CA1265324A

CA1265324A - Razor blade assembly

Info

Publication number: CA1265324A
Application number: CA000490140A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Chester F. Jacobson
Original assignee: Gillette Co LLC
Current assignee: Gillette Co LLC
Priority date: 1984-10-15
Filing date: 1985-09-06
Publication date: 1990-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 2007-02-06
Also published as: WO1986002309A1; JPH0552755B2; US4586255A; EP0198854A1; BR8506985A; ES289590Y; EP0198854A4; MX161973A; EP0198854B1; DE3580756D1; ES289590U; GR852487B; JPS62500494A

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A RAZOR BLADE ASSEMBLY
A razor blade assembly comprising a molded plastic body member, a guard member mounted on the body member, blade means mounted on the body member, the body member including a back portion, the back portion having an opening therein, and an insert member fixed in the back portion opening, the insert member forming generally a continuation of top and rear surfaces of the back portion.

Description

2~;i324 BACKG ROUND OF ~IE INVENTION
Field of the Invention The invention relates to wet shaving implements and is directed more particularly to a blade assembly.
Description of the Prior Art It is known in the art to provide a razor blade assembly which may be connected to, and used in conjunction with, a ra~or handle to facilitate shaving opera~ions. U.S.
Patent No. 3,724,070, issued April 3, 19~3, in the name of Francis W. Dorion, Jr~ shows a blade assembly in which blade means are held bet~een blade assembly surfaces adapted to engage the surface being shaved in front of and behind, respectively, cutting edge portions of the blade means. Such surfaces are generally referred ko as "guard" and "cap".
In U.S. Patent Wo. 4,492,029, issued January 8, 1985, in the name of Chester F. Jacobson, and commonly ass1gned Canadian Patent No. 1,~228,720, issued~November 3, ~;
, 1987, there are~disclosed safety~ razor blade assemblies ;; adapted~for~p1vot~al;movement~ as a whole, on razor handles 20~ during~shaving~operati;ons,~and further having blade~means;
ndiv~idual1y movable within~the blade~assemb~lies~in response~
to ~orces encount~red during shaving operations.
n U.S~ Patent Wo.~2,29~2,418~ ssued~August ~11, 1942 to~EI.~.~Wetherbee,~1t~is~suggested~that~prov~id1nq~a razor~with~
a ~acility~for~leach~ing~out~ there~;rom of~a shaVing aid,~by ~
exposure of the aid to~water duri~ng~a;~shaving operation,~will produce beneEici~al results. The~suggest~ion~is repeated, rn/s~s~

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relative to a shaving cartridge or blade assembly, in U.S.
Patent No. 4,170,8~1 issued October ~6, 1979 to Anthony R.
Booth and U.K. Patent 2,024,082 published January 9, 1980 in the name of Henry Pentney, et al.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved safety razor blade assembly of the type disclosed in the above referred to '024 and '720 patents, including structure facilitating incorporation of a leaching feature.

~ With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, a feature of the present invention is the provision of a razor blade assembly comprising a body member of molded plastic, a guard member mounted on the bocly member, blade means mounted on the body member, the body member including a back pcrtion, the back portion having an opening ~:therein, the opening being defined in part by a gap between a back~portion upper surface portion and a back portlon rear surface~portion, and an insert member ~fixed in the opening, the~insert member having a wedge-shaped portion and a top~

. 20 surface rounding into a rear surface ~to generally form a , continuation: oE the~ ~back pcrtion upper and rear ~surface portions, the wedge-shaped:portion~at~its widest~point being : ~ : : ~ : : : , : :
:wider than the gap, but adapted to be~urged through the gap, :~ : : in~assembly, to:become permanently lodged in the opening, the : : insert member also including :a waist portion adjacent the : YCC/jj , ., ~ , ~, : .
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2 a wedge-shaped portion widest point and adapted to receive portions of the back portion upper surface portion and the back portion rear surface portion to lock the insert member in the opening.
The above and other features o~E the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular device embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the inventlon.

pESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which~is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention from , which its novel features and advantages will be apparent.
~ In the drawings: ~ ~
20 ~ FIG. 1 is~a top plan view, with portions bro]cen away, ~of one form of blade~assembly illustrative of an embodiment of the~inventlon;
; ~ FIG. 2 is~a front elevational and partly sectional view taken along line~ II of FIG. l; and FIG. 3 is~a sectional view taken along line III-III
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
-Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the illustrative razor blade assembly includes a body member 2 having first and second end portions 4, 6 interconnected by front and back portions 8, 10. Frame portions 12 extend width-wise of the body member, inter-connecting the front and back portions 8, 10.
The back portion 10 of the body member 2 has an upper surface portion 14 which engages skin being shaved behind the cutting means of the assembly, and a rear surFace portion 15 (FI6. 3). The back portion 10 is 10 provided with an elongated opening 13 defined in part by the upper surface portion 14 and the rear surface portion 15 of the back portion 10.
Each of the end portions 4, 6 is provided with opposed slots 16 disposed transversely to the frame portions 12. One of the frame portions 12 near the first end portion 4 is provided with a spring finger 18 extending therefrom generally parallel to the front and back portions 8~ 10.
The finger 18 is provided with an upturned end portion 2n having an upper ~: , . ~ :
surface 22. In~like ~anner, another of the~frame portions~lZ near the ;~
1~ second end portion 6 is provided with a spring finger 18' of similar conflguration, with upturned~end portions 20'~ havlng upper surfaces 22'.
20;~ ~ The fingers 18, 18' extend~in opposite directions, the finger 18~extend~ing toward the~irst end portion 4 of the body member 2 and the finger 18' extending toward the second end portion 6 of the body member. The fingers 18~and 18' are aligned with~each other and with a pair of the slots 16.
;The~first~end~portlon 4 is~provided w1th spring fi~ngers 17 extend~ing therefrom~inwardly~and upwardly of the body member~. Each of the fingers 17 is provided with an upturned end port;on 19 having an upper surface 21.
In~l;ke manner,~the second end portion 6 is provided~with~spr;ng fingers , ~ , .

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17' (FIG. 3) of similar configuration, with upturned end portions 19' having upper surfaces 21'. The fingers 17~ 17' extend in generally opposite directions, the fingers 17 extending from the first end portion 4 generally toward the second end portion 6~ and the fingers 17' extending from the second end portion 6 generally toward the first end portion 4.
The fingers 17, 17' are each aligned with a pair of the slots 16.
The assembly includes a guard portion 24 having a slide member 26 at either end thereof. The slide members 26 are received in a pair of opposed slots 16 nearest the front portion 8. The bottom of the guard portion rests upon the surFaces 22, 22' of the spring fingers 18, 18'. The lower edges of the slide members 26 rest above the bottoms of their slots 16, allowing the guard portion 24 to be moved further into the slots, against the bias of the spring fingers 1~3, 18l therebeneatll. The spring fingers supporting the guard portion comprise a set of spring fingers, the object of which is to resiliently support the guard portion. In a shaving operation, the guard portion travels over the surface being shaved ahead of the cutting means.
The assembly further ~lncludes blade means 28 comprising a blade base portion 30~ a cutting edge portion 32 extending from the~base portion, and slide portions at either~end of the base portion. The slide portions wh~lch~may be merely extenslons of the blade base portions~30, are received in a pai~r of the opposed slots 16.~ An underside 3a of the blade cutting edge~portion 32~is engaged by the surfaces 21, 21' of a pair oF the spring :: ~: : : :: : :
fingers l7, 17'. Lower edges of the slide portions are spaced from the bottoms of thelr sl~ots to~permlt movement of the blades further lnto the slots~l6 against the bias~ of the spring fing~rs 17~, 17'~on~which the blade cutter portion rests. The~spr;ng~fingers supporting~the~blade clJtter port~ion 32 comprise another set of spring fingers, the object~of which is sd/sks ~ -4- ~
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In the embodiment illustrated, the blade means include a second blade 28' having a base portion 30', a cu~tting edge portion 3Z', and slide portions all anchored similarly to the above-described first blade means.
The slide portions of the second blade are received in a third pair of the opposed slots 16 nearest the back portion 10 with the cutter portion 32' resting upon spring finger surfaces 21~ 21'. The spring fingers supporting the second blade comprise still another set of spring fingers, which resiliently support the second blade. In a shaving operation, the second - blade travels over the sur~ace being shaved behind the first blade.
The guard portion 24, first and second blades 28, 28' are clamped in place by spring clamps 40, which are received in slots 42 in the end portions 4, 6. The clamps 40 engage the guard portion 24 and blades 28, 28' forcing them into the slots 16 to a point where a slight stress is placed on the spring Fingers.
On the underside of the body member 2 and the frame portions 12, are disposed two extensions 44, 46 hav;ng at the;r free ends, respect;vely, inwardly extend;ng opposed ra;ls 48, 50, each~rall hav;ng respective ~
arcuate upper surfaces 52, 54. The extens;ons comprlse a p;vot~mounting 20 ~ ~ means by~which the blade assembly may be removably and pivotally attached to a~razor handle. The blade assembly body member underside is additionally provided with cam means S6 adapted to receive a cam follower operative to --urge~the blade assembly to a given position.
The blade assembly rails 48, 50, ln~conju~nction;wieh undersurfaces ; 9~, 96 of the body member 2, and a~rcuate struts 95, 97, deflne arcuate slots 98, 100 adapted to rece;ve razor handle shell bearings (not shown).
The shell bear;ngs comprise a pivot mountin9 means adapted to cooperate with the above descr;bed blade~assembly p;vot mounting means to fac;litate ~: ., :
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pivotal connection of the blade assembly to the razor handle assembly.
In the handle there is disposed a coil spring and a plunger member the spring biasing the plunger in the direction of the free end of the plunger member. When the blade assembly is connected to the handle assembly, the free end of the plunger member is urged by the spring into engagement with the blade assembly cam means 56. During pivoting operation of the blade assembly, the plunger end bears against the cam means 56, to urge the blade assembly to a given position.
Referring again to FIG. 33 it will be seen that the opening l3 : 10 constitutes a gap between the back portion upper surface portion l4 and the back portion rear surface portion l5. Disposed in the opening l3 is an insert member llO havin9 a top surface 112 rounding into a rear surface 114 to generally form a continuation of the back portion upper and rear surface portions. The insert member llO preFerably is elongated, extending over a~majority of the length of the~blade assembly tFIG. l), and in cross-section (FIG. 3):~includes a wedge-shaped portion 116 having a widest point ; 118 w;der than~the afore-mentioned gap. The;wedge-shaped portion is adapted ~
to be urged through the gap, in assembly~, to become permanently lodged in ~:
the opening l3. The insert~member llO includes:a:walst portion~120 adJacent ~20 ~ ~ :the widest~point ll8 and~adapted to recelve portion l4', lS' of the back ~:
: portlon upper surface portion 14 and the back portion rear surface portion lS to lock the insert member l~lO in the openlng l3. : ~ :
The lnsert member~preferably:~ls made of a material:comprising:a mixture of a :hydrophobic material~and a wa:ter leachable hydrophilic ::
polymeric~materlal. ~
During~a shaving~operation, the:guard portion 24~and the blades :::
: 28,~2B~' move~lndepend:enll/ of~each~otheK ~gainst th blas~o~ the~spring~

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fingers. Simultaneously, the blade assembly, as a whole, pivots on the handle, following the contours of the surface being shaved. When the insert member 110 comes in contact with water, the hydrophilic material leaches out of the insert member and is deposited on the surface being shaved.
It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited to the particular construction herein disclosed andlor shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within the scope of the disclosure. For example, it is preferable under certain conditions that the guard portion be immovable. An alternative embodiment includes a guard portion fixed immovably to the blade assembly body member~ but in all other respects structured and operated in accordance with the above description. As a further example, the blade means may include a single blade, rather than the two blade arrangement described, the single blade being used in conjunction with either a movable or stationary guard portion.
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Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A razor blade assembly comprising a body member of molded plastic, a guard member mounted on said body member, blade means mounted on said body member, said body member including a back portion, said back portion having an opening therein, said opening being defined in part by a gap between a back portion upper surface portion and a back portion rear surface portion, and an insert member fixed in said opening, said insert member having a wedge-shaped portion and a top surface rounding into a rear surface to generally form a continuation of said back portion upper and rear surface portions, said wedge-shaped portion at its widest point being wider than said gap, but adapted to be urged through said gap, in assembly, to become permanently lodged in said opening, said insert member also including a waist portion adjacent said wedge-shaped portion widest point and adapted to receive portions of said back portion upper surface portion and said back portion rear surface portion to lock said insert member in said opening.

2. A razor blade assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which said insert member is comprised of a mixture of hydrophobic material and a water leachable hydrophillic polymeric material.

3. A razor blade assembly comprising a body member of molded plastic, said body member including a front portion, a back portion, spring finger guard support means, and spring finger blade support means, a guard member mounted on said body member and biased by said spring finger guard support means, blade means mounted on said body member and biased by said spring finger blade support means, said back portion having an opening therein, said opening being defined in part by a back portion upper surface portion and a back portion rear surface portion, and an insert member fixed in said opening, said insert member having a top surface rounding into a rear surface to generally form a continuation of said back portion upper and rear surface portions.

4. A razor blade assembly in accordance with claim 3 in which said insert member includes a wedge-shaped portion and said opening is in part defined by a gap between said back portion upper surface portion and said back portion rear surface portion, said wedge-shaped portion at its widest point being wider than said gap, but adapted to be urged through said gap, in assembly, to become permanently lodged in said opening.

5. A razor blade assembly in accordance with claim 4 in which said insert member includes a waist portion adjacent said wedge-shaped portion widest point and adapted to receive portions of said back portion upper surface portion and said back portion rear surface portion to lock said insert member in said opening.

6. A razor blade assembly in accordance with claim 5 in which said insert member is comprised of a mixture of hydrophobic material and a water leachable hydrophillic polymeric material.