EP0476185A1

EP0476185A1 - Depilation device

Info

Publication number: EP0476185A1
Application number: EP90202102A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Guido Van Den Moortele
Original assignee: Smcd Murphy & Partners Ltd
Current assignee: Smcd Murphy & Partners Ltd
Priority date: 1990-08-20
Filing date: 1990-08-20
Publication date: 1992-03-25
Also published as: JPH0390104A; BE1004386A3

Abstract

Depilation device, characterised in that it principally consists of at least one pair of gripping parts (1, 2); at least one movement mechanism (3) that exerts an alternating movement (18) on at least one of both gripping parts (1, 2) of each pair, such that at least one of the gripping parts (1, 2) is moved backwards and forwards, towards the surface (4) that is meant to make contact with the skin and again away from it, whereby the gripping parts are first separated from each other, subsequently are moved together when approaching the aforementioned surface (4) and to a great extent are against each other in a closed position when moved back away from the aforementioned surface; and an electric driving motor (5), whereby the whole is installed in a housing (7) which is suitable to be manipulated with one hand.

Description

This invention relates to a depilation device, in other words a device for depilating the skin.
It more especially concerns a depilation device that is intended for beauty care, in other words a device of relatively small dimensions that can easily be manipulated in one hand.
Depilation devices are already known in different forms. Among others, use is hereby made of small rotating wheels with a toothing on their edges which works together with a fixed support, curved spirals which are rotated along their longitudinal axis, opening and closing jaws which through a sideways movement can pull out the small hairs sideways, etc.
Most of these known devices show the disadvantage that with these the depilation is relatively painful, whereby this disadvantage is caused because the small hairs are either not held by their bases and are gripped too far from the skin, and/or because the skin is not sufficiently supported around the small hair and/or because the depilation does not occur precisely in the direction of the growth of the hair.
It is indeed so that in order almost to exclude the pain during depilation, it is strictly necessary that the small hairs are held at their bases, in other words as close as possible against the skin; that the surrounding skin is well supported; and that the small hairs are pulled out in the direction of the growth of the hair, thus according to an almost perpendicular direction to the skin.
The present invention relates to a depilation device that does not show the aforementioned disadvantages and that completely satisfies the aforementioned three requirements.
For this purpose the invention concerns a depilation device, more especially for beauty care, characterised in that it principally consists of at least one pair of gripping parts; at least one movement mechanism that exerts an alternating movement on at least one of both gripping parts of each pair such that at least one of the gripping parts is moved backwards and forwards, towards the surface that is meant to make contact with the skin and again away from it, whereby the gripping parts are first separated from each other, are subsequently moved together when approaching the aforementioned surface, and to a great extent are against each other in a closed position when moved back away from the aforementioned surface; and an electric driving motor for driving the movement mechanism, whereby the whole is installed in a housing which is suitable to be manipulated with one hand.
During the pulling out movement the gripping parts are pushed against each other with a well defined force. This is achieved because at least one of the gripping parts is situated on an elastic transformable part, which is elastically bent during the period that the gripping parts work together with each other and in this way supplies the necessary gripping force.
In the simplest embodiment the depilation device shows one gripping part that is driven according to the aforementioned alternating movement, while the other gripping part is either fixed, or can only perform a rectilinear backward and forward movement.
The aforementioned means of movement hereby principally consist of an eccentric, an arm which is driven by the eccentric and which as aforementioned is provided with the movable gripping part, and guiding means which provide for a guiding of the arm in a well defined place.
In the most preferred embodiment both the gripping parts perform a movement as aforementioned. For this purpose use is preferably made of two eccentrics which are driven in opposite directions; two arms which are moved by the eccentrics and each are respectively provided with one of the gripping parts, whereby both arms have elastic bendable tweezer shaped extremities; and guiding means which limit the freedom of movement of the arms, all of which such that the rotating movement of the eccentrics results in movements of the gripping parts which consist of a part of a circle or ellipse for the movement in the direction towards the skin, followed, during the pulling out movement, by a rectilinear movement, obtained because the gripping parts limit each other's movements and work on each other elastically, whereby the tweezer shaped extremities of the arms are bent.
The use of the aforementioned means of movement offers the advantage that the gripping parts are moved together tangentially on the skin, through which the small hairs are held at their bases, after which they are pulled out precisely in the direction of growth.
In order to show better the characteristics according to the present invention, some preferred embodiments are described hereafter, as examples and without any restrictive character, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows the depilation device according to the invention, more especially in an embodiment whereby only one of the gripping parts is driven by the movement mechanism;
figure 2 shows the part that is indicated by F2 in figure 1, for another position;
figure 3 shows a variant of the part that is illustrated in figure 2;
figure 4 shows another depilation device according to the invention;
figures 5 and 6 show the part that is indicated by F5 in figure 4, respectively for two different positions;
figures 7 and 8 show views respectively according to arrows F7 and F8 in figure 4;
figure 9 shows another variant of the part that is illustrated in figure 5;
figure 10 shows the depilation device according to the invention in the case that both gripping parts are driven according to the aforementioned alternating movement;
figure 11 shows the part that is indicated by F11 in figure 10, for another position;
figure 12 shows a cross-section according to line XII-XII in figure 11;
figure 13 shows a view according to arrow F13 in figure 11;
figure 14 shows a variant of the part that is illustrated in figure 11;
figure 15 shows a view according to arrow F15 in figure 14;
figure 16 shows a variant of the part that is illustrated in figure 14;
figure 17 shows another variant in a similar view to figure 12;
figures 18 through 21 show more different variants of the part that is illustrated in figure 11.

As shown in figure 1 the depilation device according to the invention consists of at least one ₃air of gripping parts, respectively 1 and 2; at least One movement mechanism 3 that exerts an al- :ernating movement on at least one of both gripping parts of each pair, in this case only the gripping part 1, such that this gripping part 1 is noved backwards and forwards, away from the surface 4 that is meant to make contact with the skin and is again moved towards it, whereby during noving it towards this surface 4, the gripping parts are first separated from each other and are moved :ogether again when further approaching the aforementioned surface 4, and when pulling out, thus _Nith the pulling out movement, are to a great extent against each other in a closed position; an electric driving motor 5 connected with a connection 6 for a _Nire; and a housing 7 in which aforementioned Darts are built-in which is suitable to be manipu- ated with one hand.
In this simplest embodiment use is thus made Of only one movable gripping part 1. The second gripping part 2 consists of a small smooth plate, for ₃xample in hard metal, along which the first gripping part 1 is displaceable during the pulling out novement.
In the embodiment according to figure 1 the novement mechanism is formed of an eccentric 8 which is connected with the motor 5, for example because the eccentric wheel 9 is produced in the form of a conical toothed wheel, which works together with a small toothed wheel 10 that is located on the shaft of the motor 5; an arm 11 which is connected by one extremity to the eccentric 8 and on its other extremity is provided with the gripping part 1, whereby this gripping part 1 is situated on the extremity of an elastic transformable part 12, in the form of a bendable thin plate; and guiding means 13 which so limit the freedom of movement of the arm 11 that the arm 11 functions as a lever arm, through which the gripping part 1 also describes a circular movement through the rotation of the eccentric 8. These guiding means 13 consist for this purpose of fixed supports 14 and 15 situated along both sides of the arm 11 between the eccentric 8 and the gripping part 1.
The aforementioned gripping part 1 preferably shows a toothed gripping surface 16. Apart from that support means 17, for supporting the skin, are provided next to the gripping parts 1 and 2, at the height of the surface 4 whereby the device is intended to be applied to the skin, for example formed because the housing 7 extends to the surface 4 concerned.
The operation of the device can easily be deduced from figures 1 and 2. By switching on the motor 5, the eccentric 8 is driven. As a result of this the gripping part 1 performs a circular movement 18 as indicated in figure 1. During the movement towards the surface 4 the gripping part 1 first moves away from the gripping part 2 to be moved subsequently back towards it, such that, as shown in figure 1 the gripping parts come together tangentially on the skin, such that small hairs possibly found between these are gripped at their bases. From that moment the gripping part 1 is forced to slide over the gripping part 2, whereby, as shown in figure 2, the elastic transformable part 12 is bent, so that a well defined gripping force develops with which the small hairs which are found between the gripping parts 1 and 2 are pulled downwards. The small hairs are inclined to move with the movable gripping part 1, since this shows a toothed gripping surface 16 that grips the small hairs.
In figure 3 a variant is shown whereby the second gripping part 2 is rectilinearly displaceable in a seat 19 according to a perpendicular direction on the surface 4, whereby elastic means 20 push the gripping part 2 towards the surface 4, all of which such that during the pulling out movement this second gripping part 2 is taken along by the first gripping part 1 against the force of the elastic means 20.
In figure 4 variant is shown whereby the second gripping part 2 is moved rectilinearly backwards and forwards by the movement mechanism 3 of the first gripping part 1, more especially is displaceable in a seat 21, whereby this gripping part 2 is mounted on an arm 22 which is connected hinging with the arm 11 of the gripping part 1. This construction offers the advantage that no separate supports 14 and 15 need to be provided. The operation of the depilation device from figure 4 can easily be deduced from figures 4 through 6, in which different positions are shown. It is clear that in this case both gripping parts 1 and 2 can be provided with toothed gripping surfaces 16.
It is clear that the depilation device can only have one pair of gripping parts, but can also have several pairs of gripping parts placed next to each other.
Figures 7 and 8 show outer views in the case that the depilation device only has one pair of gripping parts.
In figure 9 another variant is shown whereby the aforementioned vertically displaceable arm 22 is connected directly with the eccentric 8, by means of a fork 23 located perpendicular on the arm 22, all of which such that the arm 22 only performs a rectilinear backward and forward movement.
In the most preferred embodiment both gripping parts 1 and 2 are moved according to circular movements 18 by means of the movement mechamism 3. A practical embodiment of such depilation device is shown in figure 10. The movement mechanism 3 hereby consists of two eccentrics 24 and 25 which are employed according to opposite directions of rotation; arms 26 and 27 which ar each connected by one extremity with one of the eccentrics 24 and 25 and carry the respective gripping parts 1 and 2 at their other extremities, whereby these arms have elastically transformable parts 28 and 29; and guiding means 13 which limit the freedom of movement of the arms 26 and 27, and which in this embodiment provide for a guide between the eccentrics 24 and 25 and the gripping parts 1 and 2.
It is clear that the circular movements 18 can have different forms, dependent on the mutual position of the eccentrics and the guiding means 13. In the case that the guiding means 13 are located precisely half way between the eccentrics and the gripping parts 1 and 2, the movements 18 are circular, at least though during the periods that the gripping parts 1 and 2 make no contact. When the guiding means 13 are not positioned in the middle, the movements are effected rather in the form of an ellipse or similar. The choice of the mutual position of the eccentrics and the guiding means 13 is dependent on the result desired by the manufacturer.
The eccentrics 24 and 25 preferably have eccentric wheels 30, 31, formed of toothed wheels which mesh into each other, whereby one toothed wheel is driven by means of the electric motor 5, possibly via intermediate toothed wheels 32. The guiding means 13 can of different shapes. In the embodiment from figure 10 they are formed out of a common shaft 33 around which the arms 26 and 27 are hinged in their middles, whereby this shaft 33 according to the pulling out movement is displaceable in a seat 34 in the wall of the housing 7.
The operation of the depilation device can easily be deduced from the figures 10 and 11. By switching on the motor 5, both gripping parts 1 and 2 describe movements 18 as indicated, whereby the circular movements imposed through the eccentrics 24 and 25 by making contact with both gripping parts 1 and 2 are transformed into a rectilinear movement away from the surface 4, during which the pulling out of the small hairs occurs. As shown in figure 11, during this pulling out movement the gripping parts 1 and 2 are pushed against each other under influence of the elastic transformation of the tweezer shaped parts 28 and 29.
As shown in figure 12 and 13 several pairs of gripping parts 1 and 2 can be provide next to each other, in order to cover a greater surface area with the depilation device. The eccentrics 24 and 25 hereby show a common crankshaft, respectively 35 and 36, for each set of gripping parts, respectively 1 and 2. It is clear that the pairs of gripping parts are arranged symmetrically next to each other, such that the gripping of the small hairs occurs in one line. The support means 17 for supporting the skin consist of fixed flat plate shaped supports installed between each pair of gripping parts 1-2.
It is clear that also other forms of support means 17 can be applied. According to a particular embodiment the support means 17 consist of elastic transformable comb shaped elements, which are either on one side next to the gripping parts 1-2 connected with the housing 7 as shown in figures 14 and 15, or as shown in figure 16 are supported centrally by means of elastic transformable rods 37, all of which such that the depilation device, subject to the bending of the support means 17, can easily be applied to the skin at an angle, such to adapt the direction of the depilation device to the direction of the growth of the hair.
In figure 17 a particular embodiment is shown whereby each of the aforementioned crankshafts 35 and 36 is split up into different parts, which are placed out of phase in relation to each other, whereby at least two phases are respected, such that the pairs of gripping parts 1-2 lying next to each other are alternately active through which a more regular loading of the motor 5 is obtained and through which the use of the device is less painful.
Figures 18 and 19 show variants of the device from figure 10, whereby use is made of different guiding means 13. In figure 18 these guiding means consist of fixed supports 14 and 15 per arm 26 and 27, while in figure 19 they consist of a fixed shaft 38 and grooves 39 which are installed in the arms 26 and 27.
In figure 20 a variant is shown whereby the eccentrics 24 and 25 are situated in the middle of the arms 26 and 27, in other words between, on the one hand, the gripping parts 1 and 2 and, on the other hand, the guiding means 13.
In figure 21 an embodiment is shown whereby both movements 18 of the gripping parts 1 and 2 are obtained by means of one and the same eccentric 40. The particularity consists in that the guiding means 13 of the one arm 26 are situated between the eccentric 40 and the gripping part 1, while for the other arm 27 it applies that the eccentric 40 acts on this arm 27 on a location between the gripping part 2 and the guiding means 13 belonging to it. It is clear that also in the embodiments from figures 20 and 21 the eccentrics concerned are connected in one way or another with the motor 5.
The present invention is in no way restricted to the embodiments described as examples and shown in the drawings, but such depilation device may be developed in all kinds of forms and dimensions without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. Depilation device, characterised in that it principally consists of at least one pair of gripping parts (1, 2); at least one movement mechanism (3) that exerts an alternating movement (18) on at least one of both gripping parts (1, 2) of each pair, such that at least one of the gripping parts (1, 2) is moved backwards and forwards, towards the surface (4) that is meant to make contact with the skin and again away from it, whereby the gripping parts are first separated from each other, subsequently are moved together when approaching the aforementioned surface (4) and to a great extent are against each other in a closed position when moved back away from the aforementioned surface; and an electric driving motor (5), whereby the whole is installed in a housing (7) which is suitable to be manipulated with one hand.

2. Depilation device according to claim 1, characterised in that the gripping parts (1, 2) in a closed position are pushed against each other with a force.

3. Depilation device according to claim 2, characterised in that at least one of the gripping parts (1, 2) is situated on an elastic transformable part (12; 28, 29), which is bent during the period that the gripping parts (1, 2) work together with each other, and in this way develop the necessary gripping force for gripping the small hairs between the gripping parts (1, 2).

4. Depilation device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that support means (17), for supporting the skin, are provided next to the gripping parts (1, 2), at the height of the surface (4) whereby the device is intended to be applied to the skin.

5. Depilation device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that both the gripping parts (1, 2) are moved by the movement mechanism (3) according to the aforementioned alternating movement (18).

6. Depilation device according to claim 5, characterised in that the movement mechanism (3) principally consists of two eccentrics (24, 25) connected with the driving motor (5); two arms (26, 27) each of which is connected to one eccentric (24, 25) and each provided with one of aforementioned gripping parts (1, 2) near one extremity of each; and guiding means (13) which guide the arms (26, 27) between the gripping parts (1, 2) and the eccentrics (24, 25) such that the arms function as lever arms, whereby both eccentrics (24, 25) drive the gripping parts according to opposing circular movements such that they come into contact with each other during a part of each cycle.

7. Depilation device according to claim 5, characterised in that the movement mechanism (3) principally consists of two eccentrics (24, 25), two arms (26, 27) and guiding means (13) which limit the freedom of movement of the arms (26, 27), whereby the arms are provided with the aforementioned gripping parts (1, 2) on one extremity and on the other extremities work together with the guiding means (13), while the eccentrics (24, 25) act on locations between the gripping parts (1, 2) and the guiding means (13) on the respective arms (26, 27).

8. Depilation device according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the eccentrics (24, 25) are formed of eccentric wheels (30, 31) in the form of toothed wheels, which are directly connected to each other, whereby one of these toothed wheels is driven by means of the aforementioned driving motor (5).

9. Depilation device according to claim 5, characterised in that the movement mechanism (3) principally consists of one eccentric (40) driven by the driving motor (5); two arms (26, 27) each of which has one of aforementioned gripping means (1, 2) on an extremity, whereby both arms are connected to the sole eccentric (40); and different guiding means (13), which on the one hand form a guide for one arm (26) between the eccentric (40) and the gripping part (1) belonging to it, and which on the other hand form a guide for the other arm (27) which is so situated that the driving of the second arm (27) occurs by means of the eccentric (40) in a place between the guiding means (13) of this arm (27) and the gripping part (2) belonging to it.

10. Depilation device according to one of the claims 6 through 9, characterised in that both aforementioned arms (26, 27) have elastic transformable parts (28, 29) on their free extremities in the form of a pair of tweezers.

11. Depilation device according to one of the claims 1 through 4, characterised in that the device has only one gripping part (1) that is driven according to the aforementioned alternating movement (18).

12. Depilation device according to claim 11, characterised in that the movement mechanism (3) for moving the aforementioned gripping part (1) principally consists of an eccentric (8), an arm (11), which is provided with the aforementioned gripping part (1) on its free extremity, driven by the eccentric (8), and guiding means (13) which limit the sideways movement of the arm (11) on a well defined point.

13. Depilation device according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the second gripping part (2) is fixed, and shows a surface that is principally perpendicular on the surface (4) with which the device is intended to be brought into contact with the skin.

14. Depilation device according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the second gripping part (2) is displaceable in a seat (19), this according to a direction towards the surface (4) and away from the surface (4) where the device is to be applied to the skin, whereby elastic means (20) push this gripping part (2) towards this surface (4), such that this second gripping part (2) is taken along against the force of the aforementioned elastic means (20) by the first gripping part (1) during the pulling out movement.

15. Depilation device according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that it has a second gripping part (2) driven rectilinearly backward and forward by the movement mechamism (3) of the first gripping part (1 ).

16. Depilation device according to claim 15, characterised in that the guiding means (13) for guiding the arm (11) of the first gripping part (1) are formed because the second gripping part (2) is contained by means of an arm (22) displaceable in a seat (21), whereby this arm (22) is hingingly connected by one extremity with the middle of the arm (11) on which the first gripping part (1) is located.

17. Depilation device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that several pairs of gripping parts (1, 2) are arranged next to each other, whereby the respective gripping surfaces are principally situated in one surface.

18. Depilation device according to claim 17, characterised in that the different pairs of gripping parts (1) have a common movement mechanism (3).

19. Depilation device according to claim 18, characterised in that for the corresponding gripping part (1), respectively the corresponding gripping parts (1, 2) of the different pairs use is made of an eccentric (8), respectively eccentrics (24, 25), each with an uninterrupted crankshaft (35, 36).

20. Depilation device according to claim 17 or 18, characterised in that the gripping parts (1, 2) driven according to aforementioned movement (18) are driven by means of at least one eccentric, whereby each crankshaft (35, 36) consists of different crankshaft parts, which provide for a phase shift of the drive.

21. Depilation device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is provided with elastic transformable support means (17) at the height of the surface (4) whereby the device is intended to be applied to the skin.