Hair clipper with linear actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12533822-B2
Application number	US-202218063247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2022
Priority date	Jun 11, 2020
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

A linear actuator or motor for oscillating a blade is provided. The linear actuator replaces an eccentric drive and yoke, resulting in a linear powered drive to oscillate the blade linearly. This operation facilitates the formation of a smaller and/or lighter hair clipper. The linear actuator uses alternating current to oscillate a permanent against a biasing force produced by a set of springs. The permanent magnet is located opposite a stator with an electromagnetic coil that generates an electromagnetic force to oscillate the permanent magnet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A linear motor for a hair cutting device, comprising:
a shaft having a longitudinal axis; a generally U-shaped bracket having a first leg and a second leg joined by a support rail including an opening, the first leg having a parallel orientation relative to the second leg; a permanent magnet extending along an axial axis and coupled to the shaft, the shaft passing through the opening; a pair of flat-bar springs coupled to the permanent magnet and the support rail, the springs each extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein a non-zero angle is formed between the longitudinal axis of the shaft and the longitudinal axes of the springs; and a stator opposite the permanent magnet and comprising an electromagnetic coil, wherein when an alternating current passes through the electromagnetic coil, the shaft oscillates.

2 . The linear motor of claim 1 , wherein the non-zero angle between the axial axis and the longitudinal axis forms a right angle when zero current passes through the electromagnetic coil of the stator.

3 . The linear motor of claim 1 , wherein a tip of the shaft oscillates in a direction parallel to the axial axis and oscillation of the permanent magnet.

4 . The linear motor of claim 1 , further comprising a frame supporting the stator and coupled to a base of the bracket, wherein the frame and the bracket are releasably coupled to surround the permanent magnet, the spring, and the stator.

5 . The linear motor of claim 1 , further comprising a folding bobbin that encloses a part of the electromagnetic coil, and wherein the electromagnet coil remains exposed in a region adjacent to the permanent magnet.

6 . The linear motor of claim 1 , wherein the shaft oscillates linearly within a yoke coupled to an inner blade, which oscillates the inner blade over a stationary outer blade.

7 . The linear motor of claim 1 , further comprising two or more electromagnetic coils.

8 . The linear motor of claim 1 , further comprising two or more permanent magnets aligned along the axial axis.

9 . The linear motor of claim 8 , wherein each permanent magnet couples to a pair of springs on either side of the permanent magnet along the axial axis, wherein each permanent magnet forms a non-zero angle with each spring.

10 . A linear motor for a hair cutting device, comprising:
a bracket; a frame removably coupled to the bracket; a permanent magnet extending along an axial axis and coupled to a shaft passing through an opening of the bracket; a spring directly coupled to the permanent magnet and extending between the permanent magnet and the bracket, the spring extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein a non-zero angle is formed between the axial axis of the permanent magnet and the longitudinal axis of the spring; and a linear stator coupled to the frame opposite the permanent magnet and comprising an electromagnetic coil, wherein when a current passes through the electromagnetic coil, an electromagnetic force causes the permanent magnet to oscillate linearly along the axial axis and a tip of the shaft to oscillate linearly in a direction parallel to the axial axis.

11 . The linear motor of claim 10 , further comprising a linear laminate within the electromagnet coil to generate the electromagnetic force.

12 . The linear motor of claim 10 , wherein the shaft oscillates linearly within a yoke coupled to an inner blade, which oscillates the inner blade over a stationary outer blade.

13 . The linear motor of claim 10 , wherein the spring is a flat-bar spring.

14 . The linear motor of claim 10 , wherein the shaft further comprises a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis of the shaft is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spring.

15 . The linear motor of claim 10 , wherein the frame is coupled to a base of the bracket, wherein the frame and the bracket surround the permanent magnet, the spring, and the linear stator.

Assignees

• Andis Co

Inventors

• Tringali Richard J
• Gross Jeffrey D

Classifications

• B26B19/12

  of the oscillating- cutter type; Cutting heads therefor; Cutters therefor (B26B19/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B26B19/282 Primary

  Motors without a rotating central drive shaft, e.g. linear motors · CPC title

• H02K33/02

  with armatures moved one way by energisation of a single coil system and returned by mechanical force, e.g. by springs · CPC title

• H02K7/14

  Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans (with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06) · CPC title

• B26B19/06

  involving co-operating cutting elements both of which have shearing teeth · CPC title