Device for dislodging ingrown facial hairs

A device for lifting and dislodging ingrown facial or neck hairs from the skin and which device is adapted for use either independently or as incorporated in the cutter head of electric dry shaver. The device includes a plate member formed with raking teeth projecting outwardly of a recessed portion of a hand-held casing or from the outer cutter of a cutter head assembly for traversal across the skin of the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention is directed to new and useful improvements in shaving 
systems and in particular in the provision of a device for dislodging 
ingrown facial hairs either prior to or during the act of shaving. 
Persons afflicted with the condition of ingrown facial hairs, which is also 
known as psuedofolliculitis barbe, encounter severe difficulties in 
shaving. Ingrown facial hairs of this type are caused by the ends of 
curved hair bristles reentering the skin surface upon growth of the hair 
from its skin follicle. During the act of shaving the ends of the curved 
hair bristles are cut forming a sharp surface for entry of the bristle 
into the skin. The end once planed forms its own follicle in the skin 
surface resulting in a papule on the skin surface which often become 
infected resulting in unsightly appearances on the skin surface. The act 
of shaving with a razor or electric shaver often increases the problem as 
the raised skin surfaces caused by the papules are often cut resulting in 
discomfort to the user and bumps on the skin surface which are sometimes 
referred to as "razor bumps". 
In known shaving devices means are not provided for lifting the ingrown 
ends of the bristles from the skin of the user. In the past means provided 
for dislodging and lifting ingrown hairs prior to shaving have included 
brushing or tweezing devices. These known devices have not only increased 
the time for an act of shaving but have often lead to increased irritation 
to the face of the user. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide novel means for lifting 
and dislodging ingrown hairs. 
Another object is to provide a novel device for lifting and dislodging 
ingrown facial hairs from the skin surface dislodge ingrown hairs in the 
operation of the shaver as the cutter head assembly is moved across the 
face of the user with the dislodged hairs fed directly to the inner cutter 
for shaving. 
The above and other objects of the present invention will appear more fully 
hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows 
taken together with the accompanying drawings where two embodiments of the 
invention are illustrated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring now to the drawings for a more detailed description of the 
present invention, a device incorporating the present invention is 
generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. In this embodiment, 
device 10 for lifting and dislodging ingrown hairs includes a hand-held 
casing or handle comprising an elongated body 14 having opposed faces 16 
and 18. The top surface (FIGS. 1 to 3) of device 10 is provided with skin 
engaging ledge surface 24 at opposite sides of an elongated recess or 
channel 26 and extends transversely of casing 10. An elongated slot 30 is 
formed across the bottom of the channel 26. A threaded hole 32 (FIG. 2) is 
formed in face 16 extending into slot 30. 
A novel implement for lifting and dislodging ingrown hairs is provided in 
device 10 and include a rectangular-shaped plate-like member 36 having 
opposite side surfaces 40 and 42, an upper marginal portion 46 of plate 36 
is provided with a plurality of spaced frusto-rectangular-shaped raking 
teeth 48 which extend from the body of plate member 36 and terminate in 
teeth end surfaces 50. The lower marginal portion of plate member 36 is 
inserted in slot 30 in channel 26 and is secured to the handle 12 by a 
set-screw 52 threaded in hole 32. With the plate member 36 secured to the 
body 14 the teeth end surfaces 50 are spaced a predetermined distance 
above and adjacent the skin engaging ledges 24. 
In accordance with the above described structure and as illustrated in FIG. 
5, the opposite faces 16-18 of device are grasped in the hand of the user 
and skin engaging ledges 24 are brought into contact with the skin 
surface. Due to the predetermined spacing between the teeth and surfaces 
50 and the ledges 24 the skin is depressed about teeth 48. The surface 
areas of the ledges 24 and the teeth end surfaces 50 are of preselected 
dimensions to limit the amount of the depression of the skin regardless of 
the amount of pressure applied by the user thereby preventing penetration 
of rake teeth 48 into the skin of the user. In use as tool 10 is 
manipulated across the skin of the user to move rake teeth 48 across the 
skin, the ends of teeth 48 in the locally depressed areas will engage the 
loop of an embedded ingrown hair. Further movement of device 10 will lift 
the ingrown end of the hair so engaged free of the papule in which it is 
embedded. In the dislodged position, the freed hair end may be readily 
shaven. 
As mentioned it is a feature of the present invention to utilize the novel 
raking means independently, as above described, or as incorporated into 
the cutter head assembly of an electric dry shaver. To this end as shown 
in FIGS. 6 to 9 the novel raking device is included in the cutter head 
assembly 54 of an electric dry shaver 56. 
Cutter head assembly 52 includes individual cutter head units 58, 60, and 
62 mounted on a support plate 64 in a known manner such as by clamps 66 
(FIG. 9). Cutter units 58 and 62 are adapted for shaving short hair 
bristles and each include an elongated outer cutter 68 provided with 
transverse hair reception slots 70. A movable inner cutter 72 having 
transverse cutter teeth 74 in shearing engagement with the edges of slots 
70 is mounted in each outer cutter 68. Inner cutters 72 are held in 
engagement with the under surface of outer cutters 68 by means of leaf 
springs 76. Each spring 76 has a central driving portion 78 for engagement 
in a known manner with an oscillator arm 80 connected to the shaver motor 
(not shown) also in a well-known manner of engagement for reciprocating 
inner cutter 72. 
Central cutter unit 60 of cutter head 52 of a type generally disclosed in 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,902 issued Apr. 4, 1978, for cutting long facial hair. 
Central cutter unit 60 is provided with an elongated stationary outer 
cutter 82 secured to the walls of a U-shaped base spacer 88. The bite 
portion of stationary cutter 82 is provided with spaced rows of opposed 
combing teeth 90. The rows of combing teeth 90 extend toward each other 
from flat ledges 92 on the same plane as the combing teeth 90. The rows of 
combing teeth 90 are spaced one from the other by a deep longitudinally 
extending channel 84 having a base or bottom wall 86 and is formed 
integral with the bite portion of stationary cutter 82 at opposed distal 
ends thereof. The base member 86 is otherwise spaced from combing teeth 90 
by longitudinally extending wall portions 87 provided with hair reception 
openings 89 along the length thereof within the longitudinal channel 84. 
The base member 86 serves to strengthen stationary cutter 82 by tying the 
spaced rows of combing teeth 90 one to the other. 
A movable cutter 94 is provided for stationary cutter 82 having cutter 
teeth 96. Teeth 96 are maintained in cutting communication with the 
undersurface of combing teeth 90 of stationary cutter 82 by leaf spring 76 
having arms 79 interconnected to the ends of movable cutter 94 in a known 
manner to urge movable cutter 94 into shearing relationship with combing 
teeth 90 when central portion 78 of leaf spring 76 is seated on motor 
drive arm 80 for reciprocation in unison with inner cutters 72 of cutter 
units 58 and 62. 
In accordance with the present invention a raking device for dislodging 
ingrown hair is provided in cutter unit 60 and comprises an elongated rake 
member 110 secured to the bottom wall 86 of channel 84 by any suitable 
attachment means such as, but not limited to welding. Raking teeth 48 are 
provided across the upper edge of rake member 110 and project beyond or 
above the plane of the upper surface of stationary cutter 82 from within 
the central opening thereof. 
In operation of shaver 56 therefore, as cutter head assembly 52 is moved 
across the face of the user, rake teeth 48 will engage and dislodge 
embedded ingrown hairs in the manner described with respect to hand-held 
device 10. As the hair is dislodged from the skin surface by the 
frusto-triangular shaped teeth 48 it is fed directly into engagement with 
the combing teeth 90 and into the path of teeth 96 of movable cutter 94 
for shearing. 
It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the novel device 
has many advantages in use. One advantage is that simple and efficient 
means are provided for lifting and dislodging embedded ingrown hairs from 
the skin of the user with a minimum of irritation and effort. In addition 
the device may be readily incorporated into the head of an electric dry 
shaver for use therewith without materially increasing the cost thereof 
either in assembly or other manufacturing costs. 
It is expressly understood that the present invention is not limited to the 
embodiments illustrated and described. Various changes can be made in the 
design and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and 
scope of the same as will now be understood by those skilled in the art.