Razor with adjustable blade positioning

A safety razor incorporates an apparatus for substantially vertical displacement of a blade carrier and the shaving edge carried thereby with respect to a skin guard. The blade carrier includes a circular hub retained by a circular receiving portion of a cover member used in the razor. A circular interfacing device, between the hub and the receiving portion, incorporates two eccentric segments. A first segment receives the hub, and the second segment is engaged by the receiving portion of the cover. Rotation of the interfacing device in the cover provides displacement of the blade in accordance with movement of the centers of the two segments of the device. Such displacement specifically causes movement of the razor blade with respect to the skin guard formed in the cover, and is used to provide a height adjustment for the blade.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to means for adjusting shaving geometry, 
particularly to means for displacing a razor blade with respect to a skin 
guard. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of 
eccentrically related circular structures for such adjustment of shaving 
geometry. 
2. Prior Art 
The present invention is useful in providing an adjustable shaving geometry 
in razors of the type disclosed in Iten et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,365, 
assigned to the assignee of the present invention and known as the 
"FLICKER".RTM. razor. While U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,365 discloses an 
environment for the present invention and is incorporated herein by 
reference, no suggestion is provided therein either of the broad concept 
of adjustability of shaving geometry or, more particularly, of the present 
approach utilized for such adjustment. 
Razors having adjustable shaving geometries are known, but none of the 
prior art discloses an adjusting mechanism at all similar to the present 
invention. 
Ayotte, U.S. Pat. No. 3,015,158, rocks a clamping plate and blade on a 
crowned fulcrum ridge by means of a blade adjusting screw. Nissen et al. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,077 moves a guard member in order to cause movement of 
a blade cutting edge, thereby to adjust the shaving geometry. Neither of 
these references, however, discloses the present structure for vertical 
blade motion with respect to a skin guard. Other references are known 
which disclose the movement of adjustable levers and guards, but not of 
shaving blades. For example, Perry U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,507 shows a camming 
member in FIG. 20. The camming member has a groove 56, with a center which 
is offset and forwardly displaced from the center of its pivot axis, to 
move a guard. Nissen U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,375,578 and 3,587,174 show cams in 
FIGS. 21 and 33 operating with a guide plate camming lever having two cam 
follower surfaces, the lever having two identical sets of arcuate segments 
with differing radii. The apparatus is used to move an adjusting lever as 
disclosed at column 8 in '578, for example. Kuhnl U.S. Pat. No. 3,555,681 
utilizes rotatable cams or bars for moving a magazine cover with respect 
to the body, thus moving a guard with respect to the blade edge. Narizzano 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,958,128 incorporates a cam to provide lateral motion of a 
guard. 
Other prior art references include Schick U.S. Pat. No. 1,584,811, Smith et 
al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,043,124, Jones et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,587,625, Perry 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,364,570 and 3,364,571, and Braginetz U.S. Pat. No. 
3,619,901. Any adjustability disclosed in these references is even further 
removed from that hereinabove described, and pertains to the utilization 
of cams, for example, to adjust guard positioning. 
In short, none of the references provides a simply implemented asjusting 
means for displacing a blade with respect to a skin guard, or for 
displacing a blade carrier having a plurality of blades mounted thereon 
with respect to a cover member having a skin guard thereon. Moreover, none 
of the known adjusting means is suitable to a circular razor structure 
such as disclosed in Iten et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,365. 
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a means for adjusting the shaving geometry 
of razors having circular portions therein. Specifically, adjusting means 
are disclosed for FLICKER type razors. 
The adjusting means particularly utilizes the rotatable relationship 
between a central hub portion of a blade carrier, supporting a plurality 
of blades, and the razor cover. 
An eccentric relationship between the hub and a circular receiving portion 
in the cover is introduced by the adjusting means. 
The adjusting means particularly includes a pair of eccentric circular 
portions, one engaging the circular hub of the carrier, the other engaging 
the circular receiving portion of the cover. Rotation of the adjusting 
means within the cover causes displacement of the center of the hub and 
accordingly of the entire carrier portion. The resulting motion causes the 
blade to be displaced with respect to the cover. Inasmuch as the cover 
includes the skin guard, such displacement accordingly effects an 
adjustment in the razor shaving geometry. 
It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to overcome the 
deficiencies of the prior art and to provide a simple means for adjusting 
blade positioning and associated shaving geometry. The disclosed means is 
particularly usable in razors having a blade carrier with a circular 
portion received in a second circular portion in a cover member and usable 
to effect rotation of the blade carrier. 
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention 
will become more readily apparent from the following specification and 
appended claims, when considered in conjunction with the attached drawings 
.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring first to the invention as shown in FIG. 1, the adjustable razor 
is comprised of four major elements: a disc-shaped blade holder, or 
carrier, 10; a front cover disc 12; a rear cover disc 14; and a 
substantially circular adjusting means 16. These elements are preferably 
formed of a suitable plastic material, but one or more could be composed 
of metal or other materials. The blade carrier 10 is shown in greater 
detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, and includes front and rear cylindrical 
extensions forming central hubs 18 and 20, respectively, on the front and 
rear faces of the carrier. Hubs 18 and 20 generally extend into circular 
openings in front and rear cover discs 12 and 14. An opening 22 is shown 
at FIG. 4 in front cover disc 12. While the present embodiment shows a 
rear central hub 20 in carrier 10, the present invention does not require 
use of two hubs. That is, a single central hub, located at either the 
front or the rear face of the carrier, cooperates with adjusting means 16 
in a circular opening in either cover disc. The carrier 10 supports a 
series of blades 24 at its periphery, extending generally in end-to-end 
relationship to each other. The number of blades, and correspondingly the 
shape of the blade carrier, may vary in accordance with design 
considerations. In FIGS. 1 through 3 the carrier is shown as supporting 
five blades and accordingly has a generally pentagonal shape in outline. 
Other carrier shapes result from the use of different numbers of blades. 
The opening 22 in front cover 12 generally provides support for carrier 10. 
Support for the rear portion of carrier 10 may be provided by a 
corresponding relationship between an opening (not shown) in rear cover 14 
and rear hub 20. Additional support is provided by fingers 26 in carrier 
10 which elastically engage rear cover 14 in the manner described in the 
aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,365. As further disclosed therein, 
carrier 10 includes a series of flanges 28 from which depend pairs of cam 
lugs 30. The cam lugs, forming notches therebetween, provide a detent 
means for positioning the blade carrier such that a particular one of the 
series of blades is exposed at a shaving area indicated at 32 in FIG. 1. A 
window 34 in front cover 12 is adapted to display the respective blade 
numbers, such as indicated at 36 for the numeral 1. 
Front cover disc 12 incorporates a soap bar, or skin guard 38, formed of a 
protruding portion as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5. 
The shaving geometry formed at shaving area 32 by the relative positioning 
of blade 24 and skin guard 38 determines the closeness of a shave and the 
relative comfort experienced by a user in shaving with the present 
apparatus. One element of the shaving geometry is known as the shaving 
span, determined by the distance between the sharpened edge of the blade 
and the skin guard. As shown in FIG. 11, the span S between blade 24 and 
skin guard 38 includes a vertical component S.sub.V and a horizontal 
component S.sub.H. S.sub.V is substantially perpendicular to the plane of 
the blade, and S.sub.H substantially parallel thereto. The ratio of 
S.sub.V to S.sub.H forms the tangent of the shave angle a. Comfort and 
cutting efficiency of a particular shave may be varied by altering the 
shaving geometry, whether by changing the shave angle, the shaving span, 
or one of the components of the shaving span. Such alteration is 
ordinarily achieved by displacement of a movable skin guard. The present 
invention provides an adjusting means, shown in FIGS. 7 through 9, which 
displaces the blade carrier, or holder 10, and thus shaving blade 24, with 
respect to skin guard 38. An adjustment is particularly made in the 
vertical component of the shaving span. Alternatively, the adjustment may 
be viewed as an adjustment in the shave angle. 
Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the front cover of the present invention 
includes an annular rib, or flange 40. The rib is substantially circular 
in shape, and is described by a radius 42 and a center 44. It is 
particularly to be noted that, while circular opening 22 is described by a 
radius 46 and a center 48, the center 48 of opening 22 is displaced 
horizontally with respect to center 44. The eccentric relationship between 
the rib 40 and the remainder of front cover 12, including opening 22, 
cooperates with adjusting means 16 as hereinafter described. 
The adjusting means of the present invention is shown in FIG. 7 as 
including an outer circular portion 50 and an inner circular portion 52. 
Outer portion 50 is described by radius 54 and center 56. Inner circular 
portion 52 is described by radius 58 and center 60. Circular portions 50 
and 52 are eccentric. That is, centers 56 and 58 are displaced from one 
another. Radius 54 is chosen to enable outer circular portion 50 of 
adjusting means 16 to fit within rib 40. Radius 58 is selected to permit 
central hub 18 to fit within inner circular portion 52. This arrangement 
assures that, when assembled with adjusting means 16 mounted on central 
hub 18 and within rib 40, the present adjustable razor provides a fixed 
relationship between center 56 of outer circular portion 50, rib 40, and 
front cover 12. Rotation of adjustable means 16 within rib 40 does not 
alter the location of center 56. The eccentric relationship between outer 
and inner portions 50 and 52 accordingly causes the displacement of center 
60 with respect to the rib 40, and consequently with respect to the entire 
front cover 12. Inasmuch as center 60 is fixed with respect to hub 18, and 
consequently with respect to the blade carrier 10 and blades 24 mounted 
thereon, displacement of center 60 provides a similar displacement of 
blade 24 with respect to front cover 12 and skin guard 38 thereof. 
Selection of a neutral adjustment wherein centers 60 and 56 are displaced 
horizontally only permits center 60 (and blades 24) to move vertically 
upward in response to a clockwise rotation of adjusting means 16, and to 
move vertically downward in response to a counterclockwise rotation of 
adjusting means 16. 
Inasmuch as the present invention provides for motion of center 60 in an 
arc about center 56, rather than for strictly vertical displacement, blade 
24 accordingly obtains varying degrees of inclination to the skin guard 38 
as a result of a change in the adjustment. To minimize this effect the 
maximal variation in adjustment is split between upward and downward 
adjustment. That is, a nominal adjustment is selected with the line 
connecting centers 56 and 60 parallel to the skin guard 38. Centers 44 and 
48 are similarly displaced along a line parallel to skin guard 38 to 
assure that at the nominal adjustment the blade and skin guard will be 
parallel. Maximal inclination of the blade with respect to the skin guard 
is thus halved, but occurs (in opposite directions) in both highest and 
lowest adjustments. 
As previously described, both in the present specification and that of U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,648,365, cam lugs 30 provide detent means in cooperation with a 
fixed lug 62 on front cover 12, as shown in FIG. 6. Lug 62 engages the 
notch formed between lugs 30 to retain blade 24 in a fixed position. 
Upward motion of outer circular portion 50 of adjusting means 16 is 
performing its function thus transmits stresses to front cover 12 by fixed 
lug 62. A relief slot 64 is accordingly formed in the front cover to 
permit lug 62 to respond to an upward movement of the shaving span without 
binding the adjusting means 16. Lug 62 is rearwardly displaced from the 
opening 22 in order to engage a lip 65 on adjusting means 16, thereby 
securing placement thereof in front cover 12. 
In order further to facilitate assembly of the disclosed adjustable razor, 
a ring holding lug 80 may be provided on flange 40, shown in FIGS. 6 and 
10. Lug 80, similarly to lug 62, engages lip 65 of the adjusting means 16. 
A manual rotating means 66 is provided on adjusting means 16 to enable 
manual rotation thereof. Rotating means 66 protrudes through an opening 68 
shown in FIG. 4 and is available for manual grasping from the front of the 
razor. Opening 68 includes an arc portion 69, appropriately situated to 
permit non-binding movement of means 66 as it is rotated to provide the 
desired blade adjustment. the manual rotating means is further used to 
provide an index of adjustment height, in cooperation with a plurality of 
indicia 70 formed on front cover 12. Indicia 70 comprise raised points 
formed on the cover. Rotating means 66 includes a slot 72 for engaging the 
indica 70, thus providing a detent means for maintaining a particular 
selected shaving geometry adjustment. 
To assure effective adjustment capability, the radius 58 of inner circular 
portion 52 of the adjusting means is chosen to provide a snug fit with the 
outer radius of central hub 18. The snug fit is desired to assure 
constancy of adjustment of the shaving geometry. Referring to FIGS. 8 and 
9, the adjusting means is seen to incorporate therein a substantially 
cylindrical portion 74 mounted on lip 65. As seen in FIG. 8, the 
cylindrical portion may in fact be tapered and be represented by a frustum 
of a cone rather than a right cylindrical surface. The decreasing inner 
diameter of portion 74 can assure a frictional fit with the outer diameter 
of hub 18. For mounting purposes, however, cylindrical portion 74 is 
advantageously provided with a plurality of circumferential V slots 76 to 
provide torsional flexibility for ease of assembly and rotation. The ring 
skirt is thus effectively provided with spring segments acting on a hub to 
enhance constancy of adjustment, yet permitting ease in assembly and 
rotation. 
While a closed ring-like structure is utilized for the circular adjusting 
means 16, it is apparent that a split ring may be advantageously utilized. 
A split ring provides additional circumferential flexure and provides 
advantages similar to those hereinabove described for the torsional flex 
provided by the circumferential V slots. However, the components of a 
split ring might introduce a binding problem. The present invention 
accordingly provides the advantages of a split ring in a continuous ring 
structure by utilizing a U-shaped connector 78. While a continuous ring 
requires tight tolerance limits in order to provide the snug fit required 
for proper operation of the present adjustment device, utilization of 
connector 78 permits use of tighter radii in adjusting means 16, yet 
provides split ring flexibility to avoid binding between blade carrier 10 
and the adjusting means. 
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,365, in an alternative embodiment the 
blade carrier may comprise the rear cover of the razor. The 
above-described eccentric arrangement may still be used in such an 
alternative embodiment. Conceivably, however, the adjusting means may 
comprise a ring, with eccentric circular portions, which fits between the 
outer circular portions of the front cover and the combined rear cover and 
blade carrier. That is, the ring may accept one of the outer 
circumferences of the front and back covers (rather than a central hub 
thereof) and may itself be accepted by the other outer circumference. 
Further, although the foregoing description discloses an adjusting means 
cooperating with the blade holder and the front cover, the invention may 
be practiced with the adjusting means cooperating with the rear cover 
instead. Still further, the preceding specification of the preferred 
embodiment discloses that the adjusting means is an intermediate apparatus 
between the blade holder and one of the covers, specifically illustrating 
the blade holder as having the smaller diameter circular component 
received within the adjusting means which is in turn received within a 
larger diameter circular component on the cover. As would be obvious to 
those skilled in the art, the invention may similarly be practiced with an 
adjusting means rotating within a circular rib provided on the blade 
holder, and about a circular component provided in the cover. Thus the 
radius of the circular component of the blade carrier may in fact be 
greater than the radius of the circular component of the cover. It is 
similarly apparent that the invention may be practiced in a razor wherein 
the blade is mounted so that the plane of the adjusting means and the 
plane of the blade have any preselected angular relationship. That is, the 
two planes need not be substantially perpendicular as in the present 
embodiment. In the event that a non-perpendicular relationship is 
provided, it is clear that both the horizontal and vertical components of 
the shaving span will be affected by an adjustment in accordance with the 
present invention. 
The preceding specification describes, by way of illustration and not of 
limitation, a preferred embodiment of the invention. Equivalent variations 
of the described embodiment will occur to those skilled in the art. Such 
variations, modifications, and equivalents are within the scope of the 
invention as recited with greater particularity in the following claims, 
when interpreted to obtain the benefits of all equivalents to which the 
invention is fairly entitled. What I claim is: