Abstract: A hair-cutting unit with rotatable cutting elements for use in a shaving device has hair entry slits of which at least a side surface facing in a direction generally opposite to a direction of rotation of the cutting elements, has a relatively flat and oblique intermediate segment between an upper segment forming a curved transition to the outer surface of the annular wall and a lower segment which serves for catching hairs and urging these into an upright position for achieving a close shave. Within a relatively broad range of shaving pressures, the pleat of skin bulging into a hair-cutting slit contacts a portion or at most all of the intermediate segment. Because the intermediate segment is relatively flat, changes in the extent of skin penetration in response to changes in shaving pressure are significantly reduced.

Abstract: A cutting mechanism for a hair cutting apparatus, such as a shaving apparatus, includes an outer cutting member having hair-entry openings and an inner cutting member having cutting elements each having a first cutting edge. The inner cutting member is moveable with respect to the outer cutting member so as to perform a cutting operation within a cutting region of the cutting mechanism. Adjacent hair-entry openings are separated by a dividing element having a cutting section that lies within the cutting region and a non-cutting section that is outside the cutting region. The non-cutting section includes an inner wall facing the inner cutting member and a side wall which is substantially perpendicular to the inner wall. A single chamfer is provided between the inner wall of the non-cutting region and the side wall of the non-cutting region.

Abstract: A cutting mechanism for a hair cutting apparatus, such as a shaving apparatus, includes an outer cutting member having hair-entry openings and an inner cutting member having cutting elements each having a first cutting edge. The inner cutting member is moveable with respect to the outer cutting member so as to perform a cutting operation within a cutting region of the cutting mechanism. Adjacent hair-entry openings are separated by a dividing element having a cutting section that lies within the cutting region and a non-cutting section that is outside the cutting region. The non-cutting section includes an inner wall facing the inner cutting member and a side wall which is substantially perpendicular to the inner wall. A single chamfer is provided between the inner wall of the non-cutting region and the side wall of the non-cutting region.

Abstract: A cutting mechanism for a hair cutting apparatus, such as a shaving apparatus, includes an outer cutting member having hair-entry openings and an inner cutting member having cutting elements each having a first cutting edge. The inner cutting member is moveable with respect to the outer cutting member so as to perform a cutting operation within a cutting region of the cutting mechanism. Adjacent hair-entry openings are separated by a dividing element having a cutting section that lies within the cutting region and a non-cutting section that is outside the cutting region. The non-cutting section includes an inner wall facing the inner cutting member and a side wall which is substantially perpendicular to the inner wall. A single chamfer is provided between the inner wall of the non-cutting region and the side wall of the non-cutting region.

Abstract: A rotary hair-cutting unit including an internal cutting member having cutting elements with cutting edges, and an external cutting member having hair-guiding elements with counter-cutting edges). The co-operating edges define a shearing angle, such that during rotation a cutting edge first meets a counter-cutting edge at a radial initial-passing position. In a cross-section at said radial initial-passing position one of the internal cutting member and the external cutting member is provided with a particular abutment geometry. The inclusion of an abutment geometry will be effective to push the depressed hair-guiding element and the rotating cutting element axially away from one another, such that the cutting element will pass the hair-guiding element without being blocked and without causing substantial collision damage.

Abstract: A hair-cutting unit with rotatable cutting elements for use in a shaving device has hair entry slits of which at least a side surface facing in a direction generally opposite to a direction of rotation of the cutting elements, has a relatively flat and oblique intermediate segment between an upper segment forming a curved transition to the outer surface of the annular wall and a lower segment which serves for catching hairs and urging these into an upright position for achieving a close shave. Within a relatively broad range of shaving pressures, the pleat of skin bulging into a hair-cutting slit contacts a portion or at most all of the intermediate segment. Because the intermediate segment is relatively flat, changes in the extent of skin penetration in response to changes in shaving pressure are significantly reduced.

Abstract: A rotary shaver (1) comprising a metal external cutting element (7) and a disc-shaped element (10) having a central axis (12). The disc-shaped element covers at least part of the external cutting element. The disc-shaped element is in contact with the external cutting element by means of a raised ring-shaped rim (15) extending between a side surface of the external cutting element and a side surface of the disc-shaped element, which raised ring-shaped rim has a height of at least 0.1 millimetre in a direction parallel to the central axis and a width of less than 0.35 millimetre in a direction radial to the central axis.

Abstract: A rotary hair-cutting unit comprises an internal cutting member (7) having cutting elements (10) with cutting edges (11), and an external cutting member (6) having hair-guiding elements (16) with counter-cutting edges (17). The co-operating edges are enclosing a shearing angle, so that during rotation a cutting edge first meets a counter-cutting edge at a radial initial-passing position. In a cross-section at said radial initial-passing position and taken perpendicularly to the radial direction, only one of the internal cutting member and the external cutting member is provided with a particular abutment geometry. Even in cases where a hair-guiding element is deeply depressed towards a rotating cutting element, the abutment geometry will be effective to push the depressed hair-guiding element and the rotating cutting element axially away from one another, so that the cutting element will pass the hair-guiding element without being blocked and without causing substantial collision damage.

Abstract: There is disclosed a cutting mechanism (4) for a hair cutting apparatus (1), such as a shaving apparatus, comprising an outer cutting member (6) comprising a plurality of hair-entry openings (14) and an inner cutting member (8) comprising a plurality of cutting elements (18) each having a first cutting edge (20). The inner cutting member (8) is moveable with respect to the outer cutting member (6) so as to perform a cutting operation within a cutting region of the cutting mechanism. Adjacent hair-entry openings (14) are separated by a dividing element (16) comprising a cutting section (32) that lies within the cutting region and a non-cutting section (36) that is outside the cutting region. The non-cutting section comprises an inner wall (30) facing the inner cutting member (8) and a side wall (24) which is substantially perpendicular to the inner wall (30). A single chamfer (40) is provided between the inner wall (30) of the non-cutting region and the side wall (24) of the non-cutting region.

Abstract: A guard element (4) for use in a hair cutting unit as a guard of a movable hair cutting element of the hair cutting unit has a disc-shaped base (10) and an annular wall (20) comprising a main part (21) extending from the periphery of the base (10), and a flange-shaped part (22) comprising an outwardly bent section (24). The annular wall (20) is reinforced on the basis of at least one of a design where a smallest inner periphery of the flange-shaped part (22) has a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of a largest inner periphery of a straight section (23) of the main part (21) connected to the periphery of the base (10), and a design where a free end section (25) of the flange-shaped part (22) is at least partially bent.

Abstract: A guard element (4) for use in a hair cutting unit as a guard of a movable hair cutting element of the hair cutting unit has a disc-shaped base (10) and an annular wall (20) comprising a main part (21) extending from the periphery of the base (10), and a flange-shaped part (22) comprising an outwardly bent section (24). The annular wall (20) is reinforced on the basis of at least one of a design where a smallest inner periphery of the flange-shaped part (22) has a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of a largest inner periphery of a straight section (23) of the main part (21) connected to the periphery of the base (10), and a design where a free end section (25) of the flange-shaped part (22) is at least partially bent.

Abstract: A rotary shaver (1) comprising a metal external cutting element (7) and a disc-shaped element (10) having a central axis (12). The disc-shaped element covers at least part of the external cutting element. The disc-shaped element is in contact with the external cutting element by means of a raised ring-shaped rim (15) extending between a side surface of the external cutting element and a side surface of the disc-shaped element, which raised ring-shaped rim has a height of at least 0.1 millimetre in a direction parallel to the central axis and a width of less than 0.35 millimetre in a direction radial to the central axis.