FR2608087A1 - SAFETY RAZOR WITH PIVOTING MOUNTED BLADE AND ANIMATED VIBRATION - Google Patents

Abstract

THIS RAZOR INCLUDES A CUTTING DEVICE 2 WITH TWO BLADES MOUNTED BEHIND THE OTHER AND MOBILE INDEPENDENTLY. THIS DEVICE IS ITSELF SWIVEL MOUNTED ON A HEAD 86 HAVING SIDE ARMS 80 FOR ATTACHING AND DETACHING THE CUTTING DEVICE 2. THE HEAD IS CARRIED BY A HANDLE 70 IN WHICH ARE INCORPORATED A BATTERY 308, A 310 MOTOR AND A ROTARY SWITCH 318. THE MOTOR OUTPUT SHAFT 312 CARRIES AN ECCENTER WEIGHT 314 WHICH, WHEN TURNED, VIBRATE THE RAZOR HEAD AND PROVIDES THE BLADES WITH AN OSCILLATING MOVEMENT TO FACILITATE SHAVING.

Description

The invention relates to instruments for shaving with the use of a

  liquid and more particularly for object

  a razor which is subjected, as a whole, to a vibrating movement.

  It has a cutting device, with one or more blades, which can pivot on a handle during shaving and has components

  mobile health independently during shaving.

  Various combinations of a cutting device with one or more blades and a razor handle are known. US Patent No. 3,724,070 describes a cutting device in which blades are held between surfaces of the cutting device intended to come into contact with the shaved surface in front of and behind the cutting edges of the blades. Such surfaces are also called

  "guard surfaces" or "front guard" and "rear guard".

  It is known that the shaving efficiency of such a safety razor can be improved if the cutting device is mounted so that it can pivot on the handle of the razor during shaving, since this allows the cutting device to follow the contours more faithfully. of the shaved surface. US Patents 3,935,639 and 3,938,247 describe examples of razor handles designed to receive the cutting device of the aforementioned patent 3,724,070 so as to allow it to pivot during shaving. US patent 3,950,849 relates to a modified cutting device, adapted to be able to pivot. US Patents 4,026,016 and 4,083,104 each describe a cutting device and a razor handle forming a shaving system in which the cutting device pivots on the handle during shaving. The shaving system described in the two most recently cited patents has become a well known system in

the whole world.

  Another way to increase efficiency is to keep the cutter stationary as a whole, but to allow individual components of the cutter to

  move under the effect of resistance encountered during shaving.

  US Patent No. 4,168,571 describes a cutting device in which the front guard, the rear guard and the blade are each dynamically movable, independently of each other. US Patent 4,270,268 shows a cutting device in which the front guard and the blade are independently movable one

the other.

  US patent 4,492,024 relates to a cutting device for a safety razor, which is mounted so that it can pivot on a handle during shaving and in which, in addition, a blade can move under the effect of resistance encountered

during shaving.

  US Patent 4,498,235, as well as US Patent Applications filed on October 15, 1984 in the name of Chester F. Jacobson, under the numbers 660 950 and 660 952, describe particular embodiments of storage devices. cut of

  type described in the aforementioned patent 4,492,024.

  US Patents 3,648,368 and 3,772,779 relate to razors, the handle of which contains an electric motor which rotates a shaft, on the free end of which an eccentric weight is mounted, the rotation of the shaft causing the vibration of the Shaver

  and in particular of his head, in order to impart a movement of tran

blade chage.

  The present invention provides a safety razor consisting of a cutting device, a handle and means for connecting them to each other so that the cutting device can pivot on the handle during shaving, cutting device comprising in particular two blades which can move independently of each other and of the rest of the cutting device during shaving, and the handle comprising inside a device for vibrating the whole razor and for impart an oscillating movement to the cutting device in order to impart a cutting action to the

two blades.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention

  will emerge more clearly from the description which follows

  non-limiting exemplary embodiments, as well as the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a plan view of the body or support of a cutting device according to an embodiment of the invention; - Figure 2 is a front view of this body; - Figure 3 is a plan view of the cutting device of this embodiment in its complete state; Figure 4 is the front view; - Figure 5 is a cross section of this device, taken along the line V-V of Figure 3; - Figure 6 is the plan view of a cutting device according to another embodiment of the invention, in which is incorporated a device to facilitate shaving; - Figure 7 is a side view of a handle according to an embodiment of the invention; - Figure 8 is a front view; - Figure 9 is a rear view; - Figure 10 is a sectional view of the device

  cut attached to the handle, taken roughly along the longitudinal axis

  nal of the cutting device, with parts torn off for greater clarity; FIG. 11 is a longitudinal section of the handle,

  to which is attached the cutting device, shown in elevation.

  The cutting device shown by way of example in FIGS. 1 to 5 comprises a body 2 with a first and a second end 4, 6 which are connected together by two longitudinal parts 8, 10, one at the front and the other in the back. Spacers 12 connect the longitudinal parts 8, 10 in the

sense of the width of the body.

  The rear part 10 of the body 2 has a top 14 which comes into contact with the shaved skin behind the blades of the cutting device, thus fulfilling the functions and occupying

  the "rear guard" position of conventional safety razors.

  The top 14 will therefore be so called in what follows.

  Each of the ends 4, 6 is provided with opposite slots 16 extending transversely to the spacers 12. A spacer 12

  located near the first end 4 is provided with an elastic finger

  tick 18 which projects from this spacer and is oriented roughly parallel to the front and rear parts 8, 10. The finger 18 has a tip 20 directed upwards and ending in an upper face 22. Similarly, another spacer 12, located near the second end 6, is provided with an elastic finger 18 'of similar configuration, with a tip 20' directed upwards and ending in an upper face 22 '. The fingers 18, 18 'extend in opposite directions, the finger 18 towards the first end 4 of the body 2 and the finger 18' towards the second end 6 of this body. The fingers 18 and 18 'are aligned one by

  relative to each other and with a pair of slots 16. The first end

  Mity 4 is provided with elastic fingers 17 which project from this end inwards and upwards from the body 2, in the representation of FIGS. 1 and 2. Each of the fingers 17 has

  a tip 19 directed upwards and ending in a top face

  similarly, the second end 6 is provided with elastic fingers 17 'of similar configuration, with

  ends 19 'directed upwards and ending in upper faces

  laughing 21 '. The fingers 17, 17 'extend in substantially opposite directions, the fingers 17 from the first end 4 generally towards the second end 6, and the fingers 17' from

  the second end 6 generally towards the first end 4.

  Each pair of fingers 17, 17 'is aligned with a pair of slots

  16. All the fingers are molded in one piece with the body 2.

  The cutting device of FIGS. 1 to 5, and the same goes for the cutting device shown in FIG. 6,

  has a front guard 24 constituted by a sliding mounted part

  health by its two ends 26 in two opposite slots 16 located closest to the front part 8 of the body 2. This front guard 24 rests on the upper faces 22, 22 'of the elastic fingers 18, 18'. The lower sides of its ends 26 are normally located at a certain distance above the bottoms of the corresponding slots 16, so that the front guard 24 can be pushed further into the slots, against the elasticity of the fingers 18, 18 ' located under it. These fingers thus constitute an elastic support for the front guard. During shaving, this guard moves on the shaved surface in front of the blade or blades of the cutting device to protect the skin, jointly

  with the rear guard, contact with it (s).

  The cutting devices of Figures 1 - 5 and 6 each have two blades. As can be seen in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, one of them, designated by 28, is composed of a base part 30, of a part 32 extending at an obtuse angle from it and carrying the cutting edge, as well as sliding parts,

  located at the ends of the base part and which can be constituted

  simply killed by extensions thereof, which are received in a pair of opposite slots 16. The underside 34 (FIG. 5) of the cutting edge portion 32 is supported on the faces 21, 21 'of two elastic fingers 17, 17'. At the same time, the rear faces 23, 23 '(FIGS. 1 and 5) of the tips 19, 19' of the fingers are applied against one side of the base part 30 of the blade to push it backwards into the slots 16 corresponding, as shown in

  Figure 5. The lower edges of the sliding mounted ends

  santes are located at a certain distance from the bottoms of the slots, so that the blade can be pressed further into the slots 16, against the elastic force of the fingers 17, 17 'on which is supported the base portion of the blade. The fingers in question thus form an elastic support for the blade and hold it

  at the same time in a suitable position in the slots 16.

  The second blade 28 'also includes a base part 30', a part 32 'carrying the cutting edge and sliding parts, according to an arrangement identical to that described above for the first blade. The ends for the sliding mounting of the second blade are received in a third pair of opposite slots 16, located closest to the rear guard 14, and the base part 30 'is supported on upper faces 21, 21' of elastic fingers 17, 17 '. The latter constitute an elastic support for the second blade and at the same time keep it in a suitable position in the slots 16 concerned. When shaving, the second blade moves on the shaved surface behind the first blade. The front guard 24 and the two blades 28, 28 ′ are held in place by spring clips 40 (FIG. 3 - 6) which are received in grooves 42 (FIGS. 1 and 2) at the ends 4, 6. The clips 40 apply against the guard 24 and the blades 28, 28 ′, and make them penetrate into slots 16 to a point o

  The elastic fingers are slightly bent.

  The underside of the body 2 and of the spacers 12 has two hook-shaped projections 44, 46 the free ends of which form two opposite grooves 48, 50 directed inwards and

  delimiting curved upper surfaces 52, 54 (Figures 2 and 4).

  These hooks constitute pivoting mounting means, by which the cutting device can be removably and pivotally attached to a razor handle. In FIGS. 2 and 4, it can be seen that the body of the cutting device further carries, on the underside, a cam 56 intended to receive a cooperating element to return the cutting device

at a given position.

  When we refer again to Figures 2 and 4, we see that the ribs 48, 50 of the cutting device, in combination with surfaces 94, 96 on the underside of the body 2 and curved supports 95, 97, define curved receptions 98, 100 for shell articulation elements carried by the razor handle and described in the following. These articulation elements constitute pivoting mounting means designed to cooperate with the pivoting mounting means described above of the cutting device, in order to facilitate the attachment of this device to the handle.

and its pivoting on the latter.

  During shaving, the front guard 28 and the blades 28, 28 'move independently of one another and against the elastic force of the fingers. At the same time, the elastic fingers supporting the blades hold the base parts of the blades substantially in the planes provided for them, by pushing the base parts of the blades backwards. The device as a whole pivots at the same time on the handle, following the contours of the

shaved surface.

  FIG. 6 represents an embodiment in which the front guard 24 or the rear longitudinal part 10 (as is the case in this example) is provided with a device 200 facilitating shaving, of the general type described in the patents of EUA 2,292,418 and 4,170,821, as well as in the British patent

- 2,024,082.

  This device 200 is preferably in the form of a part fixed to a surface coming into contact with the skin, such as the rear guard 14, as shown by way of example on

Figure 6.

  This device for facilitating shaving is preferably a part molded, extruded or otherwise shaped from a mixture formed of a hydrophobic material and a hydrophilic polymer capable of being dissolved by water, so that , during shaving, water on the shaved skin dissolves part of the substance

  hydrophilic, which can then serve as a lubricant.

  It is also possible, as a variant, to produce the front guard 24 or the rear guard 14, or both, of such a mixture

facilitating shaving.

  When the skin is wetted with water before shaving with such a razor, the water dissolves part of the hydrophilic polymer, which then acts as a lubricant on the shaved surface, reducing the friction between the front guard and / or the rear guard of the cutting device and skin. The simple prior wetting of

  the skin thus allows a pleasant and effective shaving.

  Figures 7 to 10 show an example of a razor handle 70 according to the invention, part of which forms a handle 72. One end of the handle 72 is provided with a cavity 74 (Figure 7) in which is disposed a molded plastic head 76, having two arms 78, 80 assembled by a connecting part 82, possibly using rods 83, as shown in FIG. 10. The handle also comprises a cover plate 86 with two protrusions 98 (Figure 10) which are applied against the connecting portion 82 so that the head 76 is properly locked on the handle. Each of the arms 78, 80 carries at its end

  free a shell articulation element 90, 92.

  The cavity 74 of the handle contains a helical spring 102 and a plunger 104, which is pushed by this spring into the

  direction towards which the free end 106 of the plunger points.

  When the cutting device is attached to the handle, the end

  free mite 106 of the plunger 104 is pushed by the spring 102 into the cam 56 carried by the cutting device. During the pivoting of the cutting device, the free end 106 of the plunger, by its application against the cam 56, tends to bring the cutting device to a given position, where the end 106 is in support at the most point deep of the hollow formed by the cam 56. When we observe more particularly FIG. 10, we see that the arms 78, 80 project laterally from the handle and can therefore be operated by the user of the razor. The arms 78, 80 are pushed outward by a spring 81, in the form of a blade or a wire, which is disposed in the head 76. To attach the cutting device to the handle, the user presses the arms 78, 80, by pushing them inwards, that is to say towards each other, against the force of the spring 81, which produces

  the mutual approach of the articulation elements 90, 92.

  The plunger 104 carries two arms 107, 108, extending in opposite directions from the plunger and each carrying an upwardly directed projection, forming a latching lug 110 or 112. The articulation elements 90, 92 each have a

  opening 114 or 116 intended to receive a lug 110 or 112.

  When the shell articulation elements 90, 92 are pressed inward, that is to say towards one another, the openings 114, 116 align with the pins 110, 112. As soon as this alignment is obtained, the spring 102 pushes the plunger 104 - and with it the pins 110, 112 upwards, in the representation of FIG. 10, so that the pins 110, 112 penetrate into the openings 114, 116, in blocking the arms 78, 80 in the bent inward position. When the user releases the arms 78, 80, these

  are held in this inward bent position.

  The articulation elements 90, 92 are then pressed against the curved supports 95, 97 carried on the underside of the device

  cutting, which pushes the plunger 104 downward, in the representation

  feeling of FIG. 10, and brings out the pins 110, 112 from the openings 114, 116, which frees the arms 78, 80. As soon as the arms 78, 80 are thus released, they flex elastically towards the outside, in opposite directions, moving away from each other, under the effect of the spring 81, and the articulation elements 90, 92 penetrate into the curved receptacles 98, 100. The plunger 104, loaded by the spring 102 , is applied against the cam 56, searches for the deepest point of this and thus places the cutting device in a "neutral" position. During shaving, the front guard 24 and the blades 28, 28 'move independently of each other, against the force exerted on them by the elastic fingers 18, 18'. At the same time, the entire cutting device pivots on the handle,

following the contours of the skin.

  To throw away a used cutting device, it suffices for the user to compress the arms 78, 80, which brings the articulation elements 90, 92 out of the curved receivers 98, 100 and

  which detaches the cutting device.

  The handle 70 contains a battery 308 and an electric motor

  plate 310 (Figure 11). The rotary shaft 312 of the motor projects in the direction of the head of the razor and carries an eccentric weight 314 on its free end. The center of gravity of this weight is therefore offset from the axis of rotation of this weight. Figure 11 shows a flywheel type weight, which is mounted so

  that its center of gravity is eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation

  tion of the shaft 312. The handle is also equipped with a switch 318. The switch 318 is of the rotary type and can be

  operated by rotation, between the push and a user finger

  for example, from a tip 338 of the handle.

  For shaving, the user turns the switch 318 so that the electric current supplied by the battery 308 makes the motor 310 turn. The shaft 312 and the unbalance 314 are thus driven by a rotation and the eccentricity, at which the arrangement near the head of the razor is added, vibrates the head and the blades with it. This vibration gives an oscillating movement of

  slicing with blades 28, 28 ', which facilitates cutting.

  It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and that a person skilled in the art can make various modifications to it, without going beyond its ambit. For example, it is preferable, under certain conditions, that the front guard be stationary. A variant embodiment therefore includes a front guard disposed fixed relative to the body of the cutting device, but the structure and operation of which correspond on all the other points to what has been described in the foregoing. It is also possible, for example, to use a cutting device with a single blade, instead of the two blades of the embodiments described, the single blade being able to be used in combination with

  a mobile or fixed front guard. In addition, although the blades represent

  felt, see in particular Figure 5, each consist of a single piece of folded metal to define the base part and the part carrying the cutting edge, it is also possible to provide a folded support element, to which is fixed a thin blade, according to

a known arrangement.

Claims (9)

  1. Razor having a cutting device pivotally mounted on a handle and containing at least one blade, characterized in that the blade or each blade (28, 28 ') of the cutting device is mounted movable individually during shaving, independently of the rest of the cutting device, the cutting device and the handle   (70) of the shaver being provided with pivoting mounting means   (95, 97, 90, 92) for pivotally mounting the cutting device on the handle, so that the cutting device can pivot on the handle during shaving, the cutting device carrying a cam (56) and the handle carrying a plunger (106) loaded by a spring (102) to come to bear against the cam (56) in order to return the cutting device to a neutral position on said pivoting mounting means (95, 97, 90, 92), and in that the handle (70) contains a vibration generating device   (308, 310) for vibrating the cutting device.   2. A razor according to claim 1, further comprising   a device (200) to facilitate shaving, which is fixed to the device   cutting sitive and is formed from a hydrophobic material and a polymer   hydroohile which can be dissolved by water.   3. A razor according to claim 1 or 2, the provision of which   cutting tool has a front guard (24), intended to protect the skin from contact with the blade or The blades, this guard being   individually movable mounted on the cutting device, independently   blade or blades (28, 28 ') and independently of the rest of the   cutting device, during shaving.   4. Razor having a cutting device pivotally mounted on a handle and containing at least one blade, characterized in that the cutting device comprises a body (2), having a first and a second end (4, 6), connected between them by a front part and a rear part (8, 10), a first and a second spacer (12) connecting the front part and the rear part between them, the ends (4, 6) having opposite slots (16), a first pair of elastic fingers (18, 18 '),   extending outward from the spacers (12), parallel   lying at the front and rear parts and in opposite directions, these fingers (18, 18 ') being aligned with a first pair of said slots (16), a second pair of elastic fingers (17, 17'), extending towards inside from the ends (4, 6) and towards each other in generally opposite directions, this second   pair of elastic fingers being aligned with a second pair of-   said slots (16), a third pair of elastic fingers (17, 17 '), extending inward from the ends (4, 6) and towards each other in generally opposite directions, this third   pair of elastic fingers being aligned with a third pair -   of said slots (16), a front guard (24), intended to protect the skin from direct contact with the blades of the cutting device, at the front thereof, the front guard (24) being mounted on the first pair of elastic fingers (18, 18 ') and being disposed in the first pair of slots (16), a first blade (28) having a first cutting edge and a second blade (28') having a second cutting edge, the cutting edges being parallel and being oriented in the same direction to act in tandem on the surface to be shaved, the blades (28, 28 ') being arranged in the second respectively the third pair of slots (16) and being supported on the second respectively The third pair of elastic fingers (17, 17 '), the two blades   (28, 28 ') and the front guard (24) each being independently movable   In particular, relative to the body (2) of the cutting device, under the effect of resistances encountered during shaving and with bending of the elastic fingers (18, 18 ', 17, 17'), the cutting device carrying means pivoting mounting (95, 97) for its pivoting attachment to the handle (70), so that the cutting device, as a whole, can pivot on the handle (70) under the effect of resistances encountered during shaving, as well a cam (56) arranged on the lower side of the body (2) and intended to receive a plunger (106) mounted on the handle of the razor in order to maintain maximum contact between the shaved surface and the blades (28, 28 ' ) and the front guard (24), independently movable, the handle (70) comprising a handle (72), a head (76) at one end of the handle (72), The head (76) having a first and a second arm (78, 80) capable of being approached and separated from one another, a first shell articulation element (90) being provided on the first arm (78) and a second shell articulation element (92) being provided on the second arm (80), the articulation elements (90, 92) being designed to receive the cutting device and allow the pivoting of this device on the handle (70), the plunger (104) being loaded by a spring (102) and being arranged   in the head (76) and between the first and the second articulation element   lation (90, 92), the plunger (104) being disposed movable back and forth   comes into the head (76), a free end (106) of the plunger (104) being intended to come to bear against the cam (56) of the cutting device to exert a restoring effect on this device and cause it to a given position on the articulation elements (90, 92), the handle (70) containing a device (308, 310) intended to make the cutting device vibrate, this vibration generating device comprising a motor (310), a shaft (312) projecting from the motor towards the cutting device, as well as a weight (314) mounted eccentrically on the free end of the shaft (312), so that the rotation of this weight by the motor ( 310) causes the vibration of the cutting device.   5. A razor according to claim 4, further comprising, on the cutting device, a device (200) intended to facilitate shaving, which is fixed to the rear part (10) of the body (2) of the cutting device or to the front guard (24), this device (200) being formed of a hydrophobic material and a hydrophilic polymer   likely to be dissolved by water.   6. A razor according to claim 4, wherein the blades (28, 28 ') of the cutting device each have a   base part (30, 30 ') and a part (32, 32') carrying the tran-   edge, these two parts forming an obtuse angle between them on each blade, the elastic fingers (17, 17 ') being molded with the body (2) and the fingers pressing against the underside (34) of the part blade (32, 32 ') carrying the cutting edge, as well as against one side of the base part (30, 30') of the blade, the blades (28, 28 ') being arranged in the slots (16) of the ends (4, 6) of the body (2) and the fingers (17, 17 ') exerting a restoring force on the lower side (34) of the parts of the blade carrying the cutting edges   and, simultaneously, on one side of the base parts (30, 30 ').   7. A razor according to claim 6, in which the cutting device comprises staples (42) or similar elements to hold the blades (28, 28 ') in place in the slots (16), the fingers (17, 17' ) pressing the blades against the clips (42) and pushing the blades backwards at the same time in said slots (16).   8. A razor according to claim 4, comprising, in its handle (70), a leaf spring (81) acting on the arms (78,   ) a reminder effect towards the outside, in the direction of the each other's arms.   9. A razor according to claim 8, in which the   plunger (104) carries projections (107, 108) directed towards the outside   laughing and each having a latching lug (110, 112) directed upwards, each of the shell articulation elements (90, 92) having an opening (114, 116) intended to receive one of these lugs, the spring (102) of the plunger (104) causing the pins (110, 112) to penetrate into the openings (114, 116) when the arms (78, 80) are approached from one another, to   lock the arms a short distance from each other, penetrating   tion of the plunger (104) in the cutting device bringing out the pins (110, 112) from the openings (114, 116), thereby allowing the arms (78, 80) to move away from each other and by allowing   articulation elements (90, 92) to establish the connection with the arrangement cutting sitive.