Patent EA-000691-B1 (EA)
Title: Shaving head and shaving apparatus comprising the shaving head
Inventor: PRAGT JOHAN
IPC: B26B21/00
Filed: 1997-12-18
Abstract: 1. A shaving head (1) comprising a cutter (5) having a cutting edge (6) for cutting hairs (2) near the skin (17) and a manipulator (10) adapted to move a hair along the cutting edge, characterized in that the manipulator is adapted to move the hair (2) relative to the skin while the hair is being cut by the cutting edge (6). 2. A shaving head (2) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the manipulator (10) is adapted to move hairs (2) to and from along the cutting edge (6), 3. A shaving head (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shaving head comprises a supporting surface (4) for supporting the shaving head on the skin (17), the shaving head comprises a frame (14), and the manipulator (10) is movable relative to the frame (14) in a tangential direction (x) along the cutting edge (6). 4. A shaving head (101) as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the manipulator has recesses (13) which extend near the cutting edge (6). 5. A shaving head (101) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that in the tangential direction (x) the recesses (13) have a width (w) between 100 and 400 micrometers. 6. A shaving head (101) as claimed in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the recesses (13) are formed between teeth (111). 7. A shaving head (101) as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the distance (d) between the ends of the teeth (11) and the cutting edge (6) lies between 50 and 1000 micrometers. 8. A shaving head (1) as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that at the location of the cutting edge (6) the teeth (11) have a height (h) smaller than 500 micrometers measured in a direction (z) transverse to the supporting surface (4). 9. A shaving head (201) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 3 to 8, characterized in that the manipulator (210) is movable relative to the frame (214) in a direction (280) transverse to the tangential direction (x). 10. A shaving head (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 3 to 9, characterized in that the cutting edge (6) is disposed at the level of the supporting surface (4) and the manipulator (10) forms at least a part of the supporting surface. 11. A shaving head as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 3 to 10, characterized in that the shaving head is adapted to provide a weak transmission between the manipulator (10) and the skin (17). 12. A shaving head (201) as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the manipulator (210) is movable in a direction (z) transverse to the supporting surface (4). 13. A shaving head (101) as claimed in claim 11 or 12, characterized in that at its side which faces the supporting surface (4) the manipulator (110) comprises a material (21) which provides a low coefficient of friction with respect to the skin surface (3). 14. A shaving head (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 3 to 13, characterized in that the cutter (5) and the manipulator (10) are flexible in a direction transverse to the supporting surface (4). 15. A shaving head (201) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutting edge (6) has a serrated structure (206) with serrations smaller than 100 micrometers. 16. A shaving apparatus comprising at least one shaving head (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and a drive system (30) for driving the manipulator (10). 17. A shaving apparatus (9) as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the drive system (30) is adapted to move the manipulator (10) to and from in the tangential direction (x). 18. A shaving apparatus (9) as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the drive system (30) is adapted to drive the manipulator (10) with an amplitude of 50 to 250 micrometers in the tangential direction (x). 19. A shaving apparatus (9) as claimed in claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the drive system (30) is adapted to drive the manipulator (10) with a frequency higher than or equal to 100 Hz. 20. A shaving apparatus (109) as claimed in claim 17, 18 or 19, characterized in that the drive system comprises a piezoelectric element (35). 21. A shaving apparatus (209) as claimed in claim 17, 18, 19 or 20, characterized in that the mass of the oscillating parts (210) is more than 10 times as small as the mass of the shaving apparatus. 22. A shaving apparatus (309; 409) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 16 to 21, comprising an applicator (322; 40-44) for applying an agent to the skin, which agent reduces the transmission between the manipulator and the skin. 23. A shaving apparatus (309) as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that the applicator comprises a porous structure (322). 24. A shaving apparatus (309) as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that the agent comprises a substance which can be taken up by water and which is stored in the porous structure (322). 25. A shaving apparatus (309) as claimed in claim 23 or 24, characterized in that the applicator (322) takes the form of a roller. 26. A shaving apparatus (409) as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that said applicator comprises a reservoir (40) for holding said agent and further comprises dispenser means (41, 42) for applying the agent to the skin in a controlled amount.