SHAVING AID MEMBER ASSEMBLIES FOR RAZORS

A shaving aid member assembly for adding a shaving aid member to a razor that does not have a shaving aid member or for replacing a worn out shaving aid member. The shaving aid member assembly comprising a horizontal band portion made of elastic material and a shaving aid member disposed on an outer facing surface of the horizontal band portion, wherein the horizontal band portion comprises a continuous loop for removably fastening the horizontal band portion around the perimeter of the razor's shaving head. The shaving aid member assembly may further comprise first and second vertical band portions extending perpendicularly from the horizontal band portion and each comprising a continuous loop for removably fastening the first and second vertical band portions around the vertical perimeter of the shaving head.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of shaving implements, and more particularly, to shaving aid member assemblies for razors capable of adding or replacing shaving aid members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Safety razors generally include a shaving head with blades attached to a handle. The shaving head, sometimes referred to as a cartridge, may be disposable in which case the shaving head is releasably attached to the handle and may be discarded once its blades are dull. In other safety razors, called disposable razors, the shaving head is fixed to the handle, in which case the entire razor is discarded after it is worn out. Safety razors typically utilize one or more shaving aid members, such as lubricating gel strips, for providing lubrication and moisture while shaving and allowing the blades to glide on the skin. Shaving aid members are normally mounted on the shaving head of the razor, in front of the blades. They are made of materials that absorb water and become slippery, thus creating a lubricating surface that helps the blades to glide across the surface of the skin. Shaving aid members make the shave more comfortable by easing any discomfort felt on the skin while shaving and decreasing the risk of snagging, cutting or irritation of the skin. Ultimately, however, the shaving aid member wears away, leaving the skin exposed to cuts and irritation. Typically, after the shaving aid member wears away, the user disposes of the disposable cartridge or of the entire razor. Often, however, the shaving aid member wears out before the actual razor becomes dull. As such, current safety razors are not efficient or economic.

Various solutions have been introduced to solve the aforementioned problem. One such solution is in the form of a roll of a plurality of flexible elongated strips of shaving aid material with an adhesive backing. While the adhesive strip has the benefit of adding a shaving aid member to a shaving head that did not previously contain a shaving aid member, it would be difficult to use the adhesive strip to replace a worn out shaving aid member. The adhesive strip cannot be effectively affixed to a worn out shaving aid member because the worn out shaving aid member will continue to absorb some water causing the adhesive ineffective. Other solutions provide a shaving aid member on a holder that is attached to the shaving head using sliding mechanisms, grooves in the shaving head, or clips on the shaving aid holder and recesses on the shaving head. However, such shaving aid holders may only be received by proprietary shaving heads specifically sized and designed to receive such shaving aid holders. These shaving aid holders cannot be mounted on conventional shaving heads.

There is therefore a need for shaving aid member assemblies capable of adding shaving aid members to razors that do not have shaving aid members or replacing worn out shaving aid members. In addition, there is a need for universal shaving aid member assemblies for razors capable of adding or replacing shaving aid members of any razor size and design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks of previous inventions.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel and useful shaving aid member assemblies capable of adding shaving aid members to razors that do not have shaving aid members.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel and useful shaving aid member assemblies for razors capable of replacing worn out shaving aid members.

Another object of the invention is to provide universal shaving aid member assemblies for razors capable of adding or replacing shaving aid members of any razor size and design.

In a preferred embodiment, the shaving aid assembly includes a horizontal band portion made of elastic material and a shaving aid member disposed on an outer facing surface of the horizontal band portion, wherein the horizontal band portion comprises a continuous loop for removably fastening the horizontal band portion around the perimeter of the shaving head. In another embodiment, the shaving aid member assembly may further comprise first and second vertical band portions extending perpendicularly from the horizontal band portion and each comprising a continuous loop for removably fastening the first and second vertical band portions around the vertical perimeter of the shaving head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of preferred embodiment of the invention. However, techniques, systems and operating structures in accordance with the invention may be embodied in a wide variety of forms and modes, some of which may be quite different from those in the disclosed embodiment. Consequently, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely representative, yet in that regard, they are deemed to afford the best embodiment for purposes of disclosure and to provide a basis for the claims herein, which define the scope of the invention. It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Referring now toFIGS. 1A-1C, there is shown a perspective front view of a shaving aid member assembly100to be used with a shaving razor101, which is made in accordance with the teachings of the preferred embodiment of the invention. Shaving razor101may be any conventional razor known in the art or which may be later discovered. As shown, shaving razor101may comprise a shaving head110attached to a handle111. Shaving head110may be fixedly attached to handle111. In such a case, when the blades112become dull after shaving, the entire razor101may be disposed. Alternatively, shaving head110, sometimes referred to as a cartridge, may be disposable. As such, it may be removably attached to handle111via connecting members, such as clips (not shown), as is well known in the art. When blades112become dull, the cartridge is disposed and is replaced with a new cartridge.

Shaving head110extends from a first side wall117to a second side wall118and includes oppositely disposed front and rear faces114and116extending between the first and second side walls117and118. Shaving head110further includes top and bottom walls120and121. Shaving head110may comprise three blades112disposed on its front face114between the first and second side walls117and118. Alternatively, shaving head110may include one, two, four, or other number of blades as is known in the art. Shaving head110may or may not include a guard portion113disposed on its front face114below the blades112near bottom wall121. Guard portion113includes a plurality of horizontal grooves for prestretching the skin and aligning the shaving head110with the skin prior to shaving. In addition, shaving head110may or may not include a shaving aid member115on its front face114above the blades112near top wall120for providing lubrication and moisture while shaving and allowing the blades112to glide on the skin.

The shaving aid member assembly100of the present invention generally comprises an elongated body102having a horizontal band portion103and a shaving aid member104disposed on the outer facing surface105of the horizontal band portion103. Shaving aid member assembly100of the present invention allows the shaving aid member104to be added to shaving razors with or without an existing shaving aid member, such as shaving aid member115. For those razors without shaving aid members, the shaving aid member assembly100of the present invention will allow for a shaving experience provided by razors with existing shaving aid members. For those razors with a shaving aid member115, as shown inFIG. 1A, the shaving aid member assembly100of the present invention will allow the razor101to keep working even after the included shaving aid member115becomes exhausted, but before blades112become dull. As such, the shaving aid member assembly100of the present invention provides a better, efficient, and economic shaving experience. When the shaving aid member104becomes exhausted, the shaving aid member assembly100is removed from shaving head110and is simply discarded and replaced with another shaving aid member assembly. Because of its design, the shaving aid member assembly100does not need to be affixed to a proprietary shaving head—it may be affixed to any conventional shaving razor known in the art, irrespective of its design.

Horizontal band portion103of the shaving aid member assembly100is preferably in a form of a continuous loop. In a preferred embodiment, horizontal band portion103comprises elastic waterproof material having desired elastic properties such that it can be stretched to removably fasten the shaving aid member assembly100horizontally around the shaving head110as shown inFIGS. 1B and 1C. Particularly, horizontal band portion103is removably fastened around the perimeter of the shaving head110with its inner surface107over the front face114, around the first side wall117, over the rear face116, and around the second side wall118of the shaving head110. As such, horizontal band portion103preferably comprises a perimeter or circumference in an unstretched state that is less than the horizontal perimeter of a conventional shaving head110. The elastic properties of the shaving aid member assembly100ensure that the shaving aid member assembly100remains affixed to the shaving head110during shaving. The horizontal band portion103may comprise any desired shape in an unstretched state, including an oval, an ellipse, a circle, a rectangle, a rectangle with rounded sides as show inFIG. 1A, or any other shape. The entire horizontal band portion103may comprise elastic material, or only a portion of the horizontal band portion103may comprise elastic material as will be later described with reference toFIG. 2D. Elastic material may comprise natural rubber, synthetic rubber, elastomer, silicone, silicone-rubber, latex, rubber-like materials, or any other elastic material known in the art or which may be later discovered.

In a preferred embodiment, shaving aid member assembly100is affixed to the shaving head110right above the blades112and below top wall120as shown inFIGS. 1B-1C. In an alternative embodiment, shaving aid member assembly100may be affixed below blades112and above bottom wall121. In addition, two shaving aid member assemblies100may be used, one affixed above blades112and another affixed below blades112. Such shaving aid member assemblies100may comprise shaving aid members104having the same material, or two different materials for providing different benefits to the shaving experience.

Shaving aid member assembly100comprises shaving aid member104disposed on the outer surface105of the horizontal band portion103. Shaving aid member104is preferably in the form of a strip comprising a length slightly smaller than the width of a conventional shaving head110. Alternatively, shaving aid member104may extent over the entire perimeter of outer surface105of horizontal band portion103. Shaving aid member104preferably comprises shaving aid material or composition for enhancing the shaving performance of the razor101and providing desired benefits to the skin. Any shaving aid material known in the art may be utilized to form the shaving aid member104. In addition, various shaving aid member assemblies100may be provided containing shaving aid members104made from a variety of materials such that a user can interchange or substitute the shaving aid member assemblies100during shaving depending on the desired shaving benefits. Shaving aid member104may comprise water release agents; water soluble materials; gels; lubricants; moisturizers; conditioners; extracts, such as aloe vera extract, gel extracts, or the like; soap based compositions; surfactants, such as stearic acid, or the like; vitamins, such as vitamin E, or the like; cooling agents, such as eucalyptus, menthol, or the like; antibacterial agents, such as triclosan, or the like; antioxidants, such as grapefruit seed extract, or the like; stabilizers; colorants; preservatives; or combinations thereof.

Shaving aid member104may further comprise wear indicators, such as a plurality of colored layers, to indicate the use of the shaving aid member104. For example, shaving aid member104may comprise a white layer on top of a red layer. As the shaving aid member104is used, the red layer will show through, indicating to the user that the shaving aid member104is about to be exhausted and must be replaced. Furthermore, shaving aid member104may also comprise a guard containing grooves, such as guard113, for stretching out the skin prior to shaving. As such, shaving aid member assembly100may be fastened to a shaving head110that does not already have a guard113to enhance the shaving experience.

FIGS. 2A-2Dillustrate cross-sectional views along line2-2shown inFIG. 1Aof various preferred embodiments of the construction of shaving aid member assembly100, as well as of other embodiments of the shaving aid member assemblies illustrated inFIGS. 3A-3C,5A-5D,6, and7A-7C. Referring first toFIG. 2A, elongated body102may comprise horizontal band portion103or a first layer and shaving aid member104or a second layer disposed on the outer surface105of the horizontal band portion103. Horizontal band portion103may be formed of a continuous loop of elastic material. In one embodiment, shaving aid member104may comprise elastic material and can be stretched out together with the horizontal band portion103. In an alternative embodiment, as shown inFIG. 2B, elongated body102may comprise a middle or third layer of material203disposed between the horizontal band portion103and the shaving aid member104. Third layer of material203is preferably formed of a non-elastic or rigid material for providing stability to the shaving aid member104and for preventing the shaving aid member104from stretching out and thereby breaking. Third layer of material203may be made of plastic, metal, resin material, or the like. Preferably, third layer of material203is substantially the same size or slightly larger than shaving aid member104. In another embodiment, as shown inFIG. 2C, elongated body102may comprise a lower or fourth layer of material205disposed on the inner surface107of the horizontal band portion103. Fourth layer of material205is provided to come into contact with the front face114of the shaving head110for preventing elongated body102from sliding with respect to the shaving head110. Accordingly, fourth layer of material205may comprise ribbed surface or may be made of friction resistant material, such as silicone. The fourth layer of material205may be substantially the same size as the shaving aid member104, or it may extend along the entire inner surface107of horizontal band portion103. In another alternative embodiment, the horizontal band portion103may comprise material with friction resistant properties.

As shown inFIG. 2D, horizontal band portion103may comprise an elastic portion208and an intermediate portion207. The elastic portion208is made of elastic material and is connected at its first end211to the first end214of the intermediate portion207and at its second end213to the second end216of the intermediate portion207. Preferably, shaving aid member104is disposed on the intermediate portion207, which may be made from rigid material, like the third layer of material203, for preventing the shaving aid member104from stretching and breaking. Intermediate portion207may be substantially the same size as shaving aid member104, or it may be slightly larger.

Elongated body102may comprise one or more layers described inFIGS. 2A-2Din any desired configuration. In a preferred embodiment, the various layers of the shaving aid member assembly100are molded to form a substantially unitary body102. Alternatively, the various layers may be attached to each other by adhesives, mechanical locking means, by injection molding processes known in the art, by spraying, or by other ways known in the art. For example, the fourth layer of material205may be sprayed onto the inner surface107of the horizontal band portion103.

Shaving aid member104is preferably provided in the form of a strip, or any other known form. As shown inFIG. 4, shaving aid member404may comprise a plurality of shaving aid portions of shaving aid material402disposed on backing401or directly on horizontal band portion103as shown inFIG. 2A. Backing401may comprise the same material as third layer of material203shown inFIG. 2B. Shaving aid portions402may be in the shape of circles, triangles, rectangles, hearts, starts, or any other desired shape.

FIGS. 3A-3Cillustrate shaving aid member assembly300to be used with a shaving razor101, according to an alternative embodiment of the invention. Shaving aid member assembly300comprises an elongated body302comprising a horizontal band portion303, such as horizontal band portion103, and first and second vertical band portions308and309. Horizontal band portion303is in the form of a continuous loop and is adapted to be removably fastened around the horizontal perimeter of shaving head110, right above blades112and below top wall120, as shown inFIGS. 3B-3C. Horizontal band portion303extends from a first end311to a second end312and comprises shaving aid member304, similar to shaving aid member104, disposed on its outer surface305. First vertical band portion308extends perpendicularly to the horizontal band portion303at its first end311and second vertical band portion309extends perpendicularly to the horizontal band portion303at its second end312. First and second vertical band portions308and309are formed of continuous loops adapted to be removably fastened around the vertical perimeter of shaving head110as shown inFIGS. 3B-3C. Particularly, first and second vertical band portions308and309extend over front face114, around top wall120, over rear face116, and around bottom wall121of shaving head110. First and second vertical band portion308and309are preferably spaced apart from one another to accommodate the width of conventional blades112. First vertical band portion308is preferably secured between blades112and first side wall117and second vertical band portion309is preferably secured between blades112and second side wall118. First and second vertical band portions308and309increase stability to the shaving aid member assembly300and ensure that it remains flush with the shaving head110. Horizontal band portion303and first and second vertical band portions308and309are preferably made of elastic material, such as the materials described above with reference toFIGS. 1A-1C, which allow the shaving aid member assembly300to be stretched and fitted over the shaving head110. Horizontal band portion303and first and second vertical band portions308and309may be molded from a single piece of material. Alternatively, first and second vertical band portions308and309may be attached to the horizontal band portion303by an adhesive, mechanical locking means, molding, or by any other means known in the art.

FIGS. 5A-5Dillustrate shaving aid member assembly500to be used with a shaving razor101, according to another alternative embodiment of the invention. Shaving aid member assembly500comprises an elongated body502having a horizontal band portion503, similar to horizontal band portion103. Horizontal band portion503is in the form of a continuous loop, and preferably comprises length that is slightly less than twice the horizontal perimeter of shaving head110. Horizontal band portion503is adapted to be crisscrossed (as shown inFIG. 5D) such that it comprises a first horizontal portion508and a second horizontal portion509that meet at a crisscross region506. First horizontal portion508can be removably fastened around the horizontal perimeter of shaving head110, right above blades112and below top wall120, as shown inFIGS. 5B-5C. Second horizontal portion509can be removably fastened around the horizontal perimeter of shaving head110, right below blades112and above bottom wall121. Particularly, first and second horizontal portions508and509each extend with its inner surface507over the front face114, around the first side wall117, over the rear face116, and around the second side wall118of the shaving head110. First and second horizontal portions508and509meet at a crisscross region506as shown inFIG. 5D, where the elongated body502crisscrosses. First and second horizontal portions508and509comprise shaving aid members504aand504b, similar to shaving aid member104, disposed on the outer surface505of the elongated body502. As such, shaving aid member assembly500allows for addition of shaving aid members504aand504aabove and below the blades112. Alternatively, shaving aid member assembly500may comprise a single shaving aid member504aor504b. First and second horizontal portions508and509further increase stability to the shaving aid member assembly500and ensure that it remains flush to the shaving head110. First and second horizontal portions508and509are preferably made of elastic material, such as the materials described above with reference toFIGS. 1A-1C, which allow the shaving aid member assembly500to be stretched and fitted over the shaving head110.

In an alternative embodiment, as shown inFIG. 6, shaving aid member assembly600may comprise an elongated body602having first and second horizontal portions608and609(similar to first and second horizontal portions508and509ofFIGS. 5A-5D) connected with a connection portion606. As such, the shaving aid member assembly600does not need to be crisscrossed before use. Connection portion606preferably comprises an X shape. However, connection portion606may comprise any other shape, such as a rectangle, a square, a circle, a heart, a star, and the like. Shaving aid member assembly600is affixed to the shaving head110in a similar configuration as shaving aid member assembly500shown inFIGS. 5B-5C, with its inner surface607resting against the shaving head110. First and second horizontal portions608and609comprise shaving aid members604aand604b, similar to shaving aid member104, disposed on the outer surface605of the elongated body602. First and second horizontal portions608and609and the X-shaped connection portion606may be molded from a single piece of material. Alternatively, first and second horizontal portions608and609and the X-shaped connection portion606may be attached by an adhesive, mechanical locking means, molding, or by any other means known in the art.

Yet another embodiment of the shaving aid assembly of the present invention is illustrated with reference toFIGS. 7A-7C. Shaving aid member assembly700comprises an elongated body702having a horizontal band portion703, similar to horizontal band portion103. Horizontal band portion703is in the form of a continuous loop, and preferably comprises length that is slightly less than the horizontal perimeter of shaving head110. Horizontal band portion703is adapted to be removably fastened around the perimeter of shaving head110, around the shaving head's110outer walls, as shown inFIGS. 7B-7C. Particularly, horizontal band portion703extends with its inner surface707over the top wall120, over the first side wall117, over the bottom wall121, and over the second side wall118of the shaving head110. Horizontal band portion703comprises a first shaving aid member704aand a second shaving aid member704b, similar to shaving aid member104, disposed on its outer side surface705. In another embodiment, horizontal band portion703may comprise a single strip of shaving aid member704aor704b. In yet another embodiment, horizontal band portion703may comprise a shaving aid member disposed on the entire outer side surface705of the horizontal band portion703. As is apparent inFIGS. 7B and 7C, the design of the shaving aid member assembly700allows the shaving aid members704aand704bto be flush with the front face114of the shaving head110. Horizontal band portion703is preferably made of elastic material, such as the materials described above with reference toFIGS. 1A-1C, which allow the shaving aid member assembly700to be stretched and fitted over the shaving head110.

It should be understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed features and other similar method and system may be utilized without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

While the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment and alternative embodiments, which embodiments have been set forth in considerable detail for the purposes of making a complete disclosure of the invention, such embodiments are merely exemplary and are not intended to be limiting or represent an exhaustive enumeration of all aspects of the invention. The scope of the invention, therefore, shall be defined solely by the following claims. Further, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that numerous changes may be made in such details without departing from the spirit and the principles of the invention. It should be appreciated that the invention is capable of being embodied in other forms without departing from its essential characteristics.