Cutlery – Cutting tools – Plural cooperating blades
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-09
2001-07-17
Watts, Douglas D (Department: 3724)
Cutlery
Cutting tools
Plural cooperating blades
C030S200000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260276
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a hair clipping machine, in particular to a hair clipping machine adapted to adjust the length of the cut.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hair clipping machines with a device for adjusting the length of the cut are disclosed in, for example, DE 33 10 706 C2. These hair clipping machines include a cutting assembly consisting of a fixed clipping comb and a clipping blade that can be driven in an oscillatory motion parallel to the front edge, i.e., in a transverse direction. The clipping blade has a fork-shaped catch which engages with an eccentric pin of the drive motor.
The underside of the clipping comb has a beveled contour. The length of the cut is adjusted by moving the clipping blade with respect to the front edge of the clipping comb in the longitudinal direction. For this purpose, an actuating element in the form of a slider is provided which is supported in the housing. The actuating element acts on the clipping blade through gear teeth. A displacement of the actuating element therefore causes a displacement of the clipping blade in the longitudinal direction.
This mechanism for displacing the clipping blade to adjust the desired length of the cut can be quite complex. In particular, the coupling element, which converts the displacement of the slider, which is supported in the housing, into the desired longitudinal displacement of the clipping blade, has to be carefully constructed.
The German patent DE-PS 814 117, which form a basis for the present invention, describes a hair clipping machine, wherein the device for changing the length of the cut is greatly simplified. The device for adjusting the length of the cut includes a carriage which is supported for longitudinal movement relative to the clipping comb and to which the clipping blade is secured. The device also includes an adjustment lever effecting the carriage and positioning the carriage between two end positions. The assembly of the cutting assembly and the device for adjusting the length of the cut, however, requires that all components be connected to the housing of the hair clipping machine, which can become quite complicated. This applies in particular to the support of the adjustment lever on the housing. According to a first embodiment described in the above-referenced patent, the adjustment lever is supported by a bolt of a tightening screw which holds the entire machine together at the center. In other words, all components have to be inserted sequentially and separately, until they can be secured with the tightening screw. According to another embodiment described in the above-referenced patent, the adjustment lever may be supported by an axial bolt which extends completely through the housing.
Another type of cutting assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,774,046 wherein a knurled screw is used to displace the clipping comb relative to a base plate. The base plate is screwed to the housing. A clearance is provided between the clipping comb which is movably supported in the housing, and the housing section located above the comb to receive the clipping blade which can be driven with an oscillatory motion. The support of the clipping blade is very important, since the clipping blade is essentially merely inserted between the clipping comb and the housing and guided by the drive pin of the motor.
JP 54-54757 discloses an improved arrangement for guiding a clipping blade with respect to a fixed clipping comb. Supporting blocks are provided in the region of the clipping comb. Each of the supporting blocks receives a respective spring element which is attached to the cutting blade. The spring elements are designed so that the clipping blade can oscillate freely transversely to the clipping comb, while being biased against the clipping comb . With this arrangement, however, the length of the cut cannot be adjusted, since the cutting blade has a fixed axial position with respect to the clipping comb.
It is therefore an object of the invention to improve the hair clipping machine of the type described above so as to eliminate the aforedescribed disadvantages. More particularly, it is an object of the invention to simplify the design and thereby also the manufacture of the device for adjusting the length of the cut.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention, the complete device for adjusting the length of the cut is fully integrated in the cutting assembly, with the cutting blade supported so as to be able to oscillate freely. Accordingly, the actuating element is also part of the cutting assembly. The entire cutting assembly, which includes the device for adjusting the length of the cut, can now be constructed as a separate assembly which is separate from the housing. This greatly simplifies the design and construction of the device, since no actuating elements for adjusting the lengths of the cut are disposed on the housing. In addition, hair clipping machines which have interchangeable cutting assemblies, may be provided with optional devices for adjusting the length of the cut without changing the design of the hair clipping machines. In addition, existing hair clipping machines that lack a device for adjusting the length of the cut, may be upgraded by a simple change of the cutting assembly without the need for modifying the machine itself.
In addition, two support blocks which receive at least one spring element, are also provided on the carriage. The cutting blade is connected to the at least one spring element so that the clipping blade is continuously biased against the clipping comb and supported with a parallelogram-type guide arrangement.
Preferably, a support member is provided which receives the carriage. The support member is secured to the clipping comb, preferably in the region of a comb plate which is integrally formed with or attached to the clipping comb. In this way, the carriage is held and guided on the support member and thereby also on the clipping comb and the comb plate, respectively.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the actuating element is rotatably supported on the support member and/or on the comb plate. No additional components are required with this type of support. Instead, the actuating element can be supported by pins and corresponding bores in a manner known in the art. With this type of support, the carriage can be controllably displaced simply by rotating or tilting the actuating element. The desired position can thereby be adjusted very precisely and, for example, secured with conventional locking devices known in the art.
The rotation and tilting motion of the actuating element can be readily transformed into the desired translation or displacement motion of the carriage with the help of a retaining pin which engages and cooperates with a corresponding slotted groove. The retaining pin can be attached, for example, to the actuating element and cooperate with the slotted groove disposed on the carriage. Alternatively, it would also be possible to attach the retaining pin to the carriage and the slotted groove on the actuating element.
Alternatively, a gear wheel can also be attached to the actuating element, wherein the gear wheel cooperates with at least one corresponding rack segment disposed on the carriage.
To transmit the force more evenly, two gear wheels are advantageously arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis, rotating in opposite directions. The gear wheels cooperate with two corresponding rack segments disposed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis on the carriage. The force is then applied exactly symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the carriage. This eliminates jamming which may occur if the force is applied predominantly from one side.
The cutting assembly of the invention which includes the device for adjusting the length of the cut, may also be designed so that either the clipping comb and/or the support member are attached to the housing, with the clipping blade being moved to adjust the length of the cut. A
Altindis Ismail
Lebherz Robert
Wursthorm Günter
Foley Hoag & Eliot LLP
Moser Electrogerate GmbH
Watts Douglas D
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