Shaving system

[0001] The present invention claims priority of provisional patent application No. 61/031,888 filed Feb. 27, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to shaving razors. The present disclosure has particular applicability to shaving razors having replaceable blade-carrying cartridges.

[0003] This disclosure relates to safety razors having a blade unit assembly carried by a handle and including at least one blade with a cutting edge which is moved across the surface of the skin being shaved using the handle. The blade unit can be detachably mounted on the razor handle to enable the blade unit to be replaced by a fresh blade unit when the blade becomes dull from use, or it may be fixedly attached to the handle with the intention that the entire razor be discarded when the blade or blades become dulled. Detachable and replaceable blade units are commonly referred to as razor cartridges.

[0004] Some conventional detachably mounted razor cartridges include an interconnect member having a pivotal support structure that pivotally supports the cartridge's blade housing, and also has a base structure adapted to be removably and fixedly attached to the head of the razor handle. The base structure typically comprises a latch mechanism which cooperates with a corresponding latch mechanism of the handle to releasably retain the interconnect on one end of the handle. The handle typically includes an ejector mechanism for interacting with the interconnect for facilitating removal of the base structure from the handle when the latch is operated to remove the razor cartridge from the handle.

[0005] Additionally, most conventional shaving razor systems have handle heads or interconnects configured to permit rotation of a replaceable razor cartridge about a pivot point. For example, some arrangements permit free rotation of the razor cartridge through a predetermined range about pins or bearings attached to the head and engaging an underside of the razor cartridge.

[0006] Some handle heads and/or interconnects spring-load or bias the pivotally mounted razor cartridge toward a neutral position, such as at or near the midpoint of the predetermined range, allowing the cartridge to be displaced away from the neutral position in one direction, and to then move back to the neutral position, using complicated spring configurations or requiring unique or specialized razor cartridges. Still other handle heads and interconnects have complex spring assemblies which extend from within the handle head to the front of the handle and contact the underside of the pivotally mounted razor cartridge to bias the cartridge to a “home” position.

[0007] Conventional razor cartridge mounting arrangements require a complex handle head, a complex razor cartridge, or both. There is a need for a simplified, inexpensive apparatus and methodology for mounting a conventional razor cartridge on a handle.

[0008] An advantage of the present disclosure is a shaving system with a simple connector for pivotally mounting a razor cartridge, and for attaching to a handle with a simple latch mechanism.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, the foregoing and other advantages are achieved in part by a shaving system comprising a handle, a razor cartridge comprising at least one razor blade, and a connector. The handle has a handle body and a connector mounting portion at the front of the handle body, the connector mounting portion having a substantially horizontal bottom wall and an inwardly-extending cantilever latch that is elastically deformable in a substantially vertical direction, the cantilever latch including a protruding engagement portion. The connector comprises a central body, a cartridge mounting structure extending forward from the central body for supporting the razor cartridge, and a handle attachment portion extending rearward from the central body. The handle attachment portion has an extension for slidingly mating with the bottom wall of the connector mounting portion of the handle, and a substantially vertical connector wall for engaging and deflecting the cantilever latch upward as the extension is slidingly engaged with the bottom wall, until the engagement portion of the cantilever latch snaps over the connector wall to removably retain the connector on the handle between bottom wall of the handle connector mounting portion and the cantilever latch.

[0010] A further advantage of the present disclosure is a connector for supporting a razor cartridge, and for connecting to a handle having a handle body and a connector mounting portion at the front of the handle body, the connector mounting portion having a substantially horizontal bottom wall and an inwardly-extending cantilever latch that is elastically deformable in a substantially vertical direction, the cantilever latch including a protruding engagement portion. The connector comprises a central body, a cartridge mounting structure extending forward from the central body for supporting the razor cartridge, and a handle attachment portion extending rearward from the central body. The handle attachment portion has an extension for slidingly mating with the bottom wall of the connector mounting portion of the handle, and a substantially vertical connector wall for engaging and deflecting the cantilever latch upward as the extension is slidingly engaged with the bottom wall, until the engagement portion of the cantilever latch snaps over the connector wall to removably retain the connector on the handle between bottom wall of the handle connector mounting portion and the cantilever latch.

[0011] Additional advantages and other features of the present disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from the practice of the disclosure. The advantages of the disclosure may be realized and obtained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

[0012] As will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

[0021] Conventional methodologies for attaching a pivoting razor cartridge to a handle and biasing the cartridge require complex handle heads and/or cartridges, which increases the cost of the shaving system. The present disclosure addresses and solves these problems stemming from conventional complex shaving systems.

[0022] According to the present disclosure, a single-piece connector attaches to a handle having a minimum number of moving parts, and also pivotally mounts a razor cartridge and biases the razor cartridge to a home position using springs integrally formed with the connector.

[0023] The disclosed shaving system, as shown in FIGS. 1a-b, includes a connector 5 which removably mounts to a razor handle 1. A razor cartridge 6, such as a five-blade cartridge whose blades are conventionally mounted using a sandwich construction, is pivotally mounted to connector 5.

[0024] The pivotal mounting of cartridge 6 to connector 5 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 6a-d. Connector 5 has a central body 5e and a pair of yokes 5f extending forward from body 5e to form a cartridge mounting structure. Each yoke 5f has a boss 5g at its distal end comprising; for example, a pair of opposed bearing sections (not shown) for rotatably supporting one of a pair of platform connector yokes (not shown) extending from a bottom platform of cartridge 6. The connector yokes snap into place between the bearing sections of bosses 5g by a slight flexing of yokes 5f towards each other. Of course, the position of the connector yokes and bearing sections could be reversed (i.e., the connector yokes could be formed on the yokes 5f and the bearing sections on the cartridge 6).

[0025] Each yoke 5f further comprises a cartridge return spring 5h. When cartridge 6 is mounted on connector 5 via the pivot pins bearing sections, springs 5h bear against a surface of the cartridge platform to bias cartridge 6 downward against a pair of rearward stops (not shown). The rearward stops provide a “home” position for cartridge 6 by preventing further downward cartridge pivoting. When cartridge 6 is pivoted upward, as in response to shaving forces, springs 5h flex upward to provide controlled movement of cartridge 6, then force cartridge 6 back to the home position as the shaving forces are lessened or removed. Forward stops (not shown) limit upward pivoting of cartridge 6.

[0026] An exemplary cartridge for use with the disclosed shaving razor is described in detail in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/249,700, filed Oct. 10, 2008, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0027] The disclosed structure for connecting and disconnecting a replaceable shaving razor cartridge to a razor will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2a-7. Handle 1 has a handle frame 1a (see FIG. 3a) whose front end has a connector mounting portion 11 with a substantially horizontal curved bottom wall 1b. In certain embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 2a-b, an elastomeric grip 1d is attached to handle frame 1a in a conventional manner. A latch 3, as shown in FIGS. 4a-c, is rigidly attached to handle frame 1a via a screw 2 and mating surfaces of the latch 3 and handle frame 1a (see FIG. 7). Latch 3 includes an inwardly-extending cantilever latch 3a that is elastically deformable and flexes in a substantially up-down (vertical) direction, as shown by the arrows A-A in FIG. 4c, and a substantially vertical cantilever-type button return spring 3b which flexes in a fore-aft (horizontal) direction, as shown by the arrows B-B in FIG. 4c. Cantilever latch 3a has a protruding engagement portion 3a1, whose function will be described below.

[0028] Referring now to FIGS. 6a-d, connector 5 (which pivotably carries razor cartridge 6) has a substantially horizontal extension 5a, extending rearward from the central body 5e, that acts as a handle attachment portion. Extension 5a slides into the open front of handle frame 1a and is curved to mate with curved bottom wall 1b. Extension 5a has a raised rib 5b that fits into a slot 1c in curved bottom wall 1b to guide the connector 5 onto the handle frame 1a, and to stabilize the connector 5 on the handle 1. Extension 5a also has a substantially vertical connector wall 5c at its extreme rear end which engages and pushes up cantilever latch 3a as the connector 5 is slid into the connector mounting portion 11 of handle frame 1a, until the engagement portion 3a1 of cantilever latch 3a snaps over the connector wall 5c to retain the connector 5 on the handle 1, as shown in FIG. 7. A central portion 5d of the connector 5 stabilizes the connector 5 on the handle 1 by bearing against an upper front portion 1e of handle frame 1a opposed to bottom wall 1b. In certain embodiments, upper front portion 1e and central portion 5d of connector 5 are both curved.

[0029] A release button 4, as shown in FIGS. 5a-d, slides on tracks 3c of the latch 3 (see FIGS. 4a-c), and fits over button return spring 3b such that it is biased towards the rearmost part of tracks 3c. A ramp-like unlatch cam 4a of the button 4, best seen in FIGS. 5b-d, engages the rear and bottom surface of cantilever latch 3a, as shown in FIG. 7, such that when the button 4 is slid forward in the direction of arrow A by the user, unlatch cam 4a pushes against cantilever latch 3a to raise cantilever latch 3a above the connector wall 5c of connector 5, allowing the connector 5 to slide off the connector mounting portion 11. The button return spring 3b causes the button 4 to return to its initial position after the user releases the button 4. Button 4 has a pair of guides 4b for engaging the tracks 3c, and a pair of retaining tabs 4c for engaging grooves 3d on the underside of tracks 3c to retain button 4 on latch 3.

[0030] The present disclosure can be practiced by employing conventional materials, methodology and equipment. Accordingly, the details of such materials, equipment and methodology are not set forth herein in detail. In the previous descriptions, numerous specific details are set forth, such as specific materials, structures, chemicals, processes, etc., in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, it should be recognized that the present disclosure can be practiced without resorting to the details specifically set forth. In other instances, well known processing structures have not been described in detail, in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present disclosure.

[0031] Only a few examples of the present disclosure are shown and described herein. It is to be understood that the disclosure is capable of use in various other combinations and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventive concepts as expressed herein.