Patent Application
20110099816
The present invention relates to electric trimmers. More particularly, the invention relates to a flip cover, battery-operated trimmer suitable for carrying from place-to-place.
Known electric trimmers, be they battery-operated or electric powered, are not generally suitable for on-the-go use. Electric powered trimmers are generally limited for use near a wall socket, whereas battery-operated trimmers are not ideal for general in-pocket carrying because they tend to be large and cumbersome to carry.
One solution has already been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,625 to Wong (“the '625 patent”), which describes an electric shaver having a casing with a lid and a shaving mechanism housed within the casing. The shaving mechanism includes a shaving head and is mounted so as to protrude from the casing when the lid is opened. Thus, the shaving mechanism is movable from a storage position to a use position where the shaving head protrudes from the casing. A switch operates upon movement of the shaving mechanism to activate the shaving mechanism.
A disadvantage of the invention disclosed in the '625 patent is the movement of the shaving mechanism from the storage position to the use position.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the at least one disadvantage stated above and more generally to provide a flip cover electric trimmer for use on-the-go.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electric trimmer having a flip cover to protect the blade mechanism of the trimmer when not in use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electric trimmer having a switch actuated by the flip cover to activate the trimmer.
There is disclosed herein an electric trimmer comprising a flip cover, a trimmer portion, a blade assembly in the trimmer portion, and a switch operated by opening the flip cover to activate the mechanism.
Preferably a hinge attaches the flip cover to the trimmer portion and a spring or detent keeps the flip cover either in the closed position or open position for use. Preferably the spring biases the flip cover to a closed position.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be clear from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory but are not to be restrictive of the invention. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this invention, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention in general terms. Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the disclosure.
The foregoing aspects and other features of the present invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as top, bottom, up, down, over, above, below, left, and right may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. The words “connect,” “couple,” and similar terms with their inflectional morphemes do not necessarily denote direct and immediate connections, but also include connections through mediate elements or devices.
Referring to the drawings,
Trimmer portion 30 comprises blade assembly 70 to which guide comb 60 is removably attached. As shown more clearly in
Blade assembly 70 may be a reciprocating blade assembly, a rotary blade assembly or any other blade assembly known in the art for cutting or trimming of hair. Blade assembly 70 preferably has a moveable reciprocating blade 120 in slidable contact with a stationary blade (not shown). Reciprocating blade 120 and the stationary blade may have teeth, as generally shown in the figures, or may have a razor edge or any other acceptable cutter or other means to cut hair positioned between the reciprocating and stationary blades. A movable guide comb 60 may slidably connect in various positions to blade assembly 70 as known in the art.
Power to motor 90 is supplied by batteries (not shown) or any other suitable power supply known in the art. The batteries are retained in battery compartments 130. Switch 80 controls the delivery of power from the power supply to motor 90, and is actuated by actuator 110 of flip cover 20. When flip cover 20 is in a closed position (see
As shown in
In use, a user simply flips open flip cover 20 by moving it against initial resistance provided by spring or detent 140. Continued movement of flip cover 20 causes it to pass a threshold point, whereupon the force of spring or detent 140 causes flip cover 20 to the opened position depicted in
Upon completion of use of electric trimmer 10, the user simply closes flip cover 20 to deactivate switch 80, thus cutting off power to motor 90. In a closed position, flip cover 20 preferably provides protection to blade assembly 70 and guide comb 60.
It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, the specific switching and biasing arrangements depicted in the drawings may be substituted with equivalent devices. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims.
