Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
WO93/10946 2 1 2 ~ 8 ~ Y PCT/US92/10054
,~ _
-- 1 --
Razor With Blade Proteetion Means
This invention relates to a razor
comprising a handle, and a shaving unit whieh
includes a eap, a guard and at lea~t one shaving
blade, the shaving unit being movable relative to
the handle, between a shaving position and a
llO~ Aving position in whieh the eutting edge of
the or eaeh blade is proteeted.
Sueh a razor is deseribed in
GB-A-1565415. The razor has a shaving unit
mounted on a handle for pivotal movement about an
axis extenAii~ parallel with the blade edge. The
handle is bifurcated to provide wings whieh are
resilient e..c!-Jl to provide for ass~mhly of the
shaving unit between the wings of the handle by
elastie deformation of the wings and retention of
the head over its range of movement.
A disadvantage of the construetion,
shown in GB-A-1565415, is the need for a finger or
thumb of the user to manipulate the shaving unit,
elose to the actual blade edgeQ, with the
con-61uent danger of physical damage to the blade
edges, or the user's hand.
GB-A-2100650 describes a razor having a
guard and blade members in a fixed position on a
handle of the razor and ineludes a eap surfaee,
whieh is movable between a position in whieh the
WO93/1~46 2 1 2 4 8 ~ ~ PCT/US92/100~
blade(s) are ~YpO~~~ for ~having and one in which
the or each blade is shielded. In yet another
previous proposal the cap surface is fixed but the
guard-platform and blade pivot on an axis in the
area of the guard surface, to carry the blade edge
between a shaving position and a shielded
position.
GB-A-2113594 discloses a razor having a
fixed guard bar and top cap, but a blade platform
lo which can roll between a shaving position and a
retracted position, whilst GB-A-2118088 describes
a razor having a fixed blade and top cap, but a
pivotable guard bar, movable between a position in
which the blade is e~ for shaving and a
position in which the blade is protected.
A problem with all such prGl,o~ls is the
element of doubt and ~.~,edictability which they
il.LLoduce into the shaving geometry (that is, the
relative positions of the blades, cap surface and
guard surface in the shaving disposition). Even
very small changes in shaving geometry can have a
p~o~.o~ .ce~ effect on shaving performance, and are
therefore undesirable.
It is an object of the present invention
to provide a razor which provides for blade
protection during periods of non-use, without
detriment to the shaving geometry, and with a
reduced likelihood of damage to the blades or the
hands of a user during manipulation of the razor.
According to one aspect of the in-
vention, the razor initially defined i8 char-
acterized in that a shielding member for ~hielding
the or each blade is provided on said handle; the
shaving unit is retractable into said non-shaving
position h~h~n~ said shielding member; and a
retractor is provided on the handle for retracting
the shaving unit behind the shielding member.
WO93/10g~ 21~ ~ ~ r~ ~ PCT/US92/l~ ~
..~
- 3 -
Preferably, the retracting mean~ is
manually movable in order to move the shaving unit
at will between the shaving and retracted
positions.
S ~Yre~;ently, the retracting mean~
comprises a link between the shaving unit and the
handle.
In a preferred embodiment, the shaving
unit has two shaving blades, arranged in tandem.
It can be arranged for the handle to be a
permanent one, co-operating with replAce~hle
shaving cartridges, the handle having a head which
includes surfaces for releasably re~1n~g one
such cartridge on the head.
In one preferred embodiment the link iR
flexible, preferably having a distal end con-
tiguous with the head and a proximal end attached
to the body. This attachment i5 ~ol.ve.~iently by a
pin and slot. If the pin is on the link it may
provide a surface (such as a button) on the back
of the handle, that is, on the surface of the body
which faces away from the surface to be shaved.
A ~ubstantial y~o~GLLion of razors
currently ho~yht by consumers are of the type
which allow~ swivelling movement between a ~hav$ng
cartridge and a shaver body, during shaving, to
allow the working curfaces of the cartridge to
follow the contours of the skin urface being
shaved. In another preferred embodiment of the
y~~~?nt invention, the co..l.oction between the
shaving unit and the body is such as to allow, in
the shaving disposition, such swivelling movement.
In preferred embodiments, the link
provides a tensile force which pulls the shaving
cartridge into its retracted disposition, and a
compressive force which pushes the head into its
shaving disposition.
W093/10g~ 2 12 4 ~ 5 9 PCT/US92/lO0~
- 4 -
Preferably, translational movement
between these two dispositions is accompanied by a
rotational component of motion. The direction of
rotational movement can be, in different
embodiments, that which would increase the shaving
attitude angle or reduce it.
The shaving attitude angle is the angle
subten~ between the longit~A~nAl axi~ of the
handle and a line through the skin-contacting
surfaces of the cap and guard, perpendicular to
the length of the cap, guard and blade surfaces.
In some embodiments the shaving unit is
held to the body by the link, but in other
embodiments the unit can be held onto the body by
separate means, such a~ a pin and slot at each
side of the shaving head. When the connection is
through the link, it may be convenient to provide
a guide ch~nn-l at each side of the shaving unit
for guiding the unit between the shaving and
non-shaving dispositions. In embodiments in which
the shaving unit is attached to the body by a pin
and slot at each side of the unit, these pin and
slot connections can also serve as the guide
~h ~ ~ l c .
Razor cartridge~ and shaving unit~ are
increasingly provided with a hydrophilic
lubricating strip. Thi~ need~ to dry out between
U8Q8. To facilitate evaporation of water from the
lubricating strip, when the cartridge is protected
by the shielding member, it may be desirable to
provide the shielding member with vents, such as a
series of small slots. The provision of such
holes in the shielding member has the incidental
benefit of reducing the amount of plastics
material ne~D~ to make the razor~
It is envisaged that the present
invention will have general application to a wide
4 8 5 ~
range of disposable razors and shaving systems. For a better
understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly
how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be
made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a cartridge,
cartridge carrier and head of a handle of a first embodiment of
razor in accordance with the present ihvention;
Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal sections through the central
axis of the head of the first embodiment, with Fig. 2 showing a
shaving disposition and Fig. 3 showing a retracted disposition
of the shaving cartridge;
Figs. 4 and 5 are a side view and top plan view respectively
of a second embodiment of razor, with a retractable cartridge in
its retracted position;
Figs. 6 and 7 are a side view and a top plan view of the
razor of Figs. 4 and 5 in the extended position;
Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are sections A-A, B-B, C-C respectively,
taken from Fig. 5:
Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are corresponding sections from Fig. 7;
and
Figs. 14, 15 and 16 are sections corresponding to those of
Figs. 11 to 13 but with the shaving cartridge pushed, against a
spring bias, into a swivelled shaving disposition.
Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the razor comprises a
handle 10 and a shaving unit in the form of a cartridge 11 and
carrier 61 at the head of the razor. The cartridge 11 comprises
a cap 20, blades 50, 51 and a guard 22 and is mounted in the
cartridge carrier 61 which is movably mounted in a head end of
the handle 10. A lubricating strip 52
4 ~ 5
extends along one edge of the cartridge.
Each end wall 63 of the cartridge carrier 61 has a
projecting pin 12 which engages in a corresponding elongate slot
S 13 in the head end of the handle 10. Inherent resilience of the
handle 10 permits engagement of the pins 12 in their
corresponding slots 13.
The carrier 61 has a long wall 62 and two end walls 63 each
carrying one of the pins 12. Lugs l9a, l9b, l9c are provided at
the mid-point of the long wall 62. A narrow shelf surface 64
extends around the base of a space 65 between the long wall 62
and the two end walls 63, the space 65 being sized to receive
snugly the cartridge 11, with the cartridge sliding over the top
surface of the shelf 64. A pair of resilient picker fingers 66
extends forwards from the shelf 64, each finger having a detent
shoulder 67, the two shoulders both facing out from the centre
of the carrier 61, in opposed directions. These fingers engage
with corresponding formations, on the cartridge 11, which are not
visible in Fig. 1 but which are described below, with reference
to Figs. 1 to 3.
Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, a link 14 is a snap fit in the
handle 10, by the engagement of a button 15 in a slot 16 on the
back surface of the handle 10. The outward-facing surface of the
button 15 is provided with ridges to assist the grip of a finger
or thumb of the user on the button 15 to move the link 14 between
the extended disposition of Fig. 2, for shaving, and the
retracted disposition shown in Fig. 3 shielded by a shield member
23.
The distal end 18 of the link 14 is a slide fit between a
pair of lugs l9a, l9b, and a third, opposed, lug l9c, all of
which are on the long wall 62 of the cartridge carrier 61
adjacent
~ ~ 2 4 ~ ~ ~
to the cap 20 of any cartridge carried by the carrier 61. Each
cartridge has a pair of lugs 75, one to engage with each of the
detent shoulders 67. Fig. 2 shows the pin 12 in the distal end
S of the slot 13, so that the blades 50, 51 of the cartridge 11,
between the guard 22 and the cap 20, are presented at the correct
attitude for comfortable shaving.
With the button 15 moved to the proximal position shown in
Fig. 3, it can be seen that a tension force applied by the link
14 has pulled the cartridge 11 into a more proximal position,
demonstrated by the position of the pin 12 at the pro~;m~l end
of the slot 13. The cap 20 and shaving blades 50, 51 have been
drawn up inside the handle, to be protected by the shield member
23. A simple reverse movement of the button 15, back to its
distal position, is sufficient to place the cartridge back in its
shaving disposition as shown in Fig. 2.
The movement of the pins 12 along the slots 13 corresponds
to the translational movement of the cartridge between the
shaving and non-shaving (retracted) dispositions. Comparison of
Figs. 2 and 3 shows that this translation accompanies a
rotational movement which places the shaving surface of the
cartridge adjacent to the protecting shield member 23.
The above-described first embodiment is of a shaving system,
with a succession of replaceable cartridges being used in the
same razor handle. In a variant, a cartridge can be connected
direct to the link, thereby providing a razor in which the handle
and cartridge are disposable together.
Figs. 4 to 16 show the construction and operation of the
second illustrated embodiment, and much of this is the same as
for the first embodiment, so that identical reference numerals
-
W093/10946 PCT/US92/100~
212~8~9
- 8 -
are used whenever possible. The handle 10 has a
~tem whieh widens at its head into a plate 30
which has upturned end~ 31 which form a guide
~h~n~l 32 for eaeh sidQ of the cartridge 11.
Figs. 4 and 5 show the eartridge 11 fully
aceommodated within the guide ehannels 32, with
the shaving blades 21 of the eartridge 11 closely
protected by a shielding wall 33 of the plate 30
of the handle 10.
The link 14 has a proximal end in the
form of a strip 34 whieh slide~ in a eorresronAin~
slot within the plate 30 of the handle. As with
Fig. 2, there is a button 15 on the top surface of
the plate 30, for manual manipulation of the link
to move between its distal and proximal positions
but, unlike Fig. 2, the strip 34 lies on the
outside of the handle. The link includes first
and ~on~ saddle pieces 36, 37 which run in the
slot and retain the strip 34 on the plate 30.
Latc~i-ng surfaces 39 and a degree of resilience
are provided 80 that the strip latches to the
handle at each extreme of its movement, but
unlatehes upon applieation of pressure and
movement to the button 15.
The link 14 is bifureated at its distal
end to form left and right arms 40, 41 whieh
extend ~e_~e_Lively to the left and right sides of
the eartridge 11. On the distal end of the arm 40
is a elaw 42 (best shown in Fig. 9) which engages
with a latch surface 43 of the cartridge for
rotary movement of the cartridge on the elaw 42 at
the surface 43. A shell bearing surfaee 53 on the
cartridge ~o o~erates with a bearing surfaee 54 on
the arm 40 (see Fig. 10). There are CO1Le~~OI~ 1;ng
claw 44 and latch 45 surfaces, and bearing
surfaces, at the distal end of the right arm 41,
and the cartridge is ret~ine~ to the link 14 by
the co-operation of these respective surfaces.
As illustrated in Figures 8, 11 and 14, a hook 46 at the
left hand side of the cartridge 11 engages with an internal
S surface of the channel end 31 of the handle 10 to rotate the
cartridge to the initial shaving disposition during movement of
the button 15 from the proximal to the distal end of the slot 16.
A corresponding hook (not shown) is present at the other end of
the cartridge, and co-operates in the same way with the handle.
Referring to Fig. 5 the link 14 also has a pair of leaf
springs, that is, a left hand spring 471 which extends along the
back of the arm 40 and a right hand spring 472 which extends
along the back of the arm 41. Each spring has at its outer end
a pressure pad 48 which is pressed by the resilience of the leaf
on to a camming surface 49 of the cartridge 11, in the direction
of arrow f. Thus, rotation of the cartridge from the Fig. 11
starting shaving position (also called the extended position) to
the Fig. 14 deflected shaving position (also called the swivelled
shaving position) drives the springs back and increases the
biasing force on the cartridge 11 tending to return it to the
Fig. 11 starting shaving position as soon as it is permitted to
do so. Thus, during shaving, the springs provide a return force
on the cartridge 11 which acts to bias the cartridge 11 to its
starting shaving position whenever it is deflected from that
position.
The tandem blades 50, 51 of the cartridge are visible in the
sections along B-B and C-C. As is known per se, these blades can
be mounted resiliently, to be deflected by the skin surface being
shaved, as shaving pressures vary in use of the razor. The
cartridge may incorporate a hydrophillic lubricating strip 52,
as is also known per se.
With the described razors, the cartridge
W093/10946 ~1 2 4 8 5 9 PCT/US92/100~
-- 10 --
includes all of the cap surface, guard surface and
blade(s). Because the whole cartridge moves
between the shaving and retracted positions, there
is accordingly no relative movement between the
compQn~nts of the cartridge during this cartridge
movement.
The simplicity of design of the
illustrated embodiments open up possibilities for
using a wide range of cartridge designs including
those with spring-loaded tandem blades. The
embodiments also provide a good basis for design~
which use replaceable shaving cartridges with a
permanent handle. It will be appreciated that
manipulation of the button 15 can be done
repeatedly without any danger of accidental
contact damage to the shaving blade edges, because
the button 15 i8 SO far from the edges and is on
the backface of the handle.
Retraction of the shaving head into the
handle brings about a reduction in physical size
of the razor which is another attractive feature
of the device when it i~ not in u5e.
