Method of manufacturing a cutting member having an auxiliary layer

• US 6,327,784 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Pragt, Johan, Brussee, Maarten, Kramer, Foppe, Altena, Hermanus S. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAYER, HWEI SIU CHOU
• Application Number:
  US09/469,879
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 303/465.3, 303/465.4, 303/50, 303/57, 761/011, 761/041, 76D/IG.8, 205/122
• US Class Current: 30/346.54
• CPC Class Codes: B23H 9/08 Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/60 by the coating material

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a cutting member (3). According to the method, a single side 9 of a carrier 1 of the cutting member is provided with an auxiliary layer (11). The carrier is provided with a cutting edge (7) by means of an electrochemical machining device (19), an electrode (21) of the electrochemical machining device being arranged on a side (15) of the carrier remote from the auxiliary layer. According to the invention, the auxiliary layer is provided as far as the cutting edge to be provided on the carrier, and, after the cutting edge has been provided on the carrier, the auxiliary layer is maintained on the carrier as a layer which is functional for the cutting member. In this manner, the auxiliary layer has a double function and is thus utilized in a better way. In a preferred embodiment, the auxiliary layer mainly comprises SiO₂ and has a thickness below 200 nm, preferably below 100 nm. In this embodiment, an edge (33) of the auxiliary layer, which is present at the location of the cutting edge of the carrier, constitutes an auxiliary cutting edge or even a main cutting edge of the cutting member, so that the cutting member has improved cutting properties and an improved service life. The cutting member is used in a shaving head (37) according to the invention and in a shaving device (35) according to the invention, which shaving device comprises a shaving head. The shaving head further comprises a manipulator (51) which is arranged near the cutting edge of the cutting member for moving hairs (75) along the cutting edge during cutting. In this manner, the auxiliary layer of the cutting member also is a protective layer protecting against wear, corrosion and providing mechanical resistance.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a cutting member comprising the steps:

providing an auxiliary layer on one side of a cutting member,

then providing said cutting member with a cutting edge by means of an electrochemical processing device, said cutting member being arranged in such a manner with respect to an electrode of the electrochemical processing device that the auxiliary layer faces away from the electrode, said auxiliary layer being applied as far as the cutting edge to be provided on the cutting member and being preserved, after provision of the cutting edge, as a functional auxiliary layer for said cutting member,

providing a side of said cutting member, remote from the auxiliary layer, with a first wedge-shaped part having a relatively small wedge angle, by means of a mechanical material-removing device, said first wedge-shaped part situated at a distance from the cutting edge,

then, providing said side, remote from the auxiliary layer, with a second wedge-shaped part having a relatively large wedge angle, said second wedge shaped part extending between the cutting edge and said first wedge-shaped part and being formed by means of the electrochemical processing device.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the auxiliary layer comprises SiO₂.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the auxiliary layer also comprises ZrO₂.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the auxiliary layer has a thickness below 200 nm.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the auxiliary layer has a thickness below 100 nm.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the cutting member is plate-shaped and is provided with a substantially straight cutting edge.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the wedge angle of the first wedge-shaped part ranges between 15°

and 30°

, while the wedge angle of the second wedge-shaped part ranges between 30° and

60°

.

8. A cutting member comprising a plate-shaped carrier provided with a cutting edge, said carrier provided, only on one side, with an auxiliary layer, said auxiliary layer extending as far as the cutting edge, a side of the cutting edge facing away from said auxiliary layer provided with a first wedge-shaped part, having a relatively small wedge angle and situated at a distance from the cutting edge and with a second wedge-shaped part having a relatively large wedge angle and extending between the cutting edge and the first wedge-shaped part.

9. A cutting member as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the auxiliary layer comprises SiO₂.

10. A cutting member as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the auxiliary layer also comprises ZrO₂.

11. A cutting member as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the auxiliary layer has a thickness less than 200 nm.

12. A cutting member as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the auxiliary layer has a thickness below 100 nm.

13. A cutting member as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the wedge angle of the first wedge-shaped part ranges between 15°

and 30°

, while the wedge angle of the second wedge-shaped part ranges between 30° and

60°

.

14. A shaving head comprising a cutting member, which is provided with a carrier and a cutting edge for cutting hairs growing from skin, and a manipulator by means of which, in use, hairs can be moved along the cutting edge of the cutting member during cutting, the cutting edge of the cutting member and the manipulator adjoining each other and being displaceable relatively to each other in a direction parallel to the cutting edge, characterized in that the cutting member is a cutting member as claimed in claim 8, the auxiliary layer of the cutting member facing the manipulator.

15. A shaver comprising a shaving head provided with a cutting member, which is provided with a carrier and a cutting edge for cutting hairs growing from skin, and a manipulator by means of which, in use, hairs can be moved along the cutting edge of the cutting member during cutting, the cutting edge of the cutting member and the manipulator adjoining each other, and the shaver being provided with a driving device for displacing the cutting member and the manipulator of the shaving head with respect to each other in a direction parallel to the cutting edge, characterized in that the shaving head is a shaving head as claimed in claim 14.