IE20060420A1

IE20060420A1 - An electric shaver

Info

Publication number: IE20060420A1
Application number: IE20060420A
Authority: IE
Inventors: John Mary Ryan
Original assignee: John Mary Ryan
Priority date: 2006-06-06
Filing date: 2006-06-06
Publication date: 2008-02-06

Abstract

An electric shaver (10) has a housing (11) and a cutting means (12), mounted on one end (13) of the housing (11). A digital camera lens (16) is adjustably mounted on a surface (17) of the housing (11) such that its position can be altered. The digital camera lens (16) is connected to a digital camera (not shown) mounted within the housing (11). A screen (18) is mounted on the surface (17) such that, in use, an image of an area of the skin of the user to be shaven can be captured by the digital camera lens (16) and displayed on the screen (18) in real time. <Figure 1 >

Description

An electric shaver The invention relates to an electric shaver and in particular to an electric shaver for shaving body hair from a human.

Electric shavers are used by both men and women for i srpoving hpdy. hair, in the case of men from the face and scalp and in the case of women generally from the scalp, legs and from under the arms.

Electric shavers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. However, a common feature of these shavers is the use of a grid or cutting foil through which the hairs to be cut extend to be cut by moving blades.

A problem with such shavers is that unless a hair extends through the grid or foil it will not be cut. Furthermore, the longer an individual hair is, the less likely is it to extend through the grid or foil. Attempts to overcome this problem have been made by including secondary cutting systems, which do not require the hair to extend through the grid or foil.

An example of such a shaver is the Syncro 7680 shaver (Syncro is a trade mark) manufactured by Braun GmbH, of Kronberg, Germany. This shaver has a secondary cutter mounted between a pair of cutting foils. However, even this system will not always cut all of the hairs.

Another problem with shaving is that unless the user has perfect eyesight 20 it can be difficult to see the hairs, which have been blissed in the shaving process. However, these hairs may be noticed later in the day, when the user feels his face and this can be frustrating as his shaver may not be available to him at such a time. /£w«0420 It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the electric shavers hereinbefore described.

Thus, the invention provides an electric shaver, comprising a housing, a cutting means mounted on the housing, means for driving the cutting means located within the housing, an integral digital camera having a lens mounted on an external surface of the housing, such that the camera is capable of capturing an image of the area of the skin to be shaven, and means for displaying the captured image in real time.

An advantage of the shaver according to the invention is that the area of the skin to be shaven can be seen by the user without having to use a mirror.

Also difficult areas such as under the lower jawbone, for a man shaving his facial hair, or on the back of the leg, for a woman, can be viewed using the displaying means.

Hairs which have been missed on the first pass of the shaver can be identified using the displaying means and can be removed.

Preferably, the lens is a zoom lens.

An advantage of a zoom lens is that hairs, which have been missed following the first pass of the shaver, can be more easily identified, which is of benefit to a user whose eyesight is weak due, for example, to advancing age.

Further, preferably, the lens is adjustably mounted on the housing.

IE 06Q420 By having an adjustably mounted lens awkward areas of the skin can be shown on the displaying means more easily.

In one embodiment of the invention the displaying means is a screen located on the housing such that an image displayed thereon can be seen by the user in a conventional mirror, while shaving.

Such an arrangement has the advantage that areas of the skin which can be difficult to see directly in the mirror can be seen indirectly by use of the screen.

A further advantage, where a zoom lens is used, is that any missed hairs 10 can be more easily seen on any part of the skin to be shaved.

Preferably, the screen is detachably mountable on the housing and can be detached and placed at a distance from the user, such that an image thereon can be viewed by the user, while shaving.

An advantage of this embodiment is that the screen can replace a 15 conventional mirror, which would be particularly useful when travelling.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the displaying means is a screen, which is separate from the housing and can placed at a distance from the user, such that an image thereon can be viewed by the user, while shaving.

In this embodiment of the invention the shaver can be used with a conventional mirror or together with the screen, as the need arises.

II θ 6 Ο 4 2 β Preferably, the screen is in communication with the shaver by means of a wireless connection.

A wireless connection simplifies the use of the shaver, particularly for a woman shaving her legs.

The invention will be further illustrated by the following description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electric shaver in accordance with the invention; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an electric shaver according to the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is indicated generally at 10 an electric shaver according to the invention having a housing 11 and a cutting means, shown generally at 12, mounted on one end 13 of the housing 11.

The cutting means 12 has a pair of cutting foils 14 mounted in a shaver head 15. Each cutting foil 14 has a plurality of holes (not shown) therein and each cutting foil 14 overlies an elongate cutting head (not shown). In use each cutting head moves backwards and forwards under the corresponding cutting foil 14 and severs any hairs that protrude through the plurality of holes.

A driving motor (not shown) is mounted in the housing 11 and in use causes the cutting heads to reciprocate.

IE 6 80 420 A digital camera lens 16 is adjustably mounted on a surface 17 of the housing 11 such that its position can be altered. The digital camera lens 16 is connected to a digital camera (not shown) mounted within the housing 11.

A screen 18 is mounted on the surface 17 such that, in use, an image of an area of the skin of the user to be shaven can be captured by the digital camera lens 16 and displayed on the screen 18 in real time.

Referring to Fig. 2 there is indicated generally at 20 a second embodiment of an electric shaver according to the invention. The electric shaver 20 has a body 21 with a shaving head 22 attached at one end 23 thereof.

A digital camera lens 24 is adjustably mounted at position 25 on a surface 26 of the housing 21.

A screen 27 is mountable in a docking port 28 in the surface 26 and is shown here removed therefrom. The screen 27 is in communication with the shaver 20 by means of a wireless connection.

As before, in use, an image of an area of the skin of the user to be shaven can be captured by the digital camera lens 24 and displayed on the screen 27 in real time. The screen can be placed in a convenient « .. posith^ for viewing the images thereon. A zoom feature allows the images to be seen in more detail, if required.

Claims

1. Claims: 1. An electric shaver, comprising a housing, a cutting means mounted on the housing, means for driving the cutting means located within the housing, an integral digital camera having a lens mounted on 5 an external surface of the housing, such that the camera is capable of capturing an image of the area of the skin to be shaven, and means for displaying the captured image in real time.

2. An electric shaver according to Claim 1, wherein the lens is a zoom lens. 10

3. An electric shaver according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the lens is adjustably mounted on the housing.

4. An electric shaver according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the displaying means is a screen located on the housing such that an image displayed thereon can be seen by the user in a conventional 15 mirror, while shaving.

5. An electric shaver according to Claim 4, wherein the screen is detachably mountable on the housing and can be detached and placed at a distance from the user, such that an image thereon can be viewed by the user, while shaving. 20

6. An electric shaver according any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the displaying means is a screen, which is separate from the housing and can placed at a distance from the user, such that an image thereon can be viewed by the user, while shaving. II 0 5Ο 420

7. An electric shaver according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein the screen is in communication with the shaver by a means of a wireless connection.

8. An electric shaver according to Claim 1, substantially as 5 hereinbefore described with particular reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.