Abstract:
A hand-held epilating device capable of increasing plucking efficiency. The epilating device has a housing to be grasped by a hand of a user, and a plucking cylinder carrying at least one set of pinching elements for catching and pinching body hairs therebetween. The plucking cylinder has a longitudinal axis and is driven to rotate about the longitudinal axis to pluck the body hairs from the user&#39;s skin. The plucking cylinder is supported to the housing so as to effect a periodical movement relative to the housing within a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis. Thus, the area of the skin covered by the plucking cylinder can have increased chances of being in contact with the pinching elements as the pinching elements move periodically relative to the skin together with the plucking cylinder, thereby improving the plucking efficiency.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed to a hand-held epilating device, more particularly to such a device having a plucking cylinder which is driven to rotate for plucking body hairs. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,903 discloses a hand-held epilating device having a rotary cylinder which is provided with sets of pinching elements for pinching body hairs therebetween. The rotary cylinder is driven to rotate about its longitudinal axis to pluck the pinched hairs. The rotary cylinder is supported to a head member fixed to a housing grasped by the hand of a user so that the pinching elements on the rotary cylinder traces only a circular path around the rotary cylinder and do not move in the other directions relative to a skin surface of the user when the rotary cylinder is held against a fixed area of the skin surface. Since the sets of the pinching elements are arranged in a spaced relation from each other on the rotary cylinder, the hairs at the portions corresponding to gaps between the adjacent sets of the pinching elements have no chances of being plucked. That is, the hair plucking is made to limited portions within the area of the skin covered by the rotary cylinder, posing insufficient plucking efficiency. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the above insufficiency, the present invention has been accomplished to provide a hand-held epilating device which is capable of increasing plucking efficiency. The epilating device in accordance with the present invention comprises a housing to be grasped by a hand of a user, and a plucking cylinder carrying at least one set of pinching elements for catching and pinching body hairs therebetween. The plucking cylinder has a longitudinal axis and is driven to rotate about the longitudinal axis to pluck the body hairs from the user&#39;s skin. The plucking cylinder is supported to the housing so as to effect a periodical movement relative to the housing within a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis. Thus, the area of the skin covered by the plucking cylinder can have increased chances of being in contact with the pinching elements as the pinching elements move periodically relative to the skin together with the plucking cylinder, thereby improving the plucking efficiency. 
     Preferably, the plucking cylinder is arranged to reciprocate relative to the housing along the longitudinal axis so that the pinching elements on the plucking cylinder move along the longitudinal axis to cover a wide area of the skin along the length of the plucking cylinder. 
     In a preferred version, the plucking cylinder reciprocates relative to the housing between two end positions and is held temporarily at each of the end positions for a short time interval during which the plucking cylinder rotates to such an extent of completing one epilating action of catching the body hairs between the pinching elements and plucking the body hairs. Thus, the hair plucking is made both at the two axially spaced end positions with the same set of the pinching elements. 
     Further, the plucking cylinder has a neutral position between the two end positions and is held temporarily at the neutral position for a short time during which the plucking cylinder rotates about the longitudinal axis to such an extent of completing one epilating action of catching the body hairs between the pinching elements and plucking the body hairs. With this result, each set of the pinching elements can make the hair plucking at three axially spaced positions, namely, the neutral position and the two end positions, for increasing the plucking efficiency. 
     The plucking cylinder is preferred to carry at least two sets of the pinching elements which are spaced along the longitudinal axis at a pitch distance between the adjacent set of the pinching elements. In this connection, the plucking cylinder is caused to reciprocate at an amplitude which is ⅓ to ½ of the pitch distance so that the each set of the pinching elements covers a wide area of the skin without causing overlapping of the areas covered respectively by adjacent sets of the pinching elements. 
     Preferably, the plucking cylinder is driven to move between the neutral position and each of the end positions at a speed which is greater than a circumferential speed of the plucking cylinder. Thus, the plucking cylinder moves rapidly between the neutral position and each of the end positions for making the hair plucking at the three axial positions and minimizing a chance of the hair being plucked during the transition period of the plucking cylinder moving between the neutral and the end position where the hair would be pulled in a direction rather than the circumferential direction and would be plucked with a pain or even fail to be plucked. 
     The plucking cylinder may be spring-biased towards the neutral position for smoothly moves the plucking cylinder back and forth in the axial direction while reducing inertia force towards the end positions. 
     The plucking cylinder is preferred to reciprocate along the longitudinal axis at a reciprocation cycle which is greater than a rotating cycle at which the plucking cylinder completes one rotation about the longitudinal axis. Thus, it is possible to give an increased number of rotation of the plucking cylinder while plucking cylinder reciprocates along the longitudinal axis, thereby increasing the chances of pinching the hairs at the different axial positions for enhancing the plucking efficiency. Preferably, the reciprocation cycle is at least twice of the rotation cycle. 
     The plucking cylinder is preferred to have more than one set of the pinching elements spaced circumferentially about the longitudinal axis so as to increase the chance of plucking the hair per one rotation of the plucking cylinder. 
     Mounted on the housing is a head frame having a top opening through which the pinching elements are exposed for catching the body hairs. The head frame is movably supported to the housing and is coupled to the plucking cylinder so that the head frame makes the periodical movement together with the plucking cylinder. Alternately, the head frame may be fixed to the housing so that the plucking cylinder makes the periodical movement relative to the head frame. In this instance, the head fame is held stationary while the plucking cylinder reciprocates, thereby giving no rubbing action to the skin with which the head frame is in contact. 
     In another version, the plucking cylinder reciprocates along a direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Thus, the set of the pinching elements can move back and forth along the tangential direction of the plucking cylinder to increase the chances of plucking the hairs lying along the tangential direction of the plucking cylinder. 
     In this version, the pinching elements are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the plucking cylinder and have a length along a circumferential of the plucking cylinder. The plucking cylinder is preferred to reciprocate at an amplitude which is substantially equal to the length of the pinching element, thereby doubling the effective length of the pinching elements responsible for pinching the hairs therebetween for increasing the hair plucking efficiency. 
     Further, the plucking cylinder reciprocates along the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis between opposite end positions and is held temporarily at each of the end positions for a short time interval during which the plucking cylinder rotates to such an extent of completing one epilating action of catching the hairs between the pinching elements and plucking the hairs. Thus, the hair plucking can be made at two different end positions for increasing the hair plucking efficiency. 
     Also, the plucking cylinder has a neutral position between the opposite end positions and is held temporarily at the neutral position for a short time interval during which the plucking cylinder rotates to such an extent of completing one epilating action of catching the hairs between the pinching elements and plucking the hairs. The plucking cylinder moves between the neutral position and the end positions at a speed greater than the circumferential speed of the plucking cylinder. Therefore, the hair plucking can be made at three different positions, while it is possible to minimize a transition period for movement between the neutral position to the end positions for further enhancing the plucking efficiency. 
     The plucking cylinder is preferred to reciprocate at a reciprocation cycle which is greater than a rotating cycle at which the plucking cylinder completes one rotation. Thus, it is possible to give an increased number of rotation of the plucking cylinder while plucking cylinder reciprocates along the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, thereby increasing the chances of pinching the hairs at the different positions for enhancing the plucking efficiency. Preferably, the reciprocation cycle is at least twice of the rotation cycle. 
     Further, the plucking cylinder may be arranged to reciprocate along the longitudinal axis as well as along the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis so as to effect a translational movement relative to the housing, thereby enabling the hair plucking at the different positions both along the longitudinal axis and along the direction perpendicular thereto, further increasing the hair plucking efficiency. 
     In the meanwhile, the present invention discloses an advantageous feature which may be carried out independently of the above described features. The advantageous feature is associated with a structure in which the plucking cylinder carries plural sets of the pinching elements spaced circumferentially about the longitudinal axis. Each set of the pinching elements includes a movable element which is driven to move along the longitudinal axis for pinching the hairs between the pinching elements. Also carried by the plucking cylinder are a plurality of actuator bars which extend in parallel to the longitudinal axis and are arranged circumferentially about the longitudinal axis. Each actuator bar has a first end engaged with the movable element for driving the same, and has a second end projecting on one end face of the plucking cylinder to be engageable with a cam disposed to oppose the end face. The cam is positioned be in selective contact with the second ends of the actuator bars in such a manner as to move the actuator bars in a direction of pinching the hairs between the pinching elements as the plucking cylinder rotates about the longitudinal axis. The second end of each actuator bar is shaped to extend circumferentially about the longitudinal axis on the end face of the plucking cylinder to define an arcuate flange. The arcuate flanges of the circumferentially adjacent actuator bars are partially overlapped with each other in a radial direction such that the overlapped portions of the arcuate flanges come simultaneously into contact with the cam. With this arrangement, the arcuate flanges of the individual actuator bars come into contact with the cam to keep pinching the hairs between the pinching elements over a prolonged period within which the plucking cylinder rotates to pluck the hair successfully. Therefore, it is possible to arrange an increased number of the sets of the pinching blades circumferentially on the plucking cylinder of limited diameter, yet assuring to make the hair plucking successfully. 
     Preferably, the arcuate flanges of the actuator bars are arranged in two circumferential rows extending about the longitudinal axis, one being an outer circumferential row and the other being an inner circumferential row. The arcuate flanges of the outer circumferential row are staggered circumferentially with respect to the arcuate flanges of the inner circumferential row. In this arrangement, it is preferred that each arcuate flange of the outer circumferential row is overlapped with the two adjacent arcuate flanges of the inner circumferential row over about one-half circumferential length of the arcuate flange of the outer circumferential row. 
     These and still other objects and advantageous features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments and the modifications thereof when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a hand-held epilating device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the epilating device; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a principal portion of the epilator device; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a plucking cylinder employed in the epilating device; 
     FIG. 5 is a vertical section of the plucking cylinder shown with associated cams; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the plucking cylinder; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the bottom of the plucking cylinder; 
     FIGS. 8A and 8B are views illustrating the plucking cylinder at its neutral position and a corresponding cross section taken along line X—X of FIG. 8A; 
     FIGS. 9A and 9B are views illustrating the plucking cylinder at its one end position and a corresponding cross section taken along line X—X of FIG. 9A; 
     FIGS. 10A and 10B are views illustrating the plucking cylinder at the other end position and a corresponding cross section taken along line X—X of FIG. 10A; 
     FIGS. 11A,  11 B,  11 C, and  11 D are views respectively illustrating operations of a hand-held epilating device in accordance with a modification of the above embodiment; 
     FIGS. 12A,  12 B,  12 C, and  12 D are top views of the epilating device, respectively in correspondence to FIGS. 11A,  11 B,  11 C and  11 D; 
     FIG. 13 is a vertical section of a principal portion of a hand-held epilating device in accordance with another modification of the embodiment; 
     FIG. 14 is a vertical section of a principal portion of a hand-held epilating device in accordance with a further modification of the embodiment; 
     FIG. 15 is a cross section taken along line X—X of FIG. 13; 
     FIG. 16 is a vertical section of a principal portion of a hand-held epilating device in accordance with a still further modification of the embodiment, 
     FIGS. 17 and 18 are views illustrating an operation of the epilating device of FIG. 16; and 
     FIG. 19 is a schematic view illustrating an epilator head utilized in a hand-held epilating device in accordance with a further modification of the embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 to  3 , there is shown a hand-held epilating device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The epilating device has a housing  10  to be grasped by a user&#39;s hand and an epilator head  30  detachably mounted on top of the housing  10 . The housing  10  has an upright axis and accommodates an electric motor  12  and a set of driving gears  13  to  15  for providing a source of operating the epilator head  30 . The epilator head  30  is composed of a base  31 , a head frame  40 , a head cover  38  and a plucking cylinder  60 . The base  31  is provided on its bottom with hooks  34  for detachable engagement with latches  16  on top of the housing  10 . The head frame  40  is supported on the base  31  and carries the plucking cylinder  60  as well as the head cover  38 . As best shown in FIG. 3, the base  31  is of two-parts structure having a main base  32  and a sub base  33  which are assembled together with a first driven gear  21  interposed therebetween. The first driven gear  21  comes into meshing engagement with the driving gear  15  when the epilator head  30  is attached to the housing  10 . The head frame  40  is also of two-parts structure having a main frame  41  and a sub frame  42  which are assembled together with a second driven gear  22  interposed therebetween. The head frame  40  is formed at its longitudinal ends respectively with end walls  43  between which a center pin  45  extends for rotatably supporting the plucking cylinder  60  thereabout. The plucking cylinder  60  is formed at its one longitudinal end with a gear  61  which meshes with the first driven gear through the second gear  22  so that the plucking cylinder  60  is driven to rotate about a longitudinal axis defined by the center pin  45 . The head cover  38  is supported to the head frame  40  and has a top opening through which a portion of the plucking cylinder  60  is exposed for contact with the user&#39;s skin. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the plucking cylinder  60  carries a plurality of rows of pinching elements  71  and  72  arranged uniformly around the circumference of the cylinder. Each row consists of plural sets of the pinching elements  71  and  72  spaced axially or longitudinally at a uniform pitch distance. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the pinching elements and in each set are defined respectively by a fixed blade  71  and a movable blade  72 . The movable blades  72  are caused to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the plucking cylinder  60  to open and close the gap between the adjacent blades  71  and  72  as the plucking cylinder  60  rotates about the longitudinal axis, thereby catching and pinching the hairs between the blades. The closure of the blades  71  and  72  are kept over a certain angular displacement of the blades  71  and  72  around the longitudinal axis, i.e., a fraction of one rotation of the plucking cylinder  60 , thereby pulling the hairs pinched between the blades  71  and  72  in a tangential direction of the plucking cylinder  60  for plucking the hairs. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the fixed blades  71  are formed on a block  73  as well as on the plucking cylinder  60  itself. The fixed blades  71  on the block  73  and the movable blades  72  are supported to a retainer  70  in the form of a plate. The retainer  70  is formed with a pair of end holes  75  for receiving legs  74  of the block  73 , and is further formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots  76  respectively for receiving the movable blades  72 . A slider  80 , which is slidably supported to the legs  74  of the block  73 , is disposed between each adjacent pair of the movable blade  72  for interconnection of the blades. As best shown in FIG. 5, a coil spring  77  is compressed between two adjacent center blades  72  to urge all of the movable blades  72  away from the associated fixed blades  71  in a direction of opening the gaps between the blades. The coil spring  77  is held by a holder  78  engaged in a center hole  79  of the retainer  70 . A pin  81  extends through the fixed blade  71 , the movable blades  72 , and the holder  78  to align these parts longitudinally. Further, the movable blades  72 , the block  73  with the fixed blades  71 , the holder  78 , and the sliders  80  are assembled together on the retainer  70  to constitute a self-contained single unit which is placed into each one of longitudinally extending recesses  62  formed in the periphery of the plucking cylinder  60  and is held therein by engaging the opposite ends of the pin  81  into corresponding holes in the fixed blades  71  formed at the opposite longitudinal ends of the recess  62 . 
     The recesses  62  are opened to opposite end faces of the plucking cylinder  60  to define thereat end opening  63  which are circumferentially arranged about the longitudinal axis. Fitted into the each recess  62  through the opposite end openings  63  are a pair of acutator bars  82  and  83  which abut at their inner ends respectively against the outer movable blades  72  in each row of the blades, as shown in FIG.  5 . The outer ends of the actuator bars  82  and  83  come into contact respectively with cam rollers  50  at the opposite ends of the head frame  40  as the plucking cylinder  60  rotates. Whereby, the actuator bars  82  and  83  are pressed by the cam rollers  50  to push the lower ends of the movable blades  72  axially inwardly. With this result, each movable blade  72  pivots about a pivot axis to close the gap between the blades for pinching the hairs, as shown in the upper half of FIG.  5 . The pivot axis is defined at the interface between the blade  72  and the edge of the slot  76  in the retainer  70  to extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the plucking cylinder. As the plucking cylinder  60  further rotates, the actuator bars  82  and  83  come out of contact with the cam rollers  50  to be therefore released therefrom and are caused to open the blade  71  and  72  by the action of the coil spring  77 , as shown in the lower half of FIG.  5 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the cam rollers  50  are mounted respectively in holes  46  of the end walls  43  of the head frame  40  and are rotatable about individual pins  51 . Each cam roller  50  is pressed inwardly against the outer end of the actuator bar  82 ,  83  by a spring plate  52  secured to the end wall  73  and the retainer  70 . The spring plate  52  is formed in its upper end with an opening  53  of which edges are engaged with the pin  51  extending through the cam roller  50  to bias the cam roller  50  towards the corresponding end of the actuator bars  82  and  83 . The spring plate  52  is held in place with its lower end inserted in a socket  47  of the end wall  43  of the retainer  40 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the actuator bars  82  and  83  are each formed at its outer end with an arcuate flange  84  and  85  which extends circumferentially about the longitudinal axis of the plucking cylinder  60  for pressed contact with the corresponding cam roller  50  over a prolonged period as the plucking cylinder  60  rotates. As best shown in FIG. 4, the actuator bars  82  and  83  consist of two types having different configurations, a first type having the arcuate flange  84  offset radially outwardly relative to a shank of the bar, and a second type having the arcuate flange  85  generally aligned with the shank of the bar. The first and second types of the actuator bars  82  and  83  are fitted into the alternate ones of the recesses  62  in such a manner that, as shown in FIG. 6, the arcuate flanges  84  of the first type are closely arranged along an outer circumferential row about the longitudinal axis of the plucking cylinder  60 , while the arcuate flanges  85  of the second type are closely arranged along an inner circumferential row about the longitudinal axis. Further, the arcuate flanges  84  in the outer circumferential row are staggered circumferentially with respect to the arcuate flanges  85  of the inner circumferential row such that each arcuate flange  84  is radially overlapped with the two adjacent arcuate flanges  85  by a half circumferential length of the arcuate flange  84 . It is noted that the cam roller  50  has an axial length so that it contacts simultaneously with the arcuate flanges  84  and  85  of the outer and inner circumferential rows, respectively. Thus, as the plucking cylinder  60  rotates, the movable blades  72  in two or three adjacent rows around the circumference of the plucking cylinder  60  are simultaneously closed, while the movable blades  72  in the other rows are opened. With this result, the movable blades  72  in each row are kept closed over a prolonged period as the plucking cylinder rotates for successful hair plucking, while enabling to provide a large number of the rows of the blades around the circumference of the plucking cylinder  60  of a limited diameter. 
     The head frame  40  carrying the plucking cylinder  60  is supported to the base  30  so as to be movable along the longitudinal axis of the plucking cylinder  60  within a plane perpendicular to the upright axis of the housing  10 . For this purpose, the head frame  40  is formed on its bottom with a pair of legs  55  loosely engaged into corresponding cavities  35  in the opposite longitudinal ends of the base  30 . Guide pins  36 , which are fixed to the base  30 , extend through guide holes  56  in the legs  55  to guide the movement of the head frame  40  along the longitudinal axis of the plucking cylinder  60  between two opposite end positions. The head frame  40  is normally urged towards a neutral position of FIG. 1 by springs  37  compressed between the legs  55  of the head frame  40  and the opposite walls of the cavities  35 . Each leg  55  is formed with a catch  57  for retaining the spring  37 . 
     The head frame  40  movably supported to the base  30  is driven by a cam mechanism to reciprocate between the two end positions past the neutral position. The cam mechanism comprises a cam  91  which is integrally formed on a gear  92  to have a common vertical center axis. The gear  92  is meshes with the first driven gear  21  so as to rotate the cam  91  about a vertical axis while the plucking cylinder  60  is driven to rotate about the longitudinal axis. The cam  91  is engaged into a follower cavity  48  in the center bottom of the head frame  40 . The follower cavity  48  is generally rectangular in shape so that the cam  91  is engageable with opposite longitudinal edges of the cavity  48  as the cam  91  rotates, thereby forcing the head frame  40  to move against the bias of the springs  37  towards the end positions. After the cam  91  is disengaged from the longitudinal edges of the cavity  48 , the head frame  40  is caused to move quickly by the springs  37  to the neutral position from the end positions. Thus, the head frame  40  carrying the plucking cylinder  60  reciprocates along the longitudinal axis between the end positions of FIGS. 9A and 9B, and  10 A and  10 B past the neutral position of FIGS. 8A and 8B, as the plucking cylinder  60  rotates about the longitudinal axis. The plucking cylinder  60  reciprocates at a reciprocation cycle which is greater than the rotation cycle of the same. That is, the rotation speed of the cam  91  is slower than the rotation speed of the plucking cylinder  60  such that the plucking cylinder  60  rotates by an extent as to complete one epilating action of catching and pinching the hairs between the blades  71  and  72  at one or more rows of the blades while the plucking cylinder  60  or the head frame  40  supporting the same is around the end position and at the neutral position. Whereby, each set of the blades can make the hair plucking at three axially different positions for enhancing the plucking efficiency. For instance, the plucking cylinder  60  rotates two-thirds while the cam  91  abuts against each of the longitudinal edges of the cavity  48  to retain the plucking cylinder  60  around the end position, and the plucking cylinder  60  makes one rotation while the cam  91  is disengaged from the longitudinal edge of the cavity  48  to retain the plucking cylinder  60  at the neutral position. It is noted in this connection, that the plucking cylinder  60  is caused to reciprocate at an amplitude which is ⅓ to ½ of the pitch distance between the adjacent sets of the blades so that each set of the pinching blades  71  and  72  covers a wide area of the skin without causing overlapping of the areas covered respectively by adjacent sets of the blades  71  and  72 . Further, the plucking cylinder  60  is driven to move between the neutral position and each of the end positions at a speed which is greater than a circumferential speed of the plucking cylinder. 
     Instead of the cam  91 , it is advantageous to employ a modified cam  91 A having an enlarged fan-shaped head as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 which illustrate reciprocating movement of the plucking cylinder in accordance with a modification of the above embodiment. Like parts are designated by like numerals for simplicity. With the use of thus configured cam  91 A, the plucking cylinder  60  stops moving along the longitudinal axis and is standstill at each of the end positions while the cam  91 A rotates over a wide angular range ω as shown in FIGS. 11B and 11D. At both of the end positions, the plucking cylinder  60  is driven to rotate continuously by such an extent as to complete one epilating action of catching and pinching the hairs between the blades  71  and  72  at one or more rows of the blades. Also, while the cam  91 A disengages from the longitudinal edges of the follower cavity  48 , the plucking cylinder  60  are kept at the neutral position, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11C, and  12 A and  12 C, in which the plucking cylinder  60  is driven to rotate continuously by such an extent as to complete one epilating action of catching and pinching the hairs between the blades  71  and  72  at one or more rows of the blades. For instance, the plucking cylinder  60  makes one complete rotation when it is held in the end position and the neutral position. In other words, the reciprocation cycle of the plucking cylinder is made greater than the rotation cycle of the same. Therefore, also in this modification, each set of the blades can make the hair plucking at the three different axial positions for effectively plucking the hairs covered by the length of the plucking cylinder  60 . It is noted in this connection that the plucking cylinder  60  returns to the neutral position quickly as soon as the cam  91 A disengages from the longitudinal edge of the follower cavity  48 . That is, the plucking cylinder moves between these positions faster than the circumferential speed of the plucking cylinder  60 . Therefore, the hair plucking is less expected when the plucking cylinder is moving between the end positions to the neutral position. If the hair plucking be made in this transition period, the hairs would be pulled in a direction other than the circumferential direction and might fail to be smoothly plucked. Also in this modification, the plucking cylinder  60  is caused to reciprocate at an amplitude which is ⅓ to ½ of the pitch distance between the adjacent sets of the blades so that each set of the blades  71  and  72  covers a wide area of the skin without causing overlapping of the areas covered respectively by adjacent sets of the blades  71  and  72 . 
     FIG. 13 illustrates another modification of the above embodiment which is identical to the embodiment except that the head cover  38  is secured to the base  31  of the epilator head  30  by means of hooks  39  rather than to the head frame  40  so that the head cover  38  is kept stationary while the plucking cylinder  60  reciprocates. Thus, the head cover  38  does not act to rub the skin of the user due to the reciprocal movement of the plucking cylinder. Like parts are designated by like numerals. 
     FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate a further modification of the above embodiment which is identical to the embodiment except that a crank mechanism is employed instead of the cam mechanism. The crank mechanism comprises a crank lever  100  linking an eccentric pin  101  on the gear and a crank pin  102  on the bottom of the head frame  40  so as to translate the rotational movement of the gear into the reciprocal movement of the head frame  40  carrying the plucking cylinder  60 . 
     FIGS. 16 to  18  illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention which is similar to the first embodiment except that a like head frame  40 A carrying a like plucking cylinder  60 A is driven to move in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the plucking cylinder as well as a vertical axis of a like housing  10 A, relative to a base  31 A of the epilator head  30 A. Like parts are designated by like numerals with a suffix letter of “A” for easy reference purpose. Legs  55 A of the head frame  40 A are loosely engaged respectively into cavities  35 A of the base  31 A, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, and are supported to guide pins  36 A to be movable in the transverse direction. Springs  37 A are also employed to urge the head frame  40 A towards the neutral position from the end positions of the head frame. The head frame  40 A is driven to reciprocated along the transverse direction by a like cam mechanism comprising a cam  91 A on the gear  92 A and a follower cavity  48 A in the bottom of the head frame  40 A. Also in this embodiment, the plucking cylinder  60 A temporarily stops in its transverse movement both at the end positions and the neutral position for a certain interval within which the plucking cylinder  60 A rotates by a certain angle sufficient for completing the hair plucking. For this purpose, the reciprocation cycle of the plucking cylinder is made greater than the rotation cycle of the same. Thus, the effective length of the pinching blades  71 A and  72 A along the circumferential direction can be elongated to increase the chances of catching the plucking the hairs lying on the skin along the transverse direction of the plucking cylinder  60 A. Also in this embodiment, the plucking cylinder  60 A returns quickly to the neutral position from the end positions such that the hair plucking is less expected in the transition period of the plucking cylinder moving between the end positions and the neutral positions. That is, the plucking cylinder moves between these positions faster than the circumferential speed of the plucking cylinder. 
     FIG. 19 illustrates a modification of the above embodiments which is similar to the above embodiments except that the head frame  40  carrying the plucking cylinder  60  is supported to reciprocate both along the longitudinal axis of the plucking cylinder and along the transverse direction. For this purpose, the head frame  40  has its legs  55  loosely engaged into cavities in a like base, and are guided along longitudinal guide pins  36  as well as transverse guide pins  136  extending through the corresponding holes in the legs  55 . A like cam mechanism is employed to give a translational movement to the head frame  40  so that the plucking cylinder  60  can reciprocate both along the longitudinal and transverse directions as the plucking cylinder rotates about the longitudinal axis.