Stiles Honed Blade and Apparatus for Same

Abstract

A Honed Blade Apparatus of a razor head having at least one honed blade and a handle connected thereto; and a honed blade for incorporation into a razor head is disclosed, the blades being of a width ranging from 0.1 inches to 1.0 inches. These honed blades of the unique widths are perfect for the exfoliation and/or shaving of the Bikini area, Groin area, Body area, Scalp area, and Facial areas which include: (Goatee, Beard, Sideburns, Lip, Ear, Eyebrow, Nose, Cheeks & Forehead), and Toes & Knuckles.

Claims

1. A Honed Blade Apparatus for exfoliating and or shaving of a user comprising in combination: a. at least one honed razor blade for cutting, disposed in a razor blade head assembly having a predetermined angled spaced relationship to, b. a handle member, created to fit the blade head and connected thereto. wherein the at least one blade is defined by the width of the honed cutting edge about 0.1 and 1.0 inch.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handle member is readily detachable from the razor blade head assembly which head assembly is disposable.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one Honed Blade is a unitary member selected from metallic and ceramic blades having a width between 0.10 and 1.00 inch.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are two honed blades in the razor head assembly.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein there are at least two Honed Blades in a razor blade head assembly having a cutting edge width of at about 0.10 inch.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said razor head assembly has at least one Honed razor blade having a cutting edge width of at about 0.20 inches.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said razor head assembly has at least one Honed razor blade having a cutting edge width of at about 0.30 inches.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said razor head assembly has at least one Honed razor blade having a cutting edge width of at about 0.40 inches.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said razor head assembly has at least one Honed razor blade having a cutting edge width of at about 0.50 inches.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said razor head assembly has at least one Honed razor blade having a cutting edge width of at about 0.60 inches.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said razor head assembly has at least one Honed razor blade having a cutting edge width of at about 0.70 inches.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said razor head assembly has at least one Honed razor blade having a cutting edge width of at about 0.80 inches.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said razor head assembly has at least one Honed razor blade having a cutting edge width of 0.90 inches.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said razor head assembly has at least one Honed razor blade having a cutting edge width of about 1.00 inches.

15. A honed razor blade of a width ranging from 0.1 inches to 1.00 inches and having one to two facets on the cutting edge.

16. A honed razor blade having a length and a width, of a width ranging from 0.1 inches to 1.00 inches as in claim 15, wherein the length is one half the width.

17. A honed razor blade as in claim 15 of a width of about 0.25 inches

18. A honed razor blade having a length and a width, of a width ranging from 0.1 inches to 1.00 inches wherein the length is one half the width and the length is 0.5 inches and the length is 1.0 inch.

19. A honed razor blade as in claim 15 having a width of about 0.5 inches

20. A honed razor blade as in claim 15, wherein the blade has a width of about 0.75 inches.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 is a top view of the Honed Blade Apparatus according the teachings of this present invention,

[0025] FIG. 2 is a side view of the Honed Blade Apparatus according to the teachings of the present invention,

[0026] FIG. 3 is a front view of the shaving head that may include a set of Honed Blades Apparatus shown in FIG. 1,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] The present inventor has discovered that in seeking enhanced precision in razor based hair removal, a smaller and or narrower width razor blade likewise bring the unexpected benefit of non-encroachment upon critical non-hair growing regions (such as the greater labial zone, or area of a women's body that is centered between the two narrow hair-groin passages running from the frontal region of the pubic hair through the legs towards the buttocks). To these ends, an appropriately sized and fitted shaving device is an asset for specific hair removal needs in the bikini line area and like wise may assist with related difficulty angled shaving zones. Similarly by providing a honed razor blade a customized shaving apparatus for specific needs has been developed without the need for specialized handles or like means, which comprise the mechanical integrity of the shaving system.

[0028] According to the teachings of the present invention the inventor has discovered that a razor blade that has a smaller honed blade width cutting edge for example any size between (0.10 to 1.0 inch) in comparison to the standard or conventional razor blade width of approximately (1.5 inches) and more easily and comfortably fits into and removes unwanted hair from a woman's bikini line area inerter alia and 1 inch and less for Bikini area, Groin area, Body area, Scalp area, Facial area such as: (Goatee, Beard, Sideburns, Lip, Ear, Eyebrow, Nose, Cheeks & Forehead). This can be accomplished without having heightened angular and spatial constraints for the user.

[0029] As detailed above the driving force behind the instant discovery is the fact that the 1 inch and Honed Blade Apparatus made up of a honed blade of less than 1 inch in width coupled to a handle is ideal for shaving the Bikini area, Groin area, Scalp area, Facial area such as: (Goatee, Beard, Sideburns, Lip, Ear, Eyebrow, Nose, Cheeks & Forehead) of one's body as portions of or the entire areas are smaller than the width of a conventional razor blade. This honed blade invention resulted because smaller and more spatially compact razor blade means, in combination with conventional technology for enclosure and mounting addresses a longstanding need while impacting significant related benefits to the shaver which result in less cuts and scrapes, and more accurate shave lines.

[0030] As defined herein razor head comprises a conventional blade razor blade housing and mounting technology such that applicant's novel miniaturized blade configuration is positioned to exfoliate and/or shave a user. Like wise Honed Blade Apparatus is used to indicate a blade or razor head in conjunction with a handle. The honed blade is referred to as a honed blade while the honed blade apparatus includes a handle permanently or removeably attached.

[0031] Referring now to FIG. 1, Honed Blade of this invention is constructed of conventional materials, selected from the group consisting of known metals as steel and stainless steel or alloys of steel, Shape memory Alloys (SMAs) and ceramic and is preferentially defined by a set dimensional requirement, whereby a predetermined ratio of length X to width Y is maintained.

[0032] For example, according to preferred embodiments, the blade shown in top plan view in FIG. 1 is between about 0.1 inches and 1.0 inch in width in preferred embodiments, as a measurement of the (X) dimension. While the (Y) dimension can also range between 0.1 inches and 1.0 inches. The preferred ratio is of Y being equal to X.

[0033] Since the Honed Blade of between about 0.1 and 1.0 in width results in a razor head which will be more naturally, comfortably and safely can be angled to shave the bikini line area, it likewise betters serves the narrow hair growing passages that run between women's legs toward the buttocks. When removing unwanted hair from such uniquely feminine and delicate skin areas, it is imperative to use extreme caution so as not to expose non-hair growing regions to the cutting edges of the razor head. The same holds true for the curved even smaller delicate areas of ones body such as the Scalp area, Facial area such as: (Goatee, Beard, Sideburns, Lip, Ear, Eyebrow, Nose, Cheeks & Forehead)

[0034] A smaller and narrower razor head like wise brings the unexpected benefit of non-encroachment upon critical non-hair growing regions (such as the greater labial zone, or area of a woman's body that is centered between the two narrow hair-growing passages running from the frontal region of the pubic hair through the leg towards the buttocks) which is essential in the event that a woman elects manual hair-removal. Since creams, gels, and electronic solutions have not proven sufficient for most women to date, there remains a longstanding need for the teachings of the present invention. The same concern is that one would not use a conventional razor effectively on Scalp art, Facial area such as: (Goatee, Beard, Sideburns, Lip, Ear, Eyebrow, Nose, Cheeks & Forehead)

[0035] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scoped of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE HONED STILES BLADE APPARATUS

[0036] Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals refer to like elements throughout. The terminology used in the description presented herein is not intended to be interpreted in any limited or restrictive manner simply because it is being utilized in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may include several novel features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes or which is essential to practicing the inventions herein described.

[0037] Embodiments of the present invention relate to Honed Blade Apparatus that will have additionally a honed cutting edge of less than one inch in width for removing unwanted body hair and or exfoliating. A honed blade as used herein is a blade that has been sharpened by a honing process, such as on by one or more grinding or polishing wheels. A honed blade has been found to be sharper and safer than the stamped blades that are less costly and typically used within razor blade cartridges.

[0038] In the honing process comprises of each pair of wheels rotates about axes that extend parallel to the edge of the blade strip. The abrading wheels may be controlled to grind the razor edge of the blade strip to a first controlled facet with a predetermined sharpened angle. The included angle of the first controlled facet may be between 5 to 30 More particularly, the included angle of the first facet may be 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 degrees, or any set of included angles there between.

[0039] The facet length for the first controlled facet may be, for example, 0.005 inches or greater. For example, the facet length may be 0.006, 0.007, 0.008, 0.009, 0.01, 0.015, 0.02, 0.025, 0.030 up to 0.100 inches or any facet length there between. The blade strip may then be further smoothed by using a second set of abrading wheels that have finer grind than the first set of abrading wheels. The second set of abrading wheels may smooth the first controlled facet, or alternatively create a second facet on the first facet that provides and even sharper edge. For example, the second facet may have an included angle between 5 to 30 More particularly, the included angle of the second facet may be 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 degrees, or any set of included angles there between. The facet length for the second controlled facet may be, for example, 0.005 inches or greater. For example, the facet length may be 0.002, 0.003, 0.004, 0.005, 0.006, 0.007, 0.008, 0.009, 0.01, 0.015, 0.02, 0.025, 0.03 inches or any facet length there between.

[0040] Once the blade edge has been honed by the first and second set of abrading wheels, it may be subjected to a finish honing step to form a final tip length. For example, the final tip length of the honed blade may be, for example, about 0.001 inch. Of course, the final tip may also be other lengths, such as 0.0005, 0.0006, 0.0007, 0.0008, 0.0009, 0.002, 0.003, 0.004 inches.

[0041] Blades may be made from a variety of different materials. For example, Solingen blades may be constructed from Solingen steel. Stainless steel for blades may be a type of martensitic stainless steel having chromium between 12 and 14.5%, a carbon content of approximately 0.6%, and the remainder being iron and other trace elements. Razor blades can also be made from carbon steel, tool steel and alloy steel. Other less common materials used in knife blades include: cobalt and titanium alloys, obsidian, and plastic may be employed as well.

[0042] While a metal razor or handheld blades have been discussed above, embodiments are not limited to only razor blades made of metal. For example, razor blades made from ceramic substrates are also included within embodiments of the invention. These ceramic blades can be produced as honed blades by following the same process described above to create honed metallic blades. For example, the ceramic substrate may be abraded in two-step process using two different abrading wheels, a first rough-honing wheel and a second smoothing wheel to form a sharpened edge. The ceramic blade may then be treated with a finish-honing step to create the final tip length. In one embodiment, the ceramic blade is heat-treated at high temperature to anneal the ceramic material. For example, the ceramic blade may be heat treated to about 1000 C. in an annealing step.

[0043] In one embodiment, the ceramic blade is made from zirconium dioxide (ZrO.sub.2), also called zirconia. This is the future technology for a biodegradable blade.

[0044] Blades as used herein may also be coated with a variety of coatings to increase the sharpness and durability of the blade. For example titanium nitride, titanium carbon nitride (TiCN), titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN or AlTiN), and titanium aluminum carbon nitride may be used to coat a metallic or ceramic blade. These coatings may also be used in one or more layers on top of one another provide an advantageous shaving blade. For example, a metallic blade may first be coated using vapor deposition techniques with a thin layer of titanium nitride. The same blade may then be coated with a second layer of another coating, for example, titanium carbon nitride or titanium aluminum nitride to produce a strong and durable shaving edge. These blades may also be coated with a layer of Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) to help the blade maintain a clean, nonstick surface that is easy to clean.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a top view of a razor blade 10 having a width X and a depth Y. As discussed above, the width X of the blade should be less than one inch, for example 1 inch, 6/8 inch, inch, inch, inch, inch or any size or range of sizes in between any of these sizes or less. The blade has a cutting portion and a rear portion or may have two-sided cutting portion.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a side view of an embodiment of the razor blade illustrated in FIG. 1. The blade includes the rear portion and a first facet on the cutting portion that comprises the sharpened edge for shaving.

[0047] It should be realized that the blade might be incorporated into a razor cartridge as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a front view of one embodiment of a shaving head 40. The shaving head 40 includes a glide surface 42 a first blade 44 and a second blade 46. Although two shaving blades are illustrated in this figure, this is only an example and more or less blades are used in various embodiments. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 the two blades are held in the shaving head 40 in a parallel alignment and are spaced apart from one another a sufficient distance to allow the hair removed by the first blade 44 to be cleared from the cutting edge as the shaving head moves along. Such alignments are common in the shaving industry and any suitable gap between the blades 44, 46 can be used. The shaving head 40 illustrated shows a glide surface 42 that is significant in comparison to the area of the two blades 44, 46. Changing the size of the glide area can vary the ratio. 42. Through adjustment of the size of the glide area 42 the overall size of the shaving head 40 can be increased or decreased depending on the application of the shaving head 40 while balancing the size reduction against the comfort and control provided by the glide area. Certain embodiments apply material to the glide area for soothing or improved gliding over the body zone to be shaved. Such material includes lotions, balms, ointments, medicated lotions among others.

[0048] The foregoing description details certain embodiments of the invention. It will be appreciated, however, that no matter how detailed the foregoing appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. As is also stated above, it should be noted that the use of particular terminology when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being re-defined herein to be restricted to including any specific characteristics of the features or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. The scope of the invention should therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.