U.S. patent number RE29,571 [Application Number 05/538,239] was granted by the patent office on 1978-03-14 for dispensing system for razor blade cartridges.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Warner-Lambert Company. Invention is credited to Jan Dawidowicz, Frank A. Ferraro.
United States Patent |
RE29,571 |
Dawidowicz , et al. |
March 14, 1978 |
Dispensing system for razor blade cartridges
Abstract
The specific disclosure provides a dispensing system for razor
blade cartridges comprising a dispenser, a plurality of cartridges
in the dispenser, and a holder having a plurality of transverse
supporting surfaces on top of a frame member for sliding engagement
with surfaces extending transversely of each cartridge. The
dispenser has a used cartridge storage end comprising a transverse
opening between a used cartridge entrance port in one side wall and
a holder exit port in the other side wall. A used cartridge is
positioned in the used cartridge storage end through the used
cartridge entrance port by means of the holder. The frame member of
the holder is moved through the transverse opening to abut a side
of the used cartridge against wall surfaces forming the holder exit
port. Continued movement of the holder disengages the transverse
supporting surfaces of the holder from the used cartridge, and such
holder surfaces are removed from the storage end through the holder
exit port.
Inventors: |
Dawidowicz; Jan (Fairfield,
CT), Ferraro; Frank A. (Trumbull, CT) |
Assignee: |
Warner-Lambert Company (Morris
Plains, NJ)
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Family
ID: |
27398909 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/538,239 |
Filed: |
January 2, 1975 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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258682 |
Jun 1, 1972 |
3771223 |
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236723 |
Mar 21, 1972 |
3785051 |
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Reissue of: |
399786 |
Sep 21, 1973 |
03834018 |
Sep 10, 1974 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
30/40.2; 206/356;
206/359 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D
27/225 (20130101); B65D 83/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
83/08 (20060101); B65D 83/10 (20060101); B26B
021/24 (); A45D 027/24 () |
Field of
Search: |
;206/355-360 ;30/40,40.2
;221/66,102,279,220 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Instruction Sheet for Persona Twin Blade System, American Safety
Razor Co., a Division of Philip Morris, Inc..
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Primary Examiner: Hoffman; Drayton E.
Assistant Examiner: Scherbel; David A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Graddis; Albert H. Duggan; Jeremiah
J.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. application
Ser. No. 258,682, filed June 1, 1972, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,223
which, in turn, is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. application
Ser. No. 236,723, filed Mar. 21, 1972, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,051.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a razor blade cartridge shaving system comprising a cartridge
dispenser, a plurality of razor blade cartridges, and a holder,
each of said cartridges including slidably engageable surfaces
extending transversely thereof, and said holder including an
upwardly extending frame member and a plurality of transverse
supporting surfaces at an upper end of said frame member, said
transverse supporting surfaces being adapted for sliding engagement
with said slidably engageable surfaces; the combination comprising
said dispenser including a base wall, a top wall in opposing
relationship to said base wall, a pair of opposing side walls
interconnecting said base and top walls, a cartridge dispensing
end, means at said cartridge dispensing end for releasably
maintaining unused ones of said cartridges in said dispenser, and a
used cartridge storage end opposite said cartridge dispensing end;
said used cartridge storage end comprising a used cartridge
entrance port formed in one of said side walls, a holder exit port
formed in the other one of said side walls, said holder exit port
being dimensioned to permit passage of said transverse supporting
surfaces therethrough and to preclude removal of a used cartridge
therethrough, and a transverse opening for passage of said frame
member therethrough, said transverse opening extending between said
used cartridge entrance port and said holder exit port; whereby a
used one of said cartridges is positioned in said used cartridge
storage end through said used cartridge entrance port by means of
said holder, and said frame member is moved through said transverse
opening to remove said transverse supporting surfaces through said
holder exit port.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said transverse opening is formed
by opposing flanges extending inwardly from said base and top
walls.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein said used cartridge storage end
further comprises means for spacing said used cartridge from said
transverse opening.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein said spacing means comprises a
pair of ramp members having said transverse opening therebetween,
each of said ramp members including a ramp surface which extends
inwardly in the general direction of said cartridge dispensing end
and transversely in the general direction of said holder exit
port.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein each of said ramp members further
includes a used cartridge rest surface between the ramp surface
thereof and said holder exit port.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein said dispenser further includes
means for biasing said unused cartridges in an abutting arrangement
to said cartridge dispensing end with said slidably engageable
surfaces of one of said unused cartridges in position for
engagement.
7. In a razor blade cartridge shaving system comprising a cartridge
dispenser, a plurality of razor blade cartridges, and a cartridge
holder, each of said cartridges including at least one double edge
blade bonded therein and a plurality of underside surfaces forming
a channel transversely thereof, and said holder including an
upwardly extending frame member and a plurality of transverse
supporting surfaces on top of said frame member, said transverse
supporting surfaces being adapted for sliding engagement with said
channel surfaces; the combination comprising said dispenser
including a base wall, a top wall in opposing relationship to said
base wall, a pair of opposing side walls interconnecting said base
and top walls, a cartridge dispensing end, means at said cartridge
dispensing end for releasably maintaining unused ones of said
cartridges in said dispenser, and a used cartridge storage end
opposite said cartridge dispensing end; said used cartridge storage
end comprising a used cartridge entrance port formed in one of said
side walls, a holder exit port formed in the other one of said side
walls, said holder exit port being dimensioned to permit passage of
said transverse supporting surfaces therethrough and to preclude
removal of a used cartridge therethrough, and a transverse opening
extending between said used cartridge entrance port and said holder
exit port, said transverse opening being formed by opposing flanges
extending inwardly from said base and top walls; whereby a used one
of said cartridges is positioned in said used cartridge storage end
through said used cartridge entrance port by means of said holder,
and said frame member is moved through said transverse opening to
abut an end of the used cartridge against the side wall about said
holder exit port and to remove said transverse supporting surfaces
through said holder exit port after disengagement from said channel
surfaces on the used cartridge.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein said used cartridge storage end
further comprises means for spacing said used cartridge from said
transverse opening.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein said spacing means comprises a
pair of ramp members having said transverse opening therebetween,
each of said ramp members including a ramp surface which extends
inwardly in the general direction of said cartridge dispensing end
and transversely in the general direction of said holder exit
port.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein each of said ramp members further
includes a used cartridge rest surface between the ramp surface
thereof and said holder exit port. .Iadd. 11. In a razor blade
cartridge dispensing system comprising a cartridge dispenser, and a
plurality of razor blade cartridges, each of said cartridges
including slidably engageable surfaces extending transversely
thereof for receiving a supporting holder; the combination
comprising said dispenser including a base wall, a top wall in
opposing relationship to said base wall, a pair of opposing side
walls interconnecting said base and top walls, a cartridge
dispensing end, means at said cartridge dispensing end for
releasably maintaining unused ones of said cartridges in said
dispenser, and a used cartridge storage end opposite said cartridge
dispensing end; said used cartridge storage end comprising a used
cartridge entrance port formed in one of said side walls, a holder
exit port formed in the other one of said side walls, said holder
exit port being dimensioned to preclude removal of a used cartridge
therethrough, and a transverse opening extending between said used
cartridge entrance port and said holder exit port; whereby a used
one of said cartridges is positioned in said used cartridge storage
end through said used cartridge entrance port by means of a
supporting holder, and the holder is moved through said transverse
opening and said holder exit port..Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to safety razors of a type having at
least one blade permanently bonded in a disposable cartridge. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a dispenser and a
dispensing system which include means for storing used razor blade
cartridges.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to permanently bond a razor blade in or on a disposable
cartridge which includes a guard surface situated downwardly and
outwardly from the cutting edge of the blade. Such cartridges are
releasably attached to a handle or holder, and are replaced on the
handle when the cutting edge becomes unsuitable for use. For
example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,864,995 discloses double edge blades
bonded in plastic and metallic cartridges. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,563,802
and 2,800,713 provide single edge blades permanently secured to
plastic or metallic cartridges. U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,831 discloses
plastic cartridges with single edge blades, and also cartridge
dispensing systems. The dispensers of U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,831
include means for storing used cartridges.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a razor
blade cartridge dispenser comprising a used cartridge storage end
opposite a cartridge dispensing end. The dispenser is used in a
shaving system which comprises a plurality of razor blade
cartridges, and a holder. The holder has a plurality of transverse
surfaces at an upper end of a frame member. The transverse surfaces
are adapted for sliding engagement with transverse slidably
engageable surfaces on each cartridge. The storage end of the
dispenser includes a used cartridge entrance port formed in a side
wall of the dispenser, a holder exit port formed in another side
wall opposite the entrance port, and a transverse opening extending
between the entrance port and the holder exit port for passage of
the holder frame therethrough. The holder exit port is dimensioned
to permit passage therethrough of the transverse surfaces on the
holder, and to preclude removal of a used cartridge therethrough.
The used cartridge is positioned in the used cartridge storage end
through the used cartridge entrance port by means of the holder,
and the frame member is moved through the transverse opening to
remove the holder transverse surfaces through the holder exit
port.
The invention provides an improved cartridge storage means which
permits a user to safely dispose of used cartridges without
handling them.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a cartridge and a cartridge
holder;
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the cartridge of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a dispenser embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the dispenser taken along lines
4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a movable wall for the
dispenser with a portion broken away;
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of another movable wall of the
dispenser;
FIG. 7 is another perspective view of the dispenser showing the
used cartridge storage end of the dispenser; and
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 7
showing the used cartridge storage end of the dispenser.
DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a blade cartridge 10 and a
cartridge holder 12. The blade cartridge 10 has a pair of double
edge blades, 38, 40 bonded permanently between a cap 34 and a blade
seat member 36. The blades 38, 40 are maintained in a separated
state by a spacer 42. A guard bar 44, 44' is spaced outwardly from
opposite longitudinal sides of the blade seat member 36 to provide
a plurality of downwardly extending shaving residue channels 46
beneath the cutting edge of the lower blade 40.
The holder 12 includes a handle 14 to which a frame member 16 is
secured. Cartridge supporting surfaces shown as a generally
U-shaped flanged channel member 18, and a stop and spring member 20
are transversely positioned and secured to an upper end of the
frame member 16. The cartridge 10 is removably secured to the
holder 12 by sliding the flanged U-shaped member 18 into slidably
engageable surfaces shown as a T-shaped channel 32 formed
transversely along the underside of the blade seat 36.
With reference to FIG. 2, the cap member 34 has a plurality of
transversely spaced posts 48, 50, 52, 54 extending downwardly from
the lower surface thereof. The posts 48-54 extend through a slot
(not shown) in the upper blade 38, apertures (not shown) in the
spacer 42, a slot (not shown) in the lower blade 40, and apertures
in the blade seat member 36. The bottom portions of the posts 48-54
are staked, for example, by ultrasonic, mechanical or heat energy,
to deform the lower ends as shown in FIG. 4, and thereby bond the
components of the cartridge 10 together.
The spacer 42 has a plurality of longitudinally extending teeth on
each end thereof which protrude a slight distance in front of the
cutting edges of the upper blade 38. The teeth have spaces
therebetween which are in flow communication with perforations 58,
60 in the lower blade 40. The perforations 58, 60 are in fluid
communication with downwardly extending apertures 76, 78 in the
blade seat member 36. Shaving residue generated between the cutting
edges of the blades 38, 40 passes through flow paths defined by the
spaces between the spacer teeth, the perforations 58, 60, and the
apertures 76, 78.
With reference to FIG. 2, the T-shaped channel 32 formed in the
lower side of the blade seat member 36 has a pair of opposing
notches 91, 93 therein. One of the notches 91, 93 receives a detent
24 on a spring 22 of the stop and spring member 20 (FIG. 1) when
the cartridge supporting surfaces or U-shaped member 18 is in
sliding engagement with the T-shaped channel 32 to minimize the
possibility of the cartridge 10 from accidentally sliding off the
holder 12.
With reference to FIGS. 3-8, a dispenser 350 has a top wall 352 and
an opposing base or bottom wall 351, as well as opposing side walls
353 and 354. A new cartridge dispensing end is formed of opposing
inwardly directed flange portions 364, 365 extending transversely
of the dispenser 350. As shown in FIG. 4, the cartridges 10, 10'
are arranged in abutting relationship in the dispenser 350 and are
biased upwardly such that opposing inwardly directed members 147,
148, which define the T-shaped channel 32 of the uppermost
cartridge 10 are in abutting engagement with the undersides of the
flange portions 364, 365. The cartridges 10, 10' are biased
upwardly by a pair of springs 379 (only one shown) extending
vertically between a pair of movable walls 371, 372. The upper
movable wall 372 has downwardly extending side walls 373, 374 that
are in sliding engagement with the inner surfaces of the top and
bottom walls 351, 352 of the dispenser 350. Similarly, the bottom
movable wall 371 has a pair of opposed upwardly extending wall
portions 375, 376 that are positioned in sliding engagement with
the interior surfaces of the side walls 353, 354 of the dispenser
350. Each of the springs 379 are vertically positioned and held in
vertical alignment by posts 377, 378 which extend in an opposing
manner from the upper and lower movable walls 372, 371. The springs
379 preferably should have a sufficient bias to move the lowermost
cartridge into an abutting engagement with the inner surfaces of
the inwardly directed flange portions 364, 365 while the lower
movable wall 371 remains in the position shown in FIG. 4. It is
obvious that the biasing means may take other forms than the pair
of springs 379. For example, such biasing means may be a single
spring having a coiled biasing member at one end thereof and a pair
of elongated members extending tangentially from the coiled member
and tending to rotate in counter-radial directions about the axis
of the coiled member such that the biasing force is applied to the
opposing surfaces of the two movable walls 372, 371.
A single guide channel 366 is formed on the upper surface of the
side wall 354. When properly orientated, the holder 12 is slid or
moved to the left in sliding engagement with the T-shaped channel
32 in the bottom of the cartridge 10 until the detent 24 (FIG. 1)
is in abutting engagement with one of the recesses 91, 93 of the
cartridge 10.
A new cartridge exiting port is formed in the dispenser side wall
353 by opposing parallel surfaces 400, 401 which are interconnected
at the lower end by a surface 402 which is perpendicular to the
surfaces 400, 401. Inwardly directed tabs 362, 363 extend in an
opposing manner from the opposite surfaces 400, 401 and beneath the
flange portions 364, 365. The tabs 362, 363 are sufficiently
flexible to permit the passage of the cartridge 10 to the left out
of the dispenser 350 by movement of the holder 12 to the left such
that the left sides of the flanges on the holder U-shaped channel
member 18 are in abutting engagement with stops 151, 152 formed in
the left side of the T-shaped channel 32. When the uppermost
cartridge 10 is removed from the dispenser 350, the next cartridge
10' is moved into abutting engagement with the undersides of the
flange portions 364, 365 by action of the springs 379.
A used blade end of the dispenser 350 is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.
With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the used blade access port 396 has
inwardly directed opposing flange members 393, 395. Opposing ramp
elements 392 are formed on the inner surfaces of the top and bottom
walls 352, 351 (the ramp element of wall 351 is not shown). A used
cartridge 10" is inserted through the port 396 above the opposing
flange members 393, 395 while the holder 12 is still secured to the
cartridge 10". The left side of the cartridge 10" slides up a ramp
surface 394 on each of the ramp members 392 and moves the lower
movable wall 371 upwardly such that transverse movement of the
cartridge 10" to the left as viewed in FIG. 8 can be continued.
Transverse movement of the used cartridge 10" is continued until
the inwardly directed surfaces 147, 148 defining the T-shaped
channel 32 of the used cartridge 10" rest on horizontal surfaces
411 of the ramp members 392, and the used cartridge 10" is in the
position as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 8. When a subseqent used
cartridge is ready for placement in the used cartridge end of the
dispenser, the above procedure is repeated to push the used
cartridge 10" upwardly and to locate the subsequent cartridge in
the position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 8.
The lower end 410 of the side wall 354 can be sloped or beveled as
shown in FIG. 8 to provide relatively free movement of the used
cartridge 10" up the ramp surfaces 394 during transmovement thereof
into the used cartridge end 396 of the dispenser 350.
When the used cartridge 10" is seated on the horizontal upper
surfaces 411 of the ramp members 392, the holder 12 can be removed
by transverse movement to the right while maintaining the right
side of the used cartridge 10" in abutting engagement with the
inner surface of the side wall 354. Alternatively, the stop members
151, 152 can be designed to yield to a pressure on the left side of
the U-shaped holder channel member 18, and thus provide for removal
of the holder 12 out a port 397 defined by opposing vertical
surfaces 403, 404 and a horizontal surface 405 interconnecting the
opposing surfaces 403, 404. Further, the stop members 151, 152 can
be eliminated and the U-shaped holder channel member 18 can be
removed through the port 397 because the left side of the used
cartridge 10" is in abutting engagement with an inner surface of
the side wall 353 as shown in FIG. 8.
Modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention will be
obvious to those skilled in the art without departing from the
scope and spirit of the present invention. For example, the port
defined by surfaces 400, 401, 402 can be eliminated and at least
one tab can be substituted for the flange member 364. In this
instance, the U-shaped channel member 18 is positioned in the
T-shaped channel of the new cartridge 10 as described hereinabove
and the new cartridge is thereafter removed by rotating the handle
in a clockwise manner as viewed in FIG. 4. Such rotation will
disengage the new cartridge 10 from the substituted tab or tabs,
and thus permit removal of the cartridge from the dispenser
350.
Although specific embodiments have been described hereinabove with
reference to two double edge blades in disposable cartridge, it is
obvious that all the aspects of the invention are equally suitable
for a dispenser and dispensing system for one or any number of
single edge blades bonded in a disposable cartridge or for one or
any number of double edge blades bonded in a disposable cartridge.
Single edge blade cartridges are disclosed in U.S. Pat. application
Ser. Nos. 191,665 and 236,723, filed Oct. 22, 1971, and Mar. 21,
1972, and now U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,783,510 and 3,785,051, respectively.
Alternative double edge blade cartridges are shown in U.S. Pat.
application Ser. No. 258,682, filed June 1, 1972, now U.S. Pat. No.
3,771,223. U.S. Pat. application Ser. Nos. 191,655, 236,723 and
258,682 are incorporated herein by reference.
* * * * *