Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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2139582
F~S--~B~9 RAZOR D 11~1~ INCR~:D RI~8
The present invontion ig direct~d to a flexible razor --~
head and, more particularly, to a one-pieco integrally
form d, fl-xible razor hoad
.k
S BA~10~` OF T~ ~OII _.
Razor he~ds whieh are fl xible along their
longitudlnal axo~ hav~ be n di~clog d in th- art Many o~
th -- razor h-ads r quire tho as-oobly of s-v ral s-p rat~
~; piec ~ such a~ a cap, a spac-r~ on or mor blad s and a
b}ad- platfor~ Thig a~-- bly proc~ time consu~ing `- -
and co~tly Furthor~oro~ tho r-quir-- nt that th-s- ~ ~
picc-s are manipulat d, ~ith~r m~nu~lly or automatically, ~-
is g n-rally considored to plac~ r~triction- on t~e typ
of materials whieh m~y b~ ug-d in thoir manufaetUre T~e -~
~aterials used must be sub~tantially rigid to withstand
th a~n-~bly~prOc--~ whil- mooting the specifieation
toleranee~ nec--~ary to proporly join with the other ---
pi-c~ It would, therefore, b~ d~irablo to provide a
fl~xibl~ razor h-ad having int-grally for~ d el-~ nts
20~ - whieh would th-r~fore eliminate the need for the as~- bly
of a~nu~b~r ot el _ nt~
T~ pr~s-nt inv-ntion o~erco _ disad~antages of
pr-viou~ly di~clos-d razlor headn by providing an
2S int grally for _ d rlexibl- razor head having a pluralitY
o~;bl d~platfor~$ ~-p~rat-d by corrugations, at l~a~t ono
blad~h~ving a cutting ~dg , and a pluralitY Of bl~d~
r tain r~ which ar int~graIly ~or~ad with t~ bl~d
plat~oro~ and ~xt-nd to po~ltlona abova and ad~-c-nt to
30~ th top ~urr~c Or tho upp r blad~ Whll- th bl~d
r~taln rr aro intagr~lly ror~ d wlth tha oth pl Of
~':, ~: ` '
r~ ~ ~ ~-~
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213~82
- th- flexibl- razor h-ad, each blade retain-r is discr-t-
with r-~poct to other blade retain-rs Ths integrally
for~ d fl-xible razor h-ad of th- present invention,
therefor-, do-s not have a continuous cap me~ber co~monly
found in commercially available razor heads
B~l~F D~8C~IYTlON OF ~ DRA~rNa8
Flgur 1 is a por~p-ct~v- vi-w of ono e~bodiment of a
flexible razor h-ad of tho pr-sont invention
~ Figur- 2 is a ~id- vi-w of th razor h-ad shown in
-~ 10 Figur~ 1
Figure 3 is a top, p rsp ctiv view of the razor h-ad
shown in Figure 1
Figur 4 is à front viow of tho razor h-ad shown in
Figure 1
- 15~ Figur- S is a rear view of the razor h-ad shown in
Figura 1
Figur- 6 is a bottom, p-rspoctiv- view of the razor
h-ad ~hown in Figur
Flgure ~ is a top vi~w of a bottom blàde of the razor
h-ad illustrated in Figure 1
Figura 8 is a top view of ~n upp-r blade of th- razor
h ad shown in Fiquro 1
Figure 9 is a ~octlonal vl-w tak~n along lines 9-9 o~
Figur 3
~ :
2S Flgur 10 is a croJ---action~l vl-w taX n along lin
10-10 Or Figur 3
213~82
F1gure 11 is a cros8-sectional view along llne 11
of Figure 4.
Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the upper
portion of one embodiment of the razor head of the present
invention illustrating a shaving aid receptacle.
Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the
- posit$oning o~ a shaving aid according to one embodiment
of the present invention.
Figure 14 is a sectional view with portions remov~d
illustrating the positioning of a shaving aid on a blade
retainer according the one embodiment of the present
invention.
Figure 15 is a perspective view of another e~bodiment
of a flexible razor head of the present invention in which
a shaving aid has been incorporated on the cap surface.
Figure 16 is a top plan view of tAe embodiment shown
in Figure 15.
Figure 17 is a front elevation view of the embodiment
shown in Figure 15.
Figure 18 is a rear elevation view of the embodiment
shown in Figure 15.
Figure 19 is a perspective view of y~t another
embodiment of a flexible razor head in accordanCe with the
pres-nt invention.
Figure 20 is a cros8-sQction taken along lines 20-20
of the embodiment s~own in Figure 19.
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2139~82
Figure 21 i9 an enlarged detail of the cross-
s-ctional view shown in Figure 20
D~AIL~D DE8CRIp~QN
The present invention comprises an integrally-~olded,
flexible razor head wh-rein all elem nts, except the blade
or ~lades, are formed as a singlo piece The integral
formation of the present flRxible razor head eliminate~
the time conguming and costly assembly steps necessary in
the manufacture of flexible razor heads for~ed of separate
piQc-s As de~cribed in further detail below, the
flexible razor head of the pre9ent invention also provide~
controlled shaving goometry without the use of a
continuous cap found in most commercially available razor
heads As used herein, the term nrazor head~ is meant to
inclùde cartridqes which are manufactured and typically
marketed separate from razors, ag well as disposable
razors which are formed with a handle and do not require
the attach~ent of separate pieces by the consumer
Figur- 1 illu~trat~ one preferred embodiment of the
pre~nt invention wherein th~ fl~xible razor head 10
compris-s an upper blade 20, a lower blade 30, a plurality
of discret- retaininq ~-mbers 40, quard members 50, and
sid- supports 80 Fiqur- 2 is a sido view of th- flexible
razor head illustrated in Figure 1 showing the side
portion o~ side supports 80, a9 well as a side view of
attachment neck 90
Th spacing betw n the di9cr~t~ retaining m~mb-rs 40
is shown in Figure 3, which is a top view of the
e~bodiment of the pregent inveRtion illu~trat-d in Figur-
1 T~is top view also provid-fi a cl~ar r vi-w of th~
r~lative positioning of cutting ~dg~ 21, 31 of upper
blad 20 and lower bl~d~ 30, re~pectiv-ly Blad-
retain rs 40 ovorlap upper bl~d~ 20, preferably oxt-nding
2139~8~
at least about 50~ and most preferably about 70% to about
90% of the distance from the rear edge of upper blade 20
to cutting edge 21. The retainer members 40 which are
integrally formed with blade platform 70 and spacer 100
(Fig. 10) thereby maintain the vertical positioning of the
blades.
According to one preferred e~bodiment illustrated in
Figure~ 1 to 10, ~lade retainers 40 are discretely formed
withGut connections and therefore do not form a single,
unitary cap member found in many commercially available
razor heads. As illustrated in Figure ~, the two end
blade retainers 40 are connected to respective side
supports 80 ~ia molded connecting me~ber 83. Connecting
members 83 are designed to minimize the risk of exposure
of either or both of the blades if the r3zor head 10 i5
misused by a person applying an outward, lateral-forCe to
side supports 80.
As shown in the illustrated e~bodiment, side supports
80 comprise upper side retainers 81 and lower guard
portions 82. Upper side portions 81 are located above and
adjacent to the upper blade 20 to retain the upp~r blad-
against the spacers 100 and also to control the blade
gaometry along the side portions of the ~lexible razor
head 10. ~hose ~killed in the art will also appreciate
that lowcr guArd portions 82 cover the forward corner~ of
lower blade 30 while also sorving as a guard member to
control the blade geometry. Referring to F~g. 10, the
bottom of lower blade 30 can be seen supported by a
plurality of blade platfo D 70 which are integrallY
formed with corrugations 60. Each platfor~ 70 preferably
has a substantially planar upper portion ~6 adjacent to
lower blade 30.
~ 2139~82
A~ shown in Figur~ 9 ~nd 10, a spac-r loo is
pre~erably provided b~tw~n upp-r blade 20 and low-r bl~d-
30 proximat~ Qach r~taining ~ombQr 40 Th- spac-r lOo i-
pr~f~rably positioned subst~ntially c-ntrally with r--p-ct
S to the widt~ of th- corregponding blad~ retain~r 40 and
blad platform 70 Tho~- ~kill-d in th~ art will
appr ciate that th- ability to flui~h shaving d-bris fro~
tho_ 5p~C- b-tw -n th~ blad~ is nhanced by d~i~igning ach
spac-r 100 to hav ~ width 1-~- than th- corr -pondinq
wldths of blad~ spac-r 40 and blad~ platfor~ 70 Spac-r
100 m~intains a pr~deter~in~d space, for ~xa~ple about 02
inch-~, botw -n low-r bl~d- 30 and upp-r blade 20 A~
- shown mor- cl~arly in Figuro 11, spacer 100 is int~grally
for~ d with blad- rotain~r 40
In ord-r to incr-a~- tho fl xibility of the blade
support, flexible razor head 10 is provid d with
corrugations 60 b~two~n ad~oining blade platforms 70 The
corrugations are int~grally formed with retainer ~e~b-rs
~he positioning of corrugations 60 on both sides of a
bla~do platform 70 is shown in Figure 10 which is a cros--
ctional vi-w along lin ~ 10-10 of Flgur- 3
Corrugatlon~ 60 may b~ for~ d in a gon-rally U-ishap- with
a round-d low~r portion or ~ay bo ~or~od with two v-rtic~l
id- portion~ and a lowor horizontal ~-g~ nt conn-cting
tha vortical ~ido wallg Othor ~h~p~s are p w ~ible
without doparting fro~ th- scop- of th~ prQ~-nt inv-ntion
Corrug~tion~ 60 allow relativ- ~ov ~ont b-tw -n
nolghboring bl~d platfor~ ~0 durinq th~ fl~xing of
floxibl~ r~zor h-ad 10 Tho u-- of di5cret blad-
platfo N 7Q connl ct d by a corrug~tion 60 ~ini~iZ- th-
pot ntial for s-p~ration b twoen tho upper supporting
~- surfac- of bIad platfor~ 70 and th~ botto of lower blad ~` i
30 In t~ nnor, th corroct bladc goo try i~
int~in-d at ~ch point ~long tho fl xibl- r~zor h-~d 10
ov n during fl xing which occur~ during h~ving ~ ~`
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2139582
-7-
As used herein, the term "corrugation" is meant to
include a resilient connector disposed between adjoin~ng
blade platforms and ~aving a length greater than the
"normal" distance between those adjoining blade plat~orm~,
i.e. the gap existing when the flexible razor head is in a
substantially linear con~isuration and is not subject to
external forces such as those encountered during shaving.
The corrugations of the present invention are longor than
the "normal" distance and are pr~ferably at least about
20% longer than the normal distance. Furthermore, the
corrugations may be formed with sidewalls having sections
with different thicknesses in order to further increaao
the flexibility of the blade support.
A guard support 55 depends downwardly and forwardly
from each blade plat~orm 70 in the illus~rated preferred
embodiment. As illustrated more cle~rly in the bottom -
view of Figure 6, each guard support 55 extends fro~ a
rearward position between corrugations 60 to a position
forward of cutting edge 31 to gupport guard members 50.
Thos- skilled in the art will appreciate that discrete
guard members 50 provide a function similar to a
continuous guard bar in~providing a suitable blade
geometry to the flexible shaving head 10 of the pre~ont
invention, while providing qre~ter flexibility than a~
conventional continuous guard bar form~d of the same
materials.
; .
Figures ~ and 8 illustrate an upp-r bla~o 20 and a
lower hl~de 30, respectively, u~d in the illustrated
emoodiment of the present invention. Both upper blade 20
30 and lower blade 30 compri~ a forw~rd cutting edgs 21, 31
and side positioninq slots 23, 33 and 24, 34. As
illustrated, left side slots 23, 33 may bo ~or~ed with a
shape dirrerent from right sidQ slot~ 24, 34 in ord-r to
en~ure propor positioning within a mold cavity. Each
35 blade i9 also prer~rably provid d with a g n rally
,.,
A ',
,,
~ 2139~82
c-ntrally locat~d hole 25, 35 A~ illustrat-d in Figur
3, a s-curing me~ber 105, which is integrallY orm-d wlth
c-ntral blade retainer 40 and central blade platfor~ 70,
pa~-s through both of the~e contrally locat-d holes 25,
S 35 In the illustrated pref~rred e bodiment of the
pr --nt invention, the~ contral hole~ 25, 35 ar~ th- only
po~ition~ whore a securing ~ ~b-r pa~ entirely through
both blado-
Tho~e ~kill~d in th~ art will appr ciat- that the
fl-xibility of the razor h~ad of the pre~ent invention
would bo iJpod d if upp r bl~d~ 20 wa- affix d to low r
blad- 30 along its ~ntir~ longitudinal lQngth Thi~ i~
due to th fact that a~ the razor head 10 fl-x-~, point~
on upp-r blade 20 will have a tendency to ~o~e lat~rally
lS r lative to points on low bl~d~ 30 If lateral shifting
is not p~itt d, flexing ig i~p dod and th blades will
not fl~x ev nly ther~by di~torting the bladc geo~etry
Th~refore, in accordance with the illustrat~d e~bodi~ent
of the pre~nt invQntion, lower blade 30 is secured at
~id-hol-s 36, 3~ to a nu~ber of di~crete blade platfora~
70 vhlch are movable relativ~ to each other as ~xplain d
abov- T~- ~id-holeJ 36, 3~ of lower blade 30 r-coiv-
-curing a ~b-rs during the ~ormation o~ th ~lexibl-
razor h-ad 10 Sinc- upp-r bl~do 20 ha~ no hol-~ at th-J-
po-itiona, th upp r blado 20 doo~ not roc-iv- th~
curing ~ nbor~ Con~oquontly, th~ shifting of uppor -~
blad~ 20 rolative to lowor bladQ 30 is not impoded at
; th-~- position~ Addition~lly, in a ~anner do~cribod in
~ furt~or d-tail below, l~ft po~ition hol~ 38 al~o r~ceiv
- ~ 30 so~ th-r~opla~tic mat-rial which ~l~o may t-nd to fa~t n
low r blad 30 to a corr~ponding bl~do platfor~ 70 In -` `
contra~t, upper blad~ 20 r~c-iv-~ th~r~opl~tic ~atorial ~ -
tbrowgb oblong, right po~itioning hol~ 29 but not at l-ft `~
po-itioning hole 28
.
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~ -
213~82
Razor head 10 is preferably ~orm-d by in~-ction
molding by first placing lowor blado 30 into a ~old with
locating pins extending ~rom tho botto~ of the mold cavity
through positioning hole8 38 and 39 A mold cavity spac-r
is then positioned on top of bottom blade 30 and uppor
blad- 20 i8 thon po8itionod on th sa~ positionlng pin~
which extQnd through po~itioning hol-~ 28, 29 The
plac-~ nt of th~ blades 20, 30 on th- pin~ is facilitat d
by providing oach blade with ono oblong po~itioning hol-
as illustrated Those skilled in tho art will appreciat-
that the mold member positionod botwo n th blades is ~'
d sign-d to pr vent the flow of thor~oplastiC matorial
wh r- such mat-rial is not ulti~at-ly d-sir d
Tho mold is then clo~-d and a thor~oplastiC mat-rial,
such as polypropylon~, is inj~ct~d into the ~old cavity to
~; for~ fl-xible razor hoad 10 T,hos~ ~killed in t~e art
will appreciate that other m~t~ri~ y be used in tho
preferred ~olding process of the present invention such as
poly-thyl-n~ Polypropylono ha~ b- n found to be
d -irable sinco it allowg th~ dogired a~ount of
' fl-xibility and cost effoctiv~ ~anufacturing whilQ
provid$ng adoquat- support for th~ blado~ and suffici-nt
rigidity to maintain tho d-~irod bl~d g-o~otry
Polypropyl-no al80 provido- a low ~old t~p-rature
r lativo to oth-r mat-rial~ Xnown in the art for th
for~ation of razor hoads This low ~old te~per~tur i9
d irabl- if a shaving aid is to b~ added to th- flexibl-
razor h-ad in a sequ-ntial molding proc-ss
A floxibl~ razor hoad o~ tho pro~ont invontion is
~ 30 adapt d to bo supportod by a razor J chaniS~ (illustrat d
;~- partially in phantom in Fig 9) having outw~rdly bia-od
ttach~ nt ~ b-rs T~Q illu tr~tod floxiblo razor h ad
10 is shown in Figuro 6 as h~ving ~n ~ttach- nt ~lot 110
dofin d by out-r sidow~ 115 d 120, inn r ~all 13S,
3S out r w~ll 140, and ~lot cov~r pl~t~ lS0 and 160 having
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2139~82
--10--
inn~r dge~ 151 and 161, re~pectively Inner wall 13S h~
an inner wall slot 180 defined by inner side walls 12S and
130 The slot cover plates 150 and 160 cover the outQr
ends of th- slot 110 but, a5 shown in Figure 6, leave a
portion of the inner end of slot 110 and the entire
central region of slot 110 uncovered for the passage of an
attachm~nt me~ber of a razor ~he outwardly biased ar~s
are advantag ously desiqned to aainta$n the razor
cartridgQ in a substantially linear configuration in the
absence of shaving forces
As be~t illustrat d in Figure 9, inner side walls 125
and 130 ~ay be extend d downwardly together forming an
attach~ nt neck 90 Attachment neck 90 is designed to
provid- a greater bearing sur~ace for a razor attachment
_ ber (shown in phantom) thereby reducing the potential
for flexible razor head to rock when attached to a razor
-m chanism
A fl~xible razor head of the presont invention aay ;~
also b- d~sign~d to receive one or more additional ~ -
el-~ nts such as a shaving aid in a subsequent molding or
ass~bly stcp For xa~pl~, during th- molding of a
fl~xible razor head according to th~ pr sent invention, a
blad- r-tain-r ~ay b- form-d with dopr Jsions design~d to -~
~;-; r~c~iv a shaving aid Th~ co~pleted Slexible razor h~ad
could then b~ subjected to a gupplemental molding step
wh-r in a shaving aid is sequentially molded into the
rec-s~-s in the blade retainers ~;
-,
In accordance with th anoth~r preferred eabodi~ nt -~-
illustrat~d in Figures 12 to 14, on~ or ~ore of the blade
retainers 140 is initially molded with a receptacl~ 142
hiaving flexible sid walls 143 Th- initially ~old d
fl-xibl- razor h-ad is th-n sub~ct d to a ~ub--qu-nt
molding st-p wherain sido wallJ 143 ara ~ir-t b-nt
downwardly into racaptaclo 142 and th n a ~having aid is
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~ 2139582
--11--
injected into r-ceptacle 142 Figure~ 13 and 14
$11ustrate the final positioning of th- shaving aid 14S on
blade retainers 140 The cut away vi-w of Figur- 14
illustrates the positioning of sidewall 143 below the
S shaving aid 14S in the final flexible razor head of this
embodiment
_ Ex-Dplary materials con~tituting th- ~having aid ~ay
co~prise one or varioug conbinationg of the followinq:
a A lubricating aq-nt for roducing th frictional
forces between the razor head and the g~in, e g , a nicro-
encapsulated silicone oil
~ b An agent which r-duces the drag betwe-n the
; razor parts and the shavor~s face, e g , a polyethyl-n
oxido in the rango of ~olocular weights of about lOO,oO0 --
to about 6,000,000 a non-ionic polyacrylamide and/or a
natural polysaccharide derived fro~ plant materials such
as nguar gumU
:~:
c An ag-nt wh$c~ modi~ies t~ chemical structur-
of th hair to allow the razor blade to paJ- through th
whi~k rs v-ry easily, e g , a depilatory ag-nt is on-
exa~pi-
d A cleaning agent which allow~ whiskers and ~kin
d-bris to be washed more ea~ily fro~ tho razor parts
during shavinq, e g , a silicon~ poly~thylene oxide block
~ 25 copolym r and detergent such a~ sodium lauryl sulphatQ
; i ~ e A m dicinal ag-nt ~or killing bact ria, or
repairing skin da~age and abra~ions
f A cos~otic ag-nt for ~o~ton~ng, ~oothinq,
conditioning or improvinq th kin
~' . . .
i,..i ~.
i,~,,..
-12-
g A blood coagulant ~or the supprosJion o~
bleeding that occurs fro~ nicks and cuts
As has been mentioned h~r~inabove, the configuration
of the shaving aid, its place o~ application to the razor
cartridge, the ~anner of attach~nt and/or other neans and
m thod of ineorporation ~ay vary widely to ~it particular
require~ nts
An alt-rnativo e~bodiment of tho pre~ont invention,
i e , razor head 10,~ ig illustrated in Figs 15-18 Like
razor h-ad 10, razor head 10~ ig a one piece continuous
th r~oplastie body in which the blades are seeured
substantially rigidly again~t ~ov -ent and vibration
during shaving As is known in th~ ~having industry, th
d sign and po~itioning of the eap portion and guard bar of
th razor h~d with r-sp-ct to the cap and soat bladeJ
creat- what is co~monly referr~d to as a ~shave geo~etry ~
A proper shave geo~etry is an i~portant factor in ensuring
a co~fortable and a suooth shave
The e bodi~ nt d-piet-d in Figur~ 15 shows t~-
addition of a skin ~low control rail 200 and a shaving aid
210 which inolud ~ corruqation~ 211 to p~rmit flexing
during ~havinq. Razor head 10~ has also be-n ins-rt
nold d so that the guard ~e~bers 50~ are interconnected
and eontinuous with skin flow control rail 200
As ~hown in Fig 18, r~zor h~d 10~ is also provid d
with flow-throuqh ring~glots 220 Shaving d~bris tend-
to aeeu ulate b-twoen th~ c~p and g~t blado~ during
~havinq.~ Thi8 d bri~, whieh ean detraet fro~ th
eff~etiv~nQss of the razor unit, i8 oft n dif~icult to
r ov by rinsinq alon~ T~1~ dir~ieulty in r ~oving th
shaving d bris whieh b-eo~ ~ lodg d betwaen th blad--
ott n fore-- the usar to hav- to ~t~p~ the r~zor ~ ad
again t t~- ink, count-r, te to elear the blad--
~ 2139~82
Razor head 10~ addresse8 this concern by
incorporating rinse slots ~20 in the back surface Or the
head The slots are positioned between the blades such
that a flow o~ water directed into the slots from the rear
of the razor unit will dislodge any shaving debris trapped
betw-en the blades
Another embodiment of the present invention is
illustrated in Figs 19-21 Reforring to Figs 20 and 21,
razor unit lon is molded so that both the cap blade and
lo the seat blade are supported egually by plastic In
particular, the amount of unsupported seat blade (i e ,
lengtb Xl) i5 substantially equal to th a~ount of
unsupported cap blade (i e , length X2) Phantom line~ A,
B, and C depict the additional continuoug body sections a,
b, and c which distinguish this preferred embodiment
These minute body modifications provide unique
cooperative support characteristics over the basic
invention illustrated best for comparison in Figures g and
11 The additional body s-gments a, b and c are also
2 0 continuous with the remaind~r of the shaving head
~:
Body segments a, b and c perform basically two
functions First, the additional body s-gments equalize
lengtb X~ and length X2 so that the vibration cycle of the
blad-s will begin substantially simultan-ously when an
impact force is exerted on the bladeJ In other words,
the blades are synchronized and will vibrate together,
thereby ensuring that the sp~n betwe~n the bladas remains
substantially constant during sbaving Second, the
additional plastic increase9 the rigidity of the blade-,
whicb, in turn, decrease th~ a~plitude o~ any vibration in
th- blade Ideally, the a~plitud~ o~ any vibration in tb
blades should be ~aintained a5 low as po~sibl- to n-ur-
tbat the razor h-ad is providing th- us-r witb a
con~ortablQ and c109- shav- Soth Or th ~e ~-at~ro-
:~. . . .
~ , , , ,, .., ~ .., . .:
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~ 21~9~82
-14-
nhanc- th~ ability to Daintain ~hav~ g~ometr,v ov~r th-
entire length of thQ shaving unit during shaving
Though the pregent invention has been illu~trated
utilizing two bladeg, thoge skilled in the art will
S appr ciate that tho advantage~ o~ the pre~ent invention
may alQo bo achi-vod u~ing a single blad razor hQad
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