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
  • B26B21/4025—Cap 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
  • B26B21/4012—Housing details, e.g. for cartridges
• • 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
  • B26B21/44—Means integral with, or attached to, the razor for storing shaving-cream, styptic, or the like
  • B26B21/443—Lubricating strips attached to the razor head

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a shaving aid for a flexible wet-shaving razor unit and, more particularly, to an improved shaving aid having at least one groove to enhance the flexing of the shaving aid in response to forces encountered during shaving.
• One popular type of shaving aid contains at least one water insoluble polymeric matrix, along with a water soluble material which exudes out of the insoluble matrix upon contact with water during shaving.
• shaving aids have been attached to various parts of a wet-shaving razor unit.
• shaving aids have been mechanically attached to the cap portion of the razor unit.
• Shaving aids have also been mechanically attached forward of the blade cutting edge, e.g., on the guard bar.
• the present invention which addresses the problems associated with the prior art, relates to a flexible wet- shaving razor unit having at least one blade with an exposed edge, a flexible blade support structure and a shaving aid having at least one active ingredient and formed with a groove extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of flexing of the blade support.
• the flexible blade support structure is a substantially continuous thermoplastic body in which the blade is secured substantially rigidly against movement and vibration during shaving.
• the substantially continuous thermoplastic body is formed with a plurality of discrete blade supports for supporting the bottom of the blade. At least two of these blade supports are connected by a flexible corrugation.
• Blade retainers which are integrally molded to the blade supports, extend over the top of the blade.
• the shaving aid of the present invention is preferably sequentially molded in a single step molding operation onto the blade retainers. According to this embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of grooves are formed in the shaving aid and are advantageously positioned between neighboring blade retainers.
• Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method for forming a flexible razor head having a shaving aid with increased flexibility.
• the method includes the first step of positioning at least one blade having an exposed edge into a mold cavity having male mold members.
• a thermoplastic material is then injected into the mold cavity to form a flexible blade support around the blade.
• at least one of the male mold members is removed from the mold cavity.
• a second cavity is then defined wherein the second cavity is defined by at least a portion of the flexible blade support.
• a polymeric material having at least one active ingredient is injected into the second mold cavity, thereby forming a shaving aid which is attached to the flexible blade support and which has at least one groove extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of flexing.
• the shaving aid of the present invention may be employed with many types of flexible wet-shaving razor units designed to follow the contour of an irregular surface.
• the groove disposed in the shaving aid reduces the resistance of the shaving aid to flexing, thereby enabling the flexible razor unit to more readily follow the contour of the surface being shaved. In turn, this brings a greater portion of the blade into effective, cutting contact with the surface being shaved.
• Figure 1 is a top, perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 2 is a right, elevated side view of the razor unit illustrated in Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a top view of the razor unit illustrated in Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is a front, elevational view of the razor unit illustrated in Figure 1;
• Figure 5 is a rear, elevational view of the razor unit illustrated in Figure 1;
• Figure 6 is a bottom view of the razor unit illustrated in Figure l;
• Figure 7 is a left, elevated side view of the razor unit illustrated in Figure 1;
• Figure 8 is a front, elevational view of the razor unit of the present invention in a flexed position
• Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a molding cavity used in accordance with the method of the present invention.
• FIG. 1-8 For purposes of illustration, one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 1-8.
• the illustrated razor unit i.e., cartridge 10
• Cartridge 10 includes two sharpened blades, that is, a seat blade 20 and a cap blade 21.
• Blades 20, 21 are supported by a flexible blade support structure, which in the illustrated embodiment is a substantially continuous body wherein the blades are secured substantially rigidly against movement and vibration during shaving.
• a razor unit having a substantially continuous body is described in commonly owned co-pending, U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 07/563,926 filed on August 7, 1990, incorporated herein by reference.
• the substantially continuous body includes upper blade retainers 30 (which together form the cap of the razor unit), side walls 50, 51 and lower blade supports 60.
• Disposed forward of seat blade 20 are a plurality of guard bar segments 70.
• the entire blade support structure is designed to flex in response to forces encountered during shaving, thereby allowing the blades to conform to the contour of the surface being shaved.
• Shaving aid 90 is formed along the top of flexible cartridge 10 and extends across substantially the entire length of the cartridge.
• the shaving aid is molded into depressions formed in blade retainers 30 in order to provide a smooth surface conforming to the geometry of the cap of the cartridge.
• blade retainers 30 are advantageously formed such that spaces remain between neighboring blade retainers 30. This space increases the flexibility of the overall flexible blade support structure, while providing a convenient location for grooves 95 in the shaving aid. Since cartridge 10 is designed to flex along an axis substantially parallel to the exposed edges of blades 20, 21, grooves 95 are advantageously disposed substantially perpendicular to the blade edges.
• neighboring blade supports 60 are attached by corrugations 65.
• the illustrated embodiment includes a flexible blade support structure which is integrally molded in a single molding step.
• a method for integrally molding a blade support structure is described in commonly-owned U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 07/541,225 filed June 20, 1990, incorporated herein by reference.
• Alternative blade support structures formed of a plurality of separately formed elements would also benefit from the present invention.
• the illustrated embodiment of the present invention discloses four grooves disposed in the shaving aid, the present invention may be practiced with a greater or fewer number of such grooves.
• the shaving aid may be formed of various substances known to those in the shaving industry.
• One popular active ingredient is polyethylene oxide which has been found to provide desirable lubricity to shaving devices during wet-shaving.
• the polyethylene oxide active ingredient may include a mixture of high molecular weight polyethylene oxide and low molecular weight polyethylene oxide.
• a mixture of POLYOX COAGULANT polyethylene oxide having a molecular weight of about 5 million and POLYOX WSR-N-750 polyethylene oxide having a molecular weight of about 300,000 has been found suitable.
• a lubricating agent for reducing the frictional forces between the razor and the skin e.g., a micro- encapsulated silicone oil, polyurethane- polyvinylpyrrolidone interpolymer, etc.
• An additional agent which reduces the drag between the razor parts and the shaver's face e.g., a natural polysaccharide derived from plant materials such as guar gum.
• a depilatory agent which modifies the chemical structure of the hair to allow the razor blade to pass easily through the whiskers
• a cleaning agent which allows the whiskers and skin debris to be washed more easily from the razor parts during shaving, e.g., a silicone polyethylene oxide block copolymer and detergent such as sodium lauryl sulphate.
• a flexible razor unit having a shaving aid according to the present invention may be formed through an insert molding procedure.
• the procedure includes the first step of positioning seat blade 20 into a first mold cavity.
• Seat blade 20 is supported by a guard bar insert 110 and a male mold support member 112.
• a spacer bar 114 is positioned over seat blade 20.
• Spacer bar 114 allows cap blade 21 to be fixed in a spaced relationship with respect to seat blade 20.
• An upper mold member 116 is then positioned over the blade arrangement, thereby enclosing and completing the first mold cavity.
• Upper mold member 116 includes a cap forming cavity 118. Included in cap forming cavity 118 are male mold members 120, which are capable of forming a continuous substantially rectangular depression in the cap of the razor unit.
• the depression is formed substantially parallel to the blade edge.
• a thermoplastic material is injected into the first mold cavity.
• the thermoplastic material fills the mold cavity, thereby encasing the blades and forming the flexible blade support.
• the upper mold member is removed. Because of male mold members 120, a continuous substantially rectangular depression is formed in the cap of the razor unit.
• a second upper mold member is positioned over the blade arrangement. This second upper mold encloses the depression previously formed in the cap. A polymeric material having at least one active ingredient is then injected into the depression, thereby forming the shaving aid.
• the number of inlet ports which must be designed into a mold member are minimized.
• a continuous substantially rectangular depression is formed in the cap of the razor unit and, thus, the shaving aid of the illustrated embodiment can be formed using a single inlet port.
• the second upper mold member includes male mold members that form grooves 95 in the shaving aid. These grooves are formed substantially perpendicular to the axis of flexing and decrease the resistance of the shaving aid to flexing.
• a polymeric material having at least one active ingredient is injected into the depression formed in the cap.
• the second upper mold member is removed, allowing the molded razor unit to be removed from the mold.

Landscapes

• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Forests & Forestry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Moulds For Moulding Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
• Dry Shavers And Clippers (AREA)
• Thermotherapy And Cooling Therapy Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

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Family Applications (1)

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Family Cites Families (6)

• 1993
  • 1993-08-13 EP EP93920081A patent/EP0655027B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-08-13 CA CA 2139922 patent/CA2139922A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1993-08-13 AU AU50133/93A patent/AU676206B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1993-08-13 WO PCT/US1993/007678 patent/WO1994004325A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1993-08-13 DE DE69318302T patent/DE69318302T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-08-13 JP JP6506455A patent/JPH08500503A/ja active Pending

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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