Safety razor having pivotable blade unit

• US 8,205,343 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2009
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Gillette Company LLC (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Winter, John Joseph, Royle, Terence Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Payer, Hwei C
• Application Number:
  US12/485,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20090313837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 30/47, 30/50, 30/57, 305/27, 305/29, 305/32, 305/33
• US Class Current: 30/527
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/40 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/521 Connection details, e.g. connection to razor heads

Abstract

A safety razor includes a handle and a blade unit having at least one blade. The blade unit is connected to the handle for a pivotal movement relative thereto. One of the handle and the blade unit has a concave portion formed on its surface. A relative movement transfer member is formed between the handle and the blade unit for transferring a relative movement between the handle and the blade unit caused by the pivotal movement. A return force generating member is formed in the concave portion for generating a return force for the blade unit in response to the relative movement transfer member. The return force generating member includes a holding structure for holding a part of the relative movement transfer member, and an elastic member connected to the holding structure for generating the return force in response to the relative movement transfer member.

Claims

1. A safety razor comprising a handle having a handle axis and a blade unit having at least one blade, the blade unit being connected to the handle for a pivotal movement relative thereto about a perpendicular pivot axis substantially perpendicular to the handle axis and the at least one blade for following the skin contours of a user during shaving, the blade unit having a rest position towards which the blade unit is biased by a return force when pivoted about the perpendicular pivot axis away from the rest position, one of the handle and the blade unit having a concave portion formed on its surface, the safety razor further comprising:

(a) a relative movement transfer member formed between the handle and the blade unit for transferring a relative movement between the handle and the blade unit caused by the pivotal movement, and

(b) a return force generating member formed in the concave portion for generating a return force for the blade unit in response to the relative movement transfer member,

wherein the return force generating member includes (i) a holding structure for holding a part of the relative movement transfer member, and (ii) an elastic member connected to the holding structure for generating the return force in response to the relative movement transfer member, wherein the relative movement transfer member has a movable axis which moves in response to the relative movement between the handle and the blade unit while being kept parallel to the perpendicular pivot axis.

2. The safety razor according to claim 1, wherein the return force generating member further includes (iii) an outer support formed in the concave portion, and wherein the holding structure and the elastic member are formed in the outer support.

3. The safety razor according to claim 2, wherein the outer support includes an outer frame formed in the concave portion for supporting the elastic member, and the elastic member includes at least one elastomeric element formed between the outer frame and the holding structure.

4. The safety razor according to claim 1, wherein the return force generating member is formed by an identical material with that employed by the handle.

5. The safety razor according to claim 1, wherein the relative movement transfer member includes a rod-like shaped member which couples the handle to the blade unit.

6. The safety razor according to claim 5, wherein the holding structure has a hole such that a part of the rod-like shaped member can be inserted.

7. The safety razor according to claim 5, wherein the holding structure has a rectangular-column-like shape such that a part of the rod-like shaped member can be inserted.

8. The safety razor according to claim 1, wherein the concave portion includes a hole formed in the one of the handle and the blade unit which penetrates its surfaces.

9. The safety razor according to claim 1, wherein the blade unit is connected to the handle for movement relative thereto about a parallel pivot axis which is substantially parallel to the at least one blade.

10. The safety razor according to claim 1, wherein the concave portion is formed on the surface of the handle.

11. The safety razor according to claim 1, wherein the blade unit includes a connecting member which connects the blade unit to the handle for the pivotal movement about the perpendicular pivot axis, and

wherein the safety razor further comprises a supporting member connected to the handle for supporting the connecting member thereby protecting the safety razor from being damaged by an excess force which can be applied by a user during shaving.