Razors and razor cartridges with colored blades

Abstract

Razors cartridges including a guard, a cap, and at least two blades with parallel sharpened edges located between the guard and cap are provided. The first blade has a first color and a second blade has a second color, where the first color is different than the second color. The blade color corresponds to an attribute of the blade (e.g., low cut force) that the color is disposed on or an attribute of the razor cartridge (e.g., sensitive skin). The color of the blade corresponds to a target user of the razor cartridge (e.g., male or female). The first blade defines a blade edge near or nearest the guard and a second blade defines a blade edge near or nearest the cap.

Claims

1. A razor cartridge comprising a plurality of razor blades, a first blade of said plurality of razor blades comprising a first color and a second blade of said plurality of razor blades comprising a second color, wherein said first color and said second color are different colors, said first blade designed to have a first cutter force and said second blade designed to have a second cutter force which is different than said first cutter force.

2. The razor cartridge of claim 1 wherein said first color is disposed on a blade body of said first blade, on a cutting edge of said first blade, or a combination thereof.

3. The razor cartridge of claim 1 wherein said second color is disposed on a blade body of said second blade, on a cutting edge of said second blade, or a combination thereof.

4. The razor cartridge of claim 1 wherein said first color has a wavelength between 380 nanometers and 740 nanometers.

5. The razor cartridge of claim 1 further comprising a third blade of said plurality of blades having a third color.

6. The razor cartridge of claim 5 wherein said third color is disposed on a body of said third blade, on a cutting edge of said third blade, or a combination thereof.

7. The razor cartridge of claim 5 wherein said third color is different than said first color, different than said second color, or different than both said first and said second colors.

8. The razor cartridge of claim 5 wherein said third color is the same color as said first color or the same color as said second color.

9. The razor cartridge of claim 1 comprising a third, fourth, and a fifth blade of said plurality of blades, at least one of said third, fourth, and fifth blades comprising a third color.

10. The razor cartridge of claim 1 wherein said different first and second colors are comprised of blue, gold, silver, bronze, red, pink, green, violet/purple, white, black, brown, orange, yellow, wavelengths thereof, or any combination thereof.

11. The razor cartridge of claim 1 wherein at least one of said different first and second colors is blue, gold, bronze, red, pink, green, violet/purple, white, black, brown, orange, yellow, pantones thereof, or any combination thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter that is regarded as the present invention, it is believed that the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

(2) FIGS. 1-4 depict razor cartridges having multiple blades where one or more blades have a color different than another blade positioned in the razor.

(3) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an actual razor cartridge as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4 having first, second, and third blades.

(4) FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are diagrammatic views illustrating a color disposed on a razor blade.

(5) FIG. 6 is a diagram of the visible color spectrum.

(6) FIG. 7 is an embodiment of an actual razor cartridge of FIG. 4 illustrating first, second, and third blade colors.

(7) FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating attributes of the razor blades of FIG. 7.

(8) FIG. 9 is a diagram of a target user illustrating the visible colors of the razor blades in a merchandising system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) In the present invention, a razor cartridge having a cap, guard and two or more parallel sharpened blades, is provided. The term first blade refers to a blade in the razor cartridge comprising a first color. Likewise, term second blade refers to a blade in the razor cartridge comprising a second color. The first color is desirably a different color than the second color. Any permutations of blades and colors are contemplated in the present invention.

(10) The present invention contemplates that at least one of the first color or the second color are visible to a target user and can correspond to a particular target user. A target user is a person who is the intended user or consumer of the product, in this case, the razor or the razor cartridge. A target user of the present invention may also be the shopper in a physical retail store looking at the shelf of products or an online retail storefront looking at listings of products. While it may occur that a shopper is not the target user but is shopping for a target user, such as the case where a wife is purchasing a razor for her husband, the present invention contemplates that the color of the blade corresponds to the target user.

(11) A target user of the present invention can be defined as anyone or a group of users that the razor or razor cartridge is or can be marketed to. For instance, target users of the present invention include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: male, female, skin color (e.g., brown), skin type (e.g., aged), shave-related sensitivity (e.g., irritation-prone, in-grown hair propensity), LGBTQ, country affiliation (e.g., USA), geographic affiliation, sport (e.g., basketball), sporting event (e.g., Olympics, World Cup, UEFA cup, NASCAR, Formula 1, team affiliation (e.g., Boston Red Sox), group affiliation (e.g., workplace, non-profit), school affiliation (e.g., Harvard University).

(12) Exemplary razor blade colors for either the first color or the second color and corresponding target users are indicated below in TABLE 1.

(13) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Exemplary Blade Colors and Target Users EXEMPLARY BLADE EXEMPLARY CORRESPONDING COLOR(S) TARGET USER(S) PINK FEMALE RED FEMALE ORANGE FEMALE PURPLE/LAVENDER/ FEMALE VIOLET LIGHT BLUE FEMALE LIGHT GREEN FEMALE, SENSITIVE SKIN BLUE MALE GREEN MALE, SENSITIVE SKIN, SUSTAINABLE CYAN MALE MAGENTA MALE YELLOW MALE RED MALE BLACK MALE, AFRICAN ANCESTRY BROWN MALE, AFRICAN ANCESTRY GRAY MALE CYAN FEMALE, MALE YELLOW FEMALE, MALE GOLD FEMALE, MALE, SPORTS, OLYMPICS, ANNIVERSARY SILVER FEMALE, MALE, SPORTS, OLYMPICS, ANNIVERSARY BRONZE FEMALE, MALE, SPORTS, OLYMPICS WHITE FEMALE, MALE, SENSITIVE SKIN INDIGO/PURPLE ROYAL MULTI COLOR COUNTRY/FLAG, TEAM, LGBTQ RED, WHITE, USA, FRANCE, FLAG BLUE RED, ORANGE, LGBTQ, SCHOOLS YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE, INDIGO, VIOLET

(14) The present invention also contemplates that the first color and the second color correspond to a first attribute of a first blade and a second attribute of a second blade, respectively. Preferably, the first attribute is different than the second attribute.

(15) An attribute of a razor blade can be defined as a property or characteristic of the razor blade, such as a performance characteristic or a benefit that the razor blade provides during or after shaving. Attributes of the razor blades contemplated by the present invention include but are not limited to, blade sharpness (e.g., sharp tip), blade efficiency (e.g., fast shave) blade safety (e.g., comfort), blade profile (e.g., thin, wide), blade tip size (e.g., wide), blade coating material (e.g., hard coating), blade substrate material (e.g., steel), thickness of coating (e.g., extra thick), number of coating layers (e.g., 2, 3, 4), blade position (e.g., closer to guard, closer to cap, slots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.), blade exposure (e.g., greater than zero), blade surface (e.g., smooth, uniform, discontinuous), blade cut force (e.g., low cut force, high cut force), blade angle (e.g., angle greater than 20 degrees), blade degradability (e.g., compostable, sustainable) and blade processing conditions (e.g., deposition, manufacturing, bent blade, supported blade).

(16) While stainless-steel is the desired substrate of the razor blade of the present invention, as it is the common substrate for razor blades, blade substrates comprised of another metal or metals, ceramic, composite, plastic, glass, or any combination thereof, are also contemplated in the present invention. One substrate material which may facilitate producing an appropriately sharpened edge of the present invention is a martensitic stainless-steel with smaller more finely distributed carbides. This type of steel may have similar overall carbon weight percent. A fine carbide substrate provides for a harder and more brittle after-hardening substrates, and enables the making of a thinner, stronger edge. An example of such a substrate material is a martensitic stainless-steel with a finer average carbide size with a carbide density of 90, 100, 200, 300, 400 carbides per 100 square micrometers, to 600, 800, 1000 carbides or more per 100 square micrometers as determined by Scanning Electron Microscopy, SEM 4000 or higher.

(17) Exemplary razor blade colors (e.g., for either the first color or the second color) and corresponding exemplary attributes are indicated in TABLE 2 of the present invention.

(18) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Exemplary Blade Color to Attribute Combinations EXEMPLARY BLADE EXEMPLARY CORRESPONDING COLOR(S) ATTRIBUTE(S) PINK BLADE SAFETY RED BLADE CLOSENESS ORANGE BLADE COMFORT PURPLE/LAVENDER/ BLADE EFFICIENCY VIOLET LIGHT BLUE THIN TEFLON COATING LIGHT GREEN FOR SENSITIVE SKIN BLUE LOW CUT FORCE, EFFICIENCY GREEN DEGRADABLE, SUSTAINABLE BLACK DLC COATED BLADE BROWN PLATINUM CHROME COATED BLADE GRAY BLADE SAFETY AND COMFORT CYAN BLADE WITH LOW CUT FORCE YELLOW HIGHLY LUBRICIOUS BLADE GOLD MULTIPLE ATTRIBUTES SUCH AS CUT FORCE, TIP SIZE, ANGLE, EFFICIENCY SILVER BLADE SAFETY AND COMFORT BRONZE BLADE SUBSTRATE - CERAMIC BLADE WHITE BLADE SAFETY AND COMFORT INDIGO/PURPLE BLADE SUBSTRATE MATERIAL MULTI COLOR MULTIPLE ATTRIBUTES SUCH AS BLADE ANGLE AND BLADE TIP SIZE RED, WHITE, COATING THICKNESS VARIATION BLUE BLUE, GRAY/ EFFICIENCY, SAFETY/COMFORT SILVER MAGENTA BLADE PROFILE

(19) In the present invention, at least a portion of a razor blade comprises at least one color. Desirably, a first portion of a first razor blade comprises a first color and a second portion of a second razor blade comprises a second color. The color is defined as any color comprised in the visible spectrum. The visible spectrum, as used herein, is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye, Electromagnetic radiation in this range of wavelengths is called visible light or simply light. A typical human eye will respond to wavelengths from about 380 to 740 nanometers. Any colors in the visible spectrum 60 shown in FIG. 6, within the wavelengths of the spectrum or comprised of combinations of wavelengths in this spectrum, are contemplated razor blade colors in the present invention. For instance, a blue color would generally fall within the wavelength range of about 435 nanometers to about 500 nanometers as shown in FIG. 6. A white color can be considered a combination of all colors or an equal combination of all wavelengths of visible light, while a black color can be considered the lack of any visible wavelength of light. A gray color can be considered a combination of two or more colors or as an intermediate between a black and a white color. Thus, generally, large amounts of all wavelengths will produce white, few will produce gray, and none will produce black.

(20) Determining color on a razor blade can be achieved by various techniques. One technique for determining color on a razor blade of the present invention comprises measuring the wavelength. The wavelength can be measured using a spectrophotometer. A spectrophotometer is an instrument that measures transmission or apparent reflectance of visible light as a function of wavelength, permitting accurate analysis of color or accurate comparison of luminous intensities of two sources or specific wavelengths.

(21) The resultant wavelength value provided by a spectrophotometer analyzing a color of a razor blade is within the range of the wavelengths of the visible spectrum. Generally, the wavelength values for colors in the visible spectrum range from about 380 nanometers to about 740 nanometers. It should be noted that a color can be comprised of two or more colors. A color can be comprised of two or more wavelength spectrum ranges or by combinations or overlapping areas of wavelength spectrum ranges. For instance, a gold color may be formed by a combination of the wavelengths for red and yellow or a green color may be formed by a combination of yellow and blue. A dominant wavelength, where one light source consists of multiple wavelength spectrums from the light source rather than one single wavelength, can also assist in determining color of a razor blade in the present invention.

(22) Another technique of the present invention for determining color on a razor blade comprises matching or equating the color on the razor blade with that of one from a precise color standard such as that of the proprietary numbering and pigment value system of Pantone LLC. The system of Pantone LLC provides a standard with thousands of colors where each color corresponds to a unique code or number.

(23) The term about as used herein generally signifies approximately or around. When a range of numerals are given, e.g., about 4 to about 40 is disclosed herein, the present invention contemplates +/10 percent of each number. Thus, for clarity, if a reference is described as being about 4 to about 40 signifies the range of 3.6 to 44 as being encompassed by the present invention since the range of 3.6 to 4.4 represents +/10 percent of 4 and the range of 36 to 44 represents +/10 percent of 40.

(24) Referring to FIG. 1, a razor cartridge 8 includes a guard 10, a cap 12, and two blades 14 and 16. The first blade 14 is positioned between the guard 10 and the second blade 16. Thus, when the razor cartridge 8 is in use, the first blade 14 will contact the hair before the second blade 16. The first blade 14 has a first color 14a. A second blade 16 has a second color 16a, the second color 16a different than the first color 14a of the first blade 14.

(25) To represent the color differences of the blades of the present invention in the figures herein, different shading, hatching or other lines are utilized to indicate that colors are different. For instance, the shading of first color 14a on first blade 14 is different than the hatching pattern of second color 16a on second blade 16. First color 14a is represented by shading of a blue color in FIG. 1. Second color 16a is represented by a hatching pattern for gray in FIG. 1.

(26) The present invention as noted above, contemplates that the first color can correspond to a first attribute of the first blade and that the second color can correspond to a second attribute of the second blade, the second attribute a different attribute than that of the first attribute of the first blade.

(27) Where a razor has multiple blades, as in FIG. 1, one or more blades can be designed with that attribute of blade cut forces and in particular reduced cutter forces while other blades can be designed to have higher cutter forces. This combination of different blades having differing cutter forces provides a shave having improved closeness while maintaining comfort. For instance, the first razor blade in a razor cartridge having a different cutter force than a cutter force of a second razor blade in the same razor cartridge can have a first color which is different than the second color of the second razor blade. This color difference can be communicated to the target user to indicate the differences in the razor blades or the type of razor cartridge offering (e.g., premium attributes for closeness). In FIG. 1, the second blade 16 can have an attribute for a cutter force that is higher than the cutter force of the first blade 14. The gray color 16a of the second blade 16 represents a blade having a high cutter force and the blue color 14a of the first blade 14 represents a blade having a low cutter force.

(28) A cutter force is measured by the wool felt cutter test, which measures the cutter forces of the blade by measuring the force required by each blade to cut through wool felt. The cutter force of each blade is determined by measuring the force required by each blade to cut through wool felt. Each blade is run through the wool felt cutter 5 times and the force of each cut is measured on a recorder. The lowest of 5 cuts is defined as the cutter force.

(29) Referring to FIGS. 2-4, other razor cartridges can include a guard, a cap, and multiple blades (three, four, five or more blades respectively). In each instance a first blade 14 is positioned between a guard 10 and the second blade 16. At least one pair of razor blades in the razor cartridges of FIGS. 2-4 have dissimilar colors.

(30) As depicted in FIG. 2, the razor cartridge 8 has three blades. The first blade 14 is the blade with a first color 14a and positioned closest to the guard 10 (i.e., in the principal position, slot 1). The second blade 16 having a second color 16a is positioned nearest the cap 12. A third blade 15 is positioned between the first blade 14 and the second blade 16. The third blade 15 may be identical in color to the first blade 14, identical in color to the second blade 16, or be a different color from the first blade 14 and the second blade 16. As shown, the first blade color 14a is hatched for a red color, the second blade color 16a is hatched for a blue color, and the third blade color 15a of the third blade 15 is hatched for a white color. Accordingly, the third blade color is not identical to the first blade color 14a or the second blade color 16a. The second blade 16 has a second color 16a different from the first color 14a and third color 15a. The three colors of the three blades are red, white, and blue corresponding to a flag of a country (e.g., USA) and the target user perhaps being a citizen of the country.

(31) It should be noted that while the colors are different in FIG. 2, and any permutations of colors are contemplated in the present invention, directing the razor cartridge marketing to a target user, the first, second, and third blades may comprise the same or different attributes. For instance, the blades may all be identical, (e.g., all the same blade materials, etc.) or the first and second blades may be identical and the third blade different than the first and second blades, and so on. Any feasible permutations desired for attributes on the blades are contemplated in the present invention.

(32) In another embodiment of the present invention, the first blade 14 has a different attribute than the second blade 16. For instance, the first blade 14 has higher cutter forces than the second blade 16. The first blade 14 may have the same or different attributes than the third blade 15. In the present invention, a first color of the first blade can be blue, and the second color may be any other color (e.g., silver or green) indicating the different attributes of the blades. Or alternately, if the blades are comprised of recyclable materials, the first color may be aqua or green to indicate that the razor can biodegrade or is recyclable and the second blade may be a white color to provide a contrasting color to the green. These colors are visible to a human eye.

(33) As depicted in FIG. 3, the razor cartridge 8 can include four blades. The first blade 14 is the blade with a first color and positioned closest to the guard 10 (i.e., the principal position). The second blade 16 having a second color 16a is positioned in the fourth position from the guard 10, i.e., in the position nearest the cap 12. Two third blades 15, having colors 15a and 15b respectively, are positioned between the first blade 14 and the second blade 16. The third blades 15 may be identical in color to each other, to the first blade 14, to the second blade 16, or have different colors from the first blade 14 and the second blade 16 or from each other. As shown, the third blade colors 15a and 15b are identical, both hatched for a gold color. The first and second blade colors 14a and 16a are identical, both hatched for a cyan color.

(34) The differences in color can distinguish the blade attributes. For instance, the difference between the first and second blade colors as compared to the third blades' color can correspond to these blade pairs having different attributes. The first blade 14 and the second blade 16, being the same color, can represent that these blades have the attribute of blade comfort while the third blades' color can comprise the attribute of blade tip size.

(35) The present invention contemplates that while the blades with different colors have some of the same attributes, there is at least one attribute that is different between the different colored blades.

(36) As depicted in FIG. 4, the razor cartridge 8 has five blades. The first blade 14 is the blade with a first color 14a and positioned closer or closest to the guard 10 (i.e., the principal position). The second blade 16 having a second color 16a is positioned in the fifth position from the guard 10, i.e., in the position nearest the cap 12. The first color 14a is different than the second color 16a. In the present invention, this color difference can correspond to an attribute difference between the first and second blades. The first blade, for example, can have lower cutter forces than the cutter forces of the second blade 16. Three third blades 15, 15, and 15 are positioned between the first blade 14 and the second blade 16. The third blades 15, 15, and 15 have colors 15a, 15b, and 15c, respectively. Colors 15a, 15b, 15c may be identical in color to the first blade color 14a, identical to the second blade color 16a, or have a configuration different from the first blade 14 and the second blade 16. As shown, the first blade is hatched for a blue color and the third blades 15, 15, and 15 are hatched for a blue color and thus identical in color to the first blade 14. The colors being identical for the first blade and the three third blades 15, 15, and 15 in this embodiment signifies that the attributes of these blades are substantially identical. On the contrary, since the second blade 16 is hatched for a silver or gray color 16a, the attributes of the second blade are different than those of the first blade and the three third blades.

(37) It is also contemplated that one of the blades in the razor cartridge will not have a color disposed thereon. A blade with no color will be considered to have a steel gray color, the color of blade steel after processing.

(38) For instance, if in FIG. 4, the second blade 16 had no color disposed thereon, it would be considered to have a steel gray color, differentiating it from the color of at least one of the other razor blades in the razor cartridge; in this arrangement shown in FIG. 4, a steel gray color is different from all the other razor blades which have a blue color.

(39) While razor cartridges have been shown with two, three, four and five blades, razor cartridges having six or more blades may also be desirable.

(40) Preferably, the blades are arranged within the razor cartridge such that they have a progressive geometry. An example of razor cartridges with blades arranged to have a progressive geometry is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,212,777, incorporated herein by reference.

(41) FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional image 50 of an actual razor cartridge 8 of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4 taken at a substantial midpoint of the cartridge. As can be seen, first blade 14 is disposed in a first position or blade slot 1 proximal to the guard structure 10 towards the front of the cartridge 50a, the second blade 16 is disposed in position or blade slot 5 proximal to the cap structure 12 towards the back of the cartridge 50b, and third blades 15 are in the middle section of slots, namely blades slots or positions 2, 3, and 4.

(42) FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are diagrams illustrating a portion of a razor blade comprising a color. The color is comprised within a coating disposed on the blades or within a substrate of the blades. The color 14a, 15, 15a, 15b, 15c, 16a, can be disposed only on the razor blade 14, 15, 15, 15, 15, 16 cutting edge portion 24 as shown in FIG. 5A, only on the blade body portion 22 as shown in FIG. 5B, or both the blade body portion 22 and cutting edge portion 24 as shown in FIG. 5C. Any method of providing color to the blades is contemplated in the present invention. Some examples of methods of deposition of color onto razor blades is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,284,461 and 7,673,541 and further in US Patent Publication No. 2010/00043232, assigned to the Assignee hereof, and incorporated by reference in their entireties.

(43) FIG. 7 is an embodiment of an actual razor cartridge of FIG. 4 illustrating first and second blade colors. As can be seen, the first blade 14 and each of the third blades 15, 15, and 15 comprise a blue color 14a, 15a, 15b, 15c (e.g., can hatched for blue) and the second blade 16 comprises a silver or steel gray color 16a (e.g., can be hatched for silver/steel gray). The attributes of the first blade and the third blades in this embodiment are substantially identical. It follows that their colors are also identical (e.g., all blue colored) in the present invention. The attribute of the second blade 16 is different, or different in value/amount than that of each of the first and third blades, respectively in this example. Accordingly, the color of the second blade is different (e.g., gray colored).

(44) FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating thickness attributes of the razor blades of FIG. 7. FIG. 8 shows that a coating 52 on the second blade 16 has a thickness 55 which is thicker than the coating 51 having a thickness 53 of first and third blades 14, and 15, 15, and 15. In this arrangement, the coating thickness attribute difference is delineated by a difference in color in the present invention shown in FIG. 7.

(45) In addition, the present invention contemplates that the first color and the second color can correspond to both a target user and an attribute. For instance, a blue colored blade 14a, 15a, 15b, 15c may correspond to both a male target user and have the attribute of low coating thickness or other attributes such as high cutter force. The embodiments of FIGS. 7-8 represent an illustration of such a razor cartridge. Any other feasible arrangements of colors being used for target user and corresponding attributes are also contemplated by the present invention.

(46) FIG. 9 is a diagram 90 of a target user 92 and a merchandising system 94 illustrating the visible colors of the razor blades 96 or razor packages 98 in the merchandising system 94. The human eye of the target user, which in this illustration appears as a shopper, can see the colors 14a, 15a, 15b, 15c 16a, of the blades 14, 15, 15, 15, and 16 respectively of razor cartridges 70 in the razor packages 98 in the system 94. By seeing the colors of the blades, the target user/shopper 92 is not confused by the razor product offerings and has knowledge of what to purchase based on the knowledge of the colors, which colors are directed to a target user 92 or correspond to an attribute of the razor blade or razor cartridge.

(47) All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.

(48) While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.