EP0147285A2 - Epilation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Hair removal device comprising movable parts for removing hairs to be removed, driven by an electric motor housed inside a housing capable of being held by hand. These lifting members consist of a series of discs (8) arranged side by side, with little play between them, and forming a roller mounted to rotate behind a slot (6), a grid or the like, provided in one of the housing ends (1). Furthermore, means are provided capable of periodically pinching, against these disks, hairs engaged between them. Thus these hairs are pulled by these discs and torn off due to the rotation of the latter. This device can be used to remove unwanted hair by pulling it out.

Description

The present invention relates to a small depilatory device capable of being held in the hand and which is intended to allow the elimination of excess hair.

There are already small devices designed for the same purpose. Thus the French patent application 2,307,491 describes an apparatus comprising two pairs of rollers rotating in opposite directions and which are intended to ensure the removal of the hairs brought to engage therebetween. However, the efficiency of this device is limited. This is due to the very nature of the organs used to remove the hairs. Another cause of the low efficiency of such a device lies in the fact that the point, where the bristles are actually gripped between the two rollers, that is to say the point of contact between them, is necessarily located far behind the corresponding end of the device housing.

French patent application 2,334,320 describes another epilating device in which there is provided a helical spring rotating on itself and whose coils are alternately relaxed, then tightened against each other, in order that the bristles can engage between these turns when the latter are relaxed, to then be pinched between them during their tightening in order to be torn off due to the rotation of the spring on itself.

However, the ends of the bristles to be plucked can hardly engage between the turns of the rotary spring due to the helical conformation of these. For the same reason the bristles are displaced in the transverse direction by the turns during their rotation, which has the effect of preventing them from properly penetrating inside the spring. However, the hairs, which have nevertheless managed to engage between the turns, are then pinched at a single point, in this case at the point of contact between the two turns located on either side. It exists therefore a significant risk of slipping when the spring continues its rotation, in which case the corresponding bristles are not torn away by it. Finally, there is no provision for subsequent removal of the bristles engaged between the turns of the pull-out spring. Besides, such a withdrawal would be very difficult to achieve.

This is why the device according to the invention is designed so as to avoid the drawbacks of current devices so that the latter is truly effective and that it can thus extract, easily and quickly, the hairs to be eliminated.

To this end, this apparatus is essentially characterized in that the members for removing the hairs to be eliminated consist of a series of discs arranged side by side, with little play between them, and forming a roller mounted to rotate behind a slot, a grid. or the like, provided in one of the ends of the housing and in that means are provided capable of periodically pinching, against these pins, the hairs engaged between them, so that these hairs are thus pulled by these discs and torn off due to the rotation of the latter.

In a particular embodiment of the present apparatus, the rotary discs are flexible or elastic and the means ensuring periodically the pinching of the hairs to be pulled consist of means capable of ensuring the tightening of all the rotary discs, one against the other , near their part which is located behind the slot or grid of the housing and this, by deformation of these discs.

In another embodiment, the means ensuring periodically the nipping of the hairs to be plucked comprise a series of parallel nipping blades engaged between the rotary discs and carried by a support mounted movable parallel to the shaft of these discs, and provision is made means capable of periodically ensuring the movement of this support so as to apply the nip blades against rotating discs to trap the hairs to be pulled out.

Thus in one and the other of these two embodiments, the ends of the bristles to be plucked engage very easily between the rotating wedges because the latter are parallel to each other and perpendicular to their axis of rotation. Furthermore, the efficiency of the present device is optimum since the bristles engaged between the rotating discs are pinched, not at a single point, but over the entire length of their depth of engagement between the discs.

• - la figure 1 représente une première forme de réalisation du présent appareil, et plus précisément une vue en bout de son extrémité, à l'endroit de laquelle est prévue une fente d'entrée des poils à arracher ;
• - la figure 2 en est une vue en coupe selon la ligne II-II de la figure 1 ;
• - la figure 3 en est une vue en coupe selon la ligne III-III de la figure 2 ;
• - les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues en coupe, selon le même plan de coupe que la figure 2, mais à échelle différente, ces deux vues illustrant respectivement l'engagement des poils à arracher entre les disques rotatifs et leur pincement par ces derniers ;
• - la figure 6 est une vue en élévation, avec arrachement, d'une autre forme de réalisation de l'appareil selon l'invention ;
• - les figures 7 et 8 en sont des vues partielles en coupe selon des plans en coupe différents ;
• - la figure 9 est une vue en élévation en bout, à échelle différente, de l'un des disques rotatifs prévus dans cet appareil ;
• - la figure 10 est une vue en perspective, également à échelle différente, de l'un des peignes de pincement prévu dans cet appareil et qui consiste en une série de lames de pincement portées par un support mobile.

However, other features and advantages of the device according to the invention will become apparent from the following description. This is given with reference to the attached drawing for information only, and in which:

• - Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of this device, and more precisely an end view of its end, at the location of which is provided an inlet slot of the hairs to be plucked;
• - Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line II-II of Figure 1;
• - Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line III-III of Figure 2;
• - Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views, according to the same section plane as Figure 2, but on a different scale, these two views respectively illustrating the engagement of the bristles to be pulled between the rotating discs and their pinching by the latter ;
• - Figure 6 is an elevational view, broken away, of another embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention;
• - Figures 7 and 8 are partial sectional views along different sectional planes;
• - Figure 9 is an end elevational view, on a different scale, of one of the rotary discs provided in this device ;
• - Figure 10 is a perspective view, also on a different scale, of one of the pinching combs provided in this device and which consists of a series of pinching blades carried by a movable support.

The device shown in Figures 1 to 5 comprises a small housing 1 capable of being held in the hand and which is constituted by two shells assembled one against the other. Inside this box is arranged a small electric motor 2 powered by a battery 3 or a rechargeable accumulator. The starting of this engine can be controlled by a push button 4 projecting from one of the sides of the housing.

At one of its ends 5, it has a slot 6 intended to receive the hairs to be plucked. Preferably the walls of this slot are inclined, as shown in FIG. 3, to facilitate the penetration of the hairs P into this slot, when the appliance is moved above the skin, according to the arrow F in the direction of movement provided for the device. The outer edge of the slot 6, which is situated on the opposite side, has a protruding beak 7 intended to "rake" the hairs in a way to force them to penetrate inside the slot 6.

Behind this slot is arranged a rotary roller constituted by a series of discs 8 made of elastic metal, carried by a pin 9. The latter is coupled with the output shaft of the motor 2 by means of a passing transmission belt 10 on corresponding pulleys. It should be noted that the end 5 of the housing has a contour corresponding to a portion of cylinder whose axis coincides with that of the axis 9. Furthermore, the arrangement is such that at their periphery the disks 8 are located in the immediate vicinity of the internal face of the end 5, therefore of the corresponding opening of the slot 6.

In their normal position illustrated by the figures 2 and 4, the discs 8 have a slight gap allowing the bristles P, penetrating through the slot 6 to be able to engage therebetween as shown in FIG. 4. However, suitable means are provided which periodically tighten the rotating discs 8 against each other, on part of their surface, in order to pinch the hairs engaged therebetween.

In the example shown, these clamping means comprise ramps 11 carried by two fixed flanges 12, arranged on either side of the roller formed by the rotating discs 8. In combination with these ramps, it is provided on the discs extremities 8b of this roller, a boss 13 placed at a determined point on the periphery of the latter and opposite the lateral flanges 12.

Thus, at each turn of rotation of the roller formed by the discs 8, the bosses 13 come into contact with the ramps 11 located near the slot 6. Under these conditions, these bosses are pushed inwards according to arrows F1 and F2, which has the consequence of deforming the corresponding part of all of the disks, as shown in FIG. 5.

This results in a tight clamping of the discs on their corresponding part, and consequently a very firm pinching of the bristles P previously engaged between them (see FIG. 5). Under these conditions, these bristles are pulled due to the rotation of the discs 8, which ensures their tearing.

Preferably the ramps 11 extend over an angular sector “located immediately behind the radius OA passing through the slot 6, if we consider the direction of rotation F3 of the discs 8. The value of this angular sector can be l 'around 30 °. However, this value can be variable.

Beyond this angular sector the discs 8 are constantly spaced from each other. In these conditions the hairs pulled out by the rotating discs 8 are easily released from them and fall into the bottom of the compartment 14 located below these. But it should be observed that the discs 8 are thus tightened at the location of the slot 6 only once per rotation. Indeed over all the rest of their surface these discs remain apart in their normal position shown in Figure 4, which is also essential for the bristles P can engage between them.

In this regard, it should be noted that the operating process is entirely different from that of the tear-off spring provided for in French patent application 2,334,320. When this spring is compressed, these turns are clamped over their entire surface. There can therefore be release of the hairs pulled out only after the spring has been relaxed. But this requires a certain delay and consequently limits the operating speed.

As already indicated, the engagement of the bristles between these discs is very easily effected because they are parallel to each other and perpendicular to their axis of rotation 9. On the other hand, during the subsequent tightening of the discs 8, these bristles are pinched over the entire length of their part engaged inside the latter. Under these conditions there is no risk of the hairs sliding relative to the discs, so that optimum extraction efficiency of the hairs to be removed is obtained.

In addition, to avoid absolutely any risk of slipping, the surface of the discs can undergo a treatment intended to make it rough. It is also possible to provide streaks or other suitable reliefs on this surface.

Given that with the exception of their part located on the side of the slot 6, the discs 8 always remain slightly apart from one another, and that these discs are perpendicular to their axis of rotation, it is possible to provide cleaning elements - engaging between them to remove the hairs pulled out. These cleaning elements can be formed by the bristles of a fixed or mobile brush. However, these can also consist of a series of cleaning discs carried by an axis 16. These discs can be fixed or possibly mounted in rotation in the opposite direction to the stripping discs 8. Thus these discs ensure the removal of the torn hairs and which are still engaged between the discs 8. These bristles are therefore caused to fall into the compartment 14 from which they can be extracted after dismantling a small cover 17 provided for this purpose on the housing of the device. It should be noted that the possibility of cleaning the tear-off discs 8 by elements engaging between them constitutes a specific advantage of this device. Indeed, such cleaning would be radically impossible in the case of the tear-off spring provided in the device described in French patent application 2,334,320.

However, the main advantage of it lies in its particularly favorable yield. In these conditions, it is enough to move this device above the surface of the skin to systematically pull out all the hairs to be eliminated. This operation is all the easier since the present device can be easily held in one hand, given its shape which is similar to that of a small electric razor.

Of course, the present device is not limited to the single embodiment described above. Thus it would be possible to provide two bosses 13, and not just one, on the end tear discs 8a and 8b in order to obtain the tightening of all of these discs twice per rotation. In addition, the means ensuring the periodic tightening of the assembly tear-off discs could be different from those provided in the example shown. Thus these means could consist of electromagnets, arranged on either side of these discs, and capable of causing them to be tightened. In addition, in order to reduce the distance between the pinching point of the discs and the root of the hairs to be plucked, the corresponding end of the housing could be constituted by a curved grid capable of allowing the hairs to pass between its interstices. tear off. In another alternative embodiment, the discs could be slidably mounted on their axis of rotation in order to be able to be tightened against each other, then again moved apart.

Figures 6 to 9 show a second embodiment of the present hair removal device. This differs from the previous one by the fact that the pinching of the hairs to be plucked is not ensured by a localized deformation of the rotating discs, and a tightening of these against each other, but by additional means of pinching able to pinch these hairs against the rotating discs.

As before, this device comprises a small box 1a capable of being held in the hand and one of the ends of which has an opening provided with a grid 6a for engaging the hairs to be plucked. Behind this grid, there is provided, as before, a rotary shaft 9a also carrying end flanges 18a and 18b and the ends of which are engaged in bearings 19 provided in the corresponding walls 20 of the housing. One of the end flanges, in this case the flange 18a, is provided with peripheral toothing meshing with pinions ensuring its coupling with the drive motor housed in the housing 1a.

The pinching means provided in this embodiment consist of two combs each formed by a series of blades 21a or 21b, engaged between the rotary discs 8a and carried by an axis 22a or 22b. These two combs are somehow integrated into the rotary roller formed by the discs 8a and they rotate with it. These two combs are arranged in diametrically opposite positions relative to the shaft 9a of the rotary roller, their axis 22a or 22b being parallel to this shaft, while their blades 21a or 21b are parallel to the rotary discs 8a. As shown in FIG. 8, the blades 21a or 21b of each of the combs occupy only a reduced fraction of the surface of the discs 8a, facing the periphery of the latter. The axis 22a or 22b of each of these combs is engaged through openings 23a or 23b formed in the rotating discs 8a. However, these openings are large enough to allow the disks 21a or 21b to pass in order to allow the positioning of each pinching comb inside the rotary roller by engaging these blades 21a or 21b between the disks 8a. However, as can be seen from FIG. 8, the openings 23a or 23b thus provided are offset relative to the final position occupied by the blades 21a or 21b of the two pinching combs. The positioning of these must therefore be carried out by imparting to them a radial displacement after having placed them inside the openings 23a or 23b.

The ends of the axis of each comb are slidably mounted in bores provided in the end plates 18a and 18b. More specifically, one of these ends 24 is engaged in a bore closed at the end and which contains a spring 25 tending to maintain each comb in its normal position for which its blades 21a and 21b are located midway between the discs 8a of the rotary roller, as shown in Figure 6, so that the hairs to be pulled can engage between the discs and its blades.

As for the opposite end 26 of the axis of each pinch comb, it is slidably mounted inside a bore of the corresponding end flange, which opens to the outside and this end bears against a cam 27a or 27b carried by the respective wall of the housing. The profile of this cam is such that it is able to push the axis 22a or 22b of the corresponding pinching comb, when the latter is located immediately beyond the slot of the housing at the location of which is provided the grid 6a for passage of the hairs to be plucked. Each of these comes therefore has a boss 28 in the angular sector concerned, that is to say a sector corresponding to the sector o: shown in Figure 3 in the case of the previous embodiment. Consequently, when, during the rotation of the roller formed by the discs 8a, each of the pinching combs is in the angular sector concerned, it is pushed axially into a position for which the blades of this comb are tightly pressed against the disks 8a opposite, as shown in FIG. 8 in the case of the blades 21a of the corresponding comb, this figure corresponding to a section along a plane passing through the middle of the sector in question, therefore offset with respect to the plane of section of figure 7.

However, as can be seen from FIG. 6, the arrangement of the two combs is reversed, and a cam 27a or 27b is provided on each of the corresponding walls of the housing. Under these conditions one of the pinching combs, in this case the comb 21a, is caused to move in the direction of the arrow F3, while the other comb is caused to move in the opposite direction according to the arrow F4. Therefore the bristles engaged in the device are alternately pinched against one and the other sides of each of the rotating discs 8a.

To prevent the pinching combs from turning on themselves, they have, at at least one of their ends, a protuberance 29 of non-circulating section laire (see Figure 9), which is engaged in a recess of the same section provided in the corresponding end flange 18a or 18b. Indeed, it is appropriate that the nip blades of these combs constantly occupy the same relative angular position relative to the rotating discs 8a.

The pulling out of the hairs engaged in the apparatus takes place in a appreciable manner in the same way as in the previous embodiment, that is to say by pinching against the rotary discs 8a which then entrain them in their rotational movement. However, the bristles are not pinched between two of these discs, but between one of these and one of the blades of one of the movable pinching combs. At each rotation, two similar pinching operations take place in the rotary roller formed by the discs 8a.

The present device has an increased efficiency compared to the previous one. However, its cost price is not considerably increased compared to this, because each movable pinching comb can be constituted by a single piece, molded from plastic.

Optionally the rotary roller of this device could have a single pinching comb instead of two. Conversely, it could include four instead of two or any other number compatible with the dimensions of the device. Furthermore, the means for controlling the longitudinal movement of each pinching comb could be produced differently.

Claims (10)

1. Hair removal device comprising movable members for removing the hairs to be removed, driven by an electric motor housed inside a housing capable of being held by hand, characterized in that these removal members consist in a series of discs (8, 8a) arranged side by side, with little play between them, and forming a roller mounted to rotate behind a slot (6), a grid or the like, provided in one of the ends of the housing ( 1) and in that there are provided means capable of periodically pinching, against these discs, hairs engaged between them, so that these hairs are thus pulled by these discs and torn off due to the rotation of these latter. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the means ensuring periodically the pinching of the hairs to be plucked comprise a series of parallel pinching blades (21a or 21b) engaged between the rotary discs (8a) and carried by a mobile mounted support parallel to the shaft of these discs, and means are provided capable of periodically ensuring the movement of this support so as to apply the pinching blades against the rotating discs (8a) to trap the hairs to be plucked. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the support of the pinch blades (21a or 21b): consists of an axis (22a or 22b) parallel to the shaft (9a) of the rotating discs (8a) and whose ends are slidably mounted in flanges (18a and 18b) carried by the ends of the shaft (9a) of the rotary discs (8a), this axis being engaged through openings (23a or 23b) formed in the rotary discs (8a ). 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the pinch blades (21a or 21b) occupy only part of the surface of the rotating discs (8a), near the periphery thereof, and the openings (23a or 23b) formed in these discs are offset from the final position of these blades (21a or 21b), but sufficient large enough to let them pass during assembly of the assembly. 5. Apparatus according to one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the means controlling the movement of the axis (22a or 22b) carrying the clamping blades (21a or 21b) consist of a cam (27a or 27b) provided on the corresponding wall (20) of the housing, opposite a projecting end (26) of this axis. 6. Apparatus according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that there are provided two separate series of pinch blades (21a and 21b) carried by sliding pins (22a and 22b) and which are arranged in positions diametrically opposite with respect to the shaft (9a) of the rotating discs (8a), the control means ensuring the displacement of one in one direction and the displacement of the other in the opposite direction. 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotary discs (8) are flexible or elastic and the means ensuring periodically the pinching of the hairs to be pulled consist of means capable of ensuring the tightening of all the rotary discs ( 8), against each other, near their part which is located behind the slot (6) or grid of the housing and this, by deformation of these discs. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the means for clamping the rotary discs (8) consist of the combination of at least one boss (13) carried by each of the end discs (8b) of the roller, formed by these discs, and two cams (11-12) arranged opposite one and the other ends of this roller. 9. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the clamping means of the rotating discs (8) consist of electromagnetic means capable of acting on the corresponding part of these discs. 10. Apparatus according to one of claims previous, characterized in that the edge of the slot (6) for entering the hairs to be plucked, situated on the side opposite to the direction of movement provided for this device, comprises a projecting spout (7) capable of ensuring "raking" hairs to be pulled to get them to engage inside this slot.

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