The invention relates to safety shaving razor systems and, more particularly, to structures for connecting a replaceable blade cartridge to a handle of such safety razor shaving systems.
Safety razor shaving systems typically comprise a handle and a replaceable blade cartridge (often also called a disposable cartridge or simply a cartridge) in which a plurality of blades are arranged in parallel between a guard and a cap, with a connecting structure (or connecting structures) for releasably securing the cartridge to the handle, release of the cartridge from the handle being effected by a user-actuated mechanism such as a button on the handle. Often, connecting structures and release mechanisms have a relatively bulky construction. It would therefore be desirable to provide a shaving razor system with a relatively compact connecting structure and release mechanism.
One embodiment provides a safety razor shaving system, comprising: a handle having a handle connecting structure; and a replaceable razor cartridge having a cartridge connecting structure; wherein the handle connecting structure and the cartridge connecting structure are configured to be brought together along a connection axis into a securely connected position; and wherein the handle connecting structure or the cartridge connecting structure has an L-shaped release member including a leg that extends along the connection axis and a foot that extends away from the connection axis, the L-shaped release member configured to release the handle connecting structure and the cartridge connecting structure from the securely connected position in response to a user-applied force to the foot.
The L-shaped design of the release member is simple and has a compact form factor that allows it to fit into a relatively small ‘neck’ area between the main body of the handle and the upper part of the cartridge, yet still enables the user to easily actuate the release member.
The term “along the connection axis” includes configurations which are parallel to the connection axis as well as configurations which are offset from parallel. Similarly, the term “away from the connection axis” includes configurations which are perpendicular to the connection axis as well as configurations which are offset from perpendicular. Thus, the L-shaped release member can be approximately L-shaped, i.e., the leg and the foot do not have to be exactly at right angles to one another. The foot can extend upwardly away from the connection axis.
In one embodiment, the handle connecting structure and the cartridge connecting structure have complementary securing elements, one of which is formed on the leg of the L-shaped release member. The other securing element can be formed on the handle connecting structure or the cartridge connecting structure depending on whether the L-shaped release member is provided on the cartridge connecting structure or the handle connecting structure, respectively. Alternatively, the complementary securing elements can be formed on the handle connecting structure and the cartridge connecting structure. The securing elements can utilize mechanical means (e.g., complementary projections, a projection and a complementary groove or hole), magnetic means (e.g., a magnet and corresponding ferrous metal), combinations thereof, or the like, to secure the connecting structures together.
In one embodiment, the L-shaped release member includes a pair of the legs having respective securing elements configured to releasably engage one or more complementary securing elements of the other connecting structure. This provides a secure engagement between handle connecting structures.
In one embodiment, the L-shaped release member is configured to pivot about a pivot axis located: at an intersection of the leg and the foot; at a free end of the leg; or between the free end of the leg and the intersection of the leg and the foot. Such a release member permits easy user actuation without extending the form factor since the movement (pivoting) is perpendicular to the connection axis. However, in another embodiment the L-shaped release member is configured to be movable along the connection axis.
In one embodiment, the L-shaped release member is integrally formed with a housing of the cartridge connecting structure, and the leg is configured to resiliently deform when the user-applied force is applied to the foot. This provides a simple design having a reduced number of (moving) parts.
In one embodiment, the cartridge connecting structure comprises a housing with a closed end and an open end, the open end configured to receive the handle connecting structure, at least a portion of the closed end located within a cavity of the replaceable blade cartridge. This can provide in a small ‘neck’ area defined between the gripping portion of the handle and the main body of the replaceable blade cartridge. A pivoting structure can be provided at the closed end of the housing, the pivoting structure located within the cavity and of the replaceable razor cartridge and configured to allow the replaceable razor cartridge to pivot. As such, the pivoting structure does not increase the size of ‘neck’ area so that the compact form factor is retained.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a replaceable razor cartridge for a safety razor shaving system including a handle having a handle connecting structure, comprising: a guard, a cap, and one or more blades disposed in parallel between the guard and the cap; and a cartridge connecting structure configured to be brought together with the handle connecting structure along a connection axis into a securely connected position; wherein the cartridge connecting structure has an L-shaped release member including a leg that extends along the connection axis and a foot that extends away from the connection axis, the L-shaped release member configured to release the handle connecting structure and the cartridge connecting structure from the securely connected position in response to a user-applied force to the foot.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a handle for a safety razor shaving system including a replaceable razor cartridge having a cartridge connecting structure, comprising: a body configured to be gripped by a user; and a handle connecting structure extending from the body, the handle connecting structure configured to be brought together with the cartridge connecting structure along a connection axis into a securely connected position; wherein the handle connecting structure) has an L-shaped release member including a leg that extends along the connection axis and a foot that extends away from the connection axis, the L-shaped release member configured to release the handle connecting structure and the cartridge connecting structure from the securely connected position in response to a user-applied force to the foot.
In any of the aforementioned safety razor system embodiments, the handle can comprise an underneath surface portion facing the skin of the user in use; a front surface portion facing in the opposite direction from the shaving direction in use; a rear surface portion facing in the shaving direction in use; a top surface portion and side surface portions, one directed to either side of the blade length in use; wherein the top surface portion, underneath surface portion and side surface portions together form a continuous smooth surface which is a substantially cylindrical or substantially ellipsoid or substantially partially spherical surface; and wherein: the distance between the front surface portion and rear surface portion is between one third and three times, preferably between a half and twice, the largest dimension of the largest cross section through the continuous smooth surface.
The “chunky” bulbous shapes of the handle allow a particularly flexible ergonomic handling, giving many varied gripping positions for the human hand and easy twisting of the handle within the grip to reach different angles. The handle can alternatively be defined in terms of its bulbous shape, as comprising a handle body and a handle connecting structure; wherein the handle body is bulbous in two orthogonal directions, widening away from an end surface towards the centre of the body. This definition applies to any of the aforementioned safety razor system embodiments.
Moreover this handle shape allows the handle to stand on a surface with the blade and any lubrapad of an attached blade unit suspended above the surface. This can help prevent blade corrosion. The handle can alternatively be defined in these terms as comprising a handle body with a substantially flat end surface and a side surface (to which the handle connecting structure is attached), wherein: when the flat end surface is in contact with a horizontal plane and the cartridge is connected to the handle via the cartridge connecting structure and the handle connecting structure, the safety razor is in a stable position of rest, the flat end surface forming the safety razor's only region of contact with the plane and elevating the cartridge above the plane. This definition applies to any of the aforementioned safety razor system embodiments.
These and other features and advantages will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.
Embodiments will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
This disclosure is generally concerned with connecting structures and release mechanisms that allow a replaceable blade cartridge to be connected and disconnected from a handle of a safety razor shaving system. As such, certain features of the replaceable blade cartridge, such as the blades, are not depicted in the figures. It will be appreciated, however, that these features form part of the safety razor shaving system described herein.
The handle 20 has a handle connecting structure 24 shaped like a rectangular cuboid or block with an upper surface 26, a lower surface 27, two lateral surface 28 (that define the width of the handle connecting structure 24), and a front surface 29. The terms “upper” and “lower” are used to define the surface of the handle connecting structure 24 relative to the shaving surface. That is, when the handle 20 is connected to the replaceable blade cartridge 40 and drawn across the skin during shaving, the lower surface 27 generally will be facing the surface being shaved and the upper surface 26 generally will be facing away from the surface being shaved. The upper surface 26 has a cut-out portion 30 that extends between the lateral surface 28 and from the front surface 29 to a ridge 31, curving as it approaches the ridge 31. On the opposite side of the ridge 31, another cut-out portion 32 extends between the side surfaces 26. The ridge 25 serves as a complementary securing element to a securing element of the cartridge connecting structure 42, as will be describer later.
The cartridge 40 has a guard 44, a cap 48, and one or more elongate blades disposed in parallel between the guard 44 and the cap 48. For example, the cartridge 40 can have two or more (for example, five) blades. A shaving aid, such as a lubricating strip, can be incorporated in one or both of the guard 44 and the cap 48. As noted above, certain features of the cartridge 40, such as the blades, are not depicted in the figures. However, the dashed lines in the figures represent the cutting edge positions of the blades. The upper portion of the cartridge is also not depicted in
The cartridge 40 also has a cartridge connecting structure 42 in the form of a housing 76 with an interior shaped to receive the handle connecting structure 24. In this case, the rectangular cuboid or block shaped handle connecting structure 42 is configured to fit completely inside the housing 76. The front surface 29 of the handle connecting structure 24 is rounded to permit easier insertion into the housing 76 of the cartridge connecting structure 42. The interior upper surface of the housing is provided with a securing element in the form of a hook 43 that is configured to engage with the ridge 25 of the handle connecting structure 24. As the handle connecting structure 24 is inserted into the cartridge connecting structure 42 along a connection axis (shown as a dashed line in
To enable the hook(s) 43 to disengage from the ridge, the cartridge connecting structure 24 is provided with an L-shaped release member 70 with a leg 72 that extends along the connection axis and a foot 74 that extends away from the connection axis. As shown in
The cartridge connecting structure 42 has two pivot arms 41 that extend from the housing 76 and which have respective outwardly extending pins (not shown) that are housed in recesses or holes provided in the replaceable razor cartridge 40 to allow pivoting of the replaceable razor cartridge 40 relative to the handle 20. These can be implemented in a known manner.
While the handle connecting structure 24 described above has just one securing element, it will apparent that other types of securing elements (and indeed more than one) can be provided. Furthermore, the configurations of the handle and cartridge connecting structures can be reversed. For example, the handle connecting structure can be formed as a housing, with the cartridge connecting structure formed as a generally rectangular cuboid shape described above. The L-shaped release member can be provided so that the foot and hook are located at the opening of the housing. Then, instead of applying a force towards the cartridge, the user can apply a force away from the cartridge to release the hook from the ridge.
In particular, the safety razor system 10 depicted in
However, the L-shaped release member 70 of the safety razor system 10 depicted in
The foot 74 of the L-shaped release member 70 is, as before, formed as a tab-shaped element that has a thin side profile and that can be actuated by the user with finger or thumb. However, when a force is applied to the foot 74 in the direction of the cartridge 40, the legs 72 pivot downwards and thereby disengage the hook elements 25 from the catch element(s) 43, allowing the handle connecting structure 24 to be withdrawn from the cartridge connecting structure 42.
The L-shaped release member 70 shown in
Like the safety razor system 10 depicted in
Two exemplary L-shaped release members (release mechanisms) have been described above.
In
The L-shaped release member shown in
In
In
The handle depicted in
The handle 20 of the safety razor system 10 shown in
Similar to the terms “upper” and “lower” used previously, the terms “underneath” is used to describe features of the handle that are positioned on the skin-contacting side, and the term “top” is used to describe features of the handle that are positioned on a side opposite the underneath side. The terms “front”, “rear”, and “side(s)” are used herein with reference to the shaving direction, similar to the expressions “in front of” and “to the rear of” the blades used previously. In particular, the term “front” means facing the shaving direction, “rear” means facing away to the shaving direction, and “side(s)” mean to either side in the shaving direction. The term substantially cylindrical or substantially ellipsoid or substantially partially spherical surface is used to describe a shape which is close to cylindrical or ellipsoid or partially spherical form, for example with a 10% deviation from one of those forms. In one measure, a section (or all sections) taken vertically through the continuous smooth surface (for example in a direction parallel to the blade length) overlaps with a circle or ellipse drawn to just cover the whole section with the areas of the circle or ellipse which are not covered by the section being up to one tenth of the area of the section.
The handle connecting structure 24 can simply fit into a recess in the underneath surface portion 153, where it is glued or otherwise affixed in place. Of course, the handle connecting structure could alternatively be provided outside or inside the handle body via another structure that may be on (and/or inside) the side surface, or on (and/or inside) the flat end surface and the side surface.
While specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as covering all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
The Summary and Abstract sections may set forth one or more but not all exemplary embodiments of the present invention as contemplated by the inventor(s), and thus are not intended to limit the present invention and the appended claims in any way.
The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
10 safety razor shaving system
20 handle
24 handle connecting structure
25 securing element (of the handle connecting structure)
26 upper surface (of the handle connecting structure)
27 lower surface (of the handle connecting structure)
28 lateral surfaces (of the handle connecting structure)
29 front surface
30 cut-out portion of upper surface
32 cut-out portion of upper surface
40 replaceable razor cartridge
41 pivot arms
42 cartridge connecting structure
43 securing element (of the cartridge connecting structure)
44 guard
48 cap
50 lateral side portions (of the cartridge)
52 blade(s)
70 L-shaped release member
72 leg(s) (of L-shaped release member)
74 foot (of the L-shaped release member)
76 housing (of the cartridge connecting structure)
78 closed end (of the housing)
80 open end (of the housing)
82 pivoting structure
90 cavity (of the replaceable razor cartridge)
151 front surface portion (of handle)
152 rear surface portion (of handle)
153 underneath surface portion (of handle)
154 top surface portion (of handle)
155 side portion(s) (of handle)
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2018 105 821.7 | Mar 2018 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2018/085376 | 12/18/2018 | WO | 00 |