GB2250942A - Improvements in or relating to razors - Google Patents

Abstract

A compact folding razor where the shaving head 30, when not required, may be folded into a container which may also be used to store associated items. The main part of the container comprises a rear wall 11, side walls 13 and a bottom wall 12. Hingedly connected to the main part of the container are an upper wall 16 carrying the shaving head 30 and a two-part front wall 18, 19. Catches 23 on the front wall engage in apertures 29 on the rear wall when the razor is folded to the open position, and when the front wall 18, 19 is folded back across the main container part, the shaving head 30 becomes enclosed within the container. Toilet articles such as shaving gel or foldaway tooth brush may be carried in the container. <IMAGE>

Description

"Improvements in or relating to Razors" The invention relates to razors of the kind used for wet shaving, and provides a compact folding razor where the shaving head, when not required, may be folded into a container which may also be used to store associated items.

According to the invention there is provided a razor comprising a container having a closure member which is displaceable to an open position where it allows access to the interior of the container, and a shaving head, incorporating or adapted to receive a razor blade, which is disposed substantially within the container when it is closed but is adapted to be revealed and accessible for use when the container is opened, the container then, in use, forming a handle for the shaving head.

Preferably the shaving head is mounted on a part of the closure member which faces into the container when it is closed and faces outwardly of the container when it is open.

The closure member may be hingedly connected to a main body part of the container. For example the closure member and main body part may be integrally formed with one another and connected . by a line of weakness defining the hinge connection. They may comprise parts of a single plastics moulding.

The container may comprise two spaced main walls connected by a peripheral wall, the closure member comprising substantially one main wall and a movable portion of the peripheral wall, and the main part of the container comprising the other main wall and the remainder of the peripheral wall. In this case the shaving head may be mounted on the internal surface of said movable portion of the peripheral wall.

In any of the above arrangements releasable detent means are preferably provided to retain the closure member in the open position and/or in the closed position. Each said releasable detent means may comprise at least one catch element on the closure member which is engageable with the main part of the container.

The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an external view of a closed razor/container, Figure 2 is a vertical section through the closed razor/container, Figure 3 shows the razor/container open for use, Figure 4 is a vertical section through the open razor/container, Figure 5 is an outside plan view of the razor casing, shown flattened out, Figure 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of Figure 5, Figure 7 is an inside plan view of the razor casing, shown flattened out, the shaving head being omitted, Figure 8 is an external view from the left of Figure 7, Figure 9 is a section along the line 9-9 of Figure 7, and Figure 10 is a section along the line 10-10 of Figure 7.

Referring first to Figures 5-10, the casing is a one piece plastics moulding and may, for example, be injection moulded from polyproplyene or the like.

The main part 10 of the casing comprises a rear wall 11 bounded on three sides by a bottom wall 12 and side walls 13. Parts of the outer surfaces of the side walls 13 are formed with corrugations, as indicated at 14, to improve grip on the casing when in use.

The remainder of the casing comprises a closure member 15 which consists of an upper wall 16 and a front wall 17 formed in two parts 18 and 19.

The upper wall 16 of the closure member is hingedly connected to the upper edge of the rear wall 11 by an integral thinner weakened strip 20, and a similar hinge strip 21 connects the upper wall 16 to the front wall 17 of the closure member.

The two parts 18 and 19 of the closure member 17 are also connected by a thinner hinge strip 22 and, adjacent the strip 22, the portion 19 is integrally formed, at either side thereof, with projecting catch members 23 having inwardly facing flanges 24 (see Figure 9).

The free edge of the portion 19 of the closure member is formed with an upturned, hook-shaped flange 25 which, when the casing is closed, engages with a corresponding hook-shaped flange 26 on the extremity of the bottom wall 12 of the main part of the casing.

The internal surface of the top wall 16 of the casing is integrally formed with two pairs of parallel L-sectioned flanges 27 adapted to engage and retain a shaving head in a manner to be described. A retaining boss 28 is integrally moulded on the inner face of the upper wall 16 also, to locate the shaving head.

The rear wall 11 of the main part of the casing is formed with rectangular apertures 29 with which the catches 23 cooperate, in a manner to be described.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, these show the container in the closed configuration. In this position the main wall 17 of the closure member extends across and parallel to the rear wall 11 of the casing so that the front and rear walls 17, 11, the side walls 13, the bottom wall 12 and upper wall 16 form an enclosure.

The hook-shaped flange 25 on the extremity of the closure member 17 engages with the corresponding flange 26 on the bottom wall 12 to retain the container in the closed condition.

As may be seen from Figure 2, a shaving head 30 is mounted on the flanges 27 on the upper wall 16.

The inwardly facing surfaces of the rear wall 11 and closure member 17 are formed with elongate recesses 31 and 32 respectively to accommodate the front and rear extremities of the shaving head 30.

The shaving head has a razor blade 34 mounted therein (see Figure 3). The razor blade may be permanently secured within the shaving head, being disposable with the head, or it may be detachable from the shaving head so that it may be replaced with a fresh blade when required.

When the container is closed as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the shaving head 30 is protected and the container also provides a suitable enclosure or holder for any relevant item, for example any of the following items: Aftershave in a sachet Soap-gel shaving and/or washing type Soap in a sachet Foldaway comb Condoms Flannel/face cloth Foldaway toothbrush Deodorised wipe ("Wet one" type) Any small personalised item which will fit in A mirror 33 may be mounted on the internal surface of the rear wall 11 of the casing, as shown in Figure 3.

When it is required to use the razor, the container is opened by snapping apart the hooked flanges 25 and 26, folding the smaller part 19 of the closure member back against the larger part 18 and then folding the whole closure part 17 to the rear of the main casing part, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. In this position the catches 23 can snap through the apertures 29 in the rear wall 11 of the casing so as to retain the closure member in the position shown in Figures 3 and 4 in which the shaving head 30 is exposed for use. The device may then be used as a razor to carry out a wet shave, the main body of the casing providing the handle for the shaving head.

When shaving has been completed the shaving head may be cleaned and may, for example, be detached from the flanges 27 for this purpose. The device may then be returned to the closed position shown in Figures 1 and 2, for subsequent use. Alternatively, the device may be a disposable item intended only for one use, being discarded after use.

The combined razor/container is particularly suitable for supply in hotels, airlines or in dispensing/vending markets, and advertising or similar printed matter may be applied to any of the exposed surfaces of the container. The device may also form part of a compact travel kit.

Claims (1)

1. A razor comprising a container having a closure member which is displaceable to an open position where it allows access to the interior of the container, and a shaving head, incorporating or adapted to receive a razor blade, which is disposed substantially within the container when it is closed but is adapted to be revealed and accessible for use when the container is opened, the container then, in use, forming a handle for the shaving head.

2. A razor according to Claim 1, wherein the shaving head is mounted on a part of the closure member which faces into the container when it is closed and faces outwardly of the container when it is open.

3. A razor according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the closure member is hingedly connected to a main body part of the container.

4. A razor according to Claim 3, wherein the closure member and main body part are integrally formed with one another and connected by a line of weakness defining the hinge connection.

5. A razor according to Claim 4, wherein the closure member and main body part comprise parts of a single plastics moulding.

6. A razor according to any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the container comprises two spaced main walls connected by a peripheral wall, the closure member comprising substantially one main wall and a movable portion of the peripheral wall, and the main part of the container comprising the other main wall and the remainder of the peripheral wall.

7. A razor according to any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein releasable detent means are provided to retain the closure member in the open position and/or in the closed position.

9. A razor according to Claim 8, wherein said releasable detent means comprise at least one catch element on the closure member which is engageable with the main part of the container.

10. A razor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.