CA1262623A - Razor blade assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A SAFETY RAZOR
A razor blade assembly comprising a blade disposed between skin engaging elements adapted in operation to engage a surface being shaved ahead and behind, respectively, of the cutting edge, the blade being movable relative to the elements in response to forces encountered during a shaving operation, the blade assembly having pivot mountings thereon for pivotal attachment to a razor handle, whereby the blade assembly, as a whole, may be pivotally movable on the handle in response to forces encountered during the shaving operation, one of the skin engaging elements being provided with a water leachable shaving aid.

Description

~ 3 B KGROUND OF THE INVENTION_ Field of -the Invention -The invention relates to wet shaviny implernents and is directed more particularly to a blade assembly which, as a whole, is movable on a handle assembly duriny a shaving operation, and haviny individual blade assembly components which are independently movable duriny the shaviny operation.
Description of the Prior Art It is known in the art to provide a razor blade assembly which may be connected to, and used in conjunction with, a razor handle to facilitate shaving operations. U.S. Patent No. 3,7247070, issued April 3, 1973, in the name of Francis W. Dorion, Jr. shows a blade assembly in which blade means are held between blade assembly surfaces adapted to engaye the surface being shaved in front of and behind, respectively, cutting edge portions of the blade means. Such surfaces are generally referred to as "guard" and "cap".
It is further known that the shaving efficiency of such a safety razor assembly may be improved if the blade assembly is adapted to pivot on the razor handle during a shaving operation, permitting the blade assembly to more closely follow the contours of a surface being shaved.
U.S. Patent No. 3,935,639, issued February 3, 1976, in the name of John C. Terry, et al, and U.S. Patent No. 3938,247, issued February 17, 1976, in the name of Nelson C. Carbonell, et al, are illustrative of razor handles adapted to accept the blade assembly of the '070 patent in such a manner as to permit pivotal movement of the blade assembly during a shaving operation. U.S. Patent No. 3,950,849, issued April 20, 197Z, in the name of Roger L. Perry, illustrates a modified blade assembly adapted to pivotal movement. U.S. Patent No. 4,026,016, issued May 31, 1977, in the name of Warren I. Nissen, and U.S. Patent No.
4,083,104, issued April 11, 1978, in the name of Warren I. Nissen, illustrate, respectively, a blade assembly and razor handle comprising a shaving system in which the blade assembly pivots on the handle during sd/ ~l~

~, ~

shaving. rrhe shaving system shown in '01~ and '104 patents has become well-known world-wide.
Another means by which increased shaving efficiency may be obtained is that o~ retaining the blade assembly, as a whole, stationary but permitting movement of individual components thereof in response to forces encountered during shaving. In U.S. Patent ~o. 4,16~,571, issued September 25, 1979, in the name of John F. Francis, there is shown a blade assembly in which the guard, cap and blade means are each movable independently of each other in dynamic fashion. U.S.
Patent No. 4,270,268, issued June 2, 1981, in the name of Chester F. Jacobson, shows a blade assembly in which the guard and blade means are independently movable.
SUMMAR~ OF THE INVENTIO~
Broadly speaking, the present invention may be considered as providing a razor blade assembly comprising a leading blade member having a ~irst cutting edge and a following blade member having a second cutting edge, the cutting edges being parallel with each other and facing a same direction to act in tandem upon a surface being shaved, the leading and following blade members being disposed between guard and cap portions adapted in operation to engage the surEace being shaved ahead of and behind, respectively, the first and second cutting edges, the leading and ~ollowing blade members and the guard portion being movable independently of the remainder of the blade assembly and independently of each other in response to forces encountered rn/~

~2~ 3 -2a-during a shaving operation, a shaving aid fixed to one of the guard and cap portions, the shav:ing aid beiny formed of a hydrophobic material and a water leachable hydrophilic polymeric material, the blade assembly havi.ng pivot mountiny means thereon for pivotal attachment to a razor handle assembly, the blade assembly, as a whole, being pivotally movable on the handle assembly in response to forces encountered duxing the shaving operation, and a cam means on the assembly adapted to receive a biasing means disposed in the handle assembly and adapted to exert a yieldable biasing force on the pivotally movable blade assembly, whereby to maintain maximum contact between the surEace being shaved and the leading and following independently movable blades, the independently movable guard portion, and the shaving aid.
The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular device embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only and rn/ss .

6~3 , ., not as a limi~ation or ~he inven~ion. Tne principl-s 2na ~e~ures of this invenr.ion ~n~, he enlployed in various an~ numerous ern~odirr,ents without depar~ing from the scope of the inYentiorl.
DESCRIPrIO~I OF TH~ DRA~II,YGS
Reference is made -to the accompanying drawings in which i5 shown ~ an illustrative embodiment of the inverltion f'rom which its novel features and advantages will be apparent.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one form o~ blade -~ 10 assemb7y illustrative of an embodiment of tne invention;
FIG. 2 is a fron-t elevational view thereof;
-- FIG. 3 is a back elevational view thereof;
FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view thereof;
FIG. 5 is a sectiona'l view, taken along line V - Y of FIG. 2;
1~ FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of one form oF handle sui-table ~~ for use with the in~/ention;
FIt;. 7 is a frorl~ ~levat10na'l view thereo,;
FIG~ ~ is a bar.~k elevatlonal view thereof;
FIG~ 9 is a sectional view of the blade assembly attached to ,.he handle assembly, t2ker1 along the length-wise centerline of the blade asse~bly~
- FI~ 10 is a sectional view of the blade ass2mbly attached to the handle assembly 7 taken along the width-wise ~~ cen~erline of the b'!ade assembly; and FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a portion of the blade assembly of FIG~ 1, shown with an illus,trative shaving aid body fixed thereton ~ESCR~Pl'ION OF THE PREFER~ED EMBUDIME~T
Referring to the drawings, it wil-l be seen that the illustrative razor blade assembly includes a hody member 2 haviny first and second end portions 4, 6 interconnecte~ by front and back wall portions 8, :LO.
Frarne por5ions 12 extend width wise of the body member, interconnecting . the front and back walls 8~ 10.
The back wall portion 10 o~ the body mernber 2 has an upper portion 14 which engages skiri being shaved behirld the cutting ~eans of .

.

~ 2~ 3 the asse~ly, hPreby ~ulfilling the ~uncti~n~ ~nd OCCupJing the position c~ the "aa~" portion of ccnven~ional razor tJl~e assem~l-iec.
Such portion 14 shall, for that reason, be referred to ~ereinaf~er as the l'C2p portion".
"- 5 Each of the end pr,rtions 4, 6 is provided with opposed slots 16 disposed transversely to the frame portions 12. One Gf the frame portions 12 near the first end portion 4 is proYided with spring finsers 18 extending therefrom generally parallel to the front and back ~Jalti 8, lOo Each of the fingers 18 is provided with an upturned end portion 20 - 10 having an upper surface 22. In like manner, another of the fra~e portions 12 near the second end portion 6 is provided with sprin3 ~~ fingers 18' of similar configuration, with upturned erld poriions 20' ha~ing upper surfaces 22'. The fingers 18, 18' extend in opposite directions, the fingers 18 extending toward the first end portion 4 of 1~ the body member 2 ~nd the fingers 18' extending toward 'che second end ~ portion 6 of the bod~ menlber. The fingers 18 and the finge~s 18' .~re aligned ~liih each other .Ind with the ,lots 16.
-rhe ssembly includes a guard portion 24 having d slide memb~?r 26 ai eac~ end t'lçreof~ The slide members 26 are received in d pair of 20 opposed slots 16 nearest the front wall portion 8. The bottom of the guard portion rests uporl the surfaces 22, 22' of a pair of the spring fingers 18, 18'~ The lower edges ~8 of'the slide members 26 rest ahov~
` the buttoms of their slots 16, allo~ing the guard portion 2~ to be moYed ~~ further into the slots; agains~ the bias of the spring fingers ~5 therebeneath. The spring fingers supporting the guard portion coMprise a set of spring ~ingers9 the object of which is to resiliently support the guard portion. In a shaving operation, the guard portion travels over the surface Deing shaved ahead of the cutting means.
The assembly further includes blade means comprising a b1ade support including a base portion 30, a platform portion 32 extendirlg from the base portion, slide portions 34 at each end of the base port70n~ and a blade 36 fixed to the platform portion~ The slide - portions 34 are receiYed in a pair of the opposed slots 16, ~ith a bc)ttom edge of the base portion 30 resting upon the surfaces 22 of a second pair of the spring fingers 18, 18'. Lower edges 38 of tne sliae -

2~3 .
por-ions 3` are ~pa~ed fnor" s~le bottoms of tr,eir sl OtS tO permi~
ITlOVe~en~ O; ~he ~13~;1e suppor~ bas* ~ortion fur~her into the slots 1 agains~ tne b~as Ot the spring fingers 1~ ' on which the blade suppGrt base portion rests. Tne spring fingers supporting the blade -- 5 support comprise another set of spring fingers, the object of which is to resiliently support the blade means thereon, In the embodiment illustrated, the blade means include a second blade support including a base portion 30', a platforrn portion 32', slide portions 34' and a blade 36', all anchored similarly to the above~described first blade support. The slide portions 34' are received in a third pair of the opposed slots 16 nearest the cap portion ~~ ~4 with the base por-tion 30' resting upon spring ,inger surfaces. Tne spning fingers supportin~ the second blade support comprise still another set of spring fingers, which resiliently suppor~ the second bldde~ In a sha~/ing opera-t7 Gn ~ the second blade travels o~er tn2 ~~~ surtace being shaved behind the first blade.
T~e guard portion 24, first and second blad5~s ~6J 36' arc-clamoed in place by spriny clamps 40, which are recei~!2d in slot5 4~ in the ~nd portions 4, 6. The clamps 40 Pngage the yuard portion ~ and blades 36, 36', ,orcing them into the slots 16 to a poinl; wr~sre a slight stress is placed on the spring fingers 18, 18'.
On the underside of the body m~mb~r 2 and the frame portions l~, are disposed two extensions 44, 46 having at their rree entl5sy ~` respectively~ inwardly extending opposed rails 48, 50, each rail h3ving ~5 respective arcuate upper surfaces 52, 54~ As will be ,urther ~iscussed below, the extensions comprise a pivot mounting means by which the blad~
assembly may be removably and pivotally attached ~o a razor handleO
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the blade assembly t~ody member underside is additionally provided with cam means 56 comprising sur~aces 58 and 60 joininy at an apex 62~ the surfaces 58~ 60 deFining therehetween an obtuse angle. As will be further described below, the cam means 56 is adapted to receive a cam follower operative to urge the blade assembly to a given position.
Referring to FI~S~ 6 - 8/ it will be s~een that a razor handle assembly 70, suitable for use with the illustrative blade ~sse!~lb5y9 .

, -6- ~ 2;~

includes a gri~ portion 72. One end of -he grip por~ion ~2 i~ proviaea with a recess 7~ in which is disposed a molded plastic nG3d pGrtion 7 comprising two ar~s 78~ 80 joined by a bridge portion 82. The grip portion 72 is further provided with a slot 84 in w~ich is disposed a key member 86. The key member 86 includes a projection ~ w~ich is disposed - against the bridge portion 82 in a manner securely lockirg the headportion 76 to the grip portion 72. Each of the arms 78~ 80 has disposed on its free end, respectively, a shell bearing 90, 92.
Referring again to FIG. 5~ it will be seen that the blade - 10 assembly rails 48, 50, in conJunction with undersurfaces 9~, 96 of the body member 2, and arcuate struts 95, 97, define arcuate slots 98, 100 - adapted to receive the shell bearings 90, 92 respectively. Thus, the shell bearings 90, 92 comprise a shell bearing means which constitutes a pivot mounting mèans adapted to cooperate with the above described blade assembly pivot mounting means to facilitate pivotal connection of the - blade assembly to the razor handle assembly (FIGS. 9 and 10).
In the handle recess 74, there is disposed a coil spring 102 and a plunger member 104, the spring biasing the plunger in the direction of the free end 106 of the plunger member 104. ~hen the blade assembly is 2Q connected to the handle assembly, the ~ree end 106 of the plunger member 104 is urged by the spring 102 into engagement with the blade assembly cam means 56. During pivoting operation of the blade assembly, the plunger end 106 bears against the cam surfaces 58, 60, to urge the blade - assembly to a given position, the position in which the plunger end 106 rests at the apex 62 of the cam means 56.
Referring particularly to FIGS. 8 and 9, it will be seen that the arms 78, 80 extend beyond the sides of the handle and are accessible to an operator. To connect the blade assembly to the handle assembly, the operator presses the arms 78, 80 inwardly, toward each other, moving the shell bearings 90, 92 toward each other.
The shell bearings 90, 92 are then pressed against the blade assembly underside arcuate struts 95~ 97~ and the arms 78, 80 released.
Upon release of the arms 78, 80, the arms spring outwardly in opposite directions away from each other, the shell bearings 90, 92 entering the arcuate slots 98, 100. The spring biased plunger member 104 engages the -:

~ 3 _ cam means 5~, seQi(ins the apex ~2 o, ~he Cam means dna :rierr~D~ urgi,rl5 the bla~e ~ssem~ly to a "neutral" posi~ion.
Durins a shaving operation, the guard por~ion 24 an~ the blaaes 36, 36' move independently of each other against thQ bias o, th~ spring - 5 fingers 18, 18'. Simultaneously, the blade assembly, as a ~nole, pivots _ on the handle, following the contours of the surface being shaved, When it is desired to discard a used blade assem51y, the operator need only compress the arrns 78, 80, removing the shell bearings 90, 92 from the arcuate slots 98, 100 and releasing the blade assembly.
In FIG. 11, there is disclosed an embodiment in which one of the skin-engaging elements 14 is provided with a shaving aid 200 of the ~- general type disclosed in U. S. Patents 2,292,418, issued August 11, 1942 to H. E. Wetherbee, and 4,170,821 issued October 16, 1979 to Anthony R.
Booth; as well as U. ~. Patent 2,024,082; application published January 9, 1980; patent published May 6, 1982 in the name of -~- Harry Pentney, et al.
:~ The shaving aid 200 is preferably in the form of a body of - material fixed to a skin-engaging surface, such as the cap portion 14 shown in FIG. 11 for illustrative purposes.
The shaving aid material preferably comprises a molded, extruded, or otherwise formed mixture of a hydrophobic material and a water leachable hydrophilic polymeric material such that, during a shaving operation, water present on the area to be shaved leaches out - the hydrophilic material which may serve as a lubricant. Alternatively, one or more of the skin-engaging elements 14, 24 may be formed of the shaving aid mixture.
In operation, wetting the surface to be shaved with water prior to shaving causes, during shaving, leaching out of a portion of the water-soluble material which serves to lubricate the shaving surface.
Thus, comfortable and effective shaving can be obtained by simply wetting the shaving area prior to shaving.
It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited to the part;cular construction herein disclosed and/or shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or e4uivalents within the scope of the disclosure. For example, it is preferable under certa:in conditions that the guard portion be immovable. An alternative embodiment includes a guard portion Eixed immovably to the blade assembly body member, but in all other respects structured and operated in accordance with the above description. A5 a further example, the blade means may include a single blade, rather -than the two blade arrangement described, the single blade being used in conjunction with either a movable or stationary guard portion.

rn/~

Claims (3)

CLAIMS:

1. A razor blade assembly comprising a leading blade member having a first cutting edge and a following blade member having a second cutting edge, said cutting edges being parallel with each other and facing a same direction to act in tandem upon a surface being shaved, said leading and following blade members being disposed between guard and cap portions adapted in operation to engage said surface being shaved ahead of and behind, respectively, said first and second cutting edges, said leading and following blade members and said guard portion being movable independently of the remainder of said blade assembly and independently of each other in response to forces encountered during a shaving operation, a shaving aid fixed to one of said guard and cap portions, said shaving aid being formed of a hydrophobic material and a water leachable hydrophilic polymeric material, the blade assembly having pivot mounting means thereon for pivotal attachment to a razor handle assembly, the blade assembly, as a whole, being pivotally movable on said handle assembly in response to forces encountered during the shaving operation, and a cam means on said assembly adapted to receive a biasing means disposed in said handle assembly and adapted to exert a yieldable biasing force on said pivotally movable blade assembly, whereby to maintain maximum contact between said surface being shaved and said leading and following independently movable blades, said independently movable guard portion, and said shaving aid.

2. The razor blade assembly according to claim 1 in which said shaving aid member is fixed to said cap portion.

3. The razor blade assembly in accordance with claim 2 in which said cap portion is immovably fixed to said blade assembly.