EP0707526B1

EP0707526B1 - Razor head

Info

Publication number: EP0707526B1
Application number: EP95919408A
Authority: EP
Inventors: David Coffin
Original assignee: Wilkinson Sword GmbH
Current assignee: Wilkinson Sword GmbH
Priority date: 1994-05-06
Filing date: 1995-05-05
Publication date: 2001-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 2015-05-05
Also published as: DE69524033D1; CA2165084A1; CN1128511A; DE69524033T2; MX9600128A; ZA953641B; ATE209085T1; DE9407540U1; KR960703366A; WO1995030517A1; AU2525795A; JPH08512231A; IL113557A0; BR9506206A; EP0707526A1; AU695282B2

Abstract

The invention concerns a razor head for the pivotable holding of a razor blade unit in a shell-like support (48, 48'), which is arranged on the free ends of two movable arms (44, 51) arranged opposite to each other of a fork support for the razor blade unit and with complementary curved shaped surfaces on the under side of the razor blade unit on which they are correspondingly pivotable, whereby a spring biassed plunger (23) is guided between the two arms (44, 51) to retain the separating movement in the stop position during fixing of the razor blade unit.

Description

The invention concerns a razor head for the pivotable holding of a razor blade unit in a shell-like support, which is arranged on the free ends of two movable arms arranged opposite to each other of a fork support for the razor blade unit and with complementary curved shaped surfaces on the under side of the razor blade unit on which they are correspondingly pivotable, whereby a spring biassed plunger is guided between the two arms to retain the separating movement in the stop position during fixing of the razor blade unit.

During use of wet razors either a single or double razor blades are permanently embedded in a plastic housing, which can be fixed to the handle by means of a holding means. Such razor blade units on the one hand and the mechanism fixed to the handle for the attachment, holding and release of the razor blades from the handle represent the razor head. That which is being considered presently is to provide a holding means which enables the pivoting of the razor blade unit during the shave, so that the razor blade unit can follow the contours of the surface being shaved in an optimal shaving position.

In US patent 3935639 a safety razor is known, in which the required pivotability of the razor blade unit on the handle is ensured by means of holding means of the razor blade unit to the handle described as a shell support. The shell support is formed by shell shaped support segments on the handle which work together with corresponding segments formed as part cylinders on the razor blade unit and permit pivoting of the razor blade unit on the transverse axis of the handle (an axis parallel to the cutting edges of the razor blades). By means of a leaf spring arranged between the handle and the razor blade unit the returning force in the direction of the rest position of the pivoting movement of the razor blade unit is provided from above and from below. The pivoting movement is altogether limited by this device to a range between 20 and 90 degrees. A similar shell support is disdosed in US patent 3938247.

An improved pivoting movement in response to the forces during shaving is achieved by a shell support of a razor head is known and described in European patent application number 0291 030 A1. In this, the shell support for the razor blade unit is formed on the free ends of two oppositely arranged moving arms comprising a fork holding means on the handle of the razor and works with complementary curve shaped surfaces on the under side of the razor blade unit to permit the respective pivoting together. A spring biassed plunger is arranged in the handle between the two arms which maintains the razor blade unit in the rest position. The front end of the plunger works together with a roof shaped cam on the razor blade unit to return the pivoting movement to the rest position. Recessed catches are formed in the part of the shell regions of the shell supports of the arms themselves, in which projections of the razor blade unit engage to ensure correct positioning on the handle and to limit the pivoting movement.

In US 4 492 025 and US 5 157 835 similar razor handle assemblies are described. US-A-5 157 835 is regarded as the closest prior art. Both assemblies comprise a substantially flat planar body member with a head member mounted at one end thereof. An opening is formed in the head member having a pair of bearing members disposed adjacent the opening, the bearing members being movable toward and away from each other and adapted to receive a razor blade assembly and permit pivotal movement of the razor blade assembly on the handle assembly. Two buttons are arranged in the razor handle being movable inwardly into the housing thereby causing the bearing members to move toward each other to release a razor blade assembly retained on the bearing member. Moreover, a spring driven plunger is arranged between the two bearing members which works together with detents to lock the assembled razor blade unit.

Also in US 4 514 904 a razor handle for a removable pivoting razor blade assembly is described. The herein described razor blade assembly includes cam means for receiving a biasing force and journal bearing means. The razor handle includes movable members having attached journals, which are slidably movable toward and away from each other to permit engagement of the journal bearing means of the razor blade assembly with the journals of the razor handle. The razor handle also includes cam follower means.

Thereby lies the objective of the invention, to provide a simple shell support for a razor head of a wet razor with a constructive and improved holding and release mechanism which is suitable to manufacture to engage, retain and release a razor blade unit.

The invention thereby resolves the problems of the prior art razor heads mentioned above by a razor head according to claim 1.

Preferred embodiments are defined by the dependent claims.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the housing comprises, on its front side an opening for the plunger to pass through, two openings on each side lying opposite each other for the operating buttons of the arms to pass through and stop projections for a base plate, which carries the arms with the shell support segments and the retaining mechanism and the spring biassed plunger as a pre- assembled component. Thereby it is proposed that the base plate is provided with two transverse flanges on each side for the articulation of the arms as well as a retaining socket for the leaf spring type retaining element, as well as side walls in the longitudinal direction in which are provided corresponding recesses for the fingers of the retaining mechanism as well as a transverse recess for the spiral spring and whereby a transverse connector of the side walls carries a stop support for the plunger spring. In addition a elongate guide for the plunger can be advantageously arranged from oppositely arranged guide grooves, in which the guide strips on each side of the plunger engage. By this means a pre-assembled component is provided as a complete module in which the whole support of the razor head for the razor blade unit is provided. This component enables itself to be positioned and locked into the housing from above in a single operation in a final simple technical way.

Further embodiments, features and advantages of the subject of the invention are represented in the following description and related drawings of a preferred embodiment of the razor head according to the invention.

Fig. 1: a plan view of a handle of a razor with an open housing of the razor head,
Fig. 2: a side view of the handle with the razor head of fig. 1,
Fig. 3: a rear view of the handle with the razor head of fig. 1,
Fig. 4: a base plate (chassis) in plan view to show all the elements of the razor head;
Fig. 5: the chassis in a side view,
Fig. 6: the chassis, in half, in a rear view,
Fig. 7: a plunger in plan view, side view and rear view,
Fig. 8: the link arms of the fork holding mechanism with support shells in outside view, plan view and inside view,
Fig. 9: the right arm of the fork holding mechanism in corresponding views,
Fig. 10: a construction of the fork holding mechanism with retaining mechanism in perspective, which does not fall under the scope of the claims,
Fig. 11: a construction of the fork holding mechanism with the retaining mechanism in perspective, which does not fall under the scope of the claims and
Fig. 12: a leaf spring type retaining element in a view from below, a side view and a plan view.

A wet razor comprises fundamentally a handle and a razor blade unit fixed thereto. The razor blade unit is not shown in the drawings. It can be acquired from the known state of the art and need only be provided with a shell support which acts together with the handle as described further hereunder.

Fig. 1 of the drawings shows a handle 1 with a housing 2 formed thereon of a razor head, in which the housing cover in the drawings has been removed, so that the internal construction can be seen. Thus the housing is shown in rectangular form comprising a base plate 3,

side walls

4, 5 and an upper opening 6 on the front side, through which the hdding means, which hold the razor blade unit in the complete assembled state, freely extend outwards. Two rectangular projections 7, 8 and a cylindrical holding projection 9 are formed in one piece and provided in a three corner formation, on the base plate, and forming the chassis as shown in Fig. 4.

The front sided opening 6 is sub divided into a central part-circular shaped section forming housing opening 10 for the plunger shown in fig. 7 to pass through, as well as

opening regions

11, 12 to allow the passing through of the two arms of the fork holding means with the shell supports for the razor blade units (not shown). Further in the housing two

side openings

13, 14 are provided lying opposite to each other, through which the operating buttons of the arms project in the assembled state and which the user of the razor can press to release or attach the razor blade unit.

It can additionally be seen from Fig. 2 of the drawings, that the housing of the razor head is formed with a curved shape in order to hold the razor blade unit in a favourable position.

The base plate or chassis 15 shown in fig. 4 of the drawings comprises an essentially rectangular body with two

flanges

16, 17 arranged opposite each other on each side and

side walls

18, 19, which form a space 22 to receive the spring biassed plunger shown in figure 7 of the drawings. To this end the

sides walls

18, 19 are provided with

inward guide grooves

20, 22 in which guide strips 24, 25 which extend longitudinally on each side of the plunger 23 are guidable.

Further positioning openings

26, 27, spaced from each other and co axial

transverse recesses

28, 29 are formed in the

side walls

18, 19 of the chassis 15, in which further parts of the shell support, described below, are arranged and guided. Finally the two

side walls

18, 19 are connected together by means of half height transverse connector 30, on which is formed a stop support 31 for a screw spring of the plunger 23 (not shown).

The two

flanges

16, 17

holes

32, 33 are recessed to form a rotatably movable linkage of the arms of the shell support shown in figures 8 and 9 with the

pins

34, 35 discernable therefrom. In addition the chassis 15 carries a holding socket 36 for the leaf spring type retaining element 37 shown in figure 12.

The plunger 23 shown in figure 7 comprises a rectangular cross section plunger button 38, which acts together with the cam surface of the razor blade unit, not shown. The plunger button 38 forms into a cylindrical connecting piece 39 which forms into a rectangular hollow cross section body 40, on each side of which the two guide strips 24, 25 are formed. A screw spring is arranged in the inside of the hollow body 40 spaced between the lower stop support 31 of the chassis 15 and the upper stop support 41 of the plunger. In order to attach a razor blade unit in the shell support the plunger is moved downwards against the action of the screw spring, the two

cams

42, 43 release the retention of the arms of the shell supports, which will be described in more detail below, in connection with the leaf spring type retaining element 37, which is shown in fig. 12.

Fig. 8 shows, in several views, the link arm 44 of a shell support, with pins 34 formed at its lower end being pivotally positioned in the holes 32 of the flanges 16 of the chassis 15 in the assembled state. In approximately the middle region the arm 44 comprises an operating button 45, which extends out of the housing through the side opening 13 and which allows the user to pivot the arm 44 inwardly. The arm 44 The arm 44 projects out of the housing by means of the opening region 11, so that the shell formed support segments 46 formed on its free ends can form a shell support for coupling with the razor blade unit. The support surface 47 of the support segment 46 is a completely even surface without recesses or projections and comprises a part circular shaped ring extension extending outwards, which engages behind a corresponding hook shaped projection on the razor blade unit which grips and holds the razor blade unit in the shaving position. The pivotability of the razor blade unit in the shell support is thereby guaranteed.

At approximately the height of the operating knob 45, an inwardly projecting finger 49 is formed on the arm 44, at an angle slightly greater than a right angle and sloping slightly upwards, due to the pivoting movement of the arms 8. In the region of its free end there is a elongate groove 50, which is a retaining mechanism to retain the two arms of the shell support in the required pivoting distance with respect to each other. To this end the right arm 51 of the shell support shown in Fig. 9 is an identical mirror image of the arm 44 already described and comprises an inwardly extending finger 52 with an elongate groove 53. In the retained position the two

elongate grooves

50 and 53 are arranged coaxially with respect to each other and engage, by means of their inherent tension, a corresponding elongate projection 54 of the leaf spring type retaining element 37 retaining the arms 37.

The leaf spring type retaining element 37 is fixed to the holding socket 36 of the chassis 15 by means of a fixing means 55, for example by means of adhesive, and extends in the region between the two

side walls

18, 19 of the chassis 15 underneath the

transverse recess

28, 29 in which in the assembled state a transverse screw spring is arranged between the

arms

44 and 51 and the

stop extensions

56 and 57. The bent region 58, corresponding to this region 38, of the retaining element 37 which locks comprises an essentially "T" - shaped projection, which includes on the one hand an elongate projection 54 and on the other hand a transverse projection 59. The elongate projection 54 acts, as has already been described, with the

elongate groves

50, 53 to retain them together, whereas the transverse projection 59 acts immediately on the retention of the

plunger cams

42, 43 if the plunger 23 is contacted during attachment of a razor blade unit. Under the action of the transverse running screw spring between the

arms

44 and 51, these

arms

44 and 51 are moved outwards, such that the ring extensions 46, 48' of the support segments 46, 46' of the arms engage under the corresponding holding means of the razor blade unit and so fix it to the razor head.

Fig. 10 and fig, 11 show possible constructions of a retaining mechanism, in which, during retention, the plunger acts directly on a flexible finger, correspondingly acting on a pivoted finger in Fig. 11, and in which the fingers are provided with retaining

lugs

60, 61 in the front region.

To attach a razor blade unit the user of the razor head operates the two side operating buttons 45, 45' of the

arms

44, 51 of the razor head and pivots them inwardly about the link pins 34, 35 against the action on the screw spring, not shown, which is arranged between the

stop extensions

56 and 57. By this action the

fingers

49, 52 are rotated towards each other in the space between the

side walls

18, 19 of the chassis 15 until their

elongate grooves

50, 53 are aligned with each other. The retention of the arms then takes place, due to the elongate projection 54 of the leaf spring type retaining element 37 under tension engaging in the two

elongate grooves

50, 53 and the retention is effected. The support segments 46, 46' of the shell support are now positioned in the region of the plunger 23 and ready for the attachment of a razor blade unit. The

arms

44, 51 move automatically back to their outward lying starting position when the plunger 23 is pressed. This follows when the corresponding camming surfaces of the razor blade unit cooperate with the razor head. The plunger 23 is pressed downwards against the action of a screw spring by means of its guide strips 24, 25 engaging in the

guide grooves

20, 21 of the chassis and provides a retention with its

cams

42, 43 through raising of the transverse projection 59 of the retaining element 37, so that the spring force of the screw spring between the

arms

44 and 51 moves these back outwards. Then by means of the ring extensions 48, 48' under the corresponding hooks of the razor blade unit the razor blade unit is attached to the razor head. The pivotability of the razor blade unit in the support segment 46, 46' is thereby provided once again.

To remove the razor blade unit it is again only necessary that the user presses the operating buttons 45, 45' and therewith pivoting the arms inwardly, so that the shell support on the one hand releases the used razor blade unit and on the other hand is ready for use with the next unused razor blade unit.

Reference List

1.: Handle
2.: Housing
3.: Base plate
4.: Side wall
5.: Side wall
6.: Front end opening
7.: Holding projection
8.: Holding projection
9.: Holding projection
10.: Housing opening
11.: Opening area
12.: Opening area
13.: Side opening
14.: Side opening
15.: Chassis
16.: Flange
17.: Flange
18.: Side wall
19.: Side wall
20.: Guide groove
21.: Guide groove
22.: Space
23.: Plunger
24.: Guide strip
25.: Guide strip
26.: Opening
27.: Opening
28.: Transverse recess
29.: Transverse recess
30.: Transverse connector
31.: Stop support
32.: Hole
33.: Hole
34.: Pin
35.: Pin
36.: Socket
37.: Retaining element
38.: Plunger head
39.: Connecting piece
40.: Hollow body
41.: Stop support
42.: Cam
43.: Cam
44.: Arm
45.: Operating button
45'.: Operating button
46.: Support segment
46'.: Support segment
47.: Support surface
47'.: Support surface
48.: Ring extension
48'.: Ring extension
49.: Finger
50.: Elongate groove
51.: Arm
52.: Finger
53.: Elongate groove
54.: Elongate projection
55.: Fixing means
56.: Stop extension
57.: Stop extension
58.: Bent region
59.: Transverse projection
60.: Retaining lug
61.: Retaining lug.

Claims

A razor head of a wet razor for pivotally holding a razor blade unit in a shell support, which is arranged on the free ends of two arms (44, 51) movable with respect to each other of a fork holding mechanism for the razor blade unit and with complimentary curved shaped surfaces on the under side of the razor blade unit on which they are correspondingly pivotable,

whereby a spring biased plunger (23) is guided between the two arms to release the outward movement of the arms in the holding position during attachment of the razor blade unit,

and the two arms (44, 51) are arranged in an essentially rectangular shaped housing (2) of a handle (1), with the two arms being movable with respect to each other against the action of a spring means,

the razor head further comprises corresponding retaining elements (50, 53, 54) of a retaining mechanism, and by means of the movable plunger (23) under the action of the razor blade unit during its attachment the razor blade unit is fixed to the shell supports (46, 46')

characterised in that

the two arms (44, 51) are arranged parallel to each other, and that the corresponding retaining elements comprise fingers (49, 52) and a leaf spring shaped retaining element (37), with the fingers being attached to the arms (44, 51) and arranged towards one another and spaced from each other, whereby the corresponding retaining elements (50, 53, 54) engage each other in the locked position during preparation for attachement of a razor blade unit and are releasable by means of the action of the plunger under action of the blade unit during attachement (23) either directly or indirectly,

with an elongate groove (50, 53) being formed in each of the fingers as a retaining mechanism, and arranged above the elongate groove (50,53) of the finger the leaf spring shaped retaining element (37) is provided with an elongate projection (54) corresponding to the elongate groove (54), which under bias and at that moment engages grooves (50, 53) of the fingers, when they are in the coaxial position with respect to each other (the rest position).
A razor head according to claim 1, characterised in that the retaining projection (54) of the flat-shaped retaining element (37) continues in a cross projection (59) next to the plunger (23), acting together to retain with the cams (42,43) provided on the plunger.
A razor head according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the arms (44, 51) of the fork holding mechanism are fixed links (34, 35) which are movable with respect to the housing against the force of a spring arranged between them, or that the arms are parts of a "U" shaped single piece plastic moulded part which are movable with respect to each other.
A razor head according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a screw spring is provided as the spring means between the two arms (44, 51).
A razor head according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the housing (2) comprises on its front side an opening (10) for the plunger (23) to pass through, two openings (13, 14) on each side lying opposite each other for the operating buttons (45, 45') of the arms 44, 51) to pass through and stop projections (7, 8, 9) for a base plate (15), which carries the arms (44, 51) with the shell support segments (46, 46') and the retaining mechanism and the spring biased plunger (23) as a pre-assembled component.
A razor head according to claim 5, characterised in that the base plate (15) is provided with two transverse flanges (16, 17) on each side for the articulation of the arms (44, 51) as well as a retaining socket in the middle for the leaf spring type retaining element (37) as well as side walls (18, 19) in the longitudinal direction, in which are provided corresponding recesses (26, 27) for the fingers (49, 52) of the retaining mechanism as well as a transverse recess (28, 29) for the spiral spring, and whereby a transverse connector (30) of the side walls (18, 19) carries a stop support (31) for the plunger spring.
A razor head according to claim 6, characterised in that an elongate guide for the plunger (23) is arranged on the side walls (18, 19) from oppositely arranged guide grooves (20, 21), in which the guide strips (24, 25) on each side of the plunger (23) engage.