The present invention relates to shaving razors and more particularly to shaving razors including a pivotal frame and a blade unit and a biasing member that biases the blade unit.
A shaving razor in its basic form includes a handle and a cartridge in which one or more blades are mounted. In a disposable razor when the blades become dull from use, the entire razor is discarded and replaced with a new razor. In a shaving system when the blades become dull from use, the cartridge is discarded and replaced on the handle with a new cartridge.
In some shaving razors the blades are resiliently mounted in the shaving cartridge and deflect under the force of skin contact during shaving. In some shaving razors the connection of the cartridge to the handle provides a pivotal mounting on the cartridge with respect to the handle so that the cartridge angle adjusts to follow the contours of the skin surface being shaved. In such razors the cartridge can be biased toward an at rest position by the action of a spring-biased plunger and a cam follower carried on the handle against a cam surface found on the cartridge.
With respect to cartridges comprised of two components such as a pivotal frame and a blade unit there is a need to provide a biasing member that acts on the blade unit to bias the blade unit into the preferred shaving position.
In accordance with the present invention a razor is provided. The razor includes comprises a shaving cartridge comprising a pivotal frame, a blade unit moveably secured to the pivotal frame and an interconnect member. The biasing member comprises a spring biased plunger or a cantilever spring. The razor may include one, two or more biasing members.
The handle comprises a cartridge support structure shaped to mate with a recess in the interconnect member and the biasing member extends from the cartridge support structure.
The pivotal frame has an upper surface and a lower surface and the cam follower biases the blade unit toward the upper surface of the pivotal frame.
The camming surface permits the pivotal frame to pivot in only one direction from an at rest position.
The razor may be disposable where the entire razor is discarded when the blades become dull from use or a system where the cartridge is discarded and replaced when the blades become dull from use and is replaced on the handle with a new cartridge.
The interconnect member comprises a base structure. The cartridge support structure of the handle is shaped to mate with a recess in the base structure of the interconnect member.
The blade unit is moveably secured to the pivotal frame between a first position and a second position and the biasing member that has a cam follower surface and extends from the interconnect member and through the cam follower opening to act on the camming surface to bias the blade unit toward the second position.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as forming the present invention, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
Pivotal frame 16 includes an upper surface 30 and a lower surface 31. Upper surface 30 of pivotal frame 16 is the skin contacting surface or shaving surface of pivotal frame 16. Upper surface 30 of pivotal frame 16 includes a guard 20 and a cap 22. Blade unit 18 includes one more blades 19. In the embodiment shown in
Cartridge support structure 42 of handle 12 extends from the end of elongated gripping portion 41. Cartridge support structure 42 includes shaped extension 26 and the components that provide a biasing member 43 which in this embodiment is a spring-biased plunger 44 for biasing the blade unit 18 relative to pivotal frame 16 and pivotal frame 16 relative to interconnect member 24. It also includes components that provide for ejection of cartridge 14 from handle 12.
Referring now to
Each extension 54 of ejector button 50 has an outwardly directed groove 84 that slides on a respective track 86 within opening 52 along axis 83. The upper surfaces 85 defining grooves 84 slide on the upper surface 89 of tracks 86, and the lower surfaces 91 defining grooves 84 effect capture on or about the lower surfaces 93 of track 86. Extensions 54 have inclined surfaces 87 that coact with the curved upper corners of tracks 86 to deflect extensions 54 inward as button 50 is inserted into cartridge support structure 42. When grooves 84 on extension 54 align with tracks 86, extensions 54 substantially return to their undeflected position and lock ejector button 50 in place within opening 52. Ejector 48 is placed within recess 49 before button 50 is inserted so that the ends of extensions 54 will be located within rectangular region 56 so as to retain ejector 48 within cartridge support structure 42. Extensions 54 push against surfaces 94 of ejector 48 when ejector button 50 is pushed toward the end of handle 12. After button 50 has been inserted, upper vertical surfaces 96 of extensions 54 sit within the space between upper surfaces 98 of opening 52.
Spring 46 (
As shown in
Side arms 104 have inclined surfaces 120 to cause downward biasing of arms 104 when plunger 44 is inserted into recess 49 until stop surfaces 114 advance past the front ends of slots 110, 112 and stop surfaces 114 snap into position within the respective slot. Because slots 110, 112 are provided on both sides of extensions 26, plunger 44 can be inserted in either position orientation, with the stop surface 114 directed into slot 110 or 112.
Referring to
In the manufacture of handle 12, elongated hand gripping portion 41 may be a single component or multiple components secured together to form a unitary structure.
In assembling the components of cartridge support structure 42 at the end of handle 12, ejector 48 is first inserted into recess 49. Spring 46 and plunger 44 are then inserted. Inclined surfaces 120 of side arms 104 are biased during insertion toward the middle of the recess and then snap into slot 110 or 112 (depending upon plunger orientation) locking plunger 44, spring 46, and ejector 48 in place in cartridge support structure 42. Spring 46 acts both to bias ejector 48 backward against the surfaces of recess 49 and button extensions 54 and to bias plunger 44 forward, stop surfaces 114 being biased against the forward edges of slot 110 or 112. Button 50 is inserted into opening 52 after ejector 48 has been inserted into position. Inclined surfaces 87 are biased inward by the curved upper portions of rails 86, and ejector button 50 is snapped into place within tracks 86 being located within grooves 84.
Referring now to
Referring now to
When joining blade unit 18 with pivotal frame 16 a snap fit connection is formed between blade unit 18 and pivotal frame 16. Blade unit 18 is sized and shaped to fit within opening 35 of pivotal frame 16. Guide bars 63 on blade unit 18 rest within grooves 39 of pivotal frame 16. Indents 61 on blade unit 18 engage with prongs 36 of blade unit 18. The engagement of indents 61 with prongs 36 moveably secures pivotal frame 16 to blade unit 18. The term moveably secures is used to describe the condition where the blade unit 18 is secured to the pivotal frame 16 but is capable of relatively small movements within the pivotal frame. The allowance for small movements comes about as there is some tolerance built in to the prong and indent dimensions respectively such that they are not an exact match. That is, the prong dimensions are slightly smaller than the indent dimensions. Such tolerances are necessary for manufacturing purposes.
Referring now to
The blade unit 18 moves within pivotal frame 16 between a first position and a second position. In the first position the blade unit 18 is nearest the lower surface 31 of pivotal frame 16. In the second position the blade unit 18 is nearest the upper surface 30 of pivotal frame 16.
Referring to
The base structure could be held on to the pivotal frame with a releasable latch. The blades could be loaded from the bottom instead of the top. The cartridge support structure could be made as a unit separate from the handle and attached to it. The pivotal connection could be provided by pins in respective holes, shell bearding and other techniques.
In the embodiment shown in
Referring to
Pivotal frame 216 includes an upper surface 230 and a lower surface 231. Upper surface 230 of pivotal frame 216 is the skin contacting surface or shaving surface of pivotal frame 216. Upper surface 230 of pivotal frame 216 includes a guard 220 and a cap 222. Blade unit 218 includes one more blades 219. In the embodiment shown in
Cartridge support structure 242 of handle 212 extends from the end of elongated gripping portion 241. Interconnect member 224 is secured to cartridge support structure 242 of handle 212. Biasing member 243 which in this embodiment is a cantilever spring 244 extends from interconnect member 224 to act on the camming surface 232 to bias the blade unit 218. The cantilever spring 244 extends from the central base 227 of the interconnect member 224.
Referring to
Pivotal frame 316 includes an upper surface 330 and a lower surface 331. Upper surface 330 of pivotal frame 316 is the skin contacting surface or shaving surface of pivotal frame 316. Upper surface 330 of pivotal frame 316 includes a guard 320 and a cap 322. Blade unit 318 includes one more blades 319. Blade unit 318 also includes camming surfaces 332.
Cartridge support structure 342 of handle 312 extends from the end of elongated gripping portion 341. Interconnect member 324 is secured to cartridge support structure 342 of handle 312. Biasing member 343 which in this embodiment include two cantilever springs 344 extend from interconnect member 324 to act on the camming surfaces 332 to bias the blade unit 318. The cantilever springs 344 extend from the central base 327 of the interconnect member 324.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm.”
All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.
This application is a continuation application of pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11/897,313, filed Aug. 30, 2007.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11897313 | Aug 2007 | US |
Child | 12824522 | US |