Hair clippers

Abstract

The present invention relates to cutting body hair such as stubble on the beard over several days. More specifically, the present invention relates to a hair cutter such as an electric razor and / or electric trimmer, the hair cutter comprising a handle, a cutter head attached to the handle, and at least one cutter unit comprising a pair of drivable cutter elements and fixed cutter elements cooperating with each other, the cutter unit being adjustablely supported by a support structure, the support structure comprising a spring mechanism for enabling the cutter unit to elastically adapt to the contours of the skin with respect to the cutting unit's descent and / or inclination relative to the cutter head frame, the spring mechanism comprising at least one elongated leaf spring, the at least one elongated leaf spring being securely attached at one end to a first end or edge of the cutter unit, and at the other end to the cutter head frame at a spring support adjacent to a second end or edge of the cutter unit opposite to the first end or edge. Despite such eccentric mounting of the leaf spring to the cutter unit and the asymmetric layout of the spring mechanism, the elastic support structure of at least one cutter unit may nevertheless be configured to result in symmetric self-adaptation, in particular symmetric micro-penetration and / or micro-tilting.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to cutting body hair such as stubble of the mustache. More specifically, the present invention relates to a hair cutter such as an electric shaver and / or a trimmer, the hair cutter comprising a handle, a cutter head attached to the handle, and at least one cutter unit including a pair of drivable cutter elements and a fixed cutter element cooperating with each other, the cutter unit being adjustably supported by a support structure, the support structure including a spring mechanism for enabling self - adaptation of the cutter unit to skin irregularities with respect to the plunge and / or tilt of the cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame, the spring mechanism including at least one elongated leaf spring.

Background Art

[0002] Electric shavers and trimmers utilize various mechanisms to provide a hair cutting function. Some electric shavers use one or more cutter units including perforated shear foils, cooperating with a movable lower cutting device relative to the shear foil to cut the hair entering the perforations in the shear foil. Such shear - foil - type shavers are often used daily to provide a clean shave where short mustache stubble is cut just above the skin surface.

[0003] [[ID=J16]]On the other hand, another cutter unit including a pair of cooperating cutting elements having a comb - like edge, including one or more rows of comb - like or rake - like cutting teeth reciprocating or rotating relative to each other, is often used to cut longer mustache stubble or problematic hair that is difficult to cut, for example, due to growing from skin that is at a very small angle to the skin or very elastic skin. The teeth of such comb - like or rake - like cutting elements usually project substantially parallel to each other or substantially radially depending on the type of drive movement, and can cut the hair entering the gaps between the cutting teeth, and the cutting or shearing is achieved by scissor - like means when the cutting teeth of the cooperating elements close the gaps between the finger - like cutting teeth and pass over each other.

[0004] Such cutter units for longer hair may be incorporated into an electric shaver or trimmer, and at the same time, the electric shaver or trimmer may be equipped with the shear foil cutter unit described above. For example, the cutter head may include one or two cutter units having comb-like cutting teeth and a pair of shear foil type cutting units, for example, on both sides of such comb-like cutters, but other arrangements and combinations may be used.

[0005] Regardless of the cutter type, a skin contact area that is firmly fixed and snugly fitted without excessive skin contact pressure helps achieve efficient cutting operation and avoid skin irritation, and a resilient support structure that allows the cutter unit to self-adapt to the contours of the skin may be used to achieve such goals. More specifically, in order to allow the cutter unit to self-adapt to the contours of the skin, the entire cutter head may be movably supported by the handle head portion, allowing the cutter elements, such as shear foil and / or comb blades, to swivel and / or tilt and / or pass vertically through the handle head portion. Such swivel and / or tilt of the cutter head allows the skin contact surface of the cutter head to smoothly follow the contours of the skin and compensate for any misalignment or misalignment of the handle.

[0006] To further improve self-adaptation to skin irregularities, the cutter unit may be movably supported with respect to the cutter head frame, allowing for further adaptation of the movement of the cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame, in addition to or instead of adapting the movement of the entire cutter head relative to the handle. Such additional self-adaptation with respect to the mobility of the cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame is particularly useful when two or more cutter units are provided on the cutter head, and the support structure for movably supporting the cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame may allow for individual movements of the cutter units relative to each other and individual movements of the cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame. For example, when the cutter head is moved along uneven or multiple axially curved skin portions such as the jaw, the leading cutter unit may contact skin portions that are inclined or curved differently from the skin portions contacted by the following cutter unit, and thus better adaptation to skin irregularities can be achieved when the leading cutter unit inclins or penetrates differently from the inclination or penetration of the following cutter unit.

[0007] For example, a support structure that enables the self-adaptive movement of a cutter unit relative to a cutter head frame may be configured to allow one or more cutter units to penetrate along one or more penetration axes substantially perpendicular to the skin contact surfaces of the cutter head and cutter units, and / or to allow one or more cutter units to tilt around one or more inclination axes that are substantially parallel to the skin contact surfaces and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis or principal axis of each cutter unit. More specifically, such inclination axes may extend along the skin surface substantially perpendicular to the normal axis of movement of the cutter head when the hair cutter is used in the usual manner to perform a cutting operation.

[0008] Such individual descents and / or inclinations of the cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame are sometimes referred to as micro-descents and micro-inclinations.

[0009] The problem of such fine self-adjustment of the cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame is related to the drive operation. As mentioned above, the cutter unit typically includes a fixed cutter element and a driveable cutter element that is driven to reciprocate or rotate and vibrate relative to the fixed cutter element. To improve the efficiency of the transmission of driving force and / or driving torque, rigid and firm support of the fixed cutting element is desired with respect to the drive axis, so that the fixed cutting element does not follow the movement of the driven cutting element along the drive axis, while the cutter unit including the fixed cutting element should be able to move easily to tilt and / or submerge with limited resistance and / or limited restoring force in order to enable rapid self-adaptation. In other words, the support structure supporting the cutter unit needs to satisfy a wide range of requirements, such as: with respect to the drive axis, such as the reciprocating axis and / or rotation and vibration axis, the support structure should be rigid and rigid, while with respect to the tilting axis and / or submerging axis, the support structure should be soft and elastic.

[0010] Such underlying problems are exacerbated by the fact that the cooperative drivable cutter elements and stationary cutter elements typically require some contact pressure and / or proximity to each other in order to achieve efficient shearing and cutting of stubble. Typically, a biasing mechanism is provided to bias the cooperative cutter elements toward each other, and this biasing mechanism should not impair self-adaptive movement.

[0011] In some cases, such a biasing mechanism includes a spring mechanism that applies a spring force to one of the cutting elements, pressing it against the other cutter element that cooperates with it. On the other hand, as previously stated, the fixed cutter element should be held firmly against movement along or around the drive axis of the drive mechanism in order to achieve efficient drive. To compensate for the elasticity of the spring mechanism described above, which is also usually given in the direction of transmission of the driving force and / or driving torque, the support structure usually includes additional support elements, such as guide pins, which are received in a slotted pocket to fix and hold the fixed cutter element in the direction of drive movement such as reciprocating movement, but allow tilting and / or descent. To give the support structure rigidity with respect to undesirable play in the direction of transmission of the driving force / torque, such guide pins should be tightly fitted into such pockets, however such a tight fit will make the movement of the support structure with respect to self-adaptive movement such as descent and / or tilting sluggish and rough.

[0012] In addition, an underlying problem is the noise of the drive train, which also needs to enable the self-adaptive movement of the cutter unit. Spherical or conical drive pins can be received in spherical or conical recesses to enable multi-axis pivoting, but still transmit driving forces perpendicular to them. When a conical drive pin coincides with a conical recess, the recess can have a larger opening angle than the drive pin to form a pivot joint. In some cases, a biasing mechanism for biasing cooperating cutter elements toward each other can be incorporated into or associated with such a pivotable drive train joint. More specifically, a spherical or conical drive pin can be pushed into the corresponding recess to achieve a reliable connection for force transmission, and at the same time, a biasing element such as a spring can be provided to bias the drivable cutter element toward the fixed cutter element. However, biasing the drive train joint in this way to simultaneously bias the cutter elements toward each other may negatively affect the desired agility of self-adaptation, while a reduction in biasing force can generate vibration and rattle noise due to minute play in the transmission train.

[0013] For example, U.S. Patent No. 3,950,847(B) discloses a hair cutter relating to a dry shaver having a reciprocating cutter cooperating with a fixed counter cutter, the counter cutter being elastically mounted to a fixed portion of the drive shaver housing and pressed against the drive cutter. More specifically, a fixed shear foil is supported to the cutter head frame by a leaf spring, the leaf spring connected to the cutter head frame at its distal end and to a shear foil carrier at its central portion. A transmission device for transmitting driving force / torque from a motor to a driveable cutter element extends through a recess in the leaf spring and is connected to the driveable cutter element. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0014] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 3,950,847(B) [Overview of the project] [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] A fundamental objective of the present invention is to provide an improved hair cutter that avoids at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art and / or further develops existing solutions. A more specific fundamental objective of the present invention is to provide a cutter system that adapts well to the contours of the skin. Another fundamental objective of the present invention is to provide an improved suspension system for a cutter unit to enable rapid individual micro-self-adaptation of the cutter unit to the contours of the skin, and at the same time achieve efficient driving of the cooperating cutter elements relative to each other. In particular, the self-adaptation of the cutter unit to the contours of the skin at low skin contact pressure should be achieved without sacrificing efficient transmission of driving force to avoid rattling noise and vibration. A further specific fundamental objective of the present invention is to provide an improved suspension system that is easy to manufacture.

[0016] At least one of the above objectives is addressed by a hair cutter having the features of claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0017] According to one embodiment, a spring mechanism of a support structure that enables self-adaptation of at least one cutter unit to the unevenness of the skin includes an elongated leaf spring, the leaf spring elastically holds at least one cutter unit in the cutter head frame, enabling self-adaptation of the cutter unit to the unevenness of the skin, and strengthens the suspension of the cutter unit with respect to the driving movement of the drivable cutter element relative to the fixed cutter element, thereby improving driving efficiency and vibration.

[0018] More specifically, the leaf spring is made from a plastic material. This allows for easy manufacturing, for example by injection molding, and integrated design of the suspension function, for example, with mounting means at the ends of the leaf spring. Exemplary plastic materials have an elastic modulus greater than 3500 MPa and can therefore be quite rigid. PPS (Polyphenylene sulfide) is one arbitrary example of such a plastic material for leaf springs. Flexibility can be adjusted as needed by the geometric design of the leaf spring. Furthermore, different stiffness or flexibility can be provided by changing the cross-section of the plastic leaf spring and / or by changing the height or thickness of the elongated extension of the plastic leaf spring. Thus, the leaf spring can have designated flexible and non-flexible portions, thereby enabling more controlled suspension, and can provide additional mounting structural features for connecting to other parts at its non-flexible or less flexible portion.

[0019] In a further embodiment, an additional screw or coil-type biasing spring (140) is provided to bias a drivable cutter element relative to a fixed cutter element, the biasing spring (140) being made of metal. Thus, the cutting unit or a component of the cutting unit may be suspended or biased by two different types of springs made of different materials, each optimized for its function.

[0020] More specifically, the leaf spring is securely attached at one end to a first end or edge of the cutter unit, and at the other end to the cutter head frame at a spring support adjacent to a second end or edge of the cutter unit opposite to the first end or edge. The leaf spring extends from its fixing point on the cutter head frame across or along the cutter unit to hold the cutter unit at the opposite end / edge on the cutter head, away from the leaf spring fixing point. The secure attachment at both ends allows the leaf spring to stabilize the cutter unit with respect to the driveable movement of the cutter element relative to this fixed cutter element, while simultaneously enabling self-adaptive movement by bending the leaf spring. Note that the term fixed cutter also includes semi-fixed cutters that are not motor-driven but move with much smaller amplitudes than motor-driven cutters. Such smaller movements of semi-fixed cutters may be caused by motor vibrations; see, for example, European Patent Application Publication No. 1641602(A1).

[0021] More specifically, the leaf spring can form a kind of double cantilever support structure for the cutter unit, where the leaf spring itself is cantilevered on the cutter head frame, forming a cantilever beam-like element that protrudes from the cutter head frame and is fixedly attached to the cutter head frame. On the other hand, the cutter unit is cantilevered at the opposite end of the leaf spring, forming a kind of cantilever element that protrudes from the leaf spring and is fixedly attached to the leaf spring.

[0022] In a side view having an observation axis parallel to the inclination axis, the leaf spring, together with the cutter unit and the cutter head frames attached to both ends of the leaf spring, can form a z-shaped support structure that allows the cutter unit to burrow and tilt along the burrow axis and around the inclination axis relative to the cutter head frame due to the elastic bending of the leaf spring, while the leaf spring can substantially firmly hold the cutter unit in a direction perpendicular to the burrow axis and the inclination axis, thereby increasing the driving efficiency. More generally, the support structure including the leaf spring can form an eccentric structure that elastically holds the cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame, and since the ends of the leaf spring are firmly attached to the cutter head frame on one head and the cutter unit on the other, the leaf spring needs to be bent to move the cutter head unit.

[0023] Such a leaf spring support structure is particularly advantageous in that it requires only a few parts to self-adaptively suspend the cutter unit. The support structure can be flexible, elastic, and resilient with respect to self-adaptive movement, thereby achieving good adaptation to uneven surfaces without requiring high skin contact pressure. At the same time, it achieves firm support of the cutter unit with little to no play in drive movement, thereby avoiding losses in the transmission of driving force / torque and vibration amplitude, and further avoiding rattling noise and vibration.

[0024] The sinking axis and the tilting axis for the fine sinking and fine tilting of at least one cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame may extend substantially perpendicular to each other, and the suspension structure may be configured to enable the translation of the cutter unit along the sinking axis and the rotation or rotational tilting about the tilting axis. Since the sinking axis may have a direction in which the cutter head is variably or constantly bent in a crank shape with respect to the handle, depending on the inclination of the cutter head with respect to the handle, it may extend vertically, extend substantially perpendicular to the skin contact surface of the cutter head that touches the skin to be treated, and extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal handle axis. The tilting axis may extend substantially parallel to the skin contact surface, more specifically, parallel to the direction of the stroke for moving the hair cutter on the skin surface in a kind of natural behavior. Additionally or alternatively, the tilting axis may include the longitudinal axis of the handle and extend parallel to a virtual plane substantially parallel to the natural, usually reciprocating shaving motion. For example, when the cutter head has a leading edge and a trailing edge that are moved along the skin to be shaved, the tilting axis may extend perpendicular to the leading edge and the trailing edge. When the cutter head has a rectangular layout with a main axis along, roughly speaking, a "longer edge", the tilting axis may extend perpendicular to such a main axis.

[0025] In addition, not only does the leaf spring enable the fine sinking and / or fine tilting of the cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame, but the cutter head as a whole may be movably supported with respect to the handle, enabling the rotational self-adjustment of the cutter head with respect to the unevenness of the skin to be shaved or trimmed. More specifically, the support structure connecting the cutter head to the handle head portion is provided with at least one degree of rotational freedom that enables the rotational movement of the cutter head with respect to the handle head portion around at least one rotation axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle.

[0026] More specifically, the support structure that connects the cutter head to the handle head portion may include a pivot axis that enables the cutter head to pivot with respect to the handle head portion and a tilt axis that enables the cutter head to tilt with respect to the handle head portion. The pivot axis and the tilt axis may extend substantially perpendicular to each other, simultaneously substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle head portion, and / or substantially parallel to the skin contact surface of the cutter head. The tilt axis may include the longitudinal axis of the handle and may extend substantially parallel to a plane that is natural and typically reciprocating shaving motion. For example, when the cutter head has a leading edge and a trailing edge that are moved along the skin to be shaved, the tilt axis may extend perpendicular to the leading edge and the trailing edge. On the other hand, the pivot axis may extend perpendicular to the direction in which the cutter head is moved along the skin to be shaved, and thus may extend substantially parallel to the trailing edge and the leading edge.

[0027] These and other advantages will become apparent from the following description, which refers to the drawings and possible examples.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028] [Figure 1] A perspective view of a hair cutter having a cutter head attached to a handle, the cutter head including a shear foil type cutter unit and a comb type cutter unit that are individually supported for fine tilting and fine sinking with respect to a cutter head frame. [Figure 2] An exploded perspective view of a cutting system of a cutter head including a pair of comb type cutter units for long or problematic hairs in the center and a pair of shear foil type cutter units on the outer portion of the cutter head, each of the cutter units including a pair of drivable cutter elements and fixed cutter elements that cooperate with each other and reciprocate with respect to each other along a drive axis substantially parallel to the long side edge portion of the cutter head, the exploded view showing leaf springs that individually support each of the cutter units with respect to a cutter head frame. [Figure 3]Figure 1 is a side view of the hair cutter in a schematic diagram showing a drive train that transmits drive motion from a motor in the handle to the drivable cutter element of the cutter unit in the cutter head, with the cutter unit elastically supported by a leaf spring. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a leaf spring for supporting one of the outer cutter units of the cutter head of a hair cutter, the leaf spring having ends with mounting means for securely attaching the ends to the cutter unit on one side and to the cutter head frame on the other, and further having a thicker, reinforced central portion and two thinner, bent portions positioned adjacent to each of the aforementioned ends. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of leaf springs for elastically supporting the cutter unit at the center of the cutter head of the hair cutter, the leaf springs having a common mounting portion for attachment to the cutter head frame, the mounting portion connecting the leaf springs to their ends. [Figure 6a] Figures 4 and 5 show side views of the leaf springs attached to the cutter unit and cutter head frame, with the leaf spring in Figure 4 supporting the shear foil type short-pile cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame. [Figure 6b] Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of the leaf springs attached to the cutter unit and cutter head frame, with the leaf spring in Figure 5 supporting two short-pile cutter units of the shear foil type relative to the cutter head frame. [Figure 6c] Figures 4 and 5 show side views of the leaf springs attached to the cutter unit and cutter head frame, with the leaf spring in Figure 4 supporting the long-haired cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame. [Figure 6d] Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of the leaf springs attached to the cutter unit and cutter head frame, with the leaf spring in Figure 5 supporting the long-haired cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame. [Figure 7a]Figures 4 and 5 are cross-sectional side views of the leaf springs mounted on a cutter unit similar to Figure 6a, illustrating the arrangement and attachment of the leaf springs to the short-hair cutting unit. [Figure 7b] Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of the leaf springs mounted on a cutter unit similar to Figure 6b, illustrating the arrangement and mounting of the leaf springs. [Figure 7c] Figures 4 and 5 are cross-sectional side views of a leaf spring mounted on a cutter unit similar to Figure 6c, illustrating the arrangement and mounting of the leaf spring to the long hair cutting unit. [Figure 7d] Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of a leaf spring mounted on a cutter unit similar to Figure 6d, illustrating the arrangement and mounting of the leaf spring to a long hair cutting unit. [Figure 8a] This is a cross-sectional view of a leaf spring support structure illustrating the rigidity of the leaf spring against translational movement of the cutter unit along axis x, i.e., in a plane parallel to the skin contact surface of the cutter head. [Figure 8b] This is a cross-sectional view of a leaf spring support structure illustrating the rigidity of the leaf spring against translational movement of the cutter unit along axis y, i.e., in a plane parallel to the skin contact surface of the cutter head. [Figure 9-1]Figure a is a cross-sectional view of a leaf spring support structure and cutter unit similar to Figures 8a and 8b, showing the elasticity of the leaf spring that enables the cutter unit to penetrate along a penetration axis perpendicular to the skin contact surface, with the cutting unit shown here. Figure b is similar to Figure 9a, and is a cross-sectional view of the leaf spring support structure of the cutter unit in a compressed state, illustrating the elasticity of the leaf spring that enables the cutter unit to penetrate along a penetration axis perpendicular to the skin contact surface. Comparing partial Figure 9a and partial Figure 9b, the translational penetration of the cutter unit along the penetration axis z is shown, and furthermore, the rigidity of the leaf spring support structure against rotational movement of the cutter unit about a pivot axis x extending substantially parallel to the drive axis of the cutter element is shown, and in addition to the leaf spring, an anti-rolling pin that prevents rotation about the pivot axis x is shown. See partial Figures 9c and 9d. Comparing partial figures 9a and 9b with partial figures 9e, 9f, and 9g, it can be seen that the leaf spring may have different configurations in the neutral position with respect to negative and positive inclinations. [Figure 9-2] Figure c is similar to Figure 8a or Figure 9a, but is a perspective view of the leaf spring support structure of the cutter unit illustrating the rigidity of the leaf spring support structure against rotational movement of the cutter unit around a pivot axis x that extends substantially parallel to the drive shaft of the cutter element. In addition to the leaf spring, an anti-rolling pin that prevents rotation around the pivot axis x is shown. See partial figures 9c and 9d. Comparing partial figures 9a and 9b with partial figures 9e, 9f, and 9g, it can be seen that the leaf spring may have different configurations in the neutral position with respect to negative and positive inclinations. Figure d is similar to Figure 7c, but is a cross-sectional view of the leaf spring support structure of the cutter unit illustrating the rigidity of the leaf spring support structure against rotational movement of the cutter unit around a pivot axis x that extends substantially parallel to the drive shaft of the cutter element. In addition to the leaf spring, an anti-rolling pin that prevents rotation around the pivot axis x is shown. See partial figures 9c and 9d. Comparing partial figures 9a and 9b with partial figures 9e, 9f, and 9g, it can be seen that the leaf spring may have different configurations in the neutral position with respect to negative and positive inclinations. [Figure 9-3]Figure e is similar to Figure 8a, but is a schematic cross-sectional view of the leaf spring support structure of the cutter unit illustrating the elasticity of the leaf spring that enables the cutter unit to penetrate along a penetration axis perpendicular to the skin contact surface. Comparing partial figures 9a and 9b, the translational penetration of the cutter unit along the drive axis z is shown, and further, the rigidity of the leaf spring support structure against the rotational movement of the cutter unit about a pivot axis x that extends substantially parallel to the drive axis of the cutter element is shown. In addition to the leaf spring, an anti-rolling pin that prevents rotation about the pivot axis x is shown. See partial figures 9c and 9d. Comparing partial figures 9a and 9b with partial figures 9e, 9f, and 9g, it can be seen that the leaf spring may have different configurations in the neutral position with respect to negative and positive inclinations. [Figure 9-4] Figure f is similar to Figure 9e, but is a schematic cross-sectional view of the leaf spring support structure of the cutter unit illustrating the elasticity of the leaf spring that enables the cutter unit to penetrate along a penetration axis perpendicular to the skin contact surface. Comparing partial Figure 9a and partial Figure 9b, the translational penetration of the cutter unit along the penetration axis z is shown, and further, the rigidity of the leaf spring support structure against the rotational movement of the cutter unit about a pivot axis x that extends substantially parallel to the drive axis of the cutter element is shown. In addition to the leaf spring, an anti-rolling pin that prevents rotation about the pivot axis x is shown. See partial Figures 9c and 9d. Comparing partial Figures 9a and 9b with partial Figures 9e, 9f, and 9g, it can be seen that the leaf spring may have different configurations in the neutral position with respect to negative and positive inclinations. [Figure 9-5]Figure g is similar to Figure 9e, but is a schematic cross-sectional view of the leaf spring support structure of the cutter unit illustrating the elasticity of the leaf spring that enables the cutter unit to penetrate along a penetration axis perpendicular to the skin contact surface. Comparing partial Figure 9a and partial Figure 9b, the translational penetration of the cutter unit along the penetration axis z is shown, and further, the rigidity of the leaf spring support structure against the rotational movement of the cutter unit about a pivot axis x that extends substantially parallel to the drive axis of the cutter element is shown. In addition to the leaf spring, an anti-rolling pin that prevents rotation about the pivot axis x is shown. See partial Figures 9c and 9d. Comparing partial Figures 9a and 9b with partial Figures 9e, 9f, and 9g, it can be seen that the leaf spring may have different configurations in the neutral position with respect to negative and positive inclinations. [Figure 9-6] h is a cross-sectional view 9h of a shaver head having, in addition to the leaf spring, an additional spring around a drive pin to control the descent of the cutter unit. [Figure 10-1] Figure a is a side view of the leaf spring support structure, and partial figures 10a, 10b, and 10c show the inclination of the cutter unit around the inclination axis y due to the elastic bending of the leaf spring, and partial figures 10d and 10e show the rigidity of the leaf spring support structure against rotational movement of the cutter unit around the submersion axis z, and the support structure has an anti-rolling pin to prevent such rotation. Figure b is a cross-sectional view of the leaf spring support structure, and partial figures 10a, 10b, and 10c show the inclination of the cutter unit around the inclination axis y due to the elastic bending of the leaf spring, and partial figures 10d and 10e show the rigidity of the leaf spring support structure against rotational movement of the cutter unit around the submersion axis z, and the support structure has an anti-rolling pin to prevent such rotation. c is a side view of the leaf spring support structure, and partial figures 10a, 10b, and 10c show the inclination of the cutter unit around the inclination axis y by elastically bending the leaf spring, and partial figures 10d and 10e show the rigidity of the leaf spring support structure against rotational movement of the cutter unit around the submersion axis z, the support structure having an anti-rolling pin to prevent such rotation. [Figure 10-2]Figure d is a perspective view of the leaf spring support structure, with partial figures 10a, 10b, and 10c showing the inclination of the cutter unit around the inclination axis y due to the elastic bending of the leaf spring, and partial figures 10d and 10e showing the rigidity of the leaf spring support structure against rotational movement of the cutter unit around the submersion axis z, the support structure having an anti-rolling pin to prevent such rotation. Figure e is a cross-sectional view of the leaf spring support structure, with partial figures 10a, 10b, and 10c showing the inclination of the cutter unit around the inclination axis y due to the elastic bending of the leaf spring, and partial figures 10d and 10e showing the rigidity of the leaf spring support structure against rotational movement of the cutter unit around the submersion axis z, the support structure having an anti-rolling pin to prevent such rotation. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0029] To enable more comfortable shaving and / or trimming by improving the adaptation of the cutter unit to the contours of the skin, an improved support structure is proposed to reduce the skin contact pressure required to achieve a conformity, while simultaneously enabling efficient driving of the cutter elements working together, minimizing mechanical loss and noise. Diving refers to vertical movement along the z-axis, and therefore perpendicular to the skin level of the upper cutting element. Thus, when the cutting unit is pressed perpendicularly to the skin, the cutting unit dives into the shaver head and / or towards the handle to better adapt to the contours of the skin.

[0030] More specifically, it is proposed that the rocking mechanism of the support structure, which enables self-adaptation of at least one cutter unit to the unevenness of the surface, includes an elongated leaf spring, which elastically holds at least one cutter unit in the cutter head frame, enabling self-adaptation of the cutter unit to the unevenness of the surface, and strengthens the suspension of the cutter unit with respect to the driving movement of the drivable cutter element relative to the fixed cutter element, thereby improving driving efficiency and vibration. More specifically, the leaf spring is made of a plastic material. This allows for easy manufacturing, for example by injection molding, and integrated design of the suspension function, for example, with mounting means not only at the ends but also at the center of the leaf spring. Exemplary plastic materials may have an elastic modulus greater than 3500 MPa or greater than 3800 MPa. PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) is one arbitrary example of such a plastic material for leaf springs. Flexibility can be mainly provided by the geometric design of the leaf spring. Therefore, by changing the cross-section of the plastic leaf spring, and / or by changing the height or thickness of the extension perpendicular to the elongated extension of the plastic leaf spring, different stiffness or flexibility can be provided. Thus, the leaf spring may have designated flexible and inflexible portions, enabling more controlled suspension, and may provide additional mounting structural features for connecting to other components at its inflexible or less flexible portion.

[0031] In a further embodiment, an additional screw or coil-type biasing spring (140) is provided to bias a drivable cutter element relative to a fixed cutter element, the biasing spring (140) being made of metal. Thus, the cutting unit or a component of the cutting unit may be suspended or biased by two different types of springs made of different materials, each optimized for its function.

[0032] More specifically, the leaf spring is securely attached at one end to a first end or edge of the cutter unit, and at the other end to the cutter head frame at a spring support adjacent to a second end or edge of the cutter unit opposite to the first end or edge. The leaf spring extends from its fixing point on the cutter head frame across or along the cutter unit to hold the cutter unit at the opposite end / edge on the cutter head, away from the leaf spring fixing point. The secure attachment at both ends allows the leaf spring to stabilize the cutter unit with respect to the driveable cutter element relative to the fixed cutter element, while simultaneously enabling self-adaptive movement by bending the leaf spring.

[0033] More specifically, the leaf spring can form a kind of double cantilever support structure for the cutter unit, where the leaf spring itself is cantilevered on the cutter head frame, forming a cantilever beam-like element that protrudes from the cutter head frame and is fixedly attached to the cutter head frame. On the other hand, the cutter unit is cantilevered at the opposite end of the leaf spring, forming a kind of cantilever element that protrudes from the leaf spring and is fixedly attached to the leaf spring.

[0034] In a side view having an observation axis parallel to the inclination axis, the leaf spring, together with the cutter unit and the cutter head frames attached to both ends of the leaf spring, can form a z-shaped support structure due to the elastic bending of the leaf spring, which allows the cutter unit to dive and tilt along the dive axis relative to the cutter head frame and around the inclination axis, while the leaf spring can substantially firmly hold the cutter unit in a direction perpendicular to the dive axis and the inclination axis, thereby increasing the driving efficiency. More generally, the support structure including the leaf spring can form an eccentricity that elastically holds the cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame, and since the ends of the leaf spring are firmly attached to the cutter head frame on one head and the cutter unit on the other, the leaf spring needs to be bent to move the cutter head unit.

[0035] Such a leaf spring support structure is particularly advantageous in that it requires only a few parts to self-adaptively suspend the cutter unit. The support structure can be flexible, elastic, and resilient with respect to self-adaptive movement, thereby achieving good adaptation to uneven surfaces without requiring high skin contact pressure. At the same time, it achieves firm support of the cutter unit with little to no play in drive movement, thereby avoiding losses in the transmission of driving force / torque and vibration amplitude, and further avoiding rattling noise and vibration.

[0036] A spring mechanism for a support structure that enables micro-recession and / or micro-tilting of at least one cutter unit can basically include a pair of leaf springs, which may be arranged in an X-shape, with the two leaf springs being firmly attached, one to an opposing end or edge of the cutter unit and the other to two parts of the cutter head frame that are opposite each other and adjacent to the opposing ends / edges of the cutter unit. Both leaf springs can be bent to enable micro-recession and / or micro-tilting of the cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame. Such a double leaf spring configuration can form a symmetrical suspension structure for elastically suspending the cutter unit to the cutter head frame.

[0037] However, alternatively, the support structure, more specifically its spring mechanism, may be asymmetrical, in which case only one leaf spring may be provided such that only one end or edge of the cutter unit is attached to and / or elastically held by the spring.

[0038] Despite such eccentric mounting of the leaf spring to the cutter unit and the asymmetric layout of the spring mechanism, the elastic support structure of at least one cutter unit may nevertheless be configured to result in symmetric self-adaptation, in particular symmetric micro-dive and / or micro-tilt. The leaf spring may result in the same tilt resistance and / or the same dive resistance for both the right and left cutter unit portions. More specifically, the leaf spring may be configured such that, when the cutter unit is subjected to a skin contact pressure represented by a skin contact force resulting from passing through the center of the cutter unit, the cutter unit dives along the dive axis without tilting around the tilt axis, despite the eccentric mounting of the leaf spring to the cutter unit. In other words, when the skin contact force is supplied to the center of the skin contact surface of the cutter unit, the cutter unit does not tilt to the left or right, but descends translationally or uniformly at both ends, i.e., the opposing ends of the cutter unit descend by the same distance.

[0039] The self-adaptive movement of the cutter unit relative to the cutter frame involves bending of a leaf spring. Therefore, the bending characteristics of the leaf spring can be configured such that the cutter unit's response to skin contact pressure during micro-diving and / or micro-tilting movements is symmetrical and / or proportional to or corresponding to the distribution of skin contact pressure along the skin contact surface of the cutter unit. When the resulting skin contact force passes through the center, the cutter unit dives translationally without tilting. When the resulting skin contact force passes through the right-hand portion of the cutter unit, the cutter unit may dive and tilt clockwise, or tilt clockwise only. On the other hand, when the resulting skin contact force passes through the left-hand portion of the cutter unit, diving and tilting counterclockwise, or tilting counterclockwise only, may occur.

[0040] The leaf spring may have bent portions adjacent to the ends of the leaf spring that are attached to the cutter head and the cutter unit, respectively, and these bent portions may provide substantially the same bending stiffness and may have substantially the same length. More specifically, such bent portions may be arranged symmetrically and may provide the same bending characteristics of the leaf spring in leaf spring regions adjacent on one side to the cutter unit and / or the cutter unit mounting point, and adjacent on the other side to the cutter head and / or the cutter head mounting point.

[0041] Between such bent portions adjacent to the leaf spring mounting points, the leaf spring may include a central portion configured to separate the bent portions and have greater rigidity than the bent portions.

[0042] More specifically, the central portion of the leaf spring may have a central thickness greater than the thickness of the bent portion. In addition to, or instead of, such an increase in the thickness of the central portion, the central portion may have a central width greater than the width of the bent portion of the leaf spring. Due to the increase in the thickness and / or width of the central portion, the central portion is significantly more rigid and / or stiffer than the bent portion, and therefore the bending of the leaf spring due to the skin contact pressure of the cutter unit occurs in clearly defined portions and / or locations, and therefore the micro-penetration and / or micro-inclination of the cutter unit due to the bending of the leaf spring is well controlled.

[0043] To increase the bending rigidity of the central portion, one or more reinforcing ribs can be provided in such a central portion to increase its thickness and / or width.

[0044] The leaf spring may be configured to function along the entire descent path of the cutter unit and / or to control the descent movement of the cutter unit along the entire descent path. More specifically, the leaf spring may be configured to provide a descent restoring force that attempts to return the cutter unit to its neutral / starting position after descent, and such a restoring force may have a characteristic proportional to the descent path, i.e., the restoring force may continuously increase with increasing descent movement. The leaf spring may provide a restoring force greater than zero even when the cutter unit is in its home or starting position, and therefore at least some skin contact pressure is required to initiate the descent of the cutter unit, and the restoring force may continuously increase as the cutting unit descents deeper. However, other restoring force characteristics are also possible, for example, in the sense of a nonlinear increase along the descent path.

[0045] The leaf spring may be the only spring providing a restoring force against submersion. Alternatively, the spring mechanism may include one or more additional springs to hinder submersion movement. More specifically, at least one additional spring may be provided to adjust the restoring force characteristics provided by the leaf spring. For example, such an additional spring may be configured to function only for a portion of the submersion path of the cutter unit. More specifically, such an additional spring may not function, and / or provide a restoring force, and / or not function along the first portion of the submersion path available to the cutter unit when the cutter unit is in its neutral / starting position and / or has not yet submerged. In other words, such an additional spring may be configured to function only after the cutter unit has begun submerging over a certain distance from the neutral / starting position.

[0046] For example, the additional spring may be disengaged from the cutter unit and / or disengaged from the cutter head frame as long as the cutter unit is in its neutral / starting position and / or has not yet submerged a certain distance, and / or a gap or play may be provided between the additional spring and the cutter unit when the cutter unit is in its neutral / starting position.

[0047] Such additional springs may be configured to provide only a restoring force that counteracts submersion but not tilting movement. For example, the additional springs may engage with the central portion of the cutter unit.

[0048] The leaf springs can be inclined at a relatively small angle with respect to the skin contact surface of the cutter unit and / or with respect to the drive axis through which the cutter elements reciprocate or move relative to each other, such that this angle may even be zero at certain submerged / inclined positions. More specifically, when the cutter unit is still in its neutral or starting position, not yet submerged and / or not subjected to skin contact pressure, the leaf spring may extend at an acute angle to a virtual plane perpendicular to the submersion axis and / or parallel to the skin contact surface of the cutter head, along with its longitudinal axis and / or a virtual connecting line passing through the ends of the leaf spring, such an acute angle may be less than 30°, less than 20°, or less than 10°, and the acute angle may be 0 at the aforementioned starting position of the cutter unit, and therefore, in other words, the leaf spring may extend parallel to the skin contact surface before submersion begins.

[0049] Depending on the configuration of the cutter unit and / or the housing environment, the leaf spring may be inclined at a negative acute angle or a positive acute angle when the cutter unit is in its neutral / starting position. In other words, the connection point of the leaf spring to the cutter unit may be higher or lower than the connection point of the leaf spring to the cutter head frame, and the height dimension may be considered in the direction perpendicular to the skin contact surface of the cutter head. In other words, when the cutter unit is in its home position, the connection point of the leaf spring to the cutter unit may be closer to or further from the skin contact surface than the connection point of the leaf spring to the cutter head frame. According to another option, the connection points of the leaf spring to the cutter unit and the cutter head frame, respectively, may be located at the same height and / or the same distance from the skin contact surface when the cutter head is in its neutral / starting position.

[0050] A leaf spring may have a straight longitudinal axis, in which case the aforementioned virtual connecting line passing through the ends of the leaf spring coincides with such a straight longitudinal axis. However, it is fundamentally possible for a leaf spring to have one or more curved portions and / or one or more angled portions, and therefore the longitudinal axis may have a curved configuration and / or an angled configuration. In such cases, the aforementioned virtual line connecting the ends of the leaf spring does not coincide with the longitudinal axis.

[0051] Nevertheless, in order to have a rigid and firm configuration with respect to the drive movement, the leaf spring may have a straight longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel to or slightly inclined with respect to the drive shaft, and thus the leaf spring exhibits significant resistance to the reaction force implied by the drive movement of the cutter element.

[0052] The drive shaft of the cutter element may extend substantially parallel to the skin contact surface, especially when the cutter element has an elongated configuration, and the cutter elements may reciprocate relative to each other along such a drive shaft. Essentially, the drive shaft may also extend substantially perpendicular to the skin contact surface, allowing for the rotation of the cutter elements cooperating with each other, for example, with respect to rotational vibration.

[0053] To help the leaf spring firmly and securely hold the cutter unit with respect to the driving force, the leaf spring may be positioned in a common plane including the drive shaft and the longitudinal leaf spring axis. In other words, a distorted configuration of the leaf spring relative to the drive shaft can be avoided. More specifically, the leaf spring may extend in a virtual plane including the drive shaft of the cutter element and / or perpendicular to the skin contact surface and / or including the burrowing shaft, along with its longitudinal axis.

[0054] More specifically, the longitudinal axis of the leaf spring may extend within such a virtual plane, but the leaf spring may be positioned substantially perpendicular to the virtual plane in its width direction, and as a result, the movement of the leaf spring due to bending occurs substantially parallel to such a virtual plane.

[0055] In addition to the described self-adaptive movement of the cutter unit relative to the cutter head frame with respect to the fine submersion and / or fine inclination described above, the cutter head may be movably supported relative to the handle so as to allow the cutter head to rotate and self-adjust to the contours of the skin being shaved or trimmed. More specifically, the support structure connecting the cutter head to the handle head portion is given at least one degree of freedom of rotation, allowing the cutter head to rotate relative to the handle head portion around at least one axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle.

[0056] More specifically, the support structure connecting the cutter head to the handle head portion may include a pivot axis that allows the cutter head to swivel relative to the handle head portion, and a tilt axis that allows the cutter head to tilt relative to the handle head portion. The pivot and tilt axes may extend substantially perpendicular to each other, and at the same time, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle head portion, and / or substantially parallel to the skin contact surface of the cutter head. The tilt axis may include the longitudinal axis of the handle and extend substantially parallel to a plane substantially parallel to the natural, normally reciprocating shaving motion. For example, when the cutter head has a leading edge and a trailing edge that move along the skin being shaved, the tilt axis may extend perpendicular to the leading edge and the trailing edge. On the other hand, the pivot axis may extend perpendicular to the direction in which the cutter head moves along the skin being shaved, and therefore substantially parallel to the trailing edge and the leading edge.

[0057] The cutter head may be pressed toward the neutral and / or starting position by a restoring mechanism when no skin contact pressure is applied to the cutter head, and such a restoring mechanism may include a biasing mechanism or spring mechanism that applies a biasing force and / or biasing torque to restore the cutter head to the starting position relative to the handle. Such a restoring force needs to be relieved by skin contact pressure in order to have inclination and / or rotation and / or dive.

[0058] Such a biasing mechanism of a restoring mechanism may include a spring device configured to deflect in opposite directions from a stationary or home position, and each of these deflections in opposite directions generates a restoring force that returns the device to the home position. Depending on the torsional direction, and therefore the deflection direction, of the spring device, a restoring force is generated in the opposite direction.

[0059] As can be seen in Figure 1, the hair cutter 1 may be configured as an electric razor and / or electric trimmer having one or more cutter units 3, where the cutter unit 3 may be part of a cutter head 2 attached to the handle 10 of the hair cutter 1. More specifically, the hair cutter 1 may include an elongated handle 10 housing electronic and / or electrical components such as a control unit, an electric drive motor 30 or a magnetic drive motor, and a drive train for transmitting the motor's drive operation to a cutter system 3 in the cutter head 2, where the cutter head 2 may be positioned at one end of the elongated handle 10. See Figure 1.

[0060] The cutter system 3 may include one or more shear foil cutters 4 for short stubble and / or one or more comb-like cutter units 5 for longer stubble or problem hair, for example, the cutter head 2 may have two elongated comb-like long hair cutters 5 positioned between a pair of shear foil cutters 4 or alternatively positioned on the outer edges of such shear foil cutters.

[0061] As shown in Figure 1, the cutter head 2 may include an elongated cutter unit having cooperative cutter elements, which may reciprocate relative to each other along a linear path defining the drive shaft 20, thereby producing a cutting action by passing over each other. Alternatively, the cutter head 2 may also include a rounded or circular cutter unit having cooperative cutter elements that rotate relative to each other to produce a cutting action, which is essentially the same as the reciprocating cutting elements, as radially extending teeth and / or disc-shaped blade elements cooperate with disc-shaped shear foils that pass over each other as they rotate and / or oscillate, thereby producing a cutting action.

[0062] As shown in Figure 3, the drive system may include a motor 30, the motor's shaft of which can rotate an eccentric drive pin received between the channel-shaped outer casings of a driver 18, for example, this vibrating bridge being connected to one or more of the cutting units 4 and 5, resulting in reciprocating motion due to the engagement of the rotating eccentric drive pin with the outer casing of the driver 18.

[0063] As shown in the figure, the cooperating cutting elements 11 and 12 of the long-hair cutter 5 may basically have a configuration of at least substantially plate-like shapes, and each cutting element may include one or more rows of cutting teeth. The cutting elements may be supported and positioned such that their flat sides are positioned on top of each other, so that the cutting teeth of the cutting elements may be in contact with each other back-to-back like the blades of scissors.

[0064] In addition to such comb-shaped cutter units 5, a shear foil type cutter unit 4 may include a shear foil 12 having at least one cutting perforation area and defining the skin contact surface of the cutter unit, and a blade element having a plurality of cutting blades 11 that move beneath the shear foil and cooperate with the perforation. The shear foil 12 may be a fixed cutter element, while the cutting blades may be a drivable cutter element driven by a motor 30 via the aforementioned driver 18 so as to reciprocate along a drive shaft 20.

[0065] Furthermore, the long-hair or comb-shaped cutter unit 5 described above, more specifically the cutter elements 11 and 12, can be driven relative to each other along such a drive shaft 20.

[0066] Such a drive shaft 20 extends essentially parallel to the skin contact surface 21 and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the elongated cutter units 4 and 5, enabling the elongated cutter elements 11 and 12 to reciprocate relative to each other.

[0067] The cutter head 2 is attached to the handle 10 and may be supported so as to be rotatable around a pivot axis and an inclination axis, the pivot axis and the inclination axis may extend substantially perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal handle axis of the handle 10.

[0068] In addition to or instead of the overall tilt and / or rotation of the cutter head 2, the cutter units 4, 5 described above are movably suspended relative to the cutter head frame 6 and to each other, allowing for fine burrowing and fine tilting of the cutter head unit 4. More specifically, each cutter unit 4, 5 can burrow individually along a burrowing axis z that may extend substantially perpendicular to the skin contact surface 21. See Figure 2. Furthermore, each of the cutter units 4, 5 can burrow individually around a tilting axis y that extends substantially perpendicular to the burrowing axis z described above, and therefore substantially parallel to the skin contact surface 21, and at the same time substantially perpendicular to the main axis of the corresponding cutter unit, the main axis may be the longitudinal axis of the cutter unit when such a cutter unit has an elongated shape. See Figures 1, 2, and 3.

[0069] When considering the spindle 40 of the cutter head 2 (see Figure 1), the inclined axis y may extend perpendicular to such spindle 40 and substantially parallel to the skin contact surface 21. Such a spindle 40 may extend parallel to the longer side edge of the cutter head 2, and / or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated cutter elements 4, 5, and / or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal handle axis of the handle 2. As can be seen from Figure 1, the cutter head 2 may have a substantially rectangular plate-like or block-like shape with a pair of longer side edges positioned on the opposing sides of the functional surface or skin contact surface 13, facing away from the handle 2. The submersion axis z may extend substantially perpendicular to the skin contact surface 21.

[0070] To enable such fine penetration and fine tilting of the cutter units 4 and 5 relative to the cutter head 2, an elastic support structure 7 including a spring mechanism 8 is provided to elastically support each of the cutter units 4 and 5 on the cutter head frame 6.

[0071] The spring mechanism 8 of the support structure 7 includes leaf springs 9 for each of the cutter units 4 and 5.

[0072] Such leaf springs may be elongated and have a substantially rod-like or plate-like structure; see, for example, Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 shows a leaf spring 9 for elastically suspending a shear foil type cutter unit 4, and Figure 5 shows two leaf springs 9 for elastically suspending a long-hair cutter unit 5. As shown in Figure 5, a pair of leaf springs 9 may be connected to each other at one end, and thus both leaf springs 9 may have a common mounting point on the cutter head frame 6. Nevertheless, the leaf springs 9 may be terminating and therefore move individually, allowing for the individual self-adaptation of the cutter units supported by the leaf springs 9.

[0073] As shown in Figure 2, each of the cutter units 4 and 5 may have its own leaf spring 9, and each cutter unit 4, 5 may have exactly one leaf spring 9.

[0074] More specifically, the leaf spring 9 is securely attached at one end 14 to the first end 4a, 5a or edge of the cutter unit 4, 5, and at the other opposite end 13, it is securely attached to the cutter head frame 6 at the spring support portion 17 of the leaf spring 9 adjacent to the second end 4b, 5b or edge of the cutter unit 4, 5, opposite to the aforementioned first end 4a, 5a or edge.

[0075] The leaf spring 9 extends from its fixed point on the cutter head frame 6 across or along the cutter units 4, 5, and can hold the cutter units 4, 5 at the opposite end / edge away from the leaf spring fixing point on the cutter head 2. Due to the firm attachment at both ends, the leaf spring 9 stabilizes the cutter unit with respect to the driving motion of the drivable cutter element 11 relative to the fixed cutter element 12, while simultaneously allowing for self-adaptive movement by bending the leaf spring 9.

[0076] Therefore, the leaf spring 9 can form a kind of double cantilever support structure for the cutter units 4 and 5, where the leaf spring 9 itself is cantilevered on the cutter head frame 6, forming a cantilever beam-like element that protrudes from the cutter head frame 6 and is fixedly attached to the cutter head frame 6. On the other hand, the cutter units 4 and 5 are cantilevered at the opposite end of the leaf spring 9, forming a kind of cantilever element that protrudes from the leaf spring and is fixedly attached to the leaf spring.

[0077] Referring to the side view on a line of sight parallel to the inclination axis y, Figures 7a and 7c, the leaf spring 9, together with the cutter units 4 and 5 and the cutter head frame 6 attached to both ends 13 and 14 of the leaf spring 9, can form a z-shaped support structure 7 that allows the cutter units 4 and 5 to dive and tilt along the dive axis z and around the inclination axis y, due to the elastic bending of the leaf spring 9, while the leaf spring can substantially firmly hold the cutter unit in the direction of the drive axis 20, i.e., perpendicular to the dive axis and the inclination axis, thereby increasing the driving efficiency.

[0078] The support structure 7, more specifically its spring mechanism 8, may be asymmetrical, and as shown in the figure, only one leaf spring 9 may be provided, so that only one end 4a, 5a or edge of the cutter units 4, 5 is attached to the leaf spring 9 and / or elastically held by the spring.

[0079] Despite the eccentric mounting of the leaf spring 9 to the cutter units 4, 5 and the asymmetric layout of the spring mechanism, the elastic support structure of at least one cutter unit may nevertheless be configured to result in symmetric self-adaptation, in particular symmetric micro-dive and / or micro-tilt. The leaf spring 9 may provide the same tilt resistance and / or the same dive resistance to both the right cutter unit portions 4a and 4b and the left cutter unit portions 5a and 5b. More specifically, the leaf spring 9 may be configured such that, when the cutter unit is subjected to a skin contact pressure represented by the skin contact force resulting from the cutter unit passing through its center, the cutter units 4, 5 dive along the dive axis without tilting around the tilt axis, despite the eccentric mounting of the leaf spring to the cutter unit. In other words, when the skin contact force is supplied to the center of the skin contact surface of the cutter unit, the cutter unit dives translationally or uniformly at both ends, without tilting to the left or right; i.e., the opposing ends of the cutter unit dive by the same distance. See Figure 9b and Figure 9a in the non-dive state.

[0080] The self-adaptive movement of the cutter units 4 and 5 relative to the cutter head frame 6 proceeds together with the bending of the leaf spring 9. Therefore, the bending characteristics of the leaf spring 9 can be configured such that the response of the cutter units 4 and 5 to skin contact pressure with respect to micro-submersion and / or micro-tilting movement is symmetrical. When the resulting skin contact force passes through the center of the cutter units 4 and 5, the cutter units 4 and 5 submerge translationally without tilting. When the resulting skin contact force passes through the right-hand portion of the cutter units 4 and 5, the cutter units may submerge and tilt clockwise, or tilt clockwise only. On the other hand, when the resulting skin contact force passes through the left-hand portion of the cutter units 4 and 5, they may submerge and tilt counterclockwise, or tilt counterclockwise only.

[0081] The leaf spring 9 may have bent portions 9b adjacent to the ends 13, 14 of the leaf spring that are attached to the cutter head 2 and cutter units 4, 5, respectively, and these bent portions 9b may provide substantially the same bending stiffness and may have substantially the same length. More specifically, such bent portions 9b may be arranged symmetrically and may provide the same bending characteristics of the leaf spring 9 in leaf spring regions adjacent on one side to the cutter units 4, 5 and / or cutter unit mounting points, and adjacent on the other side to the cutter head 2 and / or cutter head mounting points.

[0082] Between such bent portions 9b adjacent to the leaf spring mounting points, the leaf spring 9 may include a central portion 9c that connects the bent portions 9b and is configured to have higher rigidity than the bent portions 9b.

[0083] More specifically, the central portion 9c of the leaf spring 9 may have a central thickness 9ct that is greater than the thickness of the bent portion 9b. In addition to, or instead of, such an increase in the thickness of the central portion, the central portion may have a central width 9cw that is greater than the width of the bent portion of the leaf spring. See Figure 4.

[0084] Due to the increased thickness and / or width of the central portion, the central portion 9c is significantly more rigid and / or stiffer than the bent portion 9b. The bending of the leaf spring 9 caused by the skin contact pressure of the cutter unit occurs in clearly defined portions and / or positions, and therefore the fine penetration and / or fine inclination of the cutter units 4 and 5 caused by the bending of the leaf spring 9 is well controlled.

[0085] To increase the bending rigidity of the central portion 9c, one or more reinforcing ribs can be provided in such central portion 9c to increase its thickness and / or width.

[0086] The leaf spring 9 can be inclined with respect to the skin contact surfaces 21 of the cutter units 4 and 5, and / or with respect to the drive shafts 20 in which the cutter elements reciprocate or move relative to each other, at a relatively small inclination angle α, such that the leaf spring 9 has flexible and resilient suspension characteristics with respect to the desired self-adaptive movement of the cutter units 4 and 5, and at the same time has firm and rigid support characteristics with respect to the direction of drive movement of the driveable cutter element 11 and the fixed cutter element 12 relative to each other, and this inclination angle α may even be zero at a certain descent / inclination position and / or at the starting position or home position. More specifically, when the cutter unit is not yet submerged and / or in the home or neutral position where skin contact force is zero, the leaf spring 9 may extend perpendicular to the submersion axis and / or parallel to a virtual plane parallel to the skin contact surface 21 of the cutter head 2, or at an acute angle α with respect to that virtual plane, along with its longitudinal axis and / or virtual connecting lines passing through the ends 13, 14 of the leaf spring 9, and when the cutter units 4, 5 are in a kind of stationary position when no skin contact pressure is applied to the cutter unit, such acute angle α may be less than 30°, less than 20°, or less than 10°.

[0087] As can be seen from a comparison between Figures 9a, 9b and Figures 9e, 9f, the leaf spring can be inclined at a positive acute angle or a negative acute angle α with respect to the virtual plane. More specifically, Figure 9e shows that when the height is considered to be perpendicular to the skin contact surface 21, the connection point of the leaf spring 9 to the cutter units 4, 5 can be positioned higher than the connection point of the leaf spring 9 to the cutter head frame. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 9f, when the cutter unit is in its home position and has not yet received skin contact pressure, in the alternative example of Figure 9e, the connection point of the leaf spring to the cutter units 4, 5 can be positioned lower than the connection point of the leaf spring to the cutter head frame. Figure 9g shows a kind of intermediate configuration in which the leaf spring 9 can extend substantially parallel to the skin contact surface 21 when the cutter unit is in its neutral position and receives zero skin contact pressure. In other words, the connection point of the leaf spring to the cutter units 4, 5 and the connection point of the leaf spring to the cutter head frame can be positioned at substantially the same height. Please refer to Figure 9g.

[0088] The leaf spring 9 may have a substantially straight longitudinal axis so as to have a rigid and firm configuration with respect to the drive movement. See Figures 4 and 5. Such a straight longitudinal axis may extend substantially parallel to or slightly inclined with respect to the drive shaft 20, and therefore the leaf spring 9 exhibits significant resistance to the reaction force generated by the drive movement of the cutter element.

[0089] The drive shaft of the cutter element may extend substantially parallel to the skin contact surface 21, especially when the cutter element has an elongated configuration, and the cutter elements may reciprocate relative to each other along such a drive shaft.

[0090] To help the leaf spring 9 firmly and securely hold the cutter units 4 and 5 with respect to the driving force, the leaf spring 9 may be positioned in a common plane including the drive shaft and the longitudinal leaf spring axis. See Figures 6a-6d and 7a-7d. More specifically, the longitudinal axis of the leaf spring may extend in such a virtual plane, but the leaf spring may be positioned substantially perpendicular to the virtual plane by its width direction, and as a result, the movement of the leaf spring due to bending of the leaf spring occurs substantially parallel to such a virtual plane.

[0091] As can be seen from Figures 5 and 7a to 7d, the leaf spring 9 does not need to provide a biasing pressure or force that presses the reciprocating cutting elements 11 and 12 against each other, but separate biasing means such as one or more springs 140, such as screw springs, may be provided to press the cooperating fixed cutting element 11 and the drivable cutting element 12 against each other.

[0092] For example, one or more springs 140, such as screw springs, may function to press the drivable cutter element 11 and the fixed cutter element 12 toward each other. For example, the spring 40 may be supported on one hand by a shear foil carrier or a fixed cutter support frame and may apply spring force to the drivable cutter element 11 so as to press the drivable cutter element 11 toward the fixed cutter element 12.

[0093] Therefore, the aforementioned leaf spring 9 of the spring mechanism 8 of the support structure 7 can exclusively perform the function of adjusting the resistance and / or restoring and / or elasticity of the cutter units 4, 5 with respect to micro-dive and micro-tilting, or more generally, desired self-adaptive movement. In other words, the driving resistance with respect to friction between the movable cutter elements and the fixed cutter elements relative to each other may be independent of the leaf spring, and such driving resistance with respect to friction may depend on the contact pressure between the movable cutter elements and the fixed cutter elements, which can be controlled by one or more springs 140 shown in Figures 5, 7a-7d and 9a-9h.

[0094] Furthermore, if a separate biasing means or a separate spring device is provided to achieve the desired cutting element pressure by pressing the surfaces of the cooperating cutter elements against each other, it is no longer necessary, but still possible, to elastically press the transmission device against the drivable cutter element 11. More specifically, the drive pin 18p (see Figure 3) of the transmission device 18 does not need to be elastically pressed toward the drivable cutter element 11, but can be loosely received axially within the transmission coupling 18j of the drivable cutter unit 11. More specifically, the transmission coupling 18j may be configured to transmit force and / or torque only along or around the drive shaft 20, and not transmit force or torque in a direction perpendicular to the drive shaft 20. In particular, it is not necessary to transmit force in the longitudinal direction of the drive pin 18p of the drive bridge 18.

[0095] Nevertheless, it should be noted that the drive coupling 18j may still be configured to transmit a biasing force that biases the driveable cutter unit 11 toward the fixed cutter element 12. For example, the transmission coupling 18p may include a conical drive pin and a conical recess that receives the drive pin, or a spherical drive pin that is received in a spherical recess, such that the drive pin may be pushed in a direction perpendicular to the skin contact surface 21 in order to push the driveable cutter element 11 toward the fixed cutter element 12. In such a configuration, the leaf spring 9 may be configured to apply a biasing force toward the fixed cutter element 12 toward the opposite direction, for example, the leaf spring 9 may push the fixed cutter element 12 toward the handle 10 to balance the drive pin biasing to some extent. Thus, rapid self-adaptation with very low skin contact pressure can be achieved.

[0096] According to one embodiment, in particular, when there is no biasing of the drive coupling as described above, the submersion resistance can be controlled solely by the leaf spring 9.

[0097] However, in another embodiment, there may be at least one additional spring 150 to control the submersion of the cutter units 4, 5 and to provide a restoring force in addition to the leaf spring 9 to counteract such submersion. As can be seen from Figure 9h, such additional spring 150 for controlling submersion may be configured not to function in the neutral or home position of the cutter unit when there is no skin contact pressure, and / or not to function across the first portion of the submersion path from the neutral or home position. In other words, the additional spring 150 may not function unless the cutter units 4, 5 have already traveled a certain submersion distance.

[0098] Figures 8a and 8b show the elimination of play in the x and y directions caused by the leaf spring, which is due to the 3D rigidity of the leaf spring and the fixing of its ends.

[0099] As can be seen from Figure 9h, when the cutter unit is in its neutral or home position, there may be some play or distance between the spring 150 and the cutter units 4 and 5. More specifically, such play or distance 160 may be provided between a contact element 161 provided at one end of the spring 150 and configured to contact the cutter units 4 and 5. Such a contact element 161 may have a spherical or at least partially spherical contact surface in order to avoid the influence of the spring 150 on the tilting movement and / or to allow control of the tilting movement by the leaf spring 9 alone.

[0100] More specifically, the contact elements 161 and their corresponding parts 162 in the cutter units 4 and 5 may be configured to transmit force in a direction substantially perpendicular to the skin contact surface, but not to transmit torque and force that would cause the cutter units 4 and 5 to tilt or pivot.

[0101] As can be seen from Figure 9h, the additional spring 150 may function for a second or final portion of the descent path. When the cutter units 4 and 5 descent a certain distance under the exclusive control of the leaf spring 9, the contact element 161 engages with the cutter units 4 and 5, particularly the conical engaging element 162, and thus the cutter units need to deflect not only the leaf spring 9 but also the additional spring 150 in order to descent further.

[0102] Figures 10a to 10e show a leaf spring support structure, and parts of Figures 10a, 10b, and 10c show the inclination of the cutter unit around the inclination axis y by elastically bending the leaf spring under different inclination angles. The inclination may be caused by an asymmetric force on only one side of the cutting unit and may differ for each cutting unit in the shaver head depending on the contours of the skin being shaved. Parts of Figures 10d and 10e show the rigidity of the leaf spring support structure against rotational movement of the cutter unit around the submersion axis z, and the support structure has an anti-rolling pin to prevent such rotation. It should be noted that the anti-rolling pin and the further cutter unit guiding means described above are provided in addition to the function of the leaf spring structure which already provides limitations on the degrees of freedom of movement of the cutting unit.

[0103] Thus, the restoring characteristics of the spring mechanism 8 for adjusting the submersion can have a two-stage configuration. In the first part of the submersion path, linear restoring characteristics can be provided by the leaf spring 9 alone, but in the last part of the submersion path, linear but stronger restoring characteristics can be provided by the cooperation of the leaf spring 9 and the additional spring 150.

[0104] Regardless of the structure of the transmission device, the leaf spring 9 may be configured to enable rapid self-adaptation with respect to very low skin contact pressures, such as fine inclines and fine dips.

[0105] In addition to the aforementioned fine adaptive movement of the cutter units 4 and 5 relative to the cutter head 2, the entire cutter head 2 may move relative to the handle 2.

[0106] The dimensions and values ​​disclosed herein should not be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values ​​listed. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the listed value and the functionally equivalent range encompassing that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "approximately 40 mm."

Claims

1. A hair cutter (1) such as an electric razor and / or electric trimmer (1), comprising a handle (10), a cutter head (2) attached to the handle (10), and at least one cutter unit (4, 5) including a pair of drivable cutter elements (11) and fixed cutter elements (12) that cooperate with each other, wherein the cutter unit (4, 5) is adjustablely supported by means of a support structure (7), and the support structure (7) is the skin of the cutter unit (4, 5) A hair cutter (1) comprising a spring mechanism (8) for enabling the cutter unit to elastically adapt to the unevenness of the skin with respect to the inclination of the cutter unit (4, 5) with respect to the cutter head frame (16) with respect to the inclination axis (y) of the cutter unit with respect to the inclination axis (y) of the cutter head frame (16), wherein the spring mechanism (8) comprises at least one elongated leaf spring (9), and the leaf spring (9) is made of a plastic material.

2. The hair cutter according to claim 1, wherein an additional screw or coil-type biasing spring (140) is provided for biasing the drivable cutter element relative to the fixed cutter element, and the biasing spring (140) is made of metal.

3. The hair cutter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the leaf spring (9) has a cross-section and / or an extension that changes in the height or thickness direction perpendicular to its elongated extension.

4. The hair cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the leaf spring (9) includes an end or edge portion (13, 14), a central portion (9c), and a pair of bent portions (9b) between the central portion (9c) and the end portion (13, 14) of the leaf spring, and the central portion has a higher rigidity than the bent portions (9b).

5. The hair cutter according to claim 4, wherein the central portion (9c) has a central thickness (9ct) that is greater than the thickness (9bt) of the bent portion (9b) of the leaf spring (9), and / or a central width (9cw) that is greater than the width (9bw) of the bent portion (9b).

6. The hair cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the leaf spring (9) has bending properties configured such that when the cutter unit (4, 5) receives skin contact pressure and the resulting skin contact force passes through the center of the cutter unit (4, 5), the cutter unit (4, 5) will penetrate along the penetration axis (z) without tilting around the inclination axis (y), despite the eccentric mounting of the leaf spring (9) to the cutter unit (4, 5).

7. The hair cutter according to claim 6, wherein the leaf spring has bent portions (9b) adjacent to the ends (13, 14) of the leaf spring (9) which are attached to the cutter head (2) and the cutter units (4, 5), respectively, the bent portions (9b) provide substantially the same bending stiffness and have substantially the same length, and the bent portions (9b) are separated from each other by a central portion (9c) of the leaf spring which has significantly higher bending stiffness than the bending stiffness of the bent portions (9b).

8. The hair cutter according to claim 7, wherein the leaf spring (9) is securely attached at one end (14) to the first end or edge (4a, 5a) of the cutter unit (4, 5), and at the other end (13) to the cutter head frame (6) at the spring support portion (17) of the cutter head frame (6) adjacent to the second end (4b, 5b) or edge of the cutter unit (4, 5) on the opposite side of the first end or edge of the cutter unit (4, 5).

9. The hair cutter according to claim 8, wherein the support structure (7) elastically holds the cutter unit (4, 5) with respect to the submersion and / or tilt self-adaptive movement of the cutter unit (4, 5) and firmly holds the cutter unit (4, 5) with respect to the driveable cutter element (11) and the fixed cutter element (12) of the cutter unit (4, 5) relative to each other, the leaf spring (9) forms an elongated cantilever element that protrudes from and is fixedly attached to the cutter head frame (6), and the cutter unit (4, 5) is cantilevered by the leaf spring (9) while the cutter unit (4, 5) protrudes from and is fixedly attached to the leaf spring (9).

10. The hair cutter according to claim 9, wherein the drive shaft (20) on which the drivable cutter element and the fixed cutter elements (11, 12) are movable relative to each other, the longitudinal axis of the leaf spring (9), and the main shaft of the cutter head frame (6) extending parallel to the skin contact surface of the cutter head (2) are all defined as a Z-shaped configuration that can be elastically deformed by means of bending the leaf spring (9).

11. The hair cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein when the cutter units (4, 5) are in a neutral position with zero force on the skin contact surface (21), the leaf spring (9) extends perpendicular to the submersion axis (z) and / or at an acute angle (α) with respect to a virtual plane parallel to the skin contact surface (21) of the cutter head (2), along with a virtual connecting line passing through its longitudinal axis and / or the ends (13, 14) of the leaf spring (9), and the acute angle (α) is less than 30°, less than 20°, or less than 10°.

12. The hair cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the leaf spring (9) extends substantially perpendicular to the skin contact surface (21) of the cutter head (2), and is positioned in a virtual plane including a drive shaft (20) on which the cutter elements (11, 12) of the cutter unit (4, 5) are movable relative to each other, and the leaf spring (9) extends perpendicular to the virtual plane in its width dimension, and as a result, the movement resulting from the bending of the leaf spring (9) is substantially parallel to the virtual plane.

13. The hair cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the leaf spring (9) extends along its longitudinal axis at an acute angle (α) with respect to the drive shaft (20) of the cutter unit (4, 5), the drivable cutter element (11) and the fixed cutter element (12) of the cutter unit (4, 5) are movable relative to each other along the drive shaft (20), and the acute angle (α) is less than 30° or less than 10°.

14. below, (i) The at least one cutter unit (4, 5) has an elongated beam shape defining a longitudinal axis (x), and the first end or edge and the second end or edge (4a, 5a; 4b, 5b) are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis (x) and / or are the outermost parts of the cutter unit (4, 5) along the longitudinal axis (x), (ii) The at least one cutter unit (4, 5) has a circular or cylindrical configuration having a rotational symmetry axis (z), and the first end or edge and the second end or edge (4a, 5a; 4b, 5b) of the cutter unit (4, 5) face each other on both sides of the rotational symmetry axis (z) and / or are separated from each other along a virtual line perpendicular to the rotational symmetry axis (z), and (iii) The hair cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the first end and the second end (4a, 5a; 4b, 5b) of the cutter unit (4, 5) define the maximum extension of the cutter unit (4, 5) along an axis parallel to the skin contact surface (21) and / or are spaced apart from each other along an axis parallel to the skin contact surface (21).

15. The hair cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the leaf spring (9) is attached to the fixed cutter element (12).

16. The hair cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the spring mechanism (8) of the support structure (7) includes one leaf spring (9) and / or one spring that elastically holds the cutter unit (4, 5) in the cutter head frame (2).

17. A hair cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein a drive train for driving the cutter elements (11, 12) of at least one cutter unit (4, 5) relative to each other from a motor (30) includes a transmission coupling (18j) that gives the cutter elements a degree of freedom of axial motion perpendicular to the contact surfaces of the cooperating cutter elements in which they contact each other, thereby preventing the cooperating cutter elements from being biased relative to each other from the drive train via the transmission coupling (18j), and the drive resistance of the cutter units (4, 5) is independently controlled by the leaf spring (9) and / or exclusively controlled by a further spring (140).

18. The hair cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the transmission train for driving the cooperating cutter elements (11, 12) of at least one cutter unit (4, 5) includes a spring-driven transmission joint that applies a biasing force to the drivable cutter element (11) in order to bias the drivable cutter element (11) relative to the fixed cutter element (12), and the leaf spring (9) is configured to apply a biasing force to the fixed cutter element (12) that is opposed to the biasing force from the transmission joint.

19. The hair cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein at least one cutter unit (4) includes a sliding guide outer shape (25), the sliding guide outer shape (25) engages and / or cooperates with a cutter head sliding guide outer shape (26) to enable the cutter unit to slide into and / or tilt relative to the cutter head frame, but prevents the cutter unit (4) from pivoting relative to the cutter head frame (6) around a pivot axis (x) perpendicular to the sliding axis (z) and the tilt axis (y), and the sliding guide outer shapes (25, 26) are configured to be freely movable relative to each other in a plane including the sliding axis (z) and perpendicular to the tilt axis (y), so that the cutter units (4, 5) are held against movement along the drive shaft (20) by the leaf spring (9) alone.

20. The hair cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the cutter head (2) is movably supported on the handle (10) by means of a support structure configured to allow the cutter head (2) to self-adjust rotation to the contours of the skin, and the support structure (30) provides a pivot axis (12) and / or tilt axis (11) for the rotation and / or tilt of the cutter head (2) relative to the handle head portion (10a), and such pivot axis and tilt axis (12, 11) extend perpendicular to each other and substantially parallel to the skin contact surface of the cutter head (2).

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