Abstract:
A razor cartridge is provided that includes a seat, a cap, one or more razor blades, and a relief centrally located in an aft face of the cap. The relief enables the user to get the cutting edges of the one or more razor blades in closer proximity to a feature (e.g., a nose) than is possible using currently available razor cartridges. In a preferred embodiment of the cartridge, a shaving aid strip is disposed in the contact face, positioned aft of the forward face of the cap and forward of the relief. The shaving aid strip preferably reflects the contour of the aft face of the cartridge that includes the relief.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority form U.S. provisional application No. 60/343,481 filed on Dec. 21, 2001. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates to shaving devices in general, and to shaving devices that utilize a shaving aid disposed in the cartridge in particular. 
     2. Background Information 
     Modern safety razors include a plurality of blades disposed within a cartridge that is pivotally or rigidly mounted on a handle. Some safety razors have a disposable cartridge for use with a reusable handle, while others have a handle and cartridge that are combined into a unitary disposable. Although a variety of razor cartridge configurations exist, most include a frame made of a rigid plastic that includes a seat and a cap. Cartridges often include a guard disposed forward of the blades. The guard and the cap orient the position of the person&#39;s skin relative to the blades to optimize the shaving action of the blade. Some cartridges include a comfort strip comprised of shaving aids (e.g., lubricating agents, drag reducing agents, depilatory agents, cleaning agents, medicinal agents, etc.) to enhance the shaving process. The terms “forward” and “aft”, as used herein, define relative position between features of the safety razor (i.e., razor assembly). A feature “forward” of the razor blades, for example, is positioned so that the surface to be shaved encounters the feature before it encounters the razor blades, if the razor assembly is being stroked in its intended cutting direction (e.g., the guard is forward of the razor blades). A feature “aft” of the razor blades is positioned so that the surface to be shaved encounters the feature after it encounters the razor blades, if the razor assembly is being stroked in its intended cutting direction (e.g., the cap is disposed aft of the razor blades). 
     The comfort and performance provided by a particular razor are critical to the commercial success of the razor. Improvements that benefit razor comfort, performance, and ease of use, however significant or subtle, can have a decided impact on the commercial success of a razor. For example, the usable life of a cartridge is often limited by the usable life of the comfort strip. Once the comfort strip is consumed, it generally believed that the razor must also be in need of replacement. In fact, razor blades within currently available razor assemblies are very often still fit for use after the comfort strip has been consumed. 
     What is needed, therefore, is a razor assembly cartridge that can be used for an extended period of time, and thereby provide a desirable perception of quality. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a razor assembly cartridge that provides a desirable perception of quality. 
     According to the present invention, a razor cartridge is provided that includes a seat, a cap, one or more razor blades, and a relief centrally located in an aft face of the cap. The relief enables the user to get the cutting edges of the one or more razor blades in closer proximity to a feature (e.g., a nose) than is possible using currently available razor cartridges. In a preferred embodiment of the cartridge, a shaving aid strip is disposed in the contact face, positioned aft of the forward face of the cap and forward of the relief. The shaving aid strip preferably reflects the contour of the aft face of the cartridge that includes the relief. 
     The present invention razor cartridge can alternatively be described as having a seat, a cap, one or more razor blades, a first cap extension, and a second cap extension. The first and second cap extensions extend out from an aft face of the cap, one on each side of the widthwise-extending centerline of the cartridge. The first cap extension and the second cap extension are spaced apart from one another, thereby creating a centrally located relief. In the preferred embodiment, the shaving aid strip extends into the first and second cap extensions. 
     One advantage of the present invention is that it enables users to shave closer to features extending out from the surface to be shaved. The relief centrally located within the aft surface of the cap decreases the distance between the feature and the razor blades. As a result, it is possible to shave closer to the feature and thereby provide a more desirable shave. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that the usable life of the shaving aid strip is increased relative to shaving aid strips used in many currently available razor assemblies. The extension of the shaving aid strip into the regions outside of the relief, or alternatively into the cap extensions, increases the surface area of the shaving aid strip. As a result, the usable life of the strip is favorably extended. 
     These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in light of the detailed description of the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a present invention razor assembly. 
     FIG. 2 is a planar view of a razor assembly cartridge showing a first embodiment of a shaving aid strip. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the razor assembly cartridge sectioned along line  3 — 3  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a planar view of a razor assembly cartridge showing a second embodiment of a shaving aid strip. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a razor assembly  10  includes a handle  12  and a cartridge  14 . The handle  12  can be rigidly or pivotally attached to the cartridge  14 . The cartridge  14  can be a disposable cartridge for use with a reusable handle, or the handle  12  and cartridge  14  can be combined into a unitary disposable razor assembly. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the cartridge  14  includes a frame  16  having a seat  18  and a cap  20 , and one or more razor blades  22  disposed between the seat  18  and the cap  20 . The cartridge  14  has a length  24 , a width  26 , a height  28 , and a widthwise-extending centerline  30 . The razor blades  22  each have a lengthwise-extending cutting edge  32 . Depending upon the application, the cartridge  14  may also include a guard  34  attached to the frame  16 . Guards  34  are well known in the art and will therefore not be discussed further here other than to say the present invention is not limited to being used with any particular type of guard. 
     In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cap  20  includes a lengthwise-extending forward face  36 , a lengthwise-extending aft face  38 , and a contact face  40  extending between the forward face  36  and the aft face  38 . A relief  42  having a base surface  44  is centrally located in the aft face  38  of the cap  20 . In some embodiments, the relief  42  can extend into the frame  16  as well as the cap  18 . The aft face  38  of the cap  20  is separated from the cutting edge  32  of the aft-most razor blade  22  by a first distance  46 . The base surface  44  of the relief  42  is separated from the cutting edge  32  of the aft-most razor blade  22  by a second distance  48 . The first distance  46  is greater than the second distance  48 . In some embodiments, the aft face  38  of the cap  20  is not parallel to the cutting edge  32  of the aft-most razor blade  22 . In those embodiments, the first distance  46  between the aft face  38  of the cap  20  and the cutting edge  32  of the aft-most razor blade  22  is typically greater than the second distance  48  at every position along the length  24  of the cartridge  14 , or at least at a majority of the positions along the length  24  of the cartridge  14 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 2-4, and the cartridge  14  includes a shaving aid strip  50  (sometimes referred to as a “comfort strip”) disposed in a pocket  52  within the contact surface  40  of the cap  20 . The shaving aid strip  50  can be attached to the cap  20  by known means (e.g., pins, mechanical fasteners, adhesives, etc.). The shaving aid strip  50  and the pocket  52  are positioned aft of the forward face  36  of the cap  20  and forward of the relief  42 . The shaving aid strip  50  need not be disposed in a pocket  52 , and can be attached to the contact face  40  of the cap  20 . The shaving aid strip  50  can include one or more of a variety of constituent materials such as lubricating agents, drag reducing agents, depilatory agents, cleaning agents, medicinal agents, etc., and the present invention should not be construed as being limited to any single material or combination of materials. 
     The shaving aid strip  50  shown in FIG. 2 has a geometry that includes a first edge  54  adjacent the razor blades  22 , a second edge  56  adjacent the aft face  38  of the cap  20 , and a pair of side edges  58 , each extending between the first and second edges  54 , 56 . The first edge  54  preferably extends parallel to the razor blade cutting edges  32 . The second edge  56  preferably follows the contour of the aft face  38 . The resulting shaving aid strip geometry provides an increased amount of shaving aid surface area along the contact face  40  of the cap  20  as compared to shaving aid strips  50  that are rectangularly shaped. The additional shaving aid strip surface increases the usable life of the shaving aid strip  50  and therefore the usable life of the razor assembly  10 . 
     The present invention razor cartridge  14  can be described alternatively as having a seat  18 , a cap  20 , one or more razor blades  22 , a first cap extension  60 , and a second cap extension  62 . As described above, the cap  20  includes a lengthwise-extending forward face  36 , a lengthwise-extending aft face  38 , and a contact face  40  extending between the forward face  36  and the aft face  38 , and the one or more razor blades  22  are disposed between the seat  18  and the cap  20 . The first cap extension  60  extends out from the aft face  36  on a first side  64  of the widthwise-extending centerline  30 . The second cap extension  62  extends out from the aft face  38  on a second side  66  of the widthwise-extending centerline  30 . The first side  64  and the second side  66  are opposite sides of the widthwise-extending centerline  30 , and the first cap extension  60  and the second cap extension  62  are spaced apart from one another. As described above, the cartridge  14  includes a shaving aid strip  50  disposed in a pocket  52  within the contact face  40  of the cap  20 , or attached to the contact face  20 . The constituent materials are the same as those disclosed above. In this alternatively described embodiment, the shaving aid strip  50  geometry includes a first portion  68 , a second portion  70 , and a third portion  72 . The first portion  68  is positioned adjacent the razor blades  22 , and extends lengthwise across substantially all of the cap  20 . The second portion  70  extends from the first portion  68  into the first cap extension  60 . The third portion  72  extends from the first portion  68  into the second cap extension  62 . Here again, the resulting shaving aid strip geometry provides an increased amount of shaving aid surface area along the contact face  40  of the cap  20  as compared to prior art shaving aid strips that are rectangularly shaped. The additional shaving aid strip surface increases the usable life of the shaving aid strip  50  and therefore the usable life of the razor assembly  10 . 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the shaving aid strip  50  may alternatively consist of a first side section  74 , a center section  76 , and a second side section  78 . Each side section  74 , 78  extends from the first edge  54  adjacent the razor blades  22  to the second edge  56  adjacent the aft face  38  of the cap  20 . The center section  76  is disposed between the side sections  74 , 78 . The center section  76  may include constituent materials different than those in the side sections  74 , 78 , or vice versa. The center section  76  may also consist of a non-shaving aid material. In addition or alternatively, the contour of the center section  76  may be different than those of the side sections  74 , 78 . 
     Although this invention has been shown and described with respect to the detailed embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.