Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE
,~ ELECTRIC CLIPPER
.,. ~:.
; NVENTOR
RICHARD L. URBUSH
' ~ ~
RELATED AEtPLICATION
This application is a division of application
Serial No. 250,533, filed April 20, 1976.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to hair clippers `
t 10 and to electrically operated hair clippers.
The invention also relates to arrangements for
electrically insulating an electrically operated hair clipper.
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The invention also relates to arrangements for
~,,! reciprocating the movable blade o~ a hair clipper blade
set in response to rotary movement of the output sha~t of
~'lZ an electric motor.
The invention also relates to spring arrangements ; `
, . . . . .for releasably and selectively retaining a blade set holding
. tongue or pivot arm in an operating position and in a second
,', 20 position affording connection and disconnection of the blade
~;, set relative to the tongue or pivot arm.
' The invention also relates to arrangements ~or
preventing relative movement between the stationary blade
o~ a blade set and a blade set mounting tongue or pivot arm.
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SU~DMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a hair clipper including a `
housing, a motor located in the housing and having a rotatable
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shaft including a first portion and an end portion
projecting from the first portion in eccentric relation
to the rotary axis of the first portion, a drive member
mounted in co-axial, surrounding relation to the end
~ 5 portion for relative rotation therebetween, and means
- retaining the drive member on the end portion.
In one embodiment in accordance with the invention,
the means securing the nose element on the end portion
includes a tapered nose element having a base engaging
i 10 th e drive member, and means securing th ~ nose element
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on t he end portion.
- In one embodiment in accordance with the invention, the
,~ means securing the nose element on the end portion includes
a threaded projecting stud on one of the nose element
and the end portion, and a threaded recess receiving the
threaded stud on the other of the end portiGn and the recess.
~;! In one embodiment in accordance with the invention,
the nose element is fabricated of plastic material.
In one embodiment in accordance with the invention,
` 20 the nose element is secured on the end portion for common
'l rotation of the nose element and the end portion.
In one embodiment in accordance with the invention,
the hair clipper also includes an annular bearing between
~,i
' and engaging the end portion and the drive member to afford
`~, 25 relative rotation therebetween.
~ In one embodiment in accordance with the invention,
;~ the invention provides a hair clipper comprising an outer
~ housing of electrically insulating material, a motor
; located in the housing and including a field structure,
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. an armature structure inc].uding a shaft having a
first portion and an end portion projecting from
the first portion in eccentric relation to the axis
.. of the first portion, bearing assemblies spaced
. 5 axially of the armature structure and engaging the
. armature structure and the field structure for
rotatably supporting the armature structure for
. rotation relative to the field structure, each of
the bearing assemblies including a bearing and a
:
bearing sleeve fabricated of electrically insulating
material and located to isolate the bearing from one ~
,s of the armature structure and the field structure, .
one of the bearing asse~..blies being engaged with the
,. .
. first portion of the shaft, means connecting the ~:~
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~ 15 field structure and the outer housing, a drive member
. . .
~, located in co-axial, surroundi.ng relation to the
.
'.~ end portion of the shaft, an annular bearing between
.r ~ .
tl and engaging the end portion and the drive member
'~ to afford relative rotation therebetween, and means
^, 20 retaining the drive member on the end portion in
co-axial, surrounding relation to the end portion
-~ including a tapered nose element having a base engaging ..
the drive member, and means securing the nose element .
on the end portion. . '
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Ot~lcr ~ea~ur~s and aclval1~a~rcs of the eml~odilllcnts of the
inven~ion ~ill becomc known by rcL~renc~ to the following drawin~s,
general description, and claims.
T}IE D1~WINGS
. . .
Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partially broken
away and in section, of a hair clipper embodying various of the
features of the invention.
~ Fig. 2 is an enlarged front view of the hair clipper
I shown in Fig. 1 with the blade set removed.
- Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the blade set incorporated
in the hair clippe~ shown in Fig. l.
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Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing the drive arrange-
; ment ~or the blade set incorporated in the hair clipper shown
, in Fig. lo
. j 15 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary ~ide elevational view, partia11y
broken away and in section, of the drive arrangement for the
¦ blade set incorporated in the hair clipper shown in Fig. l.
¦ Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6--6
3 of Fig. S.
Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7--7 of
Fig. 5.
Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken along line 8--8
;
of Fig. 9.
Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of a blade member
. 25 incorporated in the blade set included in the hair clipper shown
in Fig. 1.
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¦ Be~orc e~plaining ~he embodiments of the invention in
`: detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited
in its application to the details of cons~ruction and the arrange-
. ments of the components set forth in the following description
or illustrated in the dra~ings. The invention is capable of
. other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in
. various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phrase- ¦
. ology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of .
....
: description and should not be regarded as limiting.
10 GENERAL DESCRIPTION :.
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Shown in the drawings is an electrical ha~r clipper
11 which embodies various of the features of the invention
~;¦ and which includes a housing 13 which is constructed of
: :
electrically insulating material~ such as plastic. ~ny .
i 15 suitable design can be employed and, in the illustrated :
construction, the housing comprises t~o sections or parts 17
~ and 19 which are connected together by a plurality of screws
:1 21.
I Located in the housing 13 is an electrical motor -
.l 20 21 which can be of various designs but which; pre~erably, I
~ . is an alternating current permanent magnet motor. Thus,
~., the motor 21 includes a field structure 23 which includes
,
.l one or more permanent magnets but which is without
electrical connection to a source of power. The field
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25 struc~ure 23 is secured to and retained in the housing j .
. . .
. 13 to provide a housing assembly 24
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~1 by r~ason of eng~gement with a pair of upstanding bos.ses 25
.. ;l which respectively threadably receive two of the screws 21 and
, i
¦ by reason of an additional screw connec~ions 27 between the
;:i field structure 23 and dne of the housing sections 17 and 19.
.~ S RotabLy m~unted within the field structure 23 is
,
: an armature structure 31 including a shaft 33 having two
axially spaced portions 34 and 35, a winding 36 carried by ~:
the shaft 33 between the portions 34 and 35, and a split
~ comuta~or ring 37 which is also carried by the shaf~ 33 be- .
.. 10 tween the portions 34 and 35 and electrically connected to
the winding 36. .
. Means are provided for rotatably mounting the armature
. structure 31 within the field structure 23 while, at the same
time, electrically isolating and resiliently mounting the arma- ¦
ture structure 31 from the field structure 23. While various
arrangements can be employed, in the illustrated construction,
such means comprises two axially spaced bearing assemblies 41
~ which extend between the field structure 23 and the armature
¦ shaft portions 34 and 35 and which respectively include a
.¦ 20 bearing 43 and a bearing sleeve 45.
¦ ~he bearing sleeves 45 are constructed of electrically
Il insulating material and, while the bearing sleeves 45 ~an be
.1 located between the bearings 43 and either of the armature
shaft 33 and the field structure 23, it is preferred to locate
the bearing sleeves 45 between the bearings 43 and the field
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.:l structure 23 and to have the bearings 43 operatively engaged
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~ with the armature shaft portions 34 and 35. Pre~erably, the
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- bearing sl~v~s 45 ~aLe o rubl~er or rul~e~r-like ma~erial
: to permit compression during assembly, thus accommodating
: more liberal manufacturing tolerances.
~: In addition, the field structure 23 is fabricated
: 5 to support a pair of brush assemblies 5L which are diametrically,
.~ oppositely located,wlich are operatively engaged with the
. split iromutator ring 37, and which are elec~rically connected
. to a pair of suitable electrical leads 53 which enter into 1!
the housing 13. It is noted that these electrical connec~ions
~; 10 are spaced from the ~ield structure 23 and cons~itute the only
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: connections of the.motor 21 to a source of current.
.: More particularly, the field structure 23 includes
: two diametrically opposite bores 55 which respectively receive
.
brush sleeves 57 of insulating material, such as plastic. The
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brush sleeves 57 are retained in the bores 55 of the field
;'.~ structure 23 by suitable means, such as set screws 59 and .
.. contain carbon brushes 61 and metalic brush holders 63
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. which are electrically connected to the electrical lea~s 53
, In the illustrated construction, the brush sLeeves 57 :
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extend outward through registering apertures 65 in the housing 13 ; ~ ~:
. and are closed by caps or closures 67 which are respectively
........... received in the brush sleeves 57 and which additionally serve
`!' to urge respective brush springs 69 against the brushes 61. .:.
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. ~ Located at one end of the housing 13 is a blade set 71
. 25 which includes a ~ixed blade or shear plate 73 fixed relative to
~il the housing 13 and field structure 23 and a movable blade, plate
.¦ or comb 75 reciprocable on and relative to the fixed plate 73.
~3 In this last regard, the blade set 71 preferably includes
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suital)le mealls for ~ iding ~ ecipLocation of the movable
g bl~de 75 r~lative to ~lle fixed bla~le 73. The mov~ble bla~le 75
¦ includes a generally fLat blade member or plate 17~ which includes
~orwardly and rearwardly co-planar Lower surfaces 177 which bear
5 against the fixed blade 73, an upper surLace 179, a forward .
edge 183 with a series of teeth 185 coopcrating with tee~h on
the ~orward edge of the fixed blade 73 3 and a rearward ~dge or
. surface 187 which preferably extends ;n generally perpendicular
. relation to the lower and upper surfaces 177 and 179. Located
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. 10 centrally of the blade member 179 is a recess 189 which extends
from the upper surface 179, which can either be blind or extend
.¦ completely through the blade member L75, and which includes two
1 laterally or transversely spaced edges or walls 191 extending in
: generaLly perpendicular relation to the forward and rearward
~ L5 edges 183 and 185.
: The movable blade 75 includes means for engaging the
. armature shaft 33 for reciprocating the movable blade 75 in r~s~ns~
to rotation of the armature shaft 33 while, at the same time,
; electrically insulating the movable blade 75 from the armature
. 20 shaft 33.
.
In this last regard, the movable blade 75 has ~ixedly
extending therefrom an element which is driven by tlle arma~ure
i. shaft 33 and which is in the form of a yoke member 81 which is
. preferably constructed of electrically insulating material,
. 25 such as plastic, and which includes a main portion which, in part,is located in the recess 191, and is generally of U-shape including
first and second laterally spaced arms or walls 83 ~hich extend
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::~; upwardly from the edges 191 of the recess, together with a connecting
web or wall 197 which extends between the lower edges of the walls 83
~,~` and is located in the recess l91o The arms or walls 83 respectively
.;~ include rearwardly and upwardly extending edge por~ions or ma.rgins
, having arcuately laterally outwardly flaring terminal portions 85 .
., extending toward the armature shaft 33
The yoke member 81 also includes first and second flange
portions 201 which respectively extend in laterally outward co-planar
! relation from the first and secGnd walls 83 in overlying ~ngagement
with the upper surface 179 of the blade member 1750
: The movable blade 75 also includes a brace member 211
. ~ :
which is preferably constructed of metal, such as spring steel, ;:
and which includes first and second laterally spaced parallel
.. wall portions 213 located in laterally outwardly overlying relation
. to the walls 83 of the yoke member 81. Preferably, the wall portions
- 213 of the brace member 211 are co-extensive with the walls 83 of ;
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the yoke member 81 above the flange portions 2010 In addition, the
. .
~ brace member 211 includes a bridge portion 215 which unites the ,:
-~ wall portions 213 iand which extends laterally therebetween from the
forward edges of the wall portions 213 and above the lower edges of
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the wall portions 213 and forwardly of the forward edges of the
walls 83 of the yoke member 81. `~
` The brace member 211 further includes flange portions 217 -
~ which respectively Gxtend laterally outwardly and in co-planar .
;, relation from the lower edges of the wall portions 213 and in over-
lying engagement with the flange portions 201 of the yoke membçr 81. .
In addition, the brace member 211 includes laterally spaced tabs 219 -
:' which extend respectively from the rearward edges of the flange por-tions 217 in generally perpendicular relation thereto and in overlying
engagement with the rearward surfaces 187 of the blade member 1750
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. In addition9 the movable blade 75 preferably includes a
~ reinforcing member 221 which is fabrica~ed of metal, such as spring
;: steel. The reinforcing member 221 includes an elongated portion 223
~" which overlies the spaced tabs 219 of the brace member 211, ~ogether
with a pair of laterally spaced flange portions 225 which extend
from the upper edge of the elongated portion 223 in generally per-
pendicular relation thereto and in overlying engagement with the
flange portions 217 of the brace member 211.
Means are provided for fixedly securing together the ::
blade member 175, ~he yoke member 81, the brace member 211, and the
reinforcing member 221. While various arrangements can be employed,
in the illustrated construction, such means comprises a pair of rivets
231 which extend through the flange portions 225 of the reinforcing
member 221, through the flange portions 201 of the yoke member 81
,
and through the body of the blade member 1750
Extending between the arms or walls 83 for engagement
,
therebetween is an annular drive shaft member 91 which is driven by
the armature shaft 33, which is preferably of metallic construction,
; such as stainless steel, and which has an outer surface in engagement
with and between the arms 83. The drive member 91 also includes
:
an inner surface in engagement with a bearing 93 which, in turn, is
; engagad on a portion 95 of the armature shaft extending in eccentric
~- relation to the adjacent armature shaft portion 34 supported by one
of the bearing assemblies 41. Preferably the bearing 93 is a ball
, bearing.
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.i The annular drive member 91 is retained on the shaft ~;~
;` portion 95 by a nose element or member 97 which is preferably
constructed of electrically insulating material, such as
plastic, and which is generally conical in shape so as to
' 3Q guide entrance of the nose member between the yoke arms 83
-; and which has a base with a diameter approximately equal to .
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.~. the outer diameter of the drive member 91 so as to restrain
f axial out~ard movement of the driv~ member ~l into engagement
between the arms 83.
Suitable means are provided for re~aining ~he nose
. $ member 97 on the end o~ the eccentric arma~ure shaft portion 95.
.. .
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. While various arrangements could be employed, in the illustrated ~ ~-
j construction, such means comprises a threaded s tud on one o~ :
.¦ the nose member 97 and the eccentric armature shaft portion 95 . -
and a ~hreaded recess receiving the stud on the other of the ~ ~ :
. L0 nose member 97 and the shaft portion 95. Specifically, in
: the illustrated construction, the eccentric shaft portion 95
~ includes a threaded projection 99 and the nose me~ber 97 includes
:~1 a threaded recess 101 receiving the threaded projection 99.
The connection of the blade set 71 and particularly the
~ 15 fixed blade 73, to the housing 13 and field strueture 23 permits
¦ releasable attachment of the blade set 71 on the hair clipper 11.
. ~
~ In this regard, the blade set at~achment means comprises a
i! bracke~ 111 which is fixed on the stationery blade.or shear
plate 73 and which includes a raised central portion 113
defining between the bracket 111 and the shear plate 73, a
groove or slo~ 115 adapted to receive a tongue or pivot arm 117
carried on a mounting plate 119 fixed to one or both of the
housing 13 and field structure 23 by suitable means, such as a
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î pair of screws i21. Further in this last regard, the tongue .~
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~i~ 25 or pivot arm 117 is carried by the mounting plate ll9 about a
....
!"'. hin~e pin 123 ~or movement betwecn a first position ~fording
~ . .
insertion and with~ra~al o~ ~hc tongue 117 rela~ive ~o the
~ . , .
groovc or slo~ 115 and ~n opc~tin~ position in whicll thc ~l~dc
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:~ set 71 is located for engagement of the rotable annular
. drive member 91 between the yoke arms 83. As indicated
earlier, during movement of the tongue 117 from the first
position to the operating position, the flared terminal
portions 85 ~f the yoke arms 83 and the con~cal shape of
the nose member 97 facilitate insertion of the drive
member 91 between the yoke arms 83.
Means are provided for selectively and releasably
retaining the pivot arm or tongue 117 in either of the first
and operating positions. While various arrangements are
possible, in the illustrated construction, the tongue or pivot
arm 117 includes rearwardly of the hinge pin 123, an upwardly
.~ extending ~lange 131 which is engaged by a downwardly convex
end portion 133 of a biasing spring 135 which is fixed to the
top of a raised central portion 137 of the mounting plate 119.
~. In operation, engagement of the curved portion 133 of the
~ spring 135 with the flange 131 serves to releasably retain the
tongue or pivot arm 117 in either of the first or operating
positions.
Means are provided on one or both of the ield struc-
~rl ture 23 and housing 13 for augmenting the action of the biasing
spring 135. In this regard, in the illustrated constnuction,
the housing 13 is formed to expose the field structure 23 which,
in turn, is provided with a recess 139 which receives a helical .
-.~ compression spring 141 which, at its outer end, bears against
. the tope side of the downwardly convex portion 133 of the biasing
spring 135 so as to increase the force applied by the biasing . ~ :
;: spring 135 to releasably hold the tongue or pivot arm 117 in .:
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either o~ i.ts two positions. Employment of the helical : .
spring 141 also serves to parti.ally relieve the loading on
the biasing spring 135 and to thereby increase the life of :~
the biasing spring 135. If desired, as already indicated, the
5 helical spring 141 could be contained in a recess in the
. housing 13.
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The mounting plate 119 also has fixed, on the upper
;: surface of the raised central portion 137, a spring retainer
143 which is adapted to grasp the central portion 113 of the :
, : .
. 10 bracket 111 on the stationary blade 73 to releasably prevent
relative movement between the tongue or pivot arm 117 and
: the stationary blade 73. In this regard, the spring
:~ retainer 143 is fixed on the mounting plate by a rivet 145
: which also fixes the biasing spring 135.
l 15 In order to releasably grip the stationary blade
bracket 111, the spring retainer 143 includes an outer
lip 151 which is adaptPd, when the ~lade set 71 is received
on the tongue 117, to grip the edge of the stationary blade
bracket 111 remote from the hinge pin 123 so as to releasably
clamp or grip the stationary blade bracket 111 against a
shoulder 153 formed on the tongue 117 adjacent to the
l hinge pin 123.
j In addition, the spring retainer 143 includes two
laterally spaced wings 161 which are adapted to releasably grip
t~ 25 or clamp therebetween the side edges 163 of the raised central
~ portion 113 of the stationary blade bracket 111 so as to prevent
,l lateral movement of the stationary blade 73 relative to the
:~ tongue 117 while, at the same time, avoiding interference with
, ease o~ insertion and withdrawal of the tongue 117 relative to
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thc groov~ 115. In this regard) it is no~cd that withdrawal
and inse~tion o~ tlle tongue 117 relative to the groove 115
occurs when the tongue or pivot arm 117 is in the first
.
.~ position and that the spring retainer 143 releasably grips the
$ raised central portion 113 of the stationary blade bracket 111
' incident to movement of the tongue 117 to the operating position~
.` Thus, when.the tongue 117 is in the operating position,
. the stationary blade 73 is ~irmly but releasably held stationary .
:;. relative to the field s~ruc~ure 23 and housing 13 as a result of
., .
10 the spring retainer 143 releasably cLamping the stationery
~ blade 73 to ~he tongue 117 and as a result o~ the action of
- ~he springs 135 and 141 which firmly but releasably hold the
tongue or pivot arm 117 in the operating position. In
addition, when the tongue is in the first position, the tongue 117
;
.i 15 can be easily inserted or withdrawn from the groo~e 115 on the
stationary blade 73.
It is no~ed that the mo~or is double insulated ~rom
the user as both the bearing sleeves 45 and the housing 13
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~ ser~ve to electrically insulate the armature structure 31 ~rom
..
., 20 the hand of the user holding the hair clipper 11. In addi~ion,
; the drive from the armature structure 31 to the blade set 71
.. ..
is electrically insulated as the annular drive member 91
operatively engages the plastic yoke member 81. Still further,
~r`~ wear is reduced due to engagement of the metaLlic drive member 41
~.~ 25 with the plas~ic yoke member 81 and because the annul~r drive ~:
!~,,.;', member 91 is ~reeLy rotat~ble on the ecccntric portion 95 o~
rl thc armature shaft 33.
Various o~ tlle ~eaturcs o~ the inv~ntion are s~t ~or~h -
in tlle followin~ cl~ims. :-