Patent Publication Number: US-7581319-B1

Title: Electric trimmer with integrated blade switching means

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not Applicable 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
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   REFERENCE TO APPENDIX 
   Not Applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to the field of electrical hair trimmers, more specifically, a hair trimmer with an integrated blade switching means. 
   B. Discussion of the Prior Art 
   The McCambridge et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,656,938) discloses a hair trimming device having a slidably adjustable comb. However, the hair trimming device disclosed under the McCambridge Patent does not incorporate a cleaning tray with an internal conveyor in order to change the blades. 
   The Braun et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,968,623) discloses a powered hair cutting device having an adjustable comb mechanism for changing the desired cutting length. However, the hair cutting device disclosed under the Braun Patent does not include a cleaning tray and conveyor in order to clean and change the cutting blade. 
   The McCambridge et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,511) discloses a hair trimming device having one-hand control means and a rotatable blade set for alternating trimming lengths. However, the rotatable blade disclosed under the McCambridge Patent is not conveyed nor is it cleaned in a cleaning tray. 
   The Wilcox Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,269) discloses a hair trimmer having an adjustable comb control for setting trimming lengths. However, the hair trimmer disclosed under the Wilcox publication does not have an integrated cleaning tray and conveyor in order to rotate the trimming blades, clean the cutting blades that are not in use, and store all cleaning blades that are not in use. 
   The Andis et al. Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2004/0083613) discloses a rechargeable hair trimming device. However, the rechargeable hair trimming device disclosed under the Andis Publication does not include an integrated cleaning tray with an internal conveyor so as to clean, store, and rotate the cutting blades when not in use. 
   The Bone Patent (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 369,230) illustrates a design for a hair trimmer, which does not illustrate a cleaning tray with internal conveying means. 
   The Sculptor Cordless Trimmer disclosed under the 2003 Lambier catalog is a non-patent piece of prior art that discloses an electric hair trimmer with a cleaning brush and adjustable hair comb. However, the cordless trimmer does not include an internal cleaning tray with an internal conveyor for changing cutting blades, cleaning cutting blades, and storing cleaned cutting blades that are not in use. 
   In light of the above discussed prior art there is a need for an electrical hair trimmer having an internal cleaning tray and an internal conveyor so as to change out cutting blades internally, clean cutting blades, and store cleaned cutting blades. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is an improved electrical hair trimmer having an internal cleaning tray that cleans dirty cutting blades. Located adjacent to the cleaning tray is an internal conveying means that enables a dirty cutting blade to be removed and a cleaned cutting blade to be installed without the use of an external mechanism. The main benefit of this invention is to provide an electrical hair trimming tool that can automatically remove and clean a used and dirty cutting blade. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention: 
     In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an isometric rendering of the invention with the cleaning tray in an open position; 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a bottom view of the invention; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of the invention; and 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the internal components of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
   Detailed reference will now be made to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 . An electrical hair trimmer  10  (hereinafter invention) includes housing  15 , a cleaning tray  16  that extends from a side of the housing  10 . Located adjacent to the housing  15  is a tray open button  17  that when depressed released the cleaning tray  16 , which then extends to an open position, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
   Located within the cleaning tray  16  is a conveyor belt  20  upon which a plurality of cutting blades  30  rest when not in use. Located on the conveyor belt  20  are a plurality of stops  21 , which rotate along with the conveyor belt  20  and aid in the conveyance of the cutting blades  30 . The conveyor belt  20  is rotated by a drive shaft  22 , which is powered by a conveyor motor  23 . 
   Located within the housing  15  and forward of the conveyor  20  is a track  24  upon which a transport  25  is slidably mounted thereon. The transport  25  can move either towards or away from the conveyor  20 . Located on the transport are a pair of pulls  26 , which engage and are aligned with mounting holes  31  located on the cutting blades  30 . 
   The cutting blades  30  are conveyed forward from the conveyor  20  until a cutting blade  30  connects with the transport  25 . Once the cutting blade  30  engages the transport  25  via the pulls  26  and the mounting holes  31 , the transport  25  will move the cutting blade via the motor  23  toward the end of the housing  15  having the cutting blade back  35 . The cutting blade back  35  is permanently mounted to the exterior of the housing  15  and has a serrated edge  36  along one end. The serrated edge  36  corresponds with a cutting blade serrated edge  32 . 
   It shall be noted that with most electrical hair trimmers, the cutting blade  30  and cutting blade back  35  shear hair due to a lateral movement of the cutting blade  30  with respect to the cutting blade back  35 . It shall be asserted that this lateral movement is accomplished with this invention via the transport  25 . 
   Located within the housing  15  are a control unit  40 , a battery pack  41 , a blower  42 , and switch  43 . The battery pack  41  is individually electrically wired to the control unit  40 , the blower  42 , and the switch  43 . The switch  43  is also electrically wired to the motor  23 . As depicted in  FIG. 4 , the battery pack  41  and control unit  40  are securely mounted to an interior surface of the housing  15 . 
   An exhaust hole  44  is provided along a portion of the housing  15  and is designed to enable the blower  42  to blow heated air from within the housing  15  out to the surrounding air in order to lower the temperature immediately surrounding the electrical components contained within the housing  15 . 
   As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the battery pack  41  is enclosed in a portion of the housing  15  and is accessed by a slidably removable cover  50 . The battery pack  41  is a consumable battery that can provide electricity. An alternative power source of the invention  10  uses a power cord  52  that attaches to a power cord port  51  located on the housing  15 . 
   The blower  42  is designed to prevent the overheating of all of the electrical components located within the housing  15 . It shall be noted that a portion of the interior of the housing  15  containing the cleaning tray  16 , conveyor  20 , track  24 , and transport  25  are all separated from the remaining internal components of the invention  10 . The above described portion of the interior of the housing  15  shall be designated for the cleaning, storing, and conveyancing of the cutting blades  30 . 
   It shall be noted that the cleaning tray  16  shall form a watertight seal along the side of the housing  15  from where the cleaning tray  16  extends, so as to prevent any cleaning solution from exiting the invention  10  when the cleaning tray  16  is in a closed position. 
   Located on a front portion of the housing  15  is a plurality of buttons  60  that provide an end user with the necessary controls to operate the conveyor  20  and transport  25 .