Cutlery – Razors – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-30
2001-11-20
Watts, Douglas D. (Department: 3724)
Cutlery
Razors
Combined
C030S043600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317983
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary type electric shaver and more particularly to an electric shaver which has a hair-raising means provided around the circumferences of the outer cutters.
2. Prior Art
In conventional rotary type electric shavers, there are various inventions and innovations for achieving efficient introduction of hair into hair entry apertures formed in the outer cutters of an electric shaver.
For example, in the rotary type electric shaver described in Japanese Patent Application Publication (Kokoku) No. S60-3503, the efficient introduction of hair is accomplished by a hair-introducing comb. The hair-introducing comb has parallel hair introduction grooves formed so as to correspond to a plurality of hair entry apertures of the outer cutters. These grooves are obtained by forming protruding ribs parallel to each other at intervals along the outer circumference of the circumferential wall of the outer cutter.
On the other hand, in the shaving device described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication (Kokoku) No. H3-17830, a brush which is used to stretch hair or cause the hair to stand in upright positions is installed on a holder on which a shaver head is mounted. The respective rigid bristles of this brush is formed with hooks at the free ends. As a result, the tip ends of the rigid bristles can securely catch on the back portions of the hair lying flat along the skin, so that the hair is caused to stand upright and are easily captured inside the hair entry aperture.
However, these conventional electric shavers have problems.
First, in the electric shaver equipped with a hair introducing comb as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication (Kokoku) No. S60-3503, since the object of the shaver is to arrange long hair and kinky hair so that such hair is introduced into the hair entry apertures, the shaver is effective for such hair. However, this shaver cannot raise hair that is lying flat along the skin so as to introduce into the hair entry apertures.
In the shaver with a brush as described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication (Kokoku) No. H3-17830, hair, debris, etc. tend to adhere to the brush, and therefore, a thorough cleaning of the device is not easy. Thus, such a shaver suffers from the problem of being kept unclean.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is to solve the above-described problems.
The main object of the present invention is to provide an electric shaver that can efficiently raise the individual hairs that are lying flat and introduce such hairs into hair entry apertures formed in the outer cutters.
It is another object to provide an electric shaver with which the shaving debris can be cleaned away simply.
The above objects are accomplished by a unique structure for an electric shaver which is equipped with outer cutters mounted in a head frame so that the upper surfaces of these outer cutters, in which a plurality of hair entry apertures are formed, protrude from circular holes formed in the head frame, and inner cutter units which have a plurality of inner cutter elements that contact the inside surfaces of the upper surfaces of the outer cutters, and which are rotationally driven with respect to the outer cutters; and in the present invention, hair-raising rings which extend along the outer circumferential surfaces of the outer cutters and surround the outer cutters are provided on the head frame, and the upper end surfaces of these hair-raising rings are formed as flat surfaces.
Thus, since the upper end surfaces of the hair-raising rings are flat, the hair always contacts the upper end surfaces or upper outer circumferential surfaces of the hair-raising rings before contacting the outer cutters, in a manner that differs from the case of the conventional hair-introducing comb. Accordingly, even the hair lying flat against the skin can be raised upright since the tip ends of the hair contacts the upper end surfaces or upper outer circumferential surfaces of the hair-raising rings, and in this state, the hair is introduced into the hair entry apertures of the outer cutters. Consequently, even hair that is lying flat can be efficiently shaved. Furthermore, compared to the conventional electric shavers equipped with brushes, the structure of the hair-raising rings of the present invention is simple, and the hair adhering to the head frame can be simply and easily cleaned, thus making it possible to keep the shaver clean.
Furthermore, for electric shavers in which at least some of the hair entry apertures are formed as slits that reach the outer circumferential surfaces of the outer cutters, the height of (the upper end surfaces of) the hair-raising rings is set so that this height is higher than the inside bottom surfaces of the hair entry apertures formed in the outer circumferential surfaces of the outer cutters. As a result, the hair raised by the hair-raising rings is smoothly introduced into the hair entry apertures and cut without becoming caught on the inside bottom surfaces of the hair entry apertures.
It is further preferable that at least the upper portions of the hair-raising rings are formed from a material which has a larger frictional force than the metal material used for the outer cutters or a synthetic resin material used for the head frame. In concrete terms, these upper portions are formed using a rubber material.
As a result of such materials, hair is easily caught on the upper portions of the hair-raising rings, and the hair is raised more securely, thus allowing efficient shaving to be performed.
Furthermore, it is advisable that the outer circumferential surfaces of the hair-raising rings, as seen when the rings are sectioned in a plane perpendicular to the axial lines of the rings, be formed in a polygonal shape or in a shape of continuous waves. Generally, when hair is shaved with an electric shaver, the shaver, and therefore the outer cutters, are ordinarily moved around. Furthermore, in order to achieve an effective raising of hair, it appears to be better to have the hair come into contact at near right angles with the upper end portions of the outer circumferential surfaces of the hair-raising rings. However, when the outer circumferential surfaces of the hair-raising rings are round, only a single point of each hair-raising rings comes into contact with the hair at right angles. However, with the hair-raising rings having the outer circumferential surfaces formed in polygonal shape, the portion that comes into contact with the hair roughly at right angles during the shaver's circular movements is not a single point; rather, the circumferential surfaces of the hair raising rings make a surface contact with the hair, thus raising and cutting more hair at once. Furthermore, with the hair-raising rings having the outer circumferential surfaces formed with continuous waves, hair is guided into the bottoms of the wave forms and raised. Thus, more hair is simultaneously raised and cut in this case as well.
Furthermore, by way of setting the angle between the upper end surface and outer circumferential surface of each one of the hair-raising rings to be an acute angle, hair lying flat against the skin can be easily raised.
In addition, it is preferable that the hair-raising rings be installed in the head frame so that the hair-raising rings are movable up and down or so that such rings can be depressed. In this way, the hair-raising rings move up and down in response to configurations of the skin, and a superior skin contact is obtained.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3940851 (1976-03-01), Rookus
patent: 5621971 (1997-04-01), Szymansky
patent: 1076528 (1960-02-01), None
Izumi Products Company
Koda & Androlia
Watts Douglas D.
LandOfFree
Electric shaver does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Electric shaver, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electric shaver will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2571724