This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2022-0074328, filed on Jun. 17, 2022, and 10-2023-0064840, filed on May 19, 2023, the contents of which are all hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a razor cartridge, and more particularly, to a razor cartridge used in a disposable razor or a cartridge replaceable razor.
A razor is a product generally used to cut and remove hair, such as facial hair, body hair, and beards. Typically, the razor consists of a handle to be gripped by a user, and a razor cartridge having a razor blade that come into contact with a skin surface to perform the act of shaving according to movement of the user's holding the handle. Such a razor includes a disposable razor in which the razor cartridge is not replaceable, and a cartridge replaceable razor in which a razor cartridge is selectively exchangeable by the user.
An aspect of the present disclosure provides a razor cartridge with a blade improved in shape so as to have an asymmetrical shape in which a thicknesses from one side facing skin surface and the other opposite side differs based on a center line of a cross section of the blade.
In one aspect, there is provided a razor cartridge including: at least one blade having an edge portion and a cutting edge formed at a tip of the edge portion; and a blade housing for receiving the at least one blade in a longitudinal direction so that at least a portion of the cutting edge is exposed through a top of the blade housing. The at least one blade includes: a substrate comprising a substrate tip, a first surface extending toward one side from the substrate tip, and a second surface extending toward the other side from the substrate tip; and a coating layer formed on the substrate to form the cutting edge, and comprising a first facet extending toward one side from a final edge forming a tip of the cutting edge, to face a skin surface during shaving and a second facet extending toward the other side from the final edge to opposite to the first facet. A blade angle between the skin surface and a line passing through a bisector of the edge portion is greater than an efficient angle between the skin surface and a line passing through a bisector of the final tip.
The efficient angle may be less than 10 degrees.
The blade angle may be 22 degrees or less.
The blade angle may be 17 degrees or less.
The final tip may be spaced apart from the skin surface during shaving.
The first facet may be formed within 1 micrometer of the final tip.
The second facet may be formed within 50 micrometers from the final tip.
An angle between the first facet and the second facet may have a value between 50 degrees and 75 degrees.
The blade may further include a third facet extending from the first facet, and an angle between the first facet and the third facet may have a value between 120 degrees and 165 degrees.
The blade may further include a third facet extending from the first facet, and an angle between an extension line of the second facet and an extension line of the third facet may have a value between 25 degrees and 50 degrees.
The blade may further include a third facet extending from the first facet, and the third facet may be formed within 50 micrometers from the final tip.
The blade may further include a third facet extending from the first facet and a fifth facet extending from the third facet. A point where the third facet and the fifth facet cross each other may be defined as a first intersection point. A point where a parallel line to the skin surface and passing through the first intersection point and a line passing through the bisector of the final tip cross each other may be defined as a second intersection point. A distance between the first intersection point and the second intersection point may have a value between 1 micrometer and 5 micrometers.
A distance between the second intersection point and the final tip may have a value between 2 micrometers and 7 micrometers.
In another aspect, there is provided a razor cartridge including at least one blade having an edge portion and a cutting edge formed at a tip of the edge portion; and a blade housing for receiving the at least one blade in a longitudinal direction so that at least a portion of the cutting edge is exposed through a top of the blade housing. The at least one blade includes: a substrate comprising a substrate tip, a first surface extending toward one side from the substrate tip, and a second surface extending toward the other side from the substrate tip; and a coating layer formed on the substrate to form the cutting edge, and comprising a first facet extending toward one side from a final edge forming a tip of the cutting edge, to face a skin surface during shaving and a second facet extending toward the other side from the final edge to opposite to the first facet. An efficient angle between the skin surface and a line passing through a bisector of the final tip is less than 10 degrees.
Details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.
The effects of the razor cartridge according to the present disclosure are as follows.
Accordingly, in a case where the cutting edge of the blade is formed asymmetrically, the blade angle between the skin surface and the line passing through the bisector of the edge portion is greater than the efficient angle between the skin surface and the line passing through the bisector of the final tip, so that a cutting force can be reduced according to shaving characteristics and irritation to the skin surface can be minimized.
A razor cartridge includes at least one blade disposed transversely to a shaving direction to cut body hair and a blade housing for accommodating the blade in a longitudinal direction. A cutting edge for substantially cutting hair is formed at a tip of a blade, and the cutting edge is exposed upward of the blade housing.
Meanwhile, during shaving, the user may feel a comfortable saving sensation according to the cutting force. The cutting force generally refers to a cutting resistance between the body hair and the blade during hair cutting. The smaller the cutting force is, the more efficiently the body hair is cut and the more comfortable the user feels during shaving.
In detail, the blade includes a substrate used as a base material, a metal coating layer and a resin coating layer staked on the substrate, and the cutting force of the blade is based on the shape constituting the blade. For example, if the thickness of the substrate is thinner, the cutting force of the blade is further reduced, thereby enabling efficient cutting of the body hair and providing the user with a comfortable shaving sensation. Also, in another example, the cutting force of the blade depends on the cross-sectional shape of the blade that constitutes one side facing the skin surface and the other side opposite.
However, in a blade, a metal coating layer and a resin coating layer staked from both sides of the substrate are formed in a symmetrical shape of the same thickness. Such a blade having a symmetrical shape has a limitation in improving the cutting force and durability of the blade due to the characteristics of one side facing the skin surface to cut body hair and the opposite side facing away from the skin surface.
Hereinafter, a razor cartridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Prior to description, it should be noted in advance that the razor cartridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be inseparably coupled to or integrally formed with a handle of a disposable razor, and may be selectively coupled to a handle of a cartridge replaceable razor.
As shown in
The handle 100 is gripped by a user. The handle 100 includes a handle body 110 and a handle header 130.
The handle body 110 is a part of razor 10 gripped by the user. The handle header 130 may be provided at one end of the handle body 110 and detachably coupled to the razor cartridge 500. Also, the handle body 110 pivotably supports the selectively coupled razor cartridge 500. Here, in the case of a disposable razor, the handle body 110 is inseparably coupled to or integrally formed with the razor cartridge 500.
The handle header 130 is coupled to the handle coupling part 300 formed under the razor cartridge 500. The handle header 130 is coupled to the handle coupling part 300 so as to pivotably support the razor cartridge 500 within a certain angle range for a fixed axis or an axis that moves within a certain range.
Also, the handle header 130 is selectively coupled to the handle coupling part 300 in the cartridge replaceable razor. In this case, the handle 100 may be provided with an operator (not shown) capable of operating the handle header 130. The user is able to release the coupling between the handle header 130 and the handle coupling part 300 by operating the operator.
The razor cartridge 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a blade housing 510, a lubricating band 530, a clip 550, and a blade 1000.
The blade housing 510 includes a frame 511, a guard 513, and a cap 515. Here, the guard 513 is disposed in front (or in a positive X-axis direction of) the frame 511, and the cap 515 is disposed at rear (or in a negative X-axis direction) of the frame 511.
A central portion of the frame 511 is formed to be open upward. The frame 511 accommodates at least one blade 1000 in a longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction). When a plurality of blades 1000 is disposed at the frame 511, each blade 1000 may be arranged in a row in a transverse direction (X-axis direction) to the other blades 1000.
During shaving, the guard 513 comes into close contact with the user's skin surface S (see
The lubricating band 530 exposed through a top of the razor cartridge 500 may be disposed at the cap 515. The lubricating band 530 includes a lubricating material, and allows the lubricating material to be applied to the skin surface S where the blade 1000 passes during shaving. The lubricating material may include components for protecting the skin surface S after shaving.
The clip 550 surrounds both sides of the frame 511 and is coupled to the blade housing 510. The clip 550 prevents separation of the blade 1000 from the blade housing 510.
The blade 1000 includes a base portion 1100, a bent portion 1200, and an edge portion 1300, as shown in
The base 1100 is supported by the blade housing 510. The bent portion 1200 is disposed between the edge portion 1300 and the base portion 1100 to thereby connect the base portion 1100 and the edge portion 1300 to each other. The bent portion 1200 extends forward (in the positive X-axis direction) from the base portion 1100. The edge portion 1300 extends along a bending direction of the bent portion 1200 that is bent from the base portion 1100. The edge portion 1300 is a region to substantially cut the body hair during shaving, and the cutting edge 1600 is formed at a tip of the edge portion 1300.
As shown in
As shown in
The table of
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the substrate 1500 has a thickness T4 of 1.16 to 2.06 micrometers measured at a distance of 4 micrometers away from the substrate tip 1510, and the substrate 1500 has a thickness T16 of 3.58 to 6.44 micrometers measured at a distance of 16 micrometers away from the substrate tip 1510.
Further, the substrate 1500 has a thickness T20 of 4.19 to 7.51 micrometers measured at a distance of 20 micrometers away from the substrate tip 1510, and the substrate 1500 has a thickness T25 of 4.95 to 9.47 micrometers measured at a distance of 25 micrometers away from the substrate tip 1510. Even in a case where the blade 1000 has an asymmetrical shape, a shape of the substrate 1500 used as the base material of the blade 1000 has a significant impact on the overall shape, shaving performance, and durability of the blade 1000. In particular, a thickness in a region of the substrate 1500 relatively close to the substrate tip 1510, such as T1 to T25, may play an important role in determining the characteristics of the blade 1000.
As shown in
The cutting edge 1600 is formed at a tip region of the edge portion 1300, and is formed based on the formation of the substrate 1500 and the coating layer 1700 coated on the substrate 1500. The cutting edge 1600 performs a function of substantially cutting the body hair during shaving. At least a portion of the cutting edge 1600 is exposed through a top of the blade housing 1510 and comes into contact with body hair during shaving.
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the coating layer 1700 includes a final tip 1710, a first facet 1730, and a second facet 1740. In addition, the coating layer 1700 further includes a third facet 1760. In addition, the coating layer 1700 further includes a fourth facet 1780 and a fifth facet 1790. The coating layer 1700 has a basic structure consisting of hard coating and resin coating. A total thickness of the coating layer 1700 has a range of about 5 nm to about 500 nm.
The coating layer 1700 of the blade 1000 includes a material based on CrC or Cr. Alternatively the coating layer 1700 may include a layer containing Carbon, a layer containing Boron, a layer containing Nitrogen, or a layer containing Oxide, or a material layer of a combination of at least some of these.
The final tip 1710 forms the tip of the cutting edge 1710. The final tip 1710 is spaced from the skin surface S during shaving. The first facet 1730 extends toward one side from the final tip 1710, forming the tip of the cutting edge 1710, and faces the skin surface S during shaving. The second facet 1740 extends toward the other side from the final tip 1710. Next, the third facet 1760 extends from the first facet 1730. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first facet 1730 and the third facet 1760 face the skin surface S. However, aspects of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and the second facet 1740 may face the skin surface S. The first facet 1730, the second facet 1740, and the third facet 1760 shown in the present disclosure are formed in a straight line. However, aspects of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and the first facet 1730, the second facet 1740, and the third facet 1760 may have a convex or concave shape. The fourth facet 1780 and the fifth facet 1790 are formed symmetrically with each other. In detail, the fourth facet 1780 extends from the second facet 1740, and the fifth facet 1790 extends from the third facet 1760. The blade 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has an asymmetrical shape. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the blade 1000 is manufactured to have a symmetrical substrate 1500 and an asymmetrical coating layer 1700. However, aspects of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and the blade 1000 may be manufactured so that the substrate 1500 also has an asymmetrical shape.
As described above, the asymmetric shape of the blade 1000 may be based on the shapes of the first facet 1730 and the third facet 1760. In addition, the asymmetric shape of the blade 1000 may be formed with including the third facet 1760. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first facet 1730 is formed within 1 micrometer from the final tip 1710. The second facet 1740 is formed within 50 micrometers from the final tip 1710. The third facet 1760 is formed within 50 micrometers from the final tip 1710.
Meanwhile, a first angle θ1 between the first facet 1730 and the second facet 1740 is an angle formed by the final tip 1710, affecting cut-in of the blade 1000 for the body hair. The first angle θ1 has a value between 50 degrees and 75 degrees, or, between 50 degrees and 70 degrees. A second angle θ2 between the first facet 1730 and the third facet 1760 is an angle formed by the area of the blade 1000 facing the skin surface S during shaving, affecting the magnitude of skin irritation to the skin surface S during shaving. The second angle θ2 has a value between 120 degrees and 165 degrees, or, between 130 degrees and 160 degrees. A third angle θ3 between an extension line of the second facet 1740 and an extension line of the third facet 1760 is an angle that determines the overall thickness of the blade 1000 after the first facet 1730. The third angle θ3 affects a procedure of the blade 100 to cut the body hair, that is, a procedure following a cut-in procedure. The third angle θ3 has a value between 25 degrees and 50 degrees, or, between 30 degrees and 45 degrees. The first, second, and third angles θ1, θ2, θ3 collectively determine the asymmetrical shape of the blade 1000, and may be the factors that determine an efficient angle δ which will be described later.
As shown in
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In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the blade angle BA is formed greater than the efficient angle δ. Specifically, the efficient angle δ may be less than 10 degrees, and the blade angle BA may be 14 to 22 degrees, or, 17 degrees or less. That is, the blade angle BA is formed greater than the efficient angle δ, as in the aforementioned range of numerical values.
In
This is proven on the basis of the test result chart in
Here, in
Meanwhile, in the test result chart of
Looking at the test results, when the blade angle BA is 14 degrees and the efficient angle δ is 4 degrees, the rate of change of SHCF according to the five tests is −11.234% and −13.109% for the body hair and the blade 1000, respectively. Also, when the blade angle BA is 22 degrees and the efficient angle δ is 14 degrees, the rate of change of SHCF is −9.820% and −10.778% for the body hair and the blade 1000, respectively. Lastly, when the blade angle BA is 30 degrees and the efficient angle δ is 22 degrees, the rate of change of SHCF is 1.980% and −1.496% for the body hair and the blade 1000, respectively.
As the rate of change of SHCF has a larger negative value, the cutting force decreases, so that body hair is less pulled during shaving and a user may feel comfortable during shaving. As described in the test results of
Accordingly, in a case where the cutting edge 1600 of the blade 1000 is formed asymmetrically, the blade angle BA between the skin surface S and the line A1 passing through the bisector of the edge portion 1300 is greater than the efficient angle δ between the skin surface S and the line A2 passing through the bisector of the final tip 1710, so that a cutting force can be reduced according to shaving characteristics and irritation to the skin surface S can be minimized.
While embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that specific implementations may be varied and modified without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are merely examples for purposes of description and do not limit the present disclosure in any respect. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure is limited solely by the following claims and their equivalents. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein. Various modifications made within the meaning of an equivalent of the claims of the invention and within the claims are to be regarded to be in the scope of the present disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2022-0074328 | Jun 2022 | KR | national |
10-2023-0064840 | May 2023 | KR | national |