Disconnectable electrical connections in handheld personal care devices

Abstract

In a handheld personal care device, one of the main unit and the functional attachment of the device includes a first coupling member 1 having a first coupling axis C1 and a first electrical contact element 41 electrically connected to an electrical component of said one of the main unit and the functional attachment, and the other of the main unit and the functional attachment includes a second coupling member 2 having a second coupling axis C2 and a second electrical contact element 61 electrically connected to an electrical component of the other of the main unit and the functional attachment. The first electrical contact element 41 includes a metallic spring element 12, and the second electrical contact element 61 is provided on or included by a face of the second coupling member 2 that is configured to be engaged by the spring element 12.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a handheld personal care device comprising a main unit and a functional attachment having a functional personal care unit that is attachable and detachable to and from the main unit, where one of the main unit and the functional attachment includes a first coupling member having a first coupling axis, a receiving chamber, and a metallic spring element disposed within the receiving chamber, and the other of the main unit and the functional attachment includes a second coupling member having a second coupling axis and a coupling element provided with an engagement surface extending obliquely with respect to the second coupling axis, the first coupling member and the second coupling member being mutually coupled by aligning the first coupling axis and the second coupling axis and moving the first coupling member and the second coupling member toward each other along the aligned first coupling axis and second coupling axis, and the first coupling member and the second coupling member being mutually separable from the coupled state by applying a separating force greater than a predetermined threshold force in an axial direction parallel to and away from the other of the first coupling member and the second coupling member with respect to the aligned first coupling axis and second coupling axis to one of the first coupling member and the second coupling member, the receiving chamber being configured and arranged to receive the coupling element in the coupled state of the first coupling member and the second coupling member, and the spring element being configured and arranged to provide a holding force, which is substantially the only force that engages with the engagement surface under the influence of the spring force of the spring element in the coupled state of the first coupling member and the second coupling member to hold the functional attachment coupled to the main unit in a direction parallel to the axial direction. The present invention relates to a handheld personal care device.

Background Art

[0002] International Publication No. 2008 / 062339(A1) discloses a shaving device having a head structure and a base structure. The head structure is configured to support at least one head. The head structure is releasably held on the base structure. The base structure has no support elements in the peripheral region of the head structure so that it is not supported in the peripheral region when the head structure is coupled to the base structure. When the head structure is coupled to the base structure, it is substantially held on the base structure by the retaining force provided by the retaining structure of the base structure.

[0003] The head structure has a coupling element located in the central region of the head structure. In one embodiment of a known shaving device, the coupling element is a shaft-like element projecting from the central region of the head structure, having an inclined surface at its distal end facing a support structure of the head structure, the support structure serving to support at least one shaving head, and the retaining structure having a retaining recess for receiving the coupling element and a spring element at least partially provided within the retaining recess, the spring element being positioned to engage with the inclined surface of the coupling element so that the coupling element can be retained in the retaining recess. The spring element can clamp the coupling element by engaging with the inclined surface. To release the coupling element, a force must be applied to the spring element to shift it on the inclined surface due to a large load, particularly torque. If the load is sufficiently large, the spring element will shift and disengage from the inclined surface, thereby releasing the coupling element. The inclined surface may be provided either as a projection from the shaft-like element or within the coupling recess in the shaft-like element.

[0004] When an external load is applied to the head structure of a known shaving device, that load is transmitted to the coupling element. In the coupled state, the head structure is not supported in its outer peripheral region, and therefore the outer peripheral region cannot contribute to transmitting the external load to the base structure. As a result, the coupling element must transmit a significant portion of the external load. In addition, because the coupling element is located in the central region of the head structure, the mechanical torque associated with the external load will result in a relatively high force on the coupling element. If the external load is sufficiently large, the coupling element will be released from the retaining structure, thereby preventing overload from causing damage to at least one shaving head or head structure.

[0005] International Publication No. 2021 / 013608(A1) discloses another example of a shaving device comprising a base structure and a head structure releasably held in the base structure, wherein the head structure has a shaft-like coupling element protruding from a central region of the head structure, and the base structure comprises a retaining structure having a retaining recess for receiving the coupling element and a spring element at least partially provided within the retaining recess. The coupling element and retaining structure are designed to separate the head structure from the base structure by applying a force intended to separate the head structure and the base structure when the user of the shaving device wishes to separate the head structure from the base structure, while also allowing the user to twist the head structure and the base structure relative to each other, thereby facilitating the separation of the coupling element from the retaining structure. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] One object of the present invention is to provide a handheld personal care device comprising a main unit and a functional attachment that is connectable to and detachable from the main unit and has a functional personal care unit, such as a shaving device known from International Publication No. 2008 / 062339(A1) or a shaving device known from International Publication No. 2021 / 013608(A1), and the device being equipped with a mechanism for establishing an electrical connection between the main unit and the functional attachment when the device is connected. For example, it is practical to have one or more power-consuming components in the functional attachment and to have a power supply in the main unit to power one or more of those power-consuming components. In the context of a shaving device, examples of power-consuming components used in a functional attachment, particularly in the functional personal care unit of the functional attachment, include LEDs that provide skin effects during the shaving process and various types of sensors.

[0007] To allow a functional attachment to be detached from the main unit, the electrical connection between the main unit and the functional attachment should also be detachable. A known solution involves providing inductive coupling by an electrical coil in the main unit, which is inductively coupled to an electrical coil in the functional attachment. However, the amount of power that can be transmitted through such a type of electrical connection is limited. Another known solution involves providing mechanical coupling by electrical contact elements in the main unit and electrical contact elements in the functional attachment. Such mechanical coupling allows for the transmission of relatively high amounts of power. The present invention aims to provide a feasibility for obtaining a detachable electrical connection between the main unit and the functional attachment that is robust and reliable, while also being capable of transmitting relatively high amounts of power, without a significant / significant increase in complexity and / or bulkiness in the design of the main unit and the functional attachment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention relates to a handheld personal care device comprising a main unit and a functional attachment that is connectable to and detachable from the main unit and has a functional personal care unit, One of the main unit and the functional attachment includes a first coupling member having a first coupling shaft, a receiving chamber, and a metal spring element disposed within the receiving chamber. The other of the main unit and the functional attachment includes a second coupling member having a second coupling shaft and a coupling element having an engagement surface extending obliquely with respect to the second coupling shaft, The first and second connecting members can be connected to each other by aligning the first and second connecting axes, and by moving the first and second connecting members toward each other along the aligned first and second connecting axes to achieve a connected state. The first and second connecting members are separable from each other by applying a separation force greater than a predetermined threshold force to one of the first and second connecting members in an axial direction parallel to the aligned first and second connecting axes and away from the other of the first and second connecting members. The receiving chamber is configured and positioned to receive the coupling element in the coupled state of the first coupling member and the second coupling member. The spring element is configured and positioned such that, in the coupled state of the first and second coupling members, it engages with the engagement surface under the influence of the spring force of the spring element, providing a holding force which is substantially the sole force that holds the functional attachment coupled to the main unit in a direction parallel to the axial direction, and further, The main unit and the functional attachment include a first electrical contact element that is electrically connected to the electrical components of the main unit and the functional attachment. The other of the main unit and the functional attachment includes a second electrical contact element that is electrically connected to the electrical components of the other of the main unit and the functional attachment. In the coupled state, the first electrical contact element and the second electrical contact element are in contact with each other to provide an electrical connection between the electrical components of the main unit and the electrical components of the functional attachment. The first electrical contact element includes the spring element of the first coupling member, The present invention provides a handheld personal care device in which a second electrical contact element is provided on or included by the engagement surface of the second coupling member such that, in the coupled state of the first coupling member and the second coupling member, the second electrical contact element is in contact with the spring element under the influence of the spring force of the spring element.

[0009] According to the above definition of a handheld personal care device according to the present invention, the device is designed to allow for openable electrical connections and uses electrical contact elements. Practical examples of electrical components in the main unit include a power supply and an electronic processor. Practical examples of electrical components in a functional attachment include a motor, actuator, light source, heat source, sensor, and detector. Thus, the electrical connection can be used for the transmission of power from the main unit to the functional attachment, or for the transmission of electronic data between the main unit and the functional attachment, or both.

[0010] In the context of the present invention, a releasable electrical connection is compatible with a mechanical coupling interface between a main unit and a functional personal care unit, the mechanical coupling interface comprising a first coupling member and a second coupling member, the first coupling member comprising a receiving chamber and a metal spring element disposed within the receiving chamber, and the second coupling member comprising a coupling element having an engaging surface extending obliquely with respect to a second coupling axis. The releasable electrical connection uses the metal spring element of the coupling interface as the first electrical contact element, while the engaging surface of the coupling interface provides or includes the second electrical contact element. When the functional personal care unit is coupled to the main unit, the second electrical contact element is in electrical contact with the spring element, i.e., the first electrical contact element. The electrical contact between the first and second electrical contact elements is rigid as a result of the spring force applied by the spring element to the obliquely oriented engaging surface. In the device according to the present invention, given that the spring force of the spring element is substantially the sole force holding the functional attachment coupled to the main body in a direction parallel to the axial direction, the spring force should be sufficiently high to maintain the functional attachment coupled to the main unit under normal operating conditions. This inherently provides a robust electrical contact between the first electrical contact element and the second electrical contact element.

[0011] A first notable advantage of the present invention is that, in order to achieve a releaseable electrical connection in a handheld personal care device as desired, the mechanical coupling interface between the main unit of the device and the functional personal care unit is designed in a manner that does not interfere with the mechanical coupling interface and does not require complex structural measures. The number of additional components, i.e., the number of components added to the existing mechanical coupling, can be kept to a minimum, resulting in a high level of compactness. Furthermore, as already mentioned above, the use of the spring element ensures that the electrical contact between the first and second electrical contact elements is robust. A second notable advantage of the present invention is that when the functional attachment is coupled to or detached from the main unit, and the contact between the electrical contact elements is established or interrupted, the spring element slides over the second electrical contact element, thereby scraping off any contaminants on the surface of the electrical contact elements that could potentially interfere with electrical transmission between the electrical contact elements. In this regard, it should be noted that such contaminants may result from contamination or corrosion, particularly when personal care devices are suitable for and intended to be used in wet conditions, such as under a shower.

[0012] In a practical embodiment of the handheld personal care device according to the present invention, a second electrical contact element is positioned in a notch provided on the engagement surface. In this manner, the second electrical contact element is sufficiently supported by the coupling element of the second coupling member. Furthermore, it is advantageous that the contact surface of the second electrical contact element is substantially flush with the engagement surface so that the spring element can slide over and be supported on a smooth surface without irregularities, and so that the spring element can be in a substantially equal and firm engagement with both the second electrical contact element and the rest of the engagement surface.

[0013] Both the spring element and the second electrical contact element can be elongated in design. In this regard, it is practical that the spring element has its main extension direction in a virtual plane perpendicular to the first coupling axis, and the second electrical contact element has its main extension direction in a virtual plane containing the second coupling axis. Having such a design and orientation of the spring element and the second electrical contact element contributes to both the ease and certainty of establishing a releaseable electrical connection in a handheld personal care device as desired, and this does not change the fact that other possibilities regarding the design and orientation of the spring element and the second electrical contact element are also covered by the present invention.

[0014] It is practical when the coupling element is shaft-shaped and the engaging surface is located in a recess provided on the circumferential surface of the coupling element. Advantageously, the shape and size of the recess are selected so that the spring element fits sufficiently into the recess, is received within the recess, and can be slidably released from the recess.

[0015] This invention provides a double-version of a combination of a releasable mechanical connection and a releasable electrical connection, namely, The second coupling member includes a pair of engagement surfaces positioned in the coupling element opposite to the second coupling axis, Each of the pair of second electrical contact elements is provided on or included by the pair of engaging surfaces. The embodiment includes a first coupling member that includes a pair of spring elements arranged to be in contact with a pair of second electrical contact elements in the coupled state of the first coupling member and the second coupling member.

[0016] According to one practical option, the handheld personal care device is an electric shaver, the functional attachment is a shaving unit including at least one hair cutting unit, and the main unit houses a motor configured to drive at least one hair cutting unit in the coupled state of the first coupling member and the second coupling member. Other options are also feasible. The present invention relates to any type of handheld personal care device comprising a main unit and a functional attachment that is attachable and detachable to the main unit, and a releasable electrical connection needs to be established between the electrical components of the main unit and the electrical components of the functional attachment. Well-known examples are electric toothbrushes and skin care devices.

[0017] As previously suggested herein, when the handheld personal care device is an electric shaver, the handheld personal care device is in particular of the following kind, namely the shaving unit includes at least two hair cutting units, the main unit includes a first coupling member, namely a coupling member including a receiving chamber and a metal spring element, and the shaving unit includes a second coupling member, namely a coupling member including a coupling element provided with an obliquely oriented engagement surface, the coupling element of the second coupling member houses the central drive shaft of the shaving unit, which is coupled to the motor of the main unit in the coupled state of the first coupling member and the second coupling member, the shaving unit includes a transmission unit for transmitting the rotation of the central drive shaft to each of the hair cutting units for driving the hair cutting units.

[0018] The above and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from and will be elucidated while referring to the following detailed description of the components involved in the releasable electrical connection in an electric shaver comprising a main body and a shaving unit that is attachable and detachable to the main body.

[0019] Here, the present invention will be described in more detail while referring to the drawings in which equal or similar parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] As a practical example of a handheld personal care device according to the present invention, an electric shaver including a main body and a shaving unit is schematically shown. [Figure 2] The parts of the main unit and the shaving unit in the coupled state of the electric shaver are schematically shown. [Figure 3] The parts of the main unit and the shaving unit in the coupled state of the electric shaver are shown with a part thereof cut away. [Figure 4] A cross-sectional view shows how one of the two metal spring elements of the main unit contacts one of the two electrical contact elements of the shaving unit in the coupled state of the electric shaver. [Figure 5] The whole of one of the two electrical contact elements of the shaving unit and a conductive extension strip is schematically shown. [Figure 6] Shows how the electrical contact elements of the shaving unit are arranged at the engagement surface of the coupling element of the shaving unit. [Figure 7] A part of the shaving unit including two electrical contact elements and a coupling element is schematically shown. [Figure 8] Shows the details of FIG. 7.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] The present invention relates to a handheld personal care device comprising a main unit and a functional attachment that is connectable to and detachable from the main unit and has a functional personal care unit. The present invention will be described below in the context of an electric shaver 100 as an example of a handheld personal care device, but this does not change the fact that the present invention also covers other types of handheld personal care devices. In the electric shaver 100, the main body 10 of the electric shaver 100 is the main unit of the handheld personal care device, and the shaving unit 20 of the electric shaver 100 is the functional attachment of the handheld personal care device.

[0022] Referring to Figure 1, the shaving unit 20 includes a support member 21 and three hair cutting units 22 supported by the support member 21. In the context of this example, the number of hair cutting units 22 can be freely chosen and does not necessarily have to be three, but there is at least one. Figure 1 shows how the shaving unit 20 is combined with the main body 10, with the support member 21 of the shaving unit 20 coupled to the main body 10. The main body 10 can have any suitable design and is only schematically shown by dashed lines. To perform the shaving action on the skin with the electric shaver 100, the user of the shaver 100 will hold the main body 10, place the shaving unit 20 against the skin, and move the shaving unit 20 over the skin. The electric shaver 100 is shown in its normal orientation, in which the shaving unit 20 is positioned on top of the main body 10.

[0023] The shaving unit 20 constitutes the portion of the shaver 100 that is actually capable of cutting hair from the skin, while the main housing 10 serves to house the motor 30 that drives the components of the shaving unit 20 that are involved in such action. The main housing 10 may further include means such as a rechargeable battery for supplying power to the motor 30. The hair collection section of the hair cutting unit 22 is part of the functional personal care unit of the shaving unit 20.

[0024] The shaving unit 20 and the main housing 10 are releasably connectable to each other, and the shaving unit 20 includes a shaft-shaped coupling element 23 that houses a central drive shaft 50 coupled to the motor 30 when the shaving unit 20 is connected to the main body 10. This option is shown in Figure 1, where both the central drive shaft 50 and the output shaft 31 of the motor 30 are shown by dashed lines. Advantageously, the hair cutting unit 22 of the shaving unit 20 includes individual drive shafts (not shown), and the shaving unit 20 further includes a transmission system (not shown) for converting the rotation of the central drive shaft 50 into the rotation of such individual drive shafts. Such a transmission system may include, for example, several gear wheels.

[0025] In Figure 1, it can be seen that the coupling element 23 of the shaving unit 20 has a recess 24 on its circumferential surface. A similar recess 24 is provided on the opposite side of the coupling element 23, and therefore on the side of the coupling element 23 that is not visible in Figure 1. The recess 24 on the coupling element 23 relates to a releasable mechanical coupling between the main body 10 and the shaving unit 20. The details of the releasable mechanical coupling between the main body 10 and the shaving unit 20 will be described below with reference to Figures 2 to 4, and the details of the releasable electrical connection using the geometric shape at the mechanical interface between the main body 10 and the shaving unit 20 will also be described.

[0026] To establish a releasable electrical connection, the main body 10 includes a first coupling member 1 having a first coupling axis C1, and the shaving unit 20 includes a second coupling member 2 having a second coupling axis C2, the second coupling member 200 including the coupling element 23 described herein. The coupling element 23 is provided with a pair of engaging surfaces 25 positioned opposite the second coupling axis C2 in the coupling element 23, the engaging surfaces 25 extending obliquely with respect to the second coupling axis C2, and each engaging surface 25 is provided in the respective recess 24 described herein. The first coupling member 1 includes a receiving chamber 11 and a pair of metal spring elements 12 disposed within the receiving chamber 11.

[0027] The first coupling member 1 and the second coupling member 2 can be coupled to each other by aligning the first coupling axis C1 and the second coupling axis C2, and by moving the first coupling member 1 and the second coupling member 2 toward each other along the aligned first coupling axis C1 and the second coupling axis C2 to be coupled. The coupling element 23 is received in the receiving chamber 11, and each spring element 12 is received in the respective recess 24. The first coupling member 1 and the second coupling member 2 can be separated from each other by applying a separation force greater than a predetermined threshold force to one of the first coupling member 1 and the second coupling member 2 in an axial direction A that is parallel to the aligned first coupling axis C1 and the second coupling axis C2 and away from the other of the first coupling member 1 and the second coupling member 2. The separation element 23 is removed from the receiving chamber 11, and each spring element 12 is removed from the respective recess 24. In the connected state of the first coupling member 1 and the second coupling member 2, each of the spring elements 12 engages with its respective engagement surface 25 under the influence of the spring force of the spring element 12. In this way, a holding force is generated, and this holding force is substantially the sole force that holds the shaving unit 20 coupled to the main body 10 in a direction parallel to the axial direction A.

[0028] The two spring elements 12 are further configured to function as two first electrical contact elements 41, which are electrically connected to electrical components of the main body 10, such as a rechargeable battery 40. The shaving unit 20 also includes an electrical component 60, which is provided with two second electrical contact elements 61 that are electrically connected to the electrical component 60. For example, the shaving unit 20 may include one or more LEDs and / or be configured to enable capacitive sensing for skin contact detection. When the electric shaver 100 is coupled and the respective electrical contact elements 41 of the main body 10 and the respective electrical contact elements 61 of the shaving unit 20, in the form of each spring element 12, are in contact with each other, the power necessary to operate the electrical component 60 in the shaving unit 20 is obtained from the main body 10. Note that the electrical component 60 of the shaving unit 20 is simply schematically shown in Figure 1 as an ellipse with a dashed line.

[0029] The spring element 12 as the first electrical contact element 41 and the second electrical contact element 61 of the shaving unit 20 are components of the releaseable electrical connection described herein, resulting in two polarities in the electrical connection. It is noteworthy that each second electrical contact element 61 is positioned at the respective engagement surface 25. In this way, in the coupled state of the electric shaver 100, each second electrical contact element 61 is made to contact each spring element 12 under the influence of the spring force of the spring element 12. This suggests that a high mechanical contact force is always present, and as a result, the electrical connection is always reliable and stable. Furthermore, in the process of each spring element 12 moving relative to its position in its respective recess 24, any contaminants that may be present on the surface of the spring element 12 and / or the surface of the second electrical contact element 61 are automatically scraped off under the influence of the forced spring contact.

[0030] The entire assembly of one of the second electrical contact elements 61 and the conductive extension strip 62 is shown in Figure 5. Having the conductive extension strip 62 is one practical option with respect to electrically coupling the second electrical contact elements 61 to one or more components of the shaving unit 20 to which power is to be supplied. If the shaving unit 20 is practically equipped with the entire assembly of the second electrical contact elements 61 and the conductive extension strip 62 or another conductor, such an assembly is integral, and in that case, manufacturing the assembly involves providing a metal strip and providing a bulge in the strip that forms the second electrical contact element 61, or including at least two parts joined in some place.

[0031] Figure 6 shows a practical option in which the second electrical contact elements 61 are positioned in notches 26 provided in each engagement surface 25, and also shows that the contact surface 63 of the second electrical contact elements 61 is substantially flush with the engagement surface 25. Each of the second electrical contacts 61 is elongated, as seen in the direction around the second coupling axis C2, and each of the spring elements 12 is elongated in a different direction in the coupled state of the electric shaver 100, i.e., in a direction in a virtual plane I1 substantially perpendicular to the axial direction A, while the second electrical contacts 61 have a main extension direction in a virtual plane I2 substantially perpendicular to the first virtual plane I1. The orientations of both virtual planes I1 and I2 are shown in the perspective view of Figure 2, in which two dashed rectangles representing portions of the virtual planes I1 and I2 are shown.

[0032] Figure 7 clearly shows how the second electrical element 61 is positioned in the coupling element 23. Figure 8 shows a magnified view of a portion of the coupling element 23, including one of the recesses 24 and one of the second electrical contact elements 61.

[0033] One variant of the above-described embodiment of the releasable electrical connection is a variant comprising a single spring element 12 and a single second electrical contact element 61. In such an example, the following advantages are obtained from having a clever combination of a releasable mechanical coupling and a releasable electrical connection, in particular, that both the function of providing spring force for use in the releasable mechanical coupling and the function of electrical contact are performed by one same component, namely the metal spring element 12, while the second electrical component 61 is positioned such that a portion of the second electrical component 61 is in contact with the spring element 12 when the mechanical coupling is established.

[0034] As described above in this specification, the spring element 12 forming the first electrical contact element 41 of the first coupling member 1 of the main body 10 is made of metal. In the embodiments described above, the second electrical contact element 61 of the second coupling member 2 of the shaving unit 20 is made of a metal strip. Corrosion of the metal spring element 12 and the second electrical contact element 61 may cause an increase in electrical contact resistance between the spring element 12 and the second electrical contact element 61. To prevent such corrosion, the spring element 12 and the second electrical contact element 61 may be made of nickel. In the embodiments described above, the spring element 12 is filamentous, and it may be difficult to manufacture the spring element 12 purely from nickel. In such embodiments, each spring element 12 may have a filamentous core element made of a metal other than nickel, such as steel, and each core element is provided with a nickel coating having a thickness of at least 25 micrometers, for example, by a chemical vapor deposition method. Alternatively, each of the core elements of the spring element 12 may be locally provided with an electrically insulating layer, for example, made of plastic, and a thin nickel plate may be wrapped around the core element and the insulating layer and folded back. The position of the nickel plate should be such that, in the coupled state of the first coupling member 1 and the second coupling member 2, each nickel plate makes electrical contact with one of the second electrical contact elements 61. In this case, electrical connection wires connecting each spring element 12 to the electrical components of the main body 10 (e.g., a rechargeable battery 40) are soldered to each of the folded nickel plates.

[0035] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the examples discussed above, and that several modifications and changes are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The present invention is intended to be construed as encompassing all such modifications and changes, insofar as they fall within the scope of the claims or their equivalents. Although the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and specification, such illustrations and descriptions should be considered merely descriptive or illustrative and not restrictive. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed. The drawings are schematic and omit details not necessary to understand the invention, and are not necessarily to scale.

[0036] Modifications of the disclosed embodiments can be understood and made by those skilled in the art in carrying out the claimed invention, based on a careful examination of the drawings, specification and appended claims. In the claims, the word “having” does not exclude other steps or elements, and singular elements do not exclude plural elements. None of the reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0037] Elements and aspects discussed in relation to or concerning a particular embodiment may be appropriately combined with elements and aspects of other embodiments unless otherwise expressly stated. Therefore, the mere fact that certain means are described in different dependent claims does not imply that combinations of these means cannot be used advantageously.

[0038] As used in this book, the terms “equip” and “include” will be understood by those skilled in the art to cover the term “consist of.” Thus, the terms “equip” or “include” may mean “consist of” in one embodiment, and in another embodiment, “consist of / have / equip at least the defined species and optionally one or more other species.”

[0039] Notable aspects of the present invention are summarized below. In a handheld personal care device 100 such as an electric shaver, one of the personal care device 100, a main unit 10 and a functional attachment 20, includes a first coupling member 1 having a first coupling shaft C1 and a first electrical contact element 41 electrically connected to the electrical component 40 of the main unit 10 and the functional attachment 20, and the other of the main unit 10 and the functional attachment 20 includes a second coupling member 2 having a second coupling shaft C2 and a second electrical contact element 61 electrically connected to the electrical component 60 of the other main unit 10 and the functional attachment 20. The first electrical contact element 41 includes a metal spring element 12 of the first coupling member 1, and the second electrical contact element 61 is provided on or included by a surface 25 of the second coupling member 2, configured to engage with the spring element 12.

Claims

1. A handheld personal care device comprising a main unit and a functional attachment that is connectable to and detachable from the main unit and has a functional personal care unit, One of the main unit and the functional attachment includes a first coupling member having a first coupling shaft, a receiving chamber, and a metal spring element disposed within the receiving chamber. The other of the main unit and the functional attachment includes a second coupling member having a second coupling shaft and a coupling element having an engagement surface extending obliquely with respect to the second coupling shaft, The first connecting member and the second connecting member can be connected to each other by aligning the first connecting axis and the second connecting axis, and by moving the first connecting member and the second connecting member toward each other along the aligned first connecting axis and the second connecting axis to achieve a connected state. The first and second connecting members are separable from each other from the connected state by applying a separation force greater than a predetermined threshold force to one of the first and second connecting members in an axial direction parallel to the aligned first and second connecting axes and away from the other of the first and second connecting members. The receiving chamber receives the coupling element in the coupled state of the first coupling member and the second coupling member. The spring element, in the coupled state of the first and second coupling members, engages with the engagement surface under the influence of the spring force of the spring element, providing a holding force which is substantially the only force that holds the functional attachment coupled to the main unit in a direction parallel to the axial direction. The main unit and the functional attachment, one of them, includes a first electrical contact element that is electrically connected to the electrical components of the main unit and the functional attachment, The main unit and the other functional attachment include a second electrical contact element that is electrically connected to the electrical components of the main unit and the other functional attachment. In the coupled state, the first electrical contact element and the second electrical contact element are in contact with each other so as to provide an electrical connection between the electrical components of the main unit and the electrical components of the functional attachment. The first electrical contact element includes the spring element of the first coupling member. A handheld personal care device characterized in that the second electrical contact element is provided on or is part of the engagement surface of the second coupling member such that, in the coupled state of the first coupling member and the second coupling member, the second electrical contact element is in contact with the spring element under the influence of the spring force of the spring element.

2. The handheld personal care device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrical contact element is positioned in a notch provided on the engagement surface.

3. The handheld personal care device according to claim 2, wherein the contact surface of the second electrical contact element is substantially flush with the engaging surface.

4. The spring element is elongated and has a main extension direction in a virtual plane perpendicular to the first coupling axis. The handheld personal care device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrical contact element is elongated and has a main extension direction within a virtual plane containing the second coupling axis.

5. The handheld personal care device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element is shaft-shaped, and the engaging surface is provided in a recess provided on the circumferential surface of the coupling element.

6. The second coupling member includes a pair of engagement surfaces positioned in the coupling element opposite to the second coupling axis, Each of the pair of second electrical contact elements is provided on or is part of the pair of engagement surfaces. The handheld personal care device according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling member includes a pair of spring elements arranged to be in contact with the pair of second electrical contact elements in the coupled state of the first coupling member and the second coupling member.

7. The handheld personal care device according to claim 1, wherein the electrical components of the main unit include a power supply or an electronic processor.

8. The handheld personal care device according to claim 1, wherein the electrical components in the functional attachment include a motor, an actuator, a light source, a heat source, a sensor, or a detector.

9. The personal care device is an electric shaver, The functional attachment is a shaving unit including at least one hair cutting unit, The handheld personal care device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the main unit houses a motor for driving the at least one hair cutting unit in the coupled state of the first and second connecting members.

10. The shaving unit includes at least two hair cutting units, The main unit includes the first connecting member, and the shaving unit includes the second connecting member. The coupling element of the second coupling member houses the central drive shaft of the shaving unit, which is coupled to the motor in the main unit when the first coupling member and the second coupling member are coupled together. The handheld personal care device according to claim 9, wherein the shaving unit includes a transmission unit for transmitting the rotation of the central drive shaft to each of the hair cutting units in order to drive the hair cutting units.

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