GB2078589A

GB2078589A - Razor Handles

Info

Publication number: GB2078589A
Application number: GB8020895A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Gillette Co LLC
Current assignee: Gillette Co LLC
Priority date: 1980-06-26
Filing date: 1980-06-26
Publication date: 1982-01-13
Also published as: GB2078589B

Abstract

A razor handle for use in a wet shaving system with exchangeable blade cartridges is constructed of four components; a unitary handle and head portion (11, 12); a cap 2, a moulding 3 incorporating two pivoting arms (31) having pivot mounts (32) at their forward ends, a plunger (37), and two hairpin spring sections (34, 35, 36) which bias the arms and the plunger independently of each other; and a push button (4) operable to move the arms (31) apart to permit release of a blade cartridge. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Wet Shaving Systems This invention relates to wet shaving systems, and more particularly to razor handles for supporting detachable blade assemblies of the cartridge type.

A known form of razor handle comprises a cooperating pair of arms mounted for movement towards and away from each other to permit pivot mounting means on the respective arms to be engaged and disengaged with and from a blade cartridge, the handle further comprising a spring loaded plunger arranged to act as a cam follower co-operating in use with the cartridge and being displaceable against the restoring action of its spring loading to permit rocking movement of the cartridge about a pivotal axis defined by the pivot mounting means.

A razor handle of this general form is described in British Patent Specification No. 1523377, and the present invention provides a handle which is functionally similar but of considerably simplified design.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the two arms form part of a unitary moulding which also incorporates the spring means which applies a restoring force to the plunger.

Preferably, the plunger is also formed as an integral part of the moulding.

In the specific embodiment described below, the moulding is so designed that its thickness, measured perpendicular to the plane of the arms, is no greater than the thickness of the pivot mounting means.

This form of razor handle will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the head portion of the razor handle; and Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the head portion.

The razor handle shown in the drawings, which is designed for use with replaceable blade assemblies (cartridges) of the form described in the above-mentioned Patent Specification, comprises a body part 1, cap 2, arm assembly 3 and a push button, 4, all of which can conveniently be formed as plastics mouldings.

The body part 1 has an elongate grip portion 11 and an outwardly and forwardly extending head 12 of plate like form at the upper end of the grip portion and having a spaced pair of upstanding pins 1 3 and, at its forward edge a pair of ribs 14 spaced apart to define a central gap 15.

At its rear edge, the head 12 has a pair of upstanding shoulders 1 6 spaced apart to define a gap 17.

The cap 2 is of plate like form, shaped to match the general profile of the head 12 and having through holes 21 to fit over the pins 13. At its rear edge, the cap has a rectangular recess 22, the internal side walls of which are provided with parallel guide rails 23.

The arm assembly 3 comprises a pair of bell crank levers whose forwardly extending arms 31 carry inwardly directed pivot pins 32. Holes 33 at the elbows of the levers are positioned to locate over the pins 13 and the second arms 38 extending inwardly for engagement at their inner ends with the push button 4, as described below.

The assembly 3 further comprises two sets of double hairpin (or Z) springs each having a rearward leg 34 integral at its outer end with the elbow of the associated bell crank lever, an intermediate leg 35 and a forward leg 36 whose free inner end is integral with a forwardly directed plunger 37. The thickest portions of the arm assembly 3, measured perpendicular to the plane of the bell crank levers are the pivot pins 32, so that the assembly, and the space required to house it, are very compact.

The push button 4 comprises a pair of forwardly directed, springy barbs 41, recessed at 42 just behind their forward ends, and is slotted transversely, the forward slot portion 43 being of a depth to accommodate the thickness of the cap 2 and the shaliower rear portion 44 being dimensioned to make a sliding fit on the guide rails 23 of the cap.

To assemble the razor handle, first the arm assembly and then the cap 2 are assembled over the two pins 13 and the cap is secured, as by adhesive, to the ribs 14 and shoulders 16, so as to trap the arm assembly 3 but with the sufficient clearance to permit the arms and plunger to move in the plane of the arms. Finally, the push button 4 is assembled by inserting it from the rear of the handle, the guide rails being engaged in the slot portions 44. The barbs 41 are forced between the arms 38, which force the barbs resiliently towards each other until the arms enter the recesses 42, permitting the barbs to spring apart and thereby lock the push buttom to the arms 38.

The spring legs 34 bias the inner ends of the arms 38 (and therefore also the push button 3) to an extreme rear position in which the pivot pins 32 are accordingly at their minimum spacing at which they can support a co-operating blade cartridge for rocking movement about an axis parallel with the blade edge or edges of the cartridge.

With a cartridge in position, the plunger 37 engages a co-operating cam formation on the cartridge and applies a light spring force to it tending to maintain the cartridge in a medial position within its range of permitted angular movement. In use of the razor shaving reaction forces applied to the cartridge cause it to pivot on the pins 32 with concomitant displacement of the plunger 37, against the restoring action of the spring legs 36.

To swing the arms 31 outwardly, and thus move the pivot pins 32 apart, the user presses forwardly on the push button 4, so as to urge the inner ends of the lever arms 38 forwardly, with resilient deflection of the spring legs 34, which return the levers to their previous position when the push button is released.

Claims

1. A razor handle comprising a pair of arms mounted for movement towards and away from each other to permit pivot mounting means on the respective arms to be engaged with and disengaged from a replaceable blade cartridge, the handle further comprising a spring loaded plunger arranged to co-operate in use with the cartridge and being displaceable against the action of its spring loading to permit rocking movement of the cartridge about a pivotal axis defined by the pivot mounting means, and wherein the two arms form part of a unitary moulding which also incorporates the spring means which applies a restoring force to the plunger, the moulding being mounted on a head portion fast with the handle of the razor.

2. A razor handle according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the moulding, measured in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the arms, is no greater than the thickness of the pivot mounting means.

3. A razor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the moulding is held between the said head portion and an overlying cap member secured to the head portion with sufficient clearance for the arms to move in their own plane.

4. A razor handle according to any preceding claim, wherein the arms take the form of bellcrank levers pivotally mounted at their elbows on the head portion and each having a forwardly extending arm at the forward end of which is formed a pivot mounting pin, and a laterally extending arm engaged by a common push button which is manually operable to force the arms to pivot in a sense to move the pivot mounting pins away from each other.

5. A razor handle according to claim 4, wherein the moulding comprises a pair of forward spring legs extending to either side of the plunger, connected integrally at their outer ends to intermediate spring legs in turn integrally connected at their inner ends to rear spring legs integral with the respective arms, the front and rear spring legs acting substantially independently upon the plunger and the arms respectively.

6. A razor handle according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the razor handle consists only of the head portion and handle portion as one unit, the moulding, the cap and the push button.

7. A razor handle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A wet shaving system including a razor handle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, and a plurality of exhangeable blade cartridges each having recess for engagement by the pivot mounting means and a cam formation for engagement by the plunger.