EP0707526A1

EP0707526A1 - Razor head

Info

Publication number: EP0707526A1
Application number: EP95919408A
Authority: EP
Inventors: David Coffin
Original assignee: Wilkinson Sword GmbH
Current assignee: Wilkinson Sword GmbH
Priority date: 1994-05-06
Filing date: 1995-05-05
Publication date: 1996-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 2015-05-05
Also published as: JPH08512231A; KR960703366A; ATE209085T1; BR9506206A; AU695282B2; MX9600128A; DE69524033D1; WO1995030517A1; DE9407540U1; AU2525795A; EP0707526B1; CN1128511A; DE69524033T2; IL113557A0; CA2165084A1; ZA953641B

Abstract

The invention concerns a razor head for the pivotable holding of a razor blade unit in a shell-like support (48, 48'), which is arranged on the free ends of two movable arms (44, 51) arranged opposite to each other of a fork support for the razor blade unit and with complementary curved shaped surfaces on the under side of the razor blade unit on which they are correspondingly pivotable, whereby a spring biassed plunger (23) is guided between the two arms (44, 51) to retain the separating movement in the stop position during fixing of the razor blade unit.

Description

Razor Head

The invention concerns a razor head for the pivotable holding of a razor blade unit in a shell-like support, which is arranged on the free ends of two movable arms arranged opposite to each other of a fork support for the razor blade unit and with complementary curved shaped surfaces on the under side of the razα blade unit on which they are correspondingly pivotable, whereby a spring biassed plunger is guided between the two arms to retain the separating movement in the stop position during fixing of the razor blade unit.

During use of wet razors either a single or double razor blades are permanently embedded in a plastic housing, which can be fixed to the handle by mean^**; of a holding means. Such razor blade units on the one hand and the mechanism fixed to the handle for the attachment, holding and release of the razor blades from the handle represent the razor head. That which is bang considered presently is to provide a holding means which enables the pivoting of the razor blade unit during the shave, so that the razor blade unit can follow the contours of the surface being shaved in an optimal shaving position.

In US patent 3935639 a safety razor is known, in which the required pivotability of the razor blade unit on the handle is ensured by means of holding means of the razor blade unit to the handle described as a shell support. The shell support is formed by shell shaped support segments on the handle which work together with corresponding segments formed as part cylinders on the razor blade unit and permit pivoting of the razor blade unit on the transverse axis of the handle (an axis parallel to the cutting edges of the razor blades). By means of a leaf spring arranged between the handle and the razor blade unit the returning force in the direction of the rest position of the pivoting movement of the razor blade unit is provided from above and from below. The pivoting movement is altogether limited by this device to a range between 20 and 90 degrees. A similar shell support is disclosed in US patent 3938247.

An improved pivoting movement in response to the forces during shaving is achieved by a shell support of a razor head is known and described in European patent application number 0291 030 A1. In this, the shell support for the razor blade unit is formed on the free ends of two oppositely arranged moving arms comprising a fork holding means on the handle of the razor and works with complementary curve shaped surfaces on the under side of the razor blade unit to permit the respective pivoting together. A spring biassed plunger is arranged in the handle between the two arms which maintains the razor blade unit in the rest position. The front end of the plunger works together with a roof shaped cam on the razor blade unit to return the pivoting movement to the rest position. Recessed catches are formed in the part of the shell regions of the shell supports of the arms themselves, in which projections of the razor blade unit engage to ensure correct positioning on the handle and to limit the pivoting movement.

Thereby lies the objective of the invention, to provide a simple shell support for a razor head of a wet razor with a constructive and improved holding and release mechanism which is suitable to manufacture to engage, retain and release a razor blade unit.

The invention thereby resolves the problems of the prior art razor heads mentioned above by means in which two arms which are parallel to each other and movable towards each other against the forces of a spring means are arranged in an essentially rectangular shaped housing of the handle, and that both arms are provided with corresponding retaining elements, which are retainable with each other in preparation for the attaching of a razα blade unit, and are removably attached to the arms when the arms are moved with respect to each other, and by means of the movable plunger under the action of the razor blade unit during its attachment, the razor blade unit is fixed to the shell supports. Preferably the arms of the fork holding means are fixed links which are moveable with respect to the housing against the force of a spring arranged between them, the arms are parts of a U shaped singe piece plastic moulded part which are elastically movable with respect to each other.

Accαding to a preferred embodiment of the invention the retaining mechanism is famed as fingers arranged towards one another and spaced from each other, with retaining parts engaging each other in the locked position, which are releasable by means of the action of the plunger either directly or indirectly. Fα example a finger of the retaining mechanism can be flexibly formed or fixed as a link to the arm of the fork holding means so that by means of the plunger acting on it the release can be effected. Preferably a elongate groove is formed in each of the fingers, and arranged above the elongate groove of the finger a leaf spring shaped retaining element provided with an elongate projection cαresponding to the elongate groove, which under bias and at that moment engage in the elongate grooves of the finger when they are in the coaxial position with respect to each other (the rest position). The retaining projection of the flat-shaped retaining element continues in a cross projection next to the plunger, acting together with the retaining projection provided on the plunger.

Accαding to a preferred embodiment of the invention the housing comprises, on its front side an opening for the plunger to pass through, two openings on each side lying opposite each other fα the operating buttons of the arms to pass through and stop prq^'ections for a base plate, which carries the arms with the shell support segments and the retaining mechanism and the spring biassed plunger as a pre- assembled component. Thereby it is proposed that the base plate is provided with two transverse flanges on each side for the articulation of the arms as well as a retaining socket fα the leaf spring type retaining element, as well as side walls in the longitudinal direction in which are provided corresponding recesses for the fingers of the retaining mechanism as well as a transverse recess for the spiral spring and whereby a transverse connectα of the side walls carries a stop support fα the plunger spring. In addition a elongate guide for the plunger can be advantageously arranged from oppositely arranged guide grooves, in which the guide strips on each side of the plunger engage. By this means a pre-assembled cαnponent is provided as a complete module in which the whole support of the razα head fα the razor blade unit is provided. This component enables itself to be positioned and locked into the housing from above in a single operation in a final simple technical way.

Further embodiments, features and advantages of the subject of the invention are represented in the following description and related drawings of a preferred embodiment of the razα head according to the invention.

Fig. 1 a plan view of a handle of a razor with an open housing of the razor head,

Fig. 2 a side view of the handle with the razor head of fig. 1 ,

Fig. 3 a rear view of the handle with the razα head of fig. 1 ,

Fig. 4 a base plate (chassis) in plan view to show all the elements of the razα head;

Fig. 5 the chassis in a side view,

Fig. 6 the chassis, in half, in a rear view,

Fig. 7 a plunger in plan view, side view and rear view,

Fig. 8 the link arms of the fαk holding mechanism with support shells in outside view, plan view and inside view, Fig. 9 the right arm of the fork holding mechanism in corresponding views,

Fig. 10 a alternative embodiment of the fork holding mechanism with retaining mechanism in perspective,

Fig. 11 a third embodiment of the fαk holding mechanism with the retaining mechanism in perspective, and

Fig. 12 a leaf spring type retaining element in a view from below, a side view and a plan view.

A wet razα comprises fundamentally a handle and a razor blade unit fixed thereto. The razα blade unit is not shown in the drawings. It can be acquired from the known state of the art and need only be provided with a shell support which acts together with the handle as described further hereunder.

Fig. 1 of the drawings shows a handle 1 with a housing 2 formed thereon of a razor head, in which the housing cover in the drawings has been removed, so that the internal construction can be seen. Thus the housing is shown in rectangular fαm cαnprising a base plate 3, side walls 4, 5 and an upper opening 6 on the front side, through which the holding means, which hold the razor blade unit in the complete assembled state, freely extend outwards. Two rectangular projections 7, 8 and a cylindrical holding projection 9 are formed in one piece and provided in a three corner formation, on the base plate, and forming the chassis as shown in Fig. 4.

The front sided opening 6 is sub divided into a central part-circular shaped section f ming housing opening 10 fa the plunger shown in fig. 7 to pass through, as well as opening regions 11 , 12 to allow the passing through of the two arms of the fork holding means with the shell supports fα the razα blade units (not shown). Further in the housing two side openings 13, 14 are provided lying opposite to each other, through which the operating buttons of the arms project in the assembled state and which the user of the razα can press to release or attach the razor blade unit.

It can additionally be seen from Fig. 2 of the drawings, that the housing of the razα head is famed with a curved shape in order to hold the razor blade unit in a favourable position.

The base plate α chassis 15 shown in fig. 4 of the drawings comprises an essentially rectangular body with two flanges 16, 17 arranged opposite each other on each side and side walls 18, 19, which fαm a space 22 to receive the spring biassed plunger shown in figure 7 of the drawings. To this end the sides walls 18, 19 are provided with inward guide grooves 20, 22 in which guide strips 24, 25 which extend longitudinally on each side of the plunger 23 are guidable.

Further positioning openings 26, 27, spaced from each other and co axial transverse recesses 28, 29 are famed in the side walls 18, 19 of the chassis 15, in which further parts of the shell support, desαibed below, are arranged and guided. Finally the two side walls 18, 19 are connected together by means of half height transverse connector 30, on which is famed a stop support 31 fα ^" a screw spring of the plunger 23 (not shown).

The two flanges 16, 17 holes 32, 33 are recessed to fαm a rotatably movable linkage of the arms of the shell support shown in figures 8 and 9 with the pins 34, 35 discernable therefrom. In addition the chassis 15 carries a holding socket 36 for the leaf spring type retaining element 37 shown in figure 12.

The plunger 23 shown in figure 7 comprises a rectangular cross section plunger button 38, which acts together with the cam surface of the razor blade unit, not shown. The plunger button 38 fαms into a cylindrical connecting piece 39 which forms into a rectangular hollow cross section body 40, on each side of 5 which the two guide strips 24, 25 are formed. A sαew spring is arranged in the inside of the h low body 40 spaced between the lower stop support 31 of the chassis 15 and the upper stop support 41 of the plunger. In order to attach a razor blade unit in the shell support the plunger is moved downwards against the action of the screw spring, the two cams 42, 43 release the retention of the 10 arms of the shell supports, which will be desαibed in more detail below, in connection with the leaf spring type retaining element 37, which is shown in fig. 12.

Fig. 8 shows, in several views, the link arm 44 of a shell support, with pins 34

15 famed at its lower end being pivotally positioned in the hdes 32 of the flanges

16 of the chassis 15 in the assembled state. In approximately the middle region the arm 44 comprises an operating button 45, which extends out of the housing through the side opening 13 and which allows the user to pivot the arm 44 inwardly. The arm 44 The arm 44 projects out of the housing by means of the

20 opening region 11 , so that the shell famed suppat segments 46 formed on its free ends can fαm a shell support fα coupling with the razα blade unit. The suppαt surface 47 of the support segment 46 is a completely even surface without recesses or projections and comprises a part drcular shaped ring extension extending outwards, which engages behind a corresponding hook

2_.5 shaped projection on the razα blade unit which grips and hdds the razα blade unit in the shaving position. The pivotability of the razor blade unit in the shell support is thereby guaranteed.

At approximately the height of the operating knob 45, an inwardly prq^'ecting 30 finger 49 is famed ai the arm 44, at an angle slightly greater than a right angle and sloping slightly upwards, due to the pivoting movement of the arms 8. In the region of its free end there is a elongate groove 50, which is a retaining mechanism to retain the two arms of the shell support in the required pivoting distance with respect to each other. To this end the right arm 51 of the shell 35 support shown in Fig. 9 is an identical mirrα image of the arm 44 already described and comprises an inwardly extending finger 52 with an elongate groove 53. In the retained position the two elongate grooves 50 and 53 are arranged coaxial ly with respect to each other and engage, by means of their inherent tension, a cαresponding elongate projection 54 of the leaf spring type retaining element 37 retaining the arms 37.

The leaf spring type retaining element 37 is fixed to the holding socket 36 of the chassis 15 by means of a fixing means 55, fα example by means of adhesive, and extends in the region between the two side walls 18, 19 of the chassis 15 underneath the transverse recess 28, 29 in which in the assembled state a transverse screw spring is arranged between the arms 44 and 51 and the stop extensions 56 and 57. The bent region 58, cαresponding to this region 38, of the retaining element 37 which locks comprises an essentially "T^* - shaped projection, which indudes on the one hand an elongate projection 54 and on the other hand a transverse projection 59. The elongate projection 54 acts, as has already been described, with the elongate groves 50, 53 to retain them together, whereas the transverse projection 59 acts immediately on the retention of the plunger cams 42, 43 if the plunger 23 is contacted during attachment of a razor blade unit. Under the action of the transverse running screw spring between the arms 44 and 51 , these arms 44 and 51 are moved outwards, such that the ring extensions 48, 48' of the support segments 46, 46' of the arms engage under the corresponding hdding means of the razor blade unit and so fix it to the razα head.

Fig. 10 and fig, 11 show alternative embodiments of a retaining mechanism, in which, during retention, the plunger acts directly on a flexible finger, correspondingly acting on a pivoted finger in Fig. 11 , and in which the fingers are provided with retaining lugs 60, 61 in the front region.

To attach a razor blade unit the user of the razα head operates the two side operating buttons 45, 45' of the arms 44, 51 of the razor head and pivots them inwardly about the link pins 34, 35 against the action on the screw spring, not shown, which is arranged between the stop extensions 56 and 57. By this action the fingers 49, 52 are rotated towards each other in the space between the side walls 18, 19 of the chassis 15 until their elongate grooves 50, 53 are aligned with each other. The retention of the arms then takes place, due to the elongate projection 54 of the leaf spring type retaining element 37 under tension engaging in the two elongate grooves 50, 53 and the retention is effected. The support segments 46, 46' of the shell support are now positioned in the region of the plunger 23 and ready fα the attachment of a razα blade unit. The arms 44, 51 move automatically back to their outward lying starting position when the plunger 23 is pressed. This fdlows when the corresponding camming surfaces of the razα blade unit cooperate with the razor head. The plunger 23 is pressed downwards against the action of a screw spring by means of its guide strips 24, 25 engaging in the guide grooves 20, 21 of the chassis and provides a retention with its cams 42, 43 through raising of the transverse prq^'ection 59 of the retaining element 37, so that the spring force of the sαew spring between the arms 44 and 51 moves these back outwards. Then by means of the ring extensions 48, 48' under the corresponding hooks of the razor blade unit the razα blade unit is attached to the razα head. The pivotability of the razα blade unit in the support segment 46, 46' is thereby provided once again.

To remove the razor blade unit it is again only necessary that the user presses the operating buttons 45, 45' and therewith pivoting the arms inwardly, so that the shell support on the one hand releases the used razor blade unit and on the other hand is ready for use with the next unused razor blade unit.

Reference List

1. Handle

2. Housing 3. Base plate

4. Side wall

5. Side wall

6. Front end opening

7. Holding projection 8. Hdding prqection

9. Holding prqection

10. Housing opening

11. Opening area

12. Opening area 13. Side opening

14. Side opening

15. Chassis

16. Flange

17. Flange 18. Side wall

19. Side wall

20. Guide groove

21. Guide groove

22. Space 23. Plunger

24. Guide strip

25. Guide strip

26. Opening

27. Opening 28. Transverse recess

29. Transverse recess 30. Transverse cαinectα

31. Stop support

32. Hde

33. Hde

34. Pin

35. Pin

36. Socket

37. Retaining element

38. Plunger head

39. Connecting piece

40. Hollow body

41. Stop support

42. Cam

43. Cam

44. Arm

45. Operating button

45'. Operating button

46. Support segment

46'. Support segment

47. Suppαt surface

47'. Support surface

48. Ring extension

48'. Ring extension

49. Finger

50. Elongate groove

51. Arm

52. Finger

53. Elongate groove

54. Elongate projection

55. Fixing means

56. Stop extension

57. Stop extension 58. Bent region

59. Transverse projection

60. Retaining lug

61. Retaining lug.

Claims

1. A razor head of a wet razα fα pivotally holding a razα blade unit in a shell suppαt, which is arranged αi the free ends of two arms movable with respect to each other of a fαk hdding mechanism fα the razα blade unit and with complimentary curved shaped surfaces on the under side of the razor blade unit on which they are cαrespondingly pivotable, whereby a spring biassed plunger is guided between the two arms to release the outward movement of the arms in the holding position during attachment of the razor blade unit, characterised in that, the two arms (44, 51) are arranged, parallel to each other and movable with respect to each other against the action of a spring means, in an essentially rectangular shaped housing (2) of the handle (1), and that corresponding retaining elements (elongate grooves 50, 53, elongate projection 54) which are retainable together during preparation fα the attachment of a razα blade unit, and are removably attached to the arms (44, 51) when the arms (44, 51) are movable with respect to each other and by means of the movable plunger under the action of the razα blade unit during its attachment the razα blade unit is fixed to the shell supports (46, 46').

2. A razor head according to daim 1 , characterised in that the arms (44, 51) of the fork holding mechanism are fixed links (34, 35) which are movable with respect to the housing against the force of a spring arranged between them, or that the arms are parts of a "U" shaped single piece plastic moulded part which are movable with respect to each other.

3. A razα head according to daim 1 and daim 2, characterised in that a screw spring is provided as the spring means between the two arms (44, 51).

4. A razα head according to any one of daims 1 to 3, characterised in that the retaining mechanism is formed as fingers (49, 52) arranged towards one another and spaced from each other, with retaining parts (50, 53; 54) as well as 60, 61), engaging each other in the locked position, which are releasable by means of the action of the plunger (23) either directly α indirectly.

5. A razα head accαding to claim 4, characterised in that an dongate groove (50, 53) is formed in each of the fingers as a retaining mechanism, and arranged above the elongate groove (50, 53) of the finger a leaf spring shaped retaining element (37) is provided with an elongate projection (54) cαresponding to the elongate groove (54), which under bias and at that moment engages in the elongate grooves (50, 53) of the finger, when they are in .the coaxial position with respect to each other (the rest position).

6. A razor head according to daim 5, characterised in that the retaining prqection (54) of the flat-shaped retaining element (37) continues in a cross projection (59) next to the plunger (23), acting together to retain with the cams (42, 43) provided on the plunger.

7. A razor head accαding to any one of daims 1 to , characterised in that the housing (2) comprises on its front side an opening (10) for the plunger (23) to pass through, two openings (13, 14) on each side lying opposite each other fα the operating buttons (45, 45') of the arms (44,. 51 ) to pass through and stop projections (7, 8, 9) for a base plate (15), which carries the arms (44, 51) with the shell support segments (46, 46') and the retaining mechanism and the spring biassed plunger (23) as a pre- assembled component.

8. A razor head according to daim 7, characterised in that the base plate (15) is provided with two transverse flanges (16, 17) on each side for the articulation of the arms (44, 51) as well as a retaining socket in the middle fα the leaf spring type retaining element (37) as well as side walls (18, 19) in the longitudinal direction, in which are provided cαre,sponding recesses (26, 27) for the fingers (49, 52) of the retaining mechanism as well as a transverse recess (28, 29) for the spiral spring, and whereby a transverse connectα (30) of the side walls (18, 19) carries a stop support (31) for the plunger spring.

9. A razα head accαding to daim 8, characterised in that a elongate guide fα the plunger (23) is arranged on the side walls (18, 19) from oppositdy arranged guide grooves (20, 21), in which the guide strips

(24, 25) on each side of the plunger (23) engage.