Patent Application
20070093853
An aspect of the present invention relates to a hair removal apparatus and method, and, more particularly, to a hair removing apparatus and method using an epilating device.
In conventional hair removal devices there are generally one of two methods for removing hair available. According to the first method, the hair is cut, leaving the roots intact beneath the skin surface. According to the second method, sometimes referred to as epilation, hair is removed by pulling individual strands of hair out from their roots.
Several of the proposed hair removal systems involve the use of tilted discs which come together at a point to grasp one or more strands of hair. Other mechanisms involve the use of cams to alternately bring the discs together and apart, thereby trapping strands of hair. Various such mechanisms are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,024 to Dolev, U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,115 to Dolev, U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,559 to Gabion, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,925 to Heintke, U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,903 to Ramspeck, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,419 to Garenfeld, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,021 to Kabla, U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,233 to Dolev, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,557 to Jordan, et al.
One well known type of hair removal device operated by the epilation method are epilating devices (hereinafter referred to as “epilating devices”). Often, the devices may be considered disc mechanisms because they include a plurality of discs and associated tweezers for each disc. When the tweezers are closed, hair is trapped. The discs, which rotate, produce a torque as a result of the rotation and uproot the hair trapped by the tweezers. Further, the plurality of the discs is usually arranged to have a cylindrical shape.
However, these disc mechanisms may be subject to constraints. The tweezers associated with each disc must close quickly. The pressure exerted by each tweezer must be neither too great nor too little. In the former case where the pressure is too great, the hair would be cut. In the latter case where the pressure is too little, the hair would slide through without being pulled out at its roots. Lastly, the contacting mechanism must be simple, operate reliably over time, and be easy to maintain.
A side view of a conventional cylindrical epilating device is shown in
A side view of another type of cylindrical epilating device is shown in
Other epilating devices use disc mechanisms employing a large spring with bearings connected to its ends. In such devices, the spring presses on the bearings producing a constant force which acts identically over all the discs and their associated tweezers. The magnitude of the force is the same throughout the entire mechanism. The forces and energy required to operate such mechanisms is relatively low. However, due to technical limitations, the number of tweezers must be kept relatively low.
Thus, there is a need for an epilating device that is easy and inexpensive to assemble and to maintain and which can uproot a greater number of hairs over a larger area than is possible using conventional devices. In addition, there is also an ongoing need for an epilating device that reduces discomfort associated with hair removal.
According to an aspect of the present invention, an epilating device in provided in which tweezers of a curved column of epilating discs are closed at an outside of the curve of the column by a force applied to an inside of the curve of the column.
According to an aspect of the present invention, an epilating device in provided in which relatively low forces and less production accuracy are required for operation while a relatively large number of tweezers may be employed.
According to an aspect of the invention, an epilating device to remove hair, comprises a frame including a power source frame, a reduction gear system frame, and a base; a power source supported in the power source frame to provide power to the hair removing operation; a reduction gear system supported in the reduction gear frame to transfer power from the power source to the base; and an epilating unit supported by the base. The epilating unit includes a plurality of epilators tightly aligned in a column along a curved shaft, each epilator having a set of tweezers disposed with respective tweezing ends radially extending to be in line with an outer wall of the column, to rotate about the curved shaft according to the power transferred by the reduction gear system. A curve in the curved shaft induces the tweezers to close when the tweezers pass along the outside of the curve during the rotation.
According to another embodiment, the invention may be understood as a device to perform a hair removal operation. The device comprises a central base, a pair of rigid outer members disposed at opposite ends of the base to extend in substantially similar directions, each outer member including an outer tweezing surface at a distal end thereof; and a pair of inner members suspended along the base between the respective outer members and at a distance from each other. First portions of the inner members extend from the base in parallel with the outer members and second portions of the inner members extend from the base in reverse directions from that of the first portions. Each first portion includes an inner tweezing surface. According to this embodiment, upon an application of a force compressing the second portions of the inner members together, the inner members each pivot about a portion of the base between the inner members, and the inner tweezing surfaces of the first portions are forced to move towards the outer tweezing surfaces of the adjacent outer members.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of removing hair from a portion of skin of a user is provided. The method comprises positioning an epilating unit, including a plurality of basic epilators tightly aligned in a curved column rotateable about a central curved axis thereof, proximate to the portion of skin, the basic epilators each having a set tweezers, which each face a side of the column, that close as the side of the column rotates toward an outside of the curve and that open as the side of the column rotates toward an inside of the curve, stretching the portion of skin by pressing a side of the column corresponding to an outside of the curve into the portion of the skin, and rotating the column such that the closing tweezers trap and pull the hairs to be removed out of the portion of skin and then open.
Additional and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.
With reference to
In an embodiment of the invention, the power source 20 includes a motor 21. As illustrated in the embodiment shown in
The reduction gear system 30 includes a system of gears to transfer inputted rotational power from the power source 20 to the epilating unit 40. In an embodiment of the invention, the gears include a first gear 31 attached to a rotating axle (hidden from view) of the power source, a second gear 32 coupled to the first gear, a third gear 33 coaxial with the second gear 32 and having a smaller diameter than the second gear 32, and a fourth gear 34 to transfer the rotational power from the third gear toward the base 13 where the rotational power is applied to the epilating unit 40.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the epilating unit 40 includes a movable unit 41 that allows the epilating unit 40 to be removably installed onto the base 13 of the frame 10. The movable unit 41 includes a first part 42, a second part 43, and attachment parts 44.
The first part 42 includes a flat part to which a first bookend piece 42a is attached. The bookend piece 42a provides a slot into which a first end of a curved shaft 45 (to be discussed later) is inserted and a smooth face upon which a gear bearing holder 46 (to be discussed later) of the epilating unit 40 may rotate. The first part 42 of the movable unit 41 further includes wings 42b disposed along a surface of the flat part opposite the surface to face the power source frame 11. The second part 43 includes a second bookend piece 43a that provides a slot into a second end of the curved shaft is inserted and a smooth face upon which a bearing holder 47 (to be discussed later) of the epilating unit 40 may rotate. The second part 43 of the movable unit 41 further includes extensions 43b extending from the second bookend piece 43a and tightly fit between the wings 42b and the flat part of the first part 42 such that the slots of the first and second bookend pieces 42a and 43a are substantially opposite one another and so that the first and second bookend pieces 42a and 43a remain in that condition until a user detaches them from each other. The attachment parts 44 are disposed on the surface of the flat part to be adjacent to the power source frame 11 and cooperate with the base 13 to hold the epilating unit in place.
With reference to
The gear bearing holder 46 and the bearing holder 47 are situated just inside the first and second bookend pieces 42a and 43a, respectively. The gear bearing holder 46 includes a gear 46a that is coupled to the fourth gear 34 of the gear reduction system 30. The bearing holder 47 includes a circular groove into which a plate 48 fitted with ball bearings is tightly fit. Both the gear bearing holder 46 and the bearing holder 47 include a center opening through which the curved shaft 45 extends. Both the gear bearing holder 46 and the bearing holder 47 further include protrusions 46b and 47b that, according to an embodiment of the invention, are disposed evenly around inside surfaces of the gear bearing holder 46 and the bearing holder 47 in groups of three.
A set of basic epilators 49, illustrated in
With reference to
The inner and outer metal parts 49a and 49b, on the other hand, are metallic and have holes 900 through their respective central portions 1000. The outer metal parts 49b also include notches 700 defined in the edges of their holes 900. Both the inner and outer metal parts 49a and 49b have a flattened tripod-like structure where three arms 1001 extend from the central portions 1000, although the inner metal parts 49a further include three secondary arms 1002 extending from the central portions 1000 between each of the arms 1001 in a secondary tripod-like structure. According to an embodiment of the invention, the arms 1001 are wider than the secondary arms 1002.
Initially, each inner metal part 49a is mounted around the triangular central portion 100 of the hub 49d from each side by inserting the cylinders 200 through the holes 900 in each inner metal part 49a such that the arms 1001 line up with and appear to extend from the faces of the triangular central portion 100. Then, each outer metal part 49b is assembled onto the cylinders at a distance from each inner metal part 49a by fitting the notches 700 over the protrusions 800. Three outer locks 49c are then fitted over each of the three arms 1001 of each of the inner and outer metal parts 49a and 49b. A protrusion 600 of each outer lock 49c cooperates with a hole 500 of each arm 1001 of the outer metal parts 49b to secure the outer locks 49c.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the outer locks 49c are formed of a hard plastic or similar material. As such, the outer locks 49c do not tend to deform under the forces applied during the normal operation of the epilating device.
Similarly, according to an embodiment of the invention, the hub 49d is formed of a hard plastic or similar material. As such, the hub 49d does not tend to deform under the forces applied during the normal operation of the epilating device.
Therefore, when each basic epilator 49 is fully assembled, the basic epilator 49 resembles a two-layer disc, with each disc including an inner metal part 49a and an outer metal part 49b held along the cylinders 200 by the outer locks 49c. The distance between the inner metal parts 49a and the outer metal parts 49b is maintained so as to provide the inner metal parts 49a room to pivot during the hair removing operation. Indeed, each inner metal part 49a is able to pivot about edges of the faces of the triangular central portion 100 when an external force is applied to the secondary arms 1002.
It is understood that in an embodiment of the invention, five basic epilators 49 are assembled between the first and second parts 42 and 43 of the movable unit 41. However, more or less basic epilators 49 may be added as is necessary. It is further understood that while the basic epilators 49, the gear bearing holder 46, and the bearing holder 47 have been described as having a tripod-like format, other configurations are possible.
Once the basic epilators 49 are arranged together along the curved shaft 50 and the first and second parts 42 and 43 of the movable unit 41 are combined, a spring 50 is affixed to grooves defined on respective outer surfaces of the first and second parts 42 and 43. The spring 50 serves to hold the various features together during attachment to the frame 10 and operation of the epilating device.
Therefore, as illustrated in
It may also be seen that each of the three protrusions 46b and 47b of the gear bearing holder 46 and the bearing holder 47 contact the outer secondary arms 1002 of the basic epilators 49 situated adjacent to each of the gear bearing holder 46 and the bearing holder 47 (hereinafter referred to as “first stage basic epilators 49,” whereas the basic epilators 49 that are adjacent to the first stage basic epilators 49 are hereinafter referred to as “second stage basic epilators 49,” and so forth). Spaces between the protrusions 46b and 47b are loosely occupied by the outer locks 49c of the first stage basic epilators 49.
Similarly, the inner secondary arms 1002 of the first stage basic epilators 49 are contacted by the outer locks 49c of the second stage basic epilators 49 and the outer locks 49c of the first stage basic epilators 49 are contacted by the outer secondary arms 1002 of the second stage basic epilators 49. Meanwhile, in the embodiment of the invention in which five basic epilators 49 are stacked in the column, the inner secondary arms 1002 of the second stage basic epilators 49 are contacted by the outer locks 49c of the third stage basic epilator 49, of which there would only be one, and the outer locks 49c of the second stage basic epilators 49 are contacted by the secondary arms 1002 of the third stage basic epilator 49.
As a consequence of the structure discussed above, depending on the orientation of the column with respect to the curve of the curved shaft 45, some of the arms 1001 of the basic epilators 49, will be either closed in a tweezing position or nearly closed in a hair gripping position. Conversely, the arms 1001 on the opposite side of the basic epilators will be either completely opened or slightly opened in a hair releasing position. Indeed, due to the structure discussed above, where the outer locks 49c of the basic epilators contact the secondary arms 1002, those arms 1001 that are completely closed or nearly closed in a hair gripping position will be located on the outside of the curve of the column.
In greater detail, because each of the basic epilators 49 has the flattened tripod-like structure discussed above, in which the secondary arms 1002 extending from the central portions 1000 in an opposite direction to that of a corresponding set of arms 1001 on the opposite side of the central portion 1000, when the curve of the curved shaft 45 causes the secondary arms 1001 to be compressed toward one another, a corresponding set of arms 1001 on the opposite side of the central portion 1000 are forced into tweezing positions, in which the arms 1001 are compressed toward one another.
As illustrated in
Further, as illustrated in
The operation of the epilating device 1 will now be described with reference to
When the power source 20 is not activated, one side of the column is compressed and has a longitudinal length L1 while the opposite side of the column is extended and has a longitudinal length L2, where L2 is longer than L1. This is the starting position and is determined based the orientation of the column when the power source was previously turned off.
For the purpose of demonstration it will be understood that
Once the power source 20 is activated, the power source 20 causes the reduction gear system 30 to rotate. The rotation of the reduction gear system 30 is then transferred to the epilating unit 40 through the interface between the fourth gear 34 and the gear bearing holder 46. Since the protrusions 46b of the gear bearing holder 46 and the bearing holder 47 and the outer locks 49c of the basic epilating units 49 tightly fit together, the epilating unit 40, including the gear bearing holder 46, the basic epilating units 49 and the bearing holder 47, rotates about the curved shaft 45 as a unit.
Since the secondary arms 1001 were already in tweezing positions when the power source was activated, it will be understood that these secondary arms would not have hair caught between them. Thus, substantially no hair removal will occur in the initial rotation of the epilating unit 40.
After approximately 50-60 degrees of rotation, the outer locks 49c of the first and third stage basic epilators will no longer compress the secondary arms 1002 of the second stage basic epilators 49. However, at this point, the protrusions 46b and 47b of the gear bearing holder 46 and the bearing holder 47, respectively, along with the outer locks 49c of the second stage basic epilators will begin to compress the respective secondary arms 1002 of the first and third basic epilators 49 toward each other. This will result in the arms 1001 of the first and third stage basic epilators 49 being forced to close into tweezing positions. As such, any hair caught between the arms 1001 of the first and third stage basic epilators 49 will be caught once the continuing rotation of the epilating unit 40 causes the arms 1001 to completely close into tweezing positions.
With the arms 1001 of the first and third stage basic epilators 49 in tweezing positions, once the epilating unit 40 has rotated approximately 25-30 degrees, or to the point where the secondary arms of the first and third stage basic epilators 49 remain compressed by the protrusions 46b and 47b of the gear bearing holder 46 and the bearing holder 47, respectively, along with the outer locks 49c of the second stage basic epilators 49, the epilating unit 40 will have generated a torque on the hairs that were grabbed by the arms 1001. This torque should be sufficient to pull these hairs from their respective roots.
As the epilating unit 40 continues to rotate, the protrusions 46b and 47b of the gear bearing holder 46 and the bearing holder 47, respectively, along with the outer locks 49c of the second stage basic epilators will no longer compress the secondary arms 1002 of the first and third stage basic epilators 49. As a result, the arms 1001 of the first and third stage basic epilators 49 will open and release any removed hairs.
Meanwhile, the continually rotating epilating unit 40 will approach once again the position illustrated in
With the arms 1001 of the second stage basic epilators 49 in tweezing positions, once the epilating unit 40 has rotated approximately 25-30 additional degrees, or to the point where the secondary arms of the second stage basic epilators 49 remain compressed by the outer locks 49c of the first and third stage basic epilators 49, the epilating unit will have generated a torque on the hairs that were grabbed by the arms 1001. This torque should be sufficient to pull these hairs from their respective roots.
This process may be continued until the user has determined that a sufficient number of hairs have been removed from their respective roots. It will be understood that the user is responsible for positioning the epilating unit a various positions along the skin so as to maximize the hair removal operation.
Further, it will be understood that since the hair removal operation of the epilating unit 40 occurs generally on the outer side of the curve of the epilating unit 40, as the user moves the epilating unit along the skin from which hair is to be removed, the curve of the epilating unit will naturally stretch the surface of the skin. This may result in an additional benefit in that removing hair from stretched skin is relatively easy.
According to another embodiment, the invention may be understood as a device to perform a hair removal operation. As shown in
According to another embodiment, the invention may be understood as a method of removing hair from a portion of skin of a user. As shown in
Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
