Razor handle with a rotatable portion

• US 8,978,258 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Gillette Company LLC (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Patel, Ashok Bakul, Keeling, Emma, Murgida, Matthew Frank, Johnson, Robert Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): PRONE, JASON D
• Application Number:
  US13/439,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20120255185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 30 47- 51, 30526-533
• US Class Current: 30/527
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/4093 Testing of shaving razors or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/52 Handles, e.g. tiltable, flexible handles and attaching handles in general B25G
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/521 Connection details, e.g. connection to razor heads

Abstract

A razor includes a cartridge having a blade, the cartridge configured to rotate about a first axis, and a handle coupled to the cartridge. The handle includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a rotatable portion coupled to the second end such that the rotatable portion is configured to rotate relative to the first end and about a second axis. The rotatable portion includes a base and a retention system. The retention system is configured to apply a resistance torque upon the rotatable portion when the rotatable portion is rotated from an at rest position.

Claims

1. A razor comprising:

a cartridge comprising a blade; and

a handle coupled to the cartridge by a blade cartridge connecting assembly such that the cartridge is configured to rotate about a first axis substantially parallel to the blade, the handle comprising;

a first end;

a second end opposite the first end; and

a rotatable portion coupled to the second end such that the rotatable portion is configured to rotate relative to the first end and about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the blade and the first axis, wherein the rotatable portion comprises a base and a retention system, the retention system with the second end is configured to apply a resistance torque upon the rotatable portion when the rotatable portion is rotated from an at rest position,

wherein a portion of the rotatable portion between the first axis and the second axis defines a cartridge moment arm and the retention system has a static stiffness as determined by a Static Stiffness Method such that a ratio of the static stiffness to the moment arm is about 0.05 N/degree to about 1.2 N/degree.

2. The razor of claim 1, wherein the retention system comprises:

a cantilever tail extending from the base, a distal end of the cantilever tail retained by the second end of the handle, wherein the cantilever tail generates said torque upon rotation of the rotatable portion about the second axis.

3. The razor of claim 2, wherein the second end defines at least one aperture therethrough and wherein the base comprises at least one projection extending therefrom, the at least one aperture of the second end configured to receive the at least one projection of the base.

4. The razor of claim 2, wherein the second end further comprises a pair of walls retaining the distal end of the cantilever tail.

5. The razor of claim 4, wherein the pair of walls comprises a first wall and a second wall that are offset such that the first wall and the second wall are substantially parallel and non-coplanar.

6. The razor of claim 5, wherein the second end further comprises a cradle, wherein the cradle, the first wall, and the second wall are integrally formed.

7. The razor of claim 1, wherein the cartridge moment arm has a length dimension from about 13 mm to about 15 mm.

8. The razor of claim 1, wherein the ratio is about 0.085 N/degree.

9. A razor comprising:

a cartridge comprising a blade; and

a handle coupled to the cartridge by a blade cartridge connecting assembly such that the cartridge is configured to rotate about a first axis substantially parallel to the blade, the handle comprising;

a first end;

a second end opposite the first end; and

a rotatable portion coupled to the second end such that the rotatable portion is configured to rotate relative to the first end and about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the blade and the first axis, wherein the rotatable portion comprises a base and a retention system and wherein the retention system with the second end is configured to apply a resistance torque upon the rotatable portion when the rotatable portion is rotated from an at rest position,

wherein a portion of the rotatable portion between the first axis and the second axis defines a cartridge moment arm and the rotatable portion has a damping value as determined by a Pendulum Test Method such that a ratio of the damping value to the moment arm is about 0.0005 N*sec/degree to about 0.02 N*sec/degree and the retention system has a static stiffness as determined by a Static Stiffness Method such that a ratio of the static stiffness to the moment arm is about 0.05 N/degree to about 1.2 N/degree.

10. The razor of claim 9, wherein the ratio of the static stiffness to the moment arm is about 0.085 N/degree.

11. The razor of claim 9, wherein a ratio of an inertia of the rotatable portion to the moment arm is about 0.013 kg-mm to about 0.067 kg-mm.

12. The razor of claim 9, wherein the retention system comprises:

a cantilever tail extending from the base, a distal end of the cantilever tail retained by the second end of the handle, wherein the cantilever tail generates said torque upon rotation of the rotatable portion about the second axis.

13. The razor of claim 12, wherein the second end defines at least one aperture therethrough and wherein the base comprises at least one projection extending therefrom, the at least one aperture of the second end configured to receive the at least one projection of the base.

14. The razor of claim 12, wherein the second end further comprises a pair of walls retaining the distal end of the cantilever tail.

15. The razor of claim 14, wherein the pair of walls comprises a first wall and a second wall that are offset such that the first wall and the second wall are substantially parallel and non-coplanar.

16. The razor of claim 15, wherein the second end further comprises a cradle, wherein the cradle, the first wall, and the second wall are integrally formed.

17. The razor of claim 9, wherein the moment arm has a length dimension from about 13 mm to about 15 mm.

18. A razor comprising:

a cartridge comprising a blade; and

a handle coupled to the cartridge by a blade cartridge connecting assembly such that the cartridge is configured to rotate about a first axis substantially parallel to the blade, the handle comprising;

a first end;

a second end opposite the first end; and

a rotatable portion coupled to the second end such that the rotatable portion is configured to rotate relative to the first end and about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the blade and the first axis, wherein the rotatable portion comprises a base and a retention system and wherein the retention system with the second end is configured to apply a resistance torque upon the rotatable portion when the rotatable portion is rotated from an at rest position,

wherein a portion of the rotatable portion between the first axis and the second axis defines a cartridge moment arm and the retention system has a static stiffness as determined by a Static Stiffness Method such that a ratio of the static stiffness to the moment arm is about 0.05 N/degree to about 1.2 N/degree and a ratio of an inertia of the rotatable portion to the moment arm is about 0.013 kg-mm to about 0.067 kg-mm.