Abstract:
A shaver ( 1 ) includes a handle ( 2 ), at least two rotary shaving heads ( 5 ), driven by at least one drive shaft ( 15; 115; 215 ) which protrudes from the handle ( 2 ), and a support structure ( 6 ) for supporting the shaving heads ( 5 ) onto the handle ( 2 ) so as to have their joined shaving surface(s) extend substantially perpendicular to the at least one drive shaft ( 15; 115; 215 ). The support structure ( 6 ) is configured such, that a space (A), restricted at one side by the shaving heads ( 5 ) and at the opposite side by the handle ( 2 ), is substantially open to its remaining, surrounding side.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a shaver comprising a handle, at least two rotary shaving heads, driven by at least one drive shaft that protrudes from said handle, and a support structure for supporting the shaving heads onto said handle so as to have their joined shaving surface extend substantially perpendicular to said at least one drive shaft. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Such shavers are known. Typically, the shaving heads are connected to the handle via a cup-shaped support structure, which together with said handle encloses a chamber for collecting hairs, shaving lotion and other waste materials which, during use, may enter the shaver via the shaving heads. The chamber may furthermore serve to protect a user and the at least one drive shaft against direct mutual contact. 
     A disadvantage of this known shaver is that, in order to clean the chamber and/or shaving heads, one or more parts of the shaver need to be removed to render the chamber and/or shaving heads accessible for cleaning. This imposes special requirements on the construction of said removable parts, which may increase the complexity and/or vulnerability of the shaver. Moreover, it requires a user to perform an additional handling each time he desires to clean the shaver. Also, the chamber may be difficult to clean, especially around the or each drive shaft and other, narrow corners. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a shaver of the above-described type, wherein the disadvantages of the known shavers are avoided, while maintaining the advantages thereof. To that end, a shaver according to the invention is characterized in that the support structure which connects the shaving heads to the handle is configured such that the space, sandwiched between the shaving heads and the handle is substantially open to its other, surrounding sides. 
     By doing so, the shaving heads will more or less float at a distance from the handle, only connected thereto via the at least one drive shaft and the support structure. Thanks to the absence of an enclosed chamber, few hairs, shaving lotion and the like contamination will collect in said space between the shaving heads and the handle. Most of these waste products will immediately leave the shaver via the open side. Therefore, little cleaning is required. Moreover, when cleaning is needed, the shaving heads will be readily accessible, without having to remove or detach any shaver part, thanks to the open support structure. The shaver can be readily rinsed or immersed in water. 
     In this description, the term ‘substantially open’ means that the space between the shaving heads and the handle is not enclosed in any way by the support structure. The support structure at most supports said shaving heads at a few, isolated points, for instance, spaced along their circumference or centrally, between said shaving heads. When located along the circumference, the support structure may, for instance, be dimensioned such, that at least 80% of an imaginary surface, passing through the circumference of the shaving heads and that of the handle, remains open. 
     Furthermore the wording regarding the joined shaving surface of the shaving heads extending ‘substantially perpendicular’ to the at least one drive shaft of said heads, is to be understood to cover embodiments wherein said shaving surface has a slightly curved, convex or concave configuration and/or situations, during use, wherein one or more shaving heads has a temporarily pivoted or tilted position, for contour following purposes. 
     In further elaboration, the support structure is preferably designed such that said space between the shaving heads and the handle is substantially free from obstacles, other than the at least one drive shaft, the support structure, and possibly, one or more conduits of a lotion supply system. This too will prevent waste products from accumulating within said space, requiring less cleaning action. Moreover, such free space makes the shaving heads even more readily accessible for cleaning. 
     Preferably, the support structure and the at least one drive shaft are configured such that the shaving heads are visible during use, or at least the part thereof that defines the contour of the shaving surface. Thanks to such visual information, a user may even better control his shaving maneuvers, enabling him to accurately follow a hair line, for instance, when trimming a beard or moustache. 
     In a further preferred embodiment, the shaving heads may be driven by a single drive shaft. Such a single drive shaft requires little space and thus enables the open space between the shaving heads and the handle to be maximized. Moreover, if the handle is to be watertight, for instance, to protect the motor and possible other drive means enclosed therein, only one seal is needed to guide the drive shaft through said handle. This will minimize friction and energy consumption, usually associated with such seals. 
     In an alternative preferred embodiment, each shaving head may be driven by an individual drive shaft, which may be disposed centrally or eccentrically with regard to the respective shaving head. In the first case, the drive shaft may resiliently support said shaving head, resulting in good contour-following behavior. Moreover, no transmission means are needed between the drive shafts and the shaving heads, so that the shaving heads can have minimum dimensions, and all transmission means can be accommodated in the handle, well protected against external influences. In case of an eccentrically positioned drive shaft, such a drive shaft may be positioned anywhere along the shaving head&#39;s circumference, which offers a large design freedom for said shaving head. 
     In further elaboration, the or each drive shaft may be at least partly enclosed by the support structure. This results in a compact drive-support structure, for maximum openness below the shaving heads. The support structure may furthermore protect the shaft, for instance, against contamination and direct contact with a user. 
     In a further elaboration, the shaving heads may be provided with a central through opening, for increased openness and accessibility of the shaving heads, and enhanced visibility of the shaving actions, during use. 
     Further advantageous embodiments of a shaver according to the present invention are set forth in the dependent claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       To explain the invention, exemplary embodiments thereof will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIGS. 1A-1D  show a shaver according to the invention, with a single drive shaft and a central support structure, in perspective view, from four different angles; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  show, in more detail, the drive and support structure of the shaver of  FIGS. 1A-1D , in cross-sectional view; 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  show an alternative embodiment of a shaver according to the invention, wherein the shaving heads are driven by individual drive shafts; and 
         FIG. 4  shows, schematically, an alternative embodiment of a shaver according to the invention, wherein the shaving heads are driven by individual, eccentric located drive shafts. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In this description, identical or corresponding parts have identical or corresponding reference numerals. 
       FIGS. 1A-1D  show, from different angles, a shaver  1  according to the invention, comprising a handle  2  and three rotary shaving heads  5  (indicated individually as  5 A- 5 C), connected to said handle  2  in a triangular formation. The shaving heads  5  are driven by a single drive shaft  15 , which, in turn, is driven by a motor accommodated in the handle  2 , possibly together with suitable transmission and/or reduction means (not visible in  FIGS. 1A-1D ). In the present embodiment, the drive shaft  15  is positioned centrally with respect to the shaving heads  5  and surrounded by a central support structure  6 . The shaving heads  5  are pivotally connected to said central support structure  6 , in such way that a space A below said shaving heads  5 , is substantially open to the surroundings and substantially free from obstacles, as best seen in  FIG. 1C . Thanks to such open design, the shaver  1  and shaving heads  5  are readily accessible and easy to clean, without first having to open or remove a shaver part. Moreover, during use, a large portion of the bottom side of the shaving heads  5  will be visible, as best seen from  FIGS. 1C ,  1 D, allowing a user to monitor and accurately control his shaving maneuvers, for instance, when following a hairline of a beard or moustache. 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1A-1D , the open space A is interrupted by two conduits  35 , belonging to a shaving lotion supply system. Such a system may further comprise a reservoir and a pump, which may be integrated in or mounted on the handle  2  (not shown). The conduits  35  run from such reservoir to an outlet nozzle  36 , positioned near or in the shaving heads  5 . In the present example, only two of the three shaving heads  5 A and  5 B are provided with such nozzle  36 . The third shaving head  5 C is the shaving head that, during use, will be closest to a user&#39;s mouth and therefore, for obvious reasons, constructed without such nozzle  36 . Of course, in an alternative embodiment, the supply conduits  35  may be integrated in or at least extend through the support structure  6 , so as to maximize the open space A. Also, instead of multiple nozzles  36 , a single nozzle may be provided, disposed strategically in or near the shaving surface S. 
     As best seen from  FIGS. 2A and 2B , each shaving head  5  comprises a substantially cap-shaped external cutter member  7 , including an annular running groove  9  with hair entry apertures  11 . The shaving head  5  furthermore comprises an internal cutter member  8 , including a base plate  12  with cutters  14 , arranged to rotate along said running groove  9 , thereby cutting off hairs entering said hair-entry apertures  11 . The external cutter members  7  at their bottom side are provided with a circumferential flange  17  and a central tube  13 . The flange  17  serves to clamp the external cutter member  7  onto a substantially ringshaped subholder  6 C by means of a clamping ring  32 . The tube  13  serves as a bearing to rotatably mount the internal cutter member  8 . Spring means  18  are provided, between the subholder  6 C and the internal cutter member  8 , to bias the internal cutter member  8  against the external member  7 , thereby reducing a cutting gap between said members  7 ,  8 . 
     The subholders  6 C are each pivotally connected to the central support structure  6 , around a pivot axis P. Second spring means  34  are provided, to bias the subholders  6 C upward, around their pivot axes P. A central top cover  6 B may be provided, to cover the central drive shaft  15  and to limit said upward pivot angle of the heads  5 , thereby determining the shape of the shaving surface S in a neutral position. Such surface S, S′, S″ may, for instance, be concave, as shown in  FIG. 1B , convex as shown in FIG.  3 A, or straight, as seen in  FIG. 2B , respectively. Thanks to the pivotal connection of the subholders  6 C to the support structure  6 , the shaving heads  5  may be pressed downward during use, wherein the spring means  34  will provide a counter force, keeping the heads  5  into contact with a user&#39;s skin, thus ensuring good contour following. 
     For driving the internal cutter members  8 , each member  8  is provided with a gear wheel  25  at its bottom side. The drive shaft  15  is provided with a primary gear wheel  20 , arranged to engage the respective gear wheels  25  of the internal cutter members  8 . It will be clear, that upon rotation of the drive shaft  15 , the primary gear wheel  20  will drive the gear wheels  25 , thereby rotating the internal cutter members  8  along the external cutter members  7 . Thanks to the gear wheel  25  being directly fastened to the internal cutter member  8 , i.e., without intermediate components, the height of the shaving heads  5  can be minimized. Of course, additional gear wheels may be provided, for instance, to reverse a rotation direction of one or more of the shaving heads  5  and/or to change the rotation speed. Also, it is possible to have the drive shaft  15  drive one of the shaving heads  5  directly, and the other shaving heads  5  indirectly via an appropriate gear wheel train. In that case, the drive shaft  15  and support structure  6  may have an eccentric position, for instance, adjacent a circumferential edge of the shaving surface S. Also, the rotation axes M and R or the respective gear wheels  20 ,  25  may include an angle, for instance, to allow the shaving heads  5  to adjust their orientation to the curvature of a user&#39;s skin. 
     Preferably, the end side  3  of the handle  2  that faces the shaving heads  5  is construed watertight, so as to prevent water, shaving lotion and the like to penetrate said handle  2  during shaving and cleaning of the shaver  1 . To maintain the handle  2  watertight, the drive shaft  15  may be provided with a seal (not shown) where it passes said end side  3 . 
     It will be appreciated that in the above-described embodiment, the space A between the shaving heads  5  and the handle  2  can be maximally open, thanks to the single drive shaft  15 . Thanks to such openness, the shaving heads  5  will be maximally visible, during use, and maximally accessible during cleaning, without a user needing to perform any special handling to render said shaving heads  5  accessible for cleaning. Moreover, only one seal is needed to maintain the handle  2 , or at least the end side  3  thereof, watertight. 
     In an alternative embodiment, each shaving head  5  may be driven by an individual drive shaft  115 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , wherein the drive shafts  115  are driven by a motor and suitable transmission means, accommodated in the handle  2 , and wherein each drive shaft  115  passes the end surface  3  of the handle via suitable seals (not shown). The configuration of the shaving heads  5  and the way in which these heads  5  are mounted to a central support structure  6  is similar as described with reference to FIGS.  1 A- 1 D and  2 A- 2 B, with the exception that in the present embodiment, the shaving heads  5 , in their neutral position, define a convex shaving surface S′. 
     Although the individual drive shafts  115  of the shaving heads  5  occupy more space and require more seals than the single drive shaft  15  of the shaver according to  FIGS. 1A-1D  and  2 A- 2 B, the use of individual drive shafts  115  may offer some advantages. For instance, thanks to such individual drive shafts  115 , the shaving heads  5  can be mounted with a considerable amount of freedom, allowing the heads  5  to move independently of each other in axial direction and/or to tilt around any arbitrary axis extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis R of the respective heads  5 . Such freedom provides the shaver  1  with good contour-following properties. The driving ends of the shafts  115  (not shown) can, for instance, be configured as shown and described in International Patent Application No. WO03/011537, in particular in  FIG. 7  therein and the accompanying description, the subject matter of which is considered to be incorporated herein by reference. 
     Furthermore, thanks to the individual drive shafts  115 , the internal cutter members  8  may be configured without gear wheels  25 , enabling the total height of the shaving heads  5  to be even further reduced. All gear wheels  20 ,  25  can be accommodated in the handle  2 , where they are well-protected against potentially harmful external influences, such as hairs, shaving lotion and direct contact with a user. 
     In  FIG. 4 , a further alternative embodiment is shown, combining the aforementioned drive configurations. In this embodiment, the shaving heads  5  are driven by individual drive shafts  215 , which, in turn, are driven by a motor and suitable transmission means, accommodated in the handle  2 , in a similar way as described in  FIGS. 3A-3B . However, in contrast to the embodiment of  FIGS. 3A-3B , the drive shafts  215  do not extend centrally relative to the shaving heads  5 , but eccentrically, near a common center thereof (see  FIG. 4 ). To drive the internal cutter members  8 , the eccentric drive shafts  215  may be each provided with a pinion wheel  20 , engaging a gear wheel  25  which may be fastened to the internal cutter members  8 , as shown in  FIGS. 2A-2B . The shaving heads  5  may be supported via a central support structure (not shown), like the one disclosed in the previous embodiments. Alternatively, the shaving heads  5  may be supported by decentralized support structures, which may, for instance, surround the respective drive shafts  215  or extend near a circumference of the shaving surface S. Also, the drive shafts  215  may be located at other points along the periphery of the shaving heads, for instance, near the corners of the substantially triangular shaving surface S. In such case, the transmission means may, for instance, comprise a belt, cord or other suitable means for transferring the driving motion of the motor onto the shafts. 
     Although in comparison to the embodiment of  FIGS. 3A-3B , the embodiment of  FIG. 4  may require additional transmission means (in particular, pinion wheels  20  and gear wheels  25 ), this may be worthwhile, thanks to the additional design freedom it offers. Indeed, thanks to the eccentric positioning of the drive shafts  215 , the shaving heads  5  may be designed more freely, without having to bother about or having to reserve space for said drive shafts  215 . The shaving heads  5  may, for instance, be designed to have different diameters (within one shaver  1 ) and/or be arranged differently, for instance, in a non-equilateral triangle or any other, desirable formation. 
     In all illustrated examples, the shaving heads  5  may be provided with a cover plate  30 , as best seen in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B and  2 A,  2 B. These cover plates  30  may, for instance, serve aesthetic purposes and/or feature information, regarding for instance the type of shaver and/or the manufacturer. Alternatively, or additionally, said cover plates  30  may include aforementioned outlet nozzle  36 , for providing the shaving surface S with shaving lotion of foam. In such case, the cover plates  30  may be designed to enhance the distribution of said shaving lotion or foam over the shaving surface S. In an alternative embodiment, the cover plates  30  may be omitted. In such case, the diameter of the central tube  13  of the external cutter member  7 , may be increased so as to extend up to the running groove  9 . The central opening in the internal cutter member  8  may be adapted accordingly. With such adaptations, the shaving heads  5  will be substantially open, which even further increases the openness of the shaver  1  and the visibility of the shaving heads  5 . 
     Optionally, in all embodiments, the shaving heads  5  may be detachably coupled to the or each drive shaft  15 ,  115 ,  215 , allowing said heads  5  to be decoupled from the shaving body  2 , each separately or all together, as one shaving unit. Such decoupling provision may for instance be used for cleaning or reparation purposes. It also allows the shaving body  2  to be used with different sets of shaving heads  5 , for instance, of different size or with different hair entry openings, or for different shaving conditions (dry, wet), etc. The decoupling provision may furthermore serves as a sort of safety provision, which can prevent serious damage to the shaving heads  5  and/or the drive means, by allowing the shaving heads  5  to decouple upon large external forces and/or shocks, such as, for instance, encountered when the shaver is accidentally dropped. 
     The invention is not in any way limited to the exemplary embodiments presented in the description and drawing. All combinations (of parts) of the embodiments shown and described in this description are explicitly understood to be incorporated within this description and are explicitly understood to fall within the scope of the invention. Moreover, many variations are possible within the scope of the invention, as outlined by the claims.