This application claims the benefit of U.S. pending patent application, Ser. No. 10/885,278, filed Jul. 6, 2004, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/557,745, “Razor and Electric Trimmer Assembly” filed Mar. 30, 2004, which are incorporated by reference.
Wet razors are typically used with shaving cream and water to shave a man's face or a woman's legs. These wet razors typically include an elongated handle having a razor blade and/or a razor blade cartridge attached to one end of the handle. The user pulls the razor blade across the skin cutting the hair that is present.
Electric trimmers are also known for trimming longer hairs such as sideburns, mustaches, beards, as well as the bikini area of a woman. Electric trimmers typically include a stationary blade and a moving blade. Since the trimmers are typically powered by electricity and the wet razor is typically submerged in water, assemblies that employ both a wet razor and a hair trimmer assembly are not known.
A razor and trimmer combination assembly includes an elongated handle, a razor blade, a trimmer and a motor. The razor blade is disposed at or adjacent a first end of the handle. The trimmer mounts on the handle and includes a moving blade. The motor is disposed within the handle and operatively connected to the moving blade.
A grooming tool includes a housing, a razor mount, a trimmer mechanism, a motor, a linkage, a power source compartment, and a power source connector. The housing includes an elongated handle portion and a head end portion. The razor mount is disposed at the head end portion of the housing and selectively secures an associated razor blade or an associated razor blade cartridge. The trimmer mechanism is associated with the housing. The motor mounts within the housing. The linkage couples an output shaft of the motor to the trimmer mechanism. The power source compartment is disposed within the housing and is adapted to receive an associated power source. The power source connector mounts within the power source compartment and provides at least a portion of a power delivery path between the associated power source installed in the power source compartment and the motor.
A method of manufacturing a wet razor and trimmer combination assembly having a vibrating handle includes the following steps: providing a wet razor and trimmer combination assembly comprising a wet razor mounted at or adjacent a first end of a handle and trimmer disposed on the handle, and providing a drive inside the handle to impart vibratory motion on the first end of the handle.
The combination of a package and an electric grooming tool disposed in the package includes a cover at least partially enclosing the grooming tool. The grooming tool includes a handle, a razor mount disposed at or adjacent one end of the handle, a trimmer disposed on the handle, a drive mechanism for the trimmer, a power source for the drive mechanism, a switch for selectively supplying power from the power source to the drive mechanism, and a switch button disposed on the handle for operating the switch. The cover is adapted to allow an external force to be exerted on the switch button such that the switch button can move into the momentary on position.
A grooming tool 10, which can also be referred to as a razor and trimmer combination assembly, includes a thin elongated handle 12 having a first or head end 14 and a second or tail end 16. A razor blade cartridge 18, which can include a plurality of razor blades 22 mounted in the cartridge, attaches at or adjacent the first end 14 of the handle 12. The razor blade cartridge 18 generally faces a direction that will be referred to as forward simply for clarity. Accordingly, the razor blade cartridge 18 generally faces the same direction as a front side of the handle 12. A trimmer 24 is also disposed at or adjacent the first end 14 of the handle 12. The trimmer 24 extends from a rear side of the handle 12. One who shaves with the grooming tool 10 can use the razor blades 22 for conventional wet shaving and can use the trimmer 24 for dry trimming.
The thin handle 12 curves toward the direction that the razor blade cartridge 18 faces similar to a conventional wet razor. The handle 12 provides a housing for internal components that drive the trimmer 24. In the embodiment depicted in
As mentioned above, the razor blade cartridge 18 attaches at or adjacent the first end 14 of the handle 12. In the depicted embodiment, a cartridge mount 34 is provided at the first end 14 of the handle 12 to mount the cartridge 18 to the handle 12. The razor blade cartridge 18 selectively attaches to and detaches from the cartridge mount 34. Any known shaving cartridge mount can be utilized. In this embodiment, release buttons 36 cooperate with the razor mount 34 such that when the release buttons are pressed inward, i.e., toward the handle 12, the mount disengages the razor cartridge so that the cartridge can be removed. Similar to a conventional wet razor, the cartridge 18 can pivot in an axis parallel with the length direction of the cartridge, which is generally perpendicular to the handle 12.
In addition to the razor cartridge 18, the trimmer 24 is also disposed at or adjacent the first end 14 of the handle 12. The trimmer 24 is similar to a conventional trimmer in that the trimmer includes a first or stationary blade 40 and a second or moving blade 42. Alternatively, the trimmer 24 can include two moving blades, or a plurality of moving blades. In the embodiment depicted in
The trimmer 24 is provided with a finger pad 46 where a user can place his finger or thumb to move the trimmer. As seen in the embodiment depicted in
Referring to
The handle 12 also defines a power source compartment 58 that is adapted to receive a AAA battery 56 to provide power to the motor 50. Alternatively, the power source compartment 52 can be sized differently so that it can receive a different sized battery and/or power source. The power source 56 is accessible by removing the tail piece 32 from the front piece 26 and rear piece 28 of the handle 12.
The switch button 52 can be depressed inward and held in by the user so that the motor is in a momentary on position. The switch button 52 can also be depressed inward and slid in a first direction into a continuously on position where the motor 50 is energized until the switch button is slid in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. One non-limiting example of a switch mechanism is depicted in
Any transmission or linkage that translates the rotational movement of the motor 50 to reciprocating lateral movement can be used to connect the motor to the moving blade 42. A drive train, which is depicted schematically in
A post 72 extends normally from the crown gear 66. A follower rod 74 having an elliptical hoop 76 at one end connects to the post 72 by the hoop receiving the post. The follower rod 74 is fixed to the handle 12 (not shown in
When the switch button 52 is depressed into the momentary on position or slid into the continuously on position to close the switch 54, power is delivered from the power source 56 to the motor 50. The motor 50 rotates the pinion 64 which drives the crown gear 66. The crown gear 66 rotates with the post 72 on the hoop end 76 of the follower rod 74. Since the elliptical hoop 76 on the follower rod 74 has a minor axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the follower rod and about equal to the diameter of the post 72 and a major axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the follower rod and substantially greater than the diameter of the post, forces perpendicular to the axis of the follower rod, i.e., side-to-side, are translated to the follower rod and forces parallel to the axis of the follower rod are not translated to the follower rod. Accordingly, the follower rod 74 pivots about the pivot pin 78 resulting in lateral reciprocal movement of the moving blade 42.
As mentioned above, the moving blade 42 slides along the follower rod 74 between a distal end 82 of the follower rod and the pivot pin 78. The moving blade 42 is adjacent the pin 78 when in the stored position and is adjacent the distal end 82 when in a use position. To attach to the follower rod 74, the moving blade 42 includes a bracket 84 (
As the moving blade 42 is moved farther away from the pivot pin 78, e.g., from the stored position to the use position, the angular displacement of the distal end 82 of follower rod 74 is greater and, therefore, the lateral movement of the moving blade 42 is greater. The lateral reciprocal movement of the moving trimmer blade 42 can result in a desirable vibration of the first end 14 of the handle 12 which results in vibration of the razor cartridge 18. Additionally, the off-center weight 68 on the output shaft 62 of the motor 50 can also result in desirable vibration of the razor handle 12.
Since the razor blades 22 are periodically rinsed with water during use, gaskets are provided to protect the internal components of the assembly. A first gasket 88 receives the follower rod 74 to protect the components of the drive train assembly below the first gasket. As seen in
In addition to the external configurations disclosed in
An alternative configuration of a drive train for the moving blade of the trimmer is also disclosed. This configuration can be useful for a grooming tool where the trimmer pivots in relation to the handle; however, as mentioned above, any drive train that provides the lateral movement of the moving blade and can mount in or to the handle can be used to drive the moving blade. With reference to
With reference to
In use, the motor 94 engages and rotates the cam 96 which results in the off-center projection 98 rotating about the axis of the output shaft. Since the slot 104 of the arm 102 is open in a vertical direction, vertical forces of the projection 98 are not transferred to the arm 102 so that the arm only moves in a side-to-side or horizontal direction. The side-to-side movement of the arm 102 results in a side-to-side movement of the forked end 106 that receives the post 112 in its inlet 108. Accordingly, the post 112 moves side-to-side moving the second or moving blade 42 side-to-side. As seen in
An embodiment using the drive train depicted in
As noticeable in
Grooming tools such as those described above are typically sold in a package 130, as shown in
In an alternative embodiment, a package can be provided that allows a customer to urge the switch button into the momentary on position while preventing the urging of the switch button into the continuous on position without having an opening. For example, the cover can include a flexible portion adjacent the switch button 52 that allows for the button 52 to be depressed through the cover while precluding the consumer from sliding the switch button 52 into the continuous on position. In such an embodiment, a structure, such as but not limited to the rib described above, can prevent movement of the switch button into a continuous on position.
In alternative grooming tool embodiments, two switch buttons can be provided (see
A number of different embodiments of a grooming tool that combines the benefits of an electric trimmer and a wet shaver have been disclosed. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of the preceding detailed description. The invention, which is defined by the appended claims, is intended to cover all alterations and modifications insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims and the equivalents thereof.
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