rotary electric shaver

Abstract

To provide a rotary electric shaver with a structure that has spheres arranged at outer blade parts to impart a smooth skin feel, and enables inner blade bodies to rotate safely and also allow the spheres to easily rotate.SOLUTION: A rotary electric shaver 1 comprises a main body 2 and a head 4. The head 4 has a fitting part 6 where a plurality of blade units 5 are arranged and a blade frame 7 which holds the fitting part 6. Each blade unit 5 has an outer blade part 8 and an inner blade part 9. The inner blade part 9 has an inner blade body 21 where a plurality of blade edges 9a are formed in a circumferential direction and a base part 22 which is coupled to the inner blade body 21, wherein the outer blade part 8 has an annular outer blade body 31 which has a slide contact surface that the blade edges 9a come into slide contact with and where a plurality of slits 31c are formed in a circumferential direction, a disk-like cover part 32 which is arranged inside the outer blade body 31, spheres 33, and a support part 34 supporting the spheres 33, and the spheres 33 surrounded with the cover part 32 and support part 34 protrude in part from the cover part 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rotary electric shaver. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional rotary electric shaver is equipped with a single blade unit having an outer cutter with a circular outer shaving surface and an inner cutter that rotates while sliding against the inner surface of the outer cutter, and has been proposed in which a total of nine balls are fitted at one location on the central axis of the outer cutter and eight locations around the periphery of the outer cutter, with a portion of each ball protruding (Patent Document 1: Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 61-140767).A conventional rotary electric shaver is equipped with a plurality of blade units having an outer cutter with an annular outer shaving surface and an inner cutter that rotates while sliding against the inner surface of the outer cutter (Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2015-070927). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 61-140767 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-070927 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In rotary electric shavers, placing balls on the skin-contacting surface of the head offers advantages such as a smooth feel when the balls come into contact with the skin during shaving. However, the configuration of Patent Document 1, in which the ball receiving member is welded to a small portion of the outer blade and fixed in position, makes it easy for the balls attached to the ball receiving member to become misaligned. This misalignment increases frictional resistance and makes it difficult for the balls to rotate. Furthermore, because the balls are inserted into the ball receiving member from the outside of the outer blade, the outer blade may be deformed depending on the force used to insert them. Furthermore, the inner blade must be designed with a special shape to avoid collisions between the inner blade and the ball receiving member. Thus, the configuration of Patent Document 1 presents numerous manufacturing challenges. Furthermore, in the configuration of Patent Document 2, in which multiple blade units are arranged, it is significantly more difficult to arrange the balls on the skin-contacting surface of the head compared to a configuration in which a single blade unit is arranged. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a rotary electric shaver having a configuration in which a plurality of blade units are arranged, in which balls are arranged in the outer cutter section to make the shaver feel smooth on the skin, and in which the inner cutter body can rotate safely and the balls can rotate easily.

[0006] In one embodiment, the above problem is solved by the solution disclosed below.

[0007] The rotary electric shaver according to the present invention comprises a main body having a handle and a blade receiving holder, a motor connected to a first driven shaft and housed within the main body, and a head connected to the blade receiving holder, wherein the blade receiving holder is connected to the handle via a connecting portion and is tiltable relative to the handle, and the blade receiving holder has a plurality of second driven shafts connected to the first driven shaft, the head has an attachment portion on which a plurality of blade units are arranged and a blade frame that holds the attachment portion, and each of the blade units has an outer cutter and an inner cutter, and the inner cutter is arranged in a circumferential direction. The blade has an inner blade body with multiple cutting edges formed thereon and a base connected to the inner blade body, and the second driven shaft is connected to the base and rotates around the axis of the second driven shaft. The outer cutter section has an annular outer cutter body with a sliding surface against which the cutting edges slide and with multiple slits formed in the circumferential direction, a disk-shaped cover section arranged on the inner annular section of the outer cutter body, a sphere that comes into contact with the skin, and a support section that supports the sphere. The cover section has a window section with a smaller diameter than the sphere, and a part of the sphere surrounded by the cover section and the support section protrudes from the window section and comes into contact with the skin. This makes the blade smooth to the touch, and the ball is surrounded and supported by the cover and support, allowing the inner blade to rotate safely. The present invention is characterized by the following configuration.

[0008] With this configuration, the ball, which is supported by the disk-shaped cover and support located inside the annular portion, protrudes partially from the cover, allowing the ball to come into contact with the skin during shaving and feel smooth against the skin. In other words, by surrounding and supporting the ball with the cover and support, the inner blade can be configured to rotate safely, while reducing frictional resistance and allowing the ball to rotate easily.

[0009] As an example, the number of balls arranged on each outer cutter is one or more. As an example, the number of balls arranged on each outer cutter is six or less. It is preferable that the number of balls arranged on each outer cutter section is two to six, and that all of the balls are arranged at positions off the axis of the second driven shaft. This makes it easy to reduce the size of the outer cutter so that it does not interfere with the second driven shaft. Furthermore, by arranging multiple balls that are small enough not to interfere with shaving, the feel on the skin will be smoother.

[0010] The support portion is formed with a ball receiving hole that corresponds one-to-one to the ball, Support the sphere Multiple claws The aforementioned They are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction and protrude from the inner periphery of the ball receiving hole. 、 the sphere the opposite side of the side that contacts the skin to The claw portions are each This allows the claws formed at equal intervals around the circumference to support the ball from below, while minimizing the contact area between the ball and the support portion, resulting in a structure in which the ball can rotate more easily.

[0011] The ball receiving hole is provided at both sides of the claw portion from the outside. Intrusion Each has an outlet through which the hair scraps pass. Even if the hair scraps enter the interior through gaps around the ball, they pass through the discharge section and are collected in the hair scrap discharge area. This prevents hair scraps from entering the interior through gaps that are generated around the ball when the ball moves up and down. Intrusion Even if 、 The hair passes through the discharge section and the inner blade section and is collected in the lower hair chip discharge area, preventing hair chips from accumulating and interfering with the movement of the ball.

[0012] As an example, the ball is made of metal. As an example, the cover portion and the support portion are both made of resin. It is preferable that the cover portion is formed with a plurality of protruding pins, the support portion is formed with a plurality of through holes through which the pins are inserted, and the cover portion is fitted into the support portion for assembly. This allows the cover portion and the support portion to be positioned and fitted together, making it easy to position the ball.

[0013] It is preferable that the base has a first convex portion formed in the center and a first concave portion formed inside the first convex portion, the support has a second convex portion formed in the center and a second concave portion formed inside the second convex portion, the second driven shaft is fitted into the first concave portion, and the first convex portion is fitted into the second concave portion. With this, the support portion supports the ball while rotating in conjunction with the second driven shaft, causing the ball to roll, and therefore the ball can be actively rotated.

[0014] As an example, the number of blade units is 2 to 6. Preferably, three blade units are arranged on the head, and the mounting portion has grooves formed at intermediate positions between the blade units, each of which has a depth that allows the blade units to swing. This allows the three blade units to swing in accordance with the contours of the skin and come into close contact with the skin, improving shaving performance and also improving blood circulation by massaging the skin with the balls. It is preferable that the blade holder is connected to the grip portion via a connecting portion, and that the head is tiltable relative to the main body. This provides excellent shaving performance even on areas with large contours, from the chin to the face. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, in a configuration in which a plurality of blade units are arranged, a rotary electric shaver can be realized in which the balls are arranged in the outer cutter section to make the shaver feel smooth on the skin, and the inner cutter body can rotate safely, allowing the balls to rotate easily. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a rotary electric shaver according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the rotary electric shaver shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the rotary electric shaver shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the portion enclosed by the dashed line in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic exploded view of the head according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] 6A is a schematic perspective view of the cover portion, FIG. 6B is a schematic perspective view of the support portion, FIG. 6C is a schematic perspective view of the outer cutter body, and FIG. 6D is a schematic perspective view of the inner cutter portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. A rotary electric shaver 1 of this embodiment has a head 4 on which a plurality of blade units 5 are arranged. As shown in FIG. 、 The front side of the main body 2 is an operation panel on which a power switch 53 is arranged. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 The blade holder 3 is connected to the gripping portion 15 via a connecting portion 13. Blade holder 3 but Gripping part 15 The rotary electric shaver 1 is configured to be tiltable relative to the shaft 1. To facilitate explanation of the positional relationship of each part of the rotary electric shaver 1, the directions are indicated by arrows X, Y, and Z in the drawings. When the rotary electric shaver 1 is actually used, it is not limited to these directions and can be used in any direction without any problems. In all the drawings used to explain the embodiments, members having the same functions are designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations thereof may be omitted.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , for example, the main body 2 has a gripping unit 15 and a blade receiving base 3, and a trimming blade 54 is disposed on the rear side of the main body 2. The gripping unit 15 of the main body 2 incorporates a motor 51, a battery 52 capable of supplying DC power to the motor 51, and a control unit 55 activated by a power switch 53. For example, a power supply terminal 58 is disposed at the bottom of the rear side of the main body 2, and power can be supplied to the battery 52 from an external power source via the power supply terminal 58. For example, the motor 51 is connected to a first driven shaft 11 by a first driving unit 56 having multiple gears. The first driving unit 56 can be a conventional technology. The blade receiving base 3 has multiple second driven shafts 12 disposed therein; for example, three second driven shafts 12 disposed at predetermined intervals. For example, the first driven shaft 11 is connected to the second driven shaft 12 by a second driving unit 57 having multiple gears. The second drive unit 57 can be a conventional technology.

[0019] The head 4 has a mounting portion 6 on which a plurality of blade units 5 are arranged, and a blade frame 7 that holds the mounting portion 6. As an example, three blade units 5 are arranged on the head 4 at a predetermined interval. The mounting portion 6 has grooves 6a formed at intermediate positions between the blade units 5, each of which has a depth that allows the blade units 5 to swing. In a configuration in which three blade units 5 are arranged, three grooves 6a are formed, and one end of each groove 6a is connected to the center of the mounting portion 6. The mounting portion 6 is configured to be urged upward by the restoring force of a plate-shaped spring 41 arranged on the blade frame 7.

[0020] Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the portion of the head 4 in Fig. 3 surrounded by dashed line E. Fig. 5 is a schematic exploded view of the structure of the head 4. Fig. 6A is a perspective view of the cover part 32 of the head 4. Fig. 6B is a perspective view of the support part 34 of the head 4. Fig. 6C is a perspective view of the outer cutter body 31 of the head 4. Fig. 6D is a perspective view of the inner cutter part 9 of the head 4. The outer cutter part 8 has an annular outer cutter body 31, a disk-shaped cover part 32, a ball 33, and a support part 34.

[0021] Each blade unit 5 has an outer cutter section 8 and an inner cutter section 9. The outer cutter section 8 has an outer surface 31a and an inner sliding surface 31b against which the cutting edges 9a slide. The outer cutter section 8 is made of a metal and has multiple circumferentially formed slits 31c large enough for hair to pass through. The inner cutter section 9 has a metal inner cutter section 21 with multiple cutting edges 9a formed along the circumferential direction, and a resin base section 22 connected to the inner cutter section 21. The base section 22 has a first convex section 22d formed in its center, and a first concave section 22e formed inside the first convex section 22d. The tip of the second driven shaft 12 fits into the first concave section 22e, connecting the second driven shaft 12 to the base section 22. The inner cutter section 21 rotates around the axis P1 of the second driven shaft 12. Conventional technology can be applied to the outer cutter section 8 and the inner cutter section 9.

[0022] The disk-shaped resin cover part 32 is disposed inside the annular outer cutter body 31. The cover part 32 has a plurality of circular windows 32a formed therein, each having a diameter smaller than that of the ball 33, and also has a plurality of protruding pins 32b.

[0023] A plurality of balls 33 are arranged on each outer cutter body 31, and for example, three balls 33 are arranged at positions offset from the axis P1 of the second driven shaft 12. For example, the balls 33 are made of metal, such as stainless steel, aluminum, steel, titanium, copper alloy, nickel alloy, or other known metals or alloys. The surfaces of the balls 33 can be colored by plating or anodizing. The balls 33 can also be made of resin or ceramics.

[0024] The disk-shaped resin support portion 34 has a second protrusion 34d formed in the center, and multiple through holes 34a through which the pins 32b are inserted are formed around the second protrusion 34d. For example, the through holes 34a have a diameter that fits the pins 32b when inserted. The support portion 34 has ball receiving holes 34b formed in a one-to-one correspondence with the balls 33. The support portion 34 has multiple claws 34c formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, protruding from the inner periphery of the ball receiving holes 34b. Each claw 34c contacts and supports the ball 33. For example, the number of claws 34c is 3 to 5. The cover portion 32 is assembled by fitting to the support portion 34 supporting each ball 33. A portion of the ball 33 surrounded by the cover portion 32 and the support portion 34 protrudes from the window portion 32a.

[0025] The ball receiving hole 34b has a discharge portion formed on both sides of each of the claw portions 34c. This allows hair scraps to escape into the hole 34b through gaps formed around the ball 33 when the ball 33 moves up and down. Intrusion Even if 、 The hair scraps pass through the discharge portion 34f and the inner blade portion 9 and are collected in the lower hair scrap discharge area, preventing accumulation of hair scraps that could interfere with the movement of the ball 33. In addition, each discharge portion 34f has a shape in which the circumferential space between adjacent claw portions 34c is enlarged, so that the claw portions 34c can be shaped to easily follow the up and down movement of the ball 33.

[0026] The disk-shaped resin support part 34 has a second protrusion 34d formed in the center, and a second recess 34e formed inside the second protrusion 34d. The first protrusion 22d fits into the second recess 34e, and the cover part 32 and support part 34 rotate around the axis P1 of the second driven shaft 12 in conjunction with the rotation of the inner blade body 21.

[0027] According to this embodiment, in a configuration in which multiple blade units 5 are arranged on the head 4, the balls 33 are arranged on the outer cutter section 8, which provides a smooth feel on the skin, and the inner cutter body 21 can rotate safely, resulting in a rotary electric shaver 1 with a structure that makes the balls 33 easy to rotate. Furthermore, the cover section 32 and support section 34 rotate while supporting the balls 33, causing the balls 33 to roll, which allows the balls 33 to rotate actively. The rotary electric shaver 1 also provides excellent shaving performance even on areas with large contours, from the chin to the face.

[0028] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 1 rotary electric shaver 2 Main unit 3 Blade holder 4 heads 5 blade unit 6 Mounting part, 6a Groove part 7 Blade frame 8 Outer blade part 9 inner cutting edge, 9a cutting edge 11 1st driven axis 12 2nd driven shaft 13 Connecting part 15 Gripping part 21 Inner blade 22 base portion, 22d first protrusion portion, 22e first recess portion 31 outer blade body, 31a surface, 31b sliding surface, 31c slit 32 Cover part, 32a Window part, 32b Pin 33 balls 34 support portion, 34a through hole, 34b ball receiving hole, 34c claw portion, 34d second convex portion, 34e second concave portion, 34f discharge portion 41 Spring 51 Motor 52 Battery 53 Power switch 54 Edge trimming blade 55 Control Unit 56 First drive unit 57 Second drive unit 58 Power supply terminal P1 axis

Claims

1. the head has a mounting portion on which a plurality of blade units are arranged, and a blade frame for holding the mounting portion; each blade unit has an outer blade portion and an inner blade portion; the inner blade portion has an inner blade body having a plurality of cutting edges formed in the circumferential direction, and a base portion connected to the inner blade body; the second driven shaft is connected to the base portion and rotates about the axis of the second driven shaft; The outer cutter section comprises an annular outer cutter body having a sliding surface against which the cutting edge slides and having a plurality of slits formed in the circumferential direction, a disk-shaped cover section disposed on the inner annular section of the outer cutter body, a sphere that comes into contact with the skin, and a support section that supports the sphere, and the cover section has a window section with a smaller diameter than the sphere, and a part of the sphere surrounded by the cover section and the support section protrudes from the window section and comes into contact with the skin, making the sphere feel smooth, and the sphere is surrounded and supported by the cover section and the support section, allowing the inner cutter body to rotate safely. A rotary electric shaver characterized by:

2. The number of the balls arranged in each of the outer cutter portions is 2 to 6, and all of the balls are arranged at positions deviated from the axis of the second driven shaft.

2. The rotary electric shaver according to claim 1,

3. The support portion has a ball receiving hole formed therein that corresponds one-to-one with the ball, and a plurality of claw portions that support the ball are formed so as to protrude from the inner periphery of the ball receiving hole at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and the claw portions each contact the side of the ball opposite to the side that contacts the skin.

3. The rotary electric shaver according to claim 1 or 2,

4. Discharge sections through which hair scraps that have entered from the outside pass are formed on both sides of the claw section in the ball receiving hole, and even if the hair scraps enter the inside through gaps that occur around the ball, they pass through the discharge sections and are collected in the hair scrap discharge area.

4. The rotary electric shaver according to claim 3,

5. The ball is made of metal, the cover part and the support part are both made of resin, the cover part is formed with a plurality of pins protruding therefrom, the support part is formed with a plurality of through holes through which the pins are inserted, and the cover part is fitted and assembled to the support part. The rotary electric shaver according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that

6. The base portion has a first convex portion formed in the center and a first concave portion formed inside the first convex portion, the support portion has a second convex portion formed in the center and a second concave portion formed inside the second convex portion, the second driven shaft is fitted into the first concave portion, and the first convex portion is fitted into the second concave portion. The rotary electric shaver according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

7. Three of the blade units are arranged on the head, and the mounting portion has grooves formed at intermediate positions between the blade units, each of which has a depth that allows the blade unit to swing. The rotary electric shaver according to any one of claims 1 to 6,

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