Surgery – Instruments – Means for removal of skin or material therefrom
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-06
2001-10-23
Mancene, Gene (Department: 3752)
Surgery
Instruments
Means for removal of skin or material therefrom
Reexamination Certificate
active
06306148
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an epilation appliance for the removal of hairs from the skin of a human body, comprising a rotary cylinder equipped with clamping elements operable to execute a closing movement within a zone of the rotary movement of the rotary cylinder, with means being provided which are pivotal about a pivot axis for adjusting the zone of the closing movement in dependence upon the angle at which the epilation appliance is placed against the skin.
An epilation appliance of this type is known from patent application FR 2 668 902 A1.
This printed specification discloses an epilation appliance in which means are provided for adjusting the zone of the closing movement in dependence upon the angle at which the epilation appliance is placed against the skin. The purpose of this is to enhance the effectiveness of the appliance by correcting the closing instant of the clamping elements to a preferred value automatically in dependence upon the angle defined between the epilation appliance and the skin. Said means include a frame which is pivotally mounted about the axis of rotation of the rotary cylinder. Provided approximately in the middle of the rotary cylinder between the frame's two longitudinal sides is a U-shaped yoke extending across the rotary cylinder. By this means it is possible to adjust the zone of the closing movement in dependence upon the angle at which the epilation appliance is placed in contact with the skin. In practice, however, it has shown to be a disadvantage that this frame, including the U-shaped yoke arranged thereon, does not readily follow the tilting movements of the appliance nor the curved contours of the skin. In particular rapid tilting movements or irregularities of the skin surface cause the frame, together with the U-shaped yoke, to stick or tilt out of position in which case the longitudinal side of the U-shaped yoke is no longer in contact with the skin, hence making it impossible for the angle at which the epilation appliance is placed against the skin to be detected. Incidentally, the U-shaped yoke which extends over the outer circumference of the rotary cylinder prevents the rotary cylinder, that is, the clamping elements disposed in the rotary cylinder, from engaging the user's skin. In the mid-area of the prior art rotary cylinder a spaced relation is thus always maintained between the skin surface and the outer circumference of the rotary cylinder, that is, the clamping elements, rendering it difficult to catch the hairs and making it impossible where short hairs are involved.
By contrast, it is an object of the present invention to improve upon an epilation appliance of the type referred to in the foregoing to the effect that a reliable detection of the angle at which the epilation appliance is placed against the skin is accomplished, a secondary aspect of the invention being that the efficiency and effectiveness of epilation is not adversely affected by the means for detecting the angle and adjusting the zone of the closing movement compared with conventional appliances.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, this object is accomplished in an epilation appliance of the type initially referred to in that the pivot axis of the pivotal means is disposed in offset relation to the axis of rotation of the rotary cylinder and, preferably, above the axis of rotation.
This approach has the advantage that the means for adjusting the zone of the closing movement and for detecting the angle at which the epilation appliance is placed against the skin readily engage the skin surface and follow the contours of the skin with ease. This constructional arrangement largely avoids, for example, a one-sided disengagement of said means from the skin and the attendant incorrect angle detection. Said means are also in a position to respond readily to any rapid angular variations of the epilation appliance resulting from the user's individual manipulations. Also under adverse conditions this arrangement makes sure that the angle at which the epilation appliance is placed against the skin is detected with accuracy at all times and that, accordingly, the zone of the closing movement is also adjusted correspondingly and correctly in dependence upon this angle, thereby providing an extremely effective epilation appliance.
In an advantageous aspect of the present invention, a sensing means is provided by means of which the angle at which the epilation appliance is placed against the skin is detectable, said sensing means being pivotal about a pivot axis disposed approximately parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotary cylinder.
The sensing means is thus operable to detect automatically the angle at which the user places the epilation appliance in contact with the skin. Being pivotal about a pivot axis, the sensing means is capable of following any possible variations of said angle readily. Thus the angle at which the epilation appliance is placed against the skin is detected automatically at any instant of time and may be utilized for influencing, that is, modifying, the closing movement of the clamping elements.
In an advantageous further aspect of the present invention, the sensing means spans an engaging surface by means of which the epilation appliance may be placed in contact with the skin.
The engaging surface facilitates operation of the epilation appliance, requiring the user only to place the epilation appliance in contact with the skin with this engaging surface in order for the angle between the epilation appliance and the skin to be detectable.
Particularly advantageously, provision is made either for the pivot axis to be arranged on the side of the engaging surface close to the axis of rotation of the rotary cylinder at a small relative distance to the engaging surface, or for the pivot axis to be arranged on the side of the engaging surface facing away from the axis of rotation of the rotary cylinder, with the possibility for the pivot axis to lie also in the engaging surface. The position of the pivot axis is determined by the engaging surface making contact with the skin readily, also in cases where the epilation appliance is not placed vertically on the skin. In addition, the position of the pivot axis is also determined by the design effort considered to be still acceptable.
In either event, it is accomplished that the sensing means always makes full contact with the skin as the epilation appliance is moved across the skin. In particular skin irregularities will not cause the sensing means to stick or even tilt out of place. It is thereby ensured that the sensing means automatically and correctly detects the angle at which the user places the epilation appliance against the skin at any instant of time, including under conditions when the epilation appliance is moved across the skin.
In an advantageous further feature the sensing means includes two bars, rollers, hair lifting combs, housing edges or a combination of such means or the like, which span between them the engaging surface, said means being arranged approximately parallel to each other and approximately parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotary cylinder.
This represents a particularly simple design implementation of the sensing means. In this arrangement the engaging surface is advantageously spanned by the two bars. Interpositioned between the bars is the rotary cylinder with the clamping elements. The user positions the epilation appliance against the skin with the two bars. This ensures that the complete engaging surface makes contact with the skin. The zone within which closing of the clamping elements is effected is adjusted via the engaging surface. In operation the clamping elements revolving in the space between the bars may then catch and extract the hairs on the skin without further difficulty.
Particularly advantageously, the sensing means includes at least one side member which is pivotally connected to a pin forming the pivot axis or similar bearing structure and which supports the two bars
Knesch Holger
Sanchez-Martinez Pedro
Braun GmbH
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Mancene Gene
Robert Eduardo C.
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