Hair clipping device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hair clipping device, comprising: a housing (12); a cutting assembly (14) which is arranged on one end of said housing (12) and comprises a stationary blade element (22) with a circumferentially arranged toothed cutting edge (26) surrounding the stationary blade element (22) and a moveable blade element (24) with a circumferentially arranged second cutting edge (28) surrounding the moveable blade element (24), wherein the stationary blade element (22) and the moveable blade element (24) are arranged substantially parallel to each other; and a motor (34) for driving a drive shaft (36) in a rotatory manner; wherein the drive shaft (36) is coupled to the moveable blade element (24) via an eccentric coupling mechanism (38) that translates a rotatory movement of the drive shaft (36) into an eccentric movement of the moveable blade element (24).

Claims

1. Hair clipping device, comprising: a housing including a motor for driving a drive shaft in a rotary manner; a cutting assembly including a stationary blade element having a toothed cutting edge circumferentially arranged on a periphery of the stationary blade element, and a moveable blade element having a second cutting edge circumferentially arranged on a periphery of the moveable blade element; wherein the drive shaft is coupled to the moveable blade element via an eccentric coupling mechanism that translates a rotary movement of the drive shaft into an eccentric movement of the moveable blade element relative to the stationary blade element; wherein a portion of the toothed cutting edge is arranged in a first straight-lined segment of teeth in a straight alignment and a first curved segment of teeth in a curved alignment; wherein a portion of the second cutting edge has a second straight-lined segment and a second curved segment; wherein the second straight-lined segment is arranged to traverse the teeth of the first straight-lined segment responsive to the eccentric movement of the movable blade, and wherein the second curved segment is arranged to traverse the teeth of the first curved segment responsive to the eccentric movement of the movable blade.

2. Hair clipping device according to claim 1, wherein the eccentric movement of the moveable blade element is an eccentric translational movement.

3. Hair clipping device according to claim 1, wherein the stationary blade element is larger than the moveable blade element.

4. Hair clipping device according to claim 1, wherein the stationary blade element and the moveable blade element have a same form.

5. Hair clipping device according to claim 1, wherein the stationary blade element and the moveable blade element have a drop-shaped form.

6. Hair clipping device according to claim 1, wherein the stationary blade element and the moveable blade element are parallel.

7. Hair clipping device according to claim 1, wherein another portion of the toothed cutting edge further has is arranged in a third straight-lined segment of teeth in a straight alignment and a third curved segment of teeth in a curved alignment, and wherein another portion of the second cutting edge has a fourth straight-lined segment and a fourth curved segment, wherein the fourth straight-lined segment is arranged to traverse the teeth of the third straight-lined segment responsive to the eccentric movement of the movable blade; and wherein the fourth curved segment is arranged to traverse the teeth of the third curved segment responsive to the eccentric movement of the movable blade.

8. Hair clipping device according to claim 7, wherein the first straight-lined segment has a different length than the third straight-lined segment, wherein the second straight-lined segment has a different length than the fourth straight-lined segment, wherein the first curved segment has a different arc length than the third curved segment, and wherein the second curved segment has a different arc length than the fourth curved segment.

9. Hair clipping device according to claim 1, wherein the drive shaft extends along a first direction, wherein the first straight-lined segment, the third straight-lined segment, the first curved segment and the third curved segment are arranged in a first blade plane, which is oriented perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein the second straight-lined segment, the fourth straight-lined segment, the second curved segment and the fourth curved segment are arranged in a second blade plane parallel to the first blade plane, which is also oriented perpendicular to the first direction.

10. Hair clipping device according to claim 1, wherein the second cutting edge is a toothed cutting edge.

11. Hair clipping device according to claim 1, wherein the stationary blade element and the moveable blade element have a non-planar, three-dimensional form.

12. Hair clipping device according to claim 11, wherein the stationary blade element and the moveable blade element each comprise at least one spherically curved plane element.

13. Hair clipping device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one spherically curved plane element of the stationary blade element and the at least one spherically curved plane element of the moveable blade element have an identical radius of curvature.

14. A cutting assembly for use in a hair clipping device according to claim 1, comprising: a stationary blade element having a toothed cutting edge circumferentially arranged on a periphery of the stationary blade element, wherein a portion of the toothed cutting edge is arranged in a first straight-lined segement of teeth in a straight alignment and a first curved segement of teeth in a curved alignment, and; a moveable blade element having a second cutting edge circumferentially arranged on a periphery of the moveable blade element; wherein a portion of the second cutting edge has a second straight-lined segment and a second curved segment; wherein the second straight-lined segment is arranged to traverse the teeth of the first straight-lined segment responsive to the eccentric movement of the movable blade, and wherein the second curved segment is arranged to traverse the teeth of the first curved segment responsive to the eccentric movement of the movable blade; and an eccentric coupling mechanism, wherein the eccentric coupling mechanism is connected to the moveable blade element and can be coupled to a rotatory driven drive shaft, and wherein the eccentric coupling mechanism is further adapted to translate a rotary movement of the drive shaft into an eccentric movement of the moveable blade element relative to the stationary blade element.

15. Cutting assembly according to claim 14, wherein the stationary blade element is larger than the moveable blade element.

16. Cutting assembly according to claim 14, wherein the stationary blade element and the moveable blade element have a same form.

17. Cutting assembly according to claim 14, wherein the stationary blade element and the moveable blade element have a drop-shaped form.

18. Cutting assembly according to claim 14, wherein the second cutting edge is a toothed cutting edge.

19. Cutting assembly according to claim 14, wherein the stationary blade element and the moveable blade element each comprise at least one spherically curved plane element.

20. Cutting assembly according to claim 14, wherein another portion of the toothed cutting edge further has is arranged in a third straight-lined segment of teeth in a straight alignment and a third curved segment of teeth in a curved alignment; wherein another portion of the second cutting edge has a fourth straight-lined segment and a fourth curved segment; wherein the fourth straight-lined segment is arranged to traverse the teeth of the third straight-lined segment responsive to the eccentric movement of the movable blade; and wherein the fourth curved segment is arranged to traverse the teeth of the third curved segment responsive to the eccentric movement of the movable blade.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter. In the following drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a hair clipping device according to the present invention in a perspective view,

(3) FIG. 2 schematically shows a side view of the hair clipping device according to the first embodiment,

(4) FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of a cutting assembly of the hair clipping device according to the first embodiment,

(5) FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the constructive technical details of the cutting assembly according to the first embodiment,

(6) FIG. 5 schematically illustrates the driving principle of the hair clipping device according to the present invention,

(7) FIG. 6 schematically shows a second embodiment of the cutting assembly of the hair clipping device according to the present invention in a perspective view (FIG. 6a) and a schematic view (FIG. 6b) from below, and

(8) FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the cutting assembly of the hair clipping device according to the present invention in a perspective view (FIG. 7a) and a schematic view (FIG. 7b) from below.

(9) FIG. 8 schematically illustrates the constructive technical details of the stationary blade element illustrated in FIG. 4.

(10) FIG. 9 schematically illustrates the constructive technical details of the mobile blade element illustrated in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(11) FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the principle design of a hair clipping device according to the present invention in a perspective view (FIG. 1) and a schematical side view (FIG. 2). The hair clipping device is therein in its entirety denoted with reference numeral 10. The hair clipping device 10 comprises a housing 12 which serves as a support structure for a cutting assembly 14. The housing 12 has an elongated body that comprises a handle 16 at its rare end 18. The housing 12 has a slim body that resembles the body of a manual razor/shaver. A control button 15 may also be integrated into the housing 12. This control button 15 may either be a simple on/off button, but could also be used to adjust the driving speed of the device 10 or any other parameter. It is to be noted that also other housing arrangements and designs are envisaged without leaving the scope of the invention. Instead of a control button, the housing may also include any other type of adjustor handle to control the device, such as e.g. a so-called zoo-wheel that is similar to the one known from EP 0 325 326 B1. A display may of course also be provided.

(12) The cutting assembly is arranged on a front end 20 of the housing 12. The cutting assembly 14 may either be permanently fixed or releasably attached to the housing 12 in order to being able to change the cutting assembly 14. A releasable connection of the cutting assembly 14 to the housing 12 is especially advantageous as it increases the cleanability of the cutting assembly 14 and thus improves the user friendliness.

(13) The cutting assembly 14 includes a stationary blade element 22 and a moveable blade element 24 arranged parallel thereto. The moveable blade element 24 is displaceable mounted on an upper surface of the stationary blade element 22 which upper surface faces substantially towards the inner side of the housing 12. The stationary blade element 22 comprises a toothed cutting edge 26 with an array of cutting teeth. The stationary blade element 22 is also denoted as guard or comb 22. Different than in conventionally hair clipping devices, the toothed cutting edge 26 of the stationary blade element 22 is not a simple straight-lined cutting edge but circumferentially arranged around the stationary blade element 22, i.e. surrounding the stationary blade element 22.

(14) As it may be seen in FIG. 1, the teeth of the toothed cutting edge 26 are arranged over the entire periphery of the stationary blade element 22. Similar as the stationary blade element 22, the moveable blade element 24 also comprises a circumferentially arranged second cutting edge 28 that surrounds the moveable blade element 24. The moveable blade element 24 is also denoted as knife. It can be seen in the enlarged view illustrated in FIG. 3. The second cutting edge 28 may also be designed as a toothed cutting edge with an array of teeth. However, it has to be noted that this is not a mandatory feature. The cutting edge 28 of the moveable blade element 24 may also be designed as a continuous sharp edge (without teeth).

(15) A covering plate 30 is arranged parallel to the two blade elements 22, 24 at the end of the cutting assembly 14. The covering plate 30, the stationary blade element 22 and the moveable blade element 24 are preferably mounted together by three screws 32. It is evident that also other fixing elements may be used. In order to receive a good cutting performance, the moveable blade element 24 and the stationary blade element 22 are actively pressed against each other to receive a so-called teeth pressure.

(16) One of the main differences to common hair clipping devices relies in the completely new driving mechanism that is used according to the present invention. The technical principle of this driving mechanism becomes best apparent from FIGS. 4 and 5. As it is depicted in FIG. 4, the moveable blade element 24 during operation performs an eccentric movement relative to the stationary blade element 22 (i.e. the cutting edges of the two blades do not move in a linear fashion parallel to each other as this is the case in most of the prior art devices). This eccentric movement of the moveable blade element 24 is realized as follows: During operation a motor 34 drives a shaft 36 (denoted as drive shaft 36) in a rotatory manner. As shown in FIG. 5, the drive shaft 36 is coupled to the moveable blade element 24 via an eccentric coupling mechanism 38. This eccentric coupling mechanism has the features of an eccentric gearing. It translates the rotatory movement of the drive shaft 36 into an eccentric movement of the moveable blade element 24.

(17) The eccentric coupling mechanism 38 includes an eccentric element 40 (denoted as eccentric 40) that has a pin 42 that is coupled with the drive shaft 36. The pin 42 is eccentrically arranged with respect to the axis of symmetry of the eccentric 40. The eccentric 40 itself is preferably designed as a circular plate that is pivot-mounted within the moveable blade element 24. Three guiding bearings 44a-c are additionally provided to guide the eccentric movement of the moveable blade element 24 relative to the stationary blade element 26. As it is depicted in FIG. 4, the rotary movement of the drive shaft 36 causes an eccentric circular movement of the moveable blade element 24 relative to the stationary blade element 26. Due to the guiding bearings 44a-c, this eccentric circular movement is a translational movement. The solid lines in FIG. 4 illustrate a first position during the movement of the moveable blade element 24 and the dashed lines illustrate a second position of the moveable blade element 24 during the described eccentric movement.

(18) It is to be noted that also two guiding bearings 44 would be sufficient to guide the moveable blade element 24 during its eccentric movement. However, a third guiding bearing as it is provided according to this example increases the mechanical stability during the movement.

(19) Due to the above-described eccentric movement, the movement of the moveable blade element 24 is the same at all sides of the cutting assembly 14. Since the stationary cutting edge 26 and the moveable cutting edge 28 are both circumferentially arranged along the entire periphery of the two blade elements 22, 24, all lateral sides of the cutting assembly 14 may be used for hair trimming. In other words, hair may be trimmed with each of the different peripheral sections of the cutting assembly 14. It is evident that this only becomes possible due to the above-explained eccentric circular movement of the moveable blade element 24.

(20) Due to the special construction of the hair clipping device 10, almost every shape of blade element 22, 24 can be realized. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1-4, the stationary blade element 22 and the moveable blade element 24 have the form of a drop, i.e. they are drop-shaped. This drop shape combines sections of larger straight-lined cutting edges with sections of smaller curved cutting edges that may be used for different kinds of hair cutting contours. In detail as shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the circumferentially arranged toothed cutting edge 26 of the stationary blade 22 comprises a first straight-lined segment 46a of teeth in a straight alignment that passes into a first curved segment 48a of teeth in a curved alignment. The first curved segment 48a again passes into a third straight-lined segment 46b of teeth in a straight alignment and this third straight-lined segment 46b of the toothed cutting edge 26 passes into a third curved segment 48b of teeth in a curved alignment, which is also connected to the first straight-lined segment 46a. As the moveable blade element 24 has substantially the same form as shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, it comprises along its periphery (along the circumferentially arranged second cutting edge 28) a second straight-lined segment 50a of teeth in a straight alignment, which passes into a second curved segment 52a of teeth in a curved alignment. This second curved segment 52a is connected to a fourth straight-lined segment 50b of teeth in a straight alignment that passes into a fourth curved segment 52b of teeth in a straight alignment. It is to be noted that the terms first, second, third and fourth are only used to differentiate between the different sections 46a,b, 48a,b, 50a,b and 52a,b of the two cutting edges 26, 28.

(21) As can be seen in FIG. 4, the first straight-lined segment 46a of the toothed cutting edge 26 is longer than the third straight-lined segment 46b. Similarly, the second straight-lined segment 50a is also longer than the fourth straight-lined segment 50b of the second cutting edge 28. Further, the first curved segment 48a has a shorter arc length than the third curved segment 48b. Accordingly, the second curved segment 52a of cutting edge 28 also has a shorter arc length than the fourth curved segment 52b.

(22) In order to realize a similar or the same cutting performance on each side of the cutting assembly 14, straight-lined segment 46a of cutting edge 26 is preferably arranged parallel to straight-lined segment 50a of cutting edge 28; straight-lined segment 46b of cutting edge 26 is arranged parallel to straight-lined segment 50b of cutting edge 28; curved segment 48a of cutting edge 26 is arranged parallel to curved segment 52a of cutting edge 28; and curved segment 48b of cutting edge 26 is arranged parallel to curved segment 52b of cutting edge 28.

(23) The proposed drop-shaped form of the cutting assembly 14 therefore allows to cut different hair contours with one and the same cutting assembly 14. The tip of the drop (segments 48a, 52a) may be used for fine and thin hair contours, whereas the long straight sides of the cutting edges 26, 28 (segments 46a, 50a or 48b, 50b) may be used for rough, broad hair cut contours. As the straight-lined cutting edge segments 46a, 50a are longer than cutting edge segments 46b, 50b, the user may even choose between differently broad straight hair cut contours. In order to change or select different hair cut contours, the user only needs to turn the device 10 and contacts the skin with the teeth of the desired section 46a,b, 48a,b of the toothed cutting edge 26.

(24) Due to the above-described circular eccentric movement of the moveable blade element 24 with respect to the teeth of the stationary blade element 22 that is used according to the present invention, any arbitrary blade shape can be realized. This gives an enormous freedom of design. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4 comprises a planar, two-dimensional form of the stationary blade element 22 and the moveable blade element 24, respectively. Using the same eccentric driving principle, it is also possible to realize a truly three-dimensional blade shape. Examples of such cutting assemblies 14, 14 with a non-planar, three-dimensional shape of the blades are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In both exemplary shown cases, the stationary blade element 22, 22 may, for example, comprise spherically curved plane elements. Similarly, the moveable blade element 24, 24 also comprises three-dimensionally shaped spherically curved plane elements. This of course results in a much more complex form of the blade elements 22, 22 and 24, 24. However, the technical driving principle still remains the same as this is illustrated in FIGS. 6b and 7b which illustrate the eccentric driving principle of the cutting assembly 14, 14 in a schematical way (similar as illustrated in FIG. 4 for the first embodiment).

(25) The cutting assembly 14 shown in FIG. 6 has more or less a triangular form when seen in a top view (see FIG. 6b). In the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the cutting assembly 14 has more or less the shape of an oval or an ellipse when seen in a top view (see FIG. 7b). The eccentric movement principle of the moveable blade element 24, 24 relative to the teeth of the stationary blade element 22, 22 however remains the same as explained before. Each cutting assembly 14, 14 comprises an eccentric coupling mechanism 38, 38 with an eccentric 40, 40 that translates a rotatory movement of the drive shaft 36 into an eccentric movement of the moveable blade element 24, 24. Dashed and continuous lines again illustrate different positions of the moveable blade element 24, 24 during its movement. Different to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, the eccentric movement is here only guided with two guiding bearings 44a, 44b and 44a, 44b. However, it is clear that also in this case, three or more guiding bearings 44 may be used to accomplish an eccentric translational movement.

(26) It is to be noted that for a proper operation of the device 10, it is in case of a three-dimensionally shaped cutting assembly 14, 14 essential that the spherically curved plane elements of the stationary blade 22, 22 and the spherically curved plane elements of the moveable blade element 24, 24 have an identical radius of curvature, since the above-described eccentric circular movement may otherwise not be accomplished. However, one can also see that with the technical principle (eccentric driving principle and circumferentially arranged cutting edges) a variety of other two-dimensional and three-dimensional blade shapes are possible to achieve that are not all shown herein. Rectangular or quadratic shapes are of course also possible. The advantage of this freedom of shape offers the possibility to make the special functions directly visible to the consumer. Depending on the different hair cutting appliances, the user may thus choose between a variety of differently shaped cutting assemblies.

(27) While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.

(28) In the claims, the word comprising does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. 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.

(29) Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.