl~
15 into its initial position (~ig. 4), in which position the sharp edge 26 of the blade engages the shear plate 3 under a slight pressure f`rom -the spring 31.
~ n the embodiment o~ Figure 6, each hair-pull--ing blade 24 has a conve~ly curved sur~ace 36 at the oute:r 20 side of` the bend between the longer and shorter arms o:~
the blade, which is still basically L-shapecl, and this curved surface 36 has both sliding and rolli.ng contact wi-th the inclined front surf`ace 37 of the associated hair-cutting blade 23, which surface is no-t grooved in this 25 embodiment. In operation the hair-pulling b]ade 24, uncler the reaction force K, slides on the f`ront sur:~ace 37 of the hair-cutting blade 23 in a direction away f`rom the shear plate 3 5 with the result that the sharp edge 26 of` the halr-pull;.ng blade 24 moves away f`rom the shear plate and pulls 30 -the hair 3~ which has been penetrated by the edge 26 ~`urthar t~rough the hair-entry aperture 4. A-t the same time, a guide surface 39 on -the hair-cutting blade 23 derlects the end ,8 of the hair-pulling blade 2L~ hich is remote f`rom the shear plate 3 in a rearward dixec-tion so that the curved sllr~ace 35 36 o.~ the blade 2L, rolls on the f`ront surface 37 o~ -the ha:ir-cl1ttillg blacle 23 ancl there~y moves -the edge 2~ of` the blade 2~ :rurther f`rom the shear plate 3 to pull -the hair 3l~
even f`urt~.ex throu~;h the hair-en-tr~ ape:rtu:re ~. Th.c- hair--3~
pulling blade 24 now occupies the posi.tion shown in brolcen lines in Figure 6. 1~hen the hair 34 has been cut off by the hair-cutting blade 23, the hair-pulling blade 2l~ returns -to its initial posit:ion under the influence of a resilient element which is not shown in the drawings.
The embodiment shown in I~'igure 7 is similar to that shown in ~igure 6 except that the end 38 of each hair-pulling blade 24 is deflected rearwardly by a link 4O which connects the blade -to the cutting unit 5, instead of by -the lO guide surface 39.
The invention :is no-t limi-ted to a cutting unit of the rotary type; it can also be applied -to a reciproca-tory cutting unit, for example.
Claims (6)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A cutting unit for a dry-shaving apparatus, comprising a plurality of cutters and a plurality of hair-pulling elements each of which is disposed in front of an associated one of the cutters with respect to the direction of the cutting movement thereof and is movable relative thereto and each of which has a sharp edge which, as the element moves over a hair-entry aperture of the shear plate or foil in front of the associated cutter when the cutting unit is in operation in a shaving appa-ratus, penetrates hairs protruding through that aperture and, by movement of the hair-pulling element relative to the cutter under the reaction force from said hairs, moves away from the shear plate or foil and pulls these hairs further through the aperture, wherein each hair-pulling element is arranged to pivot on the associated cutter in the movement of the element relative to the cutter.
2. A cutting unit as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each hair-pulling element has substantially line contact with the associated cutter and is pivotable relative to the cutter about the line of contact.
3. A cutting unit as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein each cutter has a groove in which the associated hair-pulling element is pivotable.
4. A cutting unit as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein each hair-pulling element has a convexly curved surface which has both pivotal and sliding contact with the associated cutter.
5. A cutting unit as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein each hair-pulling element comprises a first por-tion which projects forwardly in front of the associated cutter and which is formed with said sharp edge, and a second portion which joins the first portion and which, when the cutting unit is mounted in a shaving apparatus, extends from the first portion in a direction away from the shear plate or foil of the shaving apparatus, the hair-pulling element having pivotal contact with the cutter at the junction between the two portions.
6. A dry-shaving apparatus of the kind des-cribed having a cutting unit as claimed in Claim 1 or 2.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000335576A CA1152310A (en) | 1979-09-13 | 1979-09-13 | Cutting unit for a dry-shaving apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000335576A CA1152310A (en) | 1979-09-13 | 1979-09-13 | Cutting unit for a dry-shaving apparatus |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1152310A true CA1152310A (en) | 1983-08-23 |
Family
ID=4115137
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000335576A Expired CA1152310A (en) | 1979-09-13 | 1979-09-13 | Cutting unit for a dry-shaving apparatus |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1152310A (en) |
-
1979
- 1979-09-13 CA CA000335576A patent/CA1152310A/en not_active Expired
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| MKEX | Expiry |