Patent Publication Number: US-4219931-A

Title: Vacuum hair trimmer

Description:
This invention relates to vacuum hair trimmers. 
     Vacuum hair trimmers that use an external source of vacuum have been proposed. Also, trimmers that employ a combination of motor driven clippers and an external vacuum source for collecting hair cuttings are known. In either case the external vacuum hoses are a great inconvenience, inasmuch as they interfere with the trimming operation. 
     The main object of this invention is to provide a vacuum hair trimmer that is truly portable and self-contained for manual use. 
     According to the invention a portable, hand, vacuum hair trimmer is provided comprising a self-contained vacuum source as well as a bag for collecting the hair trimmings, removably connected to one end of a handle which constitutes a housing for a vacuum fan motor which also powers trimmer means at the other end of the handle. A hair length gauge in the form of an adjustable nozzle is mounted over the trimmer, so that as hair to be trimmed is drawn into the nozzle on hair that is longer than that of the gauge is trimmed. The bag for collecting the trimmings is contained in a plastic casing having windows for the escape of air from the bag. 
    
    
     In the drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention, 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view partly in section of one embodiment, and 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view mainly in section of a detail of the connection between the end of the handle and the bag-casing. 
    
    
     The vacuum hair trimmer illustrated comprises a hollow handle 10 in which a motor 12 is mounted. A fan 14 is carried on one end of the motor drive shaft which, at its other end, carries a hair trimmer 16 comprising rotary hair clippers. The trimmer 16 is arranged near the entrance to the handle 10. The fan 14 draws air through the trimmer 16 and into the handle 10 via air passages 18 in a motor mount 20 arranged between the hair trimmer 16 and the motor 12. An adjustable hair nozzle 22 is threaded onto a sleeve 24 projecting from the handle 10. The nozzle covers the hair trimmer 16 and by adjusting its position relative to the sleeve the length of hair trimmed by the trimmer 16 may be gauged. 
     A bulbous plastic casing 26 containing a porous bag 28 is removably mounted on the rear end of the handle 10. For this purpose the mouth of the bag 28 comprises a resilient cylinder 30 that is squeezed into an annular recess 32 in a tubular extension 34 of handle 10, by an annular sleeve 36 on such extension. To remove the bag 28, the flange 38 of sleeve 36 is slid downwardly to uncover the bag mouth 30. The casing 26 is provided with windows 40 for venting air from bag 28, leaving the hair trimming in such bag. 
     In operation, the nozzle 22 is adjusted to the desired position. The motor 12 is then switched on to drive the fan 14 and the hair trimmer 16. The nozzle 12 is passed over the hair to be trimmed which is drawn into the hair trimmer 16 by means of the current of air created by the fan 14. The trimmed lengths of hair pass through the handle 10 and into the bag 28 where they are collected. Periodically, the bag 26 may be removed in the manner described to empty out its contents.