Title of Invention

SHAVING APPARATUS

Abstract

ABSTRACT 3331/CHENP/2005 "SHAVING APPARATUS" A shaving apparatus having a skin contact surface (9) accommodating one or more cutting units (3) that comprise an external cutting member (4), a matching internal cutting member (6), and a device (18 to 20) for providing a shaving aid to said skin contact surface (9), wherein said one or more cutting units (3) are of the rotary type comprising an external annular cutting member (4), characterised in that first shaving aid retaining means (33) are provided on a skin contact surface region (16) enclosed by the external cutting member (4) of said one or more cutting units (3). FIGURE 4

Full Text

The invention relates to a shaving apparatus having a skin contact surface accommodating one or more cutting units which comprises an external cutting member, a matching internal cutting member, and a device for providing a shaving aid to said skin contact surface, wherein said one or more cutting units are of the rotary type comprising an annular external cutting member. Such a shaving apparatus is known ,for example, from WO 98/08660. This known shaving apparatus (or shaver) has three cutting units or shaving heads, which are provided in the skin contact surface. Each shaving head comprises an annular region provided with hair-trapping apertures, and an internal cutting member rotating during operation and having a number of knives for cutting hair protruding through the hair-trapping apertures. The skin contact surface in use contacts and supports the skin of the user during shaving and therefore also is called a skin support surface or skin support region. The skin contact surface surrounds the annular regions of the shaving heads and further comprises the region(s) enclosed by the annular region(s) of the shaving head(s). A shaving apparatus of the above type typically comprises a holder for an additive or shaving aid like a shaving liquid, as well as means for supplying a certain amount of additive to the skin contact surface during shaving. Generally a push button will be provided which may be operated by the user of the shaver whenever he desires to obtain or increase a gliding effect provided by the additive. US-A-2002/0092173 discloses an electric shaver provided with a shaving head holder, the shaving head holder accommodating three rotary shaving heads. Each shaving head has an outer cutting member with hair inlet openings and an inner hair cutting member which is capable of being driven in rotation with respect to the outer cutting member. An auxiliary part is provided consisting of an annular element provided at its inner circumference with a first cylindrical surface, which fits around the outer circumference of the cutting member. The annular element is also provided with a second cylindrical surface at its outer circumference, over which second surface an annular skin stretching member is provided. A disk of a material comprising a lubricant is provided on a central surface of the cutting member. A problem of the known shavers is that the shaving aid supplied to the skin contact surface has a tendency to flow into the shaving head(s) because of suction forces caused by the rotating internal cutting member(s). For obvious reasons the size of a holder for shaving aid cannot be very large. Thus in order to obtain a suitable period of use between the moment the shaving aid holder is filled and the moment the holder must be refilled or, if the holder is (part of) a replaceable cartridge, to obtain a suitable period of use of such a cartridge, it is desired that the shaving aid be used as effectively as possible. Of course an optimum effective use of such a shaving aid is not possible if the shaving aid supplied to the skin contact surface of a shaver is rapidly drained away through the hair trapping apertures of the shaving head(s). Moreover, if it only takes a short time before the shaving aid is drawn away from the skin contact surface through the hair trapping apertures a certain risk exists that the shaving head will run dry and a user with a sensitive skin will damage his skin. Obviously this is undesirable. In view of the above it is an object of the present invention to provide a shaving apparatus providing an improved effectiveness of the shaving liquid and/or other additive supplied to the skin contact surface of the shaving apparatus. To this end, a shaving apparatus of the type indicated above is characterized in that first shaving aid retaining means are provided on a first skin contact surface region nclosed by the annular external cutting member of said one or more cutting units. The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with eference to the drawing. Fig. 1 shows an example of a prior art shaving apparatus having three shaving leads; Fig. 2 diagrammatically shows, partly in cross-section a shaving apparatus similar to the apparatus of Fig. 1 and in particular shows means for supplying additive to the skin contact surface; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of an example of a shaving head holder for a shaving apparatus of the present invention; Fig. 4 diagrammatically shows, partly in cross-section, an embodiment of a shaving head of a shaving apparatus in accordance with the invention; Fig. 5 diagrammatically shows a detail of Fig. 3 in cross-section; Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view partly in cross-section, taken on the line VI-VI in Fig. 3 of a ring-shaped element surrounding a shaving head in accordance with the invention; Fig. 1 shows a prior art shaving apparatus to which the invention may be pplied, and Fig. 2 shows a similar shaving apparatus. The shown apparatus 10 has a housing 1 and a shaving head holder 2, which older can be detached from the housing and/or is hinged to the housing. Three shaving leads or cutting units 3 are present in the shaving head holder, each comprising a stationary ixtemal cutting member 4 provided with hair trapping apertures 5 and an internal cutting nember 6 with cutters 7 which can be driven into rotation with respect to the external cutting nember. An on/off switch 8 is also provided. As shown in Fig. 2, the internal cutting member 6 is driven by a motor 11, hrough suitable transmission means 12,13. The shaving head holder 2 has a skin contact surface 9 comprising a first skin lontact region 15 surrounding the shaving head(s) 3 and a second skin contact region 16 enclosed by the stationary annular cutting member of each shaving head. The shaver 10 has a space 17 for accommodating a holder 40 for shaving aid. The space 17 in this example further accommodates a pump 20 for pumping shaving aid from the holder to an outlet opening 18 in or near the skin contact surface of the shaver. A switch, in this case a push-button switch 19, has been provided for operating the pump 20. Further details of the shaver 10, in particular the holder and the pump, may be found in WO 98/08660. Fig. 3 is a plan view of an example of a shaving head holder 2 for a shaver in accordance with the present invention. The shaving head holder is similar to the shaving head holder shown in Fig. 1 and has three cutting units 3. In Fig. 3 the same reference numerals as in the other Figs, have been used for similar parts. The holder has a hard shell 40 provided with hinge elements 41 for mounting the shaving head holder on the housing of a shaver. The shaving head holder accommodates a skin support member 42, which in turn accommodates the three cutting units 3. The skin support member has three sections 42a, 42b and 42c which are connected to each other by pivot lines 43, 44, 45 allowing a pivoting movement of the cutting units with respect to each other. Thereby the shaving heads may adapt to the local shape of the face of the user. Each section 42a, 42b, 42c has a kind of socket like an eye socket, accommodating a having head. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of an example of a shaving head or cutting unit 3, partly in cross-section, in accordance with the present invention. The shaving head as shown is generally similar to the shaving heads of the prior art shavers. Various parts of the shaving head of Fig. 4 have been given reference numbers corresponding to the reference numbers used in the other Figs, for similar parts. The shaving head of Fig. 4 differs from shaving heads of prior art shavers in that shaving aid retaining means have been provided in the skin contact region 16 within the annular cutting member 4. The shaving aid retaining means in this example comprise a number of concentric ridges 30, 31, 32. In this example the concentric ridges are part of a profiled decorative cap 33 which is placed on a flat portion 34 of the shaving head within the annular cutting member 4. If so desired the portion 34 itself may be provided with a profiled surface. The decorative cap 33 is shown in cross-section on a somewhat larger scale in Fig. 5. The profiled decorative cap in this embodiment has a generally slightly domed shape and has three circular .concentric, gently sloping ridges 30, 31, 32. Any shaving aid present on the decorative cap, i.e. between the decorative cap and the skin of the user, will to a certain extent be retained in the grooves 34, 35, 36 between the ridges and will be prevented from flowing straight to the hair trapping apertures 5. In fact, the grooves 34, 35, 36 function as temporary storage zones for shaving aid. The time it takes on average for a certain quantity of shaving aid on the decorative cap to completely flow away through the hair trapping apertures will be notably longer if a profiled decoration cap is used instead of a prior art flat cover. Though the shaving aid retaining means described above and shown in Figs. 4 and 5 do comprise a number of circular concentric ridges, it will be understood that any type of profile which prevents additive from flowing straight and unimpeded to the hair trapping apertures may be used. For example, a star-shaped flower-shaped, or spiral-shaped pattern of ridges, or a pattern of dimples as on a golf ball or similar surface patterns may be used. Furthermore, the decoration cap may have a low friction surface. Shaving aid will also be present in the skin contact region 15 on the skin support member 42 surrounding the shaving head(s) during operation of the shaving apparatus. Such shaving aid will also be sucked into the hair trapping apertures. In order to prevent this from happening shaving aid retaining means may be provided around the shaving head(s). In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, at least one groove surrounds each annular cutting member. An example of such a groove is shown at 48 in Fig. 4. Such a groove will prevent shaving aid present in the skin contact region 15 surrounding the shaving head(s) of a shaver from being sucked straight into the shaving head. In accordance with a further elaboration of the idea of providing a shaving aid retaining groove in the skin contact surface surrounding an annular cutting member, a separate ring-shaped element 46 is provided around each socket for a shaving head. Such a ring-shaped element will be mounted in the skin support member around each annular cutting member and will form a low ridge preventing shaving aid from flowing straight from the skin contact region 15 into the hair trapping apertures of a shaving head. Such ring-shaped elements 46 may be made from a suitable synthetic material or metal. The ring may be (partly) embedded into the material of the skin support member. During shaving, the top of the ring may be somewhat higher than the surrounding surface of the skin support member region, or the top of the ring may substantially be flush with the skin contact region, if a small groove is formed at the connecting faces of the shaving head holder and the ring. Such a groove may result from a somewhat lower shoulder of the shaving head holder and or the ring, or from differences in shape of mutually facing connecting surfaces of the shaving head holder and the ring near the skin contact surface. Ring-shaped elements as well as a groove surrounding each element have been shown in Fig. 3 at 46a, 46b, 46c and 48a, 48b, 48c, respectively. An example of a part of a shaving head holder provided with a separate ring-shaped element 46 is schematically shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a perspective view, partly in cross section taken on the line VI-VI in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 shows part of a section of a skin support member 42 and a corresponding part of a separate ring-shaped element 46 mounted in said skin support member. A groove 48 is provided at least partly along the junction of the ring-shaped element 46 and the skin support member 42 retaining shaving aid present on the skin support member and for preventing such additive from being sucked straight into the hair trapping apertures of the shaving head. The ring-shaped element may be circular, but in the embodiment shown a small triangular section is part of the ring-shaped element. Said triangular section is located at the center of the shaving head holder near the Y-shaped junction of the three pivot lines 43,44,45, The groove 48 may either extend along the outer contour of the triangular section or may follow the contour of the annular cutting element, or both. Preferably, the ring-shaped element 46, or at least the top of said ring-shaped element has a low friction surface, as may be obtained, for example, by high-gloss polishing in order to enhance the gliding performance during shaving. Of course it would be possible to provide two or even more concentric grooves in and/or around the ring-shaped elements. It is observed that a shaving aid additive as referred to in this description may be a liquid or any other type of material suitable for the intended purpose such as, for 5 example, a gel, a foam, a cream, a water-soluble hard material etc... WE CLAIM: 1. A shaving apparatus having a skin contact surface (9) accommodating one or more cutting units (3) that comprises an external cutting member (4), a matching internal cutting member (6), and a device (18-20) for providing a shaving aid to said skin contact surface (9), wherein said one or more cutting units (3) are of the rotary type comprising an external annular cutting member (4), characterised in that first shaving aid retaining means (33) are provided on a skin contact surface region (16) enclosed by the external cutting member (4) of said one or more cutting units (3). 2. The shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first shaving aid retaining means comprise at least one ridge (30-32) extending around the center of the skin contact surface region (16) enclosed by the annular cutting member (4) of said one or more cutting units (3). 3. The shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said at least one ridge comprises at least one of the following configurations: a) a number of concentric ridges, b) at least one spiral-shaped ridge, c) at least one star-shaped ridge, d) at least one flower-shaped ridge. 4. The shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first shaving aid retaining means include a pattern of dimples in at least part of the skin contact surface region (16). 5. The shaving apparatus as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the skin contact surface region (16) provided with said first shaving aid means is the surface of a decorative cap (33). 6. The shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the decorative cap has a generally domed shape. 7. The shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the decorative cap has a low friction surface. 8. The shaving apparatus as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein second shaving aid retaining means are provided on a skin contact surface region (15) surrounding said one or more cutting units. 9. The shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second shaving aid retaining means comprise at least one groove (48) surrounding the external stationary armular cutting member (4) of said one or more cutting units (3). 10. The shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the skin contact surface is the surface (9) of a skin support member (42) having a socket for each cutting unit (3), and wherein a ring-shaped element (46) is placed in each of said sockets and encloses a corresponding cutting unit (3), a shaving aid retaining groove (48) being at least partly provided at the junction of said ring-shaped element (46) and the surrounding skin support member (42). 11. The shaving apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least the top surface of each ring-shaped element (46) surrounding a cutting unit (3) is a low-friction surface. 12. A cutting unit of the rotary type for a shaving apparatus as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 11, said cutting unit having an external annular cutting member (4) and a skin contact surface region (16) enclosed by an external cutting member (4), wherein said enclosed skin contact surface region (16) is provided with shaving aid retaining means (34 to 36).

Documents:

3331-chenp-2005 abstract-duplicate.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 abstract.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 claims-duplicate.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 claims.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 correspondence-others.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 correspondence-po.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 descripition(completed)-duplicate.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 descripition(completed).pdf

3331-chenp-2005 drawings-duplicate.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 drawings.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 form-1.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 form-18.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 form-26.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 form-3.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 form-5.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 others.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 pct search report.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 pct.pdf

3331-chenp-2005 petition.pdf