Dispenser For Shaving Units

Abstract

A razor blade dispenser adapted to contain a plurality of razor blades comprising a housing for the razor blades, an opening in the housing through which a razor blade can be withdrawn, resilient means for urging the razor blades in the direction of the opening and means for preventing the razor blades moving in the opposite direction.

Parent Case Text

This invention is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 5861, filed Jan. 26, 1970, now abandoned.

Description

This invention relates to dispensers for shaving units.

More particularly the present invention relates to a dispenser for a plurality of razor blade shaving units and consisting of a substantially rigid member to which a razor blade is secured in a permanent manner with the rigid member having a guard surface located at a pre-set spacing from the cutting edge of the blade. Shaving units of this general type are illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,831 corresponding to British Patent Specification 1,160,542.

According to the present invention there is provided a razor blade dispenser adapted to contain a plurality of razor blades comprising a housing for said razor blades, an opening in said housing through which a razor blade can be withdrawn, resilient means for urging said razor blades in the direction of said opening and means for preventing said razor blades moving in the opposite direction.

The invention also provides a razor blade dispenser adapted to contain a plurality of razor blades which can be withdrawn sequentially through an opening in the dispenser, wherein there is a member in contact with the razor blades which is acted upon by resilient means to urge the razor blades in the direction of said opening, said member being movable only in the direction of said opening and not in the opposite direction.

One construction of dispenser in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the dispenser with a single shaving unit visible in the withdrawal position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the dispenser;

FIG. 3 is an underneath view of the dispenser with the base section removed and showing shaving units in position.

In the construction shown in the drawings the dispenser 10 is basically a rectangular hollow box which at one end has a withdrawal opening 11 which in the top surface extends for a short distance back and at the end itself extends downwards to within a short distance of the base. For convenience, and as shown, the dispenser may be formed in two parts comprising an upper housing 12 and a base 13, the sides of the base 13 and the upper housing 12 each sloping inwardly from the surface at which they are joined.

The dispenser is designed to hold a plurality of shaving units 14, for example five or ten, which in FIG. 3 are indicated diagrammatically only. In practice the shaving units 14 may take one of the forms described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,831 and corresponding British Patent Specification No. 1,160,542. The shaving units 14 are arranged in abutting relationship with the under surface of the shaving unit facing the dispensing opening 11 and with the rear edge of the shaving unit upermost. Sufficient of the shaving unit nearest the opening 11 is exposed in order that, in a similar manner to that shown in FIG. 15 of the aforesaid Patent Specification, this endmost shaving unit can be engaged between the jaws of a handle and a detent in the handle engage in an aperture in the under surface of the shaving unit 14, whereby the shaving unit may be withdrawn from the dispenser 10 by means of the handle. Whilst reference has been made to FIG. 15 of the aforesaid Patent Specification it will be understood that other forms of holder may be employed.

In order that the endmost shaving unit may always be maintained in the dispensing opening 11 as each shaving unit is withdrawn in turn, means are provided for urging the stack of shaving units towards the opening 11. In the present construction this urging means consists of a slider 15 which abuts the shaving unit 14 furthest from the outlet and has side arms 15a which bear against the sides 16 of the dispenser. The slider 15 is of a material which allows it to flex sufficiently for the purpose to be described hereafter and may be pre-formed so that the side arms 15a are sprung slightly towards one another when the slider is placed in position. Each side arm 15a is provided with a tooth 15b for engaging in one of a number of square cross-section recesses or serrations 16a provided in the inner surface of the side walls 16 of the dispenser. The face of each tooth 15b which faces towards the dispensing opening 11 is inclined to the plane in which the slider 15 lies, the other face being parallel to the plane in which the slider 15 lies. Because of this the slider can be moved by resilient means towards the dispensing outlet 11, the inclination of the forward face of each tooth 15b allowing the tooth to ride out of the recesses with consequent inward flexing of the side arms 15a. However because the rear face of the teeth 15b are substantially parallel to the sides of the recesses 16a the slider 15 cannot move backwards away from the dispensing opening 11. Thus, the teeth 15b co-operate with the recesses or serrations 16a to provide a ratchet action. Consequently, the slider will prevent any substantial rearward movement of the stack of shaving units which might result from rearward pressure applied to the stack of shaving units 14, when a holder is withdrawing the endmost shaving unit. When the endmost shaving unit is withdrawn the slider is urged by the resilient means towards the dispensing opening 11 thereby moving the stack of shaving units 14 forward until the now-endmost shaving unit engages the surround of the dispensing opening. It will be appreciated that the resilient means applying pressure to the slider 15 may take any convenient form but as illustrated comprises two coil springs 17, 18 having extended arms with hooked ends 17a, 17b, and 18a, 18b. One hooked end 17a, 18a of each spring engages against a respective step 15c provided on the rear face of the slider 15 whilst the other hooked end 17b, 18b of each spring engages behind a respective one of two tongues 19, 20 which project from the rear face of the housing 12. The arms terminating respectively in hooked ends 18b and 17a are each cranked in order to bring them to the appropriate level at their hooked end.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to dispensers for razor blades of the kind illustrated. To the contrary, the "ratchet action" of the invention can be used with dispensers for conventional razor blades in which the blades are ejected by thumb pressure.

Claims

I claim:

1. A razor blade dispenser containing a plurality of razor blade shaving units, each shaving unit consisting of a substantially rigid member to which a razor blade is secured in a permanent manner with said rigid member having a forward edge providing a guard surface located at a pre-set spacing from the cutting edge of the razor blade and a rear edge for selective engagement by a handle by which the shaving unit is held during use, said dispenser comprising

a housing for said shaving units, said housing having a withdrawal opening located at one end of said housing and extending transversely across the width of said housing, said shaving units being positioned in said housing in abutting relationship with said rear edge of an endmost one of the shaving units exposed in said withdrawal opening for engagement by a handle, said housing having serrations on opposed side walls,

a member having a yoke portion, a part at least of said yoke portion being in contact with that shaving unit furtherest from said withdrawal opening, said member further having two side arms each of which is provided with teeth which respectively engage the serrations on one of said side walls with a ratchet action, whereby said member is prevented from moving away from said withdrawal opening, and

resilient means in contact with said yoke portion for urging said member and said shaving units in the direction of said withdrawal opening.