US6131288A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System appliance and cartridge for personal body care
Assignee: US Philips Corp
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Filing: 1998-06-05
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Granted: 2000-10-17
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Expires: 2018-06-05
Abstract
Abstract The system comprises, for example, an electric shaver (1) and a cartridge (2) mounted in a chamber (12) of the shaver (1). The shaver (1) comprises a shaving head (3) having drivable cutters (31) and an electric motor (11) for driving the cutters (31) via a coupling pin (14). The cartridge (2) comprises a reservoir (25) for holding an auxiliary fluid. This auxiliary fluid may, for example, serve to reduce the friction between the shaving head (3) and the skin of a user. The cartridge (2) has an outlet channel (22) and a diaphragm pump (23) for feeding the auxiliary fluid from the reservoir (21) to the outlet channel (22). For the actuation of the diaphragm pump (23) the shaver (1) comprises a button (15) and a lever (17) which is pivotable about a pivot (18). When the button (15) is pressed the diaphragm pump (23) is actuated and a small amount of the auxiliary fluid is applied to the skin of a user via an outlet opening (32). The cartridge (2) has a key (50) which cooperates with a blocking device (60), which is adapted to block the lever (17) by means of pins. The key (50) has projections for positioning the pins of the blocking device (60). In the absence of the correct key the lever (17) is blocked and thus prevents the auxiliary fluid in the cartridge from being pumped to the outlet opening (32).
Inventors
- 👤 Willem A. Westerhof
- 👤 Schelte Heeringa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 12:19
CPC Classifications
B; B26; B26B; B26B19/00; B26B19/38; B26B19/3873; B26B19/388; B26B19/3806; B26B19/382; B26B19/3886; B26B19/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
An appliance for body care, comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user, and an interface for coupling a cartridge to the appliance, which cartridge has a space for storing an auxiliary fluid, wherein: the appliance includes a blocking device adapted to block at least one function of the appliance, the blocking device is adapted to unblock said function when a cartridge having a key is coupled to the appliance, and the blocking device comprises an optical detector for detecting an optical key on a cartridge which has been coupled to the appliance, and a control unit coupled to the detector.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
An appliance for body care, comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user, and an interface for coupling a cartridge to the appliance, which cartridge has a space for storing an auxiliary fluid, wherein: the appliance includes a blocking device adapted to block at least one function of the appliance, the blocking device is adapted to unblock said function when a cartridge having a key is coupled to the appliance, and the blocking device comprises an optical detector for detecting an optical key on a cartridge which has been coupled to the appliance, and a control unit coupled to the detector.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
112 words
An appliance for body care, comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user, and an interface for coupling a cartridge to the appliance, which cartridge has a space for storing an auxiliary fluid, wherein: the appliance includes a blocking device adapted to block at least one function of the appliance, the blocking device is adapted to unblock said function when a cartridge having a key is coupled to the appliance, and the blocking device comprises a magnetic detector or an electromagnetic detector for detecting a magnetic key or electromagnetic key on a cartridge coupled to the appliance, and a control unit coupled to the detector.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
112 words
An appliance for body care, comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user, and an interface for coupling a cartridge to the appliance, which cartridge has a space for storing an auxiliary fluid, wherein: the appliance includes a blocking device adapted to block at least one function of the appliance, the blocking device is adapted to unblock said function when a cartridge having a key is coupled to the appliance, and the blocking device comprises a magnetic detector or an electromagnetic detector for detecting a magnetic key or electromagnetic key on a cartridge coupled to the appliance, and a control unit coupled to the detector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
106 words
An appliance for body care, comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user, and an interface for coupling a cartridge to the appliance, which cartridge has a space for storing an auxiliary fluid, wherein: the appliance includes a blocking device adapted to block at least one function of the appliance, the blocking device is adapted to unblock said function when a cartridge having a key is coupled to the appliance, and the blocking device comprises at least two electrodes for engagement with contact surfaces of a cartridge coupled to the appliance, and a control unit coupled to the electrodes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
106 words
An appliance for body care, comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user, and an interface for coupling a cartridge to the appliance, which cartridge has a space for storing an auxiliary fluid, wherein: the appliance includes a blocking device adapted to block at least one function of the appliance, the blocking device is adapted to unblock said function when a cartridge having a key is coupled to the appliance, and the blocking device comprises at least two electrodes for engagement with contact surfaces of a cartridge coupled to the appliance, and a control unit coupled to the electrodes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
A cartridge comprising a space for the storage of an auxiliary fluid intended for personal body care in conjunction with a body-care treatment, an interface for coupling the cartridge to an appliance adapted to carry out said treatment, wherein the cartridge has a key for unblocking a function of the appliance when the cartridge is coupled to the appliance, said key comprising an optical key.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
A cartridge comprising a space for the storage of an auxiliary fluid intended for personal body care in conjunction with a body-care treatment, an interface for coupling the cartridge to an appliance adapted to carry out said treatment, wherein the cartridge has a key for unblocking a function of the appliance when the cartridge is coupled to the appliance, said key comprising an optical key.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
A cartridge comprising a space for the storage of an auxiliary fluid intended for personal body care in conjunction with a body-care treatment, an interface for coupling the cartridge to an appliance adapted to carry out said treatment, wherein the cartridge has a key for unblocking a function of the appliance when the cartridge is coupled to the appliance, said key comprising a magnetic key or an electromagnetic key.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
A cartridge comprising a space for the storage of an auxiliary fluid intended for personal body care in conjunction with a body-care treatment, an interface for coupling the cartridge to an appliance adapted to carry out said treatment, wherein the cartridge has a key for unblocking a function of the appliance when the cartridge is coupled to the appliance, said key comprising a magnetic key or an electromagnetic key.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
129 words
An appliance for body care, comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user, and an interface for coupling a cartridge to the appliance, which cartridge comprises a key with projections, a diaphragm pump, a space for storing an auxiliary fluid, and an outlet for applying the auxiliary fluid, wherein: the appliance includes an actuating mechanism which is coupled to the pump and a blocking device adapted to block the actuation of the pump by the actuating mechanism, the blocking device comprising projections which, when the cartridge having a key with projections is coupled to the appliance, cooperate with the projections of the key, the dimensions of the projections of the cartridge and key determining whether the actuating mechanism is blocked or unblocked.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
129 words
An appliance for body care, comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user, and an interface for coupling a cartridge to the appliance, which cartridge comprises a key with projections, a diaphragm pump, a space for storing an auxiliary fluid, and an outlet for applying the auxiliary fluid, wherein: the appliance includes an actuating mechanism which is coupled to the pump and a blocking device adapted to block the actuation of the pump by the actuating mechanism, the blocking device comprising projections which, when the cartridge having a key with projections is coupled to the appliance, cooperate with the projections of the key, the dimensions of the projections of the cartridge and key determining whether the actuating mechanism is blocked or unblocked.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
158 words
An appliance for body care, comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user, and an interface for coupling a cartridge to the appliance, which cartridge comprises a key with projections, a diaphragm pump, a space for storing an auxiliary fluid, and an outlet for applying the auxiliary fluid, wherein: the appliance includes an actuating mechanism which is coupled to the pump and a blocking device adapted to block the actuation of the pump by the actuating mechanism, the blocking device comprising projections which, when the cartridge having a key with projections is coupled to the appliance, cooperate with the projections of the key, the dimensions of the projections of the cartridge and key to block or unblock the actuation of the pump and prevent the auxiliary fluid in the cartridge from being pumped to the outlet, the blocking device being effective to determine whether the actuating mechanism is blocked or unblocked.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
158 words
An appliance for body care, comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user, and an interface for coupling a cartridge to the appliance, which cartridge comprises a key with projections, a diaphragm pump, a space for storing an auxiliary fluid, and an outlet for applying the auxiliary fluid, wherein: the appliance includes an actuating mechanism which is coupled to the pump and a blocking device adapted to block the actuation of the pump by the actuating mechanism, the blocking device comprising projections which, when the cartridge having a key with projections is coupled to the appliance, cooperate with the projections of the key, the dimensions of the projections of the cartridge and key to block or unblock the actuation of the pump and prevent the auxiliary fluid in the cartridge from being pumped to the outlet, the blocking device being effective to determine whether the actuating mechanism is blocked or unblocked.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
74 words
A cartridge comprising a space for the storage of an auxiliary fluid intended for personal body care in conjunction with a body-care treatment, an interface for coupling the cartridge to an appliance adapted to carry out said treatment, wherein the cartridge has a key for unblocking a function of the appliance when the cartridge is coupled to the appliance, said key comprising at least two contact surfaces between which an electrical element is arranged.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
74 words
A cartridge comprising a space for the storage of an auxiliary fluid intended for personal body care in conjunction with a body-care treatment, an interface for coupling the cartridge to an appliance adapted to carry out said treatment, wherein the cartridge has a key for unblocking a function of the appliance when the cartridge is coupled to the appliance, said key comprising at least two contact surfaces between which an electrical element is arranged.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
135 words
An appliance for body care, comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user, and an interface for coupling a cartridge to the appliance, which cartridge comprises a key with at least two contact surfaces between which an electrical element is arranged, a diaphragm pump, a space for storing an auxiliary fluid, and an outlet for applying the auxiliary fluid, wherein: the appliance includes an actuating mechanism which is coupled to the pump and a blocking device adapted to block the actuation of the pump by the actuating mechanism, the blocking device comprises at least two electrodes which, when the cartridge having said key with contact surfaces is coupled to the appliance, cooperates with the contact surfaces of the key, determining whether the actuating mechanism is blocked or unblocked.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
135 words
An appliance for body care, comprising a treatment device for carrying out a treatment on the body of a user, and an interface for coupling a cartridge to the appliance, which cartridge comprises a key with at least two contact surfaces between which an electrical element is arranged, a diaphragm pump, a space for storing an auxiliary fluid, and an outlet for applying the auxiliary fluid, wherein: the appliance includes an actuating mechanism which is coupled to the pump and a blocking device adapted to block the actuation of the pump by the actuating mechanism, the blocking device comprises at least two electrodes which, when the cartridge having said key with contact surfaces is coupled to the appliance, cooperates with the contact surfaces of the key, determining whether the actuating mechanism is blocked or unblocked.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
75 words
A cartridge comprising: a space for the storage of an auxiliary fluid intended for personal body care in conjunction with a body-care treatment, an interface for coupling the cartridge to an appliance adapted to carry out said treatment, the cartridge having a key for unblocking a function of the appliance when the cartridge is coupled to the appliance, wherein the cartridge comprises a reservoir and a pump, and the key forms part of the pump.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
75 words
A cartridge comprising: a space for the storage of an auxiliary fluid intended for personal body care in conjunction with a body-care treatment, an interface for coupling the cartridge to an appliance adapted to carry out said treatment, the cartridge having a key for unblocking a function of the appliance when the cartridge is coupled to the appliance, wherein the cartridge comprises a reservoir and a pump, and the key forms part of the pump.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
75 words
A cartridge comprising: a space for the storage of an auxiliary fluid intended for personal body care in conjunction with a body-care treatment, an interface for coupling the cartridge to an appliance adapted to carry out said treatment, the cartridge having a key for unblocking a function of the appliance when the cartridge is coupled to the appliance, wherein the cartridge comprises a reservoir and a pump, and the pump is detachable from the reservoir.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
75 words
A cartridge comprising: a space for the storage of an auxiliary fluid intended for personal body care in conjunction with a body-care treatment, an interface for coupling the cartridge to an appliance adapted to carry out said treatment, the cartridge having a key for unblocking a function of the appliance when the cartridge is coupled to the appliance, wherein the cartridge comprises a reservoir and a pump, and the pump is detachable from the reservoir.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-10-17 | 2004-04-17 | 2004-10-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-10-17 | 2008-04-17 | 2008-10-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-10-17 | 2012-04-17 | 2012-10-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |