Patent Description:
Hair trimming systems typically comprise a handle and a head, the head comprising a cutting unit to cut hairs. In some hair trimming systems, the cutting unit can become clogged with hairs which are difficult to clean from the cutting unit. In some previously considered hair trimming systems, the head is detachable from the handle, but detachment can be uncontrolled or difficult to achieve.

An example of prior art is given by the patent documentation <CIT>.

According to a first specific aspect, there is provided a hair trimming system comprising a handle and a head, the head comprising a cutting unit for cutting hairs, and the head being moveable relative to the handle, wherein: the head comprises a base configured to be received in the handle, wherein the base comprises a connecting portion configured to cooperate with the handle to connect the handle and the head, and to permit pivoting movement of the head with respect to the handle about the connecting portion, and the base comprises a main indentation and an intermediate indentation; the handle comprises a holding mechanism comprising a moveable stop configured to be received separately in each of the main indentation and in the intermediate indentation, to restrict pivoting movement of the head relative to the handle about the connecting portion so as to secure the head to the handle, wherein the stop is biased to a locked position relative to the handle, wherein in the locked position, the stop is received in one of the main indentation and the intermediate indentation, to secure the head to the handle, wherein when the stop is received in the main indentation, the base of the head is received within the handle in an operational configuration, and when the stop is received in the intermediate indentation, the head is pivoted away from the handle relative to the operational configuration, in an open configuration.

The connecting portion may be disposed on an opposing side of the base to the main indentation and to the intermediate indentation.

The stop may be mounted on the end of a leaf spring.

The head may be detachable from the handle. The connecting portion of the head may comprise a locking hook and the handle may comprise a corresponding locking overhang to detachably retain the locking hook within the handle.

The hair trimming system may further comprise a release button disposed on the handle, and moveable with respect to the handle from a neutral position to a release position. The release button may be configured to abut the head when moved towards the release position, to push the head away from the handle, to pivot the head about the connecting portion relative to the handle.

The release button may be disposed on a guide rail describing an arcuate path, such that the release button is configured to move between the neutral position and the release position along the arcuate path.

The handle may comprise a release block configured to block movement of the release button beyond the release position, wherein when the release button abuts the head at the release position, the stop is received in the intermediate indentation.

The main indentation and the intermediate indentation may define a peak therebetween. The intermediate indentation may comprise a continuous surface from the peak to a trough of the intermediate indentation.

When the release button abuts the head at the release position, the stop may be received on the continuous surface between the peak and the trough of the intermediate indentation, such that a biasing force on the stop to the locked position causes the stop to propel the head away from the handle until the stop is received in the trough of the intermediate indentation.

The release button may comprise a protrusion configured to interact with the stop, to push or pull the stop away from the locked position when the release button is moved towards the release position.

The head may comprises two adjacent main indentations and two adjacent intermediate indentations, and the handle may comprise two corresponding stops, each stop configured to be received in one of the main indentations and one of the intermediate indentations.

The hair trimming system may comprising multiple interchangeable heads.

These and other aspects will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

<FIG> shows a first example hair trimming system <NUM> comprising a handle <NUM> and a head <NUM>. The handle <NUM> is configured to be held by a user, and the head <NUM> comprises a cutting unit <NUM> for cutting hairs, such as a blade. The handle <NUM> may comprise electronics and a moving mechanism to induce movement in the cutting unit <NUM>, to cut hairs.

In this example, the head <NUM> is detachable from the handle <NUM> such that the head <NUM> is moveable relative to the handle <NUM>, and when detached, it can be replaced with a different head. The hair trimming system <NUM> may therefore comprise multiple heads <NUM> which can each be detachably connected to the handle <NUM>. In other examples, the head may simply be moveable relative to the handle, without being detachable. For example, the head may be connected by means of a pin to the handle such that it is pivotable relative to the handle about the pin, without allowing the head to detach from the handle.

The hair trimming system <NUM> further comprises a release button <NUM> which is disposed on the handle <NUM>, and moveable with respect to the handle <NUM> to push the head <NUM> away from the handle <NUM>. The release button <NUM> is therefore configured to abut the head <NUM> when moved towards the head <NUM>.

<FIG> show the head <NUM> in isolation. The head <NUM> comprises a base <NUM> and a guard <NUM>. The base <NUM> is configured to be received in the handle <NUM> of the hair trimming system <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>), and the guard <NUM> is configured to receive the cutting unit <NUM> for cutting hair.

The base <NUM> comprises a connecting portion <NUM> which is configured to cooperate with the handle <NUM> to connect the handle <NUM> to the head <NUM>, and to permit pivoting movement of the head <NUM> with respect to the handle <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>).

In this example the connecting portion <NUM> comprises a locking hook <NUM> which cooperates with a locking overhang <NUM> of the handle <NUM> (shown in <FIG>). The locking overhang <NUM> detachably retains the locking hook <NUM> within the handle <NUM>. Cooperation of the locking hook <NUM> with the locking overhang <NUM> permits pivoting movement of the head <NUM> with respect to the handle <NUM> about the locking hook <NUM>, whilst allowing detachment of the head <NUM> from the handle <NUM>.

In other examples, the connecting portion may be pivotably connected to the handle with a pin or any other mechanism which does, or does not, allow detachment of the head from the handle.

The base <NUM> of the head <NUM> comprises a pair of projecting portions <NUM>, which project away from the guard <NUM>.

Each projecting portion <NUM> comprises a main indentation <NUM> and an intermediate indentation <NUM>. The main indentation <NUM> and the intermediate indentation <NUM> on each projecting portion are identical, and so the only a single main indentation <NUM> and intermediate indentation will be described hereinafter. The main indentation <NUM> is closer to the guard <NUM> on the projecting portion <NUM> than the intermediate indentation <NUM> is.

In other examples, the base may comprise a single projecting portion, or may have no projecting portion. In examples with no projecting portion, the base may simply comprise a thick layer with the main indentation and the intermediate indentation recessed in the thick layer.

The connecting portion <NUM> is disposed on an opposing side of the base <NUM> to the main indentation <NUM> and the intermediate indentation <NUM>.

<FIG> show cross-sectional views of the first example hair trimming system <NUM> in an operational configuration, an intermediate configuration, and an open configuration respectively. The head <NUM> is received in the handle <NUM>, and the handle <NUM> comprises a holding mechanism, to restrict pivoting movement of the head <NUM> relative to the handle <NUM> about the connecting portion <NUM> so as to secure the head <NUM> to the handle <NUM>.

The holding mechanism comprises a pair of moveable stops <NUM>, each stop <NUM> in the form of a hook mounted on the end of a respective leaf spring <NUM> which is biased towards a locked position relative to the handle <NUM>. Each stop <NUM> is identical and each stop <NUM> configured to interact, in the same manner, with the main indentation <NUM> and the intermediate indentation <NUM> on a respective protrusion <NUM> of the head <NUM>. Therefore, only a single stop <NUM> will be described hereinafter. It will be appreciated that in examples with only a single protrusion, or only a single main indentation and intermediate indentation, there will only be a single corresponding stop.

The stop <NUM> is configured to be received separately in each of the main indentation <NUM> and the intermediate indentation <NUM> on a single protrusion <NUM>. In the locked position, the stop <NUM> is received in one of the main indentation <NUM> and the intermediate indentation <NUM> to secure the head <NUM> to the handle <NUM> by preventing pivoting movement of the head <NUM> relative to the handle <NUM> about the connecting portion <NUM>. In other examples, the moveable stop may simply be biased to a locked position relative to the handle by any suitable means.

The opposing forces acting on the head <NUM> from the stop <NUM> and the locking overhang <NUM> of the handle <NUM> prevent the head <NUM> from moving away from the handle <NUM> without another external force. Even with an external force, the locking overhang <NUM> is immovable, such that the connecting portion <NUM> of the head <NUM> is effectively held in place, and the stop <NUM> is biased to the locking position, such that head <NUM> may move away from the handle <NUM> at the protrusions <NUM>, on application of an external force, thereby pivoting the head <NUM> away from the handle <NUM> about the connecting portion <NUM>.

In <FIG>, the hair trimming system <NUM> is shown in the operational configuration. In the operational configuration, the base <NUM> of the head <NUM> is received in the handle <NUM> and the stop <NUM> is received in the main indentation <NUM>. In the operational configuration, the hair trimming system <NUM> may be used to cut hairs.

The main indentation <NUM> and the intermediate indentation <NUM> define a peak between them and a continuous surface from the peak to a trough of the respective indentation <NUM>, <NUM>. Therefore, the stop <NUM> can slide along the surface from the main indentation <NUM> over the peak and along the surface into the intermediate indentation <NUM>.

The release button <NUM> disposed in the handle <NUM> is moveable from a neutral position (as shown in <FIG>) to a release position (as shown in <FIG>). When the hair trimming system <NUM> is in the operational configuration, and the release button <NUM> is moved towards the release position, the release button <NUM> is configured to abut the head <NUM> to pivot the head <NUM> about the connecting portion <NUM> away from the handle <NUM>. Pivoting the head <NUM> away from the handle <NUM> in this way causes the stop <NUM> to slide along the main indentation <NUM> towards the peak, and when the stop <NUM> crests the peak (as shown in <FIG>), the biased stop <NUM> automatically pushes the head <NUM> further away from the handle <NUM>, as it slides along the continuous surface between the peak and the trough of the intermediate indentation <NUM>, until the stop <NUM> is received in the intermediate indentation <NUM>. When the stop <NUM> is received in the intermediate indentation <NUM>, the head <NUM> is pivoted away from the handle <NUM> relative to the operational configuration, in an open configuration, which is shown in <FIG>.

In the open configuration, the head <NUM> and the handle <NUM> are partially separated so that the guard <NUM> of the head <NUM> containing the cutting unit can be more easily cleaned of cut hairs. Further, in the open configuration, the head <NUM> can be more easily gripped by a user to detach the head <NUM> from the handle <NUM> in a controlled manner. Without the intermediate indentation to catch the stop <NUM>, the head <NUM> would simply eject from the handle <NUM> in an uncontrolled manner when the release button <NUM> is moved to the release position. Therefore, the intermediate indentation <NUM> performs multiple functions simultaneously, to improve access for cleaning, and to prevent uncontrolled ejection of the head <NUM> from the handle <NUM>.

From the open configuration, the head <NUM> can be moved back to the operational configuration, by pushing to head <NUM> towards the handle <NUM>, which forces the stop <NUM> out of the intermediate indentation <NUM> and into the main indentation <NUM>.

<FIG> show a cross-sectional view of the hair trimming system <NUM> at a different, parallel, cross-section to the that shown in <FIG>. <FIG> are shown in an operational configuration and in an open configuration respectively. From <FIG> it can be seen that the handle <NUM> comprises a release block <NUM> configured to block movement of the release button <NUM> beyond the release position (as shown in <FIG>). The release block <NUM> is positioned so that when the release button <NUM> is in the release position (<FIG>), a buttress <NUM> on the release button <NUM> abuts the release block <NUM>, and so that the release button <NUM> cannot extend far enough to abut the head <NUM> when the head is in the open configuration (i.e. when the head <NUM> is positioned so that the stop <NUM> can be received in the intermediate indentation <NUM>). In other words, the release block <NUM> cooperates with the release button <NUM> to prevent overshooting of the release button <NUM>.

The release block <NUM> is positioned so that the release position of the release button <NUM> is limited to push the head <NUM> away from the handle <NUM> until the stop <NUM> is received in the intermediate indentation <NUM>. In this example, the stop is received on the continuous surface between the peak and the trough of the intermediate indentation <NUM> when the head <NUM> is pushed by the release button <NUM> up to the release position of the release button <NUM> (i.e. when the release button is still abutting the head <NUM> at the release position). Then the biasing force on the stop <NUM> propels the head <NUM> the rest of the way away from the handle <NUM>, until the stop <NUM> is received in the trough of the intermediate indentation <NUM>. Limiting the movement of the release button <NUM> in this manner, builds in a tolerance so that the release button <NUM> cannot accidentally push the head <NUM> away from the handle <NUM> to the extent that the stop <NUM> is pushed beyond the intermediate indentation <NUM> to accidentally eject the head <NUM> fully from the handle <NUM>.

Further, the release button <NUM> in this example is biased to the neutral position (shown in <FIG>) relative to the handle <NUM>. This helps to prevent the release button <NUM> from inadvertently interfering with the cutting unit <NUM> in use. The release button <NUM> is biased to the neutral position by a spring (not shown) which is held by the release button <NUM>, and which is hooked over part of the handle <NUM>. In some examples, the release button may be biased to the neutral position relative to the handle by any suitable means.

In some examples, the release button <NUM> may be disposed on a guide rail (not shown) which describes an arcuate path, so that the release button <NUM> moves along the arcuate path between the neutral position and the release position. This helps the release button <NUM> to reliably contact the same part of the head <NUM> during pivoting movement of the head <NUM> about the connecting portion <NUM>.

<FIG> show a second example hair trimming system <NUM> having the same head <NUM> and stop <NUM> as the first example hair trimming system <NUM> and differing in having a second example handle <NUM> and release button <NUM>. <FIG> shows only the second example handle <NUM> and release button <NUM>, and <FIG> show a cross-sectional view of the second example hair trimming <NUM> in the operational configuration and the open configuration respectively.

In this example, the release button <NUM> is configured to move relative to the handle <NUM> between a neutral position and a release position, in a direction perpendicular to movement of the head <NUM> away from the handle <NUM>. The release button <NUM> is configured to cooperate with an actuation component <NUM>. The actuating component comprises, for each stop <NUM>, a button arm <NUM>, configured to cooperate with the release button <NUM>, and a pair of actuation arms <NUM>, <NUM> which are branched from the button arm <NUM>. A first actuation arm <NUM> is configured to push the stop <NUM> away from the locked position, when the release button <NUM> is actuated. The second actuation arm <NUM> comprises an arcuate section, which is configured to transform movement of the release button <NUM> to movement of an end of the second actuation arm <NUM>, offset <NUM> degrees from movement of the release button <NUM>, to push the head <NUM> away from the handle <NUM>. This is achieved by a guide rail <NUM> which describes an arcuate surface along which the arcuate section of the second actuation arm <NUM> can travel to guide the second actuation arm <NUM> to induce movement of the head <NUM> away from the handle <NUM>. It will be appreciated that the movement offset of the second actuation arm <NUM> from the movement of the release button <NUM> need not be <NUM> degrees, and may be any suitable offset from the movement of the release button <NUM>.

Therefore, actuation of the release button <NUM> simultaneously pushes the stop <NUM> away from the locked position (as shown in <FIG>), to remove the stop <NUM> from either the main indentation <NUM> or the intermediate indentation <NUM> of the head <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>), and pushes the head <NUM> away from the handle <NUM>. Then releasing the release button <NUM> allows it to return to its original position, due to the biasing of the stop <NUM>, which also allows the stop <NUM> to return to the locked position. Since the head <NUM> is moved away from the handle <NUM>, the stop then returns into the intermediate indentation <NUM> so that the hair trimming system <NUM> is in the open configuration.

In some examples, for example in the first example hair trimming system <NUM>, the actuation component <NUM> may be inverted to operate with a release button which moves in the direction of movement of the head <NUM> away from the handle <NUM>. In such an example, an arm may cooperate with the stop <NUM> to pull the stop from the main indentation or the intermediate indentation.

This example allows the main indentation <NUM> to be relatively sharp, such that simply pulling the head <NUM> away from the handle <NUM> manually would not decouple the stop <NUM> from the main indentation <NUM>, but only actuation of the release button <NUM> allows decoupling of the stop <NUM> from the main indentation <NUM>. The continuous surface from the trough of the intermediate indentation <NUM> to the peak may have a relatively gradual change in curvature, in this example and/or in the first example hair trimming system <NUM>, in order to enable manual pushing of the head <NUM> towards the handle <NUM> to push the stop <NUM> out of the intermediate indentation <NUM> and back into the main indentation <NUM>.

Although the examples show the release button being moved along a linear path to move the head <NUM> away from the handle <NUM>, <NUM>, in other examples, the release button may be moved by pivoting or by rotation about a point, which induces movement of an actuating arm to move the head away from the handle.

Claim 1:
A hair trimming system (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising a handle (<NUM>, <NUM>) and a head (<NUM>), the head (<NUM>) comprising a cutting unit (<NUM>) for cutting hairs, and the head (<NUM>) being moveable relative to the handle (<NUM>, <NUM>), wherein:
the head (<NUM>) comprises a base (<NUM>) configured to be received in the handle (<NUM>, <NUM>), wherein the base (<NUM>) comprises a connecting portion (<NUM>) configured to cooperate with the handle (<NUM>, <NUM>) to connect the handle (<NUM>, <NUM>) and the head (<NUM>), and to permit pivoting movement of the head (<NUM>) with respect to the handle (<NUM>, <NUM>) about the connecting portion (<NUM>), and the base (<NUM>) comprises a main indentation (<NUM>) and an intermediate indentation (<NUM>);
the handle (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprises a holding mechanism comprising a moveable stop (<NUM>) configured to be received separately in each of the main indentation (<NUM>) and in the intermediate indentation (<NUM>), to restrict pivoting movement of the head (<NUM>) relative to the handle (<NUM>, <NUM>) about the connecting portion (<NUM>) so as to secure the head (<NUM>) to the handle (<NUM>, <NUM>), wherein the stop (<NUM>) is biased to a locked position relative to the handle (<NUM>, <NUM>), wherein in the locked position, the stop (<NUM>) is received in one of the main indentation (<NUM>) and the intermediate indentation (<NUM>), to secure the head (<NUM>) to the handle (<NUM>, <NUM>),
wherein when the stop (<NUM>) is received in the main indentation (<NUM>), the base (<NUM>) of the head (<NUM>) is received within the handle (<NUM>, <NUM>) in an operational configuration, and when the stop (<NUM>) is received in the intermediate indentation (<NUM>), the head (<NUM>) is pivoted away from the handle (<NUM>, <NUM>) relative to the operational configuration, in an open configuration.