This disclosure relates generally to razors and, more particularly, to a trimmer razor with replaceable blades.
Razors have become ubiquitous and are used by both men and women for their personal shaving needs. Straight-blade razors, which are made of high carbon or stainless steel, exemplify the early modern popular style of shaving implements. These razors can be used for many shaving sessions over a longer period of time, but must be maintained by regular sharpening or stropping. The process of sharpening, or honing, the blade uses an abrasive material that removes material from the blade's edge. Stropping, which must be done with each use of a straight-blade razor, straightens and re-aligns the blade, which tends to bend and pit under use preventing a close shave if not straightened.
Double-edged safety razors replaced the straight edge in popularity in the early part of the twentieth century. The disposal of blades after limited use was made popular and economical by the arrival of blades made of low-cost, thin steel, thereby eliminating the need for stropping or honing. The safety feature of these razors, protecting the user from all but the very edge of the blade, appealed to the user. The orientation of the handle and the blade required the user to develop the proper technique to achieve an optimal shave. The next evolution combined the safety of small, thin blades exposed only at the edge with the proper angle-of-attack and a pivoting head to adjust to the contours of the body. The disposable razor embodied the ease and simplicity of shaving, sacrificing longevity of product by providing disposable blades with limited life. This incarnation of men's and women's personal shavers remains the most popular and widely used, contributing a sizeable negative global economic impact.
While the convenience and ease of use of current disposable razor technology is attractive to users, alternative razors using double-edged blades have continued to evolve. Many of the current safety razors use one double-edged blade and clamp the blade to the head of the safety razor to hold it rigidly in place. Typically, one blade edge is exposed on each side of the razor head. Many of these safety razors, however, do not include a pivoting head, thereby requiring a user to hold the razor and blade at a specific angle to his/her face to receive a proper shave. This can lead to a tedious process that does not always provide the close shave that one desires.
Trimmer razors have recently been incorporated into cartridge razors to aid in reaching hard-to-reach areas of the body, such as under the nose, where larger multiple blade cartridges cannot reach due to their larger size and/or additional features included on the cartridge such as lubricating strips. These trimmer razors have minimal material surrounding the blade that could block the blade from being positioned in a correct position to shave the user's hair. In addition to providing increased utility, trimmer razors also assist in producing precise hair lines, such as sideburns and beards, due to an increase in visualization for the user of where the blade will actually land on the skin surface. In multiple blade cartridges, the surrounding cartridge material can be bulky and prohibit an accurate sense of where the blades will actually cut the hair, making a precise shave difficult to achieve.
Current trimmer razors are currently incorporated into expensive disposable cartridge razors. During a typical shave, the trimmer razor only cuts a fraction of the hair that the remaining blades cut, since the remaining blades cut the hair on the majority of the area to be shaved. These main blades wear out much more quickly than the trimmer razor blades. Since the main blades are connected to the trimmer blade in the cartridge, however, the trimmer blades are often disposed of at the same time as when the main blades become dull and need replaced with new blades. Disposal of the trimmer razor not only increases waste, but also increases the cost of the entire cartridge unnecessarily.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists for a trimmer razor that provides an effective method of replacing the razor blades. A further need exists for a razor that provides a secure and easily removable cover for holding the double-edged razor blades.
In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a trimmer razor includes a handle, a head operatively connected to the handle, the head including a base member, a seat extending from the base member, and a cover connected to the seat, and an extension arrangement connecting the cover to the handle so that, upon rotation of the handle, the cover is movable between an open position in which the cover is spaced from the seat and a closed position in which the cover is clamped to the seat.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the extension arrangement includes a screw member threadedly connected to the handle and the base member; and a fastener extending through the cover into the screw member. One end of the fastener is received within a cavity defined by the screw member via a friction fit. One end of the handle defines a cavity with a threaded inner surface that receives an end of the screw member. Upon rotation of the handle in a clockwise direction, the extension arrangement moves the cover to the closed position, and, upon rotation of the handle in a counterclockwise direction, the extension arrangement moves the cover to the open position. At least one extension member extends from the cover and is received within the seat to guide movement of the cover relative to the seat. One end of the handle is received within the base member of the head. At least one magnet is provided within the seat to assist in holding a razor blade to the seat. At least one razor blade is clamped between the cover and the seat when the cover is in the closed position. The at least one razor blade is one half of a double-edged razor blade. The at least one razor blade is removably provided within the head. The seat and the cover form a substantially planar shaving plane to assist in providing a repeatable shaving angle. A shaving gap is defined between a front edge of the cover and a front edge of the seat. At least one protrusion extends from the seat to assist in positioning a razor blade on the seat. The at least one protrusion includes two protrusions that constrain movement of the razor blade in two degrees of freedom on the seat.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a trimmer razor includes a handle, a head connected to the handle, the head including a seat and a cover, and at least one fastener extending through the cover and into the seat to clamp the cover to the seat. The at least one fastener includes a screw that is configured to be tightened or loosened to move the cover between a closed position and an open position.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a trimmer razor includes a handle and a head connected to the handle, the head including a seat and a cover, the cover is attachable to the seat via at least one locking tab extending from the cover. The at least one locking tab includes a locking hook configured to latch onto the seat to clamp the cover to the seat. The at least one locking tab is at least partially elastic to permit snap locking of the at least one locking tab on the seat.
Further aspects of the disclosure will now be described in the following numbered clauses.
Clause 1: A trimmer razor, comprising a handle; a head operatively connected to the handle, the head comprising a base member, a seat extending from the base member, and a cover connected to the seat; and an extension arrangement connecting the cover to the handle so that, upon rotation of the handle, the cover is movable between an open position in which the cover is spaced from the seat and a closed position in which the cover is clamped to the seat.
Clause 2: The trimmer razor as claimed in Clause 1, wherein the extension arrangement comprises a screw member threadedly connected to the handle and the base member; and a fastener extending through the cover into the screw member.
Clause 3: The trimmer razor as claimed in Clause 2, wherein one end of the fastener is received within a cavity defined by the screw member via a friction fit.
Clause 4: The trimmer razor as claimed in Clause 2 or Clause 3, wherein one end of the handle defines a cavity with a threaded inner surface that receives an end of the screw member.
Clause 5: The trimmer razor as claimed in any of Clauses 1-4, wherein, upon rotation of the handle in a clockwise direction, the extension arrangement moves the cover to the closed position, and wherein, upon rotation of the handle in a counterclockwise direction, the extension arrangement moves the cover to the open position.
Clause 6: The trimmer razor as claimed in any of Clauses 1-5, wherein at least one extension member extends from the cover and is received within the seat to guide movement of the cover relative to the seat.
Clause 7: The trimmer razor as claimed in any of Clauses 1-6, wherein one end of the handle is received within the base member of the head.
Clause 8: The trimmer razor as claimed in any of Clauses 1-7, further comprising at least one magnet provided within the seat to assist in holding a razor blade to the seat.
Clause 9: The trimmer razor as claimed in any of Clauses 1-8, further comprising at least one razor blade clamped between the cover and the seat when the cover is in the closed position.
Clause 10: The trimmer razor as claimed in Clause 9, wherein the at least one razor blade is one half of a double-edged razor blade.
Clause 11: The trimmer razor as claimed in Clause 9 or Clause 10, wherein the at least one razor blade is removably provided within the head.
Clause 12: The trimmer razor as claimed in any of Clauses 1-11, wherein the seat and the cover form a substantially planar shaving plane to assist in providing a repeatable shaving angle.
Clause 13: The trimmer razor as claimed in any of Clauses 1-12, wherein a shaving gap is defined between a front edge of the cover and a front edge of the seat.
Clause 14: The trimmer razor as claimed in any of Clauses 1-13, further comprising at least one protrusion extending from the seat to assist in positioning a razor blade on the seat.
Clause 15: The trimmer razor as claimed in Clause 14, wherein the at least one protrusion comprises two protrusions that constrain movement of the razor blade in two degrees of freedom on the seat.
Clause 16: A trimmer razor, comprising a handle; a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a seat and a cover; and at least one fastener extending through the cover and into the seat to clamp the cover to the seat.
Clause 17: The trimmer razor as claimed in Clause 16, wherein the at least one fastener comprises a screw that is configured to be tightened or loosened to move the cover between a closed position and an open position.
Clause 18: A trimmer razor, comprising a handle; and a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a seat and a cover, wherein the cover is attachable to the seat via at least one locking tab extending from the cover.
Clause 19: The trimmer razor as claimed in Clause 18, wherein the at least one locking tab comprises a locking hook configured to latch onto the seat to clamp the cover to the seat.
Clause 20: The trimmer razor as claimed in Clause 18 or Clause 19, wherein the at least one locking tab is at least partially elastic to permit snap locking of the at least one locking tab on the seat.
Further details and advantages will be understood from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
For purposes of the description hereinafter, spatial orientation terms, as used, shall relate to the referenced aspect as it is oriented in the accompanying drawings, figures, or otherwise described in the following detailed description. However, it is to be understood that the aspects described hereinafter may assume many alternative variations and configurations. It is also to be understood that the specific components, devices, features, and operational sequences illustrated in the accompanying drawings, figures, or otherwise described herein are simply exemplary and should not be considered as limiting.
The present disclosure is directed to, in general, a razor and, in particular, a trimmer razor with replaceable blades. Certain preferred and non-limiting aspects of the components of the trimmer razor are illustrated in
With reference to
With reference to
In one aspect, the blade 16 is formed from a double-edged razor blade. An example of such a double-edge razor blade 16 is shown in
With reference to
With reference to
With continued reference to
In one aspect, as the handle 4 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the screw member 30 is moved downwardly through the aperture 36. The screw member 30 moves downwardly through the aperture 36 until the bottom surface of the cover 14 contacts the base member 10. Since the cover 14 is clamped between the fastener 32 and the screw member 30, as the screw member 30 moves downwardly through the aperture 36, the cover 14 is also moved downwardly relative to the seat 12. By lowering the cover 14 relative to the seat 12, the head 6 is moved to the closed position to clamp the razor blade 16 against the seat 12 within the head 6.
The razor 2 provides a trimmer razor that can be used separate from conventional cartridge razors and uses low cost thin metal blades, such as the double edged blade. The razor 2 includes a low profile to provide better access to hard-to-reach areas, as well as provide better visualization of where the razor blades 16 will shave on the user's skin surface to produce fine and more accurate shaving lines. Since the razor 2 is decoupled from any other blades used to shave a user's skin surface, the razor blade 16 installed in the razor 2 lasts much longer than traditional trimmer blades incorporated within multi-blade razor cartridges. This longevity of the trimmer razor 2, coupled with the type of blades that are used in the razor 2, provide a low ongoing cost to the user to use such a trimmer razor 2.
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While aspects of a razor are shown in the accompanying figures and described hereinabove in detail, other aspects will be apparent to, and readily made by, those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. The invention described hereinabove is defined by the appended claims and all changes to the invention that fall within the meaning and the range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. It is also contemplated that any feature from one aspect of the disclosure may be incorporated with the features of any other aspect of the disclosure.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/486,661, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,235,483, filed Feb. 16, 2018, which is the United States national phase of International Application No. PCT/US2018/018469 filed Feb. 16, 2018, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/460,438 filed Feb. 17, 2017, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62460438 | Feb 2017 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16486661 | Aug 2019 | US |
Child | 17577609 | US |