Dry shaving apparatus

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6560875
  • Patent Number
    6,560,875
  • Date Filed
    Friday, May 10, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, May 13, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
The invention is directed to a dry shaving apparatus with a housing, comprising a housing part (G), at least one cutter element capable of reciprocating in a horizontal plane (E) and a removable frame (WR) having at least one cutter element (S) and detachably held on the housing part (G) by at least two detent mechanisms (R1, R2; R3, R4), said detent mechanisms (R1, R2; R3, R4) being formed by a seating surface (20, 21) provided on the removable frame (WR) and a seating surface (80, 90) of a resiliently mounted detent element (18, 19) exerting a locking force (FR), wherein the detent mechanisms (R1, R2; R3, R4) are capable of exerting a holding function and a vibration-free positioning function of thee removable frame (WR) on the housing part (G).
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates to a dry shaving apparatus.




BACKGROUND




A dry shaving apparatus of the type initially referred to is known from printed specification DE 33 02 610 A1. The removable frame disposed in a housing part sits by means of a flange on a housing ledge and is coupled to the housing by a positive-engagement detent device formed by projections engaging within recesses, said device acting in the two working directions of a movable cutter element.




A housing part provided for receiving and holding a removable frame may be arranged on the housing of a dry shaving apparatus either detachably—see DE 33 02 610 A1—or so as to be fixedly connected with the housing, meaning that it forms a component part of the housing—see DE 44 10 543 C1, FIG.


10


.




Positive couplings between a removable frame and a housing part of a dry shaving apparatus for the purpose of ensuring a vibration-free seat of the removable frame necessitate an engagement of cooperating positive-engagement elements free from relative movements, that is, clearance-free positive engagement. While clearance-free positive engagement is obtainable at increased manufacturing expense, it is nevertheless susceptible to wear over time due to attrition taking place during use or deformation of cooperating positive-engagement elements, thereby precluding the desired effect to reliably prevent vibration of the removable frame equipped with at least one cutter element.




From DE 196 32 333 C1 a dry shaving apparatus of the type initially referred to is known in which a non wearing seat of the removable frame in a housing part is reliably ensured, however in this known dry shaving apparatus provision is made for additional devices, such as movably mounted pressure elements in the housing which are acted upon by spring elements and urge the removable frame against a stop provided on the housing part.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is an object of the present invention to simplify and render less expensive the releasable fastening of a removable frame to the housing part of a dry shaving apparatus of the type initially referred to, while ensuring a vibration-free fastening of the removable frame to the housing part.




According to the present invention, this object is accomplished in a dry shaving apparatus.




It is an essential advantage of the present invention that the existing detent devices releasably holding the removable frame on the housing part are utilized for a reliable, vibration-free seat of the removable frame on the housing part, thereby eliminating the need for additional, cost-producing components.




In a preferred embodiment of the invention the locking force of the detent element is convertible into a position-force component and a holding-force component by spatially aligning the seating surfaces of the detent element and the seating surfaces of the removable frame. In a further aspect of this embodiment, the vibration-free positioning of the removable frame is determined by engagement of the removable frame with a stop on the housing part under the action of the position-force component upon the seating surface of the removable frame. The significant advantage of these arrangements resides in that, proceeding from the known state of the art—see DE 196 32 333 C1—it is only necessary for the existing seating surfaces on the detent elements and for the seating surfaces provided in the removable frame to be given a different shape, such that the spatial alignment of all seating surfaces effects a conversion of the locking force of the detent element into a holding-force component and a position-force component pointing in a common direction. This is purely a matter of shape design accomplishable simply by modifying the injection molds for the detent elements and the removable frame.




In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the stop is formed by an inner surface of the housing part. This embodiment, for example, incurs no cost because an existing wall of the housing part is made use of as seat or support of the removable frame for vibration-free seating. Any wear occurring on the seating surfaces of the detent elements and the seating surfaces in the removable frame and also on the cooperating surfaces of the removable frame and the stop are compensated for automatically through the locking force of the detent elements.




In a further aspect of the invention the stop is provided on an inner surface of the housing part. In a further aspect of the invention the inner surface is a component part of an end wall of the housing part. An essential advantage of these embodiments is that they equally make use of existing components, such as the end wall of the housing part, to perform a further new function.




A preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the position-force component is effective only in one direction of the directions of oscillation of the movable cutter element. This has the advantage that by virtue of a corresponding contour of the seating surfaces on the detent elements the removable frame is seatable on and lockable with the housing part either way.




In an embodiment of the invention the holding-force component is effective in opposition to the direction of withdrawal of the removable frame from the housing part.




In a preferred embodiment of the invention two seating surfaces are provided on each longitudinal side wall of the removable frame.




A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that, proceeding from a common origin the seating surfaces extend at an inclination to the x-axis, the y-axis and the z-axis. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the stop all the seating surfaces provided on the longitudinal side walls of the removable frame are constructed to ascend in the coordinate axes x and y as well as x and z relative to a common origin. In adaptation to these embodiments, in a further aspect of the invention at least one seating surface is provided on the detent element. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, two seating surfaces are provided on the detent element. In a further aspect of this last-mentioned embodiment, the seating surfaces are constructed so as to extend in wedge shape relative to each other. A significant advantage of this embodiment resides in that it eliminates the need for the removable frame to be installed in a particular seating direction when it is placed down on the housing part and locked therewith by means of the detent elements for it to be subsequently held against the stop provided on the housing part in vibration-free manner.




In another embodiment of the invention the alignment of the seating surfaces of the detent elements is adapted essentially to the alignment of the seating surfaces on the removable frame. In a further aspect of this embodiment, the shape of the seating surface of the detent element is adapted to the seating surface of the removable frame in such manner that the engagement of cooperating seating surfaces is determined by line-type contact. An alternative embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the engagement of the seating surface of the detent element with the seating surfaces of the removable frame is determined by point-type contact.




In a still further embodiment of the invention the detent elements arranged in the housing part are adapted to be acted upon by a spring element. Preferably, a spring element is provided to act upon two detent elements acting in opposite directions.




Embodiments of the present invention will be illustrated and described in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a front view of a dry shaving apparatus with a shaving head arranged on a housing and comprising a housing part and a removable frame with cutter element;





FIG. 2

is a view of the upper part of the housing of a dry shaving apparatus having arranged above it a shaving head with a removable frame shown locked with the housing part;





FIG. 3

is a view of the upper part of the housing of a dry shaving apparatus with a housing part arranged above it, but absent a removable frame;





FIG. 4

is a view of the upper part of the housing with a housing part arranged above it and a removable frame shown in unlocked position and having seating surfaces formed on the inside of a longitudinal side wall;





FIG. 5

is a sectional view of the housing part in the area of detent elements and of the seating surfaces provided in the removable frame;





FIG. 6

is a sectional view of the longitudinal side walls and an end wall of the removable frame of

FIG. 5

, showing cooperating seating surfaces of the removable frame and the detent elements;





FIGS. 7

,


7




a


,


7




b


and


7




c


are simplified schematic diagrams depicting the seating surfaces formed on a longitudinal side wall of the removable frame including the seating surfaces' contours;





FIG. 7



d


is a schematic diagram depicting a longitudinal side wall of the removable frame having seating surfaces formed thereon and detent elements whose seating surfaces act upon the seating surfaces on the longitudinal side wall of the removable frame;





FIG. 8

is a perspective view of a detent element having seating surfaces extending towards each other in wedge shape;





FIG. 9

is a view of the seating surfaces of a detent element extending towards each other in wedge shape; and





FIG. 10

is a perspective view of the inside of a bar of a removable frame, showing seating surfaces and half of the end walls.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS





FIG. 1

shows a dry shaving apparatus TR with a housing


1


having arranged in its front panel an actuating switch


2


and an adjustably mounted trimmer unit TS. Provided in the bottom wall of the housing


1


is a socket


3


for connection to a power supply cord. Seated on the housing


1


is a shaving head having detachably secured in its housing part G a removable frame WR comprising at least one cutter element S. The housing part G of the shaving head is coupled to the housing by two supporting elements


4


and


5


. Together with the housing part G the supporting elements


4


and


5


are mounted in the housing


1


for back-and-forth movement in the directions P


1


, P


2


of arrow P. In another embodiment the supporting elements


4


,


5


are immovably secured in or on the housing


1


.





FIG. 2

shows the upper part of the housing


1


having in its upper side


6


several apertures


7


,


8


,


9


for passage of the supporting elements


4


and


5


projecting from the housing and a drive pin


10


of an electric drive mechanism A arranged in the housing


1


. The drive pin


10


makes engagement with a groove


12


of a coupling element


11


for transmission of a drive motion reciprocating in the directions of arrow P to a cutter element S mounted for oscillatory motion in the housing part G via a coupling element K—see FIG.


3


. The housing part G is comprised of two opposed end walls


13


,


14


and a housing central portion


15


carrying the end walls. Detachably held between the two end walls


13


and


14


by means of detent mechanisms R is a removable frame WR. The removable frame WR receives at least one cutter element S and/or one cutter unit comprised of two cooperating cutter elements. The locking force exertable by the detent elements


18


,


19


in a direction transverse to the directions of oscillation—directions of arrow P—of a movable cutter element S is convertible into a position-force component FS and a holding-force component FU by means of the spatial alignment of the seating surfaces


80


,


90


provided on the detent elements


18


,


19


and the seating surfaces


20


,


21


provided on the removable frame WR—see FIG.


3


and FIG.


4


—, such that the position-force component FS becoming effective in a horizontal direction (+)x causes the removable frame WR to be urged against a stop AG provided on the housing part G, while the holding-force component FU becoming effective in a vertical direction (−)y downwardly towards the housing


1


causes the removable frame to be held on the housing part G by the detent elements


18


,


19


.




In the embodiment of

FIG. 2

the housing part G of the shaving head is mounted on the supporting elements


4


and


5


for pivotal movement about a pivot axis Z—Z. To this effect, the supporting elements


4


and


5


protrude into the interior of the end walls


13


and


14


to ensure pivotability of the shaving head in the area of the pivot axis Z—Z by means of a pivot bearing—not shown. In another embodiment the housing part G of the shaving head may be rigidly secured to the housing


1


of the dry shaving apparatus or it may be constructed as a component part of the housing—not shown. The supporting elements


4


and


5


are either rigidly secured in the housing


1


or, in an alternative embodiment, mounted for movement at least in the directions of arrow P. Provided on the housing part G are two pushbuttons


16


,


17


which, by acting on the detent mechanisms R, enable the removable frame WR to be unlocked for the purpose of detaching it.





FIG. 3

shows the upper part of the housing


1


with a housing part G disposed thereon but with the removable frame WR detached to reveal further components of the shaving head and their arrangement in the housing part G. Resiliently mounted adjacent to the end walls


13


and


14


in the housing central portion


15


are respective detent elements


18


and


19


. A cutter element S constructed as undercutter


22


is arranged on a coupling element K between the two end walls


13


and


14


having inner surfaces


36


,


37


. The coupling element K with its cutter element S is movably arranged in the housing central portion


15


and coupled to the coupling element


11


for transmission of the drive motion of the drive pin


10


. Provided on each of the detent elements


18


and


19


is a seating surface


80


and a seating surface


90


. The seating surfaces


80


and


90


extend in wedge shape towards each other and are provided at the ends of the detent elements


18


and


19


.





FIG. 4

shows the upper part of the housing


1


with a housing part G arranged thereon and a removable frame WR detachable in the direction of withdrawal indicated by the direction of arrow E. The removable frame WR is essentially comprised of two bars


32


and


33


extending in the longitudinal direction—direction of arrow P—and end walls


34


and


35


connecting the bars


32


and


33


—see FIG.


5


—, as well as at least one outer cutter


25


seated between the bars


32


,


33


and the end walls


34


,


35


. The inner surfaces


36


and


37


of the end walls


13


and


14


and the outer surfaces


38


and


39


of the end walls


34


and


35


extend in a wedge-shaped configuration relative to the vertical center axis V of the dry shaving apparatus TR, such that the relative distance of the end walls


13


and


14


in the area of the housing central portion


15


is smaller than the relative distance of the end walls


13


and


14


at the level of the outer cutter


25


. This shape has the result that, with the removable frame WR locked with the housing part G, the end walls


34


and


35


touch or nearly touch the inner surfaces


36


and


37


of the end walls


13


and


14


.




Operation of the pushbuttons


16


,


17


enables unlocking of the removable frame WR. With the removable frame WR in the position shown, the detent elements


18


,


19


are disengaged from the seating surfaces


20


,


21


provided on the bars


32


,


33


of the removable frame WR, as shown, for example, in

FIG. 4

by broken lines.





FIG. 5

shows a sectional view of the housing part G in the area of the detent elements


18


movable in relative opposite direction in the housing part G and their associated seating surfaces


20


, as well as of the removable frame WR. In the embodiment shown in this Figure, the removable frame WR receives the outer cutters


25


and


26


of a respective short hair cutter unit KHS and also a long hair cutter unit LHS. Formed in the bars


32


,


33


extending in the longitudinal direction of the removable frame WR is a respective sloping seating surface


20


for engagement with a respective detent element


18


. Seated between the two detent elements


18


is a spring element


52


by means of which the two detent elements


18


are held in a locked position in which they protrude from the respective longitudinal side wall


53


and


54


of the housing part G. When the removable frame WR is removed from the housing part G in the direction of withdrawal indicated by arrow E, the sloping surfaces of the seating surfaces


20


,


21


exert a pressure on the seating surfaces


80


,


90


of the detent elements


18


,


19


which project from the housing part G, moving the detent elements


18


,


19


in opposition to the pressure of the spring element


52


into the interior of the housing part G until the seating surfaces


20


,


21


of the bars


32


and


33


have traveled past all detent elements


18


and


19


provided. This then releases the removable frame WR from the housing part G.




The spring force exerted by the spring element


52


on the two detent elements


18


acts as a locking force FR via the seating surfaces


90


provided on the detent elements


18


onto the sloping seating surfaces


20


provided on the bars


32


,


33


of the removable frame WR. By means of the seating surfaces


20


extending at a predetermined angle β to the horizontal direction of action of the locking force FR, the locking force FR is converted, via the seating surfaces


90


of the detent elements


18


acting thereon, into a corresponding holding-force component FU acting in opposition to the direction of arrow E—see FIG.


2


—, whereby the removable frame WR is held locked with a housing part G. A similar construction and function exists also in the locking area of the detent elements


19


acted upon by a spring element and bearing upon seating surfaces


21


provided in the removable frame.





FIG. 6

shows part of a removable frame with detent elements


18


acted upon by a spring element


52


, taken along the section line A—A of FIG.


5


. The spring force exerted by the spring element


52


on the two detent elements


18


acts as locking force FR through the seating surfaces


90


provided on the detent elements


18


upon the sloping seating surfaces


20


provided on the bars


32


,


33


of the removable frame WR. By means of the seating surfaces


20


extending at a predetermined angle α to the horizontal direction of action of the locking force FR, the locking force FR is converted into a corresponding position-force component FS via the seating surfaces


90


of the detent elements


18


acting thereon, whereby the removable frame WR is held against a stop AG on the housing part G in the direction B


1


of the directions of arrows B. In the condition illustrated in

FIG. 6

, the outer surface


38


of the removable frame WR rests against the stop AG formed by the inner surface


36


of the end wall


14


of the housing part G.





FIGS. 7

,


7




a


,


7




b


and


7




c


and


7




d


illustrate, for example, the bar


33


of a removable frame WR schematically in order to give a visual indication of the sloping course of the seating surfaces


20


and


21


. Formed on the inner wall of the bar


33


at a relatively wide relative spacing—see FIG.


2


—are the seating surfaces


20


,


21


as component parts of projections


110


and


111


, with the spatial alignment of the seating surfaces


20


,


21


being explained in more detail with reference to a system of coordinates, using the projection


111


as substitute for all seating surfaces


20


,


21


provided on the removable frame WR.




The x-axis shown in

FIG. 7



a


extends in the longitudinal direction of the bar


33


of the removable frame WR, that is, parallel to the direction of oscillation P of the undercutter


22


—see FIG.


3


. The y-axis intersects the x-axis at right angles. Proceeding from the origin of the coordinates, the seating surface


21


with the contact line


100


characteristic of the seating engagement with the detent element


19


extends at a predetermined angle γ, being inclined both relative to the x-axis and relative to the y-axis, whereby a position-force component FS—see FIG.


6


—in the direction (+)x becomes effective.





FIG. 7



b


shows the y-axis and the z-axis intersecting the y-axis at right angles in order to show, proceeding from the origin of the coordinates, the sloping course of the seating surface


21


. The z-axis represents the direction of action of the locking force FR. The seating surface


21


extends at a predetermined angle β, being inclined both relative to the z-axis and relative to the y-axis, whereby a holding-force component FU in the direction (−)y becomes effective.





FIG. 7



c


shows a side view of the bar


33


and of the projections


110


and


111


with the seating surfaces


20


and


21


and the contact lines


100


in a plan view.





FIG. 7

shows a perspective view of the schematically illustrated bar


33


of the removable frame WR with the projections


110


,


111


formed thereon and the seating surfaces


20


and


21


provided on said projections.




FIG.


7


and

FIG. 7



c


indicate in phantom line an imaginary surface


33


P constructed flush with frame part


33


. As shown in FIG.


7


and

FIG. 7



a


, region


33


A indicates a lower region of bar


33


and region


33


B indicates an upper region of bar


33


.




The detent elements


18


,


19


resiliently arranged in a housing central portion


15


—see FIG.


3


and FIG.


5


—may have one end thereof provided with a seating surface


80


or


90


. To ensure that the removable frame WR can be installed either way, each of the detent elements


18


,


19


is provided with a seating surface


80


and a seating surface


90


, as shown in FIG.


8


and in FIG.


9


. The seating surfaces


80


and


90


extend in wedge shape at a predetermined angle γ to the x-axis, as illustrated in

FIG. 9

by the coordinates. The seating surfaces


80


,


90


are of a very narrow construction so that on engagement with the seating surfaces


20


and


21


of the projections


110


,


111


a line-type contact takes place between these seating surfaces


20


,


21


and


80


,


90


as identified by the contact lines


100


shown.





FIG. 10

shows by way of example a perspective view of part of a removable frame WR, illustrating the bar


33


having formed thereon projections


110


,


111


with seating surfaces


20


,


21


and end walls


34


,


35


formed at the ends of the bar


33


, only half of said end walls being shown to reveal the shape of the seating surfaces


20


,


21


. In order to give a three-dimensional representation of the conversion of the locking force FR exerted by the detent elements


18


,


19


into a holding-force component FU and a position-force component FS as shown with reference to

FIGS. 5

,


6


and


7


to


7




d


,

FIG. 10

shows all space coordinates x-y and z and the angles β and α which correspond to the spatial alignment of the seating surfaces


20


,


21


,


80


,


90


in a system of coordinates relating, for example, to the seating surface


21


, with the origin of the space coordinates being determined by a contact point selected in the middle of the contact line


100


. As becomes apparent from this representation and from the representation of

FIG. 4

, all the seating surfaces


20


and


21


on the bars


32


and


33


need to be ascending at an angle γ relative to the coordinate axes x and y in order to produce the position-force component FS provided in the direction (+)x, which moves the removable frame WR against the stop AG provided in the housing part G, holding it subsequently vibration-free against said stop AG.



Claims
  • 1. A dry shaving apparatus with a housing, comprising a housing part, at least one cutter clement and a removable frame carrying the at least one cutter element and detachably held on the housing part by at least two detent mechanisms (R1, R2; R3, R4), each said detent mechanism (R1, R2; R3, R4) being defined by a seating surface (20, 21) provided on the removable frame and a detent seating surface (80, 90) formed on a distal portion of a detent element (18, 19) resiliently mounted on the housing part and exerting a locking force (FR) against the removable frame,wherein each seating surface of the frame is located on a side wall of the frame, said side wall having a principal wall surface facing inward towards an inner space bounded by said removable frame and extending from a lower region to an upper region of the frame, said upper region being directed towards the cutter element, an imaginary surface being constructed flush with major portions of said principal wall surface, and a lateral length dimension of said seating surface of the frame being inclined along said principal wall surface in a direction, projected onto said imaginary surface, from said lower region towards said upper region, and wherein each of the detent mechanisms (R1, R2; R3, R4) in an engaged position exerts a holding-force component in a first direction and a position-force component in a second direction positioning the removable frame cammed onto the housing part.
  • 2. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said locking force (FR) of the detent element (18, 19) is resolved into the position-force component (FS) and the holding-force component (FU) by spatially aligning the detent seating surfaces of the detent elements (80, 90) and the seating surfaces (20, 21) of the removable frame.
  • 3. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position-force component for substantially vibration-free positioning of the removable frame is directed to urge the removable frame against a stop surface formed on the housing part.
  • 4. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the stop surface is formed by an inner surface (36, 37) of the housing part.
  • 5. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inner surface (36, 37) of the housing part is formed on an end wall (13, 14).
  • 6. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position-force component (FS) is directed in a single direction parallel a direction of oscillation of the cutter element.
  • 7. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding-force component (FU) acts in opposition to a direction of withdrawal of the removable fire from the housing part.
  • 8. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein two seating surfaces (20, 21) are provided on each longitudinal side wall (53, 54) of the removable frame.
  • 9. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, relative a common origin of mutually orthogonal x-, y-, and z-axes, each of the seating surfaces of the frame extends at an inclination to the x-axis and at an inclination to the y-axis as projected onto a vertical plane and at an inclination to the z-axis projected out of said vertical plane.
  • 10. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stop surface formed on an inner surface of the housing part, and wherein the seating surfaces (20, 21) of the removable frame are provided on longitudinal side walls (53, 54) of the removable frame, and the seating surfaces of the removable frame are constructed to ascend in the coordinate axes x and y as well as x- and z-axes relative to a common x-, y-, z-axes origin towards the stop surface.
  • 11. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein two said detent seating surfaces (80, 90) are provided on each said detent element (18, 19).
  • 12. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an alignment of the detent seating surfaces (80, 90) on the detent elements (18, 19) is adapted to an alignment of the seating surfaces (20, 21) on the removable frame.
  • 13. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the detent seating surfaces (80, 90) of the detent elements (18, 19) engage the seating surfaces (20, 21) of the removable frame (WR) along an approximate contact line (100).
  • 14. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein an engagement of the detent seating surfaces (80, 90) of the detent elements (18, 19) with the seating surfaces (20, 21) of the removable frame is approximately point-type contact.
  • 15. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detent elements (18, 19) arranged in the housing part are adapted to be acted upon by a coil spring element (52).
  • 16. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spring element (52) biases two said detent elements (18, 19) in opposite directions.
  • 17. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engaged respective detent seating surfaces of the detent elements and the frame direct the position-force component generally parallel a direction of motion of the cutter element.
  • 18. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one cutter element reciprocates linearly.
  • 19. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one cutter element moves along a first axis of motion, the frame defines a major frame axis aligned with said first axis of motion, and the seating surfaces of the frame extend in a direction of said major frame axis and inclined relative said first axis of motion.
  • 20. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the major frame axis is a longitudinal axis.
  • 21. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one cutter element reciprocates linearly.
  • 22. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detent elements are biased in a direction outward from the housing part generally perpendicular a direction of reciprocation of the at least one cutter element.
  • 23. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engaged respective detent seating surfaces of the detent elements and the frame direct the holding-force component into the housing part and direct the position-force component generally transverse to the holding-force component.
  • 24. The dry shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one cutter element is reciprocable in a horizontal plane.
  • 25. A dry shaving apparatus with a housing, comprising a housing part, at least one cutter element and a removable frame carrying the at least one cutter element and detachably held on the housing part by at least two detent mechanisms (R1, R2; R3, R4), each said detent mechanism (R1, R2; R3, R4) being defined by a seating surface (20, 21) provided on the removable frame and a detent seating surface (80, 90) formed on a distal portion of a detent element (18, 19) resiliently mounted on the housing part and exerting a locking force (FR) against the removable frame,wherein each seating surface of the frame is located on a side wall of the frame, said side wall having a principal wall surface extending from a lower region to an upper region of the frame, said upper region being directed towards the cutter element, said seating surface of the frame being inclined along said side wall from said lower region towards said upper region, wherein the detent mechanisms (R1, R2; R3, R4) in an engaged position exert a holding-force component in a first direction and a position-force component in a second direction positioning the removable frame cammed onto the housing part, and wherein at least one said detent seating surface (80, 90) provided on each said detent element (18, 19) has a wedge shape.
  • 26. A dry shaving apparatus with a housing, comprising a housing part, at least one cutter element and a removable frame carrying the at least one cutter element and detachably held on the housing part by at least two detent mechanisms (R1, R2; R3, R4), each said detent mechanism (R1, R2; R3, R4) being defined by a seating surface (20, 21) provided on the removable frame and a detent seating surface (80, 90) formed on a distal portion of a detent element (18, 19) resiliently mounted on the housing part and exerting a locking force (FR) against the removable frame,wherein each seating surface of the frame is located on a side wall of the frame, said side wall having a principal wall surface extending from a lower region to an upper region of the frame, said upper region being directed towards the cutter element, said seating surface of the frame being inclined along said side wall from said lower region towards said upper region, wherein the detent mechanisms (R1, R2; R3, R4) in an engaged position exert a holding-force component in a first direction and a position-force component in a second direction positioning the removable frame cammed onto the housing part, and wherein two said detent seating surfaces (80, 90) are provided on each said detent element (18, 19), and the detent seating surfaces (80, 90) of each said detent element are formed as wedge shapes extending towards each other.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
198 32 473 Jul 1998 DE
Parent Case Info

This is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 09/765,258, filed Jan. 18, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,513, which was a continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP99/04446, with an International filing date of Jun. 26, 1999.

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Entry
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Continuations (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/765258 Jan 2001 US
Child 10/142508 US
Continuation in Parts (1)
Number Date Country
Parent PCT/EP99/04446 Jun 1999 US
Child 09/765258 US