SAFETY RAZORS AND BLADE UNITS THEREFOR

RASOIRS DE SURETE ET LAMES CONNEXES

English Abstract

A safety razor head comprises a head frame
(101) carrying a cap member (104) and two blade
units (105) all mounted in slots in end walls (103) of the
frame (101) so as to be movable vertically, i.e.
towards and away from the base (102) of the frame. The
movable elements are urged upwardly by springs
(106). The blade units (105) comprise metal pressing
(108) of inverted L-shaped cross-section. Blade
members (107) are attached to the top limbs (109) and
guard portions (111, 112) are spaced forwardly of the
blade edges (107A). The pressing (108) has projecting
ears (114) at opposite ends by which each unit is
mounted in the frame (101) for limited pivotal
movement about an axis parallel with and close to the
blade edge (107A).

French Abstract

Cette invention concerne une tête de rasoir de sûreté dont le cadre (101) porte un capuchon (104) et deux porte-lames (105) montés dans des fentes des parois d'extrémité (103) dudit cadre (101) de façon à être mobiles à la verticale, c'est-à-dire pouvoir s'éloigner et se rapprocher de la base (102) du cadre. Les éléments mobiles reposent sur des ressorts (106) les poussant vers le haut. Les porte-lames (105) comprennent des frettes métalliques (108) de section en L inversé. Les lames (107) sont fixées aux membrures supérieures (109) et des éléments protecteurs (111, 112) sont prévus à l'avant de l'arête tranchante (107A) des lames. La frette (108) comporte aux extrémités opposées des pattes (114) de montage dans le cadre (101) qui limitent le pivotement autour d'un axe parallèle à l'arête (107A) et situé à proximité de celui-ci.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF
PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A razor head comprising:
a razor head frame including a unitary molding having an
elongated base with upstanding walls at opposite ends thereof, the
inner faces of said walls being formed with slots;
at least one blade unit supported in said frame and
having:
a blade having a sharpened cutting edge;
a blade support having a platform to which said blade is
attached with its edge projecting forwardly of the platform;
an integral guard portion having a skin engaging guard
surface spaced forwardly of said blade edge; and
mounting means on said blade support by which the
integral guard portion and blade are mounted in said frame for
rotation together about an axis parallel with and close to said
blade edge, said mounting means being received in said slots for
substantially vertical movement relative to said frame;
said slots being formed substantially in directions
transverse to a notional plane containing said blade edge and said
skin engaging surface of said guard portion;
spring means engaging opposite ends of said blade
support, said blade support ends being displaceable relative to
said frame;

said spring means bearing on said elongated base and
bearing upwardly at its ends on said mounting means to provide a
resilient restoring force; and
the inner faces of said walls also being formed with
forward and rear abutment faces for engagement by portions of said
blade support to limit rotation of said support;
wherein said blade unit is substantially vertically
movable relative to said frame under forces encountered during
shaving, against the resilient restoring force, in directions
transverse to the notional plane containing said blade edge and
said skin engaging surface of said guard portion.
2. A razor head comprising:
a frame having an elongated base and upstanding side
walls disposed on opposite ends of said elongated base, each of
said side walls having recesses in their oppositely facing inner
surfaces;
at least one blade unit supported in said frame and
having:
a blade with a sharpened cutting edge extending generally
parallel to the length of said frame base;
a blade support having a platform for holding said blade
and an integral guard portion having a skin engaging guard surface
spaced forwardly of said blade edge; and
mounting means on said blade support by which the blade
and guard portion are mounted in said recesses for rotation

together about an axis parallel and close to the said blade edge
and for substantially vertical movement within said recesses;
and further including springs disposed on said frame and
having a first portion in contact with the said frame and a second
portion in contact with said blade unit to bias said blade unit to
move relative to the frame in a direction generally perpendicular
to the skin engaging surface of the guard portion.
3. A razor head according to claim 2, wherein the said
blade support is of generally L-shaped cross-section, having one
leg constituting the said platform and a second, depending leg
spaced forwardly of the blade edge, the said guard surface being
formed by a transitional portion between the legs of the support.
4. A razor head according to claim 2, wherein the said
blade support is of generally L-shaped cross-section, having one
leg constituting the platform and a second, depending leg spaced
from the blade edge for limited rotation about the said axis.
5. A razor head according to claim 2, wherein the
support is formed at its opposite ends with a pair of projections,
extending beyond respective ends of the said platform and which
constitute the said mounting means.
6. A razor head according to claim 2, wherein the said
blade support is formed as a unitary metal stamping.

Description

WO91/14~6 PCT/US91/01926
2 Q 7 ~
,, 1 ,,
SAFETY RAZORS AN~ BLADE UNITS ~ln~K~:~OR
This invention relates to safety razors and to
blade units for incorporation in safety razors.
, The invention aims at the provision of a
safety razor having a high degree of "confoL ~nce~l, tha~
is to say the ability to permit or constrain the skin-
engaging elements of the razor to maintain optimum
contact with the varying contours of the skin during a
, shaving operation. . :. .
In accordance with a feature of the present
invention, a blade unit for a safety razor comprises a
blade having a sha~e1~ed cutting edge and a blade
.su~G.L comprising a platform to which the blade is
, attaçh~ with its:edge projecting forwardly of the
,: . 15 ~platform,:characterized-in that the c~port further
.~comprisesian integral guard portion space~ forwardly of
the blade,edge,j,and-.mounting means.on the ~u~G ~'by
,,. ,,whi$h..thefintegral,~guard and blade are mounted in use in
, .~,. .a razorihead,-for rotation.together.about an axis
.,~,20 -par.allel~with and close toLthe.blade edge.
.The invention.,-also.includes''a safety razor
including a head;frame.in which:.at.leastione sucX blade
unit is mounted for;,rotation-.about'the said axis.
-f;' ~.Preferably,.the (or..each) unit is also mounted
: 25 ~for,;movement relative to~the-frame,under--forces
,~ ~., enco~nte,r,ed.i,during~shaving~ J ~qi~ inct the:~action of a
resilient~restoring~force~ in directions'transve'rse
""
.. . :

WO91/14~6 PCT/US91/01926
2e~ 2 - ~"
(i.e. substantially perpendicular) to a notional plane
containing the blade edge and a skin engaging surface of
the guard portion.
A blade unit and safety razor head frame in
accordance with the invention and some modifications
~ thereof, will now be described, by way of example, with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: ',
Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views of an end
portion of the head frame and of~a blade unit,
respectively;
Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken at the
sectioning line in Figure 1, showing the blade units and
a cap 'er in the normal positions of rest;
Fig. 4 corresponds with Fig. 3, and shows the
parts in different relative positions;
Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic cross-section
illustrating different positions of the cap and blade
units in use;
~ Fig. 6 is an exploded pe~i7~e.-i-ive view of a
modified razor head frame and blade units; and
. Fig...7.is a cross-section of the head frame of
,~,." Fig.,6, correspQn~ing with-Fig. 5.~
--,. ... . :...: The razor head.shown in Figs. l'to,4 comprises
., a metal or - l~e~.-plastics head frame 1 having an
:,25~, elongate-base 2.and,:upst~n~ing:end walls 3 at opposite
. , ends thereof.~:Only onei.end of the frame:-is shown in
.these Figs...tbie.oppositelend~being a mirror image.
..,-,~..,i IThe~;head frame ~ .poL~s"alcap member 4,'two
~ blade.units 5,iand,~three:pairs-.of ? cantilever wire springs
, ~ 30 ~~;, 6 ~ I whose~inner~ends.(not~shown)~are secured'to the
.,?,;rmedial portion.of.i-the~elongate base.;~
-,. ." . ..: .i Each blade.unit 5 consists of a narrow blade
-7,~having:ai~sharpened.cutting edge~7A','-and:a~blade
, Su~G~ ~ ~ 8 formed~asian-L-cih~rp~ metal--stâmping to
.'.35 'i' ~eprovide a-platform 9 and:a-guard portion-~providing a
curvéd skin engaging guard surface 11 and a depen~ing
leg 12. The ~iiuy~ol~ has a slot 13 over most of its
- . ~ ': . '~.:
' ." .
- ~ .
,

WO91/14~6 ' ~ PCT/US91/01926
~; . .
1 ',,',, ,~ .
length to form a space between the platform g and the
guard portion and the blade 7 is securely attached to
the platform with.its edge 7A projecting forwardly into
that space, forwardly of the platform.
At its ends, the support 8 is formed with
upwardly offset, projecting ears 14 which are abuttingly
engaged from below by upst~n~ i ng end portions 6A of the
wire springs 6.
The cap member 4 consists of a ch-~~nnel shaped
~ 10 support 16 in which a cap moulding 17 is secured.
The cap - ber and blade units are captured at
their ends in recesses formed in the.end walls 3 of the
head frame. More.specifically, the ears 14 of the blade
su~olLs engage in narrow vertical slots 18 which also
receive the vertical end portions 6A.of the respective
. wire springs. Alongside.each slot.l8 is a shallower,
~ wider recess.l9 whose forward face.21 acts as a stop for .
the adjacent end of the respective leg 12.
Thus, each blade unit is guided for vertical
~ - L in the head.frame by-engagement of-its ears 14
. - in the slots 18. The springs 6 are pre-stressed so that
in the.normal,trest position,.the blade units are held
.!. .U: by the.springs in.-their:-outermost:positions, as shown in
Fig...3...The spring ends 6A:are:guided and constrained
-~ 25~ for.:vertical movement:.in~their.les~e~ive'slots 18 and
are pointed at their upper~.ends, where~they engage the
.ears;14 so as~to.:provide fulcrums;-permitting rotational
movement of-.the~units:about.axes~parallel.with and close
; .to.-.the~.cutti..~ edyas.of~the. es~e~ive-.hl~s. As best
-illustrated~.in.Fig;~4, this rotational~:m~ -nt is
Ji-.; E~ limited~by.. :engagement~of the~ends of the-legs 12 with
.the.rear...faces..~ofsslots 18:and the forward'~faces 21 of
. rec~s~ses 19, respectively.~The.~cap~member 4~ which is
set beh;n~.the blade units~~in;the-shaving direction, is
.~ nA..~35~:, constrained and,guided-for..vertical'movement~onlyg:
s parallel with~the~correspon~n~ muie -nt'.~of the blade
units. The cap:mémber:-is-also urged:to;its outermost
.,
.

WO91/14~6 ~ PCT/US91/01926
9 ~7,J ~.
position by its respective wire springs 6, as shown in
Fig. 3.
- Fig. 4.shows the moving parts in their inner-
most positions, in which their springs 6 are "bottomed"
against the base 2 of.the frame.
In use of the razor, the cap and blade units
are able to conform closely to the differing contours of
the skin areas being shaved by virtue of their being
able to move, independently of each other and against
~ lO the resilient restoring forces of their springs,
according;to the forces which they experience. This
indepen~en~-e of motion is known in itself but,
significantly, the blade units are also able to pivot
freely in order.to permit each unit to maintain close
contact.with the skin at both its cutting edge 7A and
- .its skin engaging guard surface ll,-thus preserving its
optimum attitude in spite of variations in the contours
of the skin surface. This is due to the fact that the
pivotal axis of each unit is parallel with and just
ahead of the sharpened edge of the blade.
. In Fig. 5, the.variations in skin contours are
i.~.;;-~; exaggerated to..illustrate the:way.in:which the moving
- . -. parts of.:the.razor accommodate t1n~ ations in the skin
. - -surface.and in.particular how the~attitudes.~of the blade
.-. . 25 -units are adjusted automatically to:-maintain the desired
.~ ~. contact.with the-::skin.... . . ~
The.translational.movement of~the units is
.described above as~being.i.nvertical n. iThis,nof course,
i .assumes a ~pec~fic attitude-of-the razor head. The
30 ~~sense.~of~the.~requisite movement,.:-regardless..of the'
z~-; attitude of the~razor;~is;*ransverse to~a.;notional plane
n~ cont~ the blade:edge.iand the.~skin engaging surface
~ of the guard~portion.. ~ a
..; ti1o..i:. ssLn ~r~v~Because~of~the self-guarding.:nature of the
35l- blade-units,_it~will~generally-be 1lnnpcpsci~ry to provide
a separated guard memberj.but.-if.-one is~provided, it can
be mounted for translational-: v~ ,rnt, with~a spring
- . . _ _
.
.
' ~
.

wosl/l4~6 PCT/US91/01926
~'- 207~
suspension, in the same ~nner as the cap member.
The razor could of course have a single blade
unit or three or more if desired, but two units are
presently regarded as optimal. ...
. .
,,.~ Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a,modified form of
blade unit,,and head frame which are generally similar to
. .
the above described ~ ho~; ment but.with some structural
modifications,.principally as described below. Parts of
,the modified embodiment are given.reference numerals
. .. . .... . .. . . . . .
10, increased by 100 compared with the numerals used for
corresponding parts in.the first embodiment.
. , , The,blade units 105 are virtually identical
... .......
,,, with those first described, save that the ear~ 114 are
in the same plane as.the guard portion rather than being
,,upwardly offset.; As a result the pivotal axis 'A' of
the unit is set lower than in the first.embodiment.
., . . The moulded head frame lOl is of a different
, construction, being,provided in known manner with
.. . . .. . ............ .. . . . .
depen~;ng legs.22 by which the frame is adapted for
,, . ,~ . .. .. .. .. . .
releasable,mounting on..the.upper end of a.razor handle
with limited freedom to;pivot, relative,to the handle,
3~ about a51Ongit~ nAl .axis~ 7,~
The.upper...surface,of.,the-base.102-is formed
with.,an;upstAn~ng~pip 102A destined.,,to-provide,an inte-
gral.rivet..~for..securing a metallic.spring member com-
~3~ ; .prising a..rectan~ular ~ l portion,106A having inte-
: gral spring,,fingers~106~exte~n~1Ongit~ nAl1y:away~
, and also upwardly from the plane of the portion.,106A.
~ 3 ~ The re~ar~nwall~of,~the",frame s~101; is formed with
~ 30 ~.a chAnn~l to receive the~caprmo~ ng 117 in.a.~fixed
~,r,qr,Position-~ d ~r~ /'tJ l ~lrl~,'b ~ r,~~~
n~the.end,walls.103,.of, the fr,a,me,.,-the,,slots
,118Jrland rec~sses, ll9.iare completelx~open from above and
sep~arate.clips 123.are.,provided,for~ret~in~ the.plade
~35,_ ~units L,by, their~ears,-ll4,J,to the frame..~ ,,*~s,
~: The function and operation of the blade,units
is as described above.
:: .

Representative Drawing