System appliance and cartridge for personal body care

Abstract

The system comprises, for example, an electric shaver (1) and a cartridge (2) mounted in a chamber (12) of the shaver (1). The shaver (1) comprises a shaving head (3) having drivable cutters (31) and an electric motor (11) for driving the cutters (31) via a coupling pin (14). The cartridge (2) comprises a reservoir (25) for holding an auxiliary fluid. This auxiliary fluid may, for example, serve to reduce the friction between the shaving head (3) and the skin of a user. The cartridge (2) has an outlet channel (22) and a diaphragm pump (23) for feeding the auxiliary fluid from the reservoir (21) to the outlet channel (22). For the actuation of the diaphragm pump (23) the shaver (1) comprises a button (15) and a lever (17) which is pivotable about a pivot (18). When the button (15) is pressed the diaphragm pump (23) is actuated and a small amount of the auxiliary fluid is applied to the skin of a user via an outlet opening (32). The cartridge (2) has a key (50) which cooperates with a blocking device (60), which is adapted to block the lever (17) by means of pins. The key (50) has projections for positioning the pins of the blocking device (60). In the absence of the correct key the lever (17) is blocked and thus prevents the auxiliary fluid in the cartridge from being pumped to the outlet opening (32).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to a system suitable ;or personal body care, comprising a cartridge having a space for storing an auxiliary fluid, and an appliance comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user with the aid of the auxiliary fluid, and an interface for coupling the cartridge to the appliance.The invention also relates to an appliance for body care, comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user, and an interface for coupling a cartridge to the appliance, which cartridge has a space for storing an auxiliary fluid.The invention also relates to a cartridge comprising a space for the storage of an auxiliary fluid intended for personal body care in conjunction with a body-care treatment, an interface for coupling the cartridge to an appliance adapted to carry out said treatment.The invention also relates to a pump and a flange for use in the cartridge in accordance with the invention.Such...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

In another embodiment of the appliance in accordance with the invention, the blocking device comprises: at least one blocking element which blocks the function in a blocking position and which allows the function in a non-blocking position, and at least one contact surface for positioning the blocking element by means of a key surface. This embodiment is particularly suitable for blocking mechanical functions such as, for example, the actuation of a valve or the drive of a pump. In addition, this embodiment has the advantage that it is comparatively immune to soiling. Such a soiling is for example not unlikely to be caused by the auxiliary fluid. Moreover, this embodiment is not dependent upon an electric power source, which precludes failure of the blocking device due to, for example, an inadequate battery voltage.

In another embodiment of the appliance in accordance with the invention, the contact surface is only accessible via an opening in a wall of the appliance. As a result of this measure, it is achieved that both the size and the position of a pin-shaped projection form variables for defining different keys. As a result of this, a body care system can include cartridges with mutually different fluids and different keys. It may then be desirable to block different functions in the appliances of the system in dependence on the key. A key having two different variables enables new appliances and fluids to be put on the market with the possibility of allowing operation of old appliances in combination with the new fluids and blocking new appliances for the old fluids, or of blocking the old appliances for the new fluid and allowing operation of the new appliances for the old fluids.

A preferred embodiment of the cartridge in accordance with the invention, includes a key having at least one pin-shaped projection whose position and length define the key. Due to these measures the shape of the key is non-critical, so that it can be manufactured reliably in a mass-production process.

Preferably, of the cartridge comprises a coupling element for the passage of the auxiliary fluid, and the pin-shaped projections are arranged symmetrically with respect to the coupling element. As a result of this, mounting of the cartridge on the appliance is simplified because the cartridge can be coupled to the appliance in two positions.

In another embodiment of the cartridge in accordance with the invention, the the cartridge comprises a reservoir and a pump, and the key forms part of the pump. By incorporating the pump in the cartridge it is achieved that the pump can be replaced easily. The hygiene of the system can be improved by, for example, selling a package including five reservoirs and one pump. When the key forms part of the pump the package as a whole can be manufactured more cheaply.

Problems solved by technology

A drawback of the known system is that the shaver can be used in conjunction with a cartridge containing a fluid which has not been tested in combination with the shaver.

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