WO1989001394A1

WO1989001394A1 - Razor comprising a handle and a head articulated to the latter

Info

Publication number: WO1989001394A1
Application number: PCT/FR1988/000403
Authority: WO
Inventors: François Léon CONVERSY
Original assignee: Conversy Francois Leon
Priority date: 1987-08-07
Filing date: 1988-08-04
Publication date: 1989-02-23
Also published as: FR2619045A1; FR2619045B1

Abstract

The razor is composed of a handle and a head (1), comprising several blades (6, 7), whose cutting edges (6a, 7a) are parallel, said head having a skin-contact surface from which project the cutting edges (6a, 7a) of the blades (6, 7), said head (1) being hingedly connected to the handle, the rotation axis (3) of the head on the handle being parallel to the cutting edges (6a, 7a). The handle is joined to the head by means of, on the one hand, two articulations, each composed of two sectors (36b) and (29b) having a surface of revolution, which are in contact with each other and belong respectively to the handle and the head, and, on the other hand, at least one concave surface (23b), belonging to the head, located between the two articulations, whose concavity is turned towards the skin-contact surface of the head, on which may engage at least one projection (24b) belonging to the handle. The articulation sectors (36b) belonging to the handle are linked elastically to the said handle in such a way that the said articulation sectors belonging to the handle exert forces on the skin-contact surface of the head, which are counterbalanced at the same time by the force exerted by the head on the skin, and by the contact of each of said projections (24b) against each of said concave surfaces (23b). Use for enhancing shaving quality and comfort.

Description

"Razor with a handle and a head hinged to it"

1

The present invention relates to a razor comprising a handle and a head hinged thereto.

^* It has already been proposed to make razors comprising a head and a handle, the head being articulated on the

5 handle and carrying one or two blades. For all razors currently on the market, the axis of rotation of the head relative to the handle is located far enough above the skin so that, when the head moves on the skin, the friction and cutting forces, which are exercise on the head,

10) level of the skin, tend to tilt it forward which harms the comfort of shaving, because, to compensate for the tendency to tilt, it is necessary to press the head of the razor quite strongly on the skin .

To remedy this defect, it suffices, of course, to

15 place the axis of rotation in the immediate vicinity of the cutting edges of the blades.

Various arrangements have already been proposed to obtain this result, but have not been entirely satisfactory.

20 one of the proposed arrangements consists in hinging the head at its ends, either by providing holes at the ends, or by providing said ends with pins, but this results in an increase in the height of the ends of the head which affects the quality of the shaving.

Another proposed arrangement consists in guiding the head along two circular grooves centered on the axis of rotation and belonging to the head. This is a solution geometrically perfect, but in reality the movements of the head are strongly hampered by the friction that develops along the grooves. On the other hand the realization of this latter arrangement is relatively expensive. 5 The object of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks of known embodiments by creating a razor ensuring optimal comfort and quality of shaving and the manufacturing cost of which is compatible with mass production.

Iβ The razor targeted by the invention comprises a handle and a head. The head carries one or more blades whose cutting edges are parallel, and has a face intended to be in contact with the skin, called the bearing face, from which protrude the cutting edge (s) of the blades. The head is

IS articulated on the handle, the axis of rotation of the head on the handle being parallel to the cutting edges. According to the invention, this razor is characterized in that the connection between the handle and the head is ensured on the one hand by two articulations each constituted by two surface sectors

2JŒ of revolution in reciprocal support, belonging respectively to the handle and to the head, and, on the other hand, by at least one concave surface, belonging to the head, located between the two articulations, whose concavity is turned towards the face d head support, on which at least one

25 stud belonging to the handle, and in that the articulation sectors belonging to the handle are elastically linked to said handle so that said articulation sectors belonging to the handle exert on the head forces directed towards the bearing face of that here, balanced, both by the force exerted by the head on the skin, and by the support of each of said nipples against each of said concave surfaces, so that, when the force exerted by the head on the skin, is sufficient, the support of each of said nipples against each of said concave surfaces ceases, and the head can rotate freely.

Thus, in order to place the axis of rotation of the head on the handle in the immediate vicinity of the cutting edge (s), the depositor has designed a connection from the handle to the head different from all known connections, which presents the advantage of being a bond with low friction, and all the weaker as the pressure of the razor on the skin is higher. In addition, the razor with articulated head according to the invention is as simple as the razors currently sold and, therefore, its manufacture is not more expensive than that of these known razors.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the description below. In the appended drawings, given by way of nonlimiting examples:

FIG. 1 shows in perspective a razor according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows in perspective the lower part of the handle of the razor of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 shows on a larger scale, the interior of the lower part of the handle,

FIG. 4 shows in perspective the head of the razor of FIG. 1,

- Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of parts constituting the razor head of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a cross section, in the vicinity of a joint, of the razor head of FIG. 4,

FIG. 7 is a cross section, in the vicinity of a concave surface, of the razor head of FIG. 4, oriented in the opposite direction to the section of FIG. 6,

- Figure 8 shows in perspective the razor head of Figure 4, cut perpendicular to the direction of the cutting edges of the blades, as well as the elements which bind

10 head to handle, which are depicted with cutouts,

- Figure 9 is similar to Figure 8 except that the head has been rotated 15 degrees in one direction,

- Figure 10 is similar to Figure 8 except that the head has been rotated 15 degrees in one direction

15. inverse to that of FIG. 9,

FIG. 11 shows in perspective a second embodiment of a razor according to the invention,

FIG. 12 shows in perspective the lower part of the handle of the razor of FIG. 11,

ZOE - Figure 13 shows in perspective the head of the razor of Figure 11,

FIG. 14 is a vertical section ^ passing through the axis of rotation of the head on the handle, from the upper part of the head of the razor of FIG. 11,

FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of the razor head of FIG. 13, cut perpendicular to the direction of the cutting edges of the blades, as well as the elements which link the head to the handle, which are represented with cutouts. FIG. 16 shows in perspective a third embodiment of a razor according to the invention,

FIG. 17 shows in perspective the lower part of the handle of the razor of FIG. 16. FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a razor according to the invention constituted by a head 1 and a handle 2.

To facilitate the description below, it is assumed that, as shown in the drawings, the bearing surface of the head is substantially horizontal and turned downwards.

The handle 2 is. made of plastic and includes a handle 3 and an enlargement 4 on which is fixed a cover 32 held (see Figure 2) by pins 33a, 33b, 33c and 33d which have been crushed hot. At the lower part of the handle 2 protrude on the one hand, articulation fingers 34a and 34b at the bottom of which the concave, cylindrical articulation sectors 36a and 36b are formed, in the example shown, and, on the other hand, the attachment arms 35a and 35b which carry at their lower end the pins 24a and 24b. In addition, the handle 2 comprises a pusher 37 which, when it is moved downwards, causes the attachment arms 35a and 35b to spread apart.

Figure 3 shows the detail of the mechanism covered by the cover 32. The articulation fingers 34a and 34b can move vertically, they are pushed down by the springs 38a and 38b. Two square-shaped pieces 57a and 57b are articulated in their angles around the axes 39a and 39b, they have two horizontal arms 58a and 58b turned towards each other and two arms directed downwards which are the arms d 'attachment 35a and 35b. The pusher 37 rests by its lower end on the upper face of the ends of the horizontal arms 58a and 58b. The spring 40 bears on the underside of the ends of the horizontal arms 58a and 58b. By the action of the spring 40, the attachment arms 35a and 35b are kept in the closed position, that is to say at a position where the distance between the pins 24a and 24b is minimum. When the pusher 37 is moved downwards, the pins 24a and 24b move away from one another.

The head 1 of this first embodiment is 0 ^" . Shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7. According to a known arrangement, it is constituted by: an upper element made of plastic 5, an upper blade 6 made of steel and a lower blade 7 of steel, a fur 8 which provides a certain space between the blades 6 and 7, and a lower element in

15 plastic 9.

The upper element 5 comprises: a front bar 15 and a rear bar 16 both substantially prismatic and parallel to the cutting edges 6a and 7a of the blades 6 and 7. The bars 15 and 16 are connected by the spacers 17a, 17b, 18a,

ZŒ 18b, 19a, 19b, 20a, 20b and 21.

The connection between the five parts of the head 1 is ensured by tenons 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d, molded with the lower element 9 which pass through the holes 11a, 11b, lie and lld formed in the blade 7, the holes 12A , 12b, 12c and 12d

ZE formed in the fur 8, the holes 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d formed in the blade 6, and the holes 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d formed in the rear bar 16 of the upper element 5. When the five parts of the head 1 are assembled, the tenons 10a, 10b, 10c and lOd are hot crushed on the face upper of the rear bar 16 of the upper element 5.

Note that rectangular holes 22 are provided in the upper blade 6, which allow the soap loaded with hairs to escape. The planes of symmetry of the spacers 18a, 18b, 19a, 19b, 20a, 20b and 21 are located between the successive holes 22.

On either side of the plane of symmetry of the central spacer 21 are formed concave surfaces 23a and 23b identical on which can bear the pins 24a and 24b. The concave surfaces 23b and 23a are clearly visible respectively in FIGS. 6 and 7. They are, in their active parts, symmetrical with respect to a substantially vertical plane, parallel to the cutting edges 6a and 7a of the blades 6 and 7 and passing through the 'axis of rotation 30 located at equal distances from the cutting edges 6a and 7a; they each have a cylindrical part of strong curvature 25a, 25b, that is to say of a curvature substantially equal to that of the top of the studs 24a and 24b, and on either side of these cylindrical parts of strong curvature 25a and 25b, cylindrical surfaces 26a, 26b and 27a, 27b such that, if we consider a point which moves along the surface 23a for example, moving away from the part with strong curvature 25a, it approaches the center. The generatrices of the surfaces 26a, 26b and 27a, 27b could be logarithmic spirals, so that the support of the studs 24a and 24b on them is effected at a constant angle. More simply, the generator of the cylindrical surfaces 26a and 26b can be a circle with an axis 30a situated to the right of the plane of symmetry of the concave surfaces 23a and 23b and the generator of the cylindrical surfaces 27a and 27b a circle. axis 30b located to the left of the plane of symmetry of the concave surfaces 23a and 23b.

At the upper part of the spacer 21 are cut sections 28a and 28b intended to facilitate the positioning of the pins 24a and 24b.

The articulation sectors of the head 29a and 29b are convex, they are formed at the upper part of lateral protuberances 31a and 31b of the spacers 19a and 19b. The articulation sectors 29a and 29b are surfaces of revolution centered on the axis 30, and in the example shown, said surfaces of revolution are portions of cylinders.

To mount the handle 2 on the head 1, simply push the handle 2 towards the head 1 by bringing the cut sections 41a and 41b formed at the bottom of the nipples 24a and 24b onto the cut sections 28a and 28b formed at the top of the spacer 21. This has the effect of separating the pins 24a and 24b from one another by compressing the spring 40, which allows the pins 24a and 24b to be placed inside the concave surfaces 23a and 23b and the concave sectors 36a and 36b to come to rest on the convex sectors 29a and 29b. This operation is facilitated if the push-button 37 is pressed simultaneously.

FIG. 8 shows the relative position of the head 1, the articulation fingers 34a and 34b and the attachment arms 35a and 35b, when no external force acts on the head 1. We can see the concave sector 36b formed at the bottom of the articulation arm 34b supported on the convex sector 29b formed at the upper part of the lateral projection 31b of the spacer 19b. We can also see the nipple 24b carried by the attachment arm 35b, supported from bottom to top on the part cylindrical with strong curvature 25b of the concave surface 23b. It goes without saying that, in the situation shown in FIG. 8, and although this is not visible in this FIG. 8, the concave sector 36a formed at the bottom of the articulation arm 34a rests on the convex sector 29a formed in the upper part of the lateral projection 31a of the spacer 19a, and that the stud 24a carried by the hooking arm 35a is supported from bottom to top on the cylindrical part of strong curvature 25b of the concave surface 23b . To the dead weight of the head, the sum of the 10 support forces of the concave sectors 36a and 36b on the convex sectors on the convex sectors 29a and 29b is equal to the sum of the support forces of the pins 24a and 24b on the concave surfaces 23a and 23b and the sum of the forces developed by the springs 38a and 38b. If the head 1 rotates under the action of a couple, without moving the handle 2, the pins 24a and 24b bear obliquely on the cylindrical surfaces 26a and 26b (case of FIG. 9) or on the cylindrical surfaces 27a and 27b (case of FIG. 10), due to the shape of the cylindrical surfaces 26a and 26b or 27a ZB and 27b the distance between the pins 24a and 24b, on the one hand, and the axis of rotation 30, d ' on the other hand, decreases, as a result the articulation fingers 34a and 34b go up by compressing the springs 38a and 38b. In short, if, from the position shown in FIG. 8, the head 1 rotates under the action of a torque, the springs 38a and 38b receive energy. As a result, the position of the head 1 shown in FIG. 8 is a medium, stable position, which the head 1 occupies automatically in the absence of external forces, and that a restoring torque appears as soon as the head s away from said stable position if the pins 24a and 24b bear on the concave surfaces 23a and 23b.

If the head 1 moves vertically relative to the handle 2, under the action of a vertical force acting from bottom to top, the articulation fingers 34a and 34b go up by compressing the springs 38a and 38b, the pins 24a and 24b no longer relate to the concave surfaces 23a and 23b. The head 1 then easily rotates, the only forces opposing rotation being only the friction forces which may appear in contact with the concave sectors 36a and 36b and the convex sectors 29a and 29b.

Figures 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 show another embodiment of the razor according to the invention, comprising a head 42 and a handle 43. The unchanged parts have the same references as in the previous embodiment. The handle 43 differs from the handle 2 only in the design of the articulation fingers 44a and 44b at the bottom of which are convex articulation sectors 45a and 45b, cylindrical in the example shown. The head 43 differs from the head 1 by its upper element 56 which itself differs from the upper element 5 in that the spacers 19a and 19b of the latter have been replaced by spacers 46a and 46b having recesses 47a and 47b at the bottom of which are the concave articulation sectors 48a and 48b which are in the form of cylindrical surfaces.

As can be seen in Figure 15 the hinge axis 49 is located above the plane of the cutting edges 6a and 6b, however the radii of the sectors convex articulation 45a and 45b and concave articulation sectors 48a and 48b having been chosen very small, the distance between the articulation axis 49 and the plane of the cutting edges 6a and 6b is less than 1 millimeter. Figures 16 and 17 show a third embodiment of a razor according to the invention, comprising a handle 50 and the head 1 previously defined. The unchanged parts have the same references as in the first embodiment described. The handle 50 is a one-piece molded plastic assembly which includes:

a handle 3, truncated in the drawing, which is extended at its lower part by a section 51 substantially vertical (or perpendicular to the bearing face of the head),

an articulation finger 52a at the bottom of which the articulation sector 36a is formed and which is linked to the section 51 by two thin and elastic tongues 54a and 55a, substantially parallel and extending transversely and on one of the sides of the section 51,

an articulation finger 52b at the bottom of which the articulation sector 36b is formed and which is linked to the section 51 by two thin and elastic tongues 54b and 55b, substantially parallel and extending transversely and on the other side of the section 51,

two attachment arms 53a and 53b which are in the form of thin elastic tongues, substantially parallel to the fingers 52a, 52b, carrying at their lower part the pins 24a and 24b,

The hooking arms 53a and 53b can flex easily in a direction perpendicular to the section 51, this which allows the establishment of the pins 24a and 24b below the concave surfaces 23a and 23b.

The articulation finger 52a can move elastically in the vertical direction by bending the tongues 54a and 55a with very little movement in a direction perpendicular to the section 51.

The same goes for the hinge finger 52b thanks to the tongues 54b and 55b.

The handle 50 is more particularly intended for the constitution of disposable complete razors comprising the handle 50 and the head 1.

Claims

1. Razor comprising a handle (2, 43, 50) and a head (1, 42), said head comprising one or more blades (6, 7) whose cutting edges (6a, 7a) are parallel, said head comprising a face intended to be in contact with the skin, called the bearing face, from which project the cutting edge (s) (6a, 7a) of the blades (6, 7), said head (1, 42) being articulated on the handle, the axis of rotation (30, 49) of the head on the handle being parallel to the cutting edges (6a, 7a), characterized in that the connection between the handle and the head is; ensured, on the one hand by two articulations each constituted by two sectors of surface of revolution (36a, 36b, 45a, 45b) and (29a, 29b, 48a, 48b) belonging respectively to the handle and to the head, in mutual support, and, on the other hand by at least one concave surface (23a, 23b), belonging to the head, situated between the two articulations, the concavity of which faces the bearing face of the head, on which can bear the at least one stud (24a, 24b) belonging to the handle, and in that the articulation sectors (36a, 36b, 45a, 45b) belonging to the handle are elastically connected to said handle so that said articulation sectors belonging to the handle exert on the head forces directed towards the bearing face thereof, which are balanced, both by the force exerted by the head on the skin, and by the support of each of said nipples (24a, 24b) against each of said concave surfaces (23a, 23b), so that when the force exes rcée by the head on the skin, is sufficient, the support, of each of said nipples against each of said concave surfaces, ceases, and that the head can rotate freely.

2. A razor according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the concave surfaces (23a, 23b) belonging to the head, on which one of the pins (24a, 24b) bears.

5 belonging to the handle, is such that the distance between the axis of rotation (30, 49) and said surface is maximum in a part of strong curvature (25a, 25b) and decreases regularly when one moves away from said part of strong curvature, so that, when the razor is not in contact with the skin, the head 0 comes to be placed in a medium position such that each of the nipples is in contact with the part of strong curvature of each of the concave surfaces.

3. Razor according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the concave surfaces (23a, 23b) belonging to

15 the head is formed, on either side of a part with a strong curvature (25a, 25b), by two portions of surfaces of revolution (26a, 27a, 26b, 27b), symmetrical with respect to a plane containing the axis of rotation (30, 49), whose axes are parallel to the cutting edges (6a, 7a), the axis of a surface

Z0t of revolution located on one side of said plane of symmetry being located on the opposite side.

4. Razor according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the articulation sectors (36a, 36b) belonging to the handle are concave, and the sectors

Z5 of articulation (29a, 29b) belonging to the head are convex.

5. A razor according to claim 4, characterized in that the axis of rotation (30) of the head on the handle is located in the plane of the (or) cutting edges (6a, 7a) of the blades, which is parallel to the bearing face of the head.

6. Shaver according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the articulation sectors (45a, 45b) belonging to the handle are convex, and the articulation sectors (48a, 48b) belonging to the head are concaves. 5

7. Razor according to claim 6, characterized in that the axis of rotation (49) of the head on the handle is located very close to and below the plane of the (or) cutting edges (6a, 7a) of blades, which is parallel to the bearing face of the head.

10 8. Razor according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the handle comprises two extensions known as articulation fingers (34a, 34b, 44a, 44b, 52a, 52b), at the ends of which are formed the sectors articulation (36a, 36b, 45a, 45b).

15 9. A razor according to claim 8, characterized in that each of the articulation fingers (34a, 34b, 44a, 44b) is a metal piece independent of the handle and pushed in a direction opposite to the handle by a spring (38a, 38b).

10. Razor according to one of claims 1 to 9, ZO characterized in that each of the pins (24a, 24b) is carried by a hooking arm (35a, 35b) which is part of a piece in the form of square (57a, 57b), articulated around an axis (39a, 39b), moved by a pusher (37) which makes it possible to suppress the support of the stud (24a, 24b) on the concave surface (23a, 23b), a Z5 spring (40) developing a force opposing the action of said pusher

11. A razor according to claim 8, characterized in that the handle (50) is made of plastic, in that each of the articulation fingers (52a, 52b) is linked to the handle. (3) of said handle, by two elastic tongues (54a, 55a, 54b, 55b) extending transversely to the direction of the handle and on either side thereof, and in that the handle comprises arms attachment (53a, 53b) carrying the pins (24a, 24b), these arms being constituted by elastic tongues substantially parallel to the articulation fingers (52a, 52b).