The present invention relates to personal care articles and more particularly to shaving razor systems that have a shaving razor cartridge mounted to an ergonomically formed handle that is configured to removably retain a container of fluid.
In general, a cartridge or blade unit of a safety razor has at least one blade with a cutting edge which is moved across the surface of the skin being shaved by means of a handle to which the cartridge or blade unit is attached. Some shaving razors are provided with a spring biased cartridge that pivots relative to the handle to follow the contours of the skin during shaving. The cartridge may be mounted detachably on the handle to enable the cartridge to be replaced by a fresh cartridge when the blade sharpness has diminished to an unsatisfactory level, or it may be attached permanently to the handle with the intention that the entire razor be discarded when the blade or blades have become dulled.
Razor blade assemblies have been disclosed wherein cutting edge portions of the blade members are held between skin engaging surfaces which are generally referred to as the guard and cap of the razor blade assembly. The guard contacts the skin in front of the blade member(s) and the cap contacts the skin behind the blade member(s) during a shaving stroke. The cap and guard may aid in establishing the so-called “shaving geometry”, i.e., the parameters which determine the blade orientation and position relative to the skin during shaving, which in turn have a strong influence on the shaving performance and efficacy of the razor. The cap may comprise a water leachable shaving aid to reduce drag and improve comfort. The guard may be generally rigid, for example formed integrally with a frame or platform structure which provides a support for the blades. Guards may also comprise softer elastomeric materials to improve skin stretching.
It is generally known that applying a shaving lotion (e.g., shaving oil or cream) prior to shaving aids in hydrating the hair and lubricating the surface of the skin, which aids in reducing nicks, cuts and irritation. It is also generally known that applying a shaving lotion (e.g., aftershave balm or moisturizer) helps moisturize the skin and sooth shaving irritation. Various razors have been developed that combine a razor with a shaving product dispensing container, wherein the container forms a part of the handle. Many other personal care articles also incorporate a mechanical device that works in collaboration with a chemical composition other than wet shaving razors. Examples may include, but are not limited to shaving brushes, exfoliation and cleansing devices, electric razors and toothbrushes.
Numerous designs of containers are available for dispensing various types of fluid compositions for personal care products. For example, tottles are readily available in numerous sizes and configurations. The term “tottle” is derived from the combination of tube and bottle. The tottle stands on the dispensing cap portion of the bottle, which allows the product to be easily dispensed. This can be particularly advantageous for dispensing compositions that are highly viscous, as gravity will naturally cause the product to settle near the dispensing orifice when the dispenser is stored so that the dispensing portion is at the bottom. The thickness of the tottle walls also allows the product to be impact resistant but flexible enough to be squeezed to easily dispense the contents. Tottles are most commonly made out of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), low density polyethylene (LDPE) or high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic and commonly have a dispensing cap such as a screw-off cap or a flip-top cap. Dispensing caps may seal directly to the tottle, or may be attached to the tottle and seal to itself.
However, there are no simple and intuitive structures or methods for removably attaching a liquid container to a shaving razor handle and ergonomically configuring the liquid container and handle system. Thus, there is a need for an easy method and apparatus for removably attaching a liquid container (e.g., a bottle, tube or tottle) to a personal care article in a simple, efficient and secure manner by either the original manufacturer or the consumer. Thus, there is a need for a shaving razor cartridge mounted to an ergonomic handle that removably retains a liquid container, such as a tottle, tube or a bottle.
In one aspect, the invention features, in general a handle with a first end having a head configured to engage a shaving cartridge. A second end with a partially enclosed ring having a first arm with a first end facing a first end of a second arm and defines a gap having a width. The first and second arms define an undercut region below the gap. A lower surface extends between the partially enclosed ring and the head. The lower surface and the partially enclosed ring are configured to receive a tube of a container.
In another aspect, the invention features, in general a personal care system with a handle having a head at a first end with a tab that defines a slot. The handle has a partially enclosed ring at a second end. The partially enclosed ring has a first arm with a first end facing a first end of a second arm to define a gap having a width. The first and second arms define an undercut region below the gap. A lower surface extends between the head and the partially enclosed ring. A shaving razor cartridge is mounted to the shaving razor handle. The shaving razor cartridge defining a shave surface. A container mounted to the handle. The container has a flange at a first end, a cap at a second end and a tube extending between the flange and the cap. The tube is removably positioned within the partially enclosed ring and the flange is removably positioned within the slot of the tab.
In another aspect, the invention features, in general a method of assembling a shaving razor system by mounting a shaving razor cartridge to a first end of a handle. At least one notch is die cut into a flange of a container. The flange is positioned within a slot of the handle. The notch of the flange is engaged with an alignment member on the handle. A tube of the container is inserted through a gap defined by a partially enclosed ring on the handle. The tube is positioned on a lower surface of the shaving razor handle. The tube is inserted through the gap defined by the partially enclosed ring on the handle after engaging the notch.
Other features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the invention itself, can be more fully understood from the following description of the various embodiments, when read together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring to
As will be explained in greater detail below, a bottom surface 30 of the handle 12 may support the container 18 and prevent the container 18 from being squeezed, thus providing sufficient rigidity for holding the handle 12 during use. The second end 16 of the handle 12 may include a partially enclosed ring 32. Accordingly, the container 18 and/or the partially enclosed ring must deform in order for the container 18 to be inserted or removed from the handle 12. In certain embodiments, the partially enclosed ring 32 may have an inner diameter that is slightly smaller than an outer diameter of the body 20. Accordingly, the body 20 may temporarily deform as it is inserted (and removed) between a gap 34 defined by the partially enclosed ring 32. The partially enclosed ring 32 may extend around a portion of the container 18 forming an undercut region 35 below the gap 34 (e.g., undercut is a special type of recessed surface that is inaccessible using a straight tool) for easy attachment and removal of the container 18 to the handle 12. In certain embodiments, the partially enclosed ring 32 may expand to receive a portion of the container 18 (e.g., body 20 or shoulder 22). It is also understood there may be a combination of both the container 18 (e.g., the body 20) deforming and the partially enclosed ring 32 flexing during insertion of the container 18. An outer diameter of the shoulder 22 may be greater than the inner diameter of the partially enclosed ring. In certain embodiments, the shoulder 22 may be positioned against the partially enclosed ring 32 to facilitate securing the container 18 in place. However, the partially enclosed ring 32 may alternatively be secured around the shoulder 22 instead of the body 20. It is understood that the body 20 may include structures that are not circular (e.g., oval shapes), thus the diameter may be the distance between the two opposing sides of the body 20 that must pass through the gap 34 to be captured within the partially enclosed ring 32.
The first end 14 of the handle 12 may include a head 36. As will be explained in greater detail below, the head 36 may be configured to removably retain a portion of the container 18. The body 20 may be retained between the head 36 and the partially enclosed ring 32. The head 36 may include a coupler 38 configured to engage functional attachment such as a shaving razor cartridge 40 defining a shave surface 42 having one or more blades 44 for cutting hair. However, it is understood that other functional attachment such for various types of personal care devices may be mounted to the coupler 38 in lieu of the shaving razor cartridge 40, such as a toothbrush or a skin care applicator. The shaving razor cartridge 40 may be mounted detachably on the handle 12 (i.e., via the coupler 38) to enable the shaving razor cartridge 40 to be replaced by a fresh shaving razor cartridge 40 when the sharpness of the blades 44 has diminished to an unsatisfactory level, or it may be attached permanently to the handle 12 with the intention that the entire handle 12 and the shaving razor cartridge 40 be discarded when the blade or blades 44 have become dulled.
The gap 34 of the partially enclosed ring 32 may face in the same direction as the shave surface 42. An open area of the handle 12 between the partially enclosed ring 32 and the head 36 may allow access to the user for applying pressure to the body 20 (top surface 25) to squeeze out the contents of the container 18. Accordingly, the working part of the body 20 (i.e., area of the top surface 25 that a user presses to squeeze out liquid) and the working part of the shaving razor cartridge 40 (i.e., shave surface 34) may face the same direction for more intuitive use. The top surface 25 of the body 20 may face in the same direction as the shaving surface, which may facilitate proper holding of the handle 12 so the tube is not squeezed during shaving. For example, the consumer may grip the handle 12 without applying force on the top surface 25 when shaving.
Referring to
The alignment indicators 60 and 62 on the tab 46 may include one or more recesses, protuberances or graphics. The alignment indicators 60 and 62 (e.g., recesses), may be on the top surface 58 of the tab 46 (
The shaving razor handle 12 may have a lower surface 64 extending between the partially enclosed ring 32 and the tab 46 that is dimensioned to receive the container 18 (e.g., the body 20 of
Referring to
Referring to
In certain embodiments, the handle alignment member 80 may have a dimension “d3” extending into the flange 78 from the rear wall 84 that corresponds with the dimension d1 of
After the flange 78 is positioned properly within the slot 48 of the tab 46 (
In certain embodiments, the flange 78 may have a different color than the tube 20 of the container 18. For example, the body 20 may be white or uncolored plastic and the flange 78 may be colored (e.g., painted blue or gray) in another operation. The flange 78 may define an opening 86 that extends completely through the flange 78. Accordingly, when the flange 78 is positioned within the slot 48 of the tab 46, the flange 78 may be visible through one of the windows 54, but not the other window 56 (
Referring to
Similar to the flange 78 previously described, the flanged 92 may have a different color than the body 102 of the container 88. For example, the body 102 may be white or uncolored plastic and the flange 92 may be colored (e.g., painted blue or gray) in another operation. The flange 92 may define an opening 104 that extends completely through the flange 92. Accordingly, when the flange 92 is positioned within the slot 48 of the tab 46, the flange 92 may be visible through one of the windows 56, but not the other window 54 (
The tab 46 may have one or more alignment indicators such as windows 54 and 56 (e.g., openings, notches, etc.) or recesses 60 and 62. The windows 54 and 56 facilitate proper loading and identification of the container 18 by allowing the user to see a portion of the container 18 (e.g. the flange 78) through the tab 46, and that portion of the container 18 may include visual indices intended to be visible through the windows 54 and 56 only when the proper container has been loaded in the proper orientation. Alternately, that portion of the container 18 inserted into the slot 48 may comprise protuberances that fit into the windows 54 and 56 only when the proper container has been loaded in the proper orientation.
It is understood that there are other potential embodiments that include the partially enclosed ring 32 described in
Referring to
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 ” Furthermore, dimensions should not be held to an impossibly high standard of metaphysical identity that does not allow for discrepancies due to typical manufacturing tolerances. Therefore, the term “about” should be interpreted as being within typical manufacturing tolerances.
Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application and any patent application or patent to which this application claims priority or benefit thereof, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, 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.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62987652 | Mar 2020 | US |