Flexible razor head

• US 5,003,694 A
• Filed: 04/10/1990
• Issued: 04/02/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warner-Lambert Company (Pfizer Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Warner-Lambert Company (Pfizer Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Evan N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Watts, Douglas D.
• Application Number:
  US07/507,272
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 30/32, 30/47-50, 30/84, 30/90
• US Class Current: 30/49
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/4012 Housing details, e.g. for cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/4018 Guard elements
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/4068 Mounting devices; Manufacture of razors or cartridges B26B21/528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/4081 Shaving methods; Usage or wear indication; Testing methods

Abstract

A flexible razor head is provided which features a flexible cap and seat. Corrugations, having portions of different widths, present in the seat enhance the ability of the seat to lengthen in response to shaving forces.

Claims

1. A flexible razor head comprising:

a cap;

at least one blade;

a seat;

means for securing said cap, blade and seat;

said seat comprising at least one corrugation with a sidewall;

said sidewall having an upper portion, a generally central portion and a lower portion; and

wherein said central portion has a different width than said upper and lower portions.

2. A flexible razor head according to claim 1 wherein said razor comprises two blades separated by a spacer.

3. A flexible razor head according to claim 2 wherein said spacer has cutout portions for receiving said securing means

4. A flexible razor head according to claim 3 wherein said spacer has cutout portions comprising about 10-40% of the surface area of the spacer.

5. A flexible razor head according to claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises a plurality of pins which pass through a corresponding plurality of pin receiving holes in said blade.

6. A flexible razor head according to claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises five pin members.

7. A flexible razor head according to claim 6 wherein said blades are laterally moveable relative to at least one of said pins during the flexing of said razor head.

8. A flexible razor head according to claim 5 wherein said blade has at least one cutout portion positioned between at least two of said pin receiving holes.

9. A flexible razor head according to claim 5 comprising five pins.

10. A flexible razor head according to claim 5 wherein at least one of said pins extends downwardly at least as far as said lower portion of said sidewall.

11. A flexible razor head according to claim 1 wherein means for attaching said razor head to a handle are provided proximate the bottom surface of said seat.

12. A flexible razor head according to claim 11 wherein said attaching means are designed for inside-out attachment.

13. A flexible razor head according to claim 1 wherein said blade has cutout portions comprising about 10-20% of the surface area of the blade.

14. A flexible razor head according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said cap or seat comprise a segmented thermoplastic copolyester elastomer comprising:

(a) recurring polymeric long chain ester units derived from dicarboxylic acids and long chain diols, and

(b) short chain ester units derived from dicarboxylic acids and low molecular weight diols.

15. A flexible razor head according to claim 1 wherein said cap, seat and securing means are a single, continuous element.

16. A flexible razor head according to claim 1 wherein a force of about 70-90 gms. is needed to obtain a deflection of 0.050 inches in the central region of said razor head.

17. A flexible razor head according to claim 16 wherein about 10 to 30% of said force needed to obtain said deflection is contributed by said blade.

18. A flexible razor head according to claim 1 wherein the width of said central portion is about 20-50% greater than the width of said lower portion.

19. A flexible razor head according to claim 1 wherein the width of said central portion is about 30-40% greater than the width of said upper portion.

20. A flexible razor head according to claim 1 wherein said cap comprises a plurality of open areas.

21. A flexible razor head according to claim 20 wherein each corrugation is aligned with an open area.

22. A flexible razor head according to claim 21 wherein said open areas comprise holes which extend through said cap.

23. A flexible razor head according to claim 1 further comprising a shaving aid.

24. A flexible razor head comprising:

a cap;

at least one blade;

a seat;

means for securing said cap, blade and seat;

said seat comprising at least one corrugation with a sidewall; and

wherein said sidewall comprises at least a first portion and a second portion and wherein the width of said first portion is different from the width of said second portion.

25. A flexible razor head according to claim 24 wherein said cap comprises a plurality of open areas.

26. A flexible razor according to claim 25 wherein each corrugation is aligned with an open area.

27. A flexible razor according to claim 26 wherein said open areas comprise holes which extend through said cap.

28. A flexible razor head according to claim 24 wherein said razor comprises two blades separated by a spacer.

29. A flexible razor head according to claim 24 wherein said securing means comprises a plurality of pins which pass through a corresponding plurality of pin receiving holes in said blade.

30. A flexible razor head according to claim 29 wherein said blade has a cutout portion positioned between at least two of said pin receiving holes.

31. A flexible razor head according to claim 29 comprising five pins.

32. A flexible razor head according to claim 29 wherein at least one of said pins extends downwardly at least as far as said lower portion of said sidewall.

33. A flexible razor head according to claim 24 wherein said blade has cutout portions comprising about 10-20% of the surface area of the blade.

34. A flexible razor head according to claim 24 wherein said spacer has cutout portions for receiving said securing means.

35. A flexible razor head according to claim 34 wherein said spacer has cutout portions comprising about 10-40% of the surface area of the spacer.

36. A flexible razor head according to claim 24 wherein means for attaching said razor head to a handle are provided proximate the bottom surface of said seat.

37. A flexible razor head according to claim 36 wherein said attaching means are designed for inside-out attachment.

38. A flexible razor head according to claim 24 wherein at least one of said cap or seat comprise a segmented thermoplastic copolyester elastomer comprising:

(a) recurring polymeric long chain ester units derived from dicarboxylic acids and long chain diols, and

(b) short chain ester units derived from dicarboxylic acids and low molecular weight diols.

39. A flexible razor head according to claim 24 wherein a force of about 70-90 gms. is needed to obtain a deflection of 0.050 inches in the central region of said razor head.

40. A flexible razor head according to claim 39 wherein about 15 to 30% of said force needed to obtain said deflection is contributed by said blade.

41. A flexible razor head according to claim 24 wherein the width of said first portion is about 25-50% greater than the width of said second portion.

42. A flexible razor head according to claim 24 wherein the width of said first portion is about 30-40% greater than the width of said second portion.

43. A flexible razor head according to claim 24 wherein said razor head further comprises a shaving aid.

44. A flexible razor head according to claim 24 wherein said cap, seat and securing means are a single continuous element.

45. A flexible razor head comprising:

a cap having a plurality of open areas;

at least one blade;

a seat comprising at least one corrugation having a sidewall with a first portion of a first width and a second portion with a second width different from said first width;

means for securing said cap, blade and seat such that each corrugation is aligned with an open area of said seat.

46. A flexible razor head according to claim 45 wherein said cap, seat and securing means are a single, continuous element.

47. A flexible razor head according to claim 45 comprising a shaving aid.