Electric shaver

Abstract

Electric shaver provided with at least one cutter unit, a drive unit for driving said at least one cutter unit and a display device for displaying information, wherein said drive unit, when being active, is operable in different operation modes, wherein a mode input element is provided for switching the drive unit into different operation modes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electric shaver, comprising at least one short hair cutter unit, a drive unit comprising a motor for driving said at least one short hair cutter unit, an ON-OFF switch for activating and deactivating the drive unit and a display device for displaying shaver information, wherein said drive unit, when active, is operable in more than one operation mode comprising at least first and second speed modes, where the short hair cutter unit is driven at a first speed in the first speed mode and at a second speed different from the first speed in the second speed mode, wherein a mode input element comprising one of a touch button, a toggle switch, a gesture detector or a touch key is provided for switching the drive unit into one of the first or second speed modes when the drive unit is active causing the short hair cutter unit to be driven at one of the first speed or the second speed, wherein said mode input element switches the display device into different display modes when the drive unit is inactive such that when said mode input element is activated a first time with the drive unit inactive, first shaver information is caused to be displayed on the display device and when said mode input element is activated a second time after the first time with the drive unit inactive, second shaver information is caused to be displayed on the display device. 
     
     
         2 . The electric shaver according to  claim 1 , wherein the first information comprises battery status information and the second information comprises one of a shaving time and shaving runs information, cleaning information or cutter unit wear information. 
     
     
         3 . The electric shaver according to  claim 1 , wherein said mode input element when activated a third time after the second time with the drive unit inactive causes third shaver information to be displayed on the display device. 
     
     
         4 . The electric shaver according to  claim 1 , wherein said mode input element is further capable of activating a long-hair cutter. 
     
     
         5 . The electric shaver according to  claim 1 , wherein said mode input element is configured to be responsive to a signal received from at least one of the following: an external control device, a smartphone, a shaver charging and/or cleaning station, a mode input button, a power ON/OFF button, a shaver and skincare configuration detection unit for detecting the type of attachment attached to the shaver's handle, a wake up sensing unit for detecting a waking up situation, and a timer. 
     
     
         6 . The electric shaver according to  claim 1 , wherein said mode input element functionality changes depending from an ON/OFF status of the drive unit. 
     
     
         7 . The electric shaver according to  claim 1 , wherein said operation modes of the drive unit include at least one of the following:
 a lower speed mode in which said cutter unit is driven at a lower speed,   a higher speed mode in which said cutter unit is driven at a higher speed,   a long-hair cutting mode in which a long-hair cutter is driven by said drive unit,   a short-hair shaving mode in which only said at least one cutting unit is driven by said drive unit,   a brush attachment mode in which a skin treatment unit attachable to the electric shaver is driven by said drive unit, or   a beard trimmer attachment mode in which a beard trimmer unit is driven by said drive unit.   
     
     
         8 . The electric shaver according to  claim 1 , wherein said different display modes include at least one of the following:
 a charge information mode in which the charging status of an accumulator is displayed,   a shaving time and shaving runs information mode in which the shaving time and the number of shaving runs performed since a last cleaning run is displayed,   a cleaning information mode in which a cleaning status of the shaver is displayed, or   a cutter unit wear information mode in which wear of the cutter unit is displayed.   
     
     
         9 . The electric shaver according to  claim 1 , wherein said display device is configured to be operable in an automatic switching mode in which different sets of information are displayed one after the other under control of a timer. 
     
     
         10 . The electric shaver according to  claim 9 , wherein an activator is provided for activating said automatic switching mode, wherein said activator is responsive to a switching off-signal indicating switching off the drive unit and indicating transition of the drive unit from being active to being inactive, and responsive to a switching on-signal indicating switching on the drive unit and indicating transition of the drive unit from being inactive to being active. 
     
     
         11 . The electric shaver according to  claim 9 , wherein a detector is provided for detecting objects or subjects touching and/or approximating the shaver, wherein an activator is provided for activating said automatic switching mode, wherein said activator is configured to be responsive, when said shaver is sleeping, to a touching/approximation signal of said detector to activate the automatic switching mode when an object or subject is touching and approximating the shaver. 
     
     
         12 . The electric shaver according to  claim 1 , wherein said display device is under control of an electronic controller which is connected to at least one detector for providing at least one detector signal indicative of an information to be displayed, wherein said controller is responsive to a signal from said mode input element to display said information on the basis of the received detector signal indicative of said information when said mode input element has been activated to request displaying of said information. 
     
     
         13 . The electric shaver according to  claim 1 , wherein said display device includes a first display field indicative of a value and an amount of an information, and a second display field indicative of the type of information, wherein said display device is configured to activate and operate said first display field in combination with different types of information displayed by said second information field. 
     
     
         14 . The electric shaver according to  claim 1 , wherein said display device includes a display arranged at a handle of the shaver and is configured to control and communicate with an external display separate from said handle. 
     
     
         15 . The electric shaver according to the preamble of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one cutter unit includes an undercutter and an uppercutter moveable relative to each other in order to cut hair between said undercutter and uppercutter, wherein said cutter unit forms a part of a shaver head having an interior space in which such cut hair or other debris or dirt is accumulated, wherein a dirt measurement unit is provided for measuring a parameter that is related to the accumulated dirt, wherein a micro controller is configured to receive a signal from said dirt measurement unit and to calculate a dirt status of the shaver head in response to said received signal, wherein an indicating means is provided for indicating information relating to the dirt status of the shaver head to a user. 
     
     
         16 . The electric shaver according to  claim 15 , wherein said dirt measurement unit is configured to measure at least one of the following parameters: shaving time, shaving resistance, shaving power consumption of the drive unit during shaving time, cleaning time, cleaning liquid or moisture inside the shaver head, and wherein the indicating means includes at least one of the following: the display device, a sound generator, a signal generator for generating a communication signal to be communicated to an external electronic device. 
     
     
         17 . A personal care appliance comprising a handle, a head including at least one personal care tool for effecting a personal care treatment, a drive unit comprising a motor for driving said at least one personal care tool and a display device for displaying personal care information, wherein said drive unit, when active, is operable in more than one operation mode comprising at least first and second speed modes, where the personal care tool is driven at a first speed in the first speed mode and at a second speed different from the first speed in the second speed mode, wherein a mode input element comprising one of a touch button, a toggle switch, a gesture detector or a touch key switches the driving unit into one of the first or second speed modes when the drive unit is active, characterized in that said mode input element is configured to switch the display device into different display modes for displaying personal care appliance information when said drive unit is inactive. 
     
     
         18 . The personal care appliance according to  claim 17 , wherein said handle is provided with an ON/OFF power button, the motor drives a moveable tool element in the head via a drive transmitter, wherein said head is provided with at least one coupling means for coupling different types of tool elements with the drive transmitter, said tool elements comprising at least two of the following tool elements: a skincare unit, a long-hair cutting unit, a beard-trimming unit, a brush, and a short hair cutting unit. 
     
     
         19 . A method for controlling an electric shaver, said shaver comprising at least one cutter unit and a drive unit comprising a drive motor for driving said at least one cutter unit, wherein said drive unit, when active, is operable in more than one operation mode comprising at least first and second speed modes, where the cutter unit is driven at a first speed in the first speed mode and at a second speed different from the first speed in the second speed mode, the method comprising:
 switching the drive unit into one of the first or second speed modes causing the cutter unit to be driven at one of the first speed or the second speed by activating a mode input element when the shaver and the drive unit is active,   switching the display device into different display modes by activating said mode input element when the drive unit is inactive.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the shaver further comprises an ON-OFF switch for activating and deactivating the drive unit, wherein the ON-Off switch is separate from the mode input element.