US3562905A - Combined electric dry shaver and travel case - Google Patents

Abstract

A COMPACT TRAVEL CASE FOR AN ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER IS PROVIDED HAVING A DUAL-SECTIONED, REMOVABLY INTERLOCKED HOUSING WHEREIN THE SHAVER ITSELF SERVES AS AN INTEGRAL PORTION OF THE TRAVEL CASE WHEN NOT IN USE, THEREBY CONSTITUTING ONE OF THE SECTIONS, AND THE OTHER SECTION, WHICH PROTECTS THE SHAVER HEAD, IS FORMED WITH A COMPARTMENT TO ACCEPT AND STORE THE SHAVER LINE CORD. A SAFETY TAB IS ALSO PROVIDED ON THE TRAVEL CASE TO LOCK THE SHAVER HEAD RELEASE MECHANISM WHILE THE TWO SECTIONS OF THE TRAVEL CASE ARE JOINED IN ORDER TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL DISENGAGEMENT OF THE SHAVER HEAD ASSEMBLY.

Description

Feb. 16, 1971 w. RAKOCY ETAL 3,562,905

COMBINED ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER AND TRAVEL CASE Filed Sept. 12. 1968 TlE1-l. v l M g T INVENTORS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,562,905 COMBINED ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER AND TRAVEL CASE William Rakocy, Clifton, and Seymour Rappoport,

Rumson, N.J., assignors to Ronson Corporation, Woodbridge, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 12, 1968, Ser. No. 759,277 Int. Cl. B261) 19/38 U.S. Cl. 34 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A compact travel case for an electric dry shaver is provided having a dual-sectioned, removably interlocked housing wherein the shaver itself serves as an integral portion of the travel case when not in use, thereby constituting one of the sections, and the other section, which protects the shaver head, is formed with a compartment to accept and store the shaver line cord. A safety tab is also provided on the travel case to lock the shaver head release mechanism while the two sections of the travel case are joined in order to prevent accidental disengagement of the shaver head assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to cases employed for the transportation, storage and convenient handling of electric shavers and, more particularly, to a travel case wherein the shaver is integral with and forms a portion of the travel case itself when not in use.

Description of the prior art The prior art is replete with travel cases designed for the transportation, storage and handling of electric shavers. With very rare exception, these prior art travel cases are bulky, expensive and inetficient in use.

Generally, the prior art travel cases contain a raised platform or nest within which the shaver, its head covered by a separate protective cap, is placed. The platform is usually a vacuum formed vinyl material which is, in turn, often draped or covered with velvet or a velveteen material. A separate nest or compartment is provided for storage of the shaver line cord. The costs of the materials used in these prior art travel cases and the resultant assembly costs appreciably add to the costs of the shaver itself.

In use, these prior art travel cases have exhibited deficiencies of one kind or another. In addition to the cost factor previously noted, the prior art travel cases were volumetrically inefiicient and needlessly occupied space generally required by the travelers. The actual use of the prior art travel case was further complicated by the careful and time consuming attention required in folding and then securing the folded line cord for insertion into the travel case.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive travel case for transporting, storing and handling an electric shaver.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive travel case for transporting, storing and handling an electric shaver which is compact and achieves a great degree of portability without any sacrifice in its protective capability.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive travel case for transporting, storing and handling an electric shaver, wherein the shaver itself forms a portion of the travel case.

3,562,905 Patented Feb. 16, 1971 ICC Still another object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive travel case for transporting, storing and handling an electric shaver wherein the shaver and its line cord can be quickly stored.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive travel case for transporting, storing and handling an electric shaver which provides a high degree of protection for the shaver, but is simple to use.

Accordingly, there is provided a travel case for transporting, storing and handling an electric shaver wherein the shaver is an integral portion or first section of the travel case. A protective cover or second section is locked onto the shaver, by appropriate latching means, and is provided with a compartment in which the shaver line cord can be swiftly and easily stored. An appropriately shaped recess is formed in the protective cover section to guard the shaver head. In addition, a safety tab is connected to the protective cover and serves to automatically prevent accidental disengagement of the shaver head While the two sections are latched together.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combined electric shaver and travel case embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view, partly in section taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 3 showing the shaver section of the travel case interlocked with the protective cover section, the latter section containing the shaver line cord;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings wherein like reference numerals have been used in the several views for like parts,

FIG. 1 shows a travel case for transporting, storing and handling an electric dry shaver according to the present invention. The travel case is comprised of a protective cover orupper section 10 and a shaver orlower section 11.

Theprotective cover section 10 has a linecord storage compartment 12 which is capped by acover 13.Cover 13 is connected to theprotective cover section 10 by means of ahinge 14. Amirror 15 can be fitted insidecover 13 for the convenience of the user. An arcuately shaped spring '16 is captured, in a well known manner, betweenprotective cover section 10 andcover 13. Thespring 16 serves to hold thecover 13 in a fully open position, as shown in FIG. 3 in dotted lines, when desired by the user and serves, as well, to positivelysnap cover 13 closed when desired.

Side walls 17 and 18,front wall 19,rear wall 20 andbottom wall 21, the latter being generally perpendicular towalls 17, 18, 19 and 20, define the linecord storage compartment 12 of theprotective cover section 10.Bottom wall 21 is recessed below the lower ends ofside walls 17 and 18,front wall 19 andrear wall 20, as shown in FIG. 3, thereby forming atrough 22 which extends from side wall -17 toside wall 18. As shown in FIG. 3, thetrough 22 has a cross-sectional U shape. Aslot 23 is cut in therear wall 20, for a purpose to be hereinafter described, and extends, generally parallel tobottom wall 21, fromside wall 17 toside wall 18. Theslot 23 is externally covered by athin nameplate 24.

Alatch 25 is formed integral with and extends parallel to and beyond the lower edge offront wall 19, as shown in FIG. 4. Thelatch 25 has ahead portion 26 which is shaped like a right-angle triangle. The sloping surface of thehead portion 26 describes acamming surface 27 which facesrear wall 20. Thecamming surface 27 slopes upwardly and inwardly towardstrough 22. Immediately below thehead portion 26 is a relativelynarrow neck section 2 8.

Asafety tab 29 is formed integral with and extends parallel to and beyond the lower edge ofside wall 17, as shown in FIG. 5. Thesafety tab 29 is formed as an extension of the inner surface ofside wall 17, but its thickness is less than that of theside wall 17, thereby formingshoulder 30.

Theshaver section 11 of the travel case consists of an electric shaver (not fully shown) mounted within ajacket 31 which terminates in a rectangularlyshaped collar 32, leaving theshaver head 33 exposed. Thejacket 31 is formed to smoothly mate with the edges of the protective cover section and is comprised ofside walls 17' and 18,front wall 19 andrear wall 20, all of which correspond to like walls of theprotective cover section 10. A rampeddepression 34 is formed in front wall 19', being deepest near the upper edge of thefront wall 19, and linearly rises therefrom to terminate flush with the surface of front wall 19'.

For purposes of internal cleaning, the shaver is provided with a shaver head release mechanism, which is activated bybutton 35 which protrudes throughjacket 31 on side wall 17'. As shown in FIG. 5,button 35 is forced outwardly byhelical spring 36 until itsinternal shoulder 37 engages and is restrained by the internal surface of side wall 17'. The resultant rest position ofbutton 35 exposesnotch 38 cut in its upper edge.Spring 36 also urges latch 39 andinner protuberance 40 into engagement. The other end of the shavinghead 33 is held fast in a like manner by corresponding latch and protuberance members (not shown).

On the side facing rear wall 20', theshaver head 33 is equipped with a sideburn and mustache trimmer 41 which extends across the width ofshaver head 33. The operation of and elements comprising trimmer 41 are described in US. Pat No. 2,873,520, assigned to the same assignee as this application.

Theshaver section 11 is also fitted with a recessed male plug (not shown) for electrical connection of the shaver and an on-off switch (not shown). Aline cord 42 is also provided.

In operation, after the user finishes using his shaver, he disconnects theline cord 42 from the shaver and places it in the linecord storage compartment 12, as shown in FIG. 2. Since no elastic band is necessary to secure theline cord 42, it is merely folded and placed in itsstorage compartment 12 with a minimum waste of time and effort. After thecover 13 is snapped closed, the travel case is ready for final assembly.

Theprotective cover section 10 and theshaver section 11 are positioned with thetrough 22 and theshaver head 33 facing each other with the corresponding walls of each section matched. As the two sections are brought closer, the rear walls, 20 and 20', of each section are tilted slightly towards each other. This permits the trimmer 41 to find purchase inslot 23. Once this occurs, the two sections are straightened out, whereuponcamming surface 27 contacts the lower edge of front wall 19'. The resultant camming action, in the face of continued pressure, lifts latchhead 26 over the edge of front wall 19' and into the rampeddepression 34. Thelatch 25, thus, is secured indepression 32 with the lower edge offront wall 19 held fast in itsnecked section 28. Since the locking action of latch urges trimmer 41 deeper and more securely intoslot 23, the travel case will not accidentally open during transportation. Simultaneously with the 7tab 29 prevents the movement ofbutton 35 and accidental actuation of the shaver head release mechanism.

To prepare the shaver for use, the user need only loosenlatch 25 with his thumbnail and tilt the two sections slightly to removelatch 25 from thedepression 34 and trimmer 41 fromslot 23, whereupon the shaver is ready for use as soon as electrical connection is made.

It may also be unnecessary, in view of the batteryoperated cordless shaver now coming into vogue, to have a line cord storage compartment. With these newer type shavers, the protective cover section would consist only of a trough which would be interlocked to the shaver section in the manner previously described.

Having shown and described in the drawings and specification the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that various changes thereto may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the follow ing claims,

What is claimed is:

1. A combined electric dry shaver and travel case which comprises:

(a) walls forming a section containing the electric dry shaver;

(b) walls forming a mating protective cover section having a recessed trough formed therein at its mating end for the reception of the shaver head; and

(c) means for removably mating the protective cover section and the shaver section wherein the protective cover section has a compartment for the storage of an electrical line cord formed therein above the recessed trough, the compartment being covered by a movably mounted lid at the non-mating end of the protective cover section.

2. A combined electric dry shaver and travel case which comprises:

(a) walls forming a section containing the electric dry shaver;

(b) walls forming a mating protective cover section having a recessed trough formed therein at its mating end for the reception of the shaver head; and

(0) means for removably mating the protective cover section and the shaver section wherein the protective cover section has a compartment for the storage of an electrical line cord formed therein above the recessed trough, the compartment being covered by a movably mounted lid at the non-mating end of the protective cover section wherein the mating means comprises,

(d) a wall of the shaver section having a depression formed in the outer surface thereof; and

(e) a resilient latch extending from the wall of the protective cover section corresponding to the depression containing wall of the shaver section, the latch being positioned an dimensioned to snugly fit within the depression.

3. The travel case according toclaim 2 wherein the mating means further comprises:

(a) a wall of the protective cover section, other than the wall from which the latch extends, having a longitudinal slot cut therein, within that portion of the wall which forms part of the recessed trough; and

(b) a longitudinal protuberance mounted on the shaver section positioned and dimensioned to be removably locked within the slot.

4. The travel case according toclaim 3 wherein the longitudinal protuberance comprises an auxiliary long hair trimmer mounted on the shaver section.

5. The travel case according toclaim 1, 2, 3 or 4 which further comprises:

(a) a shaver head release mechanism mounted within the shaver section;

(b) actuating means for operating the shaver head release mechanism; and

6 (0) safety means for preventing actuation of the expOsed portion having a notch cut therein facing shaver head release mechanism while the shaver the mating end of the shaver section, the internal and protective cover sections are latched together. portion located in communication with the shaver 6. A combined electric dry shaver and travel case head release mechanism and having a shoulder located thereupon to prevent passage of the button which comprises:

from the shaver section and the safety means com- (a) walls forming a section containing the electric dry shaver; prises a tab extending from the wall of the protec- (b) walls forming a mating protective cover section tive cover section corresponding to the Wall of the having a recessed trough formed therein at its mating shaver section through which the button extends, end for the reception of the shaver head; and 10 the tab being positioned and dimensioned to fit the (0) means for removably mating the protective cover notch of the button thereby preventing an accidental section and the shaver section, and inward movement of the button while the shaver and (d) a shaver head release mechanism mounted within protective cover sections are latched together.

the shaver section; (e) actuating means for operating theshaver head 15 Re s Cited release mechanism; and UNITED STATES PATENTS (f) safety means for preventing actuation of the 2,838,835 6/1958 lepson shaver head release mechanism while the shaver and protective cover sections are latched together OTHELLM SIMPSON Primary Examiner wherein the actuating means comprises abutton 20 movably mounted within and normally biased out- CL wardly from the shaver section, partially extending 206 16 therefrom and partially situated therewithin, the

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