HK1000343B - Depilatory device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an epilator for removing hair on the human body which can be held by a user in the hand and guided over the skin to be treated. The apparatus consists of a cylinder which can be rotated about a centre axis and the cylinder shell of which is formed by at least a group of relatively fixed lamellae and at least a group of relatively moveable clamping elements. The lamellae or clamping elements of a group are at least pairwise adjacent to each other and the groups are at least pairwise adjacent to each other in relation to a rotation of the cylinder. The clamping elements can be moved at least pairwise by opening or closing a clamping cleft on each other or away from each other.

The Commission has not yet decided whether the applicant is entitled to bring an action for annulment of the contested decision, since it is not necessary to establish whether the contested decision is based on the facts and circumstances of the case and whether the contested decision is based on the facts and circumstances of the case.

A common problem with the devices of the type mentioned above is to increase the effectiveness and reduce the user's pain during hair removal.

The effectiveness of epilation can be improved in particular by measures which ensure that the hairs of the skin areas covered by the epilator are brought into the cleavage between the clamping elements in a targeted manner. Not all hairs are straight or perpendicular to the skin surface but also grow out of the skin or lie flat on the skin surface. To ensure that the hair is caught by the clamping elements even under such unfavourable conditions, so-called aids to erect and insert the hair into the clamping elements can be provided.These measures to improve the effectiveness of the braiding system also lead to a reduction in the user's - very subjective - pain sensation. A precise explanation of the physiological background to this finding is still open, but it can be assumed that the pain of simultaneous pulling of, say, 10 hairs from the user is not perceived as a tenfold increase in pain when pulling a single hair, since the pain receptors distributed on the skin surface do not capture all the simultaneous successive pulling of close-packed hairs as separate events.In addition, it may also be the case that the hair to be removed may be caught in the clearance of the clamping elements but only partially grasped by them, plucked but not removed. Even such plucking without removal of the hair increases the user's pain sensation.

In the past, there have been many attempts to improve the effectiveness of epilators. For example, US 5084055 A describes an epilator with the characteristics mentioned at the outset, whereby an epilator cylinder rotating about a centre axis has several rows of clamping elements arranged on the cylinder head. On either side of the clamping elements, relative to a direction of rotation of the cylinder, so-called protective lamellae are placed in the area of the cylinder head.

The present invention is therefore intended to create an epilator with improved efficiency, which is essentially solved in the case of an epilator with the characteristics described above by the fact that adjacent lamellae form a nut with a wedge- or funnel-shaped width and at least one cut-off with a reduced width is assigned to each clamp.

The hair removal apparatus of the invention, as demonstrated by practical experiments, has an increased effectiveness and causes less pain during use. This is due, on the one hand, to the funnel effect, i.e. the channelling and alignment of the hair to be removed to the individual clip openings. Due to the wedge- or funnel-shaped decreasing width, the hair to be removed is collected through one of the largest cutting widths and in the narrowing section is fed to a targeted clip openings, each one to a section of hair with a width of use. Leprosy shortening is therefore greatly reduced by this measure. A widely differing effect of the cutting ends or the cutting of the hair is achieved by removing the cutting edge of the head in the direction of the head. This is so that the usefulness of the cutting edge is only increased by the use of a special cutting tool, which is not necessarily used in the skin.

The invention is based on the fact that each of the cut-offs of the reduced nut width has a clamp gap, the advantage of which is that all the hair which can be removed and which can be reached from the rotary cylinder along its length are inserted into the cut-offs of the nuts with the increased nut width and are fed specifically into the clamp gaps of the several clamp elements.

A decreasing wedge or funnel width is achieved in a simple way by the fact that the slats have a thickness that is essentially wedge-shaped and in particular increases.

The use of the method of analysis is not limited to the use of the cutting edge of the cutting edge, but is limited to the use of the cutting edge of the cutting edge of the cutting edge.

The invention is designed in such a way that the two cut-off sections of the clamp, which are located on either side of the clamp, are of reduced width and are very advantageous for epilators in which the cylinder rotation is reversed.

The maximum value of the width of the nut shall be obtained in a coat area diametrically opposite to the clamping elements or in a central part of the coat area between groups of clamping elements.

In this and all other designs, the lamellae are extremely thin in the width of the largest nut, so that the hairs to be removed are covered by the nuts practically over the entire length of the cylinder and are directed through the wedge-shaped nuts to the clamping spaces of the clamping elements, the clamping spaces covering only a fraction of the length of the cylinder.

In particular, for apparatus with n groups of slats and n groups of clamping elements with n = 2, 3, ..., which are arranged alternately on the cylinder shell, it has proved advantageous that the nut formed by the adjacent slats of a group with their user section is assigned to a clamping gap of adjacent clamping elements of the following group of clamping elements.

By placing the n-th group lamellae and the n-th group clamps on the cylinder sheath, the hairs to be removed are captured by the different groups of clamps at different locations on the skin with a single rotation of the cylinder, which, in conjunction with the associated wedge-shaped rejuvenating nuts, further increases the effectiveness.

The displacement of the clamping elements of the n-th group in relation to the (n + 1) group is measured advantageously in such a way that this measure is equal to the mean displacement of adjacent nuts divided by n. This design of the invention ensures an even distribution of the effective clamping spaces of the clamping elements in relation to the length of the cylinder.

According to a highly advantageous development of the invention, one or more lamellae of one or more groups have, at least in parts along the cylinder shell, one or more dental exceptions which preferably extend to the base of the nut; these dental exceptions cause the hair to be removed, which lies transversely to the nut or flat on the skin, to be combed, which is introduced into the nut by the individual strands of lamellae between the exceptions, which may be of different widths, and then, as described above, is fed to the individual clamping columns.

It has proved to be advantageous that the lamellae have these dentate exceptions in a cutting section with an increased cutting width.

Another advantage of the invention is that the lamellae are formed by rolls, in particular, which are shaped like discs, and the use of such rolls, preferably freely rotatable, reduces friction between the skin and the cylinder and thus the risk of skin irritation, improves the guidance of the cylinder on the skin and, if necessary, also aligns hairs on the surface of the skin, which are then directed to the corresponding clamping slots by means of the nuts.

The advantage is that the rollers are part of an axis which is essentially parallel to the centre axis of the cylinder at this freely rotatable axis.

In terms of the operation of the rollers, together with the optimization of the structural dimensions, it has proved advantageous to place the axis at a radial distance from the centre axis of the cylinder less than or approximately equal to the distance between the base of the wheel and the centre axis.

In another embodiment of the invention, the slats of each group are part of a component with a profile which is essentially circular or circular segment, adjacent to or flanking the clamping element on the cylinder.

Further features, advantages and applications of the invention are shown in the following description of the embodiments, which are described in more detail in the drawing.

It shows: 1a front view of the cylinder following a first embodiment of the invention in schematic representation,Fig. 2a partial side view of the cylinder shell of the cylinder according to Fig. 1,Fig. 3a partial wrap-up of the cylinder shell of the cylinder according to Fig. 1 in partial representation,Fig. 4a,leg partial view of the components of the cylinder fitted with slats according to Fig. 1,Fig. 5a front view of the component according to Fig. 4a,Fig. 6a further embodiment of the component according to Fig. 4b,Fig. 7a partial side view of the cylinder shell according to Fig. 6,Fig. 8a partial view of the cylinder shell according to Fig. 12b in further design,Fig. 9a,Fig. 8a,Fig. 10a,Fig. 11a,Fig. 11a,Fig. 12a,Fig. 12a,Fig. 12a,Fig. 12a,Fig. 12a,Fig. 12a,Fig. 12a,Fig. 12a,Fig. 12a,Fig. 12a,Fig. 12a,Fig. 12a, and 13a.

The figures show examples of the invention in a purely schematic manner, omitting any structural details or subtleties. The state of the art mentioned at the beginning provides an overview of the functional structure or operation of the epilator, the operation of the clamping lamps and the operation of the rotary cylinder. The following description of examples of the invention relates essentially to the design of the cylinder with regard to the arrangement of the lamps and their assignment to the clamping elements.

A rotary cylinder 10 is stored in a rotary epilator not shown in the figures around a centre axis 12; the cylinder hood 14 of cylinder 10 is formed by one or more groups 20, 22 of relatively fixed blades 24, 25 and one or more groups 16, 18 of relatively movable clamping elements 26, 28; the blades 24, 25 and 26 of a group 20, 22, 16, 18 are arranged in pairs or rows adjacent to each other; the groups 20, 16, 22, 18 are arranged on the cylinder hood 14 in relation to a rotation 30, 32 of the cylinder 10 in succession, so that a series of clamping elements 26, 28 is followed by a series of 24, 25; the clamping elements 26, 28 and 34, respectively, are arranged in pairs or rows apart from each other.

The cylinder 10 has a side-by-side, adjacent, 24-25 wedge, each of which forms a nut 36. The nut 36 has a wedge- or funnel-shaped, decreasing nut width 38. A wedge-shaped, 44,50 wedge with a reduced nut width 38 is each assigned a clamp gap 34,35. The other wedge-shaped, 62 wedge has an increased nut width 38. The 24-25 wedges are wedge-shaped, with increasing thickness 46, in relation to the direction of rotation 30,32 of the cylinder 10.

In the area of the cutting section 44, 50 the plate thickness 48 is essentially constant, so that the cutting 36 formed by two plates 24, 25 in the area of the cutting section 44, 50 has a constant width 38.

In the example shown in Figures 11, 12 and 13, adjacent clamping elements 26, 28 are assigned to two service sections 44, 50 with reduced nut width 38.

In the example shown in Figures 1 to 3, two groups 20, 22 of slats 24, 25 and two groups 16, 18 of clamping elements 26, 28 are arranged alternately on cylinder housing 14; the nut 36 formed by the adjacent slats 24, 25 of a group 20, 22 and its useful section 44 are each allocated to a clamping slot 34, 35 of adjacent clamping elements 26, 28 of the following group 16, 18 of clamping elements 26, 28; the width 38 in the useful section 62 is the largest value. As can be seen in particular from Figures 3 and 4, the slats of the first group 20 and the clamping elements 26, 28 of the first group 16 are divided into the slats 24, 25 of the second group 22 and the clamping elements 28, 28 and 18 of the second group 26, respectively. The middle of the slats 26, 26, 25 and 28 (or the middle of the second group 26, 22 and the second group 26, 26 and the second group 26, 26 and the second group 26, 26 and the second group 26, respectively) are arranged on the slats 24, 24 and 54 of the following group.

One or more lamellae 24, 25 of one or more groups 20, 22 have at least one or more toothed incisions 56, 57 along the cylinder shell 14 in sub-areas 58; the incisions 56, 57 generally extend to the base 60 of the nut 36.

As can be seen from Figures 8 to 10, the sub-sections 74 of the panels 24, 25 are formed by disc-shaped rollers 76 whereby the rollers 76 are part of an axis 78 which is essentially parallel to the centre axis 12 of cylinder 10 and is free to rotate on it.

Depending on the number of groups 16 to 22 on cylinder 10, the plates 24, 25 of each group 20, 22 are part of a component 64, 66, 68 with a substantially circular sector or circular segment profile 70, 72, which is adjacent to the clamping element 26, 28 on cylinder 10 (e.g. Figure 1) or includes the clamping elements 26, 28 on the side (e.g. Figure 11b).

Claims (15)

1. An epilating appliance for the removal of human body hairs which is adapted to be held in a user's hand and guided over the sections of the skin to be treated, including a cylinder (10) rotary about a center axis (12), the cylinder periphery (14) being formed by at least one group (20, 22) of relatively fixed blades (24, 25) and at least one group (16, 18) of relatively movable gripping elements (26, 28), the blades (24, 25) and the gripping elements (26, 28) of a respective group (26, 28; 16, 18) being arranged adjacent to each other at least in pairs, and the groups (20, 16, 22, 18) being in successive arrangement when viewed in a direction of rotation (30, 32) of the cylinder (10), with the gripping elements (26, 28) being adapted to approach each other and recede from each other at least in pairs, closing and, respectively, opening a gripping aperture (34, 35) in the process, characterized in that adjacent blades (24, 25) combine to form a groove (36) of a width (38) extending in wedge or funnel shape, and that at least one groove end section (44, 50) of reduced groove width (38) is associated with one gripping aperture (34, 35) each.
2. An epilating appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each individual groove end section (44, 50) of reduced groove width (38) is associated with one gripping aperture (34, 35) each.
3. An epilating appliance as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the blades (24, 25) are provided with a thickness (44) extending substantially in wedge shape.
4. An epilating appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blade thickness (48) is essentially constant in the area of the groove end section (44, 50) of reduced width.
5. An epilating appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two groove end sections (44, 50) of reduced groove width (38) opening into the gripping aperture (34) on either side thereof are associated with adjacent gripping elements (26, 28).
6. An epilating appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the groove width (38) is at a maximum value in a cylinder peripheral area (52) diametrically opposite the gripping elements (26, 28), or in a center section (51) of the cylinder peripheral area (52) located between groups (16, 18) of gripping elements (26, 28).
7. An epilating appliance as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that n groups (20, 22) of blades (24, 25) and n groups (16, 18) of gripping elements (26, 28), where n = 2, 3, ..., are disposed on the cylinder periphery (14) successively in alternating sequence, and that the groove (36) formed by adjacent blades (24, 25) of a group (20, 22) has its groove end section (44) associated with a respective gripping aperture (34, 35) of adjacent gripping elements (26, 28) of the subsequent group (16, 18) of gripping elements (26, 28).
8. An epilating appliance as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the blades (24, 25) of the nth group (20, 22) and the gripping elements (26, 28) of the nth group (16, 18) are disposed on the cylinder periphery (14) in offset relation to the blades (24, 25) of the (n + 1)th group (22, 20) and the gripping elements (26, 28) of the (n + 1)th group (18, 16).
9. An epilating appliance as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the amount of offset (54) of the blades (24, 25) and the gripping elements (26, 28) of the nth group (16, 20) in relation to the (n + 1)th group (18, 22) is equal to the mean groove distance (55) between adjacent grooves (36) divided by n.
10. An epilating appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or several blades (24, 25) of one or several groups (20, 22) include one or several tooth-shaped recesses (56, 57) at least in partial areas (58) along the cylinder periphery (14), the recesses extending preferably down to the bottom (60) of the groove (36).
11. An epilating appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blades (24, 25) are provided with tooth-shaped recesses (56, 57) in a groove end section (62) of increased groove width (38).
12. An epilating appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that partial sections (74) of the blades (24, 25) are formed by rollers (76) configured in particular in the shape of disks.
13. An epilating appliance as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the rollers (76) are part of an axle (78) freely rotatably mounted on the cylinder (10) essentially parallel to the cylinder center axis (12).
14. An epilating appliance as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the axle (78) is arranged at such a radial distance R to the center axis (12) of the cylinder (10) which is smaller than, or approximately equal to, the distance A between the bottom (16) of the groove (36) and the center axis (12).
15. An epilating appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blades (24, 25) of each group (20, 22) form part of a component (64, 66, 68) of a profile (70, 72) shaped substantially in the manner of a sector or segment of a circle, the component being arranged on the cylinder (10) adjacent to the gripping elements (26, 28) or embracing the gripping elements (26, 28) laterally.