Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6308415
-
Patent Number
6,308,415
-
Date Filed
Friday, April 24, 199826 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, October 30, 200122 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Bartlett; Ernestine C.
- Spain; Norman N.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 030 432
- 030 431
- 030 4392
- 030 4391
- 030 439
- 030 42
- 030 222
- 030 224
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
In a hair-cutting apparatus (1) and in a toothed cutting device (7) for a hair-cutting apparatus (1) the toothed cutting device (7) comprises a first toothed cutter (13) and a second toothed cutter (24), which lie against one another in the area of their cuttertooth rows (18, 25) and which each have at least one supporting limb (20, 21, 46, 47) in their areas which are remote from their cutter-tooth rows (18, 25), and of which one toothed cutter (24) carries an intermediate element (48) of a low-friction material, which comprises at least one intermediate element portion (49, 50) interposed between two facing supporting limbs (20, 46, 21, 47), and furthermore it has the advantageous feature that the at least one intermediate element portion (49, 50) of the intermediate element (48) carried by the one toothed cutter (24) has a smaller dimension in the toothed cutter direction (17) than the at least one supporting limb (20, 21) of the other toothed cutter (13), which last-mentioned limb 20, 21 faces the at least one intermediate element portion (49, 50).
Description
FIELDS OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an apparatus for cutting hairs, having a toothed cutting device which comprises a first toothed cutter with a first cutter-tooth row, which extends in a tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, and a second toothed cutter with a second cutter-tooth row, which also extends in the tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, and in which: (1) both toothed cutters are reciprocatingly drivable relative to one another in accordance with a given stroke; (2) both toothed cutters lie against one another in the area of their cutter-tooth vows and (3) both toothed cutters have at least one supporting limb each in their areas which, in directions transverse to the tooth row direction, are remote from the cutter tooth rows, which supporting limbs face one another pairwise and each have a given dimension in the tooth row direction, and (4) one of the two toothed cutters carries an intermediate element of a low-friction material, which intermediate element comprises at least one intermediate element portion interposed between two facing supporting limbs, via which portion the at least one supporting limb of this one toothed cutter acts upon the at least one supporting limb of the other toothed cutter and has a given dimension in the tooth row direction.
The invention further relates to a toothed cutting device for an apparatus for cutting hairs, which toothed cutting device comprises a first toothed cutter with a first cutter-tooth row, which extends in a tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, and a second toothed cutter with a second cutter-tooth row, which also extends in the tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, and in which: (1) both toothed cutters are reciprocatingly drivable relative to one another in accordance with a given stroke and in (2) both toothed cutters lie against one another in the area of their cutter-tooth rows (3) both toothed cutters have at least one supporting limb each in their areas which, in directions transverse to the tooth row direction, are remote from the cutter tooth rows, which supporting limbs face one another pairwise and each have a given dimension in the tooth row direction, and (4) of the two toothed cutters carries an intermediate element of a low-friction material, which intermediate element comprises at least one intermediate element portion interposed between two facing supporting limbs, via which portion the at least one supporting limb of this one toothed cutter acts upon the at least one supporting limb of the other toothed cutter and has a given dimension in the tooth row direction.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus of the type defined in the first paragraph and a toothed cutting device of the type defined in the second paragraph are known, for example, from the document DE 26 46 818 A1. In the known apparatus and in the known toothed cutting device the two toothed cutters each have a single supporting limb in their areas which are remote from the rows of cutter teeth in directions transverse to the tooth row direction, which limbs have exactly the same dimension in the tooth row direction, which dimension corresponds to the overall length of each of the two cutters. In the known apparatus and in the known toothed cutting device the intermediate element of a low-friction material is connected to the non-drivable toothed cutter, which is stationary in operation. The intermediate element consists of a synthetic material. Owing to the fact that in the known apparatus and in the known toothed cutting device the intermediate element carried by one toothed cutter, i.e. the stationary toothed cutter, and the supporting limb of the other toothed cutter, i.e. the drivable toothed cutter, have the same dimensions in the tooth row direction, the successively recurring situation arises that in operation each of the two end portions of the supporting limb, which are spaced apart in the tooth row direction, come into contact with the intermediate element carried by the stationary toothed cutter, and is subsequently moved over the intermediate element up to and beyond the end of this element. This process leads to abrasion of the intermediate element by the end portions of the supporting limb of the drivable toothed cutter, as a result of which the toothed cutting device becomes soiled in the area of the two supporting limbs and the intermediate element, which abraded material may get between the intermediate element carried by the stationary toothed cutter and the supporting limb of the drivable toothed cutter, which gives rise to an undesirable increase of the friction between the intermediate element and the supporting limb of the drivable toothed cutter. Moreover, as a result of the abrasion of the intermediate element at its two ends the surface pressure between the intermediate element and the supporting limb of the drivable toothed cutter in the central area of these two parts of the toothed cutting device increases comparatively strongly, which also gives rise to an undesirable increase of the friction between these two parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to preclude the above problems and to improve an apparatus of the type defined in the first paragraph and a toothed cutting device of the type defined in the second paragraph and provide an improved apparatus and a toothed cutting device, in which the friction between the intermediate element carried by one of the two toothed cutters and the supporting limb of the other one of the two toothed cutters does not increase even after a long time of use.
According to the invention, in order to achieve the above object an apparatus of the type defined in the first paragraph is characterized in that the at least one intermediate element portion of the intermediate element carried by one of the two toothed cutters has a smaller dimension in the toothed cutter direction than the at least one supporting limb of the other one of the two toothed cutters, which last-mentioned supporting limb faces the at least one intermediate element portion. As a result of these measures in accordance with the invention, it is achieved in a very simple manner and without any additional investment, i.e. at low cost, that during operation of the apparatus the ends of a supporting limb of a toothed cutter do not come into contact with an intermediate element portion of the intermediate element carried by a toothed cutter or, if there is contact, it is only to such a small extent that no abrasion of an intermediate element portion by the free ends of a supporting limb occurs. Consequently there is no abraded material of the intermediate element and thus no soiling of the toothed cutting device in the area of an intermediate element portion and of the supporting limb lying at the intermediate element portion. Thus possible drawbacks which would lead to an increased friction between a portion of the intermediate element and a supporting limb which cooperates with such a portion of the intermediate element are precluded.
In an apparatus in accordance with the invention having a toothed cutting device which comprises a first toothed cutter with a first cutter-tooth row, which extends in a tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, and a second toothed cutter with a second cutter-tooth row, which also extends in the tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, and in which both toothed cutters are reciprocatingly drivable relative to one another in accordance with a given stroke, in which both tooted cutters lie against one another in the area of their cutter-tooth rows, in which both toothed cutters have at least one supporting limb each in their areas which, in directions transverse to the tooth row direction, are remote from the cutter tooth rows, which supporting limbs face one another pairwise and each have a given dimension in the tooth row direction,
and in which one of the two toothed cutters carries an intermediate element of a low-friction material, which intermediate element comprises at least one intermediate element portion interposed between two facing supporting limbs, via which portion the at least one supporting limb of this one toothed cutter acts upon the at least one supporting limb of the other toothed cutter and has a given dimension in the tooth row direction, and wherein the at least one intermediate element portion of the intermediate element carried by one of the two toothed cutters has a smaller dimension in the toothed cutter direction than the at least one supporting limb of the other one of the two toothed cutters, which last-mentioned supporting limb faces the at least one intermediate element portion, it has further proved to be advantageous if, in addition, the at least one intermediate element portion of the intermediate element carried by one of the two toothed cutters has a dimension in the toothed cutter direction which is smaller by an amount equal to at least the stroke between the two toothed cutters than the at least one supporting limb of the other one of the two toothed cutters, which last-mentioned supporting limb faces the at least one intermediate element portion. This absolutely assures that abrasion of an intermediate element portion by the end portions of a supporting limb which cooperate with such an intermediate element portion is prevented.
In an apparatus in accordance with the invention features, it has further proved to be advantageous if, in addition, the intermediate element mainly consists of a polyamide in which silicon and polytetrafluoroethylene have been embedded. Tests have proved that such a construction of an intermediate element is particularly advantageous in comparison with intermediate elements of other materials because very low friction values have been obtained with such an intermediate element. It is to be noted that such an intermediate element may also be used in an apparatus in accordance with the invention wherein at least one intermediate element portion of the intermediate element carried by one of the two toothed cutters has a dimension in the toothed cutter direction which is smaller by an amount equal to at least the stroke between the two toothed cutters than the at least one supporting limb of the other one of the two toothed cutters, which last-mentioned supporting limb faces the at least one intermediate element portion, as described above.
In an apparatus in accordance with the invention it has further proved to be advantageous if, in addition, the two toothed cutters each have two supporting limbs which are spaced apart in the tooth row direction. In comparison with a construction using a single supporting limb for each toothed cutter, such a construction has proved to be advantageous because lower friction values can be obtained with two comparatively short supporting limbs for each toothed cutter, which limbs are spaced apart in the tooth row direction. The feature wherein two toothed cutters each have two supporting limbs which are spaced apart in the tooth row direction may also be used in combination with any of the features described above.
In an apparatus in accordance with the invention having the characteristic features, wherein two toothed cutters each have two supporting limbs which are spaced apart in the tooth row direction, it has further proved to be advantageous if, in addition, the intermediate element is substantially U-shaped and comprises two intermediate element limbs, which extend substantially perpendicularly to the tooth row direction, and an intermediate element base, which extends substantially parallel to the tooth row direction and which interconnects the two intermediate element limbs, and the free end portions of the two intermediate element limbs are each interposed as intermediate element portions between two respective supporting limbs. Such a construction has proved to be advantageous for a highly simple mounting of the intermediate element portions between two facing pairs of supporting limbs.
In such an apparatus as just described, it has further proved to be advantageous if, in addition, the two intermediate element limbs of the U-shaped intermediate element are each integrally connected to a substantially U-shaped holder, in such a manner that a passage is formed between each of the intermediate element limbs and the holder which is integrally connected to the respective limb, and each passage is engaged by a supporting limb of the toothed cutter carrying the intermediate element, in order to hold the intermediate element. This guarantees that the intermediate element can be secured to the toothed cutter to be provided with the intermediate element.
According to the invention, in order to achieve the afore-mentioned object a toothed cutting device of the type defined in the second paragraph is characterized in that the at least one intermediate element portion of the intermediate element carried by one of the two toothed cutters has a smaller dimension in the toothed cutter direction than the at least one supporting limb of the other one of the two toothed cutters, which last-mentioned supporting limb faces the at least one intermediate element portion. Thus, for a toothed cutting device in accordance with the invention advantages are obtained which correspond to the advantages set forth hereinbefore for an apparatus in accordance with the invention having the characteristic features defined in the first paragraph.
The advantageous variants of a toothed cutting device in accordance with the invention, include the following embodiments:
(1) an apparatus wherein the at least one intermediate element portion of the intermediate element carried by one of the two toothed cutters has a dimension in the toothed cutter direction which is smaller by an amount equal to at least the stroke between the two toothed cutters than the at least one supporting limb of the other one of the two toothed cutters, which last-mentioned supporting limb faces the at least one intermediate element portion; and/or (2) wherein the intermediate element mainly consists of a polyamide in which silicon and polytetrafluoroethylene have been embedded; and/or (3) wherein the two toothed cutters each have two supporting limbs which are spaced apart in the tooth row direction; and/or (4) wherein the intermediate element is substantially U-shaped and comprises two intermediate element limbs, which extend substantially perpendicularly to the tooth row direction, and an intermediate element base, which extends substantially parallel to the tooth row direction and which interconnects the two intermediate element limbs, and the free end portions of the two intermediate element limbs are each interposed as intermediate element portions between two respective supporting limbs; and/or (5) wherein the two intermediate element limbs of the U-shaped intermediate element are each integrally connected to a substantially U-shaped holder, in such a manner that a passage is formed between each of the intermediate element limbs and the holder which is integrally connected to the respective limb, and each passage is engaged by a supporting limb of the toothed cutter carrying the intermediate element, in order to hold the intermediate element.
The afore-mentioned aspects as well as further aspects of the invention will be apparent from the embodiments described hereinafter by way of examples and will be elucidated by means of these embodiments.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings given by way of example, but to which the invention is not limited.
FIG. 1
is an oblique view of a hair-cutting apparatus in accordance with the invention provided with a toothed cutting device at one end face.
FIG. 2
is an exploded view of the toothed cutting device of the apparatus of FIG.
1
.
FIG. 3
is a plan view of the toothed cutting device of the apparatus of
FIG. 1
in its assembled condition.
FIG. 4
shows the toothed cutting device of
FIG. 1
in a sectional view taken on the line IV—IV in FIG.
3
.
FIG. 1
shows an apparatus
1
for cutting hairs, which is often also referred to as a hair trimmer. The apparatus
1
has a housing
2
which has been given a curved or angled shape in order to achieve an ergonomically favorable construction. In a dorsal area of the housing
2
a button
3
has been arranged, which button is slidable between a plurality of positions and which can be actuated to adjust a comb attachment, not shown, for the apparatus
1
between a plurality of different positions. The housing
2
of the apparatus
1
has two guideways adapted to receive guide members of such a comb attachment, of which only one guideway
4
is visible in FIG.
1
. In a ventral area of the housing
2
a further slide button
5
has been arranged, which is an on/off button which is slidable between two switch positions. By means of the further slide button
5
an electric drive motor accommodated in the housing
2
of the apparatus
1
can be switched on and switched off. The drive motor is adapted to drive a drive mechanism whose function will be described briefly hereinafter.
At the location of an end portion
6
of the housing
2
the apparatus
1
comprises a toothed cutting device
7
. The construction of the toothed cutting device
7
will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to
FIGS. 2
,
3
and
4
.
The toothed cutting device
7
comprises a cutter support
8
made of a synthetic material. The cutter support
8
has a substantially plate-shaped base
9
whose flat outer surface
9
A may be placed onto the skin of a user during use of the apparatus
1
. Three positioning projections
10
,
11
and
12
project from the inner side of the base
9
. A first toothed cutter
13
can be mounted onto these three positioning projections
10
,
11
and
12
, the positioning projections
10
,
11
and
12
then engaging three positioning holes
14
,
15
and
16
of the first toothed cutter
13
. In this way, the first toothed cutter
13
is stationarily mounted on the base
9
by means of the positioning projections
10
,
11
and
12
. Thus, the first toothed cutter
13
is a stationary toothed cutter, which is stationary during operation of the apparatus
1
and the toothed cutting device
7
.
The first toothed cutter
13
is made of steel, preferably chrome-steel, and has a cutter-tooth row
18
, which extends in a tooth row direction indicated by a double arrow
17
in
FIGS. 2 and 3
and which comprises a plurality of cutter teeth
19
,
FIGS. 2 and 3
showing only one of said cutter teeth
19
for the sake of simplicity. In its area which, in a direction transverse to the cutter tooth direction
17
, is remote from the cutter-tooth row
18
the first toothed cutter
13
comprises two supporting limbs
20
and
21
which are spaced apart in the cutter tooth direction
17
. In the assembled condition of the toothed cutting device
7
the supporting limbs
20
and
21
each bear on a supporting block
22
and
23
, respectively. The two supporting blocks
22
and
23
project from the base
9
of the cutter support
8
. In the tooth row direction
17
the two supporting limbs
20
and
21
of the first toothed cutter
13
have a given dimension, i.e. the length L
1
, as is indicated in FIG.
2
.
The toothed cutting device
7
comprises a second toothed cutter
24
. The second toothed cutter
24
is also made of steel, for example chrome-steel and comprises a second cutter-tooth row
25
, which also extends in the tooth row direction
17
and has a plurality of cutter teeth
26
. The second toothed cutter
24
is fixedly connected to a reciprocating bridge
27
made of a synthetic material and integrally connected to two mounting arms
30
and
31
via two integral hinges
28
and
29
. The mounting arms
30
and
31
each have a substantially semicircular end portion
32
and
33
, respectively. By means of the two end portions
32
and
33
the two mounting arms
30
and
31
are connected to two mounting projections
34
and
35
, which project from the base
9
of the cutter support
8
. The reciprocating bridge
27
further comprises a driving fork
36
in which a drive member of the afore-mentioned drive mechanism of the apparatus
1
engages, which drive mechanism can be driven by the electric drive motor of the apparatus
1
. The reciprocating bridge
27
can thus be driven by the drive motor of the apparatus
1
. When the reciprocating bridge
27
is driven the bridge
27
performs a reciprocating motion which is oriented substantially in the tooth row direction, the mounting arms
30
and
31
being stationary and the movability of the reciprocating bridge
27
being provided by the integral hinges
28
and
29
. By means of the reciprocating bridge
27
the second toothed cutter
24
, which is fixedly connected to this bridge, is reciprocatingly drivable relative to the stationary first toothed cutter
13
with a given stroke H. The stroke H can have a value of, for example, H=2.8 mm.
The toothed cutting device
7
further comprises a spring device
37
manufactured from a wire material and made of steel, preferably chrome-nickel steel but, alternatively, of spring bronze. The spring device
37
comprises a substantially U-shaped central portion
38
and two wound spring portions
39
and
40
, which adjoin the two limbs of the U-shaped central portion
38
and comprise a plurality of turns, as well as two bent end portions
41
and
42
which project from the respective spring portions
39
and
40
. The spring device
37
is constructed in such a manner that the central portion
38
, on the one hand, and the two end portions, on the other hand, tend to move towards one another. The central portion
38
of the spring device
37
is accommodated in a holder
43
which projects from the base
9
of the cutter support
8
. The two end portions
41
and
42
act on the reciprocating bridge
27
, the free ends of the two end portions
41
and
42
engaging in slots
44
and
45
in the reciprocating bridge
27
, as can be seen in FIG.
3
. By means of the spring device
37
, whose central portion
38
is accommodated in the holder
43
of the base
9
of the cutter support
8
and whose end portions
41
and
42
engage in slots
44
and
45
in the reciprocating bridge
27
, the two toothed cutters
13
and
24
are pressed towards one another with a given spring force, as a result of which the two toothed cutters
13
and
24
lie against one another in the area of their cutter-tooth rows
18
and
25
.
Similarly to the first toothed cutter
13
, the second toothed cutter
24
comprises two supporting limbs
46
and
47
which are spaced apart in the cutter tooth direction
17
. In the tooth row direction
17
the two supporting limbs
46
and
47
each have a given dimension, i.e. the length L
2
, as is indicated in FIG.
2
. The supporting limbs
20
and
21
of the first toothed cutter
13
face the supporting limbs
46
and
47
of the second toothed cutter
24
pairwise, i.e. facing pairs being formed by the supporting limbs
20
and
46
and by the supporting limbs
21
and
47
.
In the toothed cutting device
7
the second toothed cutter
24
, i.e. the reciprocatingly drivable toothed cutter
24
, of the two toothed cutters
13
and
24
carries an intermediate element
48
of a low-friction material. The intermediate element
48
comprises two intermediate element portions
49
and
50
interposed respectively between two facing supporting limbs
20
,
46
and
21
,
47
. The supporting limbs
46
and
47
of the second toothed cutter
24
respectively act upon the facing supporting limbs
20
and
21
of the first toothed cutter
13
via the respective intermediate element portions
49
and
50
. The two intermediate element portions
49
and
50
also have a given dimension in the tooth row direction
17
, i.e. the length L
3
, as is indicated in FIG.
2
.
In the apparatus
1
, i.e. in the toothed cutting device
7
of the apparatus
1
, the construction is advantageously devised in such a manner that each of the two intermediate element portions
49
and
50
of the intermediate element
48
carried by the second toothed cutter
24
has a smaller dimension in the tooth row direction
17
than the respective supporting limb
20
or
21
of the first toothed cutter
13
facing the relevant intermediate element portion
49
or
50
. In the present case the two lengths L
1
and L
3
have been selected in such a manner that the dimension in the tooth row direction
17
of each of the two intermediate element portions
49
and
50
of the intermediate element
48
carried by the second toothed cutter
24
is smaller than the supporting limb
20
or
21
of the first toothed cutter
13
which faces the relevant intermediate element portion
49
or
50
by an amount equal to at least the stroke H between the two toothed cutters
13
and
24
. In the case of a stroke H of the second toothed cutter
24
relative to the first toothed cutter
13
of, for example, H=2.8 mm the length L
1
of the two supporting limbs
20
and
21
can be, for example, 8.0 mm and the length L
3
can be, for example, 5.2 mm. However, in the present example the length can alternatively be 8.2 mm or 8.5 mm. In the last-mentioned example the length L
3
can alternatively be 5.0 mm or 4.7 mm. However, it is remarked explicitly that in said example with a length L
1
of 8.0 mm and a hub of 2.8 mm the length L
3
can also be 5.4 mm or even 5.6 mm without the advantages of the shorter dimension of the intermediate element portions
49
and
50
in relation to the supporting limbs
20
and
21
being lost.
With respect to the intermediate element
48
it is to be noted that this intermediate element
48
mainly consists of a polyamide in which silicon and polytetrafluoroethylene have been embedded. Such an intermediate element
48
exhibits particularly low friction values when its intermediate element portions
49
and
50
cooperate with the steel supporting limbs
20
and
21
of the first toothed cutter
13
made of steel. It is to be noted that it has proved to be very advantageous if the polyamide is polyamide 6.6. Furthermore, it has proved to be very advantageous if the intermediate element
48
consists mainly of polyamide, preferably polyamide 6.6, in which in addition to silicon and polytetrafluoroethylene glass beads, glass fibers or carbon fibers have been embedded.
It is to be noted also that the intermediate element
48
is substantially U-shaped and comprises two intermediate element limbs
51
and
52
, which extend substantially perpendicularly to the tooth row direction
17
, and an intermediate element base
53
, which extends substantially parallel to the tooth row direction
17
and which interconnects the two intermediate element limbs
51
and
52
. The free end portions of the two intermediate element limbs
51
and
52
are then each interposed as intermediate element portions
49
and
50
between, respectively, two supporting limbs
20
and
46
or
21
and
47
. As is further apparent from
FIG. 2
, the two intermediate element limbs
51
and
52
of the U-shaped intermediate element
48
are each integrally connected to a substantially U-shaped holder
54
or
55
, respectively, in such a manner that a passage
56
or
57
is formed between each of the intermediate element limbs
51
and
52
and the respective holder
54
or
55
, which is integrally connected to the respective limb. Each passage
56
or
57
is engaged by a supporting limb
46
or
47
of the second toothed cutter
24
carrying the intermediate element
48
in order to hold the intermediate element
48
. This construction has the advantage that the intermediate element
48
can simply be slid onto the two supporting limbs
46
and
47
of the second toothed cutter
24
in a direction transverse to the tooth row direction
17
, the two supporting limbs
46
and
47
being passed through the two passages
56
and
57
until the free ends of the supporting limbs
46
and
47
abut against stops
58
and
59
which project from the intermediate element limbs
51
and
52
at the ends of these limbs.
For the sake of completeness, it is to be noted that at its end which is remote from the two tooth rows
18
and
25
the plate-shaped base
9
of the cutter support
8
carries a member
60
which in the area of its free end carries a part of a pivotal device, whose other end is arranged on the housing
2
of the apparatus
1
. By means of this pivotal device the cutter support
8
and, consequently, the entire toothed cutting device
7
is pivotably connected to the housing
2
. In this way, the toothed cutting device
7
can be pivoted away from the housing
2
from the operating position shown in
FIG. 1
, in which the toothed cutting device
7
has been swung down onto the housing
2
of the apparatus
1
, into a cleaning position, not shown, in which the toothed cutters
13
and
24
as well as the other parts, such as the reciprocating bridge
27
, are accessible to permit cleaning.
In the apparatus
1
described in the foregoing and the toothed cutting device
7
described in the foregoing it is achieved in a particularly simple manner and substantially without any additional means, that the intermediate element portions
49
and
50
of the intermediate element
48
are always wholly in contact with the supporting limbs
20
and
21
of the first toothed cutter
13
, which prevents the supporting limbs
20
and
21
from causing abrasion of the intermediate element
48
in the area of the intermediate element portions
49
and
50
. This precludes soiling of the toothed cutting device
7
in the area of the supporting limbs
20
and
21
as well as
46
and
47
and in the area of the intermediate element
48
, i.e. of its intermediate element portions
49
and
50
, by abraded material of the intermediate element, which has the advantage that the values of the friction between the intermediate element portions
49
and
50
and the supporting limbs
20
and
21
are maintained and an increase of the friction values is avoided, which guarantees a persistently smooth drive of the second toothed cutter
24
without the necessity of lubrication at the location of the supporting limbs even after a long operating time.
The invention is not limited to the embodiment of a hair-cutting apparatus described above by way of example. The measures in accordance with the invention can be applied with advantage to a beard trimmer but also to a shaving apparatus having a toothed cutting device. The measures in accordance with the invention can also be applied to an apparatus having a toothed cutting device whose two toothed cutters have only one supporting limb each. Moreover, it is possible that each of the two toothed cutters has, for example, three supporting limbs, the supporting limbs of the two toothed cutters facing one another pairwise. In the toothed cutting device
7
of the apparatus
1
in the embodiment described herein by way of example the separate cutter support
8
is made of a synthetic resin; however, this is not necessarily so because adjacent its tooth row the stationary toothed cutter can be of such a construction that at the same time it serves as a cutter support. In the toothed cutting device
7
of the apparatus
1
in the embodiment described herein by way of example the entire stationary toothed cutter
13
is made of steel; this is not necessarily so because the stationary toothed cutter can be made of steel only in the area of its cutter tooth row and adjacent the steel cutter part can consist of a further cutter part of a preferably dimensionally stable and comparatively hard synthetic resin, which further part is fixedly connected to the steel cutter part, the synthetic-resin further cutter part of the stationary toothed cutter having at least one supporting limb for cooperation with an intermediate element portion of an intermediate element carried by the drivable toothed cutter. Likewise, the synthetic-resin further cutter part may then at the same time act as the cutter support. In a further variant of an apparatus in accordance with the invention or a toothed cutting device in accordance with the invention the intermediate element can also be carried by the stationary toothed cutter, as is known per se from the document DE 26 46 818 A1.
Claims
- 1. An apparatus for cutting hairs, having a toothed cutting device which comprises a drive mechanism, a first toothed cutter with a first cutter-tooth row, which extends in a tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, a second toothed cutter with a second cutter-tooth row, which also extends in the tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, in which:said first toothed cutter is reciprocatingly drivable relative to said second toothed cutter in accordance with a given stroke H, by a reciprocating bridge driven by said drive mechanism of the apparatus, both toothed cutters lie against one another in the area of their cutter-tooth rows, both toothed cutters have at least one supporting limb each in their areas which, in directions transverse to the tooth row direction, are remote from the cutter tooth rows, which supporting limbs face one another pairwise and each have a given dimension in the tooth row direction, one of the two toothed cutters carries an intermediate element of a low-friction material, which intermediate element comprises at least one intermediate element portion interposed between said two facing supporting limbs, via which portion the at least one supporting limb of this one toothed cutter acts upon the at least one supporting limb of the other toothed cutter and has a given dimension in the tooth row direction, wherein the at least one intermediate element portion of the intermediate element carried by one of the two toothed cutters has a smaller dimension in the toothed cutter direction than the at least one supporting limb of the other one of the two toothed cutters, which last-mentioned supporting limb faces the at least one intermediate element portion.
- 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intermediate element mainly consists of a polyamide in which silicon and polytetrafluoroethylene have been embedded.
- 3. A toothed cutting device for an apparatus for cutting hairs, which toothed cutting device comprises a first toothed cutter with a first cutter-tooth row, which extends in a tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, and a second toothed cutter with a second cutter-tooth row, which also extends in the tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, in which:said first toothed cutter is reciprocatingly drivable relative to said second toothed cutter in accordance with a given stroke H, by a reciprocating bridge driven by said drive mechanism of the apparatus, both toothed cutters lie against one another in the area of their cutter-tooth rows, both toothed cutters have two supporting limbs each in their areas which, in directions transverse to the tooth row direction, are remote from the cutter tooth rows, which supporting limbs face one another pairwise and each are spaced apart in the tooth row direction, one of the two toothed cutters carries an intermediate element of a low-friction material, which intermediate element comprises at least one intermediate element portion interposed between said two facing supporting limbs, via which portion at least one supporting limb of this one toothed cutter acts upon at least one supporting limb of the other toothed cutter and has a given dimension in the tooth row direction, wherein the at least one intermediate element portion of the intermediate element carried by one of the two toothed cutters has a smaller dimension in the toothed cutter direction than the at least one supporting limb of the other one of the two toothed cutters, which last-mentioned supporting limb faces the at least one intermediate element portion.
- 4. An apparatus for cutting hairs, having a toothed cutting device which comprises a drive mechanism, a first toothed cutter with a first cutter-tooth row, which extends in a tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, a second toothed cutter with a second cutter-tooth row, which also extends in the tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, in which:said first toothed cutter is reciprocatingly drivable relative to said second toothed cutter in accordance with a given stroke H, by a reciprocating bridge driven by said drive mechanism of the apparatus, both toothed cutters lie against one another in the area of their cutter-tooth rows, both toothed cutters have two supporting limbs each in their areas which, in directions transverse to the tooth row direction, are remote from the cutter tooth rows, which supporting limbs face one another pairwise and each are spaced apart in the tooth row direction, one of the two toothed cutters carries an intermediate element of a low-friction material, which intermediate element comprises at least one intermediate element portion interposed between said two facing supporting limbs, via which portion at least one supporting limb of this one toothed cutter acts upon at least one supporting limb of the other toothed cutter and has a given dimension in the tooth row direction, wherein the at least one intermediate element portion of the intermediate element carried by one of the two toothed cutters has a smaller dimension in the toothed cutter direction than the at least one supporting limb of the other one of the two toothed cutters, which last-mentioned supporting limb faces the at least one intermediate element portion.
- 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the intermediate element is substantially U-shaped and comprises two intermediate element limbs, which extend substantially perpendicularly to the tooth row direction, and an intermediate element base, which extends substantially parallel to the tooth row direction and which interconnects the two intermediate element limbs, and the free end portions of the two intermediate element limbs are each interposed as intermediate element portions between two respective supporting limbs.
- 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the two intermediate element limbs of the U-shaped intermediate element are each integrally connected to a substantially U-shaped holder, in such a manner that a passage is formed between each of the intermediate element limbs and the holder which is integrally connected to the respective limb, and each passage is engaged by a supporting limb of the toothed cutter carrying the intermediate element, in order to hold the intermediate element.
- 7. A toothed cutting device for an apparatus for cutting hairs, which toothed cutting device comprises a drive mechanism, a first toothed cutter with a first cutter-tooth row, which extends in a tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, and a second toothed cutter with a second cutter-tooth row, which also extends in the tooth row direction and comprises a plurality of cutter teeth, in which:said first toothed cutter is reciprocatingly drivable relative to said second toothed cutter in accordance with a given stroke H, by a reciprocating bridge driven by said drive mechanism of the apparatus, both toothed cutters lie against one another in the area of their cutter-tooth rows, both toothed cutters have at least one supporting limb each in their areas which, in directions transverse to the tooth row direction, are remote from the cutter tooth rows, which supporting limbs face one another pairwise and each has a given dimension in the tooth row direction, one of the two toothed cutters carries an intermediate element of a low-friction material, which intermediate element comprises at least one intermediate element portion interposed between said two facing supporting limbs, via which portion the at least one supporting limb of this one toothed cutter acts upon the at least one supporting limb of the other toothed cutter and has a given dimension in the tooth row direction, wherein the at least one intermediate element portion of the intermediate element carried by one of the two toothed cutters has a smaller dimension in the toothed cutter direction than the at least one supporting limb of the other one of the two toothed cutters, which last-mentioned supporting limb faces the at least one intermediate element portion said smaller dimension being smaller by an amount at least equal to the stroke H.
- 8. A toothed cutting device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the intermediate element mainly consists of a polyamide in which silicon and polytetrafluoroethylene have been embedded.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
97890076 |
Apr 1997 |
EP |
|
US Referenced Citations (13)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2646818A1 |
May 1977 |
DE |