CA2091571C - Razor blade units and blade spacers therefor - Google Patents
Razor blade units and blade spacers thereforInfo
- Publication number
- CA2091571C CA2091571C CA 2091571 CA2091571A CA2091571C CA 2091571 C CA2091571 C CA 2091571C CA 2091571 CA2091571 CA 2091571 CA 2091571 A CA2091571 A CA 2091571A CA 2091571 C CA2091571 C CA 2091571C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- spacer
- blade
- length
- blades
- ribs
- 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 - Fee Related
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
- B26B—HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B26B21/00—Razors of the open or knife type; Safety razors or other shaving implements of the planing type; Hair-trimming devices involving a razor-blade; Equipment therefor
- B26B21/40—Details or accessories
- B26B21/4012—Housing details, e.g. for cartridges
- B26B21/4018—Guard elements
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
- B26B—HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B26B21/00—Razors of the open or knife type; Safety razors or other shaving implements of the planing type; Hair-trimming devices involving a razor-blade; Equipment therefor
- B26B21/40—Details or accessories
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
- B26B—HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B26B21/00—Razors of the open or knife type; Safety razors or other shaving implements of the planing type; Hair-trimming devices involving a razor-blade; Equipment therefor
- B26B21/40—Details or accessories
- B26B21/4012—Housing details, e.g. for cartridges
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Forests & Forestry (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Dry Shavers And Clippers (AREA)
- Packaging Of Annular Or Rod-Shaped Articles, Wearing Apparel, Cassettes, Or The Like (AREA)
Abstract
In or for use in a razor blade unit having two parallel blades (14) and an inter posed spacer (15), a flexible spacer having spaced transverse ribs with the ribs on one side offset from the ribs on the oth er side.
Description
.
~, .y, ., 2091~7 Razor Blade Units and Blade Spacers ~herefor This invention is concerned with spacers for flexible razor blade units comprising two blades in t~n~; , with flexible razor blade units comprising such sp~s~rs, and with safety razors comprising such blade units.
Tandem razor blade units which are flexible, in response to forces ~ o~ Lered during n~. -1 use, about an axis or axes parallel with the plane of the blades and ext~n~;ng substantially perp~n~;c~-arly to the cutting edges of the blades have been described in a number of patent specifications, for example, British ;.
Specifications 1589591 and 2119690.
The flexibility:of such a blade ~nit can be assured by the design of the moulded plastics housing in ; which the blades and spacer are mounted, by the use of hl~ which are ~h;nn~r than co,.~er,Lional, and by the . design and material of the blade spAcer. The spacers which are conventionally used in non-flexible blade . 20 :units are~formed of 0.02-inch (0.51 mm) thick aluminum;
:~ : the use of such a sp~c~r in a blade unit which was, in other respects,--:flexible would stiffen it to such an - extent that it would not flex in shaving and it has :- accordingly been .~cc-J..i~e~ that in a flexible blade -~25 unit, the 6p~cer sho~ be made of a~flexible, ' preferably plastics, material. -~~.~-~;; - :-p ,~ -We have now developed sp~c~rs which-provide .
.~. .
W O 92/06828 PC~r/US91/07598 2 0 9 1 ~ 7 1 tAn~ razor blade units with improved flexibility.
According to the present invention, there is provided a spacer for a flexible razor blade unit comprising two blades in tAn~ , which comprises a flexible plastics strip having a length and width appropriate to the blades with which it is to be used, the major surfaces of the strip being formed with transverse ribs, the ribs on one side of the strip being offset with respect to those on the other side and the thir-kn~sc of the strip and two ribs being greater than the desired separation of the hl A~
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a flexible tandem razor blade unit, which comprises a flexible moulded plastics housing providing a guard portion and a cap portion and in which tandem blades and a sp~cer according to the invention therebetween, are clamped under compression.
In such a unit, the guard portion and the cap portion preferably have a comb-like form, the teeth of the two comb-like portions being inte~ r~cLed by a web which is sufficiently thin as to be flexible.
: According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a safety razor comprising a flexible tAn~- blade unit according to the invention, a handle, and co~ P~Ling means c~, e~Ling the blade unit - to the handle which means permit flexing of the blade unit. - ~
: The spacer according to the invention is preferably formed of polyethylene. In addition to its 30. cheArnPss and good moulding properties, polyethylene has -!'. the advantage of a very low coefficient of friction ;against steel so that the hlad~r can move easily against ,, the spacer as the blade unit ~s flexed. It is preferred that the height of the ribs ~ be such that the th~içknPss of-the strip-and two ribs should be greater than the desire separation of the blades by less than the height of a rib.
-W092/068~ PCT/US91tO7598 ,; 2~a~7~
~, .y, ., 2091~7 Razor Blade Units and Blade Spacers ~herefor This invention is concerned with spacers for flexible razor blade units comprising two blades in t~n~; , with flexible razor blade units comprising such sp~s~rs, and with safety razors comprising such blade units.
Tandem razor blade units which are flexible, in response to forces ~ o~ Lered during n~. -1 use, about an axis or axes parallel with the plane of the blades and ext~n~;ng substantially perp~n~;c~-arly to the cutting edges of the blades have been described in a number of patent specifications, for example, British ;.
Specifications 1589591 and 2119690.
The flexibility:of such a blade ~nit can be assured by the design of the moulded plastics housing in ; which the blades and spacer are mounted, by the use of hl~ which are ~h;nn~r than co,.~er,Lional, and by the . design and material of the blade spAcer. The spacers which are conventionally used in non-flexible blade . 20 :units are~formed of 0.02-inch (0.51 mm) thick aluminum;
:~ : the use of such a sp~c~r in a blade unit which was, in other respects,--:flexible would stiffen it to such an - extent that it would not flex in shaving and it has :- accordingly been .~cc-J..i~e~ that in a flexible blade -~25 unit, the 6p~cer sho~ be made of a~flexible, ' preferably plastics, material. -~~.~-~;; - :-p ,~ -We have now developed sp~c~rs which-provide .
.~. .
W O 92/06828 PC~r/US91/07598 2 0 9 1 ~ 7 1 tAn~ razor blade units with improved flexibility.
According to the present invention, there is provided a spacer for a flexible razor blade unit comprising two blades in tAn~ , which comprises a flexible plastics strip having a length and width appropriate to the blades with which it is to be used, the major surfaces of the strip being formed with transverse ribs, the ribs on one side of the strip being offset with respect to those on the other side and the thir-kn~sc of the strip and two ribs being greater than the desired separation of the hl A~
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a flexible tandem razor blade unit, which comprises a flexible moulded plastics housing providing a guard portion and a cap portion and in which tandem blades and a sp~cer according to the invention therebetween, are clamped under compression.
In such a unit, the guard portion and the cap portion preferably have a comb-like form, the teeth of the two comb-like portions being inte~ r~cLed by a web which is sufficiently thin as to be flexible.
: According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a safety razor comprising a flexible tAn~- blade unit according to the invention, a handle, and co~ P~Ling means c~, e~Ling the blade unit - to the handle which means permit flexing of the blade unit. - ~
: The spacer according to the invention is preferably formed of polyethylene. In addition to its 30. cheArnPss and good moulding properties, polyethylene has -!'. the advantage of a very low coefficient of friction ;against steel so that the hlad~r can move easily against ,, the spacer as the blade unit ~s flexed. It is preferred that the height of the ribs ~ be such that the th~içknPss of-the strip-and two ribs should be greater than the desire separation of the blades by less than the height of a rib.
-W092/068~ PCT/US91tO7598 ,; 2~a~7~
For the better unders~n~;ng of the invention, a currently preferred ~ nt thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the J a_- -nying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a ~el~e~ive view of a flexible tandem razor blade unit which also show the blades and Rp~ser thereof prior to acs~ 'ly in the unit, Figure 2 is a partial longit~ n~l section of the spacer shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a partial longit~in~l section of the bl~s and spacer shown in Figure 1 as cl~mre~ in the unit.
Referring to the drawings, a flexible t~n~
razor blade unit 10 comprises a flexible moulded plastics housing 11 providing a guard portion 12 and a cap portion 13 and in which tandem hl~e~ 14 and a sp~cer 15 therefor, are clamped under compression. The spAcer 15 is a flexible plastics strip 16 of moulded polyethylene having a length and width ap~l~p,iate to the blades with which it i8 to be used, for example, a length L of 37.50 mm and a width W of 2.04 mm. Both sides of the strip are provided with integrally moulded transverse ribs 17, the ribs on one side being offset with respect to those on the other side (see Figure 2).
One long edge of the strip 16 is provided with sp~ce~
teeth 18 lying in the plane of the strip.
In a part~ r embodiment the ribs 17 are separated from each other by a distance P of 2.5 mm, the thiç~n~ss T1 of the strip 16 is 0.30 mm and thiçkn~s;s T2 of the strip and two ribs is 0.51 mm, so that the height of each rib is 0.105 mm.
In this emhodiment~ the spacer is used with r j I blades 14 having a thir~n~8B of O.0813 mm 80 that the uncompL-~ssed thir~n~R of the assembly is 0.51 mm + 2 x 0.0813 mm, that is 0.6726 mm. When mounted in the housing 11 this ~Rse ~ly is compressed to the form shown in Figure 3 and has a ~h i r~nDss T3 of 0.64 mm, that is there is interference of about 0.033 mm to give blade clamping.
The blades 14 and the spacer lS are retained in the correct position in the unit 10 by ~LuL,usions (not shown) in the housing 11 and ~,u~,usions 19 on the sp~c~r which engage in slots 20 in the blades. Slots are used so as to allow relative movement of the blades and spi~cer during flexing.
The offset rib arr~ in the spacer according to the invention provides good s ~_essibility and thus facilitates assembly of the blade units and i ,uves blade clamping. This arran~ L is also such that friction beL~en the spacer and the blades during flexing is minimized by the fact that the area of contact is substantially only the surfaces of the ribs 17.
When the blade unit shown in the drawing is ; connDcted to a handle by means permitting flexing of the blade unit, it is found that the latter has excellent flexibility.
. . .
.. . .
:
:
.
.
. '
Figure 1 is a ~el~e~ive view of a flexible tandem razor blade unit which also show the blades and Rp~ser thereof prior to acs~ 'ly in the unit, Figure 2 is a partial longit~ n~l section of the spacer shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a partial longit~in~l section of the bl~s and spacer shown in Figure 1 as cl~mre~ in the unit.
Referring to the drawings, a flexible t~n~
razor blade unit 10 comprises a flexible moulded plastics housing 11 providing a guard portion 12 and a cap portion 13 and in which tandem hl~e~ 14 and a sp~cer 15 therefor, are clamped under compression. The spAcer 15 is a flexible plastics strip 16 of moulded polyethylene having a length and width ap~l~p,iate to the blades with which it i8 to be used, for example, a length L of 37.50 mm and a width W of 2.04 mm. Both sides of the strip are provided with integrally moulded transverse ribs 17, the ribs on one side being offset with respect to those on the other side (see Figure 2).
One long edge of the strip 16 is provided with sp~ce~
teeth 18 lying in the plane of the strip.
In a part~ r embodiment the ribs 17 are separated from each other by a distance P of 2.5 mm, the thiç~n~ss T1 of the strip 16 is 0.30 mm and thiçkn~s;s T2 of the strip and two ribs is 0.51 mm, so that the height of each rib is 0.105 mm.
In this emhodiment~ the spacer is used with r j I blades 14 having a thir~n~8B of O.0813 mm 80 that the uncompL-~ssed thir~n~R of the assembly is 0.51 mm + 2 x 0.0813 mm, that is 0.6726 mm. When mounted in the housing 11 this ~Rse ~ly is compressed to the form shown in Figure 3 and has a ~h i r~nDss T3 of 0.64 mm, that is there is interference of about 0.033 mm to give blade clamping.
The blades 14 and the spacer lS are retained in the correct position in the unit 10 by ~LuL,usions (not shown) in the housing 11 and ~,u~,usions 19 on the sp~c~r which engage in slots 20 in the blades. Slots are used so as to allow relative movement of the blades and spi~cer during flexing.
The offset rib arr~ in the spacer according to the invention provides good s ~_essibility and thus facilitates assembly of the blade units and i ,uves blade clamping. This arran~ L is also such that friction beL~en the spacer and the blades during flexing is minimized by the fact that the area of contact is substantially only the surfaces of the ribs 17.
When the blade unit shown in the drawing is ; connDcted to a handle by means permitting flexing of the blade unit, it is found that the latter has excellent flexibility.
. . .
.. . .
:
:
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.
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Claims (6)
PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. In a razor blade unit including:
a first flexible blade with an edge and having a length and a width and a bottom surface;
a second flexible blade with an edge and having a length substantially equal to the length of said first blade and having a width and a top surface;
said first blade bottom surface and said second blade top surface disposed in facing relationship and said edges of said blades facing in the same direction and aligned generally parallel to one another; and a spacer disposed between said blades and having a generally rectangular cross-section with a top, bottom, front, and back surface, said top surface facing said first blade bottom surface, with said bottom spacer surface facing said second blade top surface with said front spacer surface facing in the same direction as said edges;
said spacer having a length about equal to the length of said blades and having a width;
the improvement comprising:
said spacer being flexible about an axis generally parallel to the longer dimension of the rectangular cross-section of said spacer;
a plurality of ribs integral with said spacer and spaced along the top thereof, each rib having the same height;
a second plurality of ribs spaced along the bottom of said spacer each having the same height and offset between said top ribs;
said blades, when assembled into the blade unit, having a desired separation between said facing blade surfaces less than the thickness of said spacer plus the thickness of the top rib and the thickness of the bottom rib;
when said spacer and two blades are spaced the desired distance apart in close contacting relationship, said spacer deforms along its length to form a serpentine shape with said top and bottom ribs touching the respectively opposed bottom surface of said top blade and top surface of said second blade.
a first flexible blade with an edge and having a length and a width and a bottom surface;
a second flexible blade with an edge and having a length substantially equal to the length of said first blade and having a width and a top surface;
said first blade bottom surface and said second blade top surface disposed in facing relationship and said edges of said blades facing in the same direction and aligned generally parallel to one another; and a spacer disposed between said blades and having a generally rectangular cross-section with a top, bottom, front, and back surface, said top surface facing said first blade bottom surface, with said bottom spacer surface facing said second blade top surface with said front spacer surface facing in the same direction as said edges;
said spacer having a length about equal to the length of said blades and having a width;
the improvement comprising:
said spacer being flexible about an axis generally parallel to the longer dimension of the rectangular cross-section of said spacer;
a plurality of ribs integral with said spacer and spaced along the top thereof, each rib having the same height;
a second plurality of ribs spaced along the bottom of said spacer each having the same height and offset between said top ribs;
said blades, when assembled into the blade unit, having a desired separation between said facing blade surfaces less than the thickness of said spacer plus the thickness of the top rib and the thickness of the bottom rib;
when said spacer and two blades are spaced the desired distance apart in close contacting relationship, said spacer deforms along its length to form a serpentine shape with said top and bottom ribs touching the respectively opposed bottom surface of said top blade and top surface of said second blade.
2. In a razor blade unit according to claim 1, the thickness of the spacer including the top and bottom ribs is greater than the desired separation of the blades by less than the height of a rib.
3. In a razor blade unit according to claim 1, one of the front and back surface of the spacer is formed with spaced teeth lying in the plane of the spacer.
4. In a razor blade unit according to claim 1, the spacer is formed of polyethylene.
5. The razor blade unit of claim 1 further including at least two protrusions on each of said top surface and said bottom surface of said spacer, each of said protrusions having a height and having a length in a direction along the length of said spacer;
said first blade having recesses in its bottom surface aligned with said spacer protrusions;
said second blade having recesses in its top surface aligned with said confronting protrusions from said spacer;
said blade recesses having a length greater than the length of its corresponding protrusion;
so that as said blades flex said protrusions are free to move along said recesses to allow each blade and said spacer to bend as a unit while allowing relative translational movement along the length of the spacer among said first and second blades and said spacer.
said first blade having recesses in its bottom surface aligned with said spacer protrusions;
said second blade having recesses in its top surface aligned with said confronting protrusions from said spacer;
said blade recesses having a length greater than the length of its corresponding protrusion;
so that as said blades flex said protrusions are free to move along said recesses to allow each blade and said spacer to bend as a unit while allowing relative translational movement along the length of the spacer among said first and second blades and said spacer.
6. A razor blade unit according to claim 1 further including a molded plastic housing providing a guard portion and a cap portion between which said first blade, said spacer and said second blade are clamped under compression to form a razor cartridge.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9022936.0 | 1990-10-22 | ||
| GB909022936A GB9022936D0 (en) | 1990-10-22 | 1990-10-22 | Razor blade units and blade spacers therefor |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2091571A1 CA2091571A1 (en) | 1992-04-23 |
| CA2091571C true CA2091571C (en) | 1998-12-15 |
Family
ID=10684144
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2091571 Expired - Fee Related CA2091571C (en) | 1990-10-22 | 1991-10-11 | Razor blade units and blade spacers therefor |
Country Status (9)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0554365B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP3112939B2 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU661284B2 (en) |
| BR (1) | BR9107005A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2091571C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE69120959T2 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB9022936D0 (en) |
| MX (1) | MX9101687A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1992006828A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA2139922A1 (en) * | 1992-08-13 | 1994-03-03 | Butlin, Dorothy Mae | Shaving aid with increased flexibility |
| US5276967A (en) * | 1993-04-29 | 1994-01-11 | Warner-Lambert Company | Flexible razor unit employing corrugated spacer |
| US5412872A (en) * | 1993-08-04 | 1995-05-09 | Warner-Lambert Company | Razor head with expandable spacer |
| JP3455143B2 (en) * | 1999-08-30 | 2003-10-14 | 株式会社貝印刃物開発センター | Safety razor |
| GB0615113D0 (en) | 2006-07-28 | 2006-09-06 | Gillette Co | Wet razor with conforming blade support |
| US20080196251A1 (en) * | 2007-02-15 | 2008-08-21 | The Gillette Company | Support structure for a flexible razor blade assembly |
| DE102014226125A1 (en) * | 2014-12-16 | 2016-06-16 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Carrier and tensile structure |
| EP4186660A1 (en) * | 2021-11-29 | 2023-05-31 | BIC Violex Single Member S.A. | Blade with skin and hair control element |
Family Cites Families (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3890704A (en) * | 1974-01-14 | 1975-06-24 | Warner Lambert Co | Razor blade cartridge |
| US4069580A (en) * | 1976-08-18 | 1978-01-24 | Warner-Lambert Company | Safety razor with flexible blade cartridge |
| US4443939A (en) * | 1982-04-30 | 1984-04-24 | Warner-Lambert Company | Flexible razor blade cartridge |
| US4641429A (en) * | 1984-12-24 | 1987-02-10 | Abatemarco Michael R | Razor blade cartridge unit with dual blades |
| US4854043A (en) * | 1987-10-30 | 1989-08-08 | Warner-Lambert Company | Flexible razor head |
-
1990
- 1990-10-22 GB GB909022936A patent/GB9022936D0/en active Pending
-
1991
- 1991-10-11 AU AU89572/91A patent/AU661284B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1991-10-11 BR BR919107005A patent/BR9107005A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1991-10-11 JP JP04500716A patent/JP3112939B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1991-10-11 EP EP91920213A patent/EP0554365B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1991-10-11 WO PCT/US1991/007598 patent/WO1992006828A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1991-10-11 DE DE69120959T patent/DE69120959T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1991-10-11 CA CA 2091571 patent/CA2091571C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1991-10-21 MX MX9101687A patent/MX9101687A/en unknown
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2091571A1 (en) | 1992-04-23 |
| EP0554365A1 (en) | 1993-08-11 |
| AU661284B2 (en) | 1995-07-20 |
| EP0554365A4 (en) | 1993-11-10 |
| GB9022936D0 (en) | 1990-12-05 |
| MX9101687A (en) | 1992-06-05 |
| DE69120959D1 (en) | 1996-08-22 |
| WO1992006828A1 (en) | 1992-04-30 |
| JP3112939B2 (en) | 2000-11-27 |
| JPH06502334A (en) | 1994-03-17 |
| DE69120959T2 (en) | 1997-02-13 |
| EP0554365B1 (en) | 1996-07-17 |
| BR9107005A (en) | 1993-08-24 |
| AU8957291A (en) | 1992-05-20 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |