Safety razor and blade unit for safety razor

Abstract

Disclosed is a blade unit for a safety razor, comprising: a blade housing comprising a plurality of blades having respective cutting edges lying in a shaving plane and being arranged to exert a cutting action when moved across a user's skin in a shaving direction; and a guard in front of the cutting edges and a cap to the rear of the cutting edges, the guard including an elongate lubricating strip, the cap including a non-flexible concave back portion supporting a convex lubricating pad, the convex lubricating pad having a convex skin-contacting surface and a rear edge curved in a single arc shape along its entirety. No separate frame is provided around an outer perimeter for fixing the convex lubricating pad, so that the convex lubricating pad rear edge meets flush with the non-flexible concave back portion, providing a smooth, lubricated rear edge of the blade unit.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a blade unit for a safety razor, wherein the method comprises: providing a blade housing comprising a plurality of blades having respective cutting edges lying in a shaving plane and being arranged to exert a cutting action when moved across a user's skin in a shaving direction; and providing a guard in front of the cutting edges and a cap to the rear of the cutting edges, the guard including an elongate lubricating strip, the cap including a non-flexible curved back portion supporting a convex lubricating pad, the convex lubricating pad having a convex skin-contacting surface and a rear edge curved in a single arc shape along its entirety, no separate frame being provided around an outer perimeter of the convex lubricant pad for fixing the convex lubricating pad, so that the convex lubricating pad rear edge meets flush with the non-flexible curved back portion, providing a smooth, lubricated rear edge of the blade unit.

2. A blade unit for a safety razor, wherein the blade unit comprises a blade housing comprising a plurality of blades having respective cutting edges lying in a shaving plane and being arranged to exert a cutting action when moved across a user's skin in a shaving direction; and a guard in front of the cutting edges and a cap to the rear of the cutting edges, the guard including an elongate lubricating strip, and the cap including a non-flexible curved back portion supporting a convex lubricating pad, the convex lubricating pad having a convex skin-contacting surface and a rear edge curved in a single arc shape along its entirety, no separate frame being provided around an outer perimeter of the convex lubricant pad for fixing the convex lubricating pad, so that the convex lubricating pad rear edge meets flush with the non-flexible curved back portion, providing a smooth, lubricated rear edge of the blade unit.

3. The blade unit of claim 2, wherein the skin-contacting surface of the convex lubricating pad is greater than a skin-contacting surface of the elongate lubricating strip.

4. The blade unit of claim 2, wherein the convex lubricating pad and the elongate lubricating strip together extend along at least 60% of the outer perimeter of the blade unit.

5. The blade unit of claim 2, wherein the convex lubricating pad and the elongate lubricating strip together extend along at least 80% of the outer perimeter of the blade unit.

6. The blade unit of claim 2, wherein the convex lubricating pad extends along at least 30% of the outer perimeter of the blade unit.

7. The blade unit of claim 2, wherein the convex lubricating pad extends along at least 40% of the outer perimeter of the blade unit.

8. The blade unit of claim 5, wherein the convex lubricating pad extends along at least 40% of the outer perimeter of the blade unit.

9. The blade unit of claim 2, wherein the non-flexible curved back portion comprises a straight member and an arched member which are connected to each other at respective ends so as to define at least one gap in which part of the convex lubricating pad is disposed.

10. The blade unit of claim 2, wherein the cap of the blade unit and the guard of the blade unit are connected by side portions of the blade unit, to define a supporting structure of the blade housing.

11. The blade unit of claim 10, wherein the side portions divide separate lubricating elements formed by the elongate lubricating strip and the convex lubricating pad.

12. A safety razor, wherein the safety razor comprises the blade unit of claim 2 and a handle having a proximal portion to which the blade unit is fixed and a distal portion.

13. The safety razor of claim 12, wherein the proximal portion arcuately bends away from the shaving plane.

14. The safety razor of claim 13, wherein the proximal portion comprises a non-flexible annular rim surrounding a flexible elastic portion to which the connecting structure is attached.

15. The safety razor of claim 14, wherein the flexible elastic portion has a stepped shape in cross-section.

16. The safety razor of claim 14, wherein the connecting structure is at an off-centered position of the flexible elastic portion relative to the non-flexible annular rim.

17. The safety razor of claim 12, wherein the proximal portion comprises a non-flexible annular rim surrounding a flexible elastic portion to which the connecting structure is attached.

18. The safety razor of claim 17, wherein the flexible elastic portion has a stepped shape in cross-section.

19. The safety razor of claim 18, wherein the connecting structure is at an off-centered position of the flexible elastic portion relative to the non-flexible annular rim.

20. The safety razor of claim 17, wherein the connecting structure is at an off-centered position of the flexible elastic portion relative to the non-flexible annular rim.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a safety razor including a blade unit according to an embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blade unit shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the blade unit shown in FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 is a top view of the blade unit shown in FIG. 1;

(6) FIGS. 5(a) and (b) are a cross-sectional view of the cap of the blade unit shown in FIG. 1, and a top view of the blade unit and proximal portion of the handle of the razor shown in FIG. 1, respectively;

(7) FIG. 6 is a front view of the blade unit shown in FIG. 1;

(8) FIG. 7 is a back view of the blade unit shown in FIG. 1;

(9) FIG. 8 is a side view of the blade unit shown in FIG. 1;

(10) FIG. 9 is a bottom view of parts of the blade unit shown in FIG. 1;

(11) FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a safety razor including a blade unit according to another embodiment;

(12) FIG. 11 is a side view of the blade unit shown in FIG. 10;

(13) FIG. 12 is a side view of an alternative blade unit to that shown in FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(14) The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that illustrate exemplary embodiments consistent with this invention. Other embodiments are possible, and modifications can be made to the embodiments within the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the detailed description is not meant to limit the invention.

(15) Reference will now be made to FIGS. 1 to 9, which are views of a blade unit and safety razor including the blade unit, according to embodiments. The safety razor 8 has a blade unit 10 and a handle 16 (only a part of which is shown in FIG. 1). The blade unit 10 includes a connecting structure 14 that fixes the blade unit 10 to the handle 16, a blade housing 12 and a supporting structure 13 of the blade housing 12. The blade housing 12 holds a plurality of blades 18 (five blades in this particular case) having respective cutting edges 20 that lie in a shaving plane P. Thus, as used herein, the term shaving plane generally refers to the place in which the cutting edges lie. The direction perpendicular to the shaving plane can be referred to as the thickness direction.

(16) The supporting structure 13 comprises a cap 24 located behind the blades in a shaving direction d (when assembled) and a guard 30 located in front of the blade in the shaving direction d (when assembled). As such, the guard 30 is arranged next to the plurality of blades 18 in the shaving direction on an opposite side to that of the cap 24. As used herein, the term shaving direction signifies the direction in the shaving plane in which the blade unit is intended to be moved. The cap 24 and the guard 30 are connected by side portions 38. The supporting structure 13 controls the contact of the cutting edges 20 of the blades 18 with the skin during shaving.

(17) The cap 24 of the supporting structure 13 comprises a non-flexible concave back portion 26 to which is mounted a convex lubricating pad 22. The terms concave and convex are employed herein to signify that the lubricating pad has a convex skin-engaging surface and the back portion has a concave surface along the back. The term non-flexible means that the concave back portion 26 has rigidity to an extent such that it does not bend during ordinary use of the safety razor 8.

(18) The blade housing and the cap 24, and in particular the lubricating pad 22 and the non-flexible concave back portion 26 can be, for example, adhered, integrated, bonded and/or otherwise attached to each other.

(19) The radius of curvature of the convex lubricating pad 22 can be set to about 10 mm, which is within a preferred range from 5 to 20 mm. Although the lubricating pad 22 is in a fixed positional relationship relative to the non-flexible concave back portion 26, the lubricating pad 22 can be deformed by, for example, a compressive force. The lubricating pad 22 can return substantially to its shape prior to deformation.

(20) The non-flexible concave back portion 26 comprises a straight member 40 and an arched member 42 that are connected to each other at respective ends, so as to define a gap 44 in which part of the lubricating pad 22 is disposed when mounted thereon. The non-flexible concave back portion 26 and convex lubricating pad 22 meet flush at a rear edge 28 of the cap 24 of the blade unit 10 as can be seen from FIG. 1. The lubricating pad 22 is curved in an arc shape that extends along substantially the entire rear edge 28 between the side portions 38.

(21) The guard 30 of the supporting structure 13 comprises a non-flexible back portion 32 on which is mounted an elongate lubricating strip 34. Thus, the elongate lubricating strip 34 is arranged on and supported by the non-flexible back portion 32. The non-flexible back portion 32 and elongate lubricating strip 34 meet flush at a front edge 36 of the guard 30 of the blade unit 10, so that the elongate lubricating strip 34 extends up to the front edge 36 of the guard 30 of the blade unit 10.

(22) The terms lubricating strip and lubricating pad are used to signify that the length-to-width ratio in the shaving plane, i.e., the ratio of the size in a direction parallel to the blades (length direction) to the size in a direction parallel to the shaving direction d (width direction), of the elongate lubricating strip 34 and the convex lubricating pad 22 are different. In this particular case, the elongate lubricating strip 34 and convex lubricating pad 22 both extend at least along the length of the exposed cutting edges 20 of the blades 18 and have similar length, though the convex lubricating pad 22 is substantially wider than the elongate lubricating strip 34. In this particular case, the elongate lubricating strip 34 has a length-to-width ratio of about 10:1, while the convex lubricating pad 22 has a length to width ratio of about 4:1 at its widest point.

(23) The composition of the lubricating strip/lubricating pad can include a gliding agent. Materials which may be selected as the gliding agent are: PEG-400/1,4-Butanediol/SMDI Copolymer, PEG-115M, PEG 45M, and PEG-5M, or a combination thereof. The composition of the lubricating strip/lubricating pad can include an antioxidant agent, for example Tocopherol. The composition of the lubricating strip/lubricating pad can include an anti-inflammatory agent, for example aloe barbadensis leaf juice. The composition of the lubricating strip/lubricating pad can include a backbone structure. Materials which may be selected as the backbone structure are: styrenic block copolymers and polystyrene, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the composition of the lubricating strip and the composition of the lubricating pad are the same, but this need not be the case.

(24) The handle 16 has a proximal portion 46 closer to the blade unit 10 and a distal portion 48 (not shown in the Figures) farther from the blade unit 10. The connecting structure 14 of the blade unit 10 connects (either fixedly or detachably) to the proximal portion 46 of the handle 16. Thus, the blade unit 10 may be configured for use with a separate handle or may be permanently attached to the handle 16. The proximal portion 46 of the handle 16 also includes a pivot mechanism that allows the blade unit 10 to pivot back-and-forth in a plane perpendicular to the shaving plane P. The pivot mechanism can, of course, allow other pivoting motions such as side-to-side. The proximal portion 46 arcuately bends away from the shaving plane P, to permit the cap 24 of the blade unit 10 to pivot backwards, i.e., to bend away from the shaving plane, over a large angular range.

(25) The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others can, by applying knowledge within the skill of the art, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments, without undue experimentation, without departing from the general concept of the present invention. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein.

(26) For example, although embodiments are described in which separate lubricating elements, i.e., a lubricating strip and a lubricating pad, are provided, such lubricating elements can be a unitary lubricating element which, for example, covers an area of the supporting structure around the blade housing. Furthermore, the lubricating strip need not be provided at all.

(27) Although embodiments are described in which five parallel blades lying in a shaving plane are provided, the blade housing may comprise more than five blades or fewer than five blades, i.e., the blade housing may comprise at least one blade. When more than one blade is provided, these do not have to lie in a shaving plane, for example the blades could be staggered.

(28) Although embodiments are described in which the shaving aid comprises polymeric material having a lubricating property, the shaving aid may have, either alternatively or in addition, other, e.g., moisturizing, properties considered beneficial during shaving. Furthermore, the shaving aid can take a form other than a pad or a strip. Moreover, the skin-contacting surface of the shaving aid does not have to be smooth but can have, either alternatively or in addition, a finned, holed or other structure.

(29) Although embodiments are described in which the straight and arched member of the cap define one, more than one gap can be provided. Furthermore, the cap may define one or more recesses instead of a gap.

(30) Although embodiments are described in which the lubricating strip and lubricating pad have particular dimensions, it will be apparent that shaving aids having other dimensions can be employed.

(31) Although embodiments are described in which the cap includes a convex lubricating pad having a rear edge that meets flush with a non-flexible concave back portion, a lubricating pad that extends rearwards (protrudes) from the non-flexible portion to define a rear edge (tip) of the cap may be provided. As shown in FIG. 10, in which like reference numerals have been given to like components to those of FIGS. 1 to 9, such a lubricating pad 22 can consist of a flexible portion 23 and a non-flexible portion 25, the non-flexible portion 25 of the lubricating pad 22 being arranged on and supported by the non-flexible back portion 26, the flexible portion 23 of the lubricating pad 22 extending rearwards from the non-flexible portion 25 of the lubricating pad 22 beyond the non-flexible back portion 26 to define a rear edge 28 of the rear portion 24 of the blade unit 10, the flexible portion 23 of the lubricating pad 22 being configured to form a convex skin-contacting surface when bending away from the shaving plane P in use. (Other components shown in FIG. 10 are similar to the corresponding components of FIGS. 1 to 9 and are therefore not described.) Similar to the previously described embodiments, no separate element (e.g., no separate frame) needs to be provided around the outer perimeter of the blade unit 10, so that the size of the skin-contacting surface can be maximised while keeping the size and volume of the blade unit 10 in a reasonable format and no frame edges may disturb the shaving process on the user's skin. As such, the shaving resistance due to contact between the blade unit 10 and the skin surface is lessened during use so that the tactile sensation on the skin surface is improved. Here, a back surface 27 of the lubricating pad 22, opposite to the skin-contacting surface, can be planar (as shown in FIG. 11) or can have an inward step (as shown in FIG. 12). The term inward means in a direction toward the skin-contacting surface. The inward step can be formed at a boundary between the non-flexible portion 25 of the lubricating pad 22 and the flexible portion 23 of the lubricating pad 22. In this way, the lubricating pad 22, and more specifically the flexible portion 23 of the lubricating pad, can have different thicknesses and thus different degrees of flexibility. That is to say, the flexible portion 23 of the lubricating pad 22 can be thicker and therefore relatively more resistant to bending (i.e., less flexible) by contact with a skin surface during use, or thinner and therefore relatively less resistant to bending (i.e., more flexible) by contact with a skin surface during use. In both cases, the flexible portion 23 of the lubricating pad 22 can bend (in a cantilever manner) with respect to the other elements of the blade unit 10 and return substantially to its position and shape prior to contact with the skin surface after use, while the non-flexible portion 25 of the lubricating pad does not substantially bend during use (although the non-flexible portion 25 can be deformed by, for example, a compressive force).

(32) It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, such that the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings and guidance.

(33) For example, expressions such as perpendicular, parallel, conform to and the like are defined to mean substantially perpendicular, substantially parallel and substantially conform to. Likewise, the dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as 30% is intended to mean about 30%.

(34) The Summary and Abstract sections may set forth one or more but not all exemplary embodiments of the present invention as contemplated by the inventor(s), and thus, are not intended to limit the present invention and the appended claims in any way.

(35) The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

(36) d shaving direction

(37) P shaving plane

(38) 8 safety razor

(39) 10 blade unit

(40) 12 blade housing

(41) 13 supporting structure

(42) 14 connecting structure

(43) 16 handle

(44) 18 blades

(45) 20 cutting edges

(46) 22 convex lubricating pad

(47) 23 flexible portion

(48) 24 cap

(49) 25 non-flexible portion

(50) 26 non-flexible (concave) back portion

(51) 28 rear edge

(52) 29 inward step

(53) 30 guard

(54) 32 non-flexible back portion

(55) 34 elongate lubricating strip

(56) 36 front edge

(57) 38 side portions

(58) 40 straight member

(59) 42 arched member

(60) 44 gap

(61) 46 proximal portion

(62) 48 distal portion