SHAVING UNIT AND ELECTRIC SHAVER COMPRISING A MAIN BODY AND A SHAVING UNIT

Abstract

A shaving unit (20) for use in an electric shaver (1) comprises at least one hair-cuffing unit (21) comprising an external cutting member (23) having hair-entry openings (24) in a cutting track surface (25) and an internal cutting member having at least one hair-cutting element and being movable relative to the external cutting member (23), and abase member (22) supporting the at least one hair-cutting unit (21). The shaving unit (20) further comprises at least one skin-heating unit (30) comprising a skin-contacting member (31) having a skin-contacting surface (32) arranged adjacent to the at least one hair-cutting unit (21) to contact the skin during use of the shaving unit (20), and at least one infrared or near-infrared light source (33) integrated in the skin-contacting member (31), thermally coupled to the skin-contacting surface (32) and arranged to emit infrared or near-infrared light via the skin-contacting surface (32).

Claims

1. A shaving unit, comprising: at least one hair-cutting unit comprising an external cutting member having hair-entry openings in a cutting track surface and an internal cutting member having at least one hair-cutting element and being movable relative to the external cutting member; a base member supporting the at least one hair-cutting unit; and at least one skin-heating unit comprising at least one infrared or near-infrared light source arranged to emit infrared or near-infrared light; wherein: the at least one skin-heating unit further comprises a skin-contacting member having a skin-contacting surface arranged adjacent to the at least one hair-cutting unit to contact the skin during use of the shaving unit; and the at least one infrared or near-infrared light source is integrated in the skin-contacting member, thermally coupled to the skin-contacting surface and arranged to emit the infrared or near-infrared light via the skin-contacting surface.

2. The shaving unit according to claim 1, wherein the skin-contacting surface of the skin-contacting member of the at least one skin-heating unit is arranged to at least partially encompass the at least one hair-cutting unit, wherein the at least one skin-heating unit comprises a plurality of the infrared or near-infrared light sources arranged to at least partially encompass the at least one hair-cutting unit.

3. The shaving unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one hair-cutting unit comprises at least two hair-cutting units, wherein the skin-contacting surface of the skin-contacting member of the at least one skin-heating unit is configured to at least partially encompass each of the at least two hair-cutting units, wherein the at least one skin-heating unit comprises a plurality of infrared or near-infrared light sources are arranged to at least partially encompass each of the at least two hair-cutting units.

4. The shaving unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one skin-heating unit comprises a plurality of infrared or near-infrared light sources arranged to emit the infrared or near-infrared light via at least two distinct sections of the skin-contacting surface of the skin-contacting member of the at least one skin-heating unit.

5. The shaving unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one hair-cutting unit comprises three hair-cutting units in an equilateral triangular configuration, wherein the at least one skin-heating unit comprises a plurality of infrared or near-infrared light sources arranged to emit the infrared or near-infrared light via a central section of the skin-contacting surface arranged between the three hair-cutting units and via peripheral sections of the skin-contacting surface arranged between each of the three hair-cutting units in the equilateral triangular configuration.

6. The shaving unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one hair-cutting unit comprises at least two hair-cutting units and the at least one skin-heating unit comprises at least two skin-heating units.

7. The shaving unit according to claim 1, wherein the skin-contacting member of the at least one skin-heating unit is configured to at least partially support the at least one hair-cutting unit.

8. The shaving unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one hair-cutting unit is mounted in a generally ring-shaped member that is pivotably arranged relative to the base member of the shaving unit and that is configured to contact the skin during use of the shaving unit, and wherein the at least one skin-heating unit is arranged in the generally ring-shaped member.

9. The shaving unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one skin-heating unit comprises a molded part and a printed circuit board (PCB) carrying the at least one infrared or near-infrared light source, and wherein the PCB is arranged in the molded part and the molded part is filled with a potting material.

10. The shaving unit according to claim 1, further comprising at least one indicator element configured to emit visible light via the skin-contacting surface of the skin-contacting member of the at least one skin-heating unit when the at least one infrared or near-infrared light source emits the infrared or near-infrared light.

11. An electric shaver comprising a main body and a shaving unit according to claim 1.

12. The electric shaver according to claim 11, wherein the at least one skin-heating unit of the shaving unit is supported by the base member of the shaving unit, and wherein the base member is movable relative to the main body from an operational position to a non-operational position and vice versa by being removably or hingeably coupled to the main body, and wherein the shaving unit comprises an electric system configured to convey electric power to the at least one infrared or near-infrared light source of the at least one skin-heating unit, wherein the electric system comprises at least one connection/disconnection area configured to establish electric connection of the electric system to a power-supplying system included in the main body when the base member of the shaving unit is moved from the non-operational position to the operational position and to allow for electric disconnection of the electric system from the power-supplying system when the base member of the shaving unit is moved from the operational position to the non-operational position.

13. The electric shaver according to claim 12, wherein the at least one connection/disconnection area of the electric system of the shaving unit comprises a hingably arranged and/or resilient member, and/or a member configured to engage with and disengage from a hingably arranged and/or resilient member.

14. An electric shaver comprising a main body and a shaving unit according to claim 1, wherein the base member of the shaving unit is movable relative to the main body from an operational position to a non-operational position and vice versa by being removably or hingeably coupled to the main body, wherein the at least one skin-heating unit of the shaving unit is mounted on the main body, and wherein the base member of the shaving unit has at least one recess through which the at least one skin-heating unit extends when the base member is in the operational position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the figures, in which equal or similar parts are indicated by the same reference signs, and in which:

[0029] FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows an electric shaver according to a first embodiment of the invention,

[0030] FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows a shaving unit of an electric shaver according to a second embodiment of the invention,

[0031] FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows a shaving unit and a part of a main body of an electric shaver according to a third embodiment of the invention,

[0032] FIGS. 4 and 5 diagrammatically show a shaving unit and a part of a main body of an electric shaver according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, wherein a non-operational position of a base member of the shaving unit is illustrated in FIG. 5,

[0033] FIG. 6 relates to an option of the base member of a shaving unit being removably or hingably coupled to a main body and diagrammatically shows a cross-section of parts of the shaving unit and the main body, and

[0034] FIG. 7 diagrammatically shows an embodiment of a skin-heating unit as included in the electric shaver according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0035] FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows an electric shaver 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention. In the shown example, the electric shaver 1 is of the rotary type and comprises a main body 10 that is intended to be taken hold of by a user of the shaver 1, and a shaving unit 20 that is intended to contact a portion of skin to be subjected to a shaving action. The main body 10 of the shaver 1 is also commonly referred to as handle, and the shaving unit 20 of the shaver 1 is also commonly referred to as head. For various reasons such as a need to service and/or clean the shaving unit 20, a need to replace the shaving unit 20 by a unit of another type, etc., it is practical if the shaving unit 20 is removably or hingably mounted to the main body 10. The shaving unit 20 includes a number of hair-cutting units 21, the number being three in the shown example. When the electric shaver 1 is applied for the purpose of subjecting a portion of skin to a shaving action, the actual process of cutting off hairs protruding from the portion of skin takes place at the position of the hair-cutting units 21. For the purpose of supporting the hair-cutting units 21, the shaving unit 20 comprises a base member 22.

[0036] Each of the hair-cutting units 21 comprises a combination of an external cutting member 23 that is of a generally cup-shaped design and an internal cutting member (not shown) that is equipped with at least one hair-cutting member and that is at least partially accommodated in the interior of the internal cutting member 23. The external cutting member 23 has hair-entry openings 24 in an annular cutting track surface 25. During a shaving action, hairs extending through the hair-entry openings 24 and protruding to the interior of the external cutting member 23 are cut off as soon as they are encountered by a hair-cutting element of the internal cutting member. A shaving action as mentioned can be performed when the internal cutting member is activated to rotate and a portion of skin is actually contacted by the external cutting member 23 at the position of the cutting track surface 25. Activation of the internal cutting member may take place in a known manner by means of a drive mechanism of the shaver 1. When the combination of the external cutting member 23 and the internal cutting member is moved over the portion of skin while the internal cutting member is driven to rotate, it is achieved that hairs protruding from the portion of skin are caught in the hair-entry openings 24 of the external cutting member 23 and are cut off in that position.

[0037] It is to be noted that the foregoing general information about the electric shaver 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention is applicable to the electric shavers 2, 3, 4 according to the other embodiments as will be described in the following as well.

[0038] In the electric shaver 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention, the shaving unit 20 comprises a skin-heating unit 30 that serves for emitting infrared or near-infrared light to the skin and to heat the skin. The skin-heating unit 30 comprises a skin-contacting member 31 having a skin-contacting surface 32 that is arranged adjacent to the hair-cutting units 21 to contact the skin during a shaving action. Further, the skin-heating unit 30 comprises infrared or near-infrared light sources 33, which will hereinafter be simply referred to as light sources 33 for the sake of clarity, and which may comprise LEDs, for example. The light sources 33 are integrated in the skin-contacting member 31, wherein the light sources 33 are both thermally coupled to the skin-contacting surface 32 and arranged to emit infrared or near-infrared light via the skin-contacting surface 32. For example, the skin-contacting member 32 may comprise material that is transparent to the infrared or near-infrared light and the light sources 33 may be embedded in the material. When the skin-heating unit 30 is activated during a shaving action, it is achieved that the skin is subjected to more actions besides the shaving action, particular actions in which the skin is stimulated and heated, which may lead to improvement of the condition/appearance of the skin and also to improvement of shaving comfort.

[0039] It is noted that the skin-heating unit 30 is configured to actually realize transfer of heat to the skin on the basis of both conduction and radiation. In view of the conduction aspect, it is advantageous if the design of the skin-heating unit 30 (or a collection of skin-heating units 30) is chosen so as to enable contact to the skin over an area of considerable size so that heat can be spread and hot spots can be avoided. This implies that it is generally advantageous to have a plurality of light sources 33 in the shaving unit 20. In view of the radiation aspect, it is advantageous if the wavelength of the light emitted by the light sources 33 is chosen so as to enable deep skin penetration of the light, so that the skin can really be heated from the inside.

[0040] In the shown example, the skin-contacting member 31 is provided in the form of a bracket that is arranged to extend between and partially support the three hair-cutting units 21. According to an advantageous option, the skin-contacting member 31 including the light sources 33 is removably or hingably arranged in the shaving unit 20. In order to have a practical distribution of the infrared or near-infrared light, the light sources 33 are arranged to emit the infrared or near-infrared light via a central section 34 of the skin-contacting surface 32 arranged between the hair-cutting units 21 and via peripheral sections 35a, 35b, 35c of the skin-contacting surface 32 arranged between each of the three different pairs of adjacent hair-cutting units 21 in the equilateral triangular configuration.

[0041] FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows a shaving unit 20 of an electric shaver 2 according to a second embodiment of the invention. In the shown example, the hair-cutting units 21 are mounted in generally ring-shaped members 26 which are pivotably arranged relative to the base member 22 and which are configured to contact the skin during a shaving action. The ring-shaped members 26 are also commonly referred to as floes and have a function in allowing the hair cutting units 21 to follow the local contours of the skin by pivoting relative to the base member 22 together with the ring-shaped members 26. The hair-cutting unit 21 of the electric shaver 2 according to the second embodiment of the invention comprises the same number of skin-heating units 30 as hair-cutting units 21 and ring-shaped members 26, wherein a skin-heating unit 30 is arranged in each of the ring-shaped members 26, wherein the skin-contacting surface 32 of the skin-contacting member 31 of each of the skin-heating units 30 is configured to partially encompass the respective hair-cutting unit 21, wherein each of the skin-heating units 30 comprises a plurality of light sources 33, and wherein the light sources 33 are arranged to partially encompass the respective hair-cutting unit 21.

[0042] FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows a shaving unit 20 and a part of a main body 10 of an electric shaver 3 according to a third embodiment of the invention. As is the case in the shaving unit 20 of the electric shaver 2 according to the second embodiment of the invention, the hair-cutting units 21 are mounted in generally ring-shaped members 26 which are pivotably arranged relative to the base member 22 and which are configured to contact the skin during a shaving action. Also, there are three skin-heating units 30, but the skin-heating units 30 are not arranged in the ring-shaped members 26. Instead, the skin-heating units 30 are arranged in the base member 22, at peripheral positions between each of the three different pairs of adjacent hair-cutting units 21 in the equilateral triangular configuration.

[0043] FIGS. 4 and 5 diagrammatically shows a shaving unit 20 and a part of a main body 10 of an electric shaver 4 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. In the electric shaver 4 according to the fourth embodiment of the invention, the skin-heating units 30 of the shaving unit 20 are mounted on the main body 10. The base member 22 of the shaving unit 20 has recesses 22a through which the skin-heating units 30 extend when the base member 20 is in position on the main body 10. In the shown example, the base member 22 is movable relative to the main body 10 from an operational position as shown in FIG. 4 to a non-operational position and vice versa by being hingably coupled to the main body 10, wherein it is noted that FIG. 5 relates to the situation of the base member 22 including the hair-cutting units 21 being hinged to the non-operational position. Alternatively, it is possible that the base member 22 is removably coupled to the main body 10.

[0044] In the above-described case of the electric shaver 4 according to the fourth embodiment of the invention, the skin-heating units 30 are fixed on the main body 10. Assuming that electric power as necessary for operating the light sources 33 of the skin-heating units 30 is taken from a power-supplying system included in the main body 10, it is possible to simply have a direct electric connection of the light sources 33 to that power-supplying system in that particular case. However, in cases of the skin-heating units 30 being supported by the base member 22 of the shaving unit 20 and the base member 22 being movable relative to the main body 10 from an operational position to a non-operational position and vice versa by being removably or hingably coupled to the main body 10, it is not possible to have a direct electric connection. With reference to FIG. 6, it is noted that in those cases, it may be so that the shaving unit 20 comprises an electric system configured to convey electric power to the light sources 33, wherein the electric system comprises at least one connection/disconnection area 36 configured to establish electric connection of the electric system to the power-supplying system included in the main body 10 when the base member 22 of the shaving unit 20 is moved from the non-operational position to the operational position and to allow for electric disconnection of the electric system from the power-supplying system when the base member 22 of the shaving unit 20 is moved from the operational position to the non-operational position.

[0045] Members arranged on the main body 10 and the shaving unit 20, respectively, and configured to be involved in establishing electric connection and allowing for electric disconnection in the way as described in the foregoing can be of any suitable design. FIG. 6 illustrates an option according to which the connection/disconnection area 36 of the electric system of the shaving unit 20 comprises a fixed metal contact 37 that is configured to engage with and disengage from a metal leaf spring 38 that is located in the main body 10 and that is at an end position of the power-supplying system included in the main body 10. In general, it is advantageous if the members as mentioned are in a movable/hingable arrangement or have resilient properties.

[0046] In a similar manner as described in the foregoing with respect to the electric system, it may be so that the shaving unit 20 comprises a data supplying system configured to supply data about one or more parameters measured at the position of the shaving unit 20, which data may be provided by one or more sensors in the shaving unit 20, wherein the data supplying system comprises at least one connection/disconnection area configured to establish a data connection of the data supplying system to a controller included in the main body 10 when the base member 22 of the shaving unit 20 is moved from the non-operational position to the operational position and to allow for disconnection of the data supplying system from the controller when the base member 22 of the shaving unit 20 is moved from the operational position to the non-operational position. For example, it may be useful to have a functionality of determining a temperature at one or more positions on the shaving unit 20 during a shaving action, and to process information about the temperature for the purpose of controlling operation of the light sources 33 of the skin-heating units 30. It may be practical if the at least one connection/disconnection area of the data supplying system is combined with the at least one connection/disconnection area 36 of the electric system.

[0047] The skin-heating units 30 can be of any suitable design. A practical embodiment of a skin-heating unit 30 is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 7, wherein it is noted that the skin-heating unit 30 is depicted with the skin-contacting surface 32 down. In this embodiment, the skin-heating unit 30 comprises a PCB 41, two connector plates 42 and two wires 43 connecting the connector plates 42 to the PCB 41, wherein the light sources 33 are arranged on the PCB 41, at the side of the skin-contacting surface 32, i.e. the other side of the PCB 41 than the one that is visible in the figure. The assembly of the PCB 41 carrying the light sources 33, the connector plates 42 and the wires 43 are placed on a molded part 44, which may be a polycarbonate/polyester molded part, for example. The molded part 44 is filled with a potting material 45 such as silicon/PU so that the PCB 41 and the light sources 33 are completely embedded in the potting material 45 and thereby protected from environmental influences. The wires 43 extend through the potting material 45 and the connector plates 42 are outside of the potting material 45 so that the PCB 41 carrying the light sources 33 is electrically accessible from the outside. The use of potting material 45 is advantageous when it comes to factors such as transmittance of the infrared or near-infrared light, impact resistance of the skin-heating unit 30, damping of vibrations as may occur during a shaving process, and dissipation of heat from the light sources 33.

[0048] It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the invention is not limited to the examples discussed in the foregoing, but that several amendments and modifications thereof are possible without deviating from the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such amendments and modifications insofar they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalents thereof. While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary only, and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The drawings are schematic, wherein details which are not required for understanding the invention may have been omitted, and not necessarily to scale.

[0049] Variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by a person skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the figures, the description and the attached claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0050] Elements and aspects discussed for or in relation with a particular embodiment may be suitably combined with elements and aspects of other embodiments, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Thus, the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

[0051] The terms “comprise” and “include” as used in this text will be understood by a person skilled in the art as covering the term “consist of”. Hence, the term “comprise” or “include” may in respect of an embodiment mean “consist of”, but may in another embodiment mean “contain/have/be equipped with at least the defined species and optionally one or more other species”.

[0052] Notable aspects of the invention are summarized as follows. A shaving unit 20 for use in an electric shaver 1, 2, 3, 4 comprises at least one hair-cutting unit 21 comprising an external cutting member 23 having hair-entry openings 24 in a cutting track surface 25 and an internal cutting member having at least one hair-cutting element and being movable relative to the external cutting member 23, and a base member 22 supporting the at least one hair-cutting unit 21. The shaving unit 20 further comprises at least one skin-heating unit 30 comprising a skin-contacting member 31 having a skin-contacting surface 32 arranged adjacent to the at least one hair-cutting unit 21 to contact the skin during use of the shaving unit 20, and at least one infrared or near-infrared light source 33 integrated in the skin-contacting member 31, thermally coupled to the skin-contacting surface 32 and arranged to emit infrared or near-infrared light via the skin-contacting surface 32. An important advantage of the configuration of the at least one skin-heating unit 30, particularly the fact that the at least one skin-heating unit comprises a member 31 that is configured to contact the skin, is that the heat generated by the at least one light source 33 is efficiently transferred to the skin and that the infrared or near-infrared light emitted by the at least one light source directly reaches the skin and penetrates into the skin. In this respect, it is noted that it is practical if the skin-contacting surface 32 of the skin-contacting member 31 of the at least one skin-heating unit 30 is at a substantially similar level as the cutting track surface 25 of the external cutting member 23 of the at least one hair-cutting unit 21.