Patent Publication Number: US-2006011028-A1

Title: Hair trimmer

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/285,390, entitled “HAIR TRIMMER”, filed Oct. 31, 2002 by Matthew L. Andis, Richard J. Tringali, and Robert E. Derby. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND  
      The invention relates to methods and apparatus for trimming hair.  
      Various methods and apparatus for trimming hair have been used in the past. Nevertheless, a new method and apparatus for trimming hair that provides enhanced hair care results would be welcomed by those that utilize hair trimmers.  
     SUMMARY  
      The present invention provides a hair trimmer having an ion emitting assembly.  
      In one embodiment, the invention provides a hair trimmer that includes a body portion having a cutting end, a blade set mounted adjacent the cutting end, an electric motor drivingly connected to the blade set, and an ion emitter assembly coupled to the body.  
      In another embodiment, the invention provides a hair trimmer that includes a body portion having a cutting end, a blade set mounted adjacent the cutting end, an electric motor housed within the body portion and operatively engageable with the blade set, an ionizer coupled to the body portion and adapted to receive an input power, and an electrode coupled to the body portion adjacent the cutting end and adapted to receive an output power from the ionizer, wherein the electrode emits ions that flow generally toward the cutting end.  
      In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a hair trimmer configured to trim hair and reduce a static charge of the hair as the hair is trimmed. The hair trimmer includes a body portion having a cutting end and defining an inner cavity, a selectively operable electric motor mounted in the inner cavity and adapted to receive a motor input power, a blade set mounted to the cutting end and including a fixed blade and a reciprocating blade that is operatively engageable with the electric motor for selective reciprocation of the reciprocating blade to cut a length of hair as the blade set passes through the hair, an ion emitting assembly at least partially mounted within the inner cavity and including an ionizer adapted to receive an ionizer input power and an electrode mounted between the electric motor and the blade set, the electrode electrically coupled to and adapted to receive an output power from the ionizer to emit ions, and a shroud portion protruding from the body portion and defining an opening communicating with the inner cavity, the opening facing generally toward the cutting end wherein ions emitted from the electrode pass through the opening and flow generally toward the cutting end to reduce the static charge of the hair as the hair is cut.  
      Further objects of the present invention together with the organization and manner of operation thereof, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like elements have like numerals throughout the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hair trimmer of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of another hair trimmer of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the hair trimmer of  FIG. 2  with a portion cut away.  
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the hair trimmer of  FIG. 2  with a portion cut away.  
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the hair trimmer of  FIG. 2  with a portion cut away.  
       FIG. 6  is a side view similar to  FIG. 5  showing an alternative construction of the hair trimmer of  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another hair trimmer of the present invention.  
       FIG. 8  is a side view of the hair trimmer of  FIG. 7  with a portion cut away. 
    
    
      Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The use of “consisting of” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass only the items listed thereafter. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” and “coupled” are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. The use of letters to identify elements of a method or process is simply for identification and is not meant to indicate that the elements should be performed in a particular order.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a hair trimmer or clipper  10  of the present invention. The hair trimmer  10  includes a hollow, elongated body portion  14  having a cutting end  18  and defining an inner cavity  22 . The elongated body  14  supports a blade set  26  on the cutting end  18 . The blade set  26  includes a fixed blade  30  mounted on the body portion  14  and a reciprocating blade  34  biased against and moveable with respect to the fixed blade  30  by a drive mechanism  42  ( FIGS. 3 and 5 ). An electric motor or actuator  38  is mounted in the inner cavity  22  and is drivingly connected to the blade set  26  by the drive mechanism  42 . The electric motor  38  effects reciprocation of the reciprocating blade  34  with respect to the fixed blade  30  in response to actuation of the motor  38 . A user actuates the motor  38  using a power switch  46  provided on the body portion  14 . The switch  46  is configured to interrupt the flow of electrical power from a power supply to the electric motor  38 . The electrical power may include an alternating current (AC) power provided via a corded plug electrically coupled to a wall outlet and/or a direct current (DC) power provided by a battery (e.g., a rechargeable battery disposed in the cavity  22 ). Hair trimmers powered by AC and/or DC power are generally known in the art and, accordingly, are not discussed further herein. As the hair trimmer  10  is guided through a person&#39;s hair, the reciprocating motion of the blade set  26  cuts the person&#39;s hair. A number of suitable blades sets, motors, and driving arrangements are known. It should be appreciated that hair trimmers having other types of blade sets, motors, and/or driving arrangements would be suitable for use in combination with the present invention.  
      The hair trimmer  10  includes an ion emitting assembly  50  having an ionizer  54 , an ion emitting electrode  58 , and an ion lead  62  that electrically couples the ionizer  54  and the electrode  58 . In some embodiments, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the ionizer  38  is mounted in the cavity  22  and the electrode  42  is mounted near the cutting end  18 . In other embodiments, the components  54 ,  58 , and  62  of the ionizer  38  may be alternatively positioned (e.g., the components  54 ,  58 , and  62 , or portions thereof, may be mounted alternatively inside the cavity, outside the cavity, or a combination thereof).  
      For operation, the ionizer  54  receives an ionizer input power from a power source. Similar to the motor  38 , the ionizer input power may include an AC power and/or a DC power. In some embodiments, the input power of the motor  38  may be substantially similar to the ionizer input power. In one embodiment, the ionizer input power is provided to the ionizer  54  when the user actuates the switch  46  to an ON position. In another embodiment, a separate ionizer switch (not shown) is provided on the body portion  14 . The ionizer switch is configured to interrupt the flow of electrical power (i.e., the ionizer input power) from a power supply to the ionizer  54 . Utilization of a separate ionizer switch allows a user to control the ion emitting assembly  50  independent of the motor  38 .  
      The ionizer  54  utilizes the ionizer input power to generate an ionizer output power. In most embodiments, the ionizer output power is a high voltage, low current power. In one embodiment, the ionizer input power is a 120 volt AC power, which is the standard residential electrical service provided in the United States, and the ionizer output power includes a voltage between approximately negative 3.3 kilo-volts DC and negative 4.8 kilo-volts DC and a current of approximately 50 micro-amps. In other embodiments, alternative values of ionizer input and output powers are possible depending on the specific configuration of the ionizer  54 .  
      The electrode  58  receives the ionizer output voltage from the ionizer  54  via the ion lead  62  and emits ions. The length of the ion lead  62  may vary based on location of the electrode  58  with respect to the ionizer  54 . In some embodiments, the need for the ion lead  62  may be obviated. In the illustrated embodiment, the ions emitted from the electrode  58  are negative ions. The emitted negative ions are utilized to facilitate hair care process as discussed further below. While the illustrated embodiments are described as emitting negative ions for use in hair care processes, positive ions may be emitted in place of, or in combination with, the negative ions. Additionally, although the illustrated electrode  58  is a needle electrode, other embodiments of the electrode  58  may include alternative shapes (e.g., a plate electrode) and sizes.  
      In one embodiment, the ion emitting assembly  54  includes ion generator model number SW750H-8 provided by Seawise Industrial Ltd. of Kowloon Hong Kong. The Seawise ion generator utilizes an input power having a voltage of 120 volts AC to generate an output power having a maximum negative voltage of approximately negative 7.5 kilo-volts DC and current of approximately 50 micro-amps. The Seawise ion generator generates negative ions. In other embodiments, the ion emitting assembly  54  may include other configurations of ion generators.  
       FIGS. 2-5  illustrate a hair trimmer  100 . The hair trimmer  100  is similar to the hair trimmer  10  and like parts are identified using the same reference numerals. The hair trimmer  100  includes a body portion  114  that includes a shroud portion  120 . The shroud portion  120  defines openings  124  that communicate with the inner cavity  22  and open toward the cutting end  18 . The shroud portion  120  substantially surrounds the electrode  58  such that ions emitted from the electrode  58  pass through the openings  124  and flow generally toward the cutting end  18 .  
      In one embodiment, the ions emitted by the electrode  58  of the hair trimmer  100  substantially reduce or eliminate static electricity on a person&#39;s hair as the hair trimmer  100  is used to trim the person&#39;s hair. Static electricity may cause a person&#39;s hair to stand on end, making the hair difficult to manage as well as aesthetically displeasing. Static electricity may be generated due to the motion of a hair trimmer and/or combs and brushes through a person&#39;s hair. Additionally, static electricity may be alternatively generated on a person&#39;s hair.  
      As a person&#39;s hair is trimmed, the ions emitted from the electrode  58  may be passively and/or actively moved to a person&#39;s hair.  
      In one embodiment, the ions are passively moved to the person&#39;s hair via an “ionic wind”. As the ions are emitted from the electrode  58 , the emitted ions move outward away from the electrode  58 . The continuous movement of ions away from the electrode is known as an “ionic wind”. In some embodiments, the emitted ions are attracted to an object (e.g., the person&#39;s hair) with an opposite polarity. The emitted ions travel through electric field lines away from the electrode  58  to the object. The ions then act to neutralize the opposite charge on the object. Neutralization of the opposite charge thereby reduces or eliminates static electricity. In other embodiments, the emitted ions are concentrated on an object, thereby creating a net positive or negative charge on the object.  
      In another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the hair trimmer  100  may include a fan  128  (schematically represented). The fan  128  is utilized to actively move the emitted ions away from the electrode  58  towards the person&#39;s hair. The fan  128  draws air in through air vents  132  and moves air through the cavity  22  past the electrode  58  and out the openings  124  in the shroud  120 . The movement of air is represented in  FIG. 6  with arrows. The cavity  22  may include structure to direct the flow of air through specific parts thereof. The fan  128  assists the passive movement of ions from the electrode  58 . The ions are attracted to the person&#39;s hair for neutralization of the static electricity, or concentrated on an object resulting in a positive or negative charge on the object, in a similar fashion as discussed above with respect to the passive movement.  
      In one embodiment, the ions emitted by the electrode  58  of the hair trimmer  100  are utilize to charge the blade set  26  for attraction of the trimmed hairs  128 . As the ions are emitted from the electrode  58 , the emitted ions collect on the metal blade set  26 , thereby charging the blade set  26 . The charged blade set  26  attracts objects with an opposite polarity (e.g., the hairs  136  trimmed from a person&#39;s hair). As the hairs  136  are trimmed, they are attracted to the blade set  26 , thereby reducing or eliminating the hairs  136  from falling on the floor or the person. The degree of charge on the blade set  26  may be controlled to optimize the amount of hair  136  that is attracted. In other embodiments, the blade set  26  is charged to a degree that repels hair from collecting on the blade set  26  but does not interfere with the hair trimming process.  
      In one embodiment, the ions emitted by the electrode  58  may substantially reduce or eliminate static electricity on a person&#39;s hair and charge the blade set  26  for attraction of the trimmed hairs  128 . In other embodiments, portions of the blade set  26  are made of an insulating material (e.g., ceramic) to reduce the attraction of the hairs  136 .  
       FIGS. 7-8  illustrate a hair trimmer  200 . The hair trimmer  200  is similar to the hair trimmers  10  and  100  and like parts are identified using the same reference numerals. The hair trimmer  200  includes a body portion  214  that includes a shroud portion  220 . The shroud portion  220  defines openings  224  that communicate with the inner cavity  22  and open toward the cutting end  18 . The shroud portion  220  is disposed adjacent to the cutting portion of the blade set  26 . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the electrode  58  of the ion emitting assembly  50  is angled towards the inboard side of the fixed blade  30 . The ions emitted from the electrode  58  are utilized to charge the blade set for attraction of trimmed hairs  136  as discussed above with respect to the hair trimmer  100 . In other embodiments, a plate electrode is placed adjacent the inboard side of the fixed blade  30  for attraction of trimmed hairs  136  toward the blade set  26 . As operation of the hair trimmer continues  200 , a build-up of trimmed hairs  128  may form. The hair trimmer  200  includes a suction fan  228  (schematically illustrated) that draws air in to the openings  224 . To prevent the hairs  136  from collecting around the operating portions of the hair trimmer  200 , a conduit  240  is formed in the cavity  22  for movement of the hairs  136 . The conduit  240  communicates with the openings  224 . The fan  228  moves air in through the openings  224 , through the conduit  240 , past the fan  228 , and into a collection chamber  244 . The air carries hairs  136  through the conduit  240  as is schematically illustrated in  FIG. 8 .  
      The collection chamber (schematically illustrated) includes a filter  248  (e.g., a screen) sized to retain the hairs  136  in the collection chamber until the hairs  136  are cleaned out. The collection chamber  244  is designed to be removed from the body portion  214  for emptying. The filter  248  also allows air to travel out of the collection chamber  244  and through air vents  252 . The movement of air is represented in  FIG. 8  with arrows. The fan  228  acts as a vacuum to remove excess hairs  136  from the blade set  26 , thereby enhancing the reduction or elimination of the hairs  136  from falling on the floor or the person. The vacuum action may also directly remove hairs  136  as they are cut by the blade set  26 .  
      Other embodiments of the invention may utilize combinations of the above embodiments. Still other embodiments of the invention may utilize ions emitted from the electrode  58  for other hair care purposes.  
      The embodiments described above and illustrated in the figures are presented by way of example only and are not intended as a limitation upon the concepts and principles of the present invention. As such, it will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that various changes in the elements and their configuration and arrangement are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.