CA1241825A - Razor blade assembly - Google Patents

Razor blade assembly

Info

Publication number
CA1241825A
CA1241825A CA000490139A CA490139A CA1241825A CA 1241825 A CA1241825 A CA 1241825A CA 000490139 A CA000490139 A CA 000490139A CA 490139 A CA490139 A CA 490139A CA 1241825 A CA1241825 A CA 1241825A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
blade
body member
finger
blade assembly
slots
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000490139A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Chester F. Jacobson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Gillette Co LLC
Original Assignee
Gillette Co LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US06/660,950 external-priority patent/US4551916A/en
Application filed by Gillette Co LLC filed Critical Gillette Co LLC
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1241825A publication Critical patent/CA1241825A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Abstract

ABSTRACT

A RAZOR BLADE ASSEMBLY

A razor blade assembly comprising a blade disposed between skin engaging elements adapted in operation to engage a surface being shaved ahead and behind, respectively, of the blade, the blade being movable relative to the elements in response to forces encountered during a shaving operation, the blade assembly having pivot mountings thereon for pivotal attachment to a razor handle, whereby the blade assembly, as a whole, may be pivotally movable on a handle in response to forces encountered during the shaving operation.

Description

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The invention relates to wet shaving implement~ and i~ directed more particularly to a blade as~embly which, a~
a whole, i~ movable on a handle a~embly during a shaving operation, and having individual blade as~embly component~
which are independently movable during the ~having operation.
This application i~ related to applicant's U.S. Patent~
No~. 4,492,024 and 4,498,235 i~ued January 8, 1985 and February 12, 1985, re~pectively.
Description of the Prior Art It is known in the art to provide a razor blade asAembly which may be connected to, and u~ed in conjunction with, a razor handle to facilitate shaving operations. U.S.
Patent No. 3,724,070, is~ued april 3, 1973, in the name of Francis W. Dorion, Jr. ~how~ a blade a~sembly in which blade mean~ are held between blade a~embly ~urface~ adapted to engage the ~urface being ~haved in front of and behind, re~psctively, cutting edge portions of the blade mean~. Such surfaces are generally referred to as "guard" and "cap".
It is further known that shaving efficiancy of ~uch a safety razor a~sembly may be improved if the blade as~embly iB adapted to pivot on the razor handle during a shaving opera-tion, permitting the blade a3qembly to more closely follow the contour~ o~ a ~urface being ~haved. U.S. Patent No.
3,935,639, i~ued February 3, 1976, in the name of John C.
Terry, et al., and UOS. Patent No. 3,938,247, i~ued February 17, 1976, in the name of Nel~on C. Carbonell, et al., are rm/(~

illustrative of razor handles adapted to accept the blade as~embly of the '070 patent in such manner a~ to permit pivotal movement of the blade assembly during a shaving operation.
U.S. Patent No. 3,950,849, issued April 20, 1976, in the name of Roger L. Perry, illustrates a modified blade a3~embly adapted for pivotal movement. U~S. Patent No. 4,026,016, i~sued May 31, 1977, in the name of Warren I. Nis~en, and U.S. Patent No. 4,083,104, i~ued April 11, 1978, in the name of Warren I. Nissen, illu~trate, respectively, a blade assembly and razor handle comprising a shaving system in which the blade assembly pivots on the handle during shaving. The shaving sy3tem shown in the '016 and '104 patent~ has become well known world-wide.
Another mean~ by which increased ~having efficiency may be obtained is that of retaining the blaae a~sembly, as a whole, stationary but permitting movement of individual component~ thereof in response to forces encountered during ~having~ In U.S. Patent No. 4,168,571, issued September 25, 1979, in the name of John F. Francis, there i~ ~hown a blade assembly in which the guard, cap and blade means are each movable independently of each other in dynamic faAhion. U.S. Patent No. 4,270,268, issued June 2, 1981, in the name of Che~ter F. Jacobson, shows a blade as~embly in which the yuard and blade means are independently movable.
In U.S. Patent No. 4,498,235, there is disclosed a safety razor blade assembly adapted for pivotal movement, a~ a whole, on a raæor handle during a shaving operation, and further having blade mean~ movable within the blade assembly in response to forces encountered during a shaving operatlon.

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t325i SUMMARY OF T~E INVENTION
. . _ .
The present invention providas an improved safety razor blade assembly of the type disclosed in the above referred to U.S. Patent No. 4,498,235.
A feature of the present invention i8 a body member of molded pla~tic, the body member including a front portion, a back portion, spring finger guard support means, and spring finger blade support mean~, a guard member mounted on the body member and biased by the ~pring finger guard support means, blade means mounted on the body member and biased by the spring finger blade support means, the blade means comprising a base portion and a cutter portion, th~ base and cutter portions being disposed at an obtuse angle to each other, the spring finger blade support means comprising a finger molded integrally with the body member, the finger engaging an underside of the cutter portion and a ~ide of the base portion, the blade means being disposed in slots in end portions of the body member, the finger exercising a bias against the cutter portion underside and simultaneously a bias against the base portion side.
The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the clalm3. It will be understood that the particular device embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and feature~ of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

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- 3a -DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference is made ot the accompanying drawings in which is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention from which its novel features and advantages will be apparent.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a housing portion of one form of blade assembly illustrative of an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III
of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 iB a sectional view taken along line IV-IV
of FIG. l;

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FIG. 5 is a top plan view of one form of blade asser~lbly illustrative of an embodirnent of the invention;
FIG. 6 is a front elevational view thereof; and FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the blade asse~bly, -~-taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 5.
~ESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the i]lustrative razor blade assembly includes a molded plastic body member 2 having first and second end portions 4, 6 interconnected by front and back portions 8, 10. Frame portions 12 extend width-wise of the body member, interconnecting the front and back portions 8, 10.
The back portion 10 of the body mer;~ber 2 has an upper portion 14 which enyages skin being shaved behind the cutting means of the assembly, thereby fulfilling the functions and occupying the position of the "cap" portion of conventional razor blade assemblies. Such portion 14 shall, for that reason, be referred to hereinafter as the ~cap portionn.
Each of the end portions 4, 6 is provided with opposed 20 slots 16 disposed transversely to the frame portions 12. One ..
of the frame portions 12 near the first end portion 4 is provided with a spring finger 18 molded integrally therewith and extending therefrom generally parallel to the front and back portions 8~ 10. The finyer 18 is provided with an end portion 20 hav:Lng an upper surface 22. In like manner, another of the frame portions 12 near the second end portion 6 is provided with an integrally molded spring finger 18~ of similar configuration, with end portions 20' having upper surfaces 22'. The fingers 18, 18' extend in opposite directions, the finger 18 extending toward the Eirst end portion 4 of the body member 2 and the finger 18' extending toward the second end portion 6 of the body member. The -.
fingers 18 and 18' are aligned with each other and with a pair of the slots 16.

The first end portion ~ is provided with integrally molded spring fingers 17 extendiny therefrom inwardly and upwardly of the body member, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2. Each of the fingers 17 is provided with an end portion 19 having an upper surface 21 and a rear~ard surface 23. In like manner, the second end portion 6 is provided with spring fingers 17' or similar configuration, with end portions 19' having upper surfaces 21' and rearward surfaces 23'. The fingers 17, 17' extend in generally opposite directions, the fingers 17 extending from the first end portion 4 generally toward the second end portion 6, and the fingers 17' extending from the second end portion 6 generally toward the first end portion 4. The fingers 17, 17' are each aligned with a pair of the slots 16. -The assembly includes a guard portion 24 haviny a slide member 26 at either end thereof. The slide members 26 are received in a pair of opposed slots 16 nearest the front wall portion 8. The bottom of the guard portion rests upon the surfaces 22, 22' of the sprin~ fingers 18, 18'. The lower edges of the slide members 26 rest a~ove the bottoms of their slots 16, allowing the guard portion 24 to be moved further into the slotst against the bias of the spring fingers 18, 18' therebeneath. The spring fingers supporting the guard portion comprise a set of spring fingers, the object of which is to resiliently support the guard portion. In a shaving operation, the guard portion travels over the surface being shaved ahead of the cutting means.
The assembly further includes blade ~eans 28 comprising a blade base portion 30, a cutting edge portion 32 extending from the base portion at an obtuse angle thereto, and slide portions at either end of the base portion. The slide portions whicil may be merely extensions of the blade base portions 30, are received in a pair of the opposed slots 16. An underside 34 of the blade cutting edge portion 32 is engaged by the surfaces 21, 21' of a pair of the s~ring fingers 17, 17'. Simultaneousl~, a surface of the blade base portion 30 is engaged by the rearward surfaces 23, 23' of the ~inger end portions 19 to urge the blade base portions rearwardly in their slots 16, as shown in FIG. 7. Lower edges of the slide portions are spaced from the botto~s of their -~
slots to permit movement of the blades further into the slots 16 against the bias of the spring fingers 17, 17' on which the blade base portion rests. The spriny fingers supporting the blade base portion 30 comprise another set of spring fingers, the object of which is to resiliently support the blade means thereon and urge the blade means into a secure position within the slots 16. ~ _ In the embodiment illustrated, the blade means include a second blade 28' having a base portion 30', a cutting edge portion 32' extending at an obtuse angle to the base portion 30', and slide portions, all anchored similarly to the above-described first blade rneans. The slide portions of the second blade are received in a third pair of the opposed slots 16 nearest the cap portion 14 with the cutter portion 34' resting upon spring finger surfaces 21, 21', and with rearward finger surfaces 23, 23' bearing against the second blade base portions 30'. The spring fingers supporting the second blade comprise still another set of spring fingers, which resiliently support the second blade and urge the second blade into a secure position in the slots 16. In a shaving operation, the second blade travels over the surface being _ shaved behind the first blade.
The guard portion 24, first and second blades 28, 28 are clalnped in place by spring cla~ps 40, which are received in slots 42 in the end portions 4, 6. The cla~ps 40 engage the guard portion 24 and blades 28, 28' forcing them into the slots 16 to a point where a slight stress is placed on the spring ~ingers.

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On the underside of the body member 2 and the frame portions 12, are disposed two extensions 44, 46 having at their free ends, respectively, inwardly extending opposed rails 48, ~0, each rail having respective arcuate upper surfaces 52, 54. The extensions comprise a pivot mounting means by which the blade assembly may be removably and ~-pivotally attached to a razor handle. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 6, it will be seen that the blade assembly body member underside is additionally provided with cam means 56 adapted to receive a ca~ follower operative to urge the blade assernbly to a given position.
Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 6, it will be seen that the blade assembly rails 48, 50, in conjunction with undersurfaces 94, 96 of the body member 2, and arcuate stru~s 15 95, 97, define arcuate slots 98, 100 adapted to receive razor handle shell bearings (not shown). The shell bearings comprise a pivot mounting means adapted to cooperate with the above described blade assembly pivot mounting means to facilitate pivotal connection of the blade assembly to the 20 razor handle assembly. ~---In the handle there is disposed a coil spring and a plunger member the spring biasing the plunger in the direction of the free end of the plunger rnember. When the blade assembly is connected to the handle assembly, the free end of ~5 the plunger member is urged by the spring into enyagement with the blade assembly cam means 56. During pivoting operation of the blade assembly, the plunger end bears against the cam means 56, to urge the blade assembly to a given position.
During a shaving operation, the guard portion 24 and the blades 28, 28' move independently of each other ayainst the bias of the spring fingers. At the same time, the blade-supporting spring fingers keep the base portions of the blades in substantially their assigned planes by urginy the JJ

Dlade bases cearwardly. Simultaneously, the blade assembly, as a whole, pivots on the handle, following the contours of the surface being shaved.
It is to be understood that the present invention is 5 by no means limited to the particular construction herein - .
disclosed and/or shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within the scope of the disclosure. For example, it is preferable under certain conditions that the guard portion be immovable. An alternative embodiment includes a guard portion fixed imrlovably to the blade assembly body member, but in all other respects structured and operated in accordance with the above description. As a further example, the blade means may include a single blade, rather than the two blade arrangement described, the single blade being used in conjunction with either a movable or stationary guard portion.
~lhat is claimed is:

.

. . . , . . . -- ~,~

Claims (2)

1. A razor blade assembly comprising a body member of molded plastic, said body member including a front portion, a back portion, spring finger guard support means, and spring finger blade support means, a guard member mounted on said body member and biased by said spring finger guard support means, blade means mounted on said body member and biased by said spring finger blade support means, said blade means comprising a base portion and a cutter portion, the base and cutter portions being disposed at an obtuse angle to each other, said spring finger blade support means comprising a finger molded integrally with said body member, said finger engaging an underside of said cutter portion and a side of said base portion, said blade means being disposed in slots in end portions of said body member, said finger exercising a bias against said cutter portion underside and simultaneously a bias against said base portion side.
2. A razor blade assembly in according to claim 1 including clip means for retaining said blade means in said slots, said finger urging said blade means against said clip means and simultaneously urging said blade means rearwardly in said slots.
CA000490139A 1984-10-15 1985-09-06 Razor blade assembly Expired CA1241825A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/660,950 US4551916A (en) 1983-08-02 1984-10-15 Razor blade assembly
US660,950 1984-10-15

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1241825A true CA1241825A (en) 1988-09-13

Family

ID=24651584

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000490139A Expired CA1241825A (en) 1984-10-15 1985-09-06 Razor blade assembly

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1241825A (en)

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