IP Library Granted Patent US 8,939,161
Granted Patent B2
US 8,939,161 · App. 12/409,808 · Granted Jan 27, 2015

Cleaning system for an electric shaver

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,939,161
App. No.
12/409,808
Granted
Jan 27, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cleaning system for an electric shaver having a shaving head generally includes a housing having an interior space configured to retain cleaning fluid within the housing. The housing is further configured for supporting the shaver in a generally upright orientation with the shaving head disposed at least in part within the interior space of the housing. A displacement apparatus is disposed within the interior space of the housing and is selectively positionable within the housing between a first position in which the cleaning fluid within the housing defines a lower fluid level relative to the shaving head to be cleaned, and a second position in which the cleaning fluid defines a higher fluid level relative to the shaving head such that at the higher fluid level at least a portion of the shaving head of the shaver is submerged in the cleaning fluid within the housing.

Claims (23)

1. A cleaning system for an electric shaver having a shaving head, the cleaning system comprising:

a housing comprising a shaver support retained in a stationary position relative thereto, said housing having a reservoir disposed therein and configured to contain cleaning fluid within the housing, the shaver support being configured relative to the housing to support the shaver such that the shaving head of the shaver is disposed at least in part within the housing during operation of the cleaning system; and

a displacement apparatus disposed within the housing and being selectively positionable within the housing relative to the shaver support between a first position in which the cleaning fluid within the reservoir defines a lower fluid level relative to the shaver support, and a second position in which the cleaning fluid defines a higher fluid level relative to the shaver support such that at the higher fluid level at least a portion of the shaving head of the shaver is submerged in the cleaning fluid within the reservoir, wherein the shaver support being stationary relative to the housing maintains the shaver stationary during the selective positioning of the displacement apparatus from the first position to the second position.

2. The cleaning system set forth in claim 1 wherein in the second position of the displacement apparatus said displacement apparatus is submerged in the cleaning fluid an amount greater than in the first position of the displacement apparatus.

3. The cleaning system set forth in claim 1 further comprising a plunger operatively connected to the displacement apparatus for selectively adjusting the position of the displacement apparatus within the housing from said first position to said second position.

4. The cleaning system set forth in claim 1 further comprising a biasing element acting on the displacement apparatus to bias the displacement apparatus toward its first position.

5. The cleaning system set forth in claim 1 wherein the shaver support comprises a cradle configured to receive the shaving head of the shaver.

6. The cleaning system set forth in claim 5 wherein the cradle is configured to receive a shaver having a shaving head that is either generally rectangular or generally triangular in cross-section.

7. The cleaning system set forth in claim 5 wherein the cradle comprises a shoulder oriented to seat the shaving head in the cradle at an angle relative to the lower fluid level of cleaning fluid in the reservoir.

8. The cleaning system set forth in claim 5 wherein the housing comprises a lower housing and an upper housing, the cradle being held in assembly with the upper housing for conjoint placement on and removal from the lower housing.

9. The cleaning system set forth in claim 3 further comprising a float operatively connected to the plunger, said float being disposed within the housing and being at least partly submersible in the cleaning fluid for raising the level of cleaning fluid.

10. The cleaning system set forth in claim 1 wherein the housing is further configured to keep the reservoir of cleaning fluid uncovered when said displacement apparatus is in the first position.

11. A cleaning system for an electric shaver, the shaver having a body and a shaving head, the cleaning system comprising:

a housing configured for disposing a reservoir of cleaning fluid therein, said housing being further configured for supporting the shaver such that the shaving head of the shaver is disposed at least in part within the housing;

a plunger accessible exterior of the housing and extending into the housing, the plunger being selectively positionable relative to the housing and the shaver such that a manual force imparted to the plunger causes the level of cleaning fluid within the housing to be raised for submerging at least a portion of the shaving head in the cleaning fluid; and

a float operatively connected to the plunger, said float being disposed within the housing and being at least partly submersible in the cleaning fluid for raising the level of cleaning fluid.

12. The cleaning system set forth in claim 11 wherein the float is selectively positionable within the housing between a first position in which the cleaning fluid within the housing defines a lower fluid level relative to the shaving head to be cleaned, and a second position in which the cleaning fluid defines a higher fluid level relative to the shaving head such that at the higher fluid level at least a portion of the shaving head of the shaver is submerged in the cleaning fluid within the housing.

13. The cleaning system set forth in claim 12 wherein in the second position of the float said float is submerged in the cleaning an amount greater than in the first position of the float.

14. The cleaning system set forth in claim 12 further comprising a biasing element acting on the float to bias the float toward its first position.

15. The cleaning system set forth in claim 12 wherein the housing comprises a cradle configured to receive the shaving head of the shaver.

16. The cleaning system set forth in claim 15 wherein the cradle is configured to receive a shaver having a shaving head that is either generally rectangular or generally triangular in cross-section.

17. The cleaning system set forth in claim 15 wherein the cradle comprises a shoulder oriented to seat the shaving head in the cradle at an angle relative to the lower fluid level of cleaning fluid in the housing.

18. The cleaning system set forth in claim 15 wherein the housing comprises a lower housing and an upper housing, the cradle being held in assembly with the upper housing for conjoint placement on and removal from the lower housing.

Assignments (5)
NOTICE OF SUCCESSOR AGENT AND ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST (INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY) REEL/FRAME 036131/0272 Recorded Jun 5, 2018
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH
To: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
Reel/Frame 046301/0425 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2015
From: SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 036131/0272 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2015
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
To: APPLICA CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.; APPLICA CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC., A CORP. OF FLORIDA; KWIKSET CORPORATION; LIQUID HOLDING COMPANY, INC.; NATIONAL MANUFACTURING CO.; PRICE PFISTER, INC.; ROV HOLDING, INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; ROVCAL, INC.; ROVCAL, INC., A CORP. OF CALIFORNIA; RUSSELL HOBBS, INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; SALIX ANIMAL HEALTH, LLC; SEED RESOURCES, L.L.C.; SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC.; SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC. AS SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO ROVCAL, INC.; SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; TELL MANUFACTURING, INC.; TETRA HOLDING (US), INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; TETRA HOLDINGS (US), INC.; UNITED INDUSTRIES CORPORATION; UNITED INDUSTRIES CORPORATION AS SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO LIQUID HOLDING COMPANY, INC.; UNITED PET GROUP, INC.; UNITED PET GROUP, INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE
Reel/Frame 036102/0001 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 19, 2014
From: ROVCAL, INC.; SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC.
To: SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC.
Reel/Frame 034555/0787 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 28, 2012
From: SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC.; UNITED INDUSTRIES CORPORATION; UNITED PET GROUP, INC.; APPLICA CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.; ROVCAL, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 029536/0634 →