Rotary shavers, with improved drive and support structure for the shaving heads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9616583-B2
Application number	US-201414499338-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2014
Priority date	Dec 22, 2004
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A shaver with a handle and at least two rotary shaving heads. The shaver driven by at least one drive shaft which protrudes from the handle, and a support structure for supporting the shaving heads onto the handle so as to have their joined shaving surface extend substantially perpendicular to the at least one drive shaft. The support structure is configured such that a space (A), restricted at one side by the shaving head and at the opposite side by the handle, is substantially open to its remaining, surrounding side.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shaver comprising
a handle,
at least two rotary shaving heads, driven by at least one drives haft which protrudes from said handle, and
a central support structure adapted to support the at least two rotary shaving heads onto said handle, so as to have their joined shaving surface extend substantially perpendicular to said at least one drive shaft,
wherein the central support structure comprises a central top cover adapted to cover the at least one drive shaft and further configured to limit an upward pivot angle of the at least two rotary shaving heads to enable a concave, convex, or straight shape of the shaving surface in a neutral position,
wherein the central support structure is further adapted such that a space, restricted at one side by the at least two rotary shaving heads and at its opposite side by the handle, is substantially open to its remaining, surrounding side,
wherein the support structure supports the at least two rotary shaving heads at a fixed number of isolated points spaced centrally between the at least two rotary shaving heads,
wherein the at least one drive shaft is positioned centrally with respect to the at least two rotary shaving heads and surrounded by the central support structure, and
wherein the at least one drive shaft is at least partially enclosed by the central support structure.

2. The shaver according to claim 1 , wherein the support structure is configured in such way that said space is substantially free from obstacles, apart from said support structure, the at least one drive shaft and one or more supply conduits for supplying the at least two rotary shaving heads with shaving lotion.

3. The shaver according to claim 1 wherein the handle and the support structure are designed such that, during shaving, at least part of each of the at least two rotary shaving heads is visible.

4. The shaver according to claim 1 , wherein the support structure extends centrally with respect to the at least two rotary shaving heads.

5. The shaver according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two rotary shaving heads are driven by a single drive shaft.

6. The shaver according to claim 1 , comprising three rotary shaving heads, positioned in a triangular formation, wherein the support structure substantially extends within a space, enclosed by a cylinder passing through the rotation axes of adjacent rotary shaving heads.

7. The shaver according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two rotary shaving heads are pivotally connected to the support structure.

8. The shaver according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two rotary shaving heads are resiliently connected to the support structure via spring means to provide a counter force to a user's downward pressure to ensure proper contour following.

9. The shaver according to claim 1 , wherein each of said at least two rotary shaving heads comprise an external cutter member with an annular running groove and an internal cutter member with a series of cutters, arranged to be rotated along said running groove, and wherein each of said at least two rotary shaving heads further comprise a central opening, extending through the external and internal cutter members.

10. The shaver according to claim 9 , wherein the internal cutter member is provided with a gear wheel at a bottom side.

11. The shaver according to claim 9 , wherein each external cutter member is a substantially cap-shaped external cutter member, and wherein the annular running groove, of each external cutter member includes a plurality of hair entry apertures.

12. The shaver according to claim 11 , wherein each internal cutter member further comprises a base plate with a plurality of cutters arranged to rotate along an annular running groove.

13. The shaver according to claim 11 , wherein the external cutter member at a bottom side is provided with a circumferential flange and a central tube, the flange being adapted to clamp the external cutter member onto a substantially ringshaped subholder by means of a clamping ring.

14. The shaver according to claim 13 , wherein the at least two rotary shaving heads further comprises spring means located between the subholder and the internal cutter member to bias the internal cutter member against the external member, thereby reducing a cutting gap between said member.

15. The shaver according to claim 13 , wherein the subholder is pivotally connected to said support structure around a pivot axis.

16. The shaver according to claim 1 , wherein the shaver further comprises a central top cover to cover the at least one drive shaft and to limit an upward pivot angle of the at least two rotary shaving heads, thereby determining a shape of the shaving surface in a neutral position.

17. The shaver according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two rotary shaving heads are resiliently connected to the at least one drive shaft via spring means to provide a counter force to a user's downward pressure to ensure proper contour following.

18. A shaver comprising:
a handle,
at least two rotary shaving heads, each of the at least two rotary shaving heads being respectively driven by a corresponding dedicated drive shaft which protrudes from said handle, and
a central support structure configured to support the at least two rotary shaving heads onto said handle, so as to have their joined shaving surface extend substantially perpendicular to each of the corresponding dedicated drive shafts,
wherein the corresponding dedicated drive shafts are located eccentrically with respect to a respective corresponding shaving head to be driven,
wherein the central support structure comprises a central top cover configured to cover each of the corresponding dedicated drive shafts and further configured to limit an upward pivot angle of the at least two rotary shaving heads to enable a concave, convex, or straight shape of the shaving surface in a neutral position,
wherein the central support structure is further configured such that a space, restricted at one side by the at least two rotary shaving heads and at its opposite side by the handle, is substantially open to its remaining, surrounding side,
wherein the support structure supports the at least two rotary shaving heads at a fixed number of isolated points spaced centrally between the at least two rotary shaving heads,
wherein each of the corresponding dedicated drive. shafts are at least partially enclosed by the central support structure.

19. The shaver according to claim 18 , comprising three rotary shaving heads, positioned in a triangular formation, wherein the support structure substantially extends within a space, enclosed by a cylinder passing through the rotation axes of adjacent rotary shaving heads.

20. The shaver according to claim 18 , wherein the at least two rotary shaving heads are pivotally connected to the support structure.

21. The shaver according to claim 18 , wherein the at least two rotary shaving heads are resiliently connected to the support structure via spring means to provide a counter force to a user's downward pressure to ensure proper contour following.

22. The shaver according to claim 18 , wherein each of said at least two rotary shaving heads each comprise an external cutter member with an annular running groove and an internal cutter member with a series of cutters, arranged to be rotated along said running groove, and wherein each of said at least two rotary shaving heads further comprise a central opening, extending th

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Van Der Borst Albertus J C
• Massee Bart J
• Ackermans Paul A J
• Westerhof Wilko
• Aitink Albert J
• Brada Ype

Classifications

• B26B19/28 Primary

  Drive layout for hair clippers or dry shavers, e.g. providing for electromotive drive (electric motors per se H02) · CPC title

• B26B19/386

  Means for attaching the head thereto · CPC title

• B26B19/145 Primary

  Cutters being movable in the cutting head · CPC title

• B26B19/143

  Details of outer cutters · CPC title

• B26B19/14

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