Patent Publication Number: US-6665937-B2

Title: Liquid container for a hair removing apparatus

Description:
This is a continuation of PCT application Ser. No. PCT/EP99/08521, filed Nov. 6, 1999, which claims priority from German application serial number 19907224.8, filed Feb. 19, 1999, (pending). 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates to a liquid container for a hair removing apparatus of the type indicated in the prior art portion of claim 1. 
     From FR 2 613 975 A1 a liquid container for a dry shaving apparatus is known, which is arranged in the shaver housing and is associated with a pumping device within the housing by means of which pumping device a lotion held in the liquid container is conveyed to two dispensing devices constructed as spray devices using one intake duct and two discharge ducts. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid container ensuring the dispensing of liquid in any position of the liquid container. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, this object is accomplished in a liquid container of the type initially referred to by the features indicated in claim 1. 
     The present invention which finds application in a hair removing apparatus affords a plurality of advantages. One significant advantage of the invention resides in that provision is made for a liquid conveying arrangement ensuring a position-independent withdrawal of liquid from the liquid container, which is accomplished by equipping the liquid container with a pumping device drawing in and conveying air and/or liquid, and with a storage material. The liquids to be stored and dispensed include shaving aids such as pre-shave or after-shave lotions and/or lubricants designed to improve the gliding motions of an outer cutter on the skin and/or lubricants designed to lubricate cooperating cutter elements with or without fragrances added. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a first partial volume of the liquid container is fillable with storage material for the liquid while a second partial volume of the liquid container is fillable with air. In a further aspect of this embodiment the first partial volume of the liquid container and the second partial volume of the liquid container are separable from each other by a partition wall and connectable with each other through at least one opening. This opening ensures that liquid the pumping device draws from the first partial volume of the liquid container is returnable to the second partial volume of the liquid container. In a further extension of this embodiment, the liquid container is adapted to be divided into a first and a second chamber by means of a partition wall having at least one opening. Preferably, the first chamber serves to hold air and/or liquid returnable from the liquid dispensing device. In a further development of this embodiment the second chamber holds a storage material for the liquid. To ensure the return flow of liquid from the first chamber into the second chamber at least one passageway is provided in the partition wall separating the first from the second chamber. A preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that a liquid conduit is routed through the passageway and a gap is formed between the liquid conduit and the partition wall. This arrangement ensures advantageously that the liquid drawn in by the pumping device is able to flow through the first chamber into the second chamber for storage in the storage material provided therein, and that the air likewise drawn in by the pumping device is able to develop in the first chamber a pressure controllable by a pressure relief valve, which pressure subsequently operates to convey the stored liquid from the storage material via a second liquid conduit to a liquid dispensing device of a hair removing apparatus. For this purpose the invention provides for the second chamber to accommodate a storage material and for the first chamber to be constructed as a compression chamber. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the first chamber is equipped with a pressure relief valve. An embodiment of a pressure relief valve affording great ease and economy of manufacture is characterized in that the pressure relief valve is formed by an orifice of small cross section. According to one embodiment of the invention the orifice of the pressure relief valve is provided in a wall of the first chamber. An alternative embodiment of a pressure relief valve is characterized in that the orifice is provided in a pressure relief duct. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the liquid container includes a second liquid conduit projecting into the storage material. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, one end of the second liquid conduit terminates at a small distance B to a wall of the second chamber, while the other end of the second liquid conduit extends through a wall of the first chamber. This arrangement ensures that the complete liquid is shaving aid stored in the storage material can be withdrawn to be conveyed to a liquid dispensing device. 
     The second liquid conduit is preferably constructed as a riser. 
     In a further aspect of the invention, the pumping device is able to produce a compression pressure in the liquid container, said compression pressure operating to force the liquid out of the storage material and through a second liquid conduit out of the liquid container. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention affording particular ease and economy of manufacture, the pumping device is provided on a wall of the first chamber. In a further aspect of this embodiment, the pumping device is provided on a wall inside the first chamber. Alternatively, the pumping device may be provided on a wall outside the first chamber. 
     According to the present invention, the pumping device has a pump outlet adapted to be coupled to the first chamber. 
     In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, one wall of the first chamber forms a first housing part of the pumping device. In a further aspect of this embodiment, components of the pumping device are fitted in a wall of the first chamber. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fitted components are formed by at least one flow channel, at least one valve chamber and an opening for the pump drive. In a further configuration of the invention, a membrane with a pump element and two valve elements are associated with the first housing part. In a further aspect of this embodiment, the first housing part includes a pump chamber, a first valve chamber and a flow channel. 
     A significant advantage of the embodiments of the invention resides in that the liquid container with the pumping device is replaceable for a new liquid container with pumping device. Hence the efficiency of the pumping device is designed only for the quantity of liquid to be dispensed from the liquid container. The quality requirements to be imposed on the pumping device are therefore extremely low and result accordingly in an extremely economical production of the pumping device and the liquid container. 
     One embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be described in more detail in the following. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dry shaving apparatus, showing the rear of the apparatus and a liquid container attached to a narrow side; 
     FIG. 2 is a view of the dry shaving apparatus of FIG. 1, showing a liquid container spaced from a stop by a distance A; 
     FIG. 3 is a view of a cutter frame with a housing whose outer housing part is shown only in part to expose the interior of the housing; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the cutter frame  11  and the liquid dispensing device; 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the cutter frame with a liquid dispensing device and an actuating element occupying different positions; 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic views of the liquid conveying arrangement comprised of a liquid container, a liquid dispensing device, a first and a second liquid conduit, and a pumping device; 
     FIG. 9 is schematic view of the outer contours of a dry shaving apparatus with a drive mechanism for operating a shaving arrangement and a pumping device for feeding liquid from a liquid container into the liquid dispensing device; 
     FIG. 10 is a view of a first and a second housing part and a membrane of a pumping device; and 
     FIG. 11 is a view illustrating the integration of a pumping device into the housing of a liquid container. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective representation of a dry shaving apparatus TR with a view of the rear of the housing  1  and of one of the two narrow sides  2  of the housing  1 , and of the shaving head  3  on which a liquid dispensing device  4  is provided. A liquid container  5  is adjustable arranged on the narrow side  2  of the housing  1 . In FIG. 1 the liquid container  5  is in abutment with a stop  6  provided on the housing  1 . This liquid container  5  may also be disposed inside the housing  1 —not illustrated. 
     FIG. 2 shows the dry shaving apparatus of FIG. 1, the difference being that a distance A is produced between the upper wall  7  of the liquid container  5  and the stop  6  by sliding the liquid container  5  in the direction of the arrow P 2 . Sliding the liquid container  5  in the directions of the arrows P 1  or P 2  results in either the coupling or uncoupling of a pumping device  13  adapted to be driven by an electric drive  50  of the dry shaving apparatus—see FIG.  9 . 
     The shaving head  3  has at least one outer cutter and one undercutter cooperating therewith, as well as a shaving head frame  10  and a cutter frame  11  configured to be removed therefrom. One embodiment of such a cutter frame  11  is presented in FIGS. 3,  4  and  5  and will be explained in more detail in the following. 
     Inside the cutter frame  11  —see also FIG. 4, FIG.  5  and FIG.  6 —the outer cutters  18 ,  19 , attached in arched form, of the short-hair cutter units are secured to longitudinally extending side walls  14  and  15  as well as to bars—not shown—disposed between end walls  16  and  17 . The long-hair cutter unit with a U-shaped outer cutter  20  disposed between the two outer cutters  18  and  19  of the short-hair cutter units is mounted in the end walls  16  and  17  of the cutter frame  11  so that it can move in vertical direction—in the directions of the arrows P 1  and P 2 . 
     A liquid dispensing device  4  is provided on one side wall  15  of the cutter frame  11 . The liquid dispensing device  4  is essentially comprised of a housing  21  made up of two housing parts  211  and  212 , an open-pore contact element  22  disposed in the housing  21 , a spacer  23  associated with the contact element  30   22 , and an adjusting device V by means of which the spacer  23  can be moved to and fro in the directions of the arrows R 1  and R 2 . The adjusting device V is comprised of two cooperating adjusting elements  25  and  26  having surfaces F 1  and F 2  arranged at a relative inclination, a spring element  24 , and an actuating element  27 . Movably arranged in an inner compartment  33  of the housing part  211  of the housing  21  are the adjusting element  26  fitted with the actuating element  27 , and the adjusting element  25  provided on the spacer  23 . The spring element  24  rests with one part against a wall of the inner compartment of the housing part  211  and with another part against the adjusting element  25 , its predetermined spring pressure operating to maintain the inclined surface F 1  in abutment with the inclined surface F 2  of the adjusting element  26 . The housing part  212  of the housing  21  is fastened to the housing part  211 , acting as a cover for the inner compartment  33  of the housing part  211 . 
     The actuating element  27  with a marking M is provided on the adjusting element  26 , which is slidably mounted inside the housing  21  and projects out of the housing  21  through an elongate opening  28 . The actuating element  27  with the marking M is slidable parallel to a scale SK provided on an outer wall of the housing part  212 . When the actuating element  27  is moved in the direction of the arrow SI, the inclined surface F 2  of the adjusting element  26  cooperates with the inclined surface F 1  of the adjusting element  25  to move the spacer  23  in the direction of the arrow R 1 . The spacer  23  is returned to its initial position—in the direction of the arrow R 2 —by sliding the actuating element  27  in the opposite direction—direction of the arrow S 2 . 
     The open-pore contact element  22 , which is equipped with a rinsing chamber  214 , is fixedly arranged in an inner compartment  213  of the housing part  211 . The housing part  211  is arranged adjacent and parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the outer cutter  18  in such a way that the contact element  22 , which is arranged in the inner compartment  213  and partly projects out of the inner compartment  213 , is in a position to dispense liquid to a zone adjacent to the outer cutter  18 . The contact surface of the contact element  22  used at any one time is variable and the liquid dispensing rate thus controllable by adjusting the spacer  23  relative to the contact element  22 —see FIGS. 5 and 6. 
     The liquid to be dispensed by the contact element  22  of the liquid dispensing device is fed to the contact element  22  via a second liquid conduit  32 . Metered application of the liquid by the contact element  22  is also controllable by drawing liquid from the liquid dispensing device  4  via a first liquid conduit  31 . 
     FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of an arrangement for conveying liquid from the liquid container  5  to the liquid dispensing device  4  and from the liquid dispensing device  4  back into the liquid container  5 . A partition wall  42  is provided in the liquid container  5  to form a first chamber  40  and a second chamber  41 . An opening is provided in the partition wall  42 . A second liquid conduit  32  is passed through this opening and terminates at a predetermined distance B from the bottom  46  of the liquid container  5 . The opening in the partition wall  42  is dimensioned so that a gap  43  is formed after the second liquid conduit  32  is passed through. This gap serves the function of feeding liquid from the first chamber  40  into the second chamber  41 . A porous storage material  44 —e.g., a sintered material—is provided in the second chamber  41  to store the liquid. The first chamber  40  is connected by a liquid conduit  47  to a pumping device  13  provided outside the liquid container  5 . The necessary pressure for conveying liquid from the second chamber  41  via the second liquid conduit  32 , which acts as a riser, to the liquid dispensing device  4  is obtainable by means of a pressure relief valve  45  when the liquid conveying arrangement is working. The pressure relief valve  45  may be comprised of a tube, for example, having an orifice whose cross section is dimensioned to enable the necessary atmospheric pressure for conveying the liquid to be reached after the pumping device  13  is started and to enable any excess pressure to be discharged. 
     A contact element  22  is fixedly arranged in the housing  21  of the liquid dispensing device  4 . By suitably shaping the contact element  22  a rinsing chamber  214  is provided in the contact element  22  which receives liquid via the second liquid conduit  32 . The liquid under pressure penetrates the open-pore material of the contact element  22  and, when the outer contact surface  48  is touched by the skin, is dispensed onto the skin as indicated by the arrows. 
     The rinsing chamber  214  is coupled by a first liquid conduit  31  to the inlet side E of the pumping device  13 . The outlet side PA of the pumping device  13  is coupled by a liquid conduit  47  to the first chamber  40  of the liquid container  5 . When the pumping device  13  is set in operation it draws in air via the housing  21 —see the arrow L—as well as liquid from the rinsing chamber  214  and/or the contact element  22 , feeding it to the first chamber  40  to build up there the necessary pressure for conveying liquid from the second chamber  41  via the second liquid conduit  32  to the rinsing chamber  214 . By returning any surplus liquid from the rinsing chamber  214  and/or the contact element, which results from the suction cycle of the pumping device  13 , it is possible to control the dispensing of liquid by the contact element  22  in such a way that liquid is dispensed to a skin to be wetted only when the contact surface of the contact element  22  is touched. Hence no liquid is dispensed when the contact element  22  is not being touched. 
     The gap  43  between the partition wall  42  and the second liquid conduit  32 , which acts as a riser, is dimensioned so that the liquid delivered by the pumping device  13  into the first chamber  40  can penetrate the storage material  44  in the second chamber  41 . Any reverse flow of liquid stored in the storage material from the second chamber  41  through the gap  43  into the first chamber  40  is prevented by the bonding effect of the liquid to the storage material  44 . 
     FIG. 8 shows the liquid conveying arrangement of FIG. 7, the difference being that the pumping device  13  is disposed inside the liquid container  5 , i.e., in the first chamber  40 . The pumping device is part of the liquid container  5  and can be replaced together with it. The liquid container  5  can be replaced because the first liquid conduit  31  and the second liquid conduit  32  are coupled to the liquid container  5  by means of suitable coupling elements—not shown. Such coupling elements can also be provided in the first liquid conduit  31  and the second liquid conduit  32  of FIG. 7 in order to couple the pumping device  13  and the liquid container  5  to said conduits. 
     A suitably shaped rubber part, which tightly closes the complete unit, including the first and second liquid conduits  31 ,  32 , is used as a cover for the liquid container  5 . Metal tips of the first and second liquid conduits  31 ,  32 , which are located inside the housing  1 , pierce the cover in the area of the conduits when the cleaning liquid container is inserted, thus opening the liquid circuit. 
     The described configuration of the liquid container  5  is preferably implementable as a disposable cartridge or in the form of a container which can be filled in or on the hair removing apparatus. 
     FIG. 9 shows a schematic representation of the layout of a liquid conveying arrangement of FIG. 7 in a dry shaving apparatus TR of FIGS. 1 and 2. The contours of the dry shaving apparatus are represented by dotted lines by way of example. 
     In the housing  1  of the dry shaving apparatus TR there is arranged an electric motor  50  whose motor shaft is coupled by an eccentric to an oscillating member  52  in order to make it oscillate to and fro—see the directions of the arrows S 1  and S 2 . The oscillating bridge  52  serves the function of driving cutter elements of the dry shaving apparatus TR—not illustrated—in addition to driving the pumping device  13  of the liquid dispensing device  4 . For this purpose the oscillating member  52 —which is fastened, for example, on wall elements  51  of the housing  1  of the dry shaving apparatus TR—is coupled by way of a double-armed oscillating lever  54 , which is pivotally connected to a pivot  53  provided on the housing  1 , to a pumping element of the pumping device  13  in order to transmit a driving motion. This driving connection is interruptible by sliding the liquid container  5  in the direction of the arrow P 2  by a distance A so that no liquid is fed from the container  5  into the rinsing chamber  214  and the open-pore contact element  22 . By sliding the liquid container  5  in the direction of the arrow P 1  it is possible to re-establish the connection between the pumping element of the pumping device  13  and the double-armed lever  54  so that when the electric motor  50  is set in operation the oscillating movements of the oscillating member  52  are transmitted via the double-armed lever  54  to the pumping element of the pumping device  13 , thus re-starting the liquid conveying arrangement. 
     The rinsing chamber  214  is coupled to the liquid container  5  via the pumping device  13  by means of a first liquid conduit  31 —see FIG.  9 —and to the first chamber  40  by means of a second liquid conduit  32 . The first and second liquid conduits are of flexible construction in order to be able to follow the sliding movement of the liquid container  5  in the directions of the arrows P 1  and P 2 . 
     The components of a pumping device  13  are shown in FIG.  10 . The pumping device  13  is comprised of only three parts, including a first housing part  60 , a second housing part  61 , and a membrane  62  which is disposed between the first housing part  60  and the second housing part  61 . The membrane  62  has an elastic pumping element  63  projecting from the planar membrane wall in slightly domed form. Two flutter valves  64  and  65 , which act as non-return valves, are provided in the wall of the membrane  62 . The flutter valves  64  and  65  are elastically formed in the membrane wall and are a part of the membrane  62 . The second housing part  61  is equipped with an opening  66  through which the pumping element  63  can be actuated by a drive element, e.g., by one arm of the double-armed lever  54  of FIG. 9. A first liquid conduit  31  is connectable to the second housing part  61 . In the first housing part  60  is a pump chamber  67  which is connectable by way of a flow channel  70  to a first valve chamber  68  and by way of a further flow channel  71  to the second valve chamber  69  provided in the second housing part  61 . The second valve chamber  69  is adapted to be coupled by way of an outlet PA and a pump outlet conduit  75  to a liquid conduit  47  leading to the first chamber  40  of the liquid container  5 —see FIG.  7 . The flutter valve  65  provided in the membrane  62  is associated on the one hand with the first liquid conduit  31  and on the other hand with the first valve chamber  68 . The flutter valve  64  is associated with the second valve chamber  69  and with the liquid conduit  47  leading out of said chamber. Exerting a reciprocating pumping movement on the pumping element  63  causes the pumping element  63  to draw in and pump out liquid and/or air in alternation. During the pumping cycle the pumping element  63  is urged into the pump chamber  67  in the direction of the arrow P 1 . As this occurs, the liquid and/or air present in the pump chamber  67  is urged via the flow channel  71  against the flutter valve  64 , moving the elastic flutter valve  64  into the second valve chamber  69 , thereby clearing the flow path for the liquid and/or air via the second valve chamber  69  into the pump outlet conduit  75 . The liquid and/or air subsequently flows via a connectable liquid conduit  47  into the first chamber  40  of the liquid container. During this pumping cycle the air and/or liquid exposed to the pumping pressure acts via the flow channel  70  and the first valve chamber  68  against the flutter valve  65 , closing the pump inlet opening in the second housing part  61  which is adapted to be coupled with the first liquid conduit  31 . 
     On termination of the pumping cycle the tensioned elastic pumping element  63  moves in the direction of the arrow P 2  back to its initial position, thereby drawing in air and/or liquid from the first liquid conduit  31 . This suction cycle causes the flutter valve  65  to move into the first valve chamber  68 , thus clearing the liquid conduit  31  and enabling the air and/or liquid to flow via the first valve chamber and the flow channel  70  into the pump chamber  67 . The flutter valve  64  is constructed and arranged relative to the flow channel  71  so that during the suction cycle the flow channel  70  is covered to such an extent that no air and/or liquid is allowed to flow past the flutter valve  64  into the second valve chamber  69  nor from there into the opening, not covered by the flutter valve  64 , of the outlet PA and the pump outlet conduit  75 . 
     The pumping device  13  represented in FIG. 10 may be arranged either outside or inside a liquid container  5 , as is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. 
     According to a further embodiment the pumping device  13  may also be configured as part of the liquid container  5 , as is shown in FIG. 11 by way of example. 
     The pumping device of FIG. 11 differs from the pumping device of FIG. 10 only inasmuch as the first housing part  60  of the pumping device  13  is part of a wall of the liquid container 
     5. In FIG. 11 part of the interior of a liquid container  5 , namely the first chamber  40 , is represented by broken lines. The chamber  40  is connectable by way of a pump outlet conduit  75  to the second liquid conduit—see FIG.  7 . In the front  80  of the liquid container  5  provision is made for a depression  81  accommodating the first valve chamber  68 , the flow channel  70 , the pump chamber  67 , the flow channel  71 , and a liquid conduit  85  connecting the second valve chamber  69  to the first chamber  40  of the liquid container  5 . The membrane  62  is embedded in the depression  81  and, using the second housing part  61  and suitable fastening elements, the previously listed components are assembled to form a complete pumping device  13  and then put into operation. 
     The liquid container  5  is inserted in the housing  1  of the hair removing apparatus and the sealing part pierced in the areas of the conduits, thus establishing a connection to the liquid conveying arrangement of the apparatus  1 . Inserting the liquid container  5  simultaneously positions the pumping device  13  in front of the oscillating member  54  located in the housing  1 . When the application function is activated the pumping device  13  begins to build up pressure in the liquid container  5 . The air drawn in during the starting cycle is pumped into the first chamber  40  and can pass through the outlet gap  43  between the second liquid conduit  32  and the partition wall  42  into the second chamber  41  where it exerts pressure on the liquid. At the same time the suction cycle of the pumping device  13  produces a suction effect in the second liquid conduit  32  of the liquid circuit, which draws the liquid into the liquid dispensing device  4 . The application point in the liquid dispensing device  4  is designed so that the pumping device  13  can draw in air from the outside at the same time as drawing in the non-applied liquid. Hence after the starting cycle the pumping device  13  invariably feeds a mixture of liquid and air into the liquid container  5 , where the mixture is separated into its two components. This separation occurs on the inner wall of the first chamber  40  as the result of the adhesive force of the droplets. As the drops grow bigger they flow back through the outlet gap  43  into the second chamber  41  and so are returned to the liquid circuit. 
     Because this arrangement permanently draws in air in addition to the non-consumed liquid, the pressure built up in the first chamber  40  is higher than that which escapes with the liquid. This overpressure in the first chamber  40  prevents the liquid flowing back from the second chamber  41  into the first chamber  40 . The pressure is stabilized by a defined opening in the air discharge throttle which acts as a pressure relief valve. Arranging the air discharge throttle in the upper area of the first partitioned chamber  40  prevents the inflowing droplets being blown out unintentionally when the hair removing apparatus is in an inclined position. Operation of the arrangement is thus guaranteed even with the hair removing apparatus turned through 180° compared to the position illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
     The porous storage material ensures operational reliability also in cases when the liquid container  5  is not full. In this case the liquid reaches the suction zone of the second liquid conduit  32  through the capillary action of the storage material. Liquid movements and attendant noise are also minimized. 
     On account of the described structural design it is possible to store and dispense liquids independently of position and movement, with the arrangement simultaneously providing for regulation of the quantity of liquid to be dispensed.