US3529351A

US3529351A - Safety razor

Info

Publication number: US3529351A
Application number: US735818A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ben Howes Alexander
Original assignee: Gillette Co LLC
Current assignee: Gillette Co LLC
Priority date: 1968-06-10
Filing date: 1968-06-10
Publication date: 1970-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 1987-09-22

Description

P 1970 s. H. ALEXANDER 3,529,351

- I SAFETY RAZOR Filed June 10, 1968 United States Patent Int. (:1. B26b 21/26 US. Cl. 30-40.1 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safety razor magazine that houses a stainless steel razor blade band has a flat shaving platform that terminates at each end in a sharp curve of 0.062 inch radius over which the blade passes. The blade is bent through 165 about these curved end surfaces. A guard bar, secured to and in front of the shaving platform, defines a shaving geometry relative to the sharpened edge of the razor blade. The magazine cover has side walls that define, with the curved end surfaces of the platform, a channel at each end of the shaving platform. Formed integrally with each side walls is a projection that is positioned forwardly of an spaced from the platform and forms an extension of the guard bar. Each projection overlies the channels at each end of the shaving platform. In one embodiment each projection overlies the platform 0.009 inch and extends 0.010 inch above the level of the platform. In another embodiment the vertical inner wall of each projection is aligned with the inner edge of the side wall and extend 0.014 inch above the level of the platform.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending patent application Ser. No. 675,945, filed Oct. 17, 1967, entitled Safety Razor, now abandoned.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention relates to safety razors and more particularly to magazines for use with safety razors which hold a continuous band of ribbon-like blades in an arrangement in which successive lengths of the blade may be sequentially advanced into shaving position by the user.

This invention has particular applicability to safety razors of the type shown in the Nissen Pat. 3,262,198. The magazine for such a razor is a compact storage compartment which presents a relatively long length of blade edge in a shaving zone and includes a relatively abrupt transition at at least one end of the shaving zone to permit shaving in normally relatively inaccessible or recessed areas such as in clefts, around nostrils, ears, etc. This relatively abrupt transition produces substantial stress in the blade and occasionally the blade will fracture at that transition, producing a short but extremely sharp edge that may cut the user during a shaving operation.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved razor construction of the ribbon blade type that provides improved protection of the user while permitting relatively inaccessible portions of the face and neck of the user to be shaved easily and rapidly.

A particular object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved magazine construction of the ribbon blade type which provides protection should the ribbon blade break at the abrupt transition at the end of the shaving zone.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel and improved ribbon type safety razor of the magazine type.

A razor magazine constructed in accordance with the invention includes a blade support platform which de- "ice fines a shaving zone for receiving and supporting a shaving length of blade in shaving position. At least one end of the shaving zone, the blade strip is bent sharply, a typical transition being a radius in the range of 0.02 0.10 inch, to permit effective shaving. A guard structure, fixed in position in front of the blade path, at the end of and projecting above the blade support platform, provides protection against contact between the shavers skin and a broken blade edge in the areas of sharp bend in the blade. In particular embodiments the blade support platform is a part of a base component of the magazine and the guard structure is formed as a part of the cover component. In one such embodiment that guard structure forms an extension of the guard bar that extends along the length of and in front of the blade support platform and overlies that portion of the blade path defining structure that produces the sharp bend. In another embodiment the vertical inner wall of the guard structure is an extension of the side wall that forms the outer boundary of the blade channel in the area of the sharp bend. Both embodiments prevent contact between the shavers skin and a broken blade edge in that area and provide a smooth guard surface that does not interfere with convenient and expeditious shaving.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be seen as the following description of particular embodiments progresses in conjunction with the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a razor blade magazine incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the magazine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the magazine taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a magazine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a portion of a second magazine constructed in accordance with the invention showing the relation of the guard projection and the blade channel; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the razor blade magazine 10 there illustrated is intended for use in a razor structure generaly of the type shown in the Nissen Pat. No. 3,262,198. The magazine member 10 includes a base member 12 and a cover element 14 which is secured to the base element 12 by snap type connectors 16. It is preferred that the components of the magazine structure be manufactured of an organic plastic capable of being subjected to repeated deformation stresses and which will withstand the temperature and corrosion environments to which the razor will be exposed in use. A suitable plastic material for the back and cover components is anacetyl resin sold under the name Delrin.

Formed in the back or base component 12 is a supply cavity 18 in which a coiled supply of the razor blade 20 is disposed. The strip blade 20 is this embodiment is a strip of stainless steel 0.0015 inch in thickness and 0.1895 inch in width having a sharpened forward edge 22 and an unsharpened rear edge 24.

Disposed above the supply position 18 is a blade supporting planar transversely extending elongated platform 30 one and one half inches long which provides support for a length of blade strip 20 suitable for shaving. A

vertical shoulder

32, 34 at each end of the blade supporting platform 30 serves as a back stop for the blade against which its unsharpened rear margin 24 rests. Four spaced blade hold down elements 36 project forwardly over platform 30 from a raised shoulder 38 at the rear of platform 30 and overlie platform 30 at a distance above it sufficient to permit the blade 20 to slide between the hold down elements 36 and the platform 30.

Each end of the blade supporting platform 30 terminates in a

curved end surface

40, 42 of 0.062 inch radius, about which blade 20 is bent as it passes to and from the blade support platform 30. The blade is bent through an angle of approximately 165, thus ensuring that the exposed portion of the blade resting on platform 30 can be effectively used for shaving all parts of the face and neck.

A take up arbor 44 is disposed below the supply position 18 and an end of blade 20 is secured to arbor 44. Disposed on arbor 44 is an indicator dial 46, a portion of which is visible through aperture 48 in cover 14. Guide surfaces 49 are provided between supply cavity 18 and end surface 40, and between radiused output end surface 42 and take up arbor 44 to guide the blade along the desired path.

Disposed in front of blade support platform 30 is a guard bar 50 that is positioned in front of and forwardly and downwardly of the sharpened edge 22 of the blade 20 and cooperates with the holder 52 to define a desired shaving geometry of the razor. A slot 54 provided between the guard member 50 and the front edge of the shaving platform 30 to permit movement away from the shaving zone of hair elements or other debris that might accumulate during the shaving operation. The guard structure 50 is 1.482 inches in length and terminates just short of the centers of radius of

curved end surfaces

40, 42.

As indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3 the blade 20 is bent sharply about

end surfaces

40, 42 and the side walls 60 of cover 14 are spaced 1.741 inches apart, thus defining with

end surfaces

40, 42 channels through which the blade 20 moves. Disposed forwardly of each channel between side walls 60 and

end surfaces

40, 42 is a guard projection 62 that is formed integrally with cover component 14. The inner edges of projections 62 are spaced 1.466 inches apart and when the cover 14 is assembled on base 12 the projections 62 are stressed outwardly by the ends of guard 50 and effectively form a continuation of the guard surface. Each projection 62 thus is positioned in front of and spaced from the blade platform 30. Each projection extends 0.010 inch above the level of platform 30 and overlies the fiat portion of the platform 0.009 inch so that it is positioned in front of the recess between

curved end surfaces

40, 42 andthe enclosing side walls 60 of the cover 14. This guard structure, which forms a smooth continuation of the guard bar 50, overlies the front of the channel at the end of the blade support platform 30 while the lip of holder 52 limits the rearward exposure of that channel so that should the blade 20 fracture at the abrupt radius at either end of the blade support platform with a result that a short but sharp broken edge projects upwardly, this guard projection 62 prevents contact between the shavers skin and that sharp edge.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Those figures show a portion of a magazine which is similar in configuration to the magazine shown in FIGS. 1-5 and therefore the same reference numerals will be employed except in the case where the configuration of components has been modified. As the magazine is of the same configuration at each end of the blade support platform, only one end is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In this embodiment the blade support platform 30 is 1.625 inches long and the blade guard 50' is 1.616 inches in length so that it terminates just short of radiused end surfaces 40, 42 of platform 30. The inner surfaces side walls 60 of cover 14 taper outwardly rearwardly and are spaced 1.633 inches apart at the front of the magazine. Side walls 60 define with

end surfaces

40, 42, a channel 64 at each end of platform 30 through which the blade 20 moves. Disposed forwardly of each side wall 60 is a guard projection 62 that is formed integrally with cover component 14. The vertical inner edges 66 of projections 62 are spaced 1.633 inches apart so that when the cover 14 is assembled on the base 12, each projection 62' is positioned immediately adjacent the end of the guard surface. Each projection 62 extends 0.014 inch above the level of platform 30. When the magazine is positioned in a holder, the lip of the holder 52 limits the rearward exposure of those channels 64 so that should the blade 20 fracture at the abrupt end surfaces 40, 42 at either end of the blade support platform 30 so that a short but sharp broken edge projects upwardly, these guard projections 62 prevent contact between the shavers skin and that sharp edge in the same functional manner as projections 62 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and therefore it is not intended that the invention be limited to the disclosed embodiments or to details thereof and departures may be made therefrom within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For use in a razor, a magazine for a ribbon like blade of uniform width having a longitudinally extending rear edge and a parallel sharpened edge, said magazine comprising,

structure defining a blade supply position, a blade take up position, and a blade path extending between said supply position and said take up position, said blade path defining structure including a blade support platform which defines a shaving zone for receiving a shaving length of blade in supporting position with the sharpened edge of the blade projecting beyond the front edge of said support platform, said support platform including an abrupt end surface transition about which the blade is bent sharply, and a side wall structure spaced from said end surface transition and enclosing a portion of said blade path defining structure to define a channel between said end surface and said side wall for the movement of said blade past said abrupt end surface transition.

and a guard structure fixed in position in front of said side wall structure, said guard structure being disposed forwardly of and projecting above the blade path defined by said blade support platform such that protection against the possibility of an upstanding broken blade edge in the vicinity of the sharp bend in the ribbon like blade at the abrupt end surface transition at the end of said blade support platform is provided.

2. The magazine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said blade support platform is formed integrally with a first magazine component, and said side wall structure and said guard structure are formed integrally with a second magazine component.

3. The magazine as claimed in claim 1 and further including a blade edge guard bar disposed parallel to and forwardly of said blade support platform, and wherein said guard structure abuts and forms an extension of said guard bar at the end thereof.

4. The magazine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said abrupt end surface transition produces an effective blade radius of less than 0.10 inch.

5. The magazine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said guard structure extends at least about 0.010 inch above said platform.

6. The magazine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said blade support platform is formed integrally with a first magazine component, and said side wall structure and said guard structure are formed integrally with a second magazine component.

7. The magazine as claimed in claim 6 wherein said blade support platform is a planar transversely extending elongated member having an abrupt end surface transition formed at each end thereof, and each said guard structure has a vertical inner wall that is disposed in alignment with the inner surface of said side wall structure.

8. The magazine as claimed in claim 6 wherein said blade support platform is a planar transversely extending elongated member, an abrupt end surface transition is formed at each end of said member, and a guard structure is disposed in front of each end surface transition,

each said guard structure extending about 0.010 inch above said member and overlying said member about 0.010 inch.

9. The magazine as claimed in claim 8 wherein each said abrupt end surface transition is a smooth curve having a radius of less than 0.10 inch and further including a blade edge guard bar disposed parallel to and forwardly of said blade support platform, and wherein each said guard structure abuts an end of said guard bar.

10. The magazine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said blade support platform is a planar transversely extending elongated member, an abrupt end surface transition in the form of a smooth curve is at each end of said member, and a guard structure is disposed in front of each said end surface transition, and further including a blade edge guard bar disposed parallel to and forwardly of said blade support platform, each said guard structure abutting and forming an extension of said guard bar.

11. The magazine as claimed in claim 10 wherein said blade support platform is formed integrally with a first magazine component and each said guard structure is formed integrally with a second magazine component, said second magazine component further defining said side wall structure enclosing a portion of said blade path defining structure to define a channel for the movement of said blade around each said end surface transition.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,490,775 12/1949 Borden 30-40.1 2,492,293 12/1949 Jones 3040.1 2,601,718 7/1952 Jones 30--40.1 3,453,733 7/1969 Dawidowicz 30-3465 OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner GARY F. GRAFEL, Assistant Examiner