EP0783396B1 - Systemes et structures de rasoir bidirectionnel - Google Patents

Systemes et structures de rasoir bidirectionnel Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0783396B1
EP0783396B1 EP94930425A EP94930425A EP0783396B1 EP 0783396 B1 EP0783396 B1 EP 0783396B1 EP 94930425 A EP94930425 A EP 94930425A EP 94930425 A EP94930425 A EP 94930425A EP 0783396 B1 EP0783396 B1 EP 0783396B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
razor
blade
head
handle
strip
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EP94930425A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0783396A1 (fr
EP0783396A4 (fr
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Edward A. Andrews
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Individual
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Individual
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Priority claimed from PCT/US1994/010307 external-priority patent/WO1996007515A1/fr
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    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26BHAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B26B21/00Razors 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
    • B26B21/40Details or accessories
    • B26B21/52Handles, e.g. tiltable, flexible
    • B26B21/521Connection details, e.g. connection to razor heads
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26BHAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B26B21/00Razors 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
    • B26B21/08Razors 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 involving changeable blades
    • B26B21/14Safety razors with one or more blades arranged transversely to the handle
    • B26B21/22Safety razors with one or more blades arranged transversely to the handle involving several blades to be used simultaneously

Definitions

  • the present invention relates in general to hand-held razor structures, cartridges and systems for wet shaving, and in particular, to hand-held highly maneuverable razor structures, cartridges and systems for wet shaving, which all feature a plurality of razor blades and the ability to operate bi-directionally.
  • Uni-directional Razors Modern conventional razors are typically made with either one or a pair of parallel strip-like razor blades secured upon the head of the razor. A handle extends from the head. The user holds the handle and ordinarily scrapes or moves the head in one direction along the skin so the blade or blades will cut the hair. After each movement in one direction, when the stroke is completed, the user lifts the razor and brings it back to a point near the original starting position for a second stroke in the same direction. Thus, conventional razors are uni-directional in operation.
  • Razors have also been made in which the head holds a single flat safety razor blade with two sharpened blade edges extending in opposite directions. These older style of razors have their blade edges spaced apart on opposite sides of the head, and angled so that they are and operate so as uni-directional devices. That is, the first blade edge is used until dull or filled with lather or cut hairs. Then the user manually turns the razor 180 degrees to present the opposite blade edge toward the skin.
  • Such a single replaceable razor blade having two sharpened edges and mounted within a head of a razor that can be opened and closed was a one time very common, and it provided the user with twice the blade life, i.e., once for each sharp edge in uni-directional shaving.
  • Replaceable Cartridge Razors Many conventional razors used for shaving have a handle or hand grip structure with means for securing a replaceable razor blade cartridge to it. These cartridge razor systems are desirable, in that a more expensive, ergonomic permanent handle, which can be reused thousands of times, can be provided and used in conjunction with a much less expensive replaceable cartridge containing the razor blades. The blades in such cartridges dull fairly rapidly with use. Thus they are frequently replaced, typically after just a dozen or less shaves. A variety of techniques and cartridge structures have been developed to allow the entire razor head to be readily replaced by the user of the razor.
  • Conventional Razor Head Constructions Conventional safety razors typically comprise a guard or deck member and a cap member between which the razor blade or blades are sandwiched when the razor is ready for use.
  • the handle, the guard member and cap member traditionally are all fixed relative to one another.
  • the razors may be provided with a single or double-edged blades. In recent decades, the entire shaving unit or head has been made to be disposable.
  • a conventional modem razor cartridge typically has a blade seat having formed thereon a guard bar for smoothing the skin adjacent to the cutting edge or edges of the razor blade during shaving.
  • the blade seat may include a channel which can be used to re-load the cartridge if the cartridge is reusable.
  • a cap is provided to complete the main supporting structure of the razor cartridge. The blades are often retained by the passing of plastic pins through holes in the blades and then passing the pins into a heading which forms part of the cap. In this manner, the cap holds the blade or blades in place.
  • the cap typically is pinned, fused, cemented or otherwise bonded together with the blade seat structure and captivates the blade or blades, and any spacers between them.
  • wet Razors With Pairs of Blades In recent years, almost every new wet razor blade system has a pair of parallel strip-like razor blades positioned closely to one another. These parallel-blade constructions are typically used in razor cartridges the are disposable. The handle may also be disposable or it may be essentially permanent and meant to be re-used with many cartridges. In many of these systems, the pair of blades is encased in a razor head or cartridge which provides a fixed orientation of the blades to the skin through the use of leading, trailing and glide surfaces which define a working plane of the razor head. These various surfaces of the head all bear against the skin being shaved, and thus ensure the sharpened edges of the blade strips are presented at the proper angle to skin being shaved.
  • the sharpened corners of the razor blade strips are guarded by the configuration of the head or cartridge structure for the safety of the user, so the corners do not cut the skin.
  • the head often has an elongated narrow configuration to provide the user with the ability to shave the skin under the chin and nose and wherever the contours of the face are changing rapidly.
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,470,067 to Trotta discloses a double-edged blade configuration in a razor head. It is said to achieve a desired geometrical relationship between the leading and following cutting edges of the blades so that both are successively active with respect to hair elements being cut during a single shaving stroke.
  • the razor's guard structure is disposed in fixed relation to the cutting edges to define a desired relationships including a desired "blade tangent angle", and a preferred "exposure” and "span” and provides definitions for these terms.
  • the platform member includes a back portion upstanding from the blade support portion.
  • the guard and back portions define parallel opposite lengthwise edges of the platform member. As such, they define a single "working plane" which bears against the skin and controls the angle at which the sharpened edges of the blades are allowed to bear against a section of the skin to be shaved as the blade is moved in a single direction.
  • Pivotal Head Razors Razors which have a fixed relationship between the head and the handle require considerable maneuvering in order to maintain the shaving unit at its optimum attitude on the shaver's face, particularly when negotiating areas such as the jaw line, where there are rapid changes in facial contour.
  • many razors have been provided with a pivotable head or cartridge, which is preferred by some users of manual safety razors.
  • the portion of the handle nearest the cartridge typically includes one or two spring-loaded mechanisms.
  • the first is used to return the pivoting head to its center or at-rest position.
  • the second is provided if the razor has a removable cartridge.
  • the cartridge is typically held onto the handle by two pivot pins or bearing surfaces which engage in an interlocking manner with complementary sockets or arcuate slot structures located on the bottom of the cartridge. Since the handle can be re-used over and over, it is more economical to equip the essentially permanent handle with a more expensive mechanism for providing this spring-loaded pivoting, attachment structure than could be economically built into the disposable cartridge which is frequently replaced. This approach results in a cartridge having fewer spring-loaded components resident on it, thus reducing its cost.
  • the shaving aid strip may be a shave-aiding agent combined with a solid, water-soluble micro-encapsulating or micro-porous structure which retains the agent.
  • the strip can be the agent itself when it is a water-soluble solid. Exemplary materials constituting shaving aid strips are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,170,821 to Booth.
  • Flexible Razors Flexible Razors. Flexible razor blade cartridges have also recently become popular. These may include a pair of flat blades which can flex while remaining captivated alongside or within an integral segmented flexible blade support structure and guard bar. Two examples are shown in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,409,735 to Cartwright et al. and 4,443,939 to Motta et al.
  • the razor head is used for shaving in one direction only.
  • the user holds the handle of a conventional razor and moves the razor, with the blades contacting the skin, in one direction for cutting the hair extending from the skin.
  • the user lifts the razor from the skin and brings it back to a point near the original starting position for moving the razor again in the same direction.
  • These razors whether of the fixed head-and-handle type, or of the fixed or pivoting cartridge-type, are uni-directional in operation, since the user strokes the razor in a single direction for cutting the hair.
  • U.S. Patent No. 3,488,764 to Welsh discloses two razor blades mounted on a split head with a gap in between. Each blade strip is in effect mounted on its own head, and sharpened edges of two opposed blades face another.
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,501,066 to Sceberras discloses a dual-headed razor system having a single handle, with a pair of separately detachable razor heads separately connected to the handle. Each head has a pair of blades mounted on it.
  • the razor system is said to be useful in shaving forwardly and rearwardly in to and fro strokes. So, like in the Welsh design, there are two heads, which means the Sceberras structure is wide and has limited maneuverability. Further, using two heads adds significantly to the cost of the bi-directional razor approach by requiring two cartridge support structures and two cartridges. In addition, the working planes of the blades face one another.
  • This document shows a bidirectional razor with an alongate form and two blades extending outwardly and being arranged at obtuse angle between them this razor has no guard. Between the blades there is an elevated round portion.
  • bi-directional razor systems, structures and cartridges which allow the user to shave rapidly, effectively and efficiently. That can be accomplished, in accordance with my invention disclosed herein, by providing, on a single razor head, a plurality of blades facing away from one another.
  • Such a razor head construction is usable in a bi-directional mode: that is, the razor head can be stroked in one direction and then reversed and stroked back in the opposite direction, without lifting or turning or repositioning the razor relative to the user's skin.
  • the present invention is concerned with providing such bi-directional razor systems, head and cartridges.
  • the bi-directional razors of the present invention are believed to more readily deliver a closer shave than conventional uni-directional dual-blade wet razor systems for a few reasons.
  • the bi-directional razor of the present invention is easier to use than a uni-directional razor, since the handle of the razor need not be lifted, twisted or tilted in order to repeatedly pass the razor across an area of skin to be shaved.
  • the bi-directional razor easily cuts hair in two different directions. As is well-known, an area of skin is shaved closer when a razor is passed across the skin in two opposite directions.
  • the trailing set of blades typically is dragged across the skin. This dragging action may help stretch the skin and thereby facilitate a closer shave by the active blades. Further, the scraping of the skin by the hard sharp edges of the non-cutting blades should loosen dry skin, debris and may also help individual stands or stubbles of hair to stand up further, so they can be cut more closely on the return stroke by those same blades. This scraping action should also have the beneficial effect of helping to spread out more uniformly whatever thin layer of lubricating material remains on or is deposited upon the skin being shaved after the active blades pass over it.
  • the lubricant may shaving soap lather, shaving cream, or the lubricant from a slowly-dissolving conventional lubricant strip also provided on the razor that is left on the skin.
  • the bi-directional razor systems and structures of the present invention contain twice as many blade edges as does a conventional uni-directional razor.
  • blade edges in most present day dual-blade razors corrode more slowly than blades of yesteryear. So, razor blades in daily use tend to dull from use rather than corrosion.
  • my bi-directional razor heads may well last almost twice as long, since each blade is essentially doing one-half the cutting of the blades in a uni-directional razor.
  • my bi-directional razors can each can be held and used in the exact same manner as a uni-directional razor if desired. For example, this is simply accomplished by lifting the engaged razor blades off of the skin on the return stroke if and when it is desired to do this for any reason.
  • the new user of my bi-directional razor is not forced to immediately use a back-and-forth motion where the razor head is kept on the skin when shaving in order to begin to make use of my razor devices. Instead, the user can proceed to do so as he or she begins to feel comfortable with the bi-directional shaving technique.
  • the centrally located glide or lubricant strip located between the two pairs of blade strips does double duty.
  • the glide area or strip is in use no matter which pair of blades is doing the cutting of hair.
  • the top surface of this common strip (even when curved such as in my later embodiments) is substantially within and forms part of the structure that defines the working plane (or planes) for the first and second set of blade edges.
  • Figures 1 through 7 illustrate a first example of a disposable bi-directional razor showing a preferred geometry for the two pairs of blade strips arranged in generally opposite directions:
  • Figures 8 through 12 illustrate a second example of a bi-directional razor head which may be used with the handle of the first example, and which has blade blocks assembled into a blade deck structure where:
  • Figures 13 through 17 illustrate a third example a of the bi-directional razor head having a perforated deck and snap-on cover, where:
  • Figures 18 and 19 illustrate a fourth example of a bi-directional razor which illustrates a preferred geometry for blade strips on a disposable razor blade cartridge that has a sliding track for removably attaching it to the handle where:
  • Figures 20 through 22 illustrate a fifth example, which is an embodiment of the bi-directional razor of the present invention, which is a modification of the fourth example that has the same sliding track for removably attaching the disposable razor blade cartridge, but features a modified cartridge head with rippled leading guard bars, end ridges, a center lubricant strip, and slightly raised rear razor strips, where:
  • Figures 23 through 34 illustrate a sixth example, which is an embodiment of the bi-directional razor of the present invention, which has a removable cartridge head structure with an assembled blade strip structure, the head structure being pivotally mounted upon the upper end portion of the handle, and where:
  • Figures 35 and 36 illustrate a seventh example, which is an embodiment of the disposable bidirectional razor of the present invention, whose head is formed from two main pieces and which uses two sets of angled razor blade strips and horizontal locking assembly pins, where:
  • Figures 37 through 39 illustrate an eighth example of a bi-directional razor similar to the seventh in head construction in its use of angled razor blade strips, but whose head has a smaller width-to-length ratio than the seventh example, due to a more compact head construction, where:
  • Figures 40 through 42 illustrate a ninth example, which is an embodiment of the bi-directional razor of the present invention, which has a molded flexible razor head, a user-operable return-to-center bias force adjustment mechanism, and a detachable handle coupling mechanism which permits head swivels about a center line A outside and above the head through the use of large-radius, shell bearing members, where:
  • Figures 43 through 44 illustrate a tenth example, which is an embodiment of the bi-directional razor of the present invention, which is a modification of the ninth example in that its head has two working planes, each plane being defined by its leading guard bar and a back glide surface, with the two planes being on a slight angle with respect to one another, where so that they face slightly away from one another:
  • Figures 45 through 47 illustrate the principles of operation of permanent and temporary adjustments to the return-to-center bias spring force applicable to the ninth, tenth and other embodiments, where:
  • Figures 48 through 51 illustrate an eleventh example, which is an embodiment of the bi-directional razor head of the present invention, which features razor strips which are individually movable and spring-loaded within the head, where:
  • Figures 52 through 54 illustrate a twelfth example, which is an embodiment of the bi-directional razor of the present invention, which utilizes only two opposed angled razor blade strips in a head having a very thin width, and a shell bearing arrangement to provide for pivoting action of the head, where:
  • Figures 55 and 56 illustrate a thirteenth example of a bi-directional razor system which features two sets of horizontal blade strips located within a single head structure that is pivotally mounted to a handle connected to its bottom and is capable of bi-directional operation since the head rotates during use so that the two opposed sets of blades can be used without lifting the razor from the skin, and where:
  • Figures 57 and 58 illustrate a fourteenth example of a bi-directional razor which is a modification of the thirteenth example, but featuring a smaller length-to-width ratio for the head structure, and diagonally-oriented assembly pins, and an outboard pivot pin arrangement, and where:
  • Figure 59 illustrates a fifteenth example of a bi-directional razor, which operates like the two previous embodiments, and features a simplified internal construction utilizing a single set of vertical assembly pins located along the longitudinal axis of the razor head, and two different sizes of flat double-edged razor blades.
  • Figures 60 through 65 illustrate a sixteenth example, which is an embodiment of my bi-directional razor featuring a pivot connection between the handle and featuring two sets of angled blade strips arranged for bi-directional operation in a single-effective working plane, where:
  • Figures 66 and 67 illustrate a seventeenth example, which is an embodiment of a bi-directional razor system of the present invention, which is like the sixteenth embodiment, but has a sliding channel arrangement for the pivot pin coupling the upper portion of the handle to the head, and where:
  • Figure 68 illustrates an eighteenth example, which is an embodiment of the bi-directional razor of the present invention, which is a modification of the seventeenth example that has a curved sliding channel for receiving a pivot pin from the handle, where the razor is shown three times and to respectively illustrate the razor along a stretch of skin shaving upwardly, in transition between shaving positions, and shaving downwardly.
  • bi-directional razors and razor head structures are shown in the Figures and discussed herein. While same of these embodiments are presently preferred, they are still only exemplary of the various possible bi-directional razors and razor heads of the present invention. As explained further below, I contemplate that, within the scope of the present invention, variants of the bi-directional razors of my invention may readily be constructed based upon my teachings here.
  • Figures 1 though 7 illustrate a first example
  • Figure 8 illustrates a modification of it.
  • This first example shows my bi-directional razor in its most elementary form, with all of the sharpened edges of the blades are found in a common plane.
  • Figure 1 illustrates, in perspective, the bi-directional razor 110, while the remaining Figures 2 through 7 show various aspects of the Figure 1 device and its safety cap.
  • the razor 110 is preferably formed of any suitable molded plastic material to provide a head 111 and an integral hand grip or handle 112.
  • the hand grip may have an upper end portion 113 which is molded integrally with the head and a lower, angled hand-holding portion 114.
  • the handle may be shaped in a more curved or in a more straight configuration.
  • the head 111 is in the shape of an elongated, narrow strip or bar. It has a substantially flat, exposed shaving face 115.
  • the face may be about 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) to about 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) in width and about 1-1/2 inch (38 mm) in length and about 3/16 inch (4.8 mm) in thickness. These dimensions may vary considerably, but in general it can be seen that the head has a narrow, generally rectangular shape.
  • the head is provided with a first pair of razor blades 120 and 121 and an oppositely, angularly extending, second pair of razor blades 123 and 124.
  • the blades are each formed of a narrow, single sharpened edge razor blade strip.
  • each blade strip has an inner portion 126, which is embedded within the head, and an outer, sharpened edge, portion 127 or 128 which extends outwardly from the head for cutting hair.
  • the sharpened edges are arranged so that edges 127 cut in one direction while edges 128 cut in the opposite direction.
  • the other pair merely drags or rides upon the skin and guides the edges that cut.
  • the blades of each pair are closely adjacent to each other, such as on the order of 1/32 inch (.8 mm) to 1/16 inch (1.6 mm). The spacings may be varied as desired, however.
  • each of these blades is formed of a conventional, single edge razor blade which may be made of stainless steel strip or sintered metal, such as a hard carbide, or the like conventional razor blade alloy material.
  • These blades may be embedded in the head of the razor during the molding of the razor head. Alternatively, they may be separately formed and inserted in slots or sockets provided in a molded head or a head made from assembled pieces for the purpose of receiving the blades.
  • the blades may be fastened in their sockets by the molding of plastic around them, or adhesively, or by some suitable mechanical fastening means such as cold-headed plastic pins. The blades extend along almost of the entire length of the head.
  • the two opposing pairs of blades are close to each other, and extend outwardly at an acute angle relative to the working plane or face 115 of the head of the razor.
  • This acute angle may be any suitable value, such as in the range of about five degrees to about 40 degrees, with angles in the range of 15 to 35 degrees being presently preferred.
  • the razor is applied against the user's skin 132 (shown schematically) and is moved back-and-forth.
  • the razor is moved upwardly, as schematically shown in Figure 3, the sharp edges 127 of the one pair of blades 120 and 121 engage the skin and cut the hair in the upward direction.
  • the user may move the handle downwardly so that the sharp edges 128 of the second pair of razor blades 123 and 124 cut the hair without lifting the razor head away from the skin.
  • the razor may be used in almost any direction when shaving legs or the sides of faces, etc.
  • the terms upwardly and downwardly are used here to describe the bi-directional operation wherein the razor may be stroked in one direction and then reversed to stroke in the opposite direction.
  • the razor 110 is provided with a removable cover or cap 135 as illustrated in Figures 2, 6 and 7.
  • This cover is formed of a molded plastic in a trough shape having opposing sidewalls 136, end walls 137 and a base 138. It may also have an edge lip 139 for stiffening it, if desired.
  • the cover 135 snugly fits over the head 111 of the razor and is attached by friction. The cover is dimensioned so that it may be manually pushed over the head and will remain in place due to friction, until manually pulled off of the head.
  • the precise shape of the cap 135 may vary, depending upon the shape and size of the head.
  • the cover is schematically illustrated as being shaped to fit over the blades and engage the sides of the head.
  • the cover may be formed of a transparent plastic material.
  • An appropriately shaped cover may be used over the blades and head in the other embodiments which follow as well.
  • Figure 8 illustrates a modified razor head 140 which is similar to head 111 shown in Figures 1-6.
  • the face 141 of the head is provided with a pair of razor blade cartridges 142 and 143 each having a pair of blades 144 and 145.
  • the shapes of the cartridges can be varied as desired.
  • the cartridges may be suitably fastened in any way upon the head. For example, they may be arranged within a depression closely formed in the head and held therein by friction. In all cases their outer surfaces preferably are approximately in the same plane, so that the blade edges will be in the same plane.
  • the razors 110 and 140 may be formed with either two single blades or with two triple sets of blades. The construction and operation will otherwise be similar to that described above. Since the bi-directional razors 110 and 140 are quite inexpensive to make, I consider them completely disposable, handle and all.
  • FIGs 9 through 12 illustrate a second example , namely bi-directional razor 150.
  • Razor 150 is an enhanced version of the razor device shown in Figures 1 through 8, particularly the Figure 8 device.
  • the bi-directional razor 150 includes a razor head 151 and an integral handle 152.
  • the razor head 151 is comprised of: a blade deck structure 160; two end cap members 161 and 162; and razor blade cartridges 142 and 143, which respectively each support a pair of razor blade strips 144 and 145.
  • the two cartridge blocks 142 and 143 are bonded or otherwise secured to internal flat surfaces 146 and 147 of the structure 160. They may be designed to be manually removable by a user, so that new blocks with sharp blades can replace those that have dulled.
  • three rows of passages 165, 166 and 167 are provided for liquids and debris to pass through the deck structure 160, as best shown in Figure 11.
  • the row of holes 165 provide a place for soap or shaving cream lather and cut stubble to exit after being scraped up or cut off the skin's surface by the forwardmost blade strip 144F.
  • the row of through holes 167 provide a debris passage for front blade strip 145F.
  • the centrally located holes 166 provide a path for flushing any shaving debris that accumulates in the center of razor head 151.
  • End caps 161 and 162 are preferably molded plastic parts, and have smooth planar top surfaces. These surfaces slide across the skin and 171 and 172 are only slightly higher in elevation than the skin-engaging front guard bar portions 174 and 175. As shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12, each end cap has a recess or open chamber 166 for receiving the ends of the blade strips 44 and 45, as illustrated in Figure 10. The top wall portion above the recess in each end cap acts as a shield to ensure that the user of the razor is not nicked by the end corners of the blade strips.
  • the end caps such as cap 161, best shown in Figure 12, preferably include elongated integrally molded projections, such as studs 173 through 177, which respectively slide into corresponding apertures in the razor deck 160, to interlock the end caps onto the deck.
  • studs 176 and 177 slide into and frictionally engage holes 166 and 167 which are of a complementary width.
  • cylindrical projecting studs 173 engage holes 163 in the deck 160, and ensure proper vertical registration of the end cap with the deck.
  • the front guard bars 174 and 175 preferably have their outwardly facing rounded edges 184 and 185 longitudinally scored or scalloped, as can best be seen in Figure 11. This forms elongated nibs to better engage and stretch the skin just prior to hair being shaved therefrom by the adjacent razor blades.
  • the sharpened edges of the blades are all located within this working plane.
  • the guard bar's top surfaces of the end caps, and the trailing pair of blades all are dragged across and lay in the same plane on the skin, thus helping keep the forward blades at their desired angle relative to the skin.
  • the trailing blades and guard bar also help condition the skin for a return stroke in the opposite direction, in the manner described in the Summary Section above.
  • FIGs 13 through 17 illustrate a third example , namely bi-directional razor 180.
  • Razor 180 is quite similar to razor 150, and includes a deck structure 181 and razor strip carrying blocks 142 and 143. But it is provided with a one-piece snap-on cover structure 182, in place of separate end caps 161 and 162.
  • the deck structure 181 of the razor 180 is modified somewhat, in comparison to deck structure 161, in order to receive and hold the snap-on cover 182.
  • Figures 16 and 17 show the cover 182 by itself from a side elevational view and plan top view respectively.
  • Figures 15 through 17 show that the generally-open rectangular cover 182 has two side portions 184 and 185 spaced from one another by two end portions 191 and 192.
  • the side portions 184 and 185 respectively have elongated side walls with tapered bottom portions provided with internal tongue portions 186 and 187 which engage complementary mating grooves 188 and 189 on the side walls of the modified deck 181, as best shown in Figure 15.
  • the upper wall portions 193 and 194 of end portions 191 and 192 create recessed pockets 195 and 196, that hide and shield the blade ends, so they cannot scratch the user of the razor. Any conventional or suitable plastic materials may be used to injection-mold the deck structure 181 and cover 182.
  • FIGs 18 and 19 show a fourth example , which is a simple bi-directional cartridge razor 200.
  • Razor 200 includes a replaceable cartridge 201 as its razor head, and a re-usable handle 202, upon which head 201 is mounted through a suitable rigid coupling means or connector arrangement, such as a frictionally-engaged sliding track mechanism 203.
  • Cartridge 201 includes a generally flat face 205 and two pairs of blades 120, 121 and 123, 124, with the sharpened edges 127 and 128 of the respective pairs of blades pointing away from each other. All of the sharpened blade edges are arranged in a common working plane, as best shown in Figure 18.
  • Coupling mechanism 203 includes a C-shaped carriage member 204 supported by the upper end of handle 202, and complementary track members 206, mounted in and extending out from the bottom of head 201.
  • Carriage 204 is slidably engaged on the inner surfaces of track members 206. Frictional forces hold carriage 204 in place on tracks 206. A deliberate sideways force must be applied by the user pushing the handle and head in opposite directions to disengage the carriage from the track, in order to change cartridge 201.
  • Figures 20 through 22 show my fifth example, which is embodiment , which is a second bi-directional cartridge razor 210.
  • Razor 210 includes replaceable cartridge 211 and handle 212, and coupling mechanism 213 between the head and handle.
  • Connecting mechanism 213 is very similar in style to mechanism 203, but features a carriage member 214 supported by the upper end of handle 202 that slidably envelops and frictionally engages the outer surfaces of a C-shaped track member 216.
  • track 216 may be made of plastic material.
  • the carriage 215 may also be made out of plastic material.
  • the track and the carriage, if separately made, may be secured to the bottom of head 211 and the top of handle 212 respectively by any known technique, including mechanical interlocking or fasteners, adhesives, sonic welding, thermal bonding, etc.
  • Razors 200 and 210 like in previous examples, have their blades arranged at an acute angle relative to the face of their cartridge.
  • the blades can be molded within the deck structure, fastened into slots in the deck, or be part of an assembled deck.
  • rows of passages 217 and 218 to allow liquids and shaving debris may be provided through the razor heads 201 and 211 adjacent to the razor blade strips as desired.
  • Each cartridge can be removably connected to the handle by any suitable mechanical connecting means which enables the user to release one cartridge and replace it with another similar cartridge whenever desired.
  • Coupling mechanism 203 for razor 200 can be made of out of any suitable material, such as cadmium or nickel-coated, hot-rolled thin steel sheet stamped or pressed into the desired shape prior to being fastened to the handle and head.
  • the coupling or connector arrangement can take the form a socket and plug that are detachable from one another.
  • Various other types of suitable or conventional mechanical fastening systems or devices can be used to removably connect the cartridge to the handle, in either a stationary or a pivoting relationship. In my embodiments which follow, a number of them are shown and discussed.
  • the blade edges 127 and 128 of the blade strips 120 through 124 in the cartridge head 211 are guarded so as to reduce the chance of accidentally scratching the user's skin during shaving.
  • This guarding is provided by scalloped front guard bars 225 and 226, which respectively contact the skin just prior to blade edges 127 or 128 passing over the skin when "active", that is, when in their hair-cutting orientation relative to the skin.
  • the guarding also includes skin-engaging raised end portions 227 and 228, which abut the comers of the blades and rise slightly above the blade edges.
  • the upper surfaces of the raised end portions, and the uppermost parts of the guard bars preferably fall substantially within and help define a common working plane which includes the sharpened blade edges.
  • the phantom lines show a preferred central location between the two pairs of adjacent blades 227R and 228R for, generally rectangular, thin, elongated glide strip 230.
  • This strip 230 is shown in solid lines in Figure 22, and has a water-soluble, lubricant agent or other shaving aid slowly released from its upper surface during shaving. Width W of the preferably planar surface of glide strip 230 may be adjusted as desired, and need not occupy the entire width between adjacent blades.
  • Figure 22 shows an enlarged end view in cross-section of the head 211, which has the sharpened edges of the inner and outer blades substantially in the same common working plane, but not exactly in the same plane, as will now be explained.
  • the blade edges in this fifth embodiment are arranged, in a stepped fashion which can produce an enhanced cutting action for each blade, provided proper blade angles, elevations and spacings are used.
  • the pairs of horizontal lines 231 through 234 in Figure 22 represent planes 231 through 234, which are parallel to one another and to the plane of face 215 and are located at successively higher elevations above face 215.
  • Plane 231 is defined by uppermost surface portions 235 and 236 of guard bars 225 and 226.
  • Sharpened blade edges 227F and 228F define plane 232.
  • Sharpened blade edges 227R and 228F define plane 233.
  • plane 234 is defined by the top surface of glide strip 230, as shown by phantom line 235 on Figure 22.
  • the spacing between adjacent planes 231 through 234 is preferably in the range of .0005 inch (.013 mm) to about .002 inch (.05 mm).
  • the precise amount of skin engagement due to increased elevation is a function of, among other things, (1) the angle of the blade relative to the working plane of the razor head for that blade (sometimes called the “blade tangent angle"), and (2) the distance between the cutting edge of the blade and the skin engaging surface forward of that cutting edge (sometimes called the “span").
  • the blades (or blade) in each zone can be set up and adjusted as though they were (or it was) on a uni-directional razor head, once the working plane for those active razor blades (or blade) is established by selection of the size and location of the other non-cutting surfaces of the head that are to contact the skin while the blades (or blade) of that zone are active.
  • the rear blades in my bi-directional razors can be slightly elevated, if desired, relative to their front blades for enhanced cutting action.
  • the sharpened edges 227R and 228R of rear blade strips 121 and 123 are shown slightly elevated relative to sharpened edges 227F and 228F of front blades 120 and 124.
  • the blade tangent angles AF and AR for the front and rear blades respectively may be varied.
  • the span SF which is the distance between the guard bar and the front blade
  • the span SR which is distance between the front blade and rear blade, all as shown in Figure 22, may be varied.
  • a centrally located glide strip or surface can be used with (or omitted from) virtually any of my bi-directional razors, as desired and is always used in the embodiments of the invention. When used, it constitutes a rear skin-engaging surface that helps define the working plane for the active blades.
  • the simplest way to use a glide strip in my bi-directional razors is to have the top surface 233 of the glide strip 230 in plane 231, that is, at an elevation on the head equal to the elevation of the uppermost surfaces 235 and 236 of the guard bars 225 and 226.
  • the top surface 235 of glide strip 230 should be raised, to either the level of plane 231 or plane 232 or somewhere in between. This will cause the skin being shaved to bear with less force upon the sharpened edge of the rear blades. If the top surface of glide strip 233 is raised sufficiently, it will introduce a shallow acute angle between the face of the razor head and the working plane of each pair of blades.
  • the "working plane" of a razor blade or pair of blades may be defined as that plane generally formed and defined by all of the surfaces on the razor head which engage the skin when that blade or pair of blades is active, i.e., in a hair-shaving orientation relative to the skin.
  • the working plane determines the angle at which the active blade or blades are presented to a substantially flat area of skin to be shaved.
  • the surfaces or the razor head which substantially define the working plane include the forward guard bar surface in front of the active blade(s) if any, the rear glide surface behind the active blade(s) if any, the trailing blades (if they are in fact in contact with and dragging across the skin), and the raised surfaces at the ends of the blade strips (if any) which shield the user's skin from being nicked by the corners of the blades.
  • bi-directional shaving with the elongated, compact, single-head razors of my invention can be accomplished when the blades are in precisely the same plane as shown in my first four examples, or when in substantially the same plane as taught in my fifth example. Further, the precise elevation of the rear glide surface, and the blade tangent angle for each blade, and the elevation, spacing and positioning of the individual blades and of other skin-engaging surfaces of the razor head can all influence the cutting action and performance of the active blade or blades in all of my bi-directional razors.
  • FIGS 23 through 34 illustrate a sixth example, which is an embodiment of my invention , namely bi-directional razor 240, which includes a pivoting razor 240 that is a replaceable assembled cartridge structure that uses flat razor blade strips and a pivotal mount.
  • Razor 240 includes a cartridge head 241 which is mounted on handle 242 through a releasable pivoting connector mechanism 243. Finger-operated buttons 244, located at the upper end 246 of handle 242, are squeezed inwardly to release cartridge 241 from its pivot mount.
  • Razor 240 has a generally flat face 245 defined in part by the molded plastic end covers 247 and 248 which shield the blade ends, and the central glide surface 249.
  • Figure 24 shows the main cartridge structure 246 in an end cross-sectional view taken along lines 24-24 of Figure 23.
  • Figure 25 shows the same structure 246 in an assembled state, with the end cover 247 attached, from an end view taken along lines 25-25.
  • Figure 25 reveals more about the internal support structure and shaving debris passages.
  • the blade-carrying cartridge structure 246 includes: base structure 251 resembling a ship's hull; a blade-supporting deck structure 252; a blade-retaining Y-shaped cover structure 253; two pairs of diagonally-oriented, elongated flat blade strips 254 and 255; diagonally-oriented blade-interlock pins 256 and 257; elongated blade spacers 258 and 259 made of mica or any other suitable material; and a centrally-located glide strip 260 secured to the top of cover block 253 by adhesive layer 261.
  • Figures 24 through 27 and 29 show base structure 251 in greater detail.
  • Figures 24 and 27 reveal that base structure 251 includes elongated side portions 264 and 265 interconnected to end portions 267 and 268. Interior walls of the side and end portions define an interconnected open chamber 262 having an elongated lower opening 265, a middle vertical-wall region 269, a sloping slide wall region 270, and an upper vertical side wall region 271.
  • base structure 251 has elongated scalloped top edge portions 274 and 275 on side wall portions 264 and 265 forming skin-engaging guard bars for razor head 241.
  • Structure 251 also has rows of debris passages 276 and 277 respectively passing through side wall portions 264 and 265, as best shown in Figures 26 and 27.
  • Rectangularly-shaped passages 276 are defined in part by interior vertical support column portions 278 and end wall portions 279 and 280.
  • Figures 24,25 and 27 show that base structure 251 fully supports complementary exterior surface portions of deck structure 252 at spaced intervals, when structure 252 is inserted in the generally open trough-shaped chamber 262 defined in part by regions 269, 270 and 271 of base structure 251.
  • Blade seat structure 252 best shown in Figures 24, 25 and 28, has a cross-sectional shape resembling the letter W.
  • Structure 252 is comprised of diagonally-oriented, elongated upper wall sections 284 and 285, connected to lower seat portions 288 and 289.
  • a lower cam section 286 (shown in phantom is also connected to portions 288 and 289, spaced apart elongated passages 287 are provided therebetween.
  • blade seat structure 252 includes two rows of cylindrical holes 290 and 291 passing through upper wall sections 284 and 285.
  • the interior diagonal surfaces 292 and 294 of lower portion 288 of structure 252 are at right angles to one another, and cradle and support blade 254F.
  • Mica blade spacer 258 and interior diagonal surfaces 296 and 298 of portion 288 cradle and support blade 254R as can be seen in Figures 24 and 25.
  • These surfaces 292 and 298, along with spacer block 258, enable the razor blade strips 254F and 254R to be moved into position on the blade deck 252, prior to insertion of cold-headed pins 256 through holes 290 and the corresponding registration holes in blades 254 and cover interlock block 253.
  • cover interlock block 253 has a Y-shaped cross-section when viewed from the end.
  • Block 253 preferably includes three lower "registration and lock" key portions 310 directly opposite top surface 312, which are frictionally press fit under light pressure into complementary holes 287 in deck structure 252.
  • Diagonally oriented surfaces 314 and 315 of block 253 bear against blades 254R and 255R once the interlock block 253 has been pressed into place over the subassembly consisting of deck 252, blades 254 and 255, and spacers 258 and 259.
  • the top block 253 holds the blades in place prior to two rows of plastic pins 256 and 257 being pushed through the deck, spacers and blades and pressed into corresponding friction-fit holes 316 and 317 in block 253.
  • glide strip 260 is bonded by adhesive layer 261 to surface 312 of the cover block to complete a subassembly 320 consisting of assembled deck, spacers, blades, pins, top interlock block and glide strip 260.
  • Subassembly 320 is then inserted, as shown in Figure 25, into deck structure 251 to complete cartridge structure 246. Thereafter, end caps 247 and 248 are added to form the completed cartridge 241.
  • Figure 26 shows how end caps 247 and 248 cover and shield the ends of the blades in cartridge assembly 241, and thus prevent the user from being nicked by blade corners.
  • Figure 27 illustrates how the end covers, such as cap 247, may be provided with protrusions such as flange 322 and studs 324, that are received by and snugly frictionally engage corresponding complementary surfaces 326 and holes 328 in deck structure 251.
  • FIGS 24, 25 and 29 illustrate one preferred form that the pivoting interconnection arrangement 243 between cartridge 241 and handle 242 may take.
  • This pivoting mechanism includes two sets of spring forces operating in orthogonal directions. One set of springs biases the manual release buttons 244 outwardly. The other set of springs provides a return-to-center function for the pivot action.
  • Mechanism 243 also includes dual-positive stops to prevent accidental over-rotation of cartridge 241 relative to handle 242.
  • Mechanism 243 has a handle-mounted portion 360 and a cartridge-mounted portion 361. Because handle 202 is intended to be reused thousands of times, while cartridge 241 is to be disposed after about twenty or thirty uses, my pivot mechanism is designed with the more expensive components in handle portion 360. As shown in Figure 29, portion 361 on razor cartridge 241 includes the lower cam section 286 and lower portions 288, 289 of the blade deck structure 252. Portion 361 also includes sockets 362 and 363 formed in lower blocks 364 and 365 of base structure 251. As shown by dotted lines 366 and 368, these block sections could readily be larger, but I prefer to reduce them in size as shown in Figure 29 and Figure 33 to save material.
  • Lower cam section 268 of blade deck structure 252 includes thick wall sections 371 and 372 surrounding parabolically-shaped shoulder which defines cam surface 373 symmetrically positioned about the main transverse plane of cartridge structure in which line 30-30 is drawn.
  • a similar parabolic cam surface 374 is provided on the opposite side of cam section 268.
  • Cam surfaces 373 and 374 taper downwardly and inwardly from top to bottom, as shown in Figure 30.
  • the topmost surfaces 377 and 378 of the parabolic shoulders provide positive stops for leaf-spring plastic fingers 381 and 382 of the portion of mechanism 380 on the handle.
  • Handle-mounted coupling mechanism 362 at the top end of handle 242 includes box-like upper handle support frame 384 having a generally hollow substantially closed chamber 385 formed by side wall sections 386 and 387 and lower wall section 389 and front and rear wall sections 411 and 412.
  • Mechanism 362 also includes movable arms 390 and 391 which support pivot pins 390 and 392 at their free ends. The pivot pins move longitudinally outwardly to engage complementary sockets 362 and 363.
  • Mechanism 360 also includes longitudinally-extending guide rods 396 and 397 mounted to frame 384. The rods pass through and ensure arms 390 and 391 can move only in a longitudinal direction.
  • Helical springs 398 and 399 co-axially mounted about rods 396 and 397, and shown in their compressed state in Figure 29, provide longitudinal forces that attempt to drive pins 392 and 393 into sockets 362 and 363.
  • Figure 29 shows the arms 390 and 391 in their actuated state, with springs 398 and 399 compressed, as they would be when pushed inwardly by the user's fingers bearing against buttons 244, in order to remove cartridge 241 from handle 242 by decoupling the pivot pins from the sockets.
  • arms 390 and 391 are in their normal, released position, the pivot pins will be in their respective sockets, and buttons 244 will be in the positions indicated by dotted lines 401 and 402.
  • Figure 30 shows key portions of handle-mounted coupling mechanism 360 from an end cross-sectional view.
  • spring return-to-center spring mechanism 380 is comprised of leaf-spring finger portions 381 and 382 made of semi-rigid bendable plastic material, which extend up from front and back wall portions 411 and 412 of housing structure 384.
  • Point 420 shown in Figures 31 and 32 represents the axis of rotation of the pivot pins 392, 393 within their sockets 394, 395.
  • arms 390 and 391 are extended outwardly by spring force so that pivot pins 392 and 393 engage sockets 362 and 363 of deck structure 251.
  • the leaf-spring fingers 381 and 382 extending from the handle on a coupling structure 360 engage the parabolic side wall cam surfaces 373 and 374 normally as shown in Figure 30.
  • the razor 240 when in use, is moved by a user along his or her skin. As a counter-clockwise force, represented by arrows 421 and 422 in Figure 31, is applied to the cartridge 251, it begins to rotate about point 420, as shown.
  • Leaf-spring fingers 381 and 382 are pushed outwardly by surfaces 375 and 374, and thus tend to resist rotation and provide a restoring force proportional to the displacement of the fingers that tries to return the cartridge 251 to its at-rest center position. If rotational forces 421 and 422 continue to build, eventually the coupling mechanism reaches the point shown in Figure 32. In this position, the top of leaf spring 382 is engaged in the top of arcuate shoulder 378 of cam section 286, thus stopping further rotation.
  • FIG 33 shows one preferred internal construction for socket 363 and pivot pin 393, with both socket and pin being shown in their at-rest center position.
  • Socket 363 has a pair of inwardly-projecting stops 423 and 424 on opposite sides of the socket.
  • Pivot pin 393 is provided with a central section 425 and two wedge-shaped wing sections 426 and 427. In use, central section 425 of pivot pin 393 rotates on the inner surfaces of stops 423 and 424, which constitute opposed arc segments of an inner cylindrical bearing surface, and on the outer opposed arcuate surfaces of wedge sections 426 and 427 which rest on complementary interior cylindrical surface segments of socket 363.
  • the coupling mechanism 243 may be constructed of all plastic materials, although rods 396, 397 and springs 398, 399 are preferably a steel alloy resistant to corrosion from exposure to water and all usual shaving aid products. Those in the art will appreciate that, however, the various assembled structures of and major components of razor 240 may be made from any suitable material, and be fastened together in alternate ways.
  • FIGS 35 and 36 illustrate a seventh example, which is an embodiment of my invention, namely a disposable bi-directional cartridge razor 440.
  • Razor 440 is comprised of a cartridge head 441, connected to a handle 442 by a simple all-plastic slidable interlock mechanism 443 having an internal carriage molded into head 241 and outer track molded onto the top of handle 442.
  • Head 441 has fewer pieces and is narrower in width than razor 240 of the previous embodiment, and still has an essentially flat face 445.
  • Cartridge structure 441 is formed mainly of two pre-molded pieces: a blade seat structure 446, which includes an integral end cap portion 447 and guard bar portion 448; and a cover structure 450 which includes de portion 451 and end portion 452.
  • Cartridge 441 also has two pairs of angled blade strips 454 and 455, a row of head-locking pins 456, blade spacer strips 457 and 458, and an elongated centrally-located glide strip 460.
  • Blade seat structure 446 includes base portion 462 through which two rows of passages 263 and 264 extend for flushing out cut hair and spent shaving cream. Structure 446 also includes center wall portion 465 and interior side wall portions 466 and 467 and an exterior side wall portion 468, all integrally formed with base 462. Rows of horizontal holes 470 having counter-sunk ends 472 extend through wall portions 465-467. Wall portion 451 associated with cover structure 450 also includes transverse horizontal hole portions 474 having countersunk ends 476. All of these holes are for receiving horizontally-disposed cartridge-interlock pins 456, which retain the blades firmly in place and provide additional rigidity to the overall cartridge structure.
  • the construction of the razor cartridge 441 shown in Figures 35 and 36 begins with pre-molded base structure 446 and cover structure 450. First, angled razor blades 454 are sandwiched between mica spacer block 458 and inserted into the elongated slot between wall portions 465 and 467. Next, blades 455 and spacer block 457 are brought together and inserted into the elongated slot between wall portions 465 and 466. Then, cover member 450 is placed into position, as shown in Figures 35 and 36. Dado joints or other mating surfaces may be used as adjacent contacting surfaces of seat and cover structures 446 and 450 to ensure perfect registration in all three orthogonal directions.
  • pins 456 are inserted through holes 470 and 474, and suitably fastened to ensure that the cartridge 441 does not come apart.
  • the pins 456 may be made of metal or plastic or any other suitable material. If plastic, the pins may have one end melted into the countersunk hole portions 472 and/or 476. Obviously, registration holes are provided in the vertical wall portions of razor blades 454 and 455 and in spacers 457, 458 to receive the pins. This completes the cartridge structure except for the placement of optional lubricant strip force 60 and connecting the handle to the cartridge using coupling mechanism 443. Note while pins 456 are shown being used to hold the completed head structure 441 together, any other suitable permanent fastening technique may be used instead.
  • Blades 454 and 455 may be made out of any conventional steel or other alloy material, either as an integral one-piece member as shown, or from two steel strips, namely a very thin flat blade strip with a sharpened edge laser spot welded to the diagonal portion of an angled thicker blade support member. Such two-piece angled blade constructions are well-known and in common use in some commercially available razors, but without pin registration holes.
  • FIGS 37 through 39 illustrate an eighth example, namely bi-directional razor 480, which includes disposable bi-directional cartridge 481 mounted on a permanent handle 482 through a semi-flexible, pivot connecting mechanism 483.
  • Razor head cartridge 481 includes as its main molded components a base structure 484, a blade support structure 485, and end covers 487 and 488.
  • Pivot mounting structure 483 includes a handle-mounted section 489 on upper end 490 of handle 482.
  • This section 489 includes elongated upper arm members 491 and 492 having upper end portions 493 and 494 from which pivot pins 495 and 496 extend inwardly facing one another.
  • Pivot pins 495 and 496 resemble thick shaft ends and may have a frusto-conical shape and are engaged in corresponding bowl-shaped apertures 497 and 498 formed in end cover structures 487 and 488.
  • Upper arms 491 and 492 and their end portions 493 and 494 are preferably made of semi-flexible plastic material, so that a user, upon squeezing the cartridge 481 by its side wall surfaces 503 and 504 and pushing it along in a longitudinal direction, may elastically deform the arm members sufficiently to uncouple one of the pivot pins 495 and 496 from its corresponding socket, and then angle the uncoupled end of the head upwardly so as to remove the cartridge from the handle. Installation of a new cartridge 41 simply requires reversing this procedure. Thus, a new cartridge may be easily installed whenever desired.
  • base structure 484 includes bottom portion 502 and side wall portions 503 and 504, which together form a U-shaped channel when viewed in cross-section as best shown in Figure 39, with a large chamber 505 which opens upwardly.
  • a blade subassembly 485 is installed in chamber 505, as shown in Figure 39.
  • Lower portion 502 of base structure 484 preferably includes three rows of internal support pedestals 506, 507 and 508, each formed like a mesa, for precisely locating blade subassembly 485 during installation, and for preventing the blades from moving downwardly during use of razor 480.
  • Bottom portion 502 also includes a plurality of through passages 509 through 512 for allowing water and shaving debris to flow through the largely open razor blade subassembly 485 and out of the bottom 502 of the razor cartridge.
  • a row of horizontally aligned holes 513 and 514 are provided in side walls 503 and 504 of base structure 484 for receiving blade-retaining interlock pins 515.
  • Hole 513 may be enlarged as shown in area 516 for receiving the head of a cold-headed plastic pin 515.
  • the blade subassembly 485 includes four identical spool-like spacers having a axially-aligned cylindrical hole therethrough for receiving the blade-retaining pins.
  • An elongated rectangular slab-like spacer 517 is also provided between the two adjacent rear blades 524R and 525R.
  • the distance between blades 524F and 525F from guard bars 527 and 528 at the top of side wall portions 503 and 504 is determined by the thickness of spacers 518.
  • the clearance between the front and rear blades is determined by the thickness of spacers 519. If desired, the spacers 518 and 519 may be made identical in configuration and/or size to reduce manufacturing costs.
  • End cover 486 and 487 are registered with and secured to base structure 484 by a plurality of projecting studs 530 which are press-fit into corresponding apertures 531 in the end walls of base structure 484 shown in Figure 39.
  • the bottom of Figure 38 shows two studs 530 projecting into two such apertures 531 in the base structure.
  • Razor cartridge 481 can be assembled manually or automatically. Assembly begins with preparing razor blade subassembly 485, with blades 424 and 425 sandwiched into position as shown in Figure 39 between spacers 515 and 517. Subassembly 485 can be temporarily held together by two (or more) temporary interlock pins resembling pointed headless nails having an overall length no wider than the subassembly, which are inserted into the through-holes in the set of spacers and blades making up the subassembly. Once prepared, subassembly 485 is then inserted into its proper position within chamber 505 of base structure 484.
  • the permanent interlock pins 515 may be coldheaded into place through the horizontal holes, including holes 513 in side wall 503, through the subassembly 485, and into press-fit engagement with holes 514 in side wall 504. The act of inserting permanent interlock pins 515 will drive the temporary interlock pins out of the cartridge entirely. Then, end caps 486 and 487 are installed to complete cartridge 481.
  • razor cartridge 481 has very narrow width, and that all blades are shown arranged in a single, common working plane.
  • the trailing pair of blades act as rear glide strips for the active blades of the other pair.
  • Dimensions, spacing and elevations of guard bars and blades and blade tangent angles may be changed as desired to produce an effective bi-directional razor device using the structure disclosed in Figures 37-39.
  • Figures 40 through 42 illustrate a ninth example, which is an embodiment of my invention, namely bi-directional razor 540. It includes a replaceable cartridge 541 mounted to handle 542 through a movable coupling mechanism 543 featuring a shell bearing pivot arrangement 544 and a field-adjustable return-to-center spring force adjustment mechanism 546.
  • the cartridge 541 has a generally flat face 545.
  • Figure 40 is a side elevational view taken in partial cross-section showing the internal construction of flexible cartridge 541 and the field adjustable spring force mechanism 546.
  • Cartridge 541 includes, as its part of movable coupling means 543, matched spaced opposing shell bearing support structures 549 and 550, in which are formed female shell bearing cylindrical arcuate surfaces 551 and 552 which resemble curved grooves.
  • Handle 542 includes as part of its portion of coupling means 543, male shell bearing members 553 and 554 which are curved flanges that have the same basic radius as grooves 551 and 552.
  • the grooves face longitudinally inwardly toward the central transverse axis of cartridge 541.
  • Shell bearings 553 and 554 extend from arms 555 and 556 longitudinally outwardly away from the central transverse action axis of the cartridge.
  • Dashed line A in Figure 40 represents the axis of rotation of cylindrical arcuate shell bearings 553 and 554.
  • Point A in Figure 41 represents this same axis.
  • the radius of shell bearing segments 551 through 554 was deliberately selected to be large enough so that this axis of rotation A would be substantially above the working plane of the razor, which is represented by horizontal lines 557 in Figures 40 and 41.
  • the axis of rotation A is preferably about 0.1 inch (2.5 mm) to about 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) above plane 557. As noted in the Summary of the invention above, placing this axis of shell bearing rotation above the working plane of the blade edges is believed to improve the degree of control over bi-directional cartridge 541 experienced by the user, particularly as the contour of the skin changes rapidly.
  • bi-directional cartridge 541 It causes improved tracking over the skin to by bi-directional cartridge 541 particularly along rapidly changing skin contours.
  • the cartridge tends to more quickly rotate or pivot the active blades away from contact with the skin, than it otherwise would if the axis of rotation were placed precisely in the working plane 557, as it is in prior art uni-directional razors.
  • Cartridge 541 may if desired be made of substantially rigid plastic material. Preferably, it is made of fairly flexible plastic or synthetic rubber material. In either case, shell bearing coupling mechanism 543 and retum-to-center mechanism 546 will work well.
  • the use of serpentine flexible cartridges in uni-directional razors is known, as is taught in aforementioned U.S. Patents 4,409,735 and 4,443,939, and as found in widely available Schick Tracer razor.
  • no one has ever applied flexible razor constructions to cartridges having four razor blades, or to razor heads having razor blades whose sharpened edges pointed in opposite directions.
  • the flexible embodiment of cartridge 541 shown in Figures 40 through 42 will now be described.
  • Cartridge 541 includes central elongated lubricant glide strip 560, a flexible deck structure 561, a flexible blade seat structure 562, and two molded end cover plates 563 and 564.
  • the end cover plates are installed on the cartridge after the razor blade strips and seat structure 562 are placed in deck structure 561, as shown in Figure 41.
  • the cover plates shield the user from the blade ends to prevent nicks, and help hold the razor blade strips and seat structure 562 in place within deck structure 561.
  • Cover plates .562 and 564 are retained on the deck structure 561 by spring clip or band members 567 and 568, which may be made of spring steel (or any other suitable material) in a conventional manner like on the Gillette Sensor razor cartridge.
  • Such clip or band members rest in a transverse track in the middle of the top surface of their respective cover plates, and completely or partially encircle the sides and bottom of ends of adjacent deck structure to which the cover is attached.
  • Deck structure 561 has, as shown in Figure 41, a bottom or floor portion 572 and side wall portions 573 and 574, thus forming a channel having U-shaped cross-section when viewed in end cross-section, as shown in Figure 41.
  • Side wall portions 573 and 574 each include a row of spaced interior vertical column portions 575 and 576 (similar to vertical interior column portions 271 in Figure 27) which at spaced intervals abut side wall portions 577 and 578 of seat structure 562.
  • debris passages 581 and 582 which pass through cartridge floor 572 to allow the open areas in front of blades 584F and 585F and behind guard bars 587 and 588 to be flushed.
  • Interior passages 599 and 600 are more flush holes through floor 572.
  • Deck and seat structures 561 and 562 each are preferably made of an elongated serpentine-like interconnection structure of planar vertical and horizontal segments portions, such as segment portions 605 through 618 shown generally in the right half of Figure 40. (Since the razor head structure 541 is symmetrical about its longitudinal and central transverse axis, it is sufficient to describe one-half of structures 561 and 562.) Odd-numbered planar segment portions represent generally vertical portions while even-numbered segment portions represent generally horizontal portions. The planes of these vertical segments are perpendicular to axis A, and the planes of the horizontal segments are parallel to face 545.
  • This serpentine pattern of interconnected segment portions allows the blade deck and support structures 561 and 562 to flex in a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis and central transverse axis of the razor head 541.
  • cartridge 541 is able to flex when in use in a direction generally perpendicular to face 545 and working plane 557.
  • adjacent overlapping sets of three segments have upright and inverted U-shaped cross-sections, which enables flexing to occur at both the top and bottom portions of deck and blade structures 561 and 562.
  • FIG 41 shows that blade seat structure 562 supports flat blade strips 584 and 585 in a diagonal orientation with the two sets of sharpened edges pointing away from one another. Individual strips are inserted into slots pre-formed into structure 562, such as slot 623 in which blade 585F is located.
  • the blades preferably do not fit snugly into the elongated slots. Instead each blade slot is made slightly wider than the width of the blade strip so that the blade will be free to bend in a direction transverse to the plane of the blade and slot, and can freely move longitudinally relative to individual transverse planar segments of structure 562. This manner of mounting blades 584 and 585 promotes the flexibility of cartridge 541, as will be further explained.
  • Figure 41 further shows that blade seat structure 562 has been molded to have further flexibility that is independent of the flexing of deck structure 561.
  • the lower interior surface 625 of structure 562 is sculpted to produce four thick regions separated by three thinner regions 626, 627 and 628.
  • Central thin region 627 coupled with the nominal clearance space 629 between surface 625 and the adjacent interior surface of floor portion 572 of deck structure 561, allows seat structure 562 to bend downwardly in the center along its longitudinal axis, which tends to bend or bow the two sets of blade strips 584 and 585 in opposite directions generally perpendicular to their respective blade strip planes.
  • Thin side regions 526 and 528 of seat structure provide further flexibility and in independent bending of seat structure 562 and the two sets of blade strips.
  • the return-to-center spring force adjustment mechanism 546 includes a cam surface 632 between horizontal segments 616 and 618 extending from the floor section 552 of deck structure 561, and a cam operator 634 at the end of cam lever 636 extending upwardly from the upper end of handle 542.
  • the cam lever is located in bore 638 and urged upwardly by helical spring 640 resting upon surface 641 of adjustment screw screwed into complementary threaded socket 643 in the upper end 644 of handle 542.
  • Screw 642 has a knurled finger-actuated knob 646 accessible through clearance hole 648 in intermediate section 645 of handle 542.
  • Guide rod 650 extends between a bore in screw 642 and a bore within cam lever 636 to maintain spring 640 in proper position, as it biases cam lever into cam surface 632.
  • the knob 646 may be adjusted by the user. Alternately, knob 646 may be replaced with a tool-actuated end, such as a hex nut end that requires a small wrench to operate. Further, the screw 642 may be hidden if desired, to allow only knowledgeable service personnel to adjust same. While the knob 646 is user-adjustable, hiding the screw behind a cover plate would make the mechanism adjustable only by qualified personnel in the field. The operation of mechanism 546 will be explained shortly in connection with Figures 43 and 44.
  • the Figure 40 shows in the lower right-hand portion thereof the internal mechanism which carries movable arm 555.
  • arm 555 is operated through user-actuated buttons 244 which, when pushed inwardly as shown, decouple the shell bearings 553 and 554 from corresponding bearing surfaces 551 and 552, thus allowing cartridge 561 to be changed.
  • Arm 555 rides on rods 656 and 657, and is returned to its normal position, indicated by dotted lines 402 in Figure 40, by bias spring 658 on the part of arm structure 555 opposite button 244.
  • Figures 43 and 44 illustrate the tenth example, which is an embodiment of the present invention, namely pivotable razor head 680, which is similar in a number of respects to razor 540 shown in Figures 40 and 42.
  • the spring-return spring force mechanism is identical, and therefore will be used now to further explain now the pivot operation of razor 540.
  • Figure 41 shows the cartridge 561 in its center position, at rest on handle 542.
  • a rotation-inducing force is applied to the cartridge 561, such as counter-clockwise (“CCW") force represented by arrows 421 and 422 in Figure 43
  • the shell bearing 553 slides in arcuate its groove 551, thus causing the cartridge to rotate about center point A, as shown in Figure 43.
  • CCW counter-clockwise
  • end portion 663 of shell bearing 553 contacts end wall 661 of bearing surface groove 551, thus preventing further rotation.
  • opposite end 662 of groove 551 also is a positive stop to prevent rotation in the opposite direction in response to clockwise pivot forces.
  • cam lever 636 is continuously biased upwardly against cam surface 632 by compression spring 640.
  • compression spring 640 A comparison of Figures 41, 43 and 44 reveals that as the angle of rotation of the cartridge increases, change in the thickness of cam surface 632 causes cam lever 636 to be pressed downwardly against the force of spring 640 in proportion to the amount of rotation. In this manner, the return-to-center spring force mechanism 546 exerts a continuous restoring force that is substantially linear with the angle of rotation, assuming the curvature of cam surface 632 has been properly selected.
  • Adjustment knob 646 can be used to adjust the force exerted by spring 640.
  • knob 646 When knob 646 is used to turn screw 642 clockwise, the spring 640 is compressed, thus increasing the pressure cam 634 exerts through lever 636 on the cam surface 632, and thus more strongly tending to urge the cartridge from a pivoted position to its at-rest position.
  • rotating knob 646 in screw 642 counter-clockwise reduces the force on spring 640, and thus reduces the spring return-to-center restoring force exerted through cam lever 636 and cam surface 632.
  • the user or service person having access to screw 642 is able to adjust the bias force operating on the shell bearing pivot mechanism of razor 540 and razor 680.
  • this user-adjustable variable return-to-center biasing force allows the user to customize, to some extent, the pivoting action of razors 540 and 682 to his or her liking.
  • the spring restoring force can be made whether heavy or light, as preferred by the user.
  • Figures 45 through 47 illustrate that the cam surface 632 may be varied, with different results, in terms of altering the return-to-center force in relation to the angle of rotation (i.e., pivoting) of the cartridge to the handle, and these results are graphed in Figure 46.
  • Figure 47 is a graph of distance traveled by cam lever 636 as a function of angle of rotation.
  • Figure 45A shows my first cam 632A (which is identical to cam surface 632 shown in Figures 41 and 43).
  • Cam surface 632B shown in Figure 45B has a shallower rise, and thus produces less force per unit of angle rotation, as shown in line 632B in Figure 46, but still produces a linear restoring force as a function of angle of rotation.
  • Figure 45C and 45D show cam surfaces 632C and 632D which produce variable rate (nonlinear) restoring forces. Their restoring forces start slowly and then increase rapidly as a function of angle of rotation, in almost exponential form. Since the rate of rise of cam surface 632C is greater than cam surface 632D, the graphs of force versus angle of rotation in Figure 646 show greater force being produced by cam surface 632C than by cam surface 632D.
  • FIGs 43 and 44 illustrate the tenth example, which is an embodiment of the invention, namely bi-directional razor 680 which has two distinct working planes which are less than 15 degrees away being co-planar. Because skin to be shaving is normally soft and pliant, razor 680 is still able to operate in a manner substantially identical, from the user's point of view, to my bi-directional razors which have all their blades in substantially the same working plane.
  • Bi-directional razor 680 shown in Figures 43 and 44 includes a pivoting cartridge 681 of substantially the same in construction as cartridge 561 in the previous embodiment, except that the blade seat structure 682 has substantially solid planar vertical and horizontal segments, (e.g., those segments corresponding to segments 605 through 616 shown in Figure 40).
  • the sculpted bottom surface 628 found on blade seat structure 562 has been replaced in blade seat structure 682 by solid material as shown in Figure 43.
  • Blade strips 584 and 585 are still loosely mounted in diagonally-oriented slots, such as slot 683, so that they can move relative to seat 562 when cartridge 681 is flexed.
  • Cartridge 681 also includes a modified glide strip 685 which is slightly rounded between top surfaces 687 and 689.
  • Cartridge 681 also includes a modified profile for top surface 688 of end cover plate 563 to accommodate the two working planes which will be discussed next.
  • Three planes may be identified relative to cartridge 681, namely guard (or front blade) edge plane 690, first working plane 691, and second working plane 692.
  • Plane 690 extends parallel to the face 695 of blade seat structure 682, and is defined by the topmost surfaces of guard bars 587 and 588 of cartridge 681. It is parallel to the front blade edge plane, defined by the sharpened edges blades 584F and namely 585F.
  • the first set of blades 584 are found in the first working plane 691, which extends between guard bar 588 and rear guard surface 689 of glide strip 685.
  • the sharpened edges of blade strips 585 are found in the second working plane 692, which extends between front guard bar surface 587 and rear glide strip surface 687.
  • the first and second working planes are both at equal and opposite angles (in the range of about 2.5 degrees to 7.5 degrees) to the guard bar plane 690.
  • this acute angle In order for the bi-directional razor 680 to be usable in essentially the same manner as the previous examples, it is necessary for this acute angle to be about 8 degrees or less.
  • the combined angle between working planes 691 and 692 is shown in Figure 43 to be 14 degrees, but may be anywhere in the range of about 5 to about 15 degrees for example.
  • this dual plane will still permit both sets of blades to engage the skin to be shaved as the cartridge 681 is moved back and forth by a user who without the need to lift, turn or tilt the handle for shaving bi-directionally, i.e., (in opposite directions of movement) with cartridge 681 along the skin.
  • FIGs 48 through 51 illustrate an eleventh example, which is an embodiment of the invention, namely bi-directional razor 710 having cartridge 711 secured rigidly to handle 712 through a sliding track coupling.
  • Razor head 711 includes: a base structure 712; a blade spacer structure 713; first set of blades 714; second set of blades 715; glide strip 716; a pair of end covers, such as cover 717; and a series of horizontally arranged interlock pins 718 which pass through elongated registration holes 720 in the razor blade strips.
  • the blades 714, 715 are individually sprung by a set of leaf-spring fingers 722 integrally formed within the base structure 712, as shown in Figures 49 and 50, that curve upwardly and push up on the bottom of the blade strips.
  • Angled blades 714, 715 may thus be depressed by the passing skin 723 as shown in Figure 49. There, blade 714F is at its full upright position, while the remaining blades 714R and 715 are partially depressed.
  • Figure 51 illustrates how the individual blades, such as blade 715F may also be tilted at an angle to the guard bar plane or face of the razor in response to forces applied by the skin of the user that is to be shaved.
  • the bi-directional razor 710 and cartridge 711 thus illustrate that individually-sprung blades may be employed in the bi-directional razors of my invention.
  • FIGs 52 through 54 illustrate a twelfth example, which is an embodiment of my invention, namely bi-directional razor 740, which has a cartridge of ultra-thin width, in part due to the use of a single blade in each shaving zone, as will now be explained.
  • Razor 740 includes a replaceable bi-directional cartridge 741 pivotally mounted on handle 742 by virtue of a shell-bearing pivot arrangement of the type discussed in connection with Figures 40 through 44, which needs no further explanation.
  • Cartridge 741 includes a main cartridge structure 742, and end cap members 743 and 744. It has a single working plane 745 defined by centrally-located glide strip 746 and front guard bars 747 and 748, as well as the top surfaces of end cover 743 and 744.
  • the main cartridge structure 742 shown in Figure 53, includes base section 752, and side wall sections 753 and 754 which snap onto upstanding prongs 755 and 756 of base section 752.
  • Sets of leaf springs 761 and 762 respectively bias in an upward direction angled blades 764 and 765 to their full upright position.
  • Center section 766 and interior side wall sections 767 and 768 serve to keep the blades in a generally upright position, even if they should be biased downwardly by forces generated during engagement of the skin against the blades.
  • the internal structures of cartridge 741 depicted in Figure 53 are preferably repeated at three to four times along the length of cartridge 741.
  • Figure 54 illustrates another end cross-sectional view of cartridge 741 showing how the cartridge construction may be generally open between internal wall sections 767 and 768 to provide a generally open interior and debris passages 777 and 778 through base section 752 to minimize the problems associated with cut hair and other shaving byproducts that might otherwise collect within cartridge 741 and possibly impede proper operation of razor blade strips 764 and 765 by sets of springs 761 and 762.
  • Blades 764 and 765 may be of a two-piece construction as shown.
  • blade 765 includes a thin-gauge elongated flat razor strip 771 with a single sharpened edge that is laser welded or otherwise bonded to a thicker gauge angled blade strip support member 772.
  • FIGs 55 and 56 illustrate the thirteenth example, namely bi-directional razor 780 having a dual-plane cartridge 781 mounted on handle 782 using a pivot pin mounting mechanism 783.
  • Razor cartridge 780 includes main cartridge structure 786, and end caps 787 and 788 (cap 788 is not shown).
  • the end caps may be integrally formed as molded end walls on the base member 790 of the main cartridge structure 786.
  • Cartridge 781 includes two pairs of blade strips 794 and 795 and two blade strip spacers 796 and 797, which are all pinned into position by blade cap 800.
  • Cap 800 includes two rows of pins 804 and 805 which respectively pass through registration holes in blade strips 794 and 795 and registration holes in spacers 796 and 797, before being press-fit into registration holes 806 and 807 of the base member 790.
  • Cartridge 781 also includes a guide strip 810 which has sloped surfaces 811 and 812 and top surface 813. The strip 810 is glued or otherwise fastened to blade cap 800.
  • Cartridge 781 also includes scalloped front guard bars 814 and 815 as shown.
  • the first working plane, in which sharpened edges of blade strips 494 are located, is defined in part by front guard bar 814 and rear glide strip surface 811.
  • the second working plane, in which sharpened edges of blades 795 reside, is defined in part by front guard bar 815 and rear glide surface 812.
  • Figure 56 depicts razor cartridge 781 in operation in two different locations and directions 821 and 822 along a stretch of skin 823.
  • head 781 toggles or pivots into contact with the skin as shown at location 825, with the first working plane of the razor and blades 794 in contact with the skin 823.
  • front guard bar 814 and rear glide surface 811 are also in contact with the skin.
  • the cartridge 781 toggles into the orientation shown in location 826. This toggling action occurs as the handle 782 is pulled backwards, which causes the head 781 to roll about pivot point 827.
  • top surface 813 of glide strip 810 comes into contact with skin 823 at about location 829.
  • cartridge 781 naturally flips or toggles so that the second working plane defined by front guard bar 815 and rear glide surface 812 comes into contact with the skin at about location 830, at which time blades 795 become active and begin to shave hair from the skin.
  • the toggling action just described is reversed at whatever location on the skin the cartridge happens to be at.
  • Figure 56 clearly shows that the first and second working planes of cartridge 781 intersect at a line above longitudinal axis of the cartridge at an obtuse angle.
  • FIGS 57 and 58 illustrate a fourteenth example , namely dual-plane bi-directional razor 840.
  • Razor 840 Includes cartridge 841 mounted on handle 482 through pivoting mechanism 483 already discussed in connection with the Figure 37 embodiment. Thus, only the details of cartridge 841 need be discussed here.
  • Cartridge 841 Includes end cover members 842 and 843 which have a rounded triangular appearance and shield the blade edge corners from nicking the user.
  • Cartridge 841 includes base structure 846, blade-retaining interlock pins 847 and 848, blade spacer member 849, blade cap member 850, and an arcuate elongated glide strip 845 having surface segments 851 and 852.
  • Base structure 846 includes front guard bars 854 and 855.
  • Cartridge structure 841 has a reduced width due to a more compact internal structure Diagonally-oriented interlocking pins to retain the two sets of blade strips 854 and 855, which themselves are less wide than corresponding blade strips 794 and 795 in the previous embodiment.
  • Deck structure 846 includes front guard bars 856 and 857.
  • the first working plane, in which blade edges 854 reside, is defined in part by front guard bar 856 and glide strip surface segment 851.
  • the second working plane, in which blade edges 855 reside is defined by front guard bar 857 and rear guard strip surface 852.
  • the cartridge 841 transitions from the first to the second working plane and back more readily than previous razor 780 does because it is narrower and because glide strip 845 is more rounded and smaller than glide strip 810.
  • strip 845 lacks a flat surface-like flat surface 813 on strip 810 that tends to impede the transition of cartridge 781 between working planes.
  • FIG 59 illustrates a fifteenth example , namely razor 860, which is a modification of razor 840.
  • Razor 860 features a still smaller overall size and narrower width than razor head 841 shown in Figure 58.
  • Razor head 861 has a simplified internal construction utilizing one row of vertical interlocking pins to hold the blades of dual plane cartridge 861 in place.
  • interlock pins 847 and 848 are press fit into corresponding holes in blade cap member 850.
  • cartridge 861 of Figure 59 has an end cap 872 from which the vertical interlocking pins 873 are integrally formed with and extend downwardly from blade cap 872 into blade deck structure 876.
  • Blades 874F and 875F may be made from one piece of flat razor blade strip stock sharpened on both sides.
  • the razor blade edges 874R and 875R may be made from a narrower single piece of razor blade strip stock sharpened along both edges.
  • the simplified construction of cartridge 861 should make it cheaper to mass-produce than cartridge 841 in Figures 57 and 58. In all other respects it operates in the same way as cartridge 841.
  • the thirteenth through fifteenth embodiments just described all employ two sets of horizontally arranged, vertically-stacked razor blade strips disposed in cartridge structures having a generally trapezoidal or triangular shape when viewed in end cross-section. Further, each cartridge featured generally two distinct working planes separated from the horizontal blade deck plane by about 10 to 15 degrees or more. Due to the pivoting interconnection between the dual-plane cartridge and the handle, these pivoting razor heads are nonetheless able to operate bi-directionally with the two working planes toggling into and out of a single effective plane. Pivoting or toggle-action dual-plane bi-directional razors of my invention may also be constructed with vertically arranged angled blade strips interconnected by horizontally-disposed interlock pins, as shown in the next three embodiments.
  • FIGs 60 through 63 illustrate a sixteenth example, which is an embodiment of my invention, namely dual-plane pivoting bi-directional razor 880.
  • the usual handle such as handle 482 has been omitted from the drawings so that attention may be focused upon dual-plane cartridge 881.
  • Figure 60 shows that cartridge 881 employs an outside socket 882 on end cover member 883 to receive the pivot pin of pivoting connection mechanism, such as mechanism 489 shown in Figures 37 and 38.
  • Cartridge 881 has two sets of blades 884 and 885, with the sharpened edges of each arranged in its own distinct working plane. Blades 884 are in a plane parallel to diagonal surface 886 of end cover 883. The second working plane containing the sharpened edges of blade 885 is parallel and closely adjacent to diagonal surface 887 of cover 883.
  • Figure 61 shows a preferred construction for cartridge 881 which includes: blade deck structure 892, a blade seat structure 893 and a blade cap structure 894 having a lubricant strip 895 disposed thereon provided with planar rear glide surfaces 896 and 897
  • Figure 62 shows a top view of deck structure 892, in plan on the left and in longitudinal cross-section on the right. This view reveals rows of debris passages 901 through 904.
  • Figure 63 shows the blade seat structure 893 in plan view and partial cross-sectional view.
  • the razor head 881 includes rows of interlock pins 905.
  • Figure 64 shows one embodiment for a plastic interlock pin 905 before use.
  • Figure 65 shows the same pin with its ends partially melted by heat after insertion into a cartridge structure, so as to have a final appearance as shown in Figure 65. The bulging ends 906 and 907 ensure the pin 905 will remain locked into position with the cartridge.
  • cartridge 881 operates in the same manner as the previous three embodiments.
  • the first and second working planes toggle into and out of contact with the skin to be shaved as the razor handle is moved back and forth by the user.
  • Figures 66 and 67 illustrate a seventeenth example, which is an embodiment of the present invention, namely a dual plane bi-directional razor 920 having a razor head 921 and handle 922 connected together by a "slide and pivot" coupling mechanism 923.
  • Cartridge 921 may be constructed in the same manner as cartridge 881, and need not be further discussed, except with respect to its slide-and-pivot mechanism 923.
  • the upper end portion 924 of handle 922 includes a large pivot pin 926.
  • the coupling mechanism 923 may be substantially similar to mechanism 489 shown in Figures 37 and 38, if desired.
  • the elongated horizontal slot 930 with semi-circular end portions is located in the end cover section or wall portion 933 of cartridge 921.
  • Pivot pin 926 will normally be in either location 931 or 932 when razor 920 is in use. Pivot pin 926 will be in location 931 when blades 884 are active, that is, when the first working plane and surface 886 are bearing against the user's skin. Pivot pin 926 will be in location 932 when the second set of blades 885 are active due to the second working plane and surface 887 bearing against the skin.
  • the slide and pivot coupling mechanism 923 of razor 920 is advantageous because it places the pivot pin 926 directly adjacent to, and centrally located above and between, the active blades for improved user control of the cartridge 921. This also represents the placement of the pivot point directly above located at or very near the mid-point of the active working plane. For example, in location 932, pivot pin 926 is located along line 935 substantially equidistant between front and rear blades 885F and 885R and substantially equidistant from the front guard bar location indicated by line 936 and the rear glide strip location indicated by line 937.
  • Figure 67 shows the razor head 921 with positive stops blocks 938 and 939 added.
  • Positive stops 938 and 939 are strategically positioned on and mounted securely to side wall of end cover 933 to contact the upper portion of 924 of handle 922 when the handle should not be further rotated relative to the cartridge without physically pivoting the cartridge with the handle.
  • these stop blocks 938 and 939 help the user use the handle if so desired to pivot cartridge 921 further than it wants to pivot on its own while being pulled along parallel to the plane of the skin.
  • the positive stops shown in Figure 67 take the form of blocks contacting the handle, any other form of positive stop mechanism may be used for the application just described.
  • FIG 68 illustrates the eighteenth example, which is an embodiment of my invention, namely dual-plane bi-directional razor 940.
  • Razor 940 includes bi-directional razor head 941 and handle 922, attached through a curved "slide-and-pivot" coupling mechanism 943.
  • the cartridge 941 may be constructed in the manner of cartridge 881 shown in Figures 60 through 63, except for the differences attributable to the new coupling mechanism 943.
  • Mechanism 943 includes a large pivot pin 926 on the upper portion 924 of handle 922.
  • the end wall portion 944 includes a curved elongated slot 950.
  • the longer curved surface 951 of slot 950 generally corresponds proportionally to the shape of nearby surfaces 952, 953 and 954 along the top edge 955 of end wall portion 944.
  • the user enjoys a more comfortable shave with cartridge 943 since the handle remains at approximately the same distance from the skin even as the pivot pin 926 and razor head 941 toggles and transitions back and forth between the two orientations of first and second working planes by the user moving the handle 922 to and fro in opposite directions.
  • the user holds the razor by the handle or hand grip in the normal manner in which he or she has become accustomed to holding a conventional uni-directional razor.
  • the user grasps the razor handle and applies the head of the razor adjacent the skin portion to be shaved.
  • the razor head is placed against the skin schematically shown at 132.
  • the user may stroke the razor first in one direction, and then, at the end of the stroke, reverse the movement to stroke in the opposite direction. This back-and-forth motion is indicated by the arrows adjacent the handle and the head in Figure 18.
  • no special grip and no unusual motion is required to engage in bi-directional shaving with my new manual bi-directional razors.
  • the required shaving technique is performed in accordance with the grip style and motions very similar to the user's previous experience with uni-directional manual safety razors.
  • my bi-directional razors need not be tilted, or lifted, or repositioned for the return strokes or to cut in an opposite direction, as is the practice with a normal uni-directional razor.
  • my bi-directional razors may simply be moved back-and-forth, fairly rapidly, to complete the shaving process bi-directionally and expeditiously.
  • the user grips the TBD razor handle the way he or she grips a conventional uni-directional razor.
  • the user still moves the handle in the same manner as well after the razor has been placed against the skin.
  • the user can stroke and cut hair in both directions without lifting the TBD razor head from the skin, or changing the orientation of the handle as the direction of razor head travel is changed.
  • the user will have to adapt to the slight motion of the razor head toggling or transitioning from one shaving zone or working plane of the razor head to the other, as the direction of razor head travel is reversed.
  • these dual-plane pivoting bi-directional razors may be optimized to minimize the distraction transition motion this may present to the user.
  • the overall shaving experience with these TBD razors should be very similar to that of my other bi-directional razors whose sharpened edges are in the exact same plane or in substantially the same plane or in two distinct working planes having a combined angle between them of less than about 15 degrees.
  • the Back Blades As an Efficient Glide Surface.
  • the use of one of two polished metal blade strips at an angle anywhere between close to zero degrees up to about 20 degrees from the horizontal, over even up to 35 degrees from the horizontal provides a smooth stable rear glide surface that helps define the working plane of the forward razor blade strips actually involved in the cutting of hair.
  • a preferred length to the bi-directional razors of the present invention is about 1.5 inches (75 mm), and preferred range of lengths for the head of the razor in each examples is between about 1 inch (25 mm) to about 2 inches (50 mm). Dimensions in the table below are given in fractions of an inch (and corresponding metric dimensions are given in parentheses).
  • bi-directional razors may well achieve widespread use.
  • razor blade strip encompasses any elongated blade device having a sharpened edge, no matter how constructed, and no matter whether flat or angled. Thus, this term covers blade strips made of a single piece of metal or other sharpened or sharpenable material. It also covers razor blade strips made by bonding a thin gauge strip of metal to a more rigid piece of metal, by laser spot welding or the like, like the blades used in the Gillette Sensor razors.
  • a solid shaving aid strip may be provided as an integral portion of the cap or other structural member in any form that is substantially immovable.
  • the glide strip may be made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or of molded plastic coated by vapor deposition or other suitable methods with a smooth slippery relatively wear-resistant and substantially inert layer. Such a layer could be gold, silver, chrome or any other metal suitable for contact with human skin, or a non-toxic glassy material such as silicon oxide or the like.
  • the individually sprung blades disclosed in the thirteenth embodiment may be provided in a bi-directional structure which looks like a bi-directional version the double-bladed Gillette Sensor razor widely sold in recent years.
  • the sharpened edges of the rear blade strips in the fifth embodiment are shown to be slightly elevated relative to the working plane defined by in part by sharpened edge of its forward blade strip.
  • This technique for optimizing the cutting action of the rearward blade strips, by having each rearward blade protrude ever so slightly more than the blade strip in front of it may be utilized in all embodiments of the present invention which are shown with all of the sharpened edges of the blade strips being in a common plane.
  • Any of my bi-directional razors disclosed above may be constructed as a detachable, replaceable cartridge-style razor head, and can be designed so that they can be used with any conventional or suitable re-usable handle.

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Claims (24)

  1. Rasoir (680) à une seule tête pour rasage manuel bidirectionnel, comportant au moins deux bandes formant lames de rasoir (584F, 585F) comprenant:
    une structure de tête de rasoir (681) comportant des premier et second bords longitudinaux, et une face et un axe longitudinal disposés d'une manière générale centrée entre les bords;
    la structure de tête de rasoir (681) étant allongée et de forme générale rectangulaire, et la structure possédant des première et seconde extrémités (487, 488), une face de travail exposée située entre les extrémités, et des premier et second côtés, l'axe longitudinal s'étendant entre les première et seconde extrémités, et les premier et second bords longitudinaux s'étendant entre les extrémités et étant situés à l'opposé l'un de l'autre autour de l'axe longitudinal;
    une première bande formant lame de rasoir (524F) supportée par la structure de tête (681) et possédant un bord effilé de lame s'étendant vers l'extérieur en faisant un angle aigu par rapport à la face tournée vers le premier bord longitudinal et à l'opposé de l'axe longitudinal; et
    une seconde bande formant lame de rasoir (525F) supportée par la structure de tête (681) et possédant une partie de bord de lame effilée pourvu d'un bord effilé de rasoir s'étendant vers l'extérieur en faisant un angle aigu par rapport à la face;
    une poignée (482) raccordée à et supportant la structure de tête de rasoir (681) et qui est adaptée pour que l'on puisse saisir manuellement et déplacer la poignée (482) et la structure de tête (681) dans au moins une direction le long de la peau d'un utilisateur pour couper les poils s'étendant à partir de cette peau; et caractérisé en outre en ce que:
    la partie de bord effilée de la lame de la seconde bande formant lame de rasoir (525F) fait saillie en direction du second bord longitudinal, à l'opposé de l'axe longitudinal,
    une première barre avant de protection (587), formant au moins la majeure partie du premier bord longitudinal, qui est située à proximité, tout en en étant espacée et en face du bord effilé de la première bande formant lame (524F), et
    une seconde barre de protection (588) formant au moins la majeure partie du second bord longitudinal, qui est située à proximité, mais en étant espacée, et en face du bord effilé de la seconde bande formant lame (525F),
    la tête de rasoir (681) possédant une bande de glissement (685) positionnée de façon centrale et contenant un agent lubrifiant soluble à l'eau ou un autre produit facilitant le. rasage, entre les première et seconde bandes formant lames de rasoir (584F, 585F);
    la première barre de protection (587) et la bande de glissement (685) définissant un premier plan de travail (691), dans lequel le bord effilé de rasoir de la première partie du bord effilé de lame fait saillie;
    la seconde barre de protection (588) et la bande de glissement (685) définissant un second plan de travail (692), dans lequel le bord effilé de rasoir de la seconde partie du bord effilé de lame fait saillie;
    le second plan de travail (692) étant disposé de manière à former un angle obtus par rapport au premier plan de travail (691),
    les plans de travail (691, 692), dans lesquels les première et seconde parties de bord effilé de lames font saillie, permettant à l'utilisateur de raser de façon sûre et efficace des poils à partir de la peau, dans deux directions opposées, et
    l'utilisateur du rasoir à une seule tête (680) pouvant effectuer un rasage dans deux directions en faisant glisser alternativement le rasoir en va-et-vient sur la peau tout en inclinant la structure de tête (581) du rasoir de manière à amener alternativement les première et seconde parties de bord effilé de la lame en contact avec glissement sur la peau, sans écarter la tête de rasoir de la peau ou sans incliner la poignée du rasoir pendant le mouvement de glissement en va-et-vient sur la peau.
  2. Rasoir (680) à une seule tête pour un rasage bidirectionnel selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la structure de tête (681) du rasoir peut être raccordée à une poignée (482) de telle sorte que la structure de tête (681) du rasoir est déplaçable par rapport à la poignée (482) sur une étendue limitée dans deux directions opposées autour d'une position centrale d'une manière générale transversale par rapport à l'axe longitudinal.
  3. Rasoir (680) à une seule tête pour un rasage bidirectionnel selon la revendication 1, dans lequel les moyens, fixés à la structure de tête (681) du rasoir, destinés à engrener de façon amovible avec les moyens de raccordement de la poignée pour fixer la structure de tête (681) du rasoir à la poignée (482) comprennent:
    des moyens de pivotement permettant une étendue limitée de déplacement de la structure de tête (681) du rasoir dans un sens ou dans l'autre par rapport à la poignée (482) en réponse à des forces produites pendant l'utilisation de la structure de tête (681) du rasoir sur la peau de l'utilisateur; et
    des moyens de sollicitation pour ramener la structure de tête (681) du rasoir dans la position centrale lorsque des forces agissant sur la structure de tête (681) du rasoir appliquées pendant l'utilisation sont supprimées.
  4. Rasoir à une seule tête pour un rasoir bidirectionnel selon la revendication 2, dans lequel les moyens fixés à la structure de tête (681) du rasoir pour l'engrènement amovible avec les moyens de raccordement de la poignée (482) pour la fixation de la structure de tête (681) du rasoir à la poignée (482) incluent un dispositif de palier à coussinet (553).
  5. Rasoir à une seule tête selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la structure de tête (681) du rasoir est une structure assemblée comprenant:
    des troisième et quatrième bandes formant lames (584R, 585R);
    une structure (682) d'appui pour les lames comportant des premiers moyens de positionnement de bandes formant lames pour retenir au moins les première et seconde bandes formant lames (484F, 485F) essentiellement en des emplacements prédéterminés;
    des seconds moyens de positionnement de bandes formant lames pour retenir au moins les troisième et quatrième bandes formant lames (484F, 485R) essentiellement en des emplacements prédéterminés, et
    des moyens de retenue raccordés à la structure (682) d'appui pour les lames, pour retenir les bandes formant lames captives aux emplacements prédéterminés.
  6. Rasoir à une seule tête pour un rasage bidirectionnel selon la revendication 3, dans lequel:
    la base de la structure de tête (681) du rasoir possède un raccord mobile pouvant être raccordé à la poignée (482) de telle sorte que la structure de tête (681) du rasoir peut se déplacer par rapport à la poignée (482) sur une étendue prédéterminée d'au moins environ 20 degrés lors du rasage de poils dans différentes directions, et
    le raccord mobile inclut un dispositif de palier à coussinet (553),
    comprenant également des troisième et quatrième bandes formant lames (584R, 585R), chacune essentiellement identique du point de vue longueur et forme aux première et seconde bandes formant lames,
    la troisième bande formant lame comportant une partie intérieure montée sur la tête dans une position étroitement adjacente à la partie intérieure à la première bande formant lame, et une partie extérieure de bord effilé disposée parallèlement et étant faiblement espacée de la partie de bord effilé de la première bande formant lame, de sorte que les première et troisième bandes formant lames coupent les poils simultanément lorsque le rasoir est déplacé dans une première direction le long de la peau de l'utilisateur; et
    la quatrième bande formant lame comportant une partie intérieure montée sur la tête dans une position étroitement adjacente à la partie intérieure à la seconde bande formant lame, et une partie extérieure de bord effilé disposée parallèlement et étant faiblement espacée de la partie de bord effilé de la seconde bande formant lame, de sorte que les seconde et quatrième bandes formant lames coupent les poils simultanément lorsque le rasoir est déplacé dans une seconde direction opposée à la première direction sur la peau de l'utilisateur.
  7. Rasoir bidirectionnel à une seule tête selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le raccord mobile comprend un agencement qui présente un axe de rotation qui est situé au-dessus des bords effilés des bandes formant lames (584F, 585F) et au-dessus du plan plat, l'axe de rotation du plan de travail étant situé essentiellement au-dessous de la peau lorsque la tête (681) du rasoir coupe les poils.
  8. Rasoir bidirectionnel à une seule tête selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la poignée (482) et la tête (681) du rasoir sont raccordées entre elles au moyen d'un agencement mécanique qui permet de déplacer la tête (681) lorsque le rasoir est utilisé par rapport à la poignée (482) autour d'au moins un axe de rotation, la tête (681) étant à même de suivre plus étroitement les contours de la surface de la peau qui est rasée, de telle sorte que la poignée (482) requiert moins fréquemment d'être inclinée dans différentes directions pendant des courses de travail de la tête (681) du rasoir dans deux directions différentes le long de la peau qui est suivie.
  9. Rasoir (480) à une seule tête pour un rasage manuel bidirectionnel, comportant au moins deux bandes formant lame de rasoir (524F, 525F), comprenant:
    une structure de tête de rasoir (481) comportant des premier et second bords longitudinaux, et une face et un axe longitudinal disposés d'une manière générale centrée entre les bords;
    la structure de tête de rasoir (481) étant allongée et de forme générale rectangulaire, et la structure possédant des première et seconde extrémités (487, 488), une face de travail exposée située entre les extrémités, et des premier et second côtés, l'axe longitudinal s'étendant entre les première et seconde extrémités, et les premier et second bords longitudinaux s'étendant entre les extrémités et étant situés à l'opposé l'un de l'autre autour de l'axe longitudinal;
    une première bande formant lame de rasoir (524F) supportée par la structure de tête (481) pourvue d'un bord effilé de rasoir s'étendant vers l'extérieur en faisant un angle aigu par rapport à la face tournée vers le premier bord longitudinal et à l'opposé de l'axe longitudinal; et
    une seconde bande formant lame de rasoir (525F) supportée par la structure de tête (481) et possédant une partie de bord de lame effilée pourvu d'un bord effilé de rasoir s'étendant vers l'extérieur en faisant un angle aigu par rapport à la face;
    une poignée (482) raccordée à et supportant la structure de tête de rasoir (481) et qui est adaptée pour que l'on puisse saisir manuellement et déplacer la poignée (482) et la structure de tête (681) dans au moins une direction le long de la peau d'un utilisateur pour couper les poils s'étendant à partir de cette peau; et caractérisé en outre en ce que:
    la partie de bord effilée de la lame de la seconde bande formant lame de rasoir (525F) fait saillie en direction du second bord longitudinal, à l'opposé de l'axe longitudinal,
    une première barre avant de protection (527) formant au moins la majeure partie du premier bord longitudinal, qui est située à proximité, tout en en étant espacée, et en face du bord effilé de la première bande formant lame (524F), et
    une seconde barre de protection (528) formant au moins la majeure partie du second bord longitudinal, qui est située à proximité, mais en en étant espacée, en face du bord effilé de la seconde bande formant lame (525F),
    la tête de rasoir (481) possédant une bande de glissement (560) positionnée de façon centrale et contenant un agent lubrifiant soluble à l'eau ou un autre produit facilitant le rasage, entre les première et seconde bandes formant lames de rasoir (584F, 585F);
    la première barre de protection (527) et la bande de glissement (560) définissant un premier plan de travail (691), dans lequel le bord effilé du rasoir de la première partie du bord effilé de lame fait saillie;
    la seconde barre de protection (528) et la bande de glissement (560) définissant un second plan de travail (692), dans lequel le bord effilé du rasoir de la seconde partie du bord effilé de lame fait saillie;
    les premier et second plans de travail (655) étant essentiellement coplanaires entre eux, de telle sorte que les bords effilés du rasoir des première et seconde bandes formant lames de rasoir (524F, 525F) sont disposés dans un plan de travail essentiellement commun (557);
    les plans de travail (557), dans lesquels les première et seconde parties de bord effilée de lames font saillie, permettant à l'utilisateur de raser de façon sûre et efficace des poils à partir de la peau, dans deux directions opposées, et
    l'utilisateur du rasoir à une seule tête (480) pouvant effectuer un rasage dans deux directions en faisant glisser alternativement le rasoir en va-et-vient sur la peau sans écarter la tête (481) de la peau ni incliner la poignée (482) du rasoir pendant le mouvement de glissement en va-et-vient sur la peau.
  10. Rasoir à une seule tête pour un rasage bidirectionnel selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la structure de tête (481) du rasoir est une cartouche de rasoir amovible, et dans lequel la poignée (482) du rasoir est réutilisable, la poignée (482) s'étendant d'une manière générale transversalement à l'opposé de la structure de tête (481) du rasoir, la poignée (482) comportant des moyens formant raccords pour fixer de façon amovible la cartouche à lames du rasoir sur cette poignée; et
       la structure de tête (481) du rasoir est en outre caractérisée par et inclut:
    une structure (485) de support de la tête du rasoir,
    des moyens fixés à la structure (485) de support de la tête de rasoir pour engrener de façon amovible avec les moyens de raccordement de la poignée pour fixer la structure (481) du rasoir à la poignée,
    la structure de tête (481) du rasoir pouvant être raccordée manuellement à et être détachée manuellement de la poignée de sorte que la cartouche peut être remplacée par une autre cartouche lorsque cela est souhaité.
  11. Rasoir à une seule tête pour rasage bidirectionnel selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 9, dans lequel la structure de tête (481) du rasoir est une structure assemblée et inclut:
    une structure de forme générale rectangulaire allongée (446) d'appui des lames comportant des premier et second emplacements de réception de bandes, qui sont disposés sur des côtés opposés de l'axe longitudinal, pour recevoir respectivement les première et seconde bandes formant lames (524F, 525F); et
    des moyens formant structure en forme de capot allongé pour retenir au moins les première et seconde bandes formant lames de rasoir dans leurs emplacements respectifs de réception de bandes essentiellement à l'intérieur de la structure de tête (481) du rasoir.
  12. Rasoir à une seule tête pour rasage bidirectionnel selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 9, dans lequel les bandes formant lames (524F, 525F) sont retenues dans la structure de tête (481) du rasoir de telle sorte que les bandes formant lames sont essentiellement non flexibles lorsqu'on utilise le rasoir.
  13. Rasoir à une seule tête pour rasage bidirectionnel selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel les bandes formant lames (524F, 525F) sont disposées à l'intérieur de la structure de tête (481) du rasoir de telle sorte que chaque bande formant lame est déplaçable par rapport à la structure (481) du rasoir en réponse à une pression appliquée à la bande formant lame lorsqu'elle est déplacée contre la peau de l'utilisateur.
  14. Rasoir à une seule tête pour rasage bidirectionnel selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la structure de tête allongée (481) du rasoir est formée essentiellement d'une madère plastique moulée et possède une face de travail exposée étroite de forme générale allongée comportant des première et seconde zones de coupe des poils situées sur les côtés opposés de l'axe longitudinal; et
       la poignée (482) est un organe de poignée allongé formé essentiellement d'une matière plastique moulée possédant une première extrémité raccordée d'un seul tenant à la structure de tête (481) du rasoir et supportant cette structure de telle sorte que la poignée s'étend transversalement par rapport à la structure de tête (481) du rasoir.
  15. Rasoir à une seule tête pour rasage bidirectionnel selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, comprenant:
    une troisième bande formant lame allongée de rasoir (524R) possédant des parties de bord effilées de lame, la troisième bande formant lame (524R) étant située au voisinage de la première bande formant lame (524F) du rasoir et des parties de bord effilées pour les première et troisième bandes formant lames (524F, 524R) du rasoir s'étendant sur l'étendue en longueur de la structure de tête (481) du rasoir, les première et troisième bandes formant lames (524F, 524R) comportant des parties intérieures supportées par la structure de tête (481) et des parties intégrales de bord extérieures effilées allongées de lames s'étendant vers l'extérieur de la face sous un angle aigu par rapport à cette dernière et faisant saillie en direction du premier bord longitudinal à l'opposé de l'axe longitudinal de la structure de tête du rasoir,
    une quatrième bande formant lame allongée de rasoir (525R) possédant une partie de bord effilée de lame, la quatrième bande formant lame (525F) étant située au voisinage de la seconde bande formant lame (525F) du rasoir et comportant des parties de bord effilées de lame du rasoir pour les première et quatrième bandes formant lames (525F, 525R) s'étendant sur la longueur de la structure de tête (481) du rasoir, les seconde et quatrième bandes formant lames (525F, 525R) comportant des parties intérieures supportées par la structure de tête (481) et des parties intégrales de bords extérieurs effilées et allongées de lame s'étendant vers l'extérieur de la face sous un angle aigu par rapport à cette dernière et faisant saillie en direction du second bord longitudinal à l'opposé de l'axe longitudinal de la structure de tête (481) du rasoir de sorte que les première et troisième parties de bord de lames s'étendent dans des directions en général opposées, en direction de leur premier et second bords longitudinaux respectifs, et les seconde et quatrième parties de bord de lame s'étendent dans des directions d'une manière générale opposées en direction de leurs premier et second bords longitudinaux respectifs;
    la poignée (482) étant adaptée pour la saisie manuelle et le déplacement de l'organe de poignée et de la structure de tête (481) dans une direction le long de la peau d'un utilisateur pour couper les poils s'étendant sur cette peau, puis pour inverser la direction de déplacement de l'organe de poignée pour déplacer la structure de tête (481) dans la direction opposée le long de la peau de l'utilisateur pour couper les poils s'étendant à partir de cette peau sans soulever ni incliner la structure de tête (481) du rasoir par rapport à la peau de l'utilisateur pendant le déplacement dans des directions opposées.
  16. Rasoir à une seule tête pour rasage bidirectionnel selon l'une quelconque des revendications 9 à 15, dans lequel la poignée (482) et la structure de tête (481) sont situées dans des positions essentiellement fixes l'une par rapport à l'autre et les bandes formant lames de rasoir (524R, 524F) sont toutes formées par des bandes d'un alliage métallique.
  17. Rasoir à une seule tête pour rasage bidirectionnel selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la poignée (482) est agencée sous la forme d'un organe de poignée allongé supportant la tête (481) du rasoir pour permettre un déplacement manuel et est raccordée à la partie inférieure de la tête (481) du rasoir.
  18. Rasoir à une seule tête pour rasage bidirectionnel selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel:
    la structure de tête (481) du rasoir inclut en outre des moyens (519) d'espacement des lames pour régler une distance prédéterminée entre les parties de bord effilées des deux bandes formant lames adjacentes (524R, 524F).
  19. Rasoir à une seule tête pour rasage bidirectionnel selon la revendication 21, dans lequel les bandes formant lames (524F, 525F) sont disposées à l'intérieur de la structure de tête (481) de telle sorte que chaque bande formant lame est déplaçable par rapport à la structure de tête (481) du rasoir en réponse à la pression appliquée à cette bande formant lame alors qu'elle est repoussée contre la peau de l'utilisateur dans une direction qui est d'une manière générale transversale à l'axe longitudinal.
  20. Rasoir à une seule tête pour rasage bidirectionnel selon l'une quelconque des revendications 9 à 15, dans lequel chacune des bandes formant lames individuelles (765) du rasoir inclut un segment de bande formant lame plat et très mince (771), qui contient la partie de bord effilée de la bande du rasoir et un segment allongé, coudé et plus épais de support de lame (772), auquel le segment très mince de bande formant lame (771) est raccordé rigidement, et chacune des bandes formant lames est déplaçable indépendamment du déplacement des autres bandes formant lames.
  21. Rasoir à une seule tête pour rasage bidirectionnel selon la revendication 19 ou 20, dans lequel la tête (481) du rasoir comporte en outre une pluralité d'éléments de ressort (761, 762) associés à chaque bande formant lame (765), chaque élément de ressort (761, 762) repoussant au moins une partie de sa bande formant lame respective (765) d'une manière générale vers le haut et à l'opposé de la base de la tête (741) du rasoir.
  22. Rasoir à une seule tête pour rasage bidirectionnel selon la revendication 18, dans lequel les bords effilés des première et seconde bandes formant lames (524F, 524R) du rasoir sont situés dans le premier plan de travail (557), et les bandes effilées des seconde et quatrième bandes formant lames (525F, 525R) sont situées dans le second plan de travail (557).
  23. Rasoir bidirectionnel à une seule tête selon l'une quelconque des revendications 9 à 15, dans lequel l'ensemble des bords des parties de bord effilées des lames du rasoir sont situés dans le plan unique plat (557) essentiellement parallèle à l'axe longitudinal de la tête (481) du rasoir.
  24. Rasoir bidirectionnel à une seule tête selon la revendication 15, dans lequel les troisième et quatriéme parties de bord de lames sont légèrement surélevées par rapport aux plans définis par les première et seconde parties de bord de lames, ce qui améliore l'action de coupe.
EP94930425A 1994-09-06 1994-09-06 Systemes et structures de rasoir bidirectionnel Expired - Lifetime EP0783396B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US1994/010307 WO1996007515A1 (fr) 1993-02-22 1994-09-06 Systemes et structures de rasoir bidirectionnel

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EP0783396A1 EP0783396A1 (fr) 1997-07-16
EP0783396A4 EP0783396A4 (fr) 1998-09-02
EP0783396B1 true EP0783396B1 (fr) 2003-09-03

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102008009082B4 (de) * 2008-02-14 2017-08-31 Peiniger Gmbh Vorrichtung sowie Schneidwerkzeug für die abtragende Hautbehandlung
DE102016123979A1 (de) * 2016-12-09 2018-06-14 Jurij Schleip-Ols Rasiersystem für die schnelle Rasur größerer Körperflächen über und unter Wasser
DE102021125031A1 (de) 2021-09-28 2023-03-30 Jurij Schleip-Ols Körperrasierer

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102008009082B4 (de) * 2008-02-14 2017-08-31 Peiniger Gmbh Vorrichtung sowie Schneidwerkzeug für die abtragende Hautbehandlung
DE102016123979A1 (de) * 2016-12-09 2018-06-14 Jurij Schleip-Ols Rasiersystem für die schnelle Rasur größerer Körperflächen über und unter Wasser
DE102021125031A1 (de) 2021-09-28 2023-03-30 Jurij Schleip-Ols Körperrasierer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0783396A1 (fr) 1997-07-16
EP0783396A4 (fr) 1998-09-02
CA2199129A1 (fr) 1996-03-14
CA2199129C (fr) 2002-04-23
DE69433116D1 (de) 2003-10-09

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