Razor having free movability of the razor head

Abstract

The invention relates to a razor and a method for producing a razor. In order to provide an improved razor, a razor (1) has a handle (10), at one end of which a ball joint socket (11) is arranged, and a blade head (20) having at least one razor blade (21) and a ball joint head (22). The ball joint head of the blade head and the ball joint socket of the handle form a ball joint, and the handle has an alignment element (14) in the ball joint socket that is designed to engage with a recess (36) in the ball joint head.

Claims

1. A razor, wherein the razor comprises a handle having a ball joint socket at one end thereof, and a blade head comprising at least one razor blade and a ball joint head, the ball joint head of the blade head and the ball joint socket of the handle forming a ball joint, and wherein the handle comprises in the ball joint socket an elastic alignment element, which is designed to engage in a recess in the ball joint head and to return the ball joint head into a starting position with respect to the handle once the blade head is no longer exposed to loading.

2. The razor of claim 1, wherein the elastic alignment element is in the form of a pin.

3. The razor of claim 2, wherein the pin engages in the recess in the ball joint head in a form-fitting manner.

4. The razor of claim 1, wherein the ball joint head of the blade head is arranged detachably in the ball joint socket of the handle.

5. The razor of claim 1, wherein the blade head is movable rotatably in all three directions with respect to the handle.

6. The razor of claim 1, wherein the blade head is movable by 360°.

7. The razor of claim 1, wherein the razor further comprises a braking element for braking a rotational movement of the ball joint head in the ball joint socket.

8. The razor of claim 7, wherein the braking element is designed as a resting surface for a finger of a user.

9. The razor of claim 7, wherein the braking element is designed as a recess in the joint socket.

10. The razor of claim 1, wherein the ball joint head is formed at least partially from an elastic material.

11. The razor of claim 10, wherein the elastic material comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.

12. The razor of claim 1, wherein different parts of the ball joint head have different elasticities.

13. The razor of claim 12, wherein subregions of the ball joint head which are closer to the blade head are more elastic than subregions which lie closer to the handle.

14. The razor of claim 12, wherein subregions of the ball joint head which are closer to the blade head are less elastic than subregions which lie closer to the handle.

15. The razor of claim 1, wherein the blade head is connected to the ball joint head by a connecting web.

16. The razor of claim 1, wherein the blade head is connected directly to the ball joint head.

17. The razor of claim 1, wherein the blade head comprises a special blade.

18. The razor of claim 1, wherein the blade head comprises a balsam strip.

19. The razor of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises grip elements for nonslip holding of the handle by a user.

20. A method for producing the razor of claim 1, wherein the method comprises: providing a handle having a ball joint socket comprising an elastic alignment element therein at one end thereof, and providing a blade head comprising at least one razor blade and a ball joint head comprising a recess therein, the ball joint head of the blade head and the ball joint socket of the handle being designed to form a ball joint, and the alignment element being designed to engage in the recess in the ball joint head and to return the ball joint head into a starting position with respect to the handle once the blade head is no longer exposed to loading.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The embodiments described above may be combined with one another and with the aspects described above as desired in order to achieve advantages according to the invention. Preferred combinations of embodiments are described below by way of example, while

(2) FIGS. 1a to 1d show an embodiment of a razor according to the invention;

(3) FIGS. 2a to 2d show a view of a detail of the ball joint and the blade heads of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

(4) FIGS. 3a and 3b show an embodiment of a braking element;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of a braking element;

(6) FIGS. 5a and 5b show a further embodiment of a razor according to the invention and

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates the rotational movability.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(8) FIGS. 1a and 1b show perspective views of a razor 1 from above, and FIGS. 1c and 1d show a plan view.

(9) The razor 1 has a handle 10 for lying in the hand of the user and also a blade head 20. At that end of the handle 10 that is facing the head end, a ball joint socket 11 is arranged. The blade head 20 has razor blades 21 and also a ball joint head 22, which is arranged on a connecting web 35, is arranged in the ball joint socket 11 of the handle 10 and thus forms with the latter a ball joint, which for example makes possible the rotation of the blade head 20 with respect to the handle 10 that is represented in FIGS. 1c and 1d.

(10) The handle 10 may have grip elements (not represented), which make nonslip holding of the handle by the user possible. The ball joint head 22 may be formed from an elastic material, in order to achieve a resilient action of the blade head 20. The blade head 20 has in addition to the razor blades 21 skincare balsam strips 24 and 25.

(11) FIG. 2a illustrates the detachability of the blade head 20 from the handle 10, in that the joint head 22 is removed from the joint socket 11 in order to insert a new blade head 20, for example when the razor blades 21 have become blunt or a blade head 20 with different kinds of razor blades 21, special blades (not represented) or balsam strips 24, 25 is to be used.

(12) The changing of the blade heads is possible in dependence on the material of the ball joints. In the case of a relatively elastic material, the attachment of a blade head by pressing into the ball joint socket is possible, in order to re-establish a form-fitting connection.

(13) FIG. 2a also illustrates an alignment element 14 (alignment pin), which is provided in the joint socket 11 (which is transparently represented in order to show the alignment pin 14) and engages in a recess 36 in the surface of the joint head 22. The alignment pin 14 is elastic, and therefore allows a rotation of the blade head 20 when the blade head 20 is acted upon by the shaving pressure on the skin. The blade head 20 is returned into the starting position again by means of the alignment pin 14 as soon as it is no longer exposed to loading (there is no shaving pressure). FIGS. 2b to 2d show perspective views of the blade head 20.

(14) FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate embodiments of a braking element 37. To the extent to which the features of FIGS. 3 and 4 coincide with those of the embodiments previously described, reference is made to the features described above.

(15) FIG. 3a illustrates an embodiment of a braking element 37, which is designed as a resting surface for a finger of the user. To the extent to which the features of FIG. 3a coincide with those of the embodiments previously described, reference is made to the features described above. The braking element 37 is provided as an extension of the connecting web 35 on the surface of the blade head 20. As shown in FIG. 3b, during use of the razor 1 as intended the user places his/her finger on the braking element 37, while he/she securely holds the razor 1 by the handle 10. As a result, the user's hand establishes a connection between the handle 10 and the blade head 20 that fixes the deflection of the blade head 20, which leads to a “braking” or fixing of the deflection of the blade head 20.

(16) FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a braking element that is designed as a recess 31 in the joint socket 11. During use of the razor 1 as intended, the user places his/her finger on the joint head 22, the surface of which is partially accessible in the recess 31, while he/she securely holds the razor 1 by the handle 10. As a result, the user's hand establishes a connection between the handle 10 and the blade head 20 that fixes the deflection of the blade head 20, which leads to a “braking” or fixing of the deflection of the blade head 20.

(17) FIG. 5 illustrates a further embodiment of a razor 1. The embodiment of FIG. 5 differs substantially from the previously described embodiments in the design of the blade head 20. The blade head 20 of FIG. 5 does not have a connecting web 35, but is arranged directly on the ball joint head 22.

(18) As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 by the arrows, the razor 1 has a blade head 20 which is movable by 360° and has a ball joint head 22 and a handle 10 with a joint socket 11. The blade head 20 is movable rotatably in all three directions with respect to the handle. The movability of the ball joint 11, 22 makes possible optimal adaptation to areas of the body that are difficult to access (knee, ankle), and thus prevents injuries in the form of cuts. The ball joint 11, 22 is at the same time the changing element for the blade head 20 and consists of a flexible material (for example TPE (thermoplastic elastomer)). Different materials and degrees of elasticity of the ball joint 11, 22 allow different pressure points to be introduced into the razor 1. It is additionally possible for the user to vary and/or fix the degree/angle of the flexibility by placing the index finger on the ball joint 11, 22.

(19) The various levels of flexibility in the ball joint 11, 22 are obtained by the choice of material (different thermoplastic elastomers) and by the action of the user. The handle 10 with a joint socket 11 consists of a strong, impact-resistant material (for example ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)) and may also be covered with grip elements such as roughened zones, grooving and nonslip materials.

(20) For skincare, the blade head 20 may include a care strip (balsam strip) with emulsions and nourishing oils.

(21) As a result of its increased movability, the razor 1 with a ball joint 11, 22 that is movable by 360° improves the adaptation of the blade head 20 to regions of the body that are difficult to access. The individual adaptation of the razor 1 to different, sensitive portions of the skin can be ensured by multiple levels of flexibility (different materials) and different blade heads 20. The user can also determine himself/herself the degree of movability by applying the index finger.

(22) The degrees of flexibility of the suspension of the ball joint, the materials of the handle and/or of the blade head are further influencing factors that make an individual shave possible. In a way similar to the suspensions of toothbrush heads, it is also possible according to the invention for the blade head or the ball joint to achieve an exertion of soft, medium or hard pressure by means of suspensions that can bend to differing extents. The user can then select appropriate razors according to his/her needs.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(23) 1 Razor 10 Handle 11 Ball joint socket 14 Alignment element 20 Blade head 21 Razor blades 22 Ball joint head 35 Connecting web 36 Recess 37 Braking element