JP5197365B2 - Container for storing useless shaving equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the present invention, a container for storing a shaving implement includes a base portion and lid portion. The base portion includes a first cavity sized for receiving a dispenser for replacement razor cartridges as well as a second cavity sized for receiving the shaving implement. The lid portion is hingedly connected to the base portion, and is moveable between a closed position and an open position. When the lid portion is in the closed position, the shaving implement is substantially enclosed therein. The container can also serve as packaging material by inserting an informational card partially within the second cavity, and placing shrinkwrap material around the container (in the closed position) such that at least a portion of the dispenser for replacement razor cartridges are between the container and the shrinkwrap material. The informational card includes a hole for hanging the packaged shaving implement on a store shelf.

Description

  The present disclosure relates generally to a container for a waste shaving instrument, and more specifically, the present disclosure encloses a waste shaving instrument, but allows external access to a replacement cartridge. Regarding the container.

  This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 698,539, filed Jul. 11, 2005.

  In general, waste shaving tools, which are also called wet waste shaving razors, are usually marketed in two ways: “disposable” and “system”. The disposable waste shaving instrument includes a razor cartridge that is permanently attached to the handle (ie, the razor cartridge and the handle are not separated during normal use). As the blade wears, the user discards the entire unit and begins using a new disposable waste shaving instrument. System waste shaving instruments typically include a razor cartridge that is separable from a permanent handle. In this device, the razor cartridge is attached to the handle and used until the blade is not sharp. As the blade wears, the user selectively separates the razor cartridge and replaces it with a new razor cartridge and attaches it to the same handle.

  To facilitate the use of system waste shaving instruments, replacement razor cartridges for use with the system handle are often sold together (eg, in groups of 4 or 8) in a dispenser. The dispenser holds the replacement razor cartridge firmly so that the sharp edges of each of the one or more blades are protected from external forces. In addition, replacement razor cartridges are typically oriented in the dispenser so that the mechanism for connecting the cartridge to the system handle is exposed and easily accessible to the user.

  Various types of devices have been utilized to date to store system waste shaving instruments and accompanying dispenser / replacement razor cartridges. For example, trays have been shown to be commercially successful. The tray usually has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface includes a mechanism for attaching a waste shaving instrument to the tray. Similarly, the bottom surface includes a mechanism for attaching the dispenser to the tray where it is not visible but is easily accessible if a replacement cartridge is required. Variations of the tray are also on the market. For example, trays have been developed for use in wet environments, such as the tray disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,415,517 to Worrick. The Worrick patent discloses a tray that includes an inner chamber for storing replacement razor cartridges when hung in a shower cubicle. However, some trays of the prior art cannot protect waste shaving devices from damage or being covered with spilled fluid during movement. In those instances where the waste shaving instrument is shielded, the replacement razor cartridge cannot be readily used.

  Furthermore, the packaging used in most system razors on the market today is blister wrap. Blister wraps are an efficient and inexpensive way to securely wrap system razors so that shoplifting is difficult to remove waste shaving equipment from the package before end-of-sale sales. Protect effectively. In addition, the blister wrap can be easily printed with bright and shiny colors that make the product attractive to the end user, and the insert placed in the package is clearly visible through the blister wrap material. It can also be transparent. Unfortunately, the blister wrap is wasted because it is discarded just before the first use of the shaving tool.

Thus, for storing waste shaving instruments when not in use, for protecting waste shaving instruments during movement, for storing replacement razor cartridges in an easily accessible location, and for intrinsic packaging There is a need for a simple but effective container for storing products, providing a place to work as.
The object of the present invention is therefore to overcome the known drawbacks of the prior art.

US Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 698,539 US Pat. No. 6,415,517

  According to one aspect of the present invention, a container for storing a waste shaving instrument includes a base and a lid. The base includes a first cavity and a second cavity. The first cavity is sized to accommodate a replacement razor cartridge dispenser, and the second cavity is sized to accommodate a waste shaving instrument. The lid is hinged to the base and can be moved between a closed position and an open position. When the lid is in the closed position, the waste shaving device is substantially sealed within the second cavity between the lid and base of the container.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the base and / or top includes a structure for maintaining the waste shaving device in a desired position within the second cavity of the container during storage.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the container is made of a molded polymeric material.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the lid is hinged to the base by a movable hinge.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the container is translucent or transparent so that the end user can see the waste shaving device and / or other items contained therein. .
According to another aspect of the invention, the second cavity is sized to accommodate a wall mounting structure as well as a waste shaving device.

  According to another aspect of the invention, a package for sale to a consumer includes the container, card, and shrink wrap. When the lid is in the closed position, the waste shaving device is disposed in the second cavity, and the waste shaving device is substantially sealed between the lid and the base. A dispenser containing at least one replacement razor cartridge is disposed within the first cavity of the dispenser. Product information can also be printed on the card. At least a portion of the card is sealed within the second cavity, and at least another portion of the card is outside the container. The card may include a suspension hole for suspending the package from the rack shelf in a portion located outside the container. The card may include an interference hole. When the container is in the closed position, the tab extends through the interference hole to prevent a portion of the card located in the second cavity from accidentally exiting the container. A removable shrink wrap is placed around the container so that the container is maintained in a closed position so that the tabs do not exit the interference holes, and at least a portion of the dispenser has a base and a removable shrink wrap It is designed to be trapped between materials.

One advantage of the present invention is that when the shaving tool is stored, it is substantially protected from damage or falling off by the lid and base.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the replacement razor cartridge located within the dispenser can be easily accessed by the user at the outer end of the second chamber.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the container acts as a natural wrapping material, thus reducing the waste normally associated with a waste shaving instrument package.

  These and other advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the detailed description and drawings.

  As shown to FIGS. 1-3, the reference number 10 is attached | subjected to the container of this invention. The container 10 includes a base portion 12 and a lid portion 14. The base 12 includes a first cavity 16 (see FIG. 2) and a second cavity 18 (see FIG. 3). The lid 14 is hinged to the base 12, and the lid 14 can be moved between a closed position (see FIG. 1) and an open position (see FIG. 3). The second cavity 18 is substantially sealed by the lid 14 and the base 12 when the lid 14 is in the closed position.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first cavity 16 of the base 12 is sized to accommodate the dispenser 20 of the replacement razor cartridge 22. The actual shape and dimensions of the first cavity 16 will vary depending on the actual shape and dimensions of the dispenser 20 to be stored. For example, a dispenser 20 designed to hold four replacement razor cartridges 22 is approximately 1.5 inches wide and 3.0 inches long. However, the first cavity 16 may be larger or smaller without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  The dispenser 20 may be permanently attached to the first cavity 16 of the container 10 but is preferably removably attached to the container 10. Thus, once the user has used up all of the replacement cartridges 22 in the dispenser 20, the empty dispenser can be replaced with a new dispenser loaded with an unused replacement razor cartridge. In the example of FIG. 2, the first cavity 16 is designed to house and maintain the dispenser 20 with a press-fit connection. The dispenser 20 is press fit into the first cavity 16 and is held in place by friction. In another embodiment, although not shown, the first cavity 16 includes a structure (eg, a tab) that positively engages the dispenser 20 and holds the dispenser 20 in place. In these embodiments, the dispenser 20 is “snapped” into the second cavity.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the base 12 further includes a second cavity 18 sized and configured to accommodate at least the waste shaving device 24. The container 10 preferably holds one waste shaving instrument 24, but without departing from the scope of the present invention, two or more waste shaving instruments 24 or waste shaving instruments 24 and waste Holds at least one other device, such as a wall hanger 26 (as shown in FIG. 4) for the shaving device 24 or a waste hair treatment cream applicator (eg, a mole hair brush) (not shown). It can also be designed as follows. Alternatively, the container 10 can be sized to hold a device completely unrelated to the razor, such as a toothbrush (not shown). Accordingly, the actual geometry of the second cavity 18 will depend on the geometry of the actual waste shaving tool 24 (and any other device) that is stored. For example, in many instances, the shaving tool 24 is a replacement 28 that is attached to the end of the handle 28 with a length of about 4 to 6 inches and about 1.5 inches wide as described above. Cartridge 22. Accordingly, the base 12 is generally rectangular in some embodiments. For example, the container 10 of FIG. 2 has a base that is about 6.5 inches long (“L”) and about 3 inches wide (“W”).

  The second cavity 18 not only adds structural stability to the container 10, but also provides a structure 30 that maintains the waste shaving instrument 24 or other device disposed within the container in a desired position during storage. In addition. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the second cavity 18 may include a handle positioning structure 30 that prevents the handle 28 of the waste shaving tool 24 from moving from side to side. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the second cavity 18 further includes a cartridge positioning structure 32 that prevents the blade 34 of the waste shaving tool 24 from making unwanted contact with the container 10. May be.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lid portion 14 is connected to the base portion 12 by a hinge 36. The hinge 36 may be any type of hinge 36 known to those skilled in the art. For example, the lid portion 14 and the base portion 12 may be independent components connected to a hinge 36 (not shown). Alternatively, the lid portion 14 and the base portion 12 are integrally connected (for example, formed by a single molded part) and separated by a movable hinge 38. The term movable hinge 38 refers to an area where the material is thin and thus weak, allowing the lid 14 of the container 10 to be repeatedly moved between open and closed positions without breaking. I mean. The upper portion 14 further includes a structure 39 for placing a waste shaving device 28 inside the container.

  The lid 14 and base 12 may include complementary closure structures (52 and 54, respectively) that can keep the container 10 in the closed position when needed. Any suitable closure structure 52, 54 known to those skilled in the art may be used.

  The container 10 may be made of any suitable material, but molded plastic or polymer materials have been found to be particularly useful. For example, polypropylene can be easily and inexpensively molded so that it can be used to form the movable hinge 38 (discussed above) and can be easily colored. Further, although the container 10 of the present invention is preferably molded from a single part, as discussed above, the container 10 may be a separate part, each made of a different type of material. . The container 10 may be any color, but if it is not transparent, it is desirable that at least a portion of the container is translucent.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the container 10 described above is also used as an original packaging material for sale to consumers. In these examples, the dispenser 20 is disposed in the first cavity 16, the waste shaving instrument 24 (along with any other necessary equipment) is disposed in the second cavity 18, and the card 40 is in the first cavity 16. It is partially sealed inside. Card 40 typically includes a suspension hole 44 and an interference hole 46 in addition to any desired printed information 42. The interference hole 46 can be any suitable size and typically corresponds to a tab 48 disposed in the container 10 (eg, within the second cavity 18). When the card 40 is partially disposed inside the second cavity 18, the tab 48 extends through the interference hole 46 (see FIG. 7) when the container 40 is in the closed position and the container 10 opens. Until the card 40 does not leave the container 10.

A shrink wrap 50 is placed around the container 10 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) to keep the container 10 in the closed position to prevent the wasted shaving device 24 or dispenser 20 and the accompanying replacement cartridge 22 from being stolen. The dispenser 20 is maintained in the first cavity 16.
The card 40 typically includes a suspension hole 44 so that the container 10 can be suspended from a storage shelf as is common in retail.

  Modifications and changes may be made to the above disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of a waste shaving device container of the present invention. FIG. It is a bottom view of the container of FIG. It is a front view of FIG. 1, and a cover part exists in an open position. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1, wherein the container includes a waste shaving tool and a wall-mounted hanger in the second cavity and a dispenser of a replacement razor cartridge in the first cavity. FIG. 2 is a front view of one embodiment of the container of FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view of one embodiment of the container of FIG. 1 serving as an intrinsic packaging material. It is sectional drawing which follows the 7-7 line | wire of FIG.

Claims (12)

In a container for storing useless shaving equipment,
A base having a first cavity sized to accommodate a dispenser for a replacement razor cartridge, and a second cavity sized to accommodate the waste shaving instrument; and hinged to the base And a lid that can be moved between a closed position and an open position,
When the waste shaving device is disposed in the second cavity and the lid is in the closed position, the waste shaving device is substantially sealed between the lid and the base, vessel first cavity when the lid is in the closed position on the outside of the second cavity.   The container of claim 1, wherein the base includes a structure for maintaining the waste shaving device in a desired position during storage.   The container according to claim 1, wherein the lid includes a structure for maintaining the waste shaving device in a desired position during storage.   The container of claim 1, wherein the container is made of a molded polymer material.   The container according to claim 4, wherein the lid is hinged to the base by a movable hinge.   The container of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the container is translucent.   The container of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the container is transparent.   The container according to claim 1, wherein the second cavity is sized to accommodate the waste shaving device and a wall mounting structure.   The container of claim 1, wherein the base includes a protective structure to prevent a blade from contacting the base during normal operation. In a package for sale to consumers,
A container,
A base having a first cavity and a second cavity;
A container hinged to the base and having a lid that is movable between a closed position and an open position;
When said lid is in said closed position, a shaving implement that is arranged in front Symbol second cavity so as to be substantially enclosed between the front Kifuta portion said base portion, said The first cavity is a waste shaving device outside the second cavity when the lid is in the closed position;
A dispenser disposed within the first cavity and having at least one replacement razor cartridge stored therein;
Card printed with product information, at least a portion sealed within the first cavity, and at least another portion outside the container;
A removable shrink wrap, such that at least a portion of 且 one said dispenser is maintained the container in the closed position is captured between the base and the removable shrinkwrap material, said container And a removable shrink wrap disposed around the package.   The package for sale to consumers according to claim 10, wherein the card includes a suspension hole for hanging the package in a portion of the card outside the container. The card includes interference hole, the container includes a tab that the card is at least partially placed in said interference holes for preventing exiting from the container, according to claim A package for sale to a consumer according to 10.

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