Razor handle

Abstract

A safety razor has a handle and a razor cartridge having a handle and a connector. The connector includes a recess with an opening portion and a remote portion at an end of the recess opposed the opening portion. The handle includes a first ejector connected to a user-operable button and a distal end portion of the first ejector is adapted to contact an interior surface of the remote portion of the recess. The button also includes a second ejector structure adapted to contact the opening portion of the recess. When the button is operated, the combined function of the distal end portion of the first ejector contacting and pushing against a surface of the remote portion of the recess and the second ejector structure contacting and pushing against the opening portion of the recess act to disconnect the razor cartridge from the handle.

Claims

1. A safety razor (10), comprising: a handle (12) having hand gripping structure (30) and a first ejector (40), slidable along the hand gripping structure (30) and actuable by a user-operated button (42) connected to the first ejector (40); a razor cartridge (14) connected to the handle (12), comprising a housing (16) carrying a razor blade (18), and a connector (20); the connector (20) including a recess (50), the connector (20) having an opening portion (52) having a rim (54), and a remote portion (56) opposed the opening portion (52); wherein the handle (12) includes opposed panels (60, 64) each bearing at least one detent (62, 66) adapted to be received in the recess and engage depressions (70, 72) of the connector (20) to connect the cartridge (14) to the handle (12); wherein, when the button (42) is operated, a distal end portion (46) of the first ejector (40) contacts and pushes against an interior surface (58) of the remote portion (56); wherein the button (42) further comprises a second ejector structure (80) and when the button (42) is operated, the second ejector structure (80) contacts and pushes against the rim of the opening portion (52); and wherein, in combination, the distal end portion (46) of the first ejector (40) contacting and pushing against the interior surface (58) of the remote portion (56) and the second ejector structure (80) contacting and pushing against the rim of the opening portion (52) act to disconnect the razor cartridge (14) from the handle (12).

2. The safety razor (10) of claim 1, wherein the first ejector (40) comprises a pair of legs (44) arranged in a U-shape with the legs (44) defining the distal end portion (46) disposed on opposed sides of a central plane (22) of the safety razor (10) and the distal end portion (46) defined by the legs (44) is adapted to contact the interior surface (58) of the remote portion (56).

3. The safety razor (10) of claim 1, wherein the second ejector structure (80) is integrally formed with the button (42).

4. The safety razor (10) of claim 1, wherein the second ejector structure (80) is connected to the button (42).

5. The safety razor (10) of claim 1, wherein the second ejector structure (80) is received in a groove (82) of the handle (12).

6. The safety razor (10) of claim 1, wherein, when the button (42) is operated, the distal end portion (46) of the first ejector (40) contacts the interior surface (58) of the remote portion (56) simultaneously with the second ejector structure (80) contacting the opening portion (52).

7. The safety razor (10) of claim 1, wherein the second ejector structure (80) contacts the rim of the opening portion (52) at a plurality of locations.

8. The safety razor (10) of claim 1, wherein the second ejector structure (80) contacts the rim (54).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Reference is made to the attached drawings, wherein elements having the same reference numeral designations represent like elements throughout, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a front view of a safety razor;

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view of the safety razor of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of a connector;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the razor handle alone of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the razor handle alone of FIG. 1, with the button in an ‘eject’ position;

(7) FIG. 6 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along lines 6-6 shown in FIG. 1;

(8) FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the safety razor shown in FIG. 1, taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 1, with the button in the position of FIG. 5; and

(9) FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view of another connector and ejector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1-2, a safety razor 10 is depicted. The safety razor 10 comprises a handle 12 having connected thereto a razor cartridge (cartridge) 14. In these figures, and also FIGS. 4-7, the handle 12 is shown truncated purely for the convenience of representing these figures at a suitable scale and the present invention is not limited in regard to the length or shape of the handle 12. The razor cartridge 14 comprises a housing 16 carrying one or more razor blades 18 mounted within the housing 16. The housing 16 is supported by a connector 20. In the depicted embodiment the housing 16 can be pivotally supported by the connector 20 such that the housing 16 can pivot relative to the connector 20 about a pivot axis. In the depicted embodiment the housing 16 has pivotal support structure comprising shell bearings as known in the art, although the present disclosure should not be limited in this regard and other support methods such as pins in holes and so-called living hinges are within the scope of the present disclosure. The housing 16 can also be rigidly supported, e.g. non-pivotally supported by the connector 20 or integrally formed with the connector 20, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,577, the content of which relating to an integral housing (described as head 11 therein) and connector (described as chamber 15 therein) is incorporated herein for reference. The safety razor 10 can define a center plane 22.

(11) Referring additionally to FIG. 3, connector 20 includes a recess 50 having an opening portion 52 with a rim 54, and a remote portion 56 opposed the opening portion 52. The remote portion 56 has an interior surface 58 against which, distal ends 46 of legs 44 of a first ejector 40 (described as follows) push when a user actuates the button 42 (connected to the ejector 40) to remove the cartridge 14 from the handle 12. The connector 20 has opposed depression 70, 72 that are engaged by detents 62, 66 of spaced panels 60; 64 respectively of the razor handle 12 (described as follows) to secure the cartridge 14 to the handle 12 for normal use of the safety razor 10. Without being bound by theory, the applicant has discovered in a device similar to that of the '531 application, when the first ejector 40 is actuated, the ejector force (Fe in FIG. 3) of the distal ends 46 acting against interior surface 58 can induce stresses in the connector that in turn cause a connector entrance width “d” defined between opposed depressions 70, 72 to decrease. This in turn creates inwardly directed forces Fo at the opening portion that increase the frictional engagement of the connector recess 50 (and its depressions 70, 72) to the spaced panels 60, 64 (and their detents 62, 66), increasing engagement forces and undesirably increasing the user-applied button force necessary to successfully remove the razor cartridge 14 from the handle 12.

(12) Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, these depict perspective views of the handle 12 alone of the safety razor 10 of FIG. 1 respectively with the button 42 and its connected first ejector 40 in an at-rest position and a user actuated position to eject a razor cartridge 12. The handle includes hand gripping structure 30 and a first ejector 40 that is slidable along the hand gipping structure 30 and actuated by a user operating a button 42 connected to the ejector 40. First ejector 40 can be U-shaped, having legs 44 disposed on opposed sides of the center plane 22 and having distal ends 46. The distal ends 46 of each leg 44 are adapted to contact and push against an interior surface (58, see FIGS. 3, 6 and 7) of the connector 20 of the razor cartridge 14 when a user operates the button 42 to disconnect or otherwise eject the razor cartridge 14 from the handle 12.

(13) The handle 12 includes opposed panels 60, 64 each bearing detents 62, 66 adapted to engage depressions 70, 72 of the connector 20 to connect the cartridge 14 to the handle 12.

(14) The handle 12 can also include extension 24 adapted to engage another type of razor cartridge and its connector. This is described in U.S.-A1-2016/0101531, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein in its entirety as this pertains to connection between a razor cartridge and a handle. In the context of the present disclosure, the interconnective features, e.g. decent and respective depression, can be provided between the extension 24 and the connector 20 and/or the panels 60, 64 and connector. As depicted herein, the connector 20 bears the depressions 70, 72 but this interconnective arrangement can be fully or partially reversed such that the connector bears some or all of the detents 62, 66.

(15) The button 42 also includes a second ejector structure 80 adapted to contact and push against the opening portion 52 of the connector of the razor cartridge 14 when a user operates the button 42 to disconnect or other se eject the razor cartridge 14 from the handle 12. Preferably, the second ejector structure 80 contacts and pushes against the rim 54 of the opening portion 52. Preferably (as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5), the second ejector structure 80 is integrally formed with the button 42. The second ejector structure 80 can also be a separate component part that is connected to the button 42 (as shown in FIG. 8). The second ejector structure 80 can be received in, and slide along a groove 82 of the handle 12.

(16) Referring additionally to FIGS. 6 and 7, these depict sectional views of the safety razor 10 of FIG. 1. Respectively these depict the cartridge 14 connected to the handle 12 and the button 42 in its at-rest position and the cartridge 14 being ejected from the handle 12 after a user has actuated the button 42. As can be seen in FIG. 7 with reference to FIG. 6, a path 90 of movement of the cartridge 14 away from the handle 12 during ejection is non-lifter when the second ejector structure 80 acts against the opening portion 52 on a single side of the connector 20.

(17) Referring additionally to FIG. 8, this depicts a schematic sectional view of the connector 20 and button 42 with thereto connected first ejector 40 spaced from but adapted to push against the interior surface 58 and the second ejector structure 80 spaced from but adapted to push against (the rim 54) of the opening portion 52. Respective pushing actions can be synchronized to occur simultaneously or sequentially. For example, the second ejector structure 80 can contact the opening portion 52 slightly before the first ejector 40 contacts the interior surface 58.

(18) Combined actions of the first ejector 40 and second ejector structure 80 can overcome any increased engagement forces and permit a user to remove the cartridge 14 from the handle 12 with an acceptable user-provided force.

(19) Those skilled in the art will recognize that variations and modifications can be made without departing from the true scope of the disclosure as defined by the claims that follow. Features disclosed in connection with any one embodiment can be used alone or in combination with, each feature of the respective other embodiments.