Razor With Adjustable Blade Cartridge

Abstract

The specific disclosure provides a safety razor system comprising a cartridge having at least one single cutting edge blade and a guard member having a transverse blade guard surface, and a holder including means for releasably engaging the cartridge. The system also includes means for movably supporting the guard member on the cartridge, and means movably connected to the holder and releasably interlocked with the guard member for moving the guard member to position the guard surface with respect to the cutting edge of the blade. The system further includes manually operable means on the holder for selectively positioning the moving means with respect to the holder.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to safety razors of the type having at least one blade permanently bonded in a disposable and replaceable cartridge.

It is known to permanently bond a blade in a disposable and replaceable cartridge. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,864,995 and 3,388,831 each disclose a razor system having a blade permanently bonded in a disposable and replaceable cartridge. The former patent discloses a double cutting edge blade bonded in a plastic cartridge, and the latter patent provides a single cutting edge blade bonded in a plastic cartridge. Typically, a safety razor has a guard surface situated downwardly and outwardly from the cutting edge of a blade and parallel to the cutting edge. The guard surface may be of the comb variety such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,864,995, or may be formed by an outer surface of an elongated guard bar such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,831. The cartridges disclosed in the foregoing patents have factory-set shave angles which are defined by the relationship between a blade cutting edge and a guard surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a safety razor system wherein the shave angle is adjustable to meet a need or a preference of a user.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a safety razor system comprising a cartridge having at least one single cutting edge blade and a guard member having a transverse blade guard surface. A holder is provided for releasably engaging a cartridge. The system also includes means for movably supporting the guard member on the cartridge, and means connected to the holder and releasably interlocked with the guard member for moving the guard member to position the guard surface with respect to the cutting edge of the at least one blade. The system further comprises manually operable means on the holder for selectively positioning the moving means with respect to the holder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the present invention showing a holder releasably engaging a blade cartridge;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with a portion of the cartridge and holder shown in cross-section;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevation view of a holder extension member having cam follower means thereon; and

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of a cam provided for engagement with the cam follower of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the figures, a holder comprises a handle 15 having a frame member 16 rigidly secured to an upper end of the handle 15. The frame member 16 has a transverse U-shaped member 18 at the upper end thereof. The U-shaped member 18 has forwardly and rearwardly directed flange portions 20, 22 for sliding engagement in a T-shaped channel 24 formed in the underside of a disposable and replaceable cartridge 10. A spring member 28 is also provided at the upper end of the holder to bias a detent into a notch (not shown) formed in the T-shaped channel 24.

A dial 30 is rigidly secured to a cam member 32 such that the cam member 32 is journaled on the frame member 16. A guard bar drive member 36 is rigidly secured to the holder at the lower end thereof by being integrally molded with the handle 15, or by being secured to the frame member 16 or to the handle 15. The drive member 36 has a cavity 38 formed in part by side walls 40, 42. A cam follower 50 extends upwardly from the lower end of the cavity 38, and is positioned in a helically formed cam groove 34 on the lower side of the cam member 32. The drive member 36 also has a bulbous portion 44 at the upper end thereof. The bulbous portion 44 is positioned in sliding engagement with a guard channel 46 formed on the underside of a movable guard bar 52.

The cartridge 10 comprises a cap member 12 and a blade seat member 14 having a blade 54 permanently bonded therebetween. The guard bar 52 is spaced from the main body of the blade seat member 14 by a plurality of ribs 53. The blade seat member 14 is formed of molded plastic, and the ribs 53 are relatively small in cross-section to permit movement of the guard bar 52 with respect to the cutting edge of the blade 54. Shaving residue from beneath the cutting edge of the blade 54 flows downwardly behind the guard bar 52 and between the ribs 53.

Manual rotation of the dial 30 moves the cam groove 34 with respect to the cam follower 50 to thus move the cam follower 50 with respect to the frame member 16 in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2. Such movement of the cam follower 50 with respect to the frame member 16 acts to impart corresponding movement to the bulbous portion 44 which, in turn, moves the guard bar 52 with respect to the cutting edge of the blade 54. Thus, a user is provided with a system in which the shave angle of the cartridge is adjustable to meet a desired preference or need.

The cartridge 10 is positioned on the holder by sliding the U-shaped member 18 into the T-shaped channel 24 formed in the underside of the cartridge 10. As the U-shaped member 18 is moved transversely in the T-shaped channel 24, the bulbous portion 44 enters the guard channel 46. The guard channel 46 can be flared or funneled at one or both ends thereof to guide the bulbous portion 44 therein. A stop element 26 is provided in the U-shaped member 18 to ensure proper orientation of the holder with respect to the cartridge 10 when dispensing cartridges from a dispenser such as that provided with the commercially available Schick Super II Cartridge Shaving System manufactured by Schick Safety Razor Company, Milford, Connecticut. After the cartridge 10 is positioned on the holder, the user rotates the dial 30 to adjust the drive member with respect to the frame member 16. Such movement of the drive member 36 with respect to the frame member 16 acts to adjust the guard bar 52 with respect to the cutting edge of the blade 54 to vary the shave angle of the cartridge 10. Suitable indications of guard bar or shave angle settings can be provided on the rear surface of the frame member 16 in the vicinity of the dial 30.

As used herein, the front or forward end of the cartridge and/or the holder is that end having the guard bar. Thus, transverse is used herein to identify a side-to-side direction that is at least substantially parallel to the guard bar.

Claims

I claim:

1. In a safety razor system comprising a cartridge including at least one single cutting edge blade bonded thereto and a guard member having a transverse blade guard surface, and a holder adapted to releasably engage said cartridge, the combination comprising:

means for movably supporting said guard member on said cartridge,

means including an upwardly extending member having a lower end connected to said holder, and an upper end releasably interlocked with said guard member when said cartridge is engaged by said holder for moving said guard member to position said guard surface with respect to the cutting edge of said at least one blade, said upper end being released from said guard member when said cartridge is disengaged from said holder, and

manually operable cam means on said holder for selectively positioning said upwardly extending member with respect to said holder.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said guard member comprises a transverse channel on an underside thereof, and wherein an upper end of said upwardly extending member is releasably interlocked in said transverse channel.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said cam means comprises a cam on said holder and a cam follower on said upwardly extending member.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said cam comprises a helically formed groove, and wherein said cam follower is positioned in said groove.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said upwardly extending member is pivotally connected at said lower end to said holder.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said upwardly extending member is formed of flexible plastic.