Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
05~305
This invention relates to hair cutting devices and
rnore particularly to an improved suction type hair cutting
devlce.
In hair cutting heretofore, comb and scissors and
clippers; hand or electric have been used. In each case the
person effecting the cutting must have some skill in hair
cutting techniques. This has often preventedan unskilled person
from cutting hair at home or elsewhere. Moreover~, in the con-
ventional devices cut hair is scattered on the floor below
where the hair is cut, resulting in troublesome sweeping.
According to the present invention, there is provided
a suction type hair cutting device comprising a casing having
an airpassage therethrough, one end of said air passage forming
a suction inlet and the other end of said air passage being
adapted for connection to a vacuum source; a fixed circular
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blade positioned in said suction inlet; an arcuately oscilla-
tory circular blade positioned adjacent to said fi~ed blade and
arcuately oscillatory with respect thereto; and an annular pro- ~
jection formed around the lnner surface of said suction inlet, ;-;
wherein said fixed blade and said arcuately oscillatory blade ~ ;
are positioned wi-th respect to said annular projection to form ~ -
an air flow passage therebetween.
The present invention, therefore, provides a cutting
device which requires less skill in hair cutting, can cut hair ~
to any desired length, and which does not scatter cut hair on ` -
the floor where the hair is cut. The device may also include
means for adjusting the hair length to be cut.
The present invention will be further illustrated by
way of the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is an elevational view partly in cross section
showing a hair cutting device of a preferred ernbodiment of the
present invention;
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Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line
II-II of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is an elevational view partly in cross section
showing another embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing connecting means
of a hair cutting device of the present invention;
Fig. 5 is an elevational view partly in cross section
showing a further embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a plan view partly in cross section of the
hair cutting device of Fig. S;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a gear mechanism
of the hair cutting device of Fig. 5;
Fig. 8 is a bottom view showing a suction inlet of
the hair cutting device of Fig. 5;
Fig. 9 is an elevational view partly in cross section
showing a suction type which is a preferred means for adjusting
the hair length to be cut by a hair cutting device;
Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view showing a pressure -
regulating valve means used for a hair cutting device of the
present invention;
Fig. 11 is a side elevational view showing a hair
cutting gauge which is another preferred means for adjusting
the hair length to be cut by a hair cutting device;
Fig. 12 is a rear elevational view of the hair cutting
gauge of Fig. 11; -
Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view taken along the
line XIII-XIII of Fig. 12;
Fig. 14 is a cross sectional view taken along the
line XIV-XIV of Fig. 11;
Fig. 15 is a side elevational view showing another `~ ,
embodiment of the hair cutting gauge;
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Fig. 16 is a rear elevational view showing the hair
cutting gauge of Fig. 15.
Referring to the drawings, in Figs. 1 and 2, a casing
10 of the hair cutting device is in the form of generally L-
shaped tube defining an air passage 12 therein. The air passage
12 has opposite ends, one end being connected to a vacuum
source (not shown) and the other end being provided with a
suction inlet 18.
The casing 10 has a concave portion 20 covered by a
covering member 22 on which a motor 26 is mounted by means of
a bolt 24. The output shaft 28 of the motor 26 vertically
extends into the concaved portion 20 through the covering mem-
ber 22 and has an end internally of the concaved portion, said
end being provided with a crank means 30 within said concaved
portion.
The cover 22 has a shaft means 34 vertically extending
therefrom down to the suction inlet 18 through the bottom wall
32 of the concaved portion 20. A fixed blade 36 is fitted and
secured to the end of the shaft 34 by means of a bolt 38.
A rotatable pipe member 40 is provided around the
shaft 34 and has a link 44 transversely extending relative
thereto at its base end portion 42. The link is formed with a
recess 46 to receive the crank 30 therein. Accordingly the
link 44 is oscillated by the mo-tion of the crank 30, and thus
the pipe member 40 is reciprocably oscillated.
At a predetermined axial portion of the pipe member
40, a ring 48 is engaged thereàround, which ring 48 is supported
by a securing piece 50 provided around the pipe member 40 at an
adjacent position relative to the ring. l'he securing member is
so positioned to prevent the movement of the ring 48 toward the
forward end of the pipe member 4~. A compression spring 52 is
positioned between the ring 48 and the bottom wall 32, and the
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pipe member 40 is thereby biased in a direction toward the
forward end thereof. At the end of the pipe member 40, there
is formed a blade engaging stepped portion 54 of rectangular
cross section, and a blade 56 is engaged thereon for oscilla-
tory movement cooperatively with the pipe member 40~ The blade
56 is biased toward the fixed blade 36 by the effect of the
compression spring 52, the fixed blade 36 being attached to the
end of the shaft 34 as before mentioned. These blades gener- -
ally have a round form. The blade 56 elastically and ad~acently
placed relative to the fixed blade 36 results in a positive hair
cutting operation.
Annular air sealing meMber 58 is provided at the
bottom wall 32 on the peripheral end thereof facing to the
pipe member 40, and is engaged with the corresponding portion
of the pipe member 40 so as to seal the concaved portion 20
from the air passage 12. -
A circular projection 60 is formed at the suction
inlet 18 to give a predetermined space between and the end 16
of the inlet 18. The fixed blade 36 and the blade 56 are
positioned nearer the plane of the inlet end 16 than that of
the circular projection 60.
The fixed blade 36 and the blade 56 each have a
circumferential end spaced from the inner surface of the
suction inlet 18. The circumferential end portions of both -
blades positively cut hair. The suction air flow F coming -
from the inlet end 16 introduces the hair through both blades
to the circular projection 60 where the hair is held behind
the circumferential end of the blade 56~ and the hair is in
a suitable position to be cut.
When the thus assembled hair cutting device is oper-
ated, the hair to be cut is introduced through the inlet end 16
and positioned adjacent the circumferences of the fixed blade
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36 and the blade 56. Then the hair is cut by the sliding
oscillation of the blade 56 relative to the fixed blade 36.
Then, the severed hairs are carried away through the suction
passage 12 to the vacuum source, thus not scattering the hairs
on the floor.
A hair cutting device of another embodiment of the
present invention will be described hereinafter according to
the drawings.
Referring now to Fig. 3 and 4, a fixed blade 36 and ;
a blade 56 are both formed in a circular shape and have cutting
portions at the inner peripheries thereof.
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More particularly, the fixed blade 36 is so formed
as to be securely fitted to the end 16 of the suction inlet 18
by means of a fixlng nut 62 which is threadedly engaged with
the threaded outer sur~ace of the inlet 18, while the blade 56
is so formed as to be placed at the inner surface of the suc-
tion inlet 18 in an abutting relation to the fixed blade 36.
The blade 56 is interconnected with the pipe member
40 through a connecting means 64. The connecting means 64
includes a circular plate 66, supporting bars 70 extending
downwards therefrom to a given length, and a ringed piece 68
fitted to each remote end of the bars 70. The circular plate
66 is engaged with a rotatable pipe member 40, and the ring 68
is engaged with the blade 56, thus enabling a rotatable move-
ment of the blade 56 during operation.
The circular plate 66 has a rectangular aperture 72
in the center portion therçof, through which the pipe member 40
is extended such that the connecting means 64 is securely con-
nected thereto at a stepped portion 54. The connecting means 64
is thus cooperatively movable therewith.
Compression spring 52 is positioned between the plate
66 and the bottom wall 32 of the concaved portion of the casing
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10, so that the connecting means 64 is biased toward the for-
ward end 16 of the device.
The annular piece 68 has a plurality of projections
74 at the circumferential end facing to the blade 56, for
engaging with the blade 56. Accordingly, the projections 74
are in contact with the blade 56, and thus the blade 56 is
biased to the fixed blade 36.
At the end of the shaft 34, there is provided an air
flow turning or controlling plate 76 fitted transversely rela-
tive thereto and secured by the bolt 78. The plate 76 is
spaced above the blade 36 and 56, and is of a size to allow a ;
sufficient air flow for the hair cutting operation. Accordingly
the air flow F coming Erom the inlet end 16 is passed through
the inner circumferential ends of the fixed blade 36 and the
blade 56 and then -through around the plate 76 and into the
suction passage 12.
In the thus assembled hair cutting device, the hair
sucked up through the inlet end 16 is held behind the blade 56,
because of the effect of the air flow turning plate 76, result-
ing in a positive hair cutting operation.
The hair cutting device of this embodiment wherein the
hair is cut by the inner circumferential ends of the circular
fixed blade 36 and blade 56, is not provided with the circular
projection 60 of Fig~ 1 in the inlet 18 and is therefore simpli-
fied with regard to the structure of the casing 10.
Further in this second embodiment of the present inven-
tion, the structure of the pipe member 40 is simplified, because
the spring 52 is received by the circular plate 66, instead of
the ring 48 and the securing member 50 as in the first embodi-
ment shown in Fig. l. Accordingly, the hair cutting device may
be assembled in a reduced number of steps.
Referring now to Fig. 5 to Fig. 8, which show a third
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embodiment of the present invention, a year mechanism G is
accommodated in the concaved portion 20 of the casing 10,
which gear mechanism G is comprised of a worm 80 and a worm
gear 82 interengaged with one another. The worm 80 is in a
position axially aligned with and spaced from the boss 8~,
the boss 84 being formed on the inside surface of the cover 22. ~ `~
The worm gear 82 is rotatably journalled by means of a pin 86
which is vertically extending from the outside of the cover 22
into the center portion of the worm gear 82. A portion along
the axial length of the pin 86 is secured with a retaining ring
.
88 provided on the inner surface of the cover 22.
The worm gear 82 is further provided with a pin 90
vertically extending therethrough. The pin 90 is engaged with
recess 46 in the link 44 provided on the pipe member 40, and
is securely surrounded with a retaining ring 92 at a portion
thereof, where the retaining ring 92 is adjacently placed
between the lower surface of the worm gear 82 and the upper ~ .
surface of the link 44. Thus the pin 90 can not fall out of
the link 44.
A flexible wire drive member 94 has one end connected
to the end 96 of the worm 80. The wire member 94 extends
through the casing 10 longitudinally along the air passage 12,
and extends from the end 14 of the casing 10. The wire member
94 has its one end connected to the power source (not shown),
in common with the vacuum source (not shown), and transfers
rotational motion to the worm 80 therefrom.
.
The wire member 94 is shielded with a protective tube
98 of a flexible material between the end 14 of the casing 10
and the power source. The worm 80 is driven through the wire
member 94 and thus the worm gear 82 is rotated. The rotation
of the worm gear 82 imparts reciprocable movement to the link
4~ through the pin 90. This results in reciprocable motion of
the blade 56.
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The cover 22 is held over the casing 10 by a bolt 100,
so as to seal the concave portion 20. A spindle 102 extends
through the axial length of the shaft 34 vertically extending
from the cover 22. The upper end of the spindle 102 extends
above the cover 22. The spindle 102 has a lower end 104 of
large dimension which is positioned adjacent the inlet 18 when
the spindle 102 is inserted.
The upper end of the spindle 102 is threadedly
engaged with a thumb nut 106. A spring 108 is provided between
the thumb nut 106 and the outer surface of the cover 22 so as
to resiliently bias the fixed blade 36 toward the rotatable
blade 56.
The hair cutting device of this third embodiment o~
the present invention can be handled more easily, because there
is no need to provide a motor on the casing 10, as in the
formerly described embodiments, and the wire member 94 instead
o~ a motor is employed for connecting the body of the hair cut-
ting devlce to power source.
Further a unitary power source is used for driving
the wire member 94 and a vacuum pump, and accordingly a simpler-
construction results.
For adjusting the hair length to be Cllt, a suction
tube 110 may be used as shown in Fig. 9. The suction tube 110
is comprised of an upper tube member 112 and a lower tube mem-
ber 114; wherein the lower tube member 114 telescopes into the
upper tube member 112. The tube member 112 has an upper end
portion 116 and a lower end portion 118 each formed with short
vertically extending slits 120, so that the diameter of each end
may be extensibly and reducibly varied. Nuts 122 and 124 are
threadedly engaged with the corresponding outer surfaces of the
end portions 116 and 118, respectively.
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Accordingly, the threaded enga~ement of the nut 122
with the upper end portion 116 reduces the
diameter of the end portion 116 and then the tube 110 may be
securely attached to the 16 of the hair cutting body. Also the
threaded engagement of the nut 124 with the lower end portion
118 reduces the diameter of the end portion 11~, and the lower
slidable -tube member 114 can be securely at-tached to the upper ~.-
tube member 112.
The lower tube member 114 has an upper end 126 which
slides into the lower end 118 of -the upper tube member 112, and
a lower end 128 formed with a plurality of projections 130. .
When the suction tube 110 is connected to the hair
cutting dev.ice, such that the end 116 of the suction tube 110
telescope over the end 16 of the hair cuttiny device, the hair
l.ength to be cut will be the effective length of the suction
tube 110. The hair length to be cut may be variable to a
desired length, by axially adjusting the axial length of the
tube 110. The length of the tube 110 can be easily varied by
loosening the nut 124 and axially sliding the lower tube member
114 along the upper tube member 112. The slidable tube 114 is
formed with a plurality of projections at the lower end thereof
to ensure that air may pass into the tube 110 during operation.
Another means for adjusting -the cutting hair length
will be hereinafter described. :
Referring now to the Figs. 11 to 14, a hair cutting
gauge 132 is comprised of a head covering body. A wall member
134 having a desired thickness defines a plurality of openings
136 in honeycomb-like shape or grid pattern covering the head.
The hair cutting gauge 132 has an outer surface 138 configured
.
: 30 in a shape according to a desired hair style, and an inner sur-
: face 140 provided with a plurality of short projections 142 at
given portions thereon for retaining suitable interstices 146
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between the head surface 144 and the inner surface 140 when the
gauge is in situ on the head. The hair cutting gauge 132 may
be formed thinner at the back end portion ancl both side portions
as desired, thereby presenting a comb-like pattern as shown by `
numeral 148. In this respect, any configuration of the hair -
cutting gauge may be used according to the request of a person
whose hair is to be cut.
The gauge may be formed in such a shape which does
not cover the top portion of the head as shown in Figs. 15 and ``
16, and the gauge may be attached on a suitable head position
according to the size of a head, by sliding the gauge along the
head.
Numeral 150 is a band for fixing the gauge 132 on the
head 144, and numeral 152 is a suction type hair cuttlng device
having a suction inlet 18 and cutting blades 36 and 56.
During hair cutting, the gauge 132 is put on the head
144 and fixed by the band 150, and then the hair cutting device
152 is moved along on the outer surface 138 of the gauge 132,
whereby the hair is sucked through the openings 136 and cut in
a shape determined by the type of the gauge used. When the
hair cutting device is operating at one opening, the hair around
that opening is also sucked up through the interstices 146, and
thus un-uniform or irregular hair cutting can be eliminated.
Referring to Figs. 15 and 16, when the gau~e 132 with
no covering for the top half of the head is employed, the lower
half of the head is cut along the gauge 132, and the top half
may be cut with the use of suction tube 110 of a given length
which is attached to the end of the hair cutting device 152.
Thus a desired hair style can be obtained in accord-
ance witX the elected type of gauge.
As shown in Fig. 10, a pressure regulating valve means
156 is provided on a tube line 154. The tube line 154 is con-
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nected to the basic end 14 of the air passage 12 at one end,
and the vacuum source at the other end, thereby intercommunicat- ~
ing the air passage 12 to the vacuum source. The pressure :
regulating valve 156 controls the pressure in the tube line 154. . .
On a given portion of the tube line 154, an opening defined by
a wall 158 is provided for receiving therein the pressure
regulating valve 156. The inner surface of the wall 158 is
threadedly engaged wi-th the outer side surface of the valve
156, and a ring 162 is securely fit to the bottom end of the
wall 158. The pressure regulating valve 156 is comprised of
a ball 164, a compression spring 166 disposed just under the
ball 164, and a cylinder 168 housing the ball 164 and the spring ` ..
166 therein, the compression spring 166 forcing the ball 164 -
onto the wall of the cylinder 168. The spring 166 is supported
by the ring 162 through a washer 170.
The cylinder 168 has a hole 174 opening to its top
-surface 172, to the inside wall of which the ball 164 is forc-
ibly fitted.
As the cylinder 168 is threadedly engaged with the .
threaded wall 158 extending from the tube line, the pressure of
The ball 164 relative to the hole 174 can be controlled by
.axially adjusting the threaded engagement of the cylinder 168 >
relative to the wall 158. The ball 164 is forced toward the
ring 162 when the pressure in the tube line 154 is lowered to
a value less than a certain value determined by a compression
force of the spring 166. When this happens, air is lntroduced
from the holè 174, resulting in increasing the pressure in the . .:~
tube line 154. Accordingly, when the lower end 128 of the suc- .
tion tube 110 is sealed with hair or the head skin, the pressure
in the tube line 154 is instantly increased and such sealing
situation is readily removed.
Any type of vacuum sources may be applicable to a hair
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cutting device of this invention, and it should be noted that
an electric home cleaner can be a vacuum source of this inven-
tion and is easily connected to the end of the tube line 154.
This eliminates the necessity to provide a particular vacuum
source used only for the hair cutting device, and moreover
facilitates to completely collect cut hairs, bringing out good
advantages in home hair cutting.
When the pressure regulating valve means 156 is not
employed, the basic end 14 of the air passage 12 of the hair
cutting device may be directly connected with the top end of
the tube of electric home cleaner. As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5
and 7, the basic end 14 of the air passage 12 is designed in
a manner to be easily connected to the tube end of -the electric
home cleaner.
~s descr.ibed hereinabove, the hair cutting device of
the present invention provides many advantages in hair cutting
wherein a fixed blade and a rotatable blade are disposed in
the suction inlet of the air passage in elastically adjacent
relationship to each other, the hairs cut by said blades pass
through the air passage into the vacuum source withou-t being
scattered on the floor, and the cutting hair length can be
easily adjusted with the use of the suction -tube variable in
its axial length.
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