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Patent Searching and Data


Title:
ROTARY EXTENDABLE HAIR CLIPPER
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2007/004204
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
An extendable hair-clipping device (Figs 1A, 1B and 2) including a chassis (104), a toothed manually manipulable rotary ring element (114) rotatably mounted on the chassis (104), a screw element (130) having a threaded head (132) for driven engagement with the toothed manually manipulable rotary ring element (114), a longitudinal positioner (134) arranged for driven engagement with the screw element (130), producing longitudinal displacement thereof relative to the chassis (104), and a hair engagement comb element (116) for driven engagement with the longitudinal positioner (134), producing longitudinal displacement thereof.

Inventors:
PORAN YEHUDA (IL)
Application Number:
PCT/IL2005/000709
Publication Date:
January 11, 2007
Filing Date:
July 04, 2005
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
EPILADY 2000 LLC (US)
PORAN YEHUDA (IL)
International Classes:
B26B19/20; B26B19/38
Foreign References:
US4776095A1988-10-11
US4845852A1989-07-11
US4949460A1990-08-21
US5054199A1991-10-08
US5367772A1994-11-29
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
SANFORD T. COLB & CO. et al. (Rehovot, IL)
Download PDF:
Claims:
005/000709

CLAIMS

1. An extendable hair-clipping device comprising: a chassis; a toothed manually manipulable rotary ring element rotatably mounted on said chassis; a screw element having a threaded head for driven engagement with said toothed manually manipulable rotary ring element; a longitudinal positioner arranged for driven engagement with said screw element, producing longitudinal displacement thereof relative to said chassis; and a hair engagement comb element for driven engagement with said longitudinal positioner, producing longitudinal displacement thereof.

2. An extendable hair-clipping device according to claim 1 and also comprising a cutting blade assembly.

3. An extendable hair-clipping device according claim 2 and also comprising a motor supported on said chassis and operative to drive said cutting blade assembly.

4. An extendable hair-clipping device according to any of the preceding claims and also comprising a screw head socket formed on said chassis and operative to constrain said screw element against longitudinal movement.

5. An extendable hair-clipping device according to any of tke preceding claims wherein said toothed rotary ring element comprises an array of teeth arranged along an inner circumferential surface thereof.

6. An extendable hair-clipping device according to any of claims 2 - 5 wherein said rotary ring element is operative to selectably position said hair engagement comb element with respect to said cutting blade assembly.

7. An extendable hair-clipping device according to any of the preceding claims wherein said hair engagement comb element also comprises an extension portion.

8. An extendable hair-clipping device according to claim 7 wherein said longitudinal positioner comprises: a support portion adapted to slidingly engage said chassis; and an elongate portion including: a forward end which is configured for snap fit engagemeixt with said extension portion of said hair engagement comb element; and a threaded socket adapted to threadably engage said screw element.

9. An extendable hair-clipping device according to claim 8 wherein said elongate portion also comprises elongate edge protrusions adapted to slidingly engage said chassis.

Description:

ROTARY EXTENDABLE HAIR CLIPPER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to hair clippers generally.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following U.S. Patents are believed to represent the current state of the art: ,505,404; 6,502,312; 6,421,922; 6,151,785; 5,623,764; 5,367,772; 5,325,589; ,237,750; 5,165,172; 5,123,159; 5,050,304; 4,825,546; 4,776,095; 4,679,322; ,581,822; 4,571,830; 4,542,585; 4,249,307; 4,221,049; 4,162,574; 4,106,190;

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide an improved hair-clipping device. There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention an extendable hair-clipping device including a chassis, a toothed manually manipulable rotary ring element rotatably mounted on the chassis, a screw element having a threaded head for driven engagement with ttie toothed manually manipulable rotary ring element, a longitudinal positioner arranged for driven engagement with the screw element, producing longitudinal displacement trxereof relative to the chassis and a hair engagement comb element for driven engagement: with the longitudinal positioner, producing longitudinal displacement thereof.

Preferably the extendable hair-clipping device also includes a cutting blade assembly. Additionally, the extendable hair-clippin.g device also includes a motor, supported on the chassis, operative to drive the cutting blade assembly. Preferably, the extendable hair-clipping device includes a screw head socket, formed on the chassis, operative to constrain the screw element against longitudinal movement.

Additionally, the toothed rotary ring element includes an array of teeth arranged along an inner circumferential surface thereof. Additionally or alternatively, the rotary ring element is operative to selectably position the hair engagement comb element with respect to the cutting blade assembly.

Preferably, the hair engagement comb element also includes an extension portion.

Preferably, the longitudinal positioner includes a support portion adapted to slidingly engage the chassis and an elongate portion including a forward end which is configured for snap fit engagement with the extension portion of the hair engagement comb element, and a threaded socket adapted to threadably engage the screw element. Additionally, the elongate portion also includes elongate edge protrusions adapted to slidingly engage the chassis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more folly from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: Figs. IA and IB are simplified pictorial illustrations of an extendable hair- clipping device constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of tfcte present invention in a retracted orientation and an extended orientation respectively; Fig. 2 is an exploded vάew illustration of the hair-clipping device of Figs. IA and IB; Fig. 3 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a comb element driving assembly in operative association with a liair length control ring and a hair eαgagement comb element which form part of the liair-clipping device of Figs. IA - 2;

Figs. 4A and 4B are respectively, a. pictorial illustration and a sectional illustration of a hair length control ring, the sectional illustration being taken along section lines rVB-IVB in Fig. 4- A;

Figs. 5A and 5B are respectively a pictorial illustration and a side view planar illustration of the operative engagement between teeth on a screw head and teeth on an array on hair length control ring of Figs. 4A and 4B;

Figs. 6A, 6B and 6C are respectively, a simplified pictorial illustration, a top view planar illustration and a sectional illustration of a slidable longitudinal positioner, which forms part of the hair-clipping device of Figs. IA - 2, the sectional illustration being taken along section lines VIC-VIC in Fig. 6B;

Figs. 7A and 7B are respectively top and bottom pictorial illustrations of a hair engagement comb element wkdch forms part of the hair clipper device of Figs. IA - 2; and

Figs. 8A and 8B are simplified pictorial illustrations of the hair length control xing in operative association with the comb element driving assembly and the hair engagement comb element mounted onto the main chassis of Fig. 2, showing hair engagement comb element in retracted and extended orientations, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to Figs. IA and IB, which are simplified pictorial illustrations of an extendable hair-clipping device constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention in a retracted orientation and an extended orientation respectively and to Fig. 2 which is an exploded view illustration of the hair-clipping device of Figs. IA. and IB.

As seen in Figs. IA, IB and 2, the hair-clipping device comprises a generally conical rear housing portion 100 preferably arranged about a longitudinal axis 102. Rear housing portion 100 partially encloses a main chassis 104, which supports a motor 10» 6, a screw head held in by a socket 107 and a battery 108 for powering the motor. Tfcte motor 106 drives a cutting blade assembly 110 in xeciprocating cutting motion in a conventional manner. Elongate axial edges 111 and elongate side supports 112 are formed on main chassis 104. Rotatably mounted onto a forward edge 113 of rear housing portion 100 is a rotatable hair length control ring 114, which selecta " bly longitudinally positions a hair engagement comb element 116 along axis 102. Rotatable motion of hair length control ring 114 about axis 102 is converted to longitudinal motion of hair engagement coπnb element 116 about axis 102 by a comb element driving assembly 120, which is located within a forward housing portion 122. Cutting blade assembly 110 is located at a forward end of forward housing portion 122 and hair engagement comb element 1 IS is located forwardly of cutting blade assembly 110 along longitudinal axis 102 by a selectable distance determined by the rotational orientation of hair length control ring 114, as seen in Figs. IA and IB. An electric motor on-off switch 124 is also mounted onto forward housing portion 122.

Reference is noλV made to Fig. 3, which is a simplified pictorial illustration of comb element driving assembly 120 in operative association with the hair length control ring 114 and the hair engagement comb element 1 16. As seen clearly in Fig. 3, "the comb element driving assembly 120 comprises a threaded screw 130 having a head 132, which is formed with gear teeth 133 and is arranged for rotational driven engagement with hair length control ring 114.

Threaded screw 130 engages a slidable longitudinal positioner 134 including a support portion 136 and an elongate portion 138 which is formed with a trtreaded socket

140, whose threading generally matches that of threaded screw 130. A forward end of elongate portion 138 is configured for snap fit engagement with an extension portion 142 of hair engagement comb element 116.

It may be appreciated that manual rotation of hair length control ring 114 produces rotation of threaded screw 130, which in turn produces longitudinal displacement of positioner 134 along axis 102.

Reference is now made to Figs. 4A and 4B which illustrate tihe hair length control ring 114. As seen in Figs. 4A & 4B the hair length control ring 114 is a generally cylindrical ring-shaped element having an array 150 of teeth 152 arranged along an inner circumferential surface 154 thereof, which is located along a rearward- facing flange 156. Rearward-facing flange 156 is configured for rotational sliding engagement with forward edge 113 of rear housing portion 100. Array 150 preferably extends along most, but not all, of the extent of circumferential surface 154, thereby defining an extent of rotation of threaded, screw 130 and thus of the longitudinal travel of the hair engagement comb element. A row of square protrusions 155 may be located forwardly of array 150 and preferably extends along the extent of circumferential surface 154. Row 155 is configured to provide limited resistance to rotation of hair length control ring 114.

An outer surface 158 of hair length control ring 114 may be formed with dimples 160 to enhance frictional engagement therewith by the fingers of a user. A forward facing flange 162 may be provided for rotational sliding engagement between ring 114 and a corresponding rearward facing edge of forward housing element 122. Reference is now made to Figs. 5A and 5B, which illustrate the operative engagement between the teeth 133 of screw head 132 and teeth 152 of array 150 on ring 114. It is appreciated that threaded screw 130 is constrained against longitudinal movement along axis 102 by retention of screw head 132 in screw head socket 107 of main chassis 104 and thus rotation thereof in the threaded socket 140 produces corresponding longitudinal displacement of positioner 134.

Reference is now made to Figs. 6A - 6C, which illustrate slidable longitudinal positioner 134. As noted above, positioner 134 includes support portion 136 and

elongate portion 138, which is formed with threaded socket 140, wϊhose threading generally matches that of threaded screw 130. Support portion 136 includes slotted edges 170 which are configured for longitudinal sliding engagement with, corresponding elongate edges 111 of main chassis 104. Reference is now made to Figs. 7A and 7B, which illustrate hair engagement comb element 116. As described hereinabove with reference to Fig. 3, extension portion 142 of hair engagement comb element 116, is configured with a snap fit socket 143 for engagement with a forward end of elongate portion 138 of slidafole longitudinal positioner 134. Extension portion 142 is configured with elongate edge protrusions 144, configured for longitudinal sliding engagement within elongate side supports 112 formed on main chassis 104.

Reference is now made to Figs. 8A and 8B which show the hair length control ring 114 in operative association with comb element driving assembly 120, hair engagement comb element 116 and main chassis 104. As seen in Figs. 8 A and 8B, respective retracted and elongated positions of the hair engagement comb element 116 correspond to respective first and second rotational orientations of haitr length control ring 114. Rotation of hair length control ring 114 is converted to axial displacement of hair engagement comb element 116 by engagement of array 150 of teetfe. 152 with head 132 of threaded screw 130, producing rotation thereof. Since threaded screw 130 is constrained against longitudinal movement along axis 102 by screw head socket 107, rotation thereof in threaded socket 140 produces correspondirLg longitudinal displacement of positioner 134 and thus displacement of hair engagement comb element 116.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of various features described hereinabove as well as modifications thereof which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing specification and which are not in the prior art.