Razor cartridges

A shaving cartridge including a housing, a guard bar, a cap and cutting elements. The housing including an inner receiving portion and an inner attaching portion. The cutting elements further including a connecting structure at each end for connection of the cutting elements either on the housing or between adjacent cutting elements to thereby form a chain-like effect.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/EP2017/064849, filed on Jun. 16, 2017, now published as WO2018228709.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to razor cartridges for shaving razors, the razor cartridges include a plurality of blades supported in the razor cartridges with chain like supports.

BACKGROUND

Razor cartridges with movable blades are commonly known to have specific structures in order to support the blades. These structures may include elastic members and slots. However, these supportive means are in a limited space and prevent water from rinsing away debris accumulated during shaving. Also, if the cartridge is configured to be flexible or pivot in order to follow the skin contour, the above-mentioned structures may reduce the ability of the blades to follow closely the movement of the cartridge, therefore not delivering the closest shave.

Other commonly known supports are grid-like frame blade supports However, the grid simultaneously guides all the blades to the same movement, thus harming the performance of the shaver.

SUMMARY

According to the disclosure, the razor cartridge may include a housing having a front wall, a back wall opposing the front wall, retaining structures, at least one cutting element having a first end and a second end, and the cutting element having connecting structures at the first end and at the second end, the connecting structures allowing the cutting element to be attached to the housing.

Further, the disclosure also relates to methods of manufacturing razor cartridges, wherein the methods include:providing a housing having a front wall, a rear wall opposing the front wall, and retaining structures,providing at least one cutting element having a first end and a second end, the cutting element having connecting structures at the first end and at the second end,mounting the at least one cutting element on the housing between the front and the rear walls, such that the connecting structures are attached to the retaining structures of the housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to the present disclosure, although the term “shaving cartridge” is used extensively, a person skilled in the art should understand that there are alternative terms to describe” shaving cartridge”, e.g. shaving head. For that reason, an interchange of the terms shaving cartridge and shaving head shall cause no confusion. In addition, the term “cutting element(s)” should be known to a person skilled in the art also as “blade(s)”, and an interchange of these two terms shall again cause no confusion.

Shaving cartridges, as presently disclosed, may improve rinsability and thus a shave by supporting the cutting elements on a side of the cutting elements and allowing the cutting elements to closely follow skin contours. The cutting elements may be retained in the shaving cartridge without additional elements, resulting in a maximum functional length of the cutting elements, and/or a larger area on the shaving cartridge for additional accessories, such as, for example, shaving aid(s).

According to aspects, the shaving cartridges may include a housing having a front wall, a back wall opposing the front wall, an inner left side, an inner right side opposing the inner left side, a first retaining structure on the inner left side, and a second retaining structure on the inner right side, at least one cutting element having a first end and a second end, and the cutting element having a first connecting structure at the first end and a second connecting structure at the second end, and first and second connecting structures may be attached to the first and second retaining structures of the shaving cartridge.

As such, the shaving cartridge may not require additional cutting element supports, such as elastic fingers at the sides of the housing, or cutting element guides under the cutting elements, thus improving rinsability, easing manufacturing, requiring less parts to manufacture and assemble, and ultimately reducing costs.

According to aspects, one or more of the following features may be incorporated in the shaving cartridges, alone or in combination:

The shaving cartridges, may include housing retaining structures, each housing retaining structure may have a housing attaching portion and/or a housing receiving portion.

The shaving cartridges may include at least one cutting element, each cutting element may include connecting structures, at least one of the connecting structures may include a cutting element attaching portion and/or a cutting element receiving portion.

According to further aspects, the shaving cartridge may have a housing receiving portion including a recess, and may have a housing attaching portion including a protrusion. The overall functional length of the cutting elements may be increased, which may result in a more efficient performance of the shaving cartridge, since more hairs may be cut with one shaving stroke.

In addition, the shaving cartridges may have a cutting element first, after the housing front wall and a cutting element last, before the housing rear wall attached to the housing.

The use of additional retaining means to secure the cutting elements in the housing, may result in the clogging of cut hair, and in hair being pulled during a shave. Direct attachment of the cutting elements to the housing, without any additional retaining means, may reduce clogging and pulling, and may therefore improve the shaving experience.

Furthermore, since the described attachment and structures of the shaving cartridge may allow a larger area on the top of the housing to be available for use, additional components, for example, skin care element(s), may be used. Also, the available area on the top of the housing may be used for any other structure that may enhance shaving and improve the shaving experience, for example, a skin adaptor. In addition, the shaving cartridge and the cutting elements that are attached between may form a chain-like effect and may allow the cutting elements to move and rotate more freely, therefore avoiding possible deformation due to the forces applied during shaving. Since the forward cutting element may lead the adjacent or following cutting element to have the same movement while contacting the same skin contour, the perceived shaving performance of the shaving cartridge may be enhanced.

The cutting elements may be attached between the chain-like supports, forming a self-supported chain, and may allow for the production of cartridges having a different number of cutting elements, without the need for additional design or development of a different shaving cartridge. As it will be understood, the movement of the cutting elements during shaving, and their return to their rest position, have been considered.

According to aspects, as shown inFIG. 1, a shaving cartridge1may include a housing2, a guard bar3, a cap4, and cutting elements5. The housing2may include a top side201, and a bottom side202opposite the top side201. On the top side201a window203may be formed, through which the cutting elements5may be exposed. The housing2may further include a front wall204, extending along X axis, a rear wall205opposite the front wall204, a right wall206, extending between the front wall204and the rear wall205, and a left wall207opposite the right wall206. Each of the right and left walls206and207may include an inner surface208and209respectively, extending between the front and the rear walls204and205, and facing towards the window203of the top side201of the housing2. The cap4may include a shaving aid401, for example a lubrication strip or any other known skin care element that may enhance glideness or the like during shaving. The guard bar3may be flat or may have any other suitable structure, for example fins, that may be made of the same or a different material than the housing, aiming at engaging the skin6and improving the shaving performance. The guard bar3may extend in a plane [[P]] perpendicular to at least one wall of the housing2, or the guard bar3may extend in another direction forming an angle with either the right wall206or left wall207or with each right and left wall206,207of the housing.

According to other aspects, as shown inFIGS. 1B, 2B, 3B, and 4B, the shaving cartridge1′ may include a housing2′, a guard bar3′, a cap4′, and cutting elements5′. The housing2′ may include a top side201′, and a bottom side202′ opposite the top side201′. The top side201′ may not include a window, since the housing2′ may not include side walls, and a frame is not formed. After the guard bar3′, which may be optional, and before the cap4′, which may also be optional, the cutting elements5′ may be exposed. The housing2′ includes a front wall204′, extending along X′ axis, and a rear wall205′ opposite the front wall204′. The cap4′ may have a retaining structure41′ (FIG. 3B) which may include an attaching portion411′ (FIG. 3B) in the form of a protrusion4111′, which may have a width W′. The cap4′ may include a support portion402′ (FIG. 2B) and a shaving aid401′ (FIG. 1B) mounted on the support portion402′, for example a lubrication strip or any other known skin care element that may enhance glideness or the like during shaving. The guard bar3′ may include a support portion301′ (FIG. 2B) and a skin contact portion302′ (FIG. 1B). The guard bar3′ may have a second retaining structure31′ (FIG. 3B) which may include a receiving portion310′ in the form of a recess or a tube-like shape3101′. According to further aspects (not shown), the cap4′ may include the receiving portion, while the guard bar may include the attaching portion. The guard bar3′ may also include an extending portion, for example, a leg32′ which may function as a return element for the cutting elements5′ when the shaving cartridge1′ may not be in contact with the skin anymore and the cutting elements5′ need to return to a rest position. The guard bar3′ may be flat or may have any other suitable structure, for example fins, that may be made of the same or a different material than the housing2′, aiming at engaging the skin6and improving the shaving performance. The guard bar3′ may extend in a plane [[P′]] parallel to at least one the front wall204′ or rear wall205′ of the housing2′, or the guard bar3′ may extend in another direction forming an angle with either the front wall204′ or rear wall205′ or with each of front wall204′ and rear wall205′ of the housing2′.

The cutting elements5,5′, as shown inFIGS. 1A and 1B, may all be adjacent within the housing2,2′. However, a different arrangement may be possible. For example, the cutting elements5,5′ may be intermediate the skin contacting portions302,302′ between each of the cutting elements5,5′ or the cutting elements5,5′ may be divided into groups.

According to further aspects, the cutting elements5,5′ as shown inFIGS. 4A and 4B, may include a supporting portion501,501′ and a blade portion502,502′ each blade portion may have two ends5021,5021′ and a cutting edge503,503′. The blade portion502′ may also include an extending portion5022′ at each of the ends5021′ of the blade portion502′. The extending portions5022′ may serve as return springs for the cutting elements5,5′, by forcing each of the cutting elements5,5′ to return to a rest position when the skin may no longer exert a force upon the cutting element5,5′. The supporting portion501,501′ and the blade portion502,502′ of the cutting element5,5′ may be two separate and attached components, or they may form a single unit. Each of the cutting elements5,5′ belonging to the shaving cartridge1,1′ may all include two attached components, or some may be a single unit.

Each cutting element5may have a first end504, and a second end505. Each of the first and second ends504,505may include a connecting structure506. The connecting structure506may include the attaching portion507and the receiving portion508. The attaching portion507may have any shape that may allow the cutting element5to be attached to the housing2. According to further aspects, and as shown inFIGS. 4A and 5A, the attaching portion507may be in the form of a protrusion5071, which may cooperate with a recess on the left and right inner surfaces209,208of the housing2. In another example, the protrusion5071may be a pin and/or may have small inclined ribs at an end thereof in order to snap-fitted on the housing2. The receiving portion508may have any suitable shape that may enable the cutting element5to be more securely attached on the right and left inner surfaces208,209of the housing2. Corresponding structures on the right and left inner surfaces208,209of the housing2may be a shape that may be capable of receiving the attaching portion507, or that may cooperate with the receiving portion508. Each of the right and left inner surfaces208,209of the housing2may include an inner receiving portion210and an inner attaching portion211. The inner receiving portion210and the inner attaching portion211may form the housing retaining structure212. The inner receiving portion210may have a shape corresponding to the attaching portion507, such that the attaching portion507may be allowed to be attached on the inner receiving portion210. As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, the inner receiving portion210may be a linear recess2101, and may allow the protrusion5071to slide on the inner surface208or209. At the end of the linear recess2101there may be a circular end2102, which may function as a stop portion for the protrusion5071. The shape of the end2102may be different from the general shape of the protrusion5071. For example, if the protrusion5071is cylindrical the end2102may be rectangular, circular or any other shape that may allow the protrusion5071to reach the end2102and be secured therein. The recess2101and the end2102may have larger dimension than the attaching portion507, and may allow the attaching portion507to pivot with respect to the housing2. For example, the attaching portion507may have a cylindrical shape, the length of the attaching portion507may be about 0.2 mm-0.8 mm, and according to some aspects may be about 0.5 mm, in order to secure the cutting elements5into the housing2, to support movement of the cutting elements5, and to minimize the space where cut hair and shaving debris may get clogged. The length L (FIG. 5A) of the attaching portion507may be about 0.2 mm-1 mm, depending on the material of the attaching portion507. According to aspects where the attaching portion507may be made of a hard material which has a low elasticity, the length may be about 0.2 mm, while if the material may of higher elasticity the length may be about 1 mm. The recess2101may have a width W of about 0.8 mm-1.50 mm. The attaching portion507may be made of aluminum, thus providing anti-corrosion resistance. According to further aspects, where the attaching portion507may be made of an iron-based material, the inner receiving portion210may include a recess2101with a magnet. Therefore, the attachment of the cutting elements5to the housing2may be due to magnetic force and may also allow the cutting elements5to pivot in relation to the housing2.

According to other aspects, the attaching portion507may be retractable and the inner receiving portion210may include a recess in the form of a through hole.

The receiving portion508, may include a recess5082or a through hole having wherein the recess5082may be adapted to receive the inner attaching portion211of the housing2. The receiving portion508may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the inner attaching portion211, or may have any other shape appropriate for receiving and securing the inner attaching portion211. The shape of the inner attaching portion211may be the same as the shape of the attaching portion507, or the shape of the inner attaching portion211may be different, without deviating from the scope of the current disclosure. According to some aspects, the inner attaching portion211may include a protrusion2111, for example a pin, which may have the same shape and dimension with the attaching portion507. As shown inFIG. 5, the receiving portion508may be in the form of a flat portion5081, the flat portion may include a recess5082of the same shape and dimensions as the inner receiving portion210.

According to further aspects, as shown inFIGS. 4B and 5Beach cutting element5′ may have a first end504′, and a second end505′. Each of the first and the second ends504′,505′ may include a connecting structure506′. The connecting structure506′ may include the attaching portion508′ and the receiving portion507′, which may include a receiving recess5071′. The attaching portion508′ may have any shape suitable for allowing the cutting element to be attached to the housing2′. The attaching portion508′ may be a protrusion5081′, which may cooperate with a receiving recess3101′ on the guard bar3′. According to other aspects, the protrusion may be a pin and/or may have small inclined ribs at an end thereof in order to be snap-fitted into the recess3101′. The receiving portion507′ may have any shape suitable for enabling the cutting element5′ to be more securely attached on the attaching protrusion4111′ of the cap4′.

The second retaining structure31′ formed on the guard bar3′, and receiving portion507′ formed on the cutting element5′ may extend above blade portion ends5021′ of the cutting element5′ and may provide an additional functionality, i.e. protecting the skin of a user from coming in contact with blade portion ends5021′ of the cutting element5′, which may be sharp and aggressive, and may cut the skin accidently.

The connecting structures506may support the cutting elements5while they are attached on the housing2. Each connecting structures may allow the cutting element5to move and follow the skin contour6more accurately in comparison to known shaving cartridges.

According to further aspects, the housing2may include at least three cutting elements5, as shown inFIG. 4A. Each of the cutting elements5may have a connecting structure506and be attached to an adjacent cutting element5instead of being attached on the housing2. Only the cutting element5immediately after the guard bar3and the cutting element5immediately before the cap4may be attached directly to the housing2, leaving the rest of the cutting element to be attached to each other and hanging in the shaving cartridge. As detailed inFIG. 6, the cutting elements5may be attached between connecting structure506, thus forming a cutting element chain hanging in the shaving cartridge1. As similar to a moving chain, where the first chain link drags and leads the adjacent chain link to mimic the same movement, the leading cutting element5which is attached to an adjacent cutting element5, when moving, forces the adjacent cutting element5to the same movement. The effect which may resemble a chain, may be called a “chain-like effect”. This phenomenon may be more visible inFIG. 6B, where again the cutting elements5′ may be attached between the connecting structures506′. At the rest position the shaving cartridge1may have a concave form. When the user starts shaving, the guard bar3and the cap4may be the surfaces that come in contact with the skin first. The user may then exert a force on the shaving cartridge1, and on the cutting elements5, which may start adapting to the force and move in order to obtain a position, thus resulting in a shaving cartridge shape that may correspond to the skin contour6. In more detail, and as shown inFIG. 7A, the cutting element5,5′ located immediately after the guard bar3,3′ and the cutting element5,5′ located immediately before the cap4,4′ may be directly attached on the housing2,2′ and directly attached to an adjacent cutting element5,5′. Hence, while shaving, each cutting element5,5′ may not move independently, but an adjacent cutting element5,5′ in the front may force the cutting element5,5′ to a specific movement, based on the skin contour6. When the first cutting element5,5′ meets a convex area of the skin contour6, the first cutting element5,5′ may rotate without becoming more aggressive, and due to the attachment to an adjacent cutting element5,5′, may guide the following cutting element5,5′ to rotate as well. According to aspects, as shown inFIG. 7B, the cutting elements5may diverge from each other when the skin contour6is concave, leaving space for the water to rinse any shaving debris.

According to further aspects, each cutting element5may be attached only to the housing2. As such, each cutting element5may have a more independent movement without guidance from the previous cutting element5, based on the skin contour6. As a result, each cutting element5may have a relatively delayed response to the changes in the skin contour. According to aspects where adjacent cutting elements5may be attached between the connecting structures506, the lead cutting element5may come into contact first with the skin contour6and may then move accordingly. At the same time, due to the chain-like effect, the lead cutting element5may then direct the adjacent cutting element5to the same movement. Therefore, the lead cutting element5may essentially “preparing” the adjacent cutting element5with how to move based on the skin contour6.

Therefore, the various changes of the skin contour6may be anticipated by the lead cutting element5, providing an immediate response, thereby allowing the user to observe an increased shaving performance of the shaving cartridge1.

The connecting structures506,506′ may be used for attaching the cutting elements5,5′ to the housing2,2′ and/or for creating a cutting element chain, to form the shaving cartridge1,1′. The shaving cartridge1,1′ may be releasably or fixedly connected on a handle7. According to some aspects, the shaving cartridge1,1′ may also be able to pivot relative to the handle7, in one or more directions, or according to other aspects, the shaving cartridge1,1′ may be fixed. For example, at the sides of the guard bar3′, there may be recesses33′ for attaching a handle7which may allow the shaving cartridge1′ to pivot.

There are various methods, and combinations thereof, that may be used for manufacturing the shaving cartridge1. An aspect may include:producing the housing2of the shaving cartridge1, by using the appropriate method based on the material of the housing2,preparing the cutting elements5including connecting structures506at each end, andassembling the cutting elements5on the housing2.
According to further aspects, the method for manufacturing the shaving cartridge may include:Configuring support portions with respect to the connection connecting structures,attaching a guard bar and/or a cap to the support portions,forming the cutting elements,selecting a desired number of cutting elements, attaching adjacent cutting elements to form a chain,attaching the guard bar assembly on the first or front blade assembly, and attaching the cap assembly to the last or the back-cutting element assembly.

According to aspects, the housing2may be made of a moldable material, or any other known material. The housing2may be manufactured in one step, using various methods, including the retaining structures212. For example, the housing2and retaining structures212may be formed using injection molding, 3D printing, or other similar techniques. However, according to other aspects, the housing2may be manufactured in a plurality of steps. For example, if the housing2is made of metal, and the retaining structures212may be formed in a second step. According to some aspects, a plurality of steps may be beneficial especially when the housing2may include left and right walls206,207, and may be made of an elastic material that may allow the housing2to flex and follow the skin contour6. According to further aspects, the left and right walls206,207may include two parts each being attached via a connecting structures506that may allow the two parts to pivot relatively, along an axis parallel to axis X. Again, the shaving cartridge1may follow more closely the curves of the skin.

The cutting elements5may be produced according to the method described in the International patent application WO2010069389, also published as U.S. Pat. No. 9,440,282. The connecting structures506may be formed during the step of forming the supporting portion501of the cutting element5or in an additional step. According to aspects where the supporting portion501and the blade portion502may be integral, the connecting structures506may be formed before forming the cutting edge503of the cutting elements5.

According to some aspects, the individual mounting of each of the cutting elements5on the housing2may be done by press-fitting the connecting structures506of the cutting elements5in the corresponding retaining structures212of the housing2. According to further aspects, and depending on the form of the attaching portion507of the cutting element5, the connecting structures506may be snap-fitted on the housing2.

According to aspects where the cutting elements5form a chain-like effect, the cutting elements5may be first assembled between the connecting structures506, forming a cutting element chain, and then the two extreme cutting elements5(i.e. the front and rear cutting elements5) may be assembled on the housing2.

While the embodiments have been described in detail in the foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only some embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the embodiments are desired to be protected.

While the particular embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications are within the scope of the disclosure.