Shaving apparatus

Abstract

 The invention relates to a shaving apparatus comprising an external cutting member 3 having a shaving portion 5 formed with hair-entry apertures 4 and an internal cutting member 6 which is rotatable relative to the external cutting member and which comprises cutting elements 8 which extend in an axial direction towards the shaving portion. The internal and external cutting members comprise separate corresponding bearing portions 24, 25; 29, 32; 33, 34, 36; 41, 42 for rotationally supporting the two cutting members 3, 6 relative to each other in the axial direction.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a shaving apparatus comprising an external cutting member having a shaving portion formed with hair-entry apertures and an internal cutting member which is rotatable relative to the external cutting member and which comprises cutting elements which extend in an axial direction towards said shaving portion.

[0002] Such a shaving apparatus is known from Netherlands Patent Application no. 72 17 486 (PHN 6638). In this apparatus the free ends of the cutting elements are in contact with the inner side of the shaving portion of the external cutting member. During use of the apparatus this will produce annoying noise and wear will occur at the areas of contact, whilst the external cutting member may become uncomfortably hot due to friction. Moreover, the known construction is such that the clearance between the two cutting members may vary as a result of forces obtaining during shaving, so that the clearance between the cutting members may become too large for an effective shaving action.

[0003] It is an object of the invention to mitigate the aforementioned disadvantages and to this end the invention is characterized in that the internal and external cutting members are provided with separate corresponding bearing portions for rotationally supporting the two cutting members relative to each other in the axial direction.

[0004] One embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the two cutting members are also rotationally supported relative to each other in the radial direction.

[0005] Further embodiments are characterized in that the two cutting members are provided with flanges which cooperate to form a plain bearing, or in that the two cutting members are rotationally supported relative to each other by means of at least one ball-bearing or at least one spiral-groove bearing.

[0006] Some embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings.

[0007] 

Fig. 1 is a front view of a shaving apparatus comprising three external cutting members.

Fig. 2 shows the shaving apparatus of Fig. 1 in side view and partlyin a sectional view taken on the line II-II in Fig. 1.

Figures 3 to 6 are sectional views of some examples of an internal and an external cutting member.

[0008] The shaving apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a housing 1, of which a part is formed as a holder 2 for three external cutting members 3. The cutting members 3 are formed with slit-like hair entry apertures 4, which are represented by a single line in Fig. 1 and which are located in an annular shaving portion 5 of each cutting member.

[0009] As is shown for one extend cutting member in the sectional part of Fig. 2, an internal cutting member 6 is arranged at the inner side of each external cutting member 3. Each internal cutting member 6 mainly comprises a plate-shaped body 7 and cutting elements 8 which extend in an axial direction towards the shaving portion 5 of the associated external cutting member.

[0010] By means of a hollow spindle 9 (Fig. 2), gear-wheels 10 and 11 and a shaft 12, each internal cutting member 6 is coupled to the electric motor 13, to be rotated thereby relative to the associated external cutting member 3. The gear-wheel 10 is journalled on a pin 14 mounted in a mounting plate 15. The gear-wheel 10 formed with a recess 16 which is closed by a cover 17. The recess 16 engages with a flange 18 at the end of the hollow spindle 9. By giving the flange 18 a non-circular, for example square, shape and by correspondingly shaping the recess 16 a coupling is obtained for transmitting the rotary movement of the gear-wheel 10 to the spindle 9. A spring 19, which for the greater part is located within the hollow spindle 9 and which is compressed between the hollow spindle 9 and the gear-wheel 10, exerts a force on the spindle 9 in the direction of the internal cutting member 6. A cylindrical portion 20 of the spindle 9 hears against the cutting member 6 to transmit said force to this cutting member and via this cutting member to the associated external cutting member 3, so that a flange 21 on the rim of the external cutting member 3 is urged against the holder 2. The cutting members 3 and 6, together with the spindle 9, can be pressed inwards against the action of the spring 19 by external forces such as those which may occur during use of the shaving apparatus.

[0011] A coupling for transmitting the rotary movement of the spindle 9 to the internal cutting member 6 is formed by an end portion 22 of the spindle of rectangular cross-section engaging in a corresponding rectangular coupling aperture 23 in the cutting member 6.

[0012] The coupling to the electric motor 13, as described in the foregoing, is identical for the three internal cutting members 6 of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2, the three gear-wheels 10 being in mesh with the one centrally arranged gear-wheel 11 on the motor shaft 12.

[0013] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 a peripheral portion of the plate-shaped body 7 of each internal cutting member 6 forms a flange 24 which is in contact with a flange 25 on the rim of the associated external cutting member 3. The respective clntact surfaces 26 and 27 of the flanges 24 and 25 constitute a plain bearing by means of which the two cutting members 3 and 6 are journalled relative to each other. The clearance 28 between the face ends of the cutting elements 8 and the shaving portion 5 can now be optimized for an effective shaving action. The cutting elements 8 and the shaving portion 5 do not touch each other, so that these parts are not subject to wear and no noise and heat are produced at the location of the shaving portion as a result of friction. By a suitable choice of materials and lubricants the sliding contact between the contact surfaces 26 and 27 of the flanges, 24 and 25 can be optimized, so that a substantial improvement of the bearing arrangement is obtained in comparison with that attainable between the ends of the cutting elements 8 and the shaving portion 5 with the hair-entry apertures 4, with the result that less power is required for driving the internal cuttting members 6.

[0014] It is now also possible to use a heavier compression spring 19, which reduces the likelihood of the two cutting members being moved apart by forces which occur during shaving.

[0015] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 the internal cutting member 6 comprises a hollow cylindrical, central boss 29 whose that end surface 30 constitutes a plain bearing with the surface 31 of the central recessed portion 32 of the external cutting member 3. In general, the cutting members can be centred relative to each other by providing a slight clearance between the ring of cutting elements 8 and the recessed portion 32.

[0016] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 the two cutting members 3 and 6 are again provided with flanges 33 and 34 respectively. The flange 34 is formed by a peripheral portion of a disk 35 to which the internal cutting member 6 is secured. Between the two flanges a ball-bearing 36 is arranged.

[0017] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 the external cutting member 3 comprises a bottom plate 37 and the internal cutting member 6 is fixed on a journal 38. The journal 38 is formed with an operture 39 for coupling it to the coupling spindle 9. An annular disc 40 is movable axially on the journal 38. Between the bottom plate 37 and the internal cutting member 6 and between the bottom plate 37 and the annular disc 40, spiral-groove axial bearings 41 and 42 respectively are arranged, whilst a spiral-groove radial bearing 43 is arranged between the journal 38 and the bottom plate 37. On a flange 44 at the end of the journal 38 a cup spring 45 is arranged, by means of which the spiral-groove bearings 41 and 42 are urged into position.

[0018] In order to prevent soiling or contaimination of the spiral-groove bearings, ring-shaped raised portions 46 and 47 on the internal cutting member 6 and the metal annular disc 40 respectively engage in corresponding grooves 48 and 49 respectively in the bottom plate 37 to form seals. Hair cuttings can be removed through an opening 50 in the bottom plate 37.

[0019] It is alternatively possible to use only one spiral-groove bearing by, for example, replacing the ball-bearing in the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 or the plain bearing in the embodiments shown in Figures 3 and 4 by a spiral-groove bearing.

[0020] In the embodiment using plain bearings, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the elements required for this, such as rings or bushings may alternatively be secured to the cutting members as separate components.

Claims

1. A shaving apparatus comprising an external cutting member having a shaving portion formed with hair-entry apertures and an internal cutting member which is rotatable relative to the external cutting member and which comprises cutting elements which extend in an axial direction towards said shaving portion, characterized in that the internal and external cutting members are provided with separate corresponding bearing portions for rotationally supporting the two cutting members relative to each other in the axial direction.

2. A shaving apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the two cutting members are also rotationally supported relative to each other in the radial direction.

3. A shaving apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the two cutting members are provided with flanges which cooperate to form a plain bearing.

4. A shaving apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the two cutting members are rotationally supported relative to each other by means of at least one ball-bearing.

5. A shaving apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the two cutting members are rotationally supported relative to each other by means of at least one spiral-groove bearing.

Drawing