WO2018108229A1

WO2018108229A1 - Bodycare instrument comprising hair removal tweezers and an articulated accessory holder

Info

Publication number: WO2018108229A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/025176
Authority: WO
Inventors: Laurence Guedj Alphandary
Original assignee: Laurence Guedj Alphandary
Priority date: 2016-12-12
Filing date: 2016-12-12
Publication date: 2018-06-21

Abstract

Manual bodycare instrument (1), which comprises: hair removal tweezers (2) provided with a pair of longitudinal branches (3), each having a free front end (4) and a rear end (5) opposite each other, these branches (3) together defining a jaw (6) at their front end (4) and being joined at their rear end (5) by a heel (7); an accessory (11), such as a brush; an accessory holder (10) mounted on the tweezers (2) and holding the accessory (11), the accessory holder (10) being mounted between the branches (3), near the rear end (5) thereof, and being articulated with respect to the branches (3) between a storage position, in which the accessory (11) is retracted between the branches (3), and a use position, in which the accessory (11) protrudes in relation to the branches (3).

Description

Body styling instrument including tweezers and articulated accessory holder

The invention relates to the field of body aesthetics (including hair removal, hairdressing, manicure, makeup). It relates, more particularly, a manual body aesthetic instrument comprising a tweezers and an accessory associated therewith.

The techniques of waxing or electric epilator have not made obsolete the use of the tweezers which, to remove the recalcitrant hair, is used alone (especially for the carving of the eyebrows) or in complement the aforementioned techniques.

Attempts have been made to perfect the tweezers by equipping them with accessories. For example:

- under the trademark (registered) The Tweez is marketed tweezers on which is mounted a lamp;

French patent application FR 2524297 proposes a tweezers on which is mounted a magnifying glass;

Australian patent application AU 2010100143 proposes a tweezers on which is mounted an eyebrow brush.

Only tweez tweezers have met with some commercial success. It is true that the magnifying glass and the eyebrow brush of the other aforementioned clamps are detrimental to a good grip of the clamp, yet essential to the accuracy that is expected of the latter.

A first objective is therefore to provide a manual body aesthetic instrument comprising a tweezers and an accessory that offers improved ergonomics.

For this purpose, it is proposed a manual instrument of body aesthetics, which includes:

- A tweezers provided with a pair of longitudinal legs each having a front free end and an opposite rear end, these branches together defining a jaw at their front end and being joined by a heel at their rear end;

an accessory, such as a brush; an accessory holder mounted on the clamp between the branches, in the vicinity of the rear end thereof, being articulated in rotation relative to the branches between a storage position in which the accessory is retracted between the branches, and a use position in which the accessory protrudes from the branches.

An advantage of this instrument is that in the storage position the accessory does not interfere with the use of the clamp, which is used with as much ease and precision as a pliers devoid of accessory.

Various additional features may be provided, alone or in combination:

in the position of use, the accessory extends longitudinally projecting from the heel;

the heel is provided with a notch in which is positioned the accessory in the use position;

the accessory holder is pivotally mounted relative to the branches by means of an axis connecting them transversely;

the accessory holder comprises an actuating tab which, in the storage position, protrudes from the heel;

- In the storage position, the actuating tab is flush with a song of the clamp;

the heel is dug a notch in which the actuating lug is housed in the storage position;

the instrument comprises a mechanism for stopping the accessory holder in its position of use or (where appropriate) in its storage position;

the stop mechanism comprises a movable stopper carried by the accessory holder, biased outwardly thereof by a spring, and coming into use position, cooperate with a hole dug in one branches ;

the detent is in the form of a ball, the spring being helical.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the light of the description of an embodiment, given hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing, from the front, a manual body aesthetic instrument comprising a tweezers, an accessory holder mounted on it and an accessory mounted on the accessory holder; the accessory holder is shown in a storage position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing, from the rear, the instrument of Figure 1 with, inset, a detail on a larger scale;

Figure 3 is a partial top view of the instrument of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a detail view, in section, of the instrument of Figure 3, made according to the section plane IV-IV;

Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view showing the tilting of the accessory holder (with the accessory) to its position of use;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the instrument with the accessory holder in the use position;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the instrument with the accessory holder in the use position;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the instrument with the accessory holder in the position of use;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing the instrument with the accessory holder in the position of use;

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the instrument of Figure 9, made along the X-X section plane.

In the figures is shown a manual instrument 1 body aesthetic, which includes, in the first place, a tweezers 2 which can be used alone to perform the depilation of various parts of the body (including the eyebrows), or in addition other hair removal tools (wax, electric epilator).

This tweezers 2, advantageously made of metal (eg stainless steel), comprises a pair of longitudinal legs 3 each having a front end 4 free and an opposite rear end 5.

At their front end 4, where they are preferably tapered, the branches 3 together define a jaw 6 allowing, by lateral pressure on the branches 3, to grasp and tear off a hair or a hair. The branches 3 are elastically deformable from a rest position, illustrated in the figures, where they extend substantially parallel to each other. To improve the accuracy of the clamp 2, the branches 3 may, at their front end 4, be beveled, as in the example shown.

At their rear end, the branches 3 are joined by a heel 7. As can be seen in particular in Figure 3, the heel 7 extends transversely (that is to say perpendicular to the branches), so that the clip 2 has a general shape of elongate U. The spacing, denoted E, between the branches 3 is, at least near their rear end, preferably between 8 mm and 20 mm, e.g. of the order of 9 mm.

The clamp 2 is delimited by two opposite edges which extend on the branches and the heel, namely an upper edge 8 and a lower edge 9.

The branches 3 have, at their rear end, a height (distance between the edges), denoted H, preferably between 8 mm and 20 mm, e.g. of the order of 11 mm.

The length, denoted L, of the branches 3, measured between their ends 4, 5, is preferably between 70 mm and 150 mm, e.g. of the order of 85 mm.

The instrument 1 comprises, secondly, an accessory holder 10 mounted on the clamp 2, and an accessory 11 (such as a brush) carried by the accessory holder 10.

The accessory holder 10 is mounted between the branches 3, in the vicinity of the rear end 5 thereof. The accessory holder 10 is hinged relative to the branches 3 between a storage position

(Figures 1 to 4) in which the accessory 11 is retracted between the legs 3, and a position of use (Figures 6 to 9) wherein the accessory 11 protrudes from the branches 3.

According to a preferred embodiment, illustrated in the figures, the accessory holder 10 is in the form of a one-piece piece, preferably metal.

The accessory holder 10 comprises a prismatic body 12 (in this case of generally cubic shape, whose edges are rounded to improve the touch). According to an embodiment illustrated in the figures, the accessory holder 10 is pivotally mounted relative to the branches 3 by means of an axle 13 connecting them transversely. The axis 13 is, for example, in the form of a metal rod, typically steel. The axis 13 is fitted into holes 14 drilled laterally in the branches 3 in the vicinity of their rear end, and extends through a bore 15 made transversely, centrally, in the body 12. The mounting of the axis 13 is preferably clamped in the holes 14, to prevent the axis 13 can slide relative to the branches 3 and thus separate from the clamp 2. On the other hand, the mounting of the body 12 on the axis 13 advantageously leaves a clearance, so as to allow rotation of the accessory holder 10 relative to the clamp 2.

The accessory 11 can be releasably mounted on the accessory holder 10. The two elements 10, 11 can even constitute a single piece. However, according to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the figures, the accessory 11 is separated from the accessory holder 10, and is advantageously mounted on the latter in a removable manner, so as to allow its replacement, either by an identical accessory when the former is worn, either by a different accessory, intended for another use (such as a comb, a nail file, or a brush of different size or shape).

For this purpose, the mounting of the accessory 11 on the accessory holder 10 is achieved by means of an interlocking system, for example of the male-female type. More specifically, in the example illustrated, the accessory holder 10 (and more precisely the body 12) is provided with a hole 16 made perpendicular to the bore 15, and the accessory 11 is provided with a shaft 17 which comes into the hole 16, tightly (though removable) or snapped.

Alternatively, the accessory holder 10 (and more specifically the body 12) is provided with a pin, while the accessory 11 is provided with a hole by means of which it is fitted on the pin.

According to an embodiment illustrated in the figures, in the storage position, the accessory 11 extends longitudinally, not exceeding the edges 8, 9. In this position, where the hole 16 made in the body 12 of the holder accessory 10 is turned towards the end 4 the front branches 3 (that is to say to the jaw 6) and where the accessory 11 can not be used (at least not at best), it does not interfere with the normal use of the clamp 2. In other words, neither the accessory holder 10 nor the accessory 11 form an obstacle to the bending of the branches 3 towards each other, and the taking into account The hand of the clamp 2 is similar to that of a clamp which would be devoid of accessory.

Furthermore, in the illustrated example, in the position of use, the accessory holder 10 is rotated 180 ° relative to the storage position and the accessory 11 extends longitudinally projecting from the heel 7, opposite the end 4 before the branches 3 (that is to say the opposite of the jaw 7). In the position of use of the accessory holder 10 (and the accessory 11), the clamp 2 therefore serves as a handle for the operation of the accessory 11.

As can be seen in Figures 2 and 7, the heel 7 is provided with a notch 18 in which is positioned the accessory 11 (and more specifically the shaft 17) in the use position. This indentation 18 is hollowed out from the upper edge 8 and extends over part of the height of the heel 7. If the shaft 17 has a circular section (which is the case in the example shown), the notch 18 ends with a bottom 19 in an arc of the same radius.

The accessory holder 10 is advantageously mounted tightly between the branches 3, so as to prevent the movements of the clamp 2 from causing its inadvertent rotation, which would be likely to hinder the user of the clamp.

Therefore, to facilitate the operation of the accessory holder 10, and in particular to facilitate its pivoting from its storage position to its position of use, the accessory holder 10 advantageously comprises an actuating lug 19 projecting from the body 12.

In the example shown, in the storage position of the accessory holder 10, the actuating tab 19 protrudes from the heel 7 in the longitudinal direction, opposite the branches 3.

The tab 19 may have, as illustrated in the figures (in particular in Figures 2 and 3) a rectangular or square contour, but a curved contour (eg in an arc) is not excluded.

According to a preferred embodiment, in the storage position, the actuating tab 19 is flush with the lower edge 9 of the clamp 2, which allows to lay it flat without it being wobbly. For this purpose, the heel 7 is, opposite the notch 18, hollowed into the lower edge 9 of a notch 20, of complementary shape of the lug 19 (in cross section) and in which it comes to lodge in storage position.

To rotate the accessory holder 10 (with the accessory 11) from the storage position to the position of use, hold the clamp 2 with one hand and with the other hand (eg with the thumb ), pressing the actuating tab 19 to print to the accessory holder 10 a rotation of 180 ° about its axis, as illustrated by the arrows in Figure 5.

The position of use requires a relatively rigid support of the accessory holder 10 (with the accessory 11) to allow the maneuvering of the instrument 1 without risk that it is folded (at least as long as the resistant torque exerted by the skin on which the accessory is applied remains below a certain threshold).

For this purpose, according to a preferred embodiment, the instrument 1 comprises a mechanism 21 for stopping the accessory holder 10 in its position of use. Optionally, and as illustrated in the drawings, this mechanism 21 also makes it possible to stop the accessory holder 10 in its storage position, so as to prevent any inadvertent release of the accessory 11 during normal use of the device. clip 2.

This stop mechanism 21 comprises, for example, a movable stop 22 carried by the accessory-holder 10, biased outwardly thereof by a spring 23, and coming, at least in the position of use (and also, optionally, in the storage position), cooperate with a hole 24 (respectively 25) dug in one of the branches 3. In the example illustrated, this notch 22 is in the form of a ball while the spring 23 is helical - that is, it operates in compression.

As can be seen in FIG. 10, the spring 23 is housed in a blind hole 26 laterally excavated in the body 12 of the accessory holder 10, this hole 26 coming in the position of use (or, optionally, in position storage), position itself at the right of the hole 24 (respectively 25) dug in the branch 3.

In this case, as long as the accessory holder 10 has not reached its position of use (or storage), and as long as it is in a intermediate position between the storage position and the position of use, the ball 22 compresses the spring 23 and rolls (or slides) against the branch 3.

As soon as the position of use (or storage) is reached, the ball 22, biased towards the outside of the body 12 by the spring 23, is housed in the hole 24 (respectively 25), of smaller diameter than of the ball 2, and thus blocks in rotation the accessory holder 10. This blocking is effective as the torque exerted on the accessory holder 10 does not exceed the threshold necessary to dislodge the ball 22 of the hole 24 and allow the storage of the accessory 11 between the branches 3 (respectively its deployment). The torque necessary to dislodge the ball 22 from the hole 24 (or the hole 25) depends essentially on the stiffness of the spring 23.

Alternatively, the detent is a rounded peg mounted on a flat spring attached to the body 12 of the accessory holder 10.

The skilled person will choose a spring 24 of a stiffness such that the torque in question is of the order of a few Nm, which leaves a sufficient margin for the use of the accessory 11 (brushing the eyebrows, application of mascara, etc.) in good conditions while allowing the tilting of the accessory 11 to the storage position without requiring too much force on the part of the user.

Various additions or variants may be envisaged.

Thus, the instrument can be equipped with an actuator which, actuated, controls the passage of the instrument holder (with the instrument) from its storage position to its position of use, and vice versa. This motor can be housed in the accessory holder, the clamp being eg. equipped with a control button accessible on the side of a branch.

Alternatively, the instrument may be provided with a spring (eg a torsion spring) which urges the accessory holder to its use position, and the locking mechanism of the accessory holder may be provided with a actuator which, when maneuvered, releases the locking mechanism to release the accessory holder and thus enable it to automatically move to its position of use, in the manner of a detent knife.

Claims

1. Instrument (1) manual body aesthetic, which comprises: a tweezers (2) provided with a pair of legs (3) longitudinal each having one end (4) free front and one end (5) back opposite these legs (3) jointly defining a jaw (6) at their end (4) before and being joined by a heel (7) at their end (5) rear;

an accessory holder (10) mounted on the clip (2);

an accessory (11), such as a brush, carried by the accessory holder (10);

this instrument (1) being characterized in that the accessory holder (10) is mounted between the branches (3), in the vicinity of the rear end (5) thereof, being articulated in rotation relative to the branches (3) between a storage position in which the accessory (11) is retracted between the legs (3), and a position of use in which the accessory (11) projects from the branches (3). ).

2. Instrument (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the position of use, the accessory (11) extends longitudinally projecting from the heel (7).

3. Instrument (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the heel (7) is provided with a notch (18) in which is positioned the accessory (11) in the use position.

4. Instrument (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the accessory holder (10) is pivotally mounted relative to the branches (3) by means of an axis (13) connecting them transversely.

5. Instrument (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the accessory holder (10) comprises an actuating lug (19) which, in the storage position, protrudes from the heel (7).

6. Instrument (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that, in the storage position, the actuating lug (19) is flush with a edge (9) of the clamp (2).

7. Instrument (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the heel (7) is hollowed a notch (20) in which the tab (19) actuation is housed in the storage position.

8. Instrument (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a mechanism (21) for stopping the accessory holder (10) in its use position or in its storage position.

9. Instrument (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the stop mechanism (21) comprises a detent (22) movable stop carried by the accessory-holder (10), biased outwardly of that by a spring (23), and coming into use or storage position, cooperate with a hole (24; 25) dug in one of the branches (3).

10. Instrument (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the detent (21) is in the form of a ball, the spring (23) being helical.