U.S. patent number 3,614,382 [Application Number 04/793,737] was granted by the patent office on 1971-10-19 for electric shaving appliance.
Invention is credited to Eugene Jim Politzer.
United States Patent |
3,614,382 |
Politzer |
October 19, 1971 |
ELECTRIC SHAVING APPLIANCE
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for the elimination of superfluous
hair. Such appliance comprises a body having a working head
including a hood which has an open work protecting member for
engaging the hair inside the head. A revolving member is mounted
for rotation in the hood in confronting relation to the open work
member. A counter electrode is provided which is coextensive in
length with the revolving member and is positioned within the hood
immediately adjacent the open work member. A row of spike
electrodes extends along the length of the revolving member and an
electrode circuit, connected to a source of power, has a first
conductor connected to the counter electrode and a second conductor
connected to the spike electrodes. The spike electrodes and counter
electrode are so spaced that sparks are generated therebetween when
the circuit is energized.
Inventors: |
Politzer; Eugene Jim (Paris, 17
eme, FR) |
Family
ID: |
26181743 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/793,737 |
Filed: |
January 24, 1969 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Dec 3, 1968 [FR] |
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P.V. 176443 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
219/223; 30/32;
219/233; 219/383; 606/43 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B26B
19/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B26B
19/00 (20060101); H05b 001/00 (); A45d
026/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;219/232,221,223,383,384,233 ;128/303.14 ;30/32 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bartis; A.
Claims
I claim:
1. An appliance for eliminating superfluous hair comprising
a body provided with a working head including a hood having at
least one openwork protecting member for straightening and engaging
hair bristles inside the head;
a revolving member mounted for rotation in the hood in confronting
relation to the openwork member;
means for causing the revolving member to be revolved;
a counter electrode coextensive in length with the length of the
revolving member and positioned within the hood immediately
adjacent to the openwork member;
at least one row of spike electrodes extending along the length of
the revolving member;
an electrode circuit including a first conductor electrically
connected to the counter electrode and a second conductor
electrically connected to the spike electrodes;
means for connecting the electrode circuit to a source of power;
and
the spike electrodes and counter electrode being spaced such a
distance that sparks are generated therebetween when the circuit is
energized.
2. Appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the row of
sparks is produced between spikes fixed on a conducting small bar
forming said counter electrode for the revolving member, said bar
being integral with the inner face of the hood and said spike
electrodes are provided on the periphery of the revolving member
and are made of conducting material.
3. Appliance according to claim 2 wherein the small bar is
connected to an electric conductor carried by the hood of the
appliance, the electric conductor being connected to a contact
plate cooperating with a complimentary plate carried by said body
and to which the second conductor of said electrode circuit is
connected.
4. The appliance according to claim 1 wherein said revolving member
is conductive and said electrode circuit includes two conductors,
of which one terminates at a brush permanently held against the
conductive revolving member and of which the other is connected to
said counter electrode, said counter electrode comprising a small
conductive bar integral with the hood.
5. Appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the
revolving member is a cylinder having said spike electrodes formed
as projecting spikes on its external peripheral face, said spikes
extending radially and being placed in irregular arrangement.
6. Appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the
revolving member is a disc, one of the faces of which has spikes
projecting towards the openwork member to form said spike
electrodes.
7. Appliance according to claim 1 wherein the counter electrode and
spike electrodes are formed by two small conducting bars parallel
and insulated from each other, positioned along the length of the
revolving member and connected to two circular contact runways
carried by said revolving member, said runways cooperating with two
brushes connected respectively to the first and second conductors
of said electrode circuit.
8. Appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the
revolving member also supports, in a plane parallel appreciably to
the spikes, at least one electrical resistance for producing an
activation thermic field producing the action of thermic blades,
and means are provided for energizing the resistance.
9. Appliance according to claim 8, characterized in that the
resistance producing the thermic field of activation is a thin
section wire extending outside the surface of the revolving member
and parallel to the row of spike electrodes producing sparks, said
energizing means comprising two independent mutually insulated
rings on said revolving member on which brushes connected to the
electrode circuit are applied.
10. Appliance according to claim 1 characterized in that the
revolving member includes electrical thermic activation resistances
placed on either side of said row of spike electrodes and means for
energizing the resistances are provided.
11. Appliance according to claim 10, characterized in that one of
the thermic activation resistances comprises independent wire
sections connected in parallel for producing a discontinuous
activation thermic field.
12. Appliance according to claim 11, characterized in that the wire
sections are connected to two small independent bars embedded in
the revolving member.
13. Appliance according to claim 1 characterized in that each row
of spike electrodes is associated with two lateral electrical
resistances of which one is a continuous wire, while the other
comprises sections of independent wire and means are provided for
energizing the resistances to produce a thermic field.
14. The appliance as set forth in claim 1 further including means
for producing a thermic activation field in the vicinity of the
sparks for improving the action of the sparks.
Description
Up to now, for shaving the beard, and other superfluous hair,
various types of cutting appliances have been used e.g. single
blade razors, "safety" razors incorporating a thin interchangeable
blade, razors comprising one or more blades actuated with a
rotation or to-and-fro movement by means of a mechanically or
electrically driven motor.
All these appliances have certain disadvantages, for example they
most frequently necessitate the using of soap, shaving paste or
other hair softening products. Also it is often necessary to
sharpen or change the cutting blades. In certain forms of razors,
the blades also have the additional inconvenience of frequently
causing cuts or more or less serious accidents, either for the user
or ill-advised persons.
Furthermore, in all cases, the blades cannot cut the hairs below
the plane of the epidermis, and, accordingly, they leave part of
the hair remaining in the natural cavity. This part of the hair
grows quickly and becomes more and more visible, which frequently
entails the necessity of a second shave at the end of the day.
To eliminate these drawbacks, it has been proposed to use chemical
pastes and tweezers enabling the beard and superfluous hairs to be
destroyed or pulled out, but these various techniques have given
rise to more or less well-justified objections.
The present invention obviates these disadvantages by creating a
new appliance enabling beard, and other hair to be eliminated.
According to the invention these superfluous hairs are engaged in
an openwork member beyond which they are subjected to the action of
sparks set up in displacement and intended to cause, by grilling,
the destruction of the hairs at their base.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the appliance
for operating the process comprises a body provided with a working
head comprising a hood having at least one openwork protecting
member for straightening and engaging bristles inside the head
where said bristles are subjected to grilling by the action of
thermic blades made by at least one row of sparks produced by at
least the spikes of at least one revolving member incorporated in
the working head.
Embodiments of the subject matter of the invention are shown in the
attached drawings:
FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the appliance according to the
invention.
FIG. 2 is a partial cross section, on a larger scale, taken
substantially along the line II--II of FIG. 1.
FIGS. 3 and 4 are partial cross sections showing, on a smaller
scale, two alternative embodiments of certain constitutive members
of the appliance.
FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of another form of carrying out
the appliance.
FIG. 6 is a partial cross section taken substantially along the
line VI--VI of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a partly cutaway perspective, showing one of the
constitutive members of the appliance.
FIG. 8 is a partial section of another form of embodiment of the
appliance.
FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view, partly cut away, of the
appliance according to the invention.
FIG. 10 is a partial cross section, partly cut away, taken
substantially along the line X--X of FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a perspective, partly cut away, showing a characteristic
detail of the construction of the appliance.
FIG. 12 is a partial cross section, on a larger scale, taken along
the line XII--XII of FIG. 11.
FIG. 13 is a partial perspective similar to FIG. 11, showing an
alternative embodiment of certain constitutive members of the
appliance.
FIG. 14 is a partial section of another embodiment of the
appliance.
According to the invention, the appliance comprises a body 1 formed
by two shells 2 associated with a shaving head 3. The shells 2 are
made to confine a closed cavity 4 containing a driving device, for
example, an electric motor 5. The shells 2 also hold a small plate
6 provided with pins 7 for connecting an electric supply cable
branched on the mains. Inside the shells, the small plate 6 is
connected to two electric conductors 8 and 9. The conductor 8 is
branched on to one of the supply terminals of the motor 5, whereas
the conductor 9 is connected up to the baseplate 10 of a voltage
selector 11 comprising an operating member 12 accessible from
outside the body 1. The baseplate 10 of the voltage selector 11
comprises a conductor 13 branched on to the second supply terminal
of the electric motor 5.
The cavity 4 is closed at the top by a partition 14 which forms the
bottom of a housing 15 supplementarily confined by the shells 2 and
by a hood 16 forming part of the shaving head 3. The shells and
hood 16 confine two bearings 17 for mounting the journals 18 of a
cylinder 19. One of the journals 18 is connected, by a transmission
member 20 traversing a slot 21 of the partition 14, to the output
shaft 22 of the electric motor 5. Opposite to the transmission
member 20, the cylinder 19 is in permanent contact with a sliding
brush 23 carried by the partition 14 and connected to the conductor
8. The cylinder 19 has spikes 24, preferably radial, on the whole
of its external periphery, irregularly arranged, both axially and
transversally. The spikes 24, of low height, are intended to rotate
opposite the spikes 25 on a small rigid metal bar 26 mounted level
with the inner face of the hood 16. The small bar 26 is preferably
associated with adjusting members, (not shown), enabling the
distance between the spikes 24 and 25 to be altered. Nevertheless,
such adjustment can, in certain cases, be also effected by the hood
16 mounted on the shells 2 which can be vertically displaced when
the appliance is in use. The small bar 26 is also connected to an
electric conductor 27 branched on to a contact plate 28 carried by
the hood. At least one of the shells has a contact plate 29
connected to the conductor 13.
As can be seen in FIG. 2, the small bar 26 extends at the level, or
slightly recessed, of one of the edges of a slot or window 30
confined by the hood 16, preferably in a plane offset in relation
to the vertical longitudinal symmetry plane of the appliance. The
edge of the slot 30 corresponds to the small bar 26 and makes or
supports a comb or grid 31 extending substantially over the whole
width of said slot.
When the appliance is being used, the branching of the cable on to
the mains enables the motor 5 to be fed and create a potential
difference between the spikes 24 of the cylinder 19 and the spikes
25 of the small bar 26. The alternations of the alternating current
delivered by the mains thus has the effect of causing sparking
between the spikes 24 and 25 temporarily facing each other, sparks
whose frequency and concentration are a function of the rotation
speed of the cylinder 19, and of the number and arrangement of the
spikes 24. By moving the comb 31 against the skin in a direction
opposite to the way the bristles grow, the teeth or roughness in
the case of the grid, straighten these bristles by ensuring their
engaging in the slot 30. The straightened bristles are thus
automatically brought to the level of the spikes 24 and 25 facing
each other, where they are consumed by sparking. The rotation
direction of the cylinder 19 is, moreover, chosen in the direction
of the arrow f.sub.1 (FIG. 2) so that the sparks produced are
thrown against the engaging direction of the bristles in the grid
or comb to behave like thermic blades ensuring the destruction of
the bristles at their base by grilling while simultaneously making
use of the thermic and kenetic power. To avoid any risk of
irritating or chafing the skin, the comb 31 is advantageously made
of an insulating material which nevertheless may be of slight
thickness, seeing that the sparks produced are initially provided
to prevent any burning of the skin.
It will be understood that the electric supply circuit of the motor
5, cylinder 19 and small bar 26 can be effected for operating from
a direct supply current. The circuit intended to set up a potential
difference between the spikes 24 and 25 can then incorporate a
make-and-break or other device.
FIG. 3 shows that the slot 30 of the hood 16 can also be provided
on either side of the vertical longitudinal symmetry plane of the
appliance. Such embodiment allows the appliance to be used in both
directions by alternating displacement which is naturally imparted
to it during the shaving operation. To impart the same efficacity
in such example of utilization, the two longitudinal edges of the
slot 30 form or support combs or grids 32 and 33 with overlapping
and mutually opposed teeth, so as automatically to cause, and in
both shaving directions, the straightening of the bristles to be
eliminated as well as their engaging in the slot 30.
FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the razor according to
which the head 3 comprises a hood 34 confining two parallel housing
35 and 36 for positioning two cylinders 37 and 38 similar to
cylinder 19. The hood 34 is then made with two parallel slots 39
and 40, provided with two combs or grids 41 and 42 whose teeth are
oriented opposite each other. It will be understood that to
increase shaving efficiency, the two slots 39 and 40 can also be
provided each with two combs or grids made as shown with reference
to FIG. 3.
Although not shown, the motor 5 can be reversible or the
transmission means 20 can be provided with a reversing device for
controlling by means of a single member outside the body 1, the
rotation direction of the cylinder or cylinders with a view to
helping to eliminate bristles started by the corresponding grid in
one of the two passage directions of the appliance on the skin.
FIGS. 5 to 7 show another form of carrying out the invention in
which the appliance comprises a cylinder or drum 43 incorporated in
the shaving head 3 which includes a protecting hood 44, provided,
for instance, with a grid 45. The hood 44 is mounted to be adjusted
on the two shells 2 so that during use it is possible to alter the
distance between the periphery of the cylinder 43 and the grid 45
as well as the distance between skin and cylinder 43. Said cylinder
comprises two axial rows of spikes 46 and 47 projecting and close
together on its periphery, formed by two parallel conducting small
bars 48 and 49 embedded in the peripheric layer of said cylinder
which is actually coated or made of an insulating material. The bar
48 independent to the bar 49 is connected to a ring 50 shown on one
of the transversal faces of the cylinder 43. This ring 50 forms a
track or peripheric runway on which a brush 51 is constantly
applied. The brush 51, for instance, mounted on the partition 14 is
connected to the electric conductor 8. The small bar 49 is integral
also with a ring 52 partly embedded in the cross face of the
cylinder 43 opposite the ring 50. A brush 53 is permanently applied
to the ring 52 which also forms a peripheric constant track or
runway. The brush 53 is mounted on the partition 14 for connecting
to the second conductor 13.
Although not shown, it is understood that the rings 50 and 52 can
be carried by the same cross face of the cylinder 43, and in such
case, said rings have different diameters for electric insulation
of one from the other.
The potential difference between the small bars as well as the
height and spacing of the spikes 46 and 47 are chosen for producing
an axial line or row of sparks on the periphery of the cylinder 43
which is rotatively driven as soon as the motor 5 is under voltage.
This row of sparks, produced constantly by the permanent contact of
the brushes 51 and 53 on the rings 50 and 52 is thus made, for each
rotation revolution, to pass intermittently in front of the shaving
zone of the grid 45, so as to ensure burning by grilling of
sparking of bristles preferably engaged against the grain. The
rotation direction of the cylinder 43 is chosen so that the sparks
strike the bristles engaged in the grid 43 so as to combine kinetic
and thermic energy with a view to increasing shaving
efficiency.
In the above-mentioned embodiment, the row of sparks only comes
level with the grid 45 for a short moment at each passage, thus
preventing overheating of the grid likely to irritate the skin.
According to the diameter and rotation speed of the cylinder 43, it
may be advantageous to provide several rows of spikes 46 and 47
angularly equidistant, with a view appreciably to increasing
passage frequency level with the grid 45. Likewise, the razor can
have more than one cylinder or drum 43 respectively provided with
one or more rows of spikes.
FIG. 8 shows a modification according to which the cylinder 43 is
replaced by at least one revolving plate disc 54 placed under a
grid 55 integral with a ring 56 adjustably mounted on the body 57
of the razor. The disc 54 makes a rim 58, opposite to the grid,
supporting two contact rings 59 and 60 for two brushes 61 and 62
connected to conductors 8 and 13. The rings 59 and 60 are linked
with at least two parallel small bars radially or diametrically
placed, embedded in the disc and forming two rows of spikes 63 and
64 projecting towards the grid 55.
FIG. 9 shows another embodiment in which the cross faces of the
cylinder or drum 43 also comprises two other rings 70 and 71 having
a smaller diameter than that of the rings 50 and 52 for being
partly embedded coaxially inside said rings. The ring 70 forms a
track for a brush 72 superimposed on the brush 51 in electric
connection with the conductor 8. In like manner, the ring 71 forms
a track for a brush 73 carried by the partition 14, superimposed on
the brush 53, to be in electric contact with the conductor 13. The
rings 70 and 71 are joined together by an electric resistance 74
such as a semirigid wire of small section whose terminal parts are
joined to the rings 70 and 71 without contact with the rings 50 and
52 (FIG. 11). The wire 74 extends along one of the rows of spikes
and can be placed parallel to the peripheric surface of the
cylinder or drum 43, or partly embedded in a groove or cut 75 made
in said peripheric surface (FIG. 12).
Putting under voltage of the conductors 8 and 13 simultaneously
ensures the producing of sparks between the spikes 46 and 47, the
passage of supply current in the resistance 74 through the rings 70
and 71 and corresponding brushes 72 and 73. The section of the
resistance 74 is chosen so that the passage of electric current
heats and reddens the wire 74 and sets up a thermic field enabling
the reinforcing and improving of the action of the sparks which can
thus be produced by a potential difference less than that normally
necessary for causing the destruction of bristles solely by thermic
and kinetic energy. The thermic actuation produced by the constant
heating of the wire 74 entailed in passing at the same time as the
spark field enables maintaining, in the vicinity of the sparks, a
constant thermic field without, for this, causing a burning feeling
when the grid 45 is moved against the skin, seeing that the
intermittent passage of the resistance 74 enables overheating of
the grid 45 to be avoided, in particular when said grid is made of
a metal member. It should be noticed that the resistance 74 also
helps to burn the bristles engaged in the grid 45.
According to the diameter and/or rotation speed of the cylinder or
drum 43, it may be advantageous to provide several rows of spikes
46 and 47 respectively associated with a resistance 74 with a view
appreciably to increase the passage frequency level with the grid
45. Likewise, each row of spikes 46 and 47 can be associated with
two resistances 74 arranged laterally and placed on either side of
the spikes as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the resistances 74 being
embedded or not in the peripheric surface of the cylinder or drum
43.
FIG. 13 shows an alternative embodiment in which the rings 70 and
71 are each associated with a small bar 76 and 77 extending
parallel to each other without contact. The small bars 76 and 77
embedded in insulating material of which the cylinder or drum is
made are obviously shaped to avoid all contact with the rings 50
and 52. The small bars 76 and 77 form connecting elements of
different polarities on which are fixed sections 78 independent
from each other and fed in parallel from connections 79 and 80
embedded in the cylinder or drum 43 only leaving on the peripheral
surface of said cylinder or drum, the wire sections 78 forming
independent resistances. In the example shown, the resistance
sections 78 are arranged in the extension of each other along a
line parallel to the rows of spikes 46 and 47 but it is quite
obvious that in certain cases the resistance sections 78 situated
towards the terminal parts of cylinder or drum 43, could be placed
with a different spacing.
The arrangement according to FIG. 13, allows a discontinuous
activation thermic field to be set up which could eventually be
completed by a continuous activation thermic field provided on the
other side of the rows of spikes 46 and 47, as shown by wire 74 in
FIG. 13.
FIG. 14 shows another embodiment of the appliance according to
which the cylinder or drum 43 is replaced by a disc or revolving
plate 81 placed under a grid 82 integral with a ring 83 adjustably
mounted on a tubular body 84. The disc or plate 81 comprises,
opposite the grid 82, an annular rim 85 carrying level with its
lower periphery two contact rings 86 and 87 for two brushes 88 and
89 connected to the conductors 8 and 13. The rings 86 and 87 are in
connection with two radially placed parallel small bars or
diametral, forming two rows of spikes 80 and 91 projecting towards
the grid 82. The rim 85 of the disc or plate 81 also comprises
level with its external periphery, two rings 92 and 93 respectively
in contact with two brushes 94 and 95 also branched on the
conductors 8 and 13. The rings 92 and 93 are connected with at
least one electric resistance 96 extending parallel to the row of
spikes 90 and 91 for producing, parallel to said spikes, an
activation thermic field which can be continuous or
discontinuous.
* * * * *