SHAVING ASSEMBLY

Abstract: Shaving assembly which comprises a blade seat (12), and a blade cap (16) secured to the seat, with the outwardly facing surface (38) of the cap (16) being substantially planar and defining a locating and reference plane for contacting the surface of skin to be shaved, whereby to locate and orient the assembly with respect to the skin. Handle means (14) extend from the assembly for grasping and drawing same across the skin in a given direction during shaving. Razor blade means (18) are secured between the seat (12) and cap (16). The cutting edge portion (34) of the blade means protrude in the given direction beyond the edge (46) of the cap (16), and the center plane of such portion makes an angle of from about -5` to 14` with respect to the locating and reference plane (38). The terminal cutting edge (60) of such portion is spaced from the locating and reference plane (38) in the direction of the seat (12). Hairs are cut in scythe-like fashion during the shaving process, by the cutting edge (60) intersecting the hairs above the skin, and substantially without the cutting edge contacting the skin (66).

Description: Description Shaving Assembly Technical Field This invention relates to a shaving assembly generally useful in body shaving applications, and especially applicable to surgical shaving. Background Art Prior art shaving techniques have involved trapping the hair between a blade edge and the skin adjacent to the hair follicle. Prior to the safety razor, the blade edge was also moved to provide a slicing action, whereby the epidermal layer of the skin was broached extensively. In conventional safety razors the cutting action re- sembles a hoe; such action damages the epidermis next to the hair follicle. The above is illustrated in the prior art showing of Figure 7. This shows razor blade 2 sandwiched between a blade seat 4 and a blade cap 6. During shaving the assembly 3 is drawn in the direction of arrow 5. The protruding portion 9 of blade 2, is designed so that the terminal cut¬ ting edge 11 extends a distance D' beyond a ref¬ erence plane 13 defined by the outer surface 15 of cap 6 and the cooperating surface 17 of the guide bar 8. Plane 13 approximately coincides with the theoretical surface of skin 19, and cutting edge 11 thus extends by distance D' be¬ yond the theoretical skin surface, but extends by a greater distance D beneath the true skin line—by virtue of the deformation of the skin. The effect of this is that the blade edge 11, at the least rubs along the skin, and more gen¬ erally shaves into the epidermis. Disclosure of Invention The shaving assembly of the present inven¬ tion comprises a blade seat and a blade cap se¬ cured to the seat, with the outwardly facing sur¬ face of the cap being substantially planar and defining a locating and reference plane for con- tacting the surface of skin to be shaved, whereby to locate and orient the assembly with respect to the skin. Handle means extend from the assembly, to enable grasping and drawing of the assembly across the skin in a given direction during shaving. Razor blade means are secured between the seat and cap. The cutting edge portion of the blade means protrude in the given direction be¬ yond the edge of the cap. The protrusion beyond the cap is preferably in the range of from about .003 to .020 inches, and optimally around .010 inches. The center plane of such protruding por¬ tion makes an angle of from about -5° to +14° with respect to the locating and reference plane, pre- ferably makes an angle of from about 0° to +9°, and yet more optimally, makes an angle in the range of 0° to +6°. This angle may be referred to as the "angle of attack" of the cutting edge portion of the blade means, and shall mean the acute angle (or zero angle) which is defined be¬ tween the said center plane of the cutting edge portion and the said locating and reference plane. Such angle shall be regarded as positive (+) where the center plane of the cutting edge portion converges toward the reference plane in the said given direction? and negative (-) where the center plane diverges from the reference plane as one proceeds in the said given direc¬ tion. Thus, a positive angle of attack indicates that the cutting edge portion of the blade means is depressed below a plane parallel to the refer¬ ence plane; a negative angle of attack means that the cutting edge portion is angularly elevated above a plane parallel to the reference plane, so that the said cutting edge portion is angled away from the skin being shaved. The terminal cutting edge of the cutting edge portion, is further, spaced from the locating and reference plane in the direction of the blade seat. In consequence of this and of the angle of attack, hairs are cut in scythelike fashion, by the cutting edge intersecting same above the skin, without the cutting edge contacting the skin. The forward edge of the blade cap is sloped toward the point where same contacts the protru- ding blade portion. Further, the cutting edge portion of the blade means terminates in a bevel, bevel, the included angle of which is approximate¬ ly 19°. With the angle of attack residing in the preferable range of about 0° to +9°, the further angularity introduced by the bevel, results in the rearward part of the bevel being closer to the skin than is the terminal cutting edge. In consequence, the bevel surface which is closest to the skin, cooperates with the sloped forward edge of the cap, to displace skin away from the terminal cutting edge of the blade in snow-plow fashion, further reducing any possibility of in¬ jury to the epidermis. The cutting edge portion of the blade means, may be formed or bent from the remainder of the blade means, in the direction of the blade seat. This functions to partially bring about the de¬ sired low angle of attack. Brief Description of Drawings In the appended drawings: FIGURE 1 is a perspective, exploded view of a shaving assembly in accordance with the inven¬ tion; FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of the assembly; FIGURE 3 is a transverse, cross-sectional view through the sandwiched seat, blade means and blade cap, taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2; FIGURE 4 is a transverse cross-section through the razor cap shown in FIGURE 1, taken along the line 4-4 therein; FIGURE 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the cap taken along the line 5-5 of Fig¬ ure 1; FIGURE 6 is a further transverse cross-sec¬ tional view of the said cap, taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 1; FIGURE 7 is a schematic longitudinal cross- sectional view through the shaving head portion of a typical prior art safety razor; FIGURE 8 is a further schematic longitudinal crosssectional view, similar in nature to Figure 7, but showing the relationships achieved in the shaving assembly of the present invention; and FIGURE 8A is an enlarged view of the portion of Figure 8 within the circle 8A. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Referring to Figure 1, assembly 10 comprises a blade seat 12, from which extends a handle means 14, and a blade cap 16 which is securable to seat 12 with a razor blade means 18 being sandwiched between the seat and cap. Blade seat 12 is preferably molded as a unit with handle means 14, of moldable plastic materi- als, such as a polystyrene-type plastic. The blade cap 16 may be of one-piece molded construc¬ tion, of the same plastic material; or can be formed from other suitable materials. Razor blade means 18 can be manufactured from a conventionally available razor blade, including those from Wilkinson-Sword Co. , and from the Amer¬ ican Safety Razor Corporation. Such blades are modified for use in the assembly 10, by stamping same to produce the series of circular openings 20, through which stakes 22 which project from cap 16 may pass. Such projections are received into openings 24 at seat 12, with an interference fit being provided between stakes 22 and openings 24, upon the assembly shown in Figure 1 being brought into operative relation. A conventional press can be used for the as sembly purposes; the three narrow ribs 26, 28, and 30 defined where the handle means 14 meets seat 12, facilitate use of such machinery. Blade means 18 can also be of the type pro¬ vided with a foil or thread cover — such as the blades of this type disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,505,734 and 3,263,330. A cover of this or sim- ilar type may be appropriate where the attack an¬ gle is greater than about +9°, and can also be useful in providing an additional factor of safety — which can otherwise be provided by the blade bevel — at angles of attack less than +9°. Handle means 14 is defined by two lateral, flattened and diverging walls 31 and 32, which are connected by a crossmember 34. The angle be¬ tween handle means 14 and the outwardly facing substantially planar surface 38 of blade cap 16, is typically about 16°, and can be as low as about 12°, with a range of from about 12° to 18° being useful. This low angle encourages proper placement of the cap against the skin, and tends to preclude the possibility of the assembly being tipped to the extent that the blade means cutting edge digs into the skin. Additionally, the low angle encourages and facilitates a natural pulling of the assembly during shaving as opposed to push¬ ing of same. During the stamping operation normally inci¬ dent to formation of razor blade means 18, it can be desirable to slightly bend or form the cutting edge portion 34 (Figure 8), to have a slight bend in the direction of blade seat 12. This bend, typically of the order of 7° to 8°, can be one factor in reducing the angle of attack of the blade cutting edge to the desired -5° to +14° (preferably below +9°). The outwardly facing surface 38 of the cap 16 is substantially planar, and defines a locating and reference plane for contacting the surface of skin to be shaved, whereby to locate and orient the assembly. Spacer bumps 40 and 42 at the la¬ teral edges of surface 38, extend from the forward edge 46 of cap 16 and blend into the planar sur¬ face about half-way toward the trailing edge 48 of cap 16. These assure that the lateral ends of the blade do not touch the skin, and also support the razor so that the edge of the blade is not damaged during shipping. Cap 16 includes an extended trailing portion 50 which is rounded at the corners 52 thereof. This enlarges the locating and reference plane for better orienting the assembly during skin contact. The rounded edges 52 also facilitate manipulation of the assembly into areas to be shaved. Forward edge 46 of the blade cap 16 is formed with a face 54 sloped toward the blade cutting portion 34 in the direction 56. Face 58 of cap 16 includes an extended rearward portion 57 which converges (in direction 56) toward surface 38, and a portion 59 toward front edge 46 which is angled more toward seat 12. Portion 59 is actu¬ ally parallel to surface 38 — but its angularity is exaggerated in Figures 8 and 8A to schematic¬ ally illustrate the function of the bend in face 58. In consequence of this bend — i.e., between portions 57 and 59 — when the assembly is brought together as to form the sandwiched structure, the blade means 18 will tend to be slightly bent at its forward cutting portion 34, toward the blade seat 12. The net effect of the bending of the cutting portion 34 of the blade during stamping of same, and of the sandwiching action described is to cause the forward cutting portion 34 of the blade to be somewhat formed or bent away from the loca- ting and reference plane defined by surface 38. Typically, the bend achieved by stamping can be of the order of 7 β - 8 β with an additional 2° - 3° or so achieved by the mentioned sandwiching ef¬ fect of seat 12 and cap 16 on the blade. Refer- ring to Figure 8, the central plane of portion 61 of blade means 18 which is rearward of cutting portion 34, typically makes an angle of about +11° OΛ'. ~ with surface 38 (and thus with the locating and reference plane). Thus, the aforementioned com¬ bined effects of bending and sandwiching counter¬ act the +11° angle of attack which would otherwise be present, to bring such angle of attack close to 0°. As is seen in Figure 8A, the cutting portion 34 of blade means 16, is provided with a terminal cutting edge 60 defined by a pair of beveled faces 62 and 64. The included angle of the bevel is ap¬ proximately 19°. Referring to Figures 8 and 8A, the forward portion 59 of cap means 16 is bent from rearward portion 57 in the direction of seat 12, so that the surface portion of 59 is approximately paral¬ lel to surface 38. The portion of blade means 18 which is forward of cap 16, has been referred to as the "protruding cutting edge portion" 34 of the blade means. The center plane of this portion 34, will make an a angle between from about -5° to 14°, preferably from about 0° to +9", and optimal¬ ly from about 0° to 6°, with respect to the loca¬ ting and reference plane at surface 38. This is or can be partially brought about by virtue of the slight bending of portion 34 towards seat 12, either resulting from the stamping operation and/ or from the pressure brought about during assembly of seat 12 with cap 16. Since the included angle of the bevel at the terminal cutting edge 60 is approximately 19°, the further angularity introduced by the bevel surface 62 where the angle of attack is in the preferable range of from 0° to +9°, results in the rearward part 62a of bevel surface 64 being actually closer to the skin 66 than is the terminal cutting edge 60. The terminal cutting edge 60 is spaced by the distance D' above the plane of surface 38 and the theoretical skin line 66a, and is spaced from the "worse case" actual skin line 66b by the distance D. The foregoing factors combine with the sloping face 54 so that as assembly 10 is drawn in the di¬ rection 56, the skin flow, which for the "worse case" of loose skin is as at 66b, is "snow-plowed" away from the terminal cutting edge 60 by the sloping face 54, and further by the low angle of attack of the blade cutting edge portion 34. Hairs are thus cut in scythe-like fashion by the terminal cutting edge 60 intersecting such hairs above the skin line, and substantially without the cutting edge contacting the skin. Since the cutting action is effected without the wedging effect of the prior art shaving can actu¬ ally be conducted without any fluid lubricant. Since the cutting action does not involve trapping or wedging of the cut hairs and there is no skin guidance system ahead of the cutting edge, such hairs can fall freely upon being cut, thereby re¬ ducing any requirement for rinsing shaved hairs from the razor cutting edge. OΛ'.PI

Claims: Claims 1. A shaving assembly for use in shaving bodily hair, comprising in combination: a razor blade cap secured to a blade seat with blade means sandwiched therebetween; said cap having a substantially planer loca¬ ting face for contacting the surface of the skin to be shaved and for locating and orien¬ ting said assembly for grasping and drawing said assembly across said skin in a given di¬ rection with said locating face in contact with said skin; said blade means having a por¬ tion terminating at a cutting edge and protru¬ ding in said given direction beyond the edge of said cap; said protruding portion making an angle of from about -5° to +14° with re¬ spect to said locating face of said blade cap; and said cutting edge being spaced from said locating face in the direction of said seat; whereby bodily hairs to be shaved by said as¬ sembly are cut in scythe-like fashion by said cutting edge intersecting said hairs above the skin, and substantially without the said cutting edge contacting the skin. 2. An assembly in accordance with claim 1, where¬ in said andle is from about 0° to +9°. 3. An assembly in accordance with claim 1, where¬ in said angle is from about 0° to +6°. 0MP1_ 4. An assembly in accordance with claim 1, where¬ in the front edge of said cap is sloped in said given direction toward said cutting edge portion of the sandwiched blade means, the sloped face functioning during shaving to snow-plow the skin away from the terminal cutting edge. 5. An assembly in accordance with claim 1, where¬ in said blade means cutting edge portion pro- trudes beyond the said cap edge from between .003 to .020 inches. 6. An assembly in accordance with claim 1, where¬ in said cutting edge portion of said blade means is beveled at the tip thereof to define said cutting edge, whereby the surface of said bevel toward said reference and locating plane further displaces said skin away from said cut¬ ting edge during shaving. 7. An assembly in accordance with claim 1, where- in said cutting edge portion of said blade means is bent from the remainder of said blade means in the direction of said seat, to reduce the said angle. 8. An assembly in accordance with claim 1, where- in said outwardly facing surface of said cap means is substantially larger than the oppos¬ ed said blade seat, to thereby provide an en¬ larged said locating and reference plane. _ 0 9. An assembly in accordance with claim 1, where¬ in said outwardly facing surface of said cap means includes spacer ridges at the lateral edes thereof, to futher preclude contact of the lateral edges of said blade means with said skin during shaving. 10. An assembly in accordance with claim 1, where¬ in said handle means makes an angle in the range of from about 12° to 18° with respect to the locating face of said cap. 11. An assembly in aordance with claim 12, where¬ in said cap is secured to said seat by pro¬ jections from the one engaging with openings in the other in an interference fit.

Inventors: GROSJEAN W
Applicants: GROSJEAN W
Application year: 1980
Main classification: B26B21
IPC codes: B26B21