Electric beard trimmer
The present invention relates to cutting body hair such as beard stubbles of multidays' beard. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cutter system for an electric shaver and trimmer, comprising a pair of cooperating cutting elements with two rows of comb-like cutting teeth at opposite edges thereof and at least one field of cutting perforations between said rows of comb-like cutting teeth, which cutting perforations are formed in a skin contact surface or skin facing surface of said cutting elements, wherein said cutting elements are movably supported relative to each other by a support structure which provides for a pivot axis about which said cooperating cutting elements are pivotable to follow the skin contour.
1 . A cutter system for an electric shaver or trimmer, comprising a pair of cooperating cutting elements with two rows of comb cutting teeth at opposite edges thereof and a skin contact surface, wherein at least a portion of said skin contact surface extends continuously between said rows of comb cutting teeth,
wherein said portion of said skin contact surface forms an outer surface of said electric shaver or trimmer,
wherein said pair of cooperating cutting elements comprises an inner cutting element and an outer cutting element,
wherein said pair of cooperating cutting elements are movably supported relative to each other by a support structure which provides for a pivot axis about which said pair of cooperating cutting elements are pivotable throughout an entire pivot range to follow a skin contour,
wherein said pivot axis extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of said rows of comb cutting teeth,
wherein said pivot axis is positioned offset from a middle plane, the middle plane extending extends perpendicular to a center section of said skin contact surface of said pair of cooperating cutting elements and thus closer to a first one of said rows of comb cutting teeth than to a second one of said rows of comb cutting teeth,
wherein said cutter system further comprises a spring device configured to bias said pair of cooperating cutting elements about said pivot axis toward a home position, and
wherein said pivot axis has a fixed position relative to one of said pair of cooperating cutting elements and a fixed position relative to a handle of said electric shaver or trimmer,
wherein said two rows of comb cutting teeth of said outer cutting element bend around corresponding opposite edges of said inner cutting element,
wherein said support structure comprises an outer frame and an inner frame,
wherein said outer frame holds opposite edges of said outer cutting element,
wherein said inner frame supports said inner cutting element,
wherein said outer cutting element is configured with edge portions bent or curved away from the skin contact surface and toward said middle plane,
wherein said edge portions are attached to diverging support legs of said outer frame, and
wherein said pivot axis extends through a chamber defined by said center section of said skin contact surface and said edge portions of said outer cutting element.
2 . The cutter system according to claim 1 , wherein:
an inner sub-chamber of the cutter system is defined between said middle plane, said inner frame, and said skin contact surface of said pair of cooperating cutting elements; and
said pivot axis extends within said inner sub-chamber.