DISPENSING HEAD FOR SHAVING FOAM

Abstract

A dispensing head for application of shave lubricating material such as foam, gel or lotion to the skin of a user includes a spreading blade portion with a flexible blade with a concave spreading surface and an outer spreading edge. A dose of the material is applied to the blade from a source to be released from the spreading edge for spreading between the spreading surface and the skin. Dimples on the spreading surface hold it away from the skin. The spreading blade portion is generally fan shaped with side edges extending outwardly from an inner edge to an arcuate outer edge at the spreading edge A vibration motor located behind the spreading surface for vibrating the spreading surface and the spreading edge thereon is provided to assist in spreading the material.

Claims

1. A dispensing head for application of shave lubricating material to the skin of a user prior to shaving, the dispensing head comprising: a spreading blade portion; the spreading blade portion having a flexible blade with a concave spreading surface on one side of the flexible blade and with an outer spreading edge; a source of the shave lubricating material for communicating the shave lubricating material to the spreading surface of the flexible blade so that the shave lubricating material is located on the spreading surface at a position spaced from the spreading edge for spreading between the spreading surface and the skin and for release from the spreading edge.

2. The dispensing head according to claim 1 wherein the spreading surface has an inner edge and defines a continuous surface extending from the inner edge outwardly to the outer spreading edge.

3. The dispensing head according to claim 2 wherein the shave lubricating material is discharged onto the spreading surface at a position adjacent the inner edge.

4. The dispensing head according to claim 3 wherein the shave lubricating material is discharged onto the spreading surface through an opening adjacent the inner edge so as to move outwardly from the inner edge toward the spreading edge.

5. The dispensing head according to claim 1 wherein the spreading surface includes a row of dimples at or adjacent the spreading edge to hold the spreading surface away from the skin and thus form a layer of the shave lubricating material to be applied to the skin at the dimples.

6. The dispensing head according to claim 1 wherein the spreading blade portion is generally fan shaped with side edges extending outwardly from an inner edge to an arcuate outer edge at the spreading edge.

7. The dispensing head according to claim 1 wherein the dispensing blade portion is formed from an integral body of flexible material.

8. The dispensing head according to claim 1 wherein the source of shave lubricating material comprises a can having a dispensing nozzle and actuating valve for discharging the shave lubricating material through the nozzle and wherein the dispensing head includes an attachment portion arranged to engage onto the can at the nozzle to receive the shave lubricating material into the channel and to allow access to the valve for manual operation.

9. The dispensing head according to claim 1 including a vibration motor for vibrating the spreading surface and the spreading edge thereon to assist in spreading the shave lubricating material as the spreading surface is moved over the skin.

10. The dispensing head according to claim 9 wherein the vibration motor is located behind the spreading surface.

11. The dispensing head according to claim 9 wherein the vibration motor is encased in an enclosure in the spreading blade portion.

12. The dispensing head according to claim 9 wherein the spreading blade portion includes charging terminals for recharging a battery of the vibration motor.

13. The dispensing head according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a heater on the for applying heat to the shave lubricating material prior to application to the skin of the user.

14. The dispensing head according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a heater on the spreading blade portion for applying heat to the shave lubricating material prior to or simultaneously with application to the skin of the user.

15. The dispensing head according to claim 1 wherein the source of the shave lubricating material comprises a pad of lotion mounted on the spreading blade portion.

16. A dispensing head for application of shave lubricating material to the skin of a user prior to shaving, the dispensing head comprising: a spreading blade portion; the spreading blade portion having a flexible blade with a concave spreading surface on one side of the flexible blade and with an outer spreading edge; a pad of shave lubricating lotion mounted on the spreading blade portion; and a vibration motor for vibrating the spreading surface and the spreading edge thereon to assist in spreading the shave lubricating lotion as the spreading surface is moved over the skin.

17. The dispensing head according to claim 16 wherein the vibration motor is located behind the spreading surface.

18. The dispensing head according to claim 16 wherein the vibration motor is encased in an enclosure in the spreading blade portion.

19. A dispensing head for attachment to a source of shave lubricating material for application of the shave lubricating material to the skin of a user, the dispensing head comprising: an attachment portion for engaging onto the source; a blade portion having a flexible blade with a spreading surface with an outer spreading edge; a mounting connecting the attachment portion and the blade portion; a dispensing channel in the head for communicating the shave lubricating material from the source to the spreading surface of the blade portion so that the shave lubricating material is applied onto the spreading surface for spreading between the spreading surface and the skin and for release from the spreading edge; and a vibration motor for vibrating the spreading surface and the spreading edge thereon to assist in spreading the shave lubricating material as the spreading surface is moved over the skin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0052] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the dispensing head according to the present invention mounted over the dispensing nozzle of a shaving foam can.

[0053] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the dispensing head according to the present invention mounted over the dispensing nozzle of a shaving foam can.

[0054] FIG. 3 is a further cross sectional view of the dispensing head according to the present invention mounted over the dispensing nozzle of a shaving foam can.

[0055] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the dispensing head according to the present invention mounted over the dispensing nozzle of a source of gel.

[0056] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the dispensing head arranged for use with a pad of shaving lotion.

[0057] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the dispensing head of FIG. 5.

[0058] In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] A dispensing head 10 is provided for attachment to a source 11 such as a can of shaving foam for application of the shaving foam to the skin, for example, the face of a user.

[0060] In FIGS. 1 and 2, the head is attached over the top of the can with the valve for releasing the foam being omitted. It will be appreciated that various designs of nozzle and valve are provided in practice so that the particular arrangement of the mounting can be selected to match specific can designs. The valve can be operated by pressure through the mounting as the head is typically of a resilient material.

[0061] The dispensing head 10 includes: [0062] an attachment portion 12 for engaging onto the source; [0063] a blade portion 13 having a flexible blade 14 with a spreading surface with an outer spreading edge 15; [0064] a mounting 16 connecting the attachment portion 12 and the blade portion 14; [0065] a dispensing channel 17 in the head for communicating the foam from the can nozzle 18 to the spreading surface 14 of the blade portion so that the foam is applied onto the spreading surface 14 for spreading between the spreading surface 14 and the face or skin and for release from the spreading edge 15; and [0066] a vibration motor 19 for vibrating the spreading surface 14 and the spreading edge 15 to assist in spreading the foam as the spreading surface is moved over the face.

[0067] The spreading surface 14 is concave so that the foam is discharged onto the concave surface with the foam being received in the concave recess between the face and the surface defined by pressing the edge 15 against the face.

[0068] Typically a quantity of the foam is applied onto spreading surface which can then be applied over the whole area to be shaved.

[0069] The spreading surface 14 has an inner edge 20 and defines a continuous smooth surface extending from the inner edge 20 outwardly to the outer spreading edge 15. In this way the foam is discharged onto the spreading surface 14 through a slot 21 at a position adjacent the inner edge. The slot extends across the inner edge so as to direct the foam across the width of the surface to move from the inner slot across the whole width outwardly to the outer spreading edge 15.

[0070] The spreading surface includes a row 22 of dimples 23 adjacent the spreading edge 15 to hold the spreading surface 14 away from the face and thus form a thin layer of foam between the surface and the face to be applied to the face at the dimples.

[0071] The dispensing surface is generally fan shaped with side edges 24, 24A extending outwardly from an inner edge 20 at the slot 21 adjacent the channel to the arcuate outer edge at the spreading edge 15.

[0072] The vibration motor 19 is located within a chamber 25 formed in the body of flexible material behind the dispensing surface and includes charging terminals 26 for recharging a battery of the vibration motor.

[0073] A heater 27 for applying heat to the foam prior to application to the skin of the user can be provided and this is preferably located on the blade portion at or adjacent the vibration motor 19 in the chamber 25 for applying heat to the foam prior to or simultaneously with application to the skin of the user. The heater is a resistance heater driven by a battery which can optionally be the same battery as drives the vibration motor. Suitable switches (not shown) can be provided at the body of the flexible material for actuating the vibration and/or the heating.

[0074] In FIG. 3 showing a further cross sectional view of the dispensing head, a trigger 30 is shown in the attachment portion 12 which connects to or engages the dispensing nozzle 31 of the can. The trigger is operable by the finger of the user reaching into an open area of the attachment portion. The attachment portion is formed as a separate component 121 from the spreading portion so that the flexibility of the two components can be controlled to meet the attachment requirements of the attachment portion 121 and the flexing requirements of the flexible blade 13. This therefore requires a connection 122 between the attachment portion and the spreading portion. In this embodiment, the vibration motor is omitted so that the spreading effect is obtained by the flexibility of the spreading blade. In this embodiment the dimples are also omitted.

[0075] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the dispensing head according to the present invention mounted over the dispensing nozzle of a source of gel. As gel is of smaller volume when applied, the size of the spreading blade 14 is reduced to accommodate the smaller dose.

[0076] FIGS. 5 and 6 shows an arrangement of the dispensing head for use with a pad 40 of shaving lotion. This arrangement requires the use of the vibration motor 19 behind the pad to assist in movement of the pad on the face to release the lotion. Thus the pad 40 is received in a surrounding recess 41 in the spreading portion. In this embodiment the vibration motor 19 is driven by a power supply 52 inside a housing 50 which is cylindrical to be grasped by the hand of the user with a base 51 acting as a switch. The power supply 52 can be optionally rechargeable or replaceable.

[0077] Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.