Patent Application
20120192436
The present disclosure relates generally to electric trimmers, and more particularly to an electric hair trimmer having a curved or arched detailer for precise trimming.
Trimming facial, head and other body hair sometimes requires very precise work. For example, precise trimming may be required for a facial hair style with detailed patterns or lines.
Most conventional electric hair trimmers include blades, such as “T” blades, that have a straight or linear edge. The body of such a trimmer houses a motor, and the head includes a stationary blade (i.e., a comb) and a movable blade (reciprocating or oscillating) that slides against the stationary blade to form a cutter blade. At least some conventional electric trimmers have cutter blades that are sized to facilitate a more detail-oriented trimming operation (e.g., an eyebrow trimming operation).
Because most known detail trimmers have cutter blades with cutting edges that are linear, the amount of detail that can be achieved is limited. This linear or straight edge presents the user with 2 options for detailed cutting: (1) use the edge of the trimmer to trim small areas, or (2) use a small width blade for detailed cutting. Option 1 is limited because the effective cutting area of a conventional trimmer does not extend all the way to the edge of the trimmer. Because of this, trimming using the edge is not satisfactory. Option 2 is limited for the same reason as option 1, the effective cutting area does not extend to the edge, and because the blade is smaller.
Both conventional options are also limited to straight line cutting, and cannot be easily used for point trimming or for contour or curved cutting. Moreover, neither option is comfortable for the user, for among other reasons, the straight blade may cause scraping of sensitive skin.
Conventional trimmer blades are therefore not satisfactory for detailed cutting, and a more comfortable, easy-to-use solution for detailed cutting, including point trimming, contour cutting and small area cutting is needed.
In one aspect, an electric hair trimmer includes a handle including a drive motor and a cutter head connected to the handle. The cutter head includes a housing including a pair of cutting blades extending from an end of the housing and disposed adjacent to one another. At least one of the blades is adapted for motion relative to the other blade to cut hair, and each of the blades has a curved shape at a terminal end.
In another aspect, a hair trimming kit includes a handle including a drive motor and a drive pin. A first cutter head is releasably connected to the handle. The first cutter head includes a housing including a pair of first cutting blades extending from an end of the housing and disposed adjacent one another. At least one of the first cutting blades is adapted for motion relative to the other blade to cut hair, and each of the blades has a curved shape at a terminal end. A second cutter head is releasably connected to the handle. The second cutter head includes a housing including a pair of second cutting blades extending from an end of the housing and disposed adjacent one another. At least one of the second cutting blades is adapted for motion relative to the other blade to cut hair, and each of the blades of the second cutter head has a linear shape at a terminal end.
In still another aspect, a method of trimming hair uses a hair trimming kit including a handle having a drive motor and a drive pin. A first cutter head is releasably connected to the handle. The cutter head includes a housing including a pair of first cutting blades extending from an end of the housing and disposed adjacent to one another. At least one of the first cutting blades is adapted for motion relative to the other blade to cut hair, and each of the blades has a curved shape at a terminal end. A second cutter head is releasably connected to the handle, the second cutter head comprising a housing including a pair of second cutting blades extending from an end of the housing and disposed adjacent one another. At least one of the second cutting blades is adapted for motion relative to the other blade to cut hair, and each of the blades has a linear shape at a terminal end. The method includes trimming hair using the second cutter head, disconnecting the second cutter head from the handle and connecting the first cutter head to the handle, and detail trimming hair using the first cutter head.
Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the above-mentioned aspects. Further features may also be incorporated in the above-mentioned aspects as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to any of the illustrated embodiments may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects, alone or in any combination.
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to
In the illustrated embodiment, the trimmer 10 comprises a body, generally indicated at 12, including a handle portion 14, and a cutter head, generally indicated at 16 that may be releasably connected to the body. While not illustrated in the drawings, the body 12 houses a suitable rechargeable battery, a motor, and associated electronics (e.g., circuitry), all of which are known to those skilled in the art for operating the trimmer. An electrical socket for charging the battery is accessible by a user on an exterior of the body 12. The body also includes a user interface, e.g., a power switch 17 shown in
As illustrated in
As best shown in
Referring to
Referring to
The stationary blade 30 also includes a curved blade portion 68 extending from the mounting portion, opposite from the stepped portion 66. The curved blade portion 68 of this embodiment forms a convex curve, though it is contemplated to be a concave curve. The curved blade portion 68 in this embodiment has a radius of about 23.46 mm (0.92 inches). In other embodiments, the curved blade portion may have a radius in the range of about 19 to about 28 mm, or even about 14 to about 33 mm. The curved blade portion has a width of between 3 and 17 mm, or more typically between 8 and 12 mm, or in one embodiment about 10 mm. Note that a standard trimmer blade is about 30 mm in width. As shown, the stationary blade 30 has a plurality of teeth 70, in this embodiment ten teeth, though it may have more or less than ten teeth in other embodiments. The spacing between teeth 70 in this embodiment is designed for cutting human hair, though other spacings and uses are contemplated. As noted above, the teeth 70 of the stationary blade 30 define a curved front edge 42 of the cutter head 16.
Referring to
The movable blade 32 also includes a curved blade portion 78 extending from the mounting portion 60, opposite from the stepped portion 66. The curved blade portion 78 of this embodiment has a radius of about 23.00 mm (0.91 inches). The curved blade portion 78 of the movable blade 32 is slightly smaller than that of the fixed blade 30 for safety, e.g., the movable bladed is sized to ensure that the movable blade 32 does not travel outside either edge of the fixed blade. In other embodiments, the curved blade portion 68 may have a radius in the range of about 18 to about 28 mm, or even about 14 to about 32 mm. As shown, the movable blade 32 has a plurality of teeth 80, in this embodiment ten teeth, though it may have more or less than ten teeth in other embodiments. The curved blade portion 78 also includes indentations 82 between each tooth for receiving oil. The indentations 82 may be formed such that the curved blade portion 78 holds oil and the oil need not be replaced.
Referring to
A boss 86 extends upward from the upper shell 28 of the cutter head 16. The arm 34 includes a opening near its mid-point for receiving the boss 86 for attaching the arm to the boss and thus to the upper shell 28. This attachment point at boss 86 forms the pivot point or fulcrum of the arm 34. The movable blade 32 is attached to a forward end 88 of the arm. In this embodiment, the forward end 88 has four projections sized to be received in complementary holes 74 of the movable blade 32 for attachment of the blade. Other attachment mechanisms are contemplated.
Note that the fulcrum of the arm 34 may be disposed off-center of the arm, away from the mid-point of the arm, toward the forward end of the arm. This will cause decreased movement (sometimes referred to as “throw”) of the movable blade 32, which may be advantageous for smaller blades. Similarly, the fulcrum may be disposed toward the rear end of the arm 34 to increase the movement of the blade 32, e.g., for larger blades.
The movable or reciprocating blade 32 is biased against the stationary blade 30 via a suitable biasing member (e.g., a spring 92) such that the movable blade remains in sliding, face-to-face contact with the stationary blade 30 during operation. In this embodiment, the spring 92 is fixed at one end to a spring plate 94, which is secured to the upper section 16 by a suitable fastener.
The “throw” of the movable blade 32 is the distance travelled by the movable blade relative to the teeth 70 of the stationary blade 30. In one embodiment, the throw is 1.8, meaning that the movable blade moves a distance equal to 1.8 times the width of a tooth of the stationary blade 30. Alternatively, the throw may suitably be in the range of 1.2 to 2.5.
Note that the movable blade 32 of this embodiment moves in a “sweep” motion, as compared to some trimmers wherein the blade moves in a linear motion. Due to the sweep motion, a gap between the end of the stationary blade 30 and the end of the movable blade 32 remains constant during the motion. This constant gap helps to ensure uniform cut length and facilitates user comfort.
In operation, the drive pin rotates to move the arm laterally or side-to-side. Movement of the arm causes movement of the movable blade 32 relative to the stationary blade 30, as shown in
Unlike conventional trimmers, the disclosed trimmer 10 can be used for point trimming, small area trimming or for contour or curved cutting. This is accomplished without having to use the edge of the blade. The trimmer 10 is comfortable for the user, e.g., it does not cause scraping of sensitive skin because of the curved blade. “Round tips” or “comfort tips”, which are known in the art, can also be used. Because of the sweep motion of the movable blade 32, trim length is uniform.
As shown in
In one exemplary hair trimming method, hair is first trimmed using the second or larger cutter head 100 (a more coarse trim using the larger head). After trimming is complete, the second head 100 is disconnected from the handle portion 14 by twisting the second head relative to the handle portion to disengage the head 100 from the locking mechanism. The second cutter head 100 is then removed from the handle 14. Next, the first cutter head 16 is placed in the handle portion 14 and locked in place (into the locking mechanism) by twisting the first cutter head 16 relative to the handle portion 14. Using the first cutter head 16, detail trimming is then performed. These steps may be performed in a different order, and the process may be repeated as necessary. Note that no tools are required to remove and replace the cutter heads.
Embodiments of the present disclosure enable a comfortable detail trim including point contact, contouring control and small area trimming without use of the edge of the blade. The detail trimmer provides a more comfortable trim at least in part because of the curved contour of the blade. The curved contour also reduces the risk of scraping in sensitive areas.
When introducing elements of the present invention or the embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
