Cartridge life indicator

• US 8,122,606 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Gillette Company LLC (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Hart, Robert Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Ashley, Boyer D
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLORES SANCHEZ, OMAR
• Application Number:
  US12/208,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20090071010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 30/417, 30/340.5, 30/50
• US Class Current: 30/41.7
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/222 with the blades moulded into, or attached to, a changeable unit B26B21/4006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/405 Electric features; Charging; Computing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/4056 Sensors or controlling means
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/4087 Usage or wear indication

Abstract

A powered wet razor has a handle and a cartridge selectively detachable from the handle. The cartridge has at least one blade with a sharp cutting edge and is characterized by an expected shaving utility. An electrical arrangement that detects and tracks utility of the razor and determines a remaining shaving utility based on the expected utility and the tracked utility. The razor includes an indicator for providing a remaining shaving utility signal to a user.

Claims

1. A powered wet razor comprising:

a handle and a cartridge selectively detachable from the handle, wherein the cartridge comprises at least one blade with a sharp cutting edge and wherein the cartridge has an expected shaving utility;

an electrical arrangement within the razor for detecting and tracking utility of the razor and determining a remaining shaving utility based on the expected utility and the tracked utility; and

an indicator configured to generate and change from a first signal to a second signal, wherein the second signal is inversely proportional to the remaining shaving utility, and to mix the first and second signals into a remaining shaving utility signal for communication to the user.

2. The razor of claim 1, wherein the first signal is proportional to the remaining shaving utility.

3. The razor of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises first and second light sources.

4. The razor of claim 1, wherein the indicator is configured to generate a third signal and to mix at least two of the first, second, and third signals into a remaining shaving utility signal for communication to the user.

5. The razor of claim 4, wherein the indicator further comprises a third light source.

6. The razor of claim 1, wherein the razor is configured with the expected shaving utility when manufactured.

7. The razor of claim 1, wherein the expected shaving utility is adjustable by the user.

8. The razor of claim 1, where in the electrical arrangement further comprises an electrical device selected from the group consisting of a motor, a vibration generator, a heat source, a pump, a radiation generator, a magnetic field generator, an electrical field generator, an electromagnetic field generator, chemical source and combinations thereof.

9. The razor of claim 1, wherein the electrical arrangement comprises an input source for detecting utility of the razor.

10. The razor of claim 9, wherein the input source is a power switch disposed on the razor.

11. The razor of claim 10, wherein resetting the tracked utility in response to the signal is by continually depressing the power switch for at least 1 second.

12. The razor of claim 1 wherein resetting the tracked utility in response to the signal is by attaching the cartridge to the connecting structure.

13. The razor of claim 1 wherein resetting the tracked utility in response to the signal is by detaching the cartridge from the connecting structure.

14. The razor of claim 1 wherein the electrical arrangement is configured to track a number of pivotal displacements from a rest position.

15. The razor of claim 1 wherein the electrical arrangement is configured to detect pivotal displacement of the cartridge from the rest position.

16. The razor of claim 1 wherein the electrical arrangement is configured to detect force acting on the razor.

17. The razor of claim 1 wherein the electrical arrangement is configured to track a number of activations of the electrical arrangement.