EP2903474B1 - Isostatic epilator comprising pivoting clamping elements - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the technical field of body care appliances employing a mechanical care head driven by an electric motor and in particular the field of mechanical hair removal apparatus used for pulling hair.

In the above field it is known depilatory apparatus comprising an epilation head equipped with a depilating roller movable in rotation about an axis parallel to the surface of the skin to be depilated. The depilatory roller is then equipped with a series of pliers that open and close as the rotation of the roller.

An apparatus of this type is described in particular in a document FR2686001 in the name of the applicant in which the tearing pliers are formed by a series of rotating blades bearing against fixed blades vis-à-vis, all movable blades of a row being carried by a peripheral shuttle d a rotating roll. Each shuttle comprises cams which, during the rotational drive of the shuttle about a central axis, cooperate with cam paths formed by protuberances made on a side disc at the end of the roller. Such an apparatus can actually pull body hair. However, the fact that several movable blades are rigidly connected to each other by a single shuttle induces unequal distribution of the clamping force and reduced efficiency in case of jamming of bristles in a clamp or deformation of one or several blades. In addition, the poorly controlled effort of pinching the hair can have the effect of breaking the hair instead of tearing it to its root. In this case, the hair will grow back immediately and will be very quickly visible.

We know another document JP2001037533 which discloses a tweezer comprising a series of pliers, distributed in several rows around the rotating cylinder, at the rate of two clamps per row, each clamp being composed of a fixed blade and a movable blade. The two adjacent movable blades are simultaneously actuated by an elastic element which pushes the lower ends of the movable blades outwards so that the clamps remain normally open. Actuators push, by sliding on the side cam paths, the lower ends of the movable blades for closing the clamps. Nevertheless, the use of spring here only serves for opening the clamps and not for closing. This document does not propose an epilator with rapid clip closure.

It has therefore appeared the need for an effective depilatory device whose clamping force on each clamp is homogeneous and balanced.

Another object of the invention is a tweezer having a higher number of tear pegs.

Another object of the invention is a depilatory device having a better closing speed of the clamps.

Another object of the invention is a more robust epilator with less wear.

Yet another object of the invention is a more compact epilator.

• associé à chaque lame mobile, au moins un ressort de rappel destiné à amener ladite lame mobile en position fermée ;
• associé à chaque lame mobile, un moyen d'ouverture individuel solidaire à ladite lame mobile pour l'entrainer en rotation, ledit moyen d'ouverture étant destiné à se déplacer, pour l'ouverture de la lame mobile, sous l'action des moyens d'actionnement de pinces.

In order to achieve these objectives, the invention relates to a depilatory epilation head roller comprising a housing enclosing a motor, comprising: a fixed central shaft of axis Δ intended to be rotatably connected to the housing; a tubular cage which is intended to be rotated about the central shaft by the motor (4) and which carries tearing tongs each formed of a fixed blade rigidly connected to the tubular cage and a blade movable between an open position in which the movable blade is moved away from the fixed blade and a closed position in which the movable blade is in contact with the fixed blade; means for actuating the movable blades between their open and closed position during the rotation of the tubular cage around the central shaft. According to the invention, the maneuvering means comprise:

• associated with each movable blade, at least one return spring for bringing said movable blade in closed position;
• associated with each movable blade, a means of individual opening integral with said movable blade to drive it in rotation, said opening means being intended to move, for the opening of the movable blade, under the action of the means gripper actuation.

Efforts are generated independently on each clamp, which ensures a good maintenance of the hair whatever the situation on the other clamps. That is to say, the efforts make it possible to grasp the hair sufficiently without breaking it or letting it slide during the tearing movement. Furthermore, as the spring ensures the contact between the two clamps by actuating the pivot, the contact is always effective regardless of the tolerances on the different parts.

According to a preferred variant of the invention, a single return spring is associated with each movable blade. This makes it easier to manufacture the depilatory roller and to reduce its cost.

According to the invention, each movable blade is rotatable about a pivot axis Δ 'normal to the central shaft and arranged in the tubular cage. This allows a simplified assembly of the clamps since the movable blades can be clipped into the cage at the pivot axis. In addition, this construction allows to put more clips on the hair removal roller which makes the hair removal more effective.

In addition, the opening means form with the movable blade an angle α non-zero and comprises a bead intended to come into contact with the actuating means to tilt the movable blade to its open position about said pivot axis Δ. The bead has a rounded protuberance shape that requires a simple design, it is nevertheless quite robust because of the low friction.

In one embodiment of the invention, the angle α is close to 90 ° to minimize the bulk of the hair removal roller and ensure better actuation of the clamps.

According to a variant of this invention, said movable blade has a symmetrical shape with respect to a plane of symmetry comprising said axis Δ and the bead is asymmetrical with respect to said plane of symmetry. This asymmetrical shape of the bead makes it possible to minimize the forces in contact with the opening means and a rapid loss of contact when leaving it.

According to one embodiment of the invention, each return spring is interposed between a movable blade and the tubular cage. The movable blade is subjected to the return action directly, the spring bearing on one side side of the movable blade and a side wall of the tubular cage facing the fixed blade.

According to another embodiment of the invention, each return spring is interposed between an opening means and the tubular cage. In this case, the movable blade is rotated by the opening means which is itself subjected to the return action.

Advantageously, said gripper actuating means are arranged substantially at the outer cylindrical surface of the central shaft. This is to create a region of opening of the clamps around the central shaft with elements raised relative to the central shaft for tilting the movable blade.

Preferably, the clamp actuation means comprise at least one eccentric roller of an axis of symmetry Δ "and said axis of symmetry Δ" is parallel to said axis Δ.

According to a preferred embodiment, the gripper actuating means comprises a number of eccentric rolls of between 2 and 4, preferably 3, which are distributed over an area of the central shaft occupying about one third of the circumference of the central tree. The number and size of the rolls depends on the overall size of the system, that of the moving blade, the bead, the desired opening size for the clamp, as well as the desired opening and closing speed. The greater the diameter of the roll compared to that of the head, the more the opening and closing of the clamp will be progressive because the bead will go up / down according to the slope induced by this diameter. The clamps must close quickly for good tearing efficiency, so it is desirable to have a steep slope so a smaller roll possible, but which induces reduced forces in contact with the bead on the roll to minimize wear and tear. the noise.

In addition, the eccentric rollers are free to rotate about its axis of symmetry Δ "to introduce a bearing without sliding on the central shaft and limit friction.

Advantageously, it is also possible to envisage a depilatory device comprising a housing designed to be held in the hand and enclosing an engine. electric drive and which comprises a hair removal head roller according to the invention.

According to one embodiment of the depilatory device, the hair removal head roller is removable and interchangeable with another body care accessory. Here is meant a body care accessory any means of treating a human body part such as a massage accessory, an exfoliation accessory or a shaving head / trimmer, etc.

• La figure 1 est une vue d'ensemble en perspective de l'appareil à épiler selon l'invention ;
• La figure 2 est une vue schématique de l'entrainement du rouleau d'épilation selon l'invention ;
• La figure 3 est une vue partielle en perspective du rouleau d'épilation selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• La figure 4 est une vue schématique d'une première variante de l'agencement des ressorts dans le rouleau d'épilation ;
• La figure 5 est une vue schématique d'une deuxième variante de l'agencement des ressorts dans le rouleau d'épilation ;
• La figure 6 est une vue schématique d'une troisième variante de l'agencement des ressorts dans le rouleau d'épilation ;
• La figure 7 est une vue en perspective de l'entrainement des lames mobiles selon un mode de réalisation selon l'invention ;
• La figure 8 est une vue de face du mode de réalisation illustré à la figure 7;
• La figure 9 est une vue en perspective du rouleau d'épilation avec une seule rangée de pinces ;
• La figure 10 est une vue en perspective d'un autre mode de réalisation du rouleau d'épilation ;
• La figure 11 est une vue de face du mode de réalisation du rouleau d'épilation illustré à la figure 10 ;
• La figure 12 est une vue de face d'une alternative du moyen d'ouverture.

The invention will be better understood with the study of the embodiments taken in no way limiting and illustrated in the accompanying figures in which:

• The figure 1 is an overall perspective view of the depilatory device according to the invention;
• The figure 2 is a schematic view of the drive of the hair removal roller according to the invention;
• The figure 3 is a partial perspective view of the hair removal roller according to one embodiment of the invention;
• The figure 4 is a schematic view of a first variant of the arrangement of the springs in the depilatory roller;
• The figure 5 is a schematic view of a second variant of the arrangement of the springs in the depilatory roller;
• The figure 6 is a schematic view of a third variant of the arrangement of the springs in the depilatory roller;
• The figure 7 is a perspective view of the drive of the movable blades according to an embodiment according to the invention;
• The figure 8 is a front view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. figure 7 ;
• The figure 9 is a perspective view of the hair removal roller with a single row of pliers;
• The figure 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the hair removal roller;
• The figure 11 is a front view of the embodiment of the hair removal roller illustrated in FIG. figure 10 ;
• The figure 12 is a front view of an alternative of the opening means.

An electric and mechanical depilatory device (A) according to the invention, as illustrated in FIGS. figures 1 and 2 , comprises a hollow housing, generally designated by the reference 1, which consists of two half-shells 2 and 3 monoblocks defining together on the one hand, by their outer surfaces, a gripping area of the epilator and, d ' on the other hand, a box for confinement and maintenance of various functional elements constituting the epilator. Thus, the housing 1 encloses an electric motor 4 associated with transmission means 5 of the rotational movement of the output gear 6 of the electric motor 4. According to the illustrated example, the transmission means 5 comprise a gear train of FIG. axes parallel to the axis of rotation of the motor.

The housing is equipped with an epilation head 10 which comprises a hollow body 11 delimiting an epilation chamber 12 inside which is disposed an epilation roller 13 which is flush with a window 14 arranged in the hollow body 11. The epilation roller 13 is partially rotatable about an axis Δ and is rotated via the transmission means 5 by the electric motor 4. The epilation roller 13 comprises at the from its periphery a series of clamps 15 opening and closing as the rotation of the roll. According to one embodiment of the invention, the hair removal roller 13 comprises reversible attachment means (not shown) to the housing 1 to make the roll removable. This is in the state of the art and within the reach of the skilled person.

The invention relates more particularly to the design of the hair removal roller 13 also referred to as hair removal head roll.

The roller 13 includes, as shown more particularly the figure 3 a stationary central shaft 20 to be rotatably connected to the housing is directly or via a movable part for adjusting the angular position of the central shaft 20 relative to the housing. The roller 13 also comprises a tubular cage 21 which carries the clamps 15 and which is rotatable about the central shaft 20 being driven by means of a wheel 22 rotatably connected to the tubular cage 21. According to the illustrated example the tubular cage 21 comprises six bars 23, visible at the figure 3 , and which are mounted integral with the tubular cage 21 and which each carry a row of six gripping pliers 15 aligned in a direction D substantially parallel to the axis Δ.

Each tear-off pliers 15 is formed of a fixed blade 25 and a movable blade 26. The fixed blades 25 are rigidly connected to the tubular cage 21 insofar as according to the illustrated example the fixed blades 25 of a same row are an integral part of the corresponding bar 23. Each movable blade 26 comprises, on the one hand, a blade head 261 which is an operative part intended to bear against the fixed blade 25 to form a pinching zone and, on the other hand, a connected blade root 262 rigidly to a cylinder or pivot shaft 8. The latter is free to rotate about a pivot axis Δ 'and is connected in translation with the bar 23 by clipping, the pivot axis Δ' being normal to the axis Δ. Each movable blade 26 is able to move by rotation between an open position O visible to the figure 9 and a closed position F visible to the figure 10 .

In order to ensure the movements of the movable blades 26, the roller 13 comprises operating means which integrate several interacting elements. As visible at figure 7 for each clamp 15, an opening means 9 in the form of a rocker is rotatably connected to the movable blade 26 at an angle α through the pivoting cylinder 8. This angle α can be chosen in a range of [70 °, 110 °], a 90 ° angle is better suited to the realization of the apparatus. The movable blade 26, the pivot cylinder 8 and the rocker 9, also referred to as the mean aperture terminology, preferably form a single solid piece.

In operation, as shown in figure 9 , the movable blade 26 being pivoted on the tubular cage 21 rotates about the central shaft 20 on which 3 eccentric rollers 31 are arranged at an opening zone (ZO) of the clamps 15 corresponding substantially to about one one third of the circumference of the central shaft 20. When the clamp 15 passes over these rollers 31, a bead 91 forming part of the rocker 9 comes into contact with the rollers 31 successively which causes the movable blade 26 to rock in one direction counterclockwise as schematized at the figure 4 and keeps it in the open position O for a while. Here, the bead 91 is presented in the form of a protuberance rounded with respect to the rocker 9, however, it can also have a different shape as long as it ensures a fluid contact with the rollers 31 and a rotational movement of the moving blade 26.

When the gripper 15 leaves the opening zone ZO and the bead 91 is no longer in contact with any of the rollers 31, the movable blade 26 subjected to the return action with the force required to pull the hair passes into the closed position F and is held there by at least one spring 7 disposed in the roll 13 until the clamp 15 passes again in the opening zone ZO where the spring 7 compresses a little more, this which allows a rapid closure of the clamp 15.

According to a first variant, as visible at figure 4 , the spring 7 is disposed between the rocker 9 and the tubular cage 21. More exactly, one end of the spring 7 is placed on the rocker 9 without the side bead and the other end is connected to the bar 23 which is mounted integral with the tubular cage 21, the spring 7 being in direct opposition with the thrust force of the rollers 31.

According to a second variant, as visible at figure 5 the spring 7 is disposed between the movable blade 26 and the tubular cage 21. In fact, one end is in direct contact with a lateral surface of the movable blade 26 to push it against the fixed blade 25, and the other end is fixed on a side wall of the bar 23 which is opposite the fixed blade 25.

The compression springs can be replaced by pins or torsion springs placed on the pivots at the axes of rotation of the movable blades 26. It is also possible to use leaf springs placed indifferently at the same place as the coil springs or elsewhere. The compression springs can be replaced by tension springs with reversed operation where when tilting the springs are stretched.

Therefore, one can imagine any other positioning to maintain the clamp closed and come open by a tilting that compresses the spring 7. For example a symmetrical shape with the bead on one side and the spring from the other, as illustrated in figure 6 . The spring 7 is thus stretched continuously.

The eccentric rollers 31 are preferably free-rolling in the central shaft 20 to allow non-slip rolling contact between the bead 91 and the roller 31 and thus minimize stress and wear.

According to a considered alternative, as visible on the figures 10 and 11 the pliers actuating means comprises a single eccentric roller, or for the same purpose, the central shaft 20 may have an asymmetrical shape to have the protrusion opening area. Therefore, the time during which the movable blade 26 remains open would correspond to the time during which a point of the bead 91 remains in contact with the top of the roller 31 which is relatively short. To have a sufficient duration or opening interval without losing speed in closing, the use of several rollers for actuating the clamps as explained above is preferred. For reference, the motor rotates the cylinder at a speed of about 1500 rpm.

In order to further increase the speed of the closure, it is also possible to envisage another construction of the rocker as illustrated in FIG. figure 12 : generally, each movable blade 26 is a symmetrical piece with respect to a plane of symmetry PS, as visible at the figure 7 . The movable blade 26 being rotatable with the tubular cage 21 about the axis Δ, the latter coincides with the plane of symmetry PS. In figure 12 , the bead has an asymmetric shape with respect to the plane PS and a thickness decrease from right to left successively, which minimizes the efforts at the arrival of the opening zone and a loss of contact fast to the exit.

In the embodiments presented, the metal movable blades 26 are used in direct contact with the plastic strips 23 as fixed blades 25, with a metal-plastic nip contact. It is also possible to insert metal fixed blades into the bars 23 by overmolding or by clipping or by setting to have a metal-metal contact. It is also possible to use movable blades made entirely of plastic material, or else, on one or the other blade, to use ceramic elements on all or part of the parts.

Of course, other modifications may be made to the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (15)

1. Epilator epilation head roller (13) comprising a housing (1) containing a motor (4), comprising:

   - A fixed central shaft (20) of axis Δ intended to be rotatably connected to the housing,

   - A tubular cage (21):

   -- which is intended to be rotated about the central shaft (20) by the motor (4),

   -- which bears pulling tweezers (15) each formed from a fixed blade (25) rigidly connected to the tubular cage (21) and a movable blade (26) between an open position (O) wherein the movable blade (26) is removed from the fixed blade (25) and a closed position (F) wherein the movable blade (26) is in contact with the fixed blade (25),

   - means (7, 9, 30) for controlling the movable blades (26) between the open (O) and closed (F) position thereof upon rotation of the tubular cage (21) about the central shaft (20),

   said control means (7, 9, 30) comprising

   - associated with each movable blade (26), at least one return spring (7) intended to convey said movable blade (26) to the closed position (F),

   - associated with each movable blade (26), individual opening means (9) rigidly connected to said movable blade (26) for the rotation thereof, said opening means (9) being intended to move, to open the movable blade (26), under the action of the tweezers actuation means (30).
2. Epilation head roller according to claim 1, characterised in that a single return spring (7) is associated with each movable blade (26).
3. Epilation head roller according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that each movable blade is rotary about a pivoting axis (Δ') normal to the central shaft (20) and formed in the tubular cage (21).
4. Epilation roller head according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the opening means (9) forms with the movable blade (26) an angle α different to zero and that it comprises a bead (91) intended to come into contact with the actuation means (30) to switch the movable blade (26) to the open position (O) thereof about said pivoting axis (Δ').
5. Epilation head roller according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the angle α is close to 90°.
6. Epilation head roller according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that said movable blade (26) has a symmetrical shape with respect to a plane of symmetry (PS) comprising said axis (Δ) and that the bead is asymmetrical with respect to said plane of symmetry (PS).
7. Epilation head roller according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each return spring (7) is inserted between a movable blade (26) and the tubular cage (21).
8. Epilation head roller according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that each return spring (7) is inserted between an opening means (9) and the tubular cage (21).
9. Epilation head roller according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the tweezers actuation means (30) are formed substantially on the external cylindrical surface of the central shaft (20).
10. Epilation head roller according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the tweezers actuation means (30) comprises at least one off-centre roller (31) of an axis of symmetry (Δ").
11. Epilation head roller according to the preceding claim, characterised in that said axis of symmetry (Δ") is parallel with said axis Δ.
12. Epilation head roller according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the tweezers actuation means (30) comprises a number of off-centre rollers (31) between 2 and 4, preferably 3, which are distributed on an area of the central shaft (20) occupying approximately one third of the circumference of the central shaft (20).
13. Epilation head roller according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the off-centre roller(s) (31) are free in rotation of the axis of symmetry (Δ") thereof.
14. Epilator (A) comprising a housing (1) intended to be hand-held and containing an electric drive motor (4), characterised in that it comprises an epilation head roller (13) according to one of the preceding claims.
15. Epilator (A) according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the epilation head roller (13) is removable and interchangeable with another body care accessory.

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