A domestic appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019015999-A1
Application number	US-201616066364-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 29, 2016
Priority date	Jan 12, 2016
Publication date	Jan 17, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present application relates to a domestic appliance (1) comprising a mechanical function unit (2) having a movable member (3), a housing (4) containing a motor (5) to operate the movable member to carry out a primary function of the appliance, and an electrical function unit (6) having an electrically operative member (7) to perform a secondary function of the appliance that supports the primary function performed by the mechanical function unit. The electrical function unit comprises a module (8) positioned between the mechanical function unit and the housing. The electrical function unit comprises a generator to convert mechanical energy generated by the motor located in the housing into electrical energy to power the electrically operative member.

First claim

1 . A domestic appliance comprising a mechanical function unit having a movable member, a housing containing a motor to operate the movable member to carry out a primary function of the appliance, and an electrical function unit having an electrically operative member to perform a secondary function of the appliance that supports the primary function performed by the mechanical function unit, wherein the electrical function unit is contained in a detachable module positioned between the mechanical function unit and the housing, and wherein the electrical function unit comprises a generator to convert mechanical energy generated by the motor into electrical energy to power the electrically operative member.

2 . An appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the module comprises a transmission that couples the motor in the housing to the movable member in the mechanical function unit and drives the generator.

3 . An appliance according to claim 2 , wherein the module comprises an enclosure having a first interface that cooperates with the housing to mount the module to the housing and a second interface that cooperates with the mechanical function unit to mount the mechanical function unit to the module and couple the motor in the housing to the movable member in the mechanical function unit.

4 . An appliance according to claim 3 , wherein the transmission and the first interface are configured so that the transmission and the motor are coupled when the module is mounted to the housing and the transmission and the second interface are configured so that the transmission and the movable member are coupled when the mechanical function unit is mounted to the module.

5 . An appliance according to claim 2 , wherein the transmission includes a drive gear that rotates in response to operation of the motor to drive the generator.

6 . An appliance according to claim 5 , wherein the generator comprises a drive pinion in engagement with the drive gear of the transmission so that the generator is operated to generate electrical energy when the drive gear rotates.

7 . An appliance according to claim 2 , wherein the transmission comprises a drive shaft that engages with the movable member of the mechanical function unit, the drive shaft rotating in in response to operation of the motor.

8 . An appliance according to claim 7 , wherein the mechanical function unit comprises an actuating mechanism that couples the drive shaft to the movable member.

9 . An appliance according to claim 1 , comprising multiple modules each containing a different electrical function unit for carrying out different respective secondary functions, said multiple modules being attached to each other and positioned between the mechanical function unit and the housing.

10 . An appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanical function unit is a hair removal device and the movable member is a cutting blade.

11 . An appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically operative element is a laser line generator, an LED or a sensor.

12 . A module comprising an electrical function unit for use with a domestic appliance,
the module being detachably mountable to a mechanical function unit having a movable member and a housing that contains a motor so as to extend between the mechanical function unit and the housing and so that the movable member is drivingly engaged with the motor to carry out a primary function of the appliance, the electrical function unit having an electrically operative element tho perform a secondary function to support the primary function performed by the mechanical function unit, and wherein the electrical function unit comprises a generator to, when attached to the housing and when in use, convert mechanical energy generated by the motor into electrical energy to power the electrically operative member.

13 . (canceled)

14 . (canceled)

15 . An module according to claim 12 , further comprising a transmission that couples, when attached to the housing and the mechanical function unit, the motor in the housing to the movable member in the mechanical function unit and drives the generator.

16 . An module according to claim 15 , wherein the transmission includes a drive gear that rotates in response to operation of the motor to drive the generator.

17 . An module according to claim 12 , wherein the electrically operative element is a laser line generator, an LED or a sensor.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Darwinkel Geert-Jan

Classifications

• B26B19/3873

  Electric features; Charging; Computing devices · CPC title

• B26B19/46 Primary

  providing for illuminating the area to be shaved or clipped · CPC title

• B26B19/3813

  Attachments · CPC title

• B26B19/38 Primary

  Details of, or accessories for, hair clippers, or dry shavers, e.g. housings, casings, grips, guards (cutters, cutting heads B26B19/04, B26B19/12, B26B19/14; cleaning or disinfecting devices A45D27/46; drying devices A45D27/48; casings for electric apparatus in general H05K) · CPC title