[0001] The invention relates to a depilation apparatus of the type with which liquid wax
is applied to the skin, which wax is removed together with the hairs after solidification,
the apparatus comprising a housing with a reservoir for holding the wax, which reservoir
is in connection with an outlet opening in a wall of the housing, the apparatus being
provided with a rotatable distributor roller near the outlet opening for applying
the liquid wax to the skin, while the surface of the distributor roller is provided
with parallel grooves which run substantially in axial direction.
[0002] Such a depilation apparatus is known from US-4,773,784.
[0003] In this known depilation apparatus, the distributor roller is cylindrical and a number
of axial grooves are provided in its circumference for a better distribution of the
liquid wax. After the wax has been applied to the skin, a cloth or foil is to be pressed
against the skin. After the wax has sufficiently cooled down and has hardened so as
to be united with the cloth, the cloth with the layer of wax with the hairs implanted
therein may be removed. The cloth is necessary because the wax layer provided by this
method is not strong enough to be removed without a cloth.
[0004] The invention has for its object to improve a depilation apparatus as described in
the opening paragraph in such a manner that the said cloth for the removal of the
wax layer is not necessary.
[0005] The depilation apparatus according to the invention is for this purpose characterized
in that the grooves in the distributor roller are undulate.
[0006] Not only is it possible with such a distributor roller to provide a thicker and more
even wax layer, but the wax layer also has ridges in the direction in which the wax
layer is provided. The advantage of this is that the wax layer is reinforced to such
an extent that it can be removed without additional aids after sufficient cooling-down.
[0007] A preferred embodiment of the depilation apparatus is characterized in that the grooves
in the distributor roller are undulated substantially in a triangular shape. Such
a profile reminiscent of a tractor tyre provides very effective reinforcement ridges
in the wax layer.
[0008] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment
shown in a drawing, in which
Fig. 1 is a cross-section of a depilation apparatus according to the invention, and
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the distributor roller with undulate grooves as used in
the depilation apparatus of Fig. 1.
[0009] The depilation apparatus is built up from a housing 1, comprising a reservoir 2 for
holding a wax block 3, an outlet opening 4 for the liquid wax, and a rotatable distributor
roller 5 situated in the outlet opening. Furthermore, a heater element 7, against
which the wax block to be melted rests, is present in the housing between the end
6 of the reservoir 2 and the distributor roller 5. The wax block is held against the
heater element by resilient pressure means 8, 9. When the heater element is switched
on, the wax block melts only at its side facing the heater element, and the liquid
wax flows towards the distributor roller 5.
[0010] According to the invention, undulate grooves 10 are provided in the surface of the
distributor roller 5, which grooves run substantially in axial direction. The liquid
wax enters the grooves and a wax layer of even thickness is applied to the skin during
the movement of the roller over the skin. Owing to the undulate pattern of the grooves
on the distributor roller, ridges are created in the direction in which the wax is
provided. These ridges reinforce the wax layer to such an extent that it can be pulled
off without further aids in the direction in which it was applied after sufficient
cooling down. Experiments have demonstrated that the ridges created reinforce the
wax layer very effectively when a triangular wave pattern is provided on the surface
of the distributor roller.
1. A depilation apparatus of the type with which liquid wax is applied to the skin, which
wax is removed together with the hairs after solidification, the apparatus comprising
a housing (1) with a reservoir (2) for holding the wax (3), which reservoir is in
connection with an outlet opening (4) in a wall of the housing, the apparatus being
provided with a rotatable distributor roller (5) near the outlet opening for applying
the liquid wax to the skin, while the surface of the distributor roller is provided
with parallel grooves (10) which run substantially in axial direction, characterized
in that the grooves (10) in the distributor roller are undulate.
2. A depilation apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the grooves (10)
in the distributor roller (5) are undulated substantially in a triangular shape.
