IP Library Granted Patent US 7,562,665
Granted Patent B2
US 7,562,665 · App. 11/057,235 · Granted Jul 21, 2009

Cleaning device for a hair removing apparatus and method of cleaning the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,562,665
App. No.
11/057,235
Granted
Jul 21, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cleaning device utilizes a cleaning liquid composed of a solute dissolved in a solution for cleaning an operator head of a hair removing apparatus. The device includes a housing configured to hold the hair removing apparatus, a basin mounted in the housing for receiving therein the operator head, and a tank storing the solution or the liquid. A circulator is provided to circulate the cleaning liquid between the tank and the basin. The device includes a container which is configured to hold the solute and is formed separately from the tank. The container is disposed in a circulation path between the basin and the tank in order to replenish the solute into the circulating solution or the liquid. Thus, the solute can be constantly supplied to the solution or the cleaning liquid for maintaining the cleaning effect over a prolonged period of use and for easy replenishment of the solute, eliminating the necessity of replacing the whole cleaning liquid.

Claims (19)

1. A cleaning device for a hair removing apparatus, said device comprising:

a housing configured to hold said hair removing apparatus;

a basin configured to be mounted in said housing for receiving therein an operator head of said apparatus;

a cleaning liquid composed of a solvent and a solute dissolved therein;

a tank provided in the housing and configured to store said cleaning liquid;

a circulator configured to supply said cleaning liquid to said basin from said tank for cleaning the operator head and to recover the liquid from the basin back into said tank;

wherein said device includes a container formed separately from said tank and mounted to said housing, said container being disposed in a circulation path between said basin and said tank in order to replenish the solute into the solvent circulating between the basin and the tank,

said container being disposed immediately downstream of said basin within said circulation path,

said container being configured to hold said solute to replenish said solute in the cleaning liquid being recovered from said basin to said tank and,

said container being provided with a filter for trapping a dirt included in the cleaning liquid being recovered from said basin to said tank.

2. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said container is detachable to said housing.

3. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said filter is made of fibers into a frizzy fabric.

4. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said filter is impregnated with said solute.

5. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said solvent includes at least one selected from a group consisting of water and alcohol.

6. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said solute includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a surfactant, a sanitizer, antifoaming agent, and a lubricant.

7. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

said circulator includes a pump for feeding said cleaning liquid and/or the outside air into said tank from said basin,

said tank being composed of a hermetically sealed pressure chamber and an open-air liquid dispensing chamber, said pressure chamber having an inlet for introducing the liquid and/or the air from said basin, said liquid dispensing chamber having an outlet for dispensing the liquid out of said tank into said basin,

said pressure chamber and said liquid dispensing chamber communicating with each other through a bottom channel at a level lower than said outlet such that the air introduced into said pressure chamber is accumulated therein to raise the liquid level of said liquid dispensing chamber above said outlet for feeding the liquid out of said tank into said basin.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 28, 2009
From: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC WORKS, LTD.
To: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 022206/0574 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2005
From: SAITO, ATSUHIRO; KAMEOKA, HIROYUKI; IWASAKI, JYUZAEMON; TANIGUCHI, FUMIO; IBUKI, YASUO; SHIGETA, HIROSHI
To: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC WORKS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 016565/0556 →