Abstract:
A razor blade holder that is conveniently attachable to any selected surface of a garment worn by a user includes a first generally planar housing having one or more first magnets embedded therein and a vertical channel extending across the front surface thereof conformed to hold the razor blade therein by magnetic attraction. The upper edge of the vertical channel includes a cut-out to expose a part of the blade for manual grasping while the lower edge is provided with a transverse recess for receiving the blade edge. A second housing, similarly provided with embedded second magnets, is then positioned on the opposite side of the selected garment surface in alignment with the first housing to capture the garment surface between the housings.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/752,392 filed Jan. 6, 2004, which, in turn, is a completion application of a copending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/438,413, filed Jan. 7, 2003, for “SINGLE EDGE RAZOR BLADE HOLDER”, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a single edge razor blade storage, transport, and dispensing device and its method of use that offers convenience and access to a razor blade such as when hanging wallpaper or in a scraping operation.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     The use of single edged razor blades and blade holders and/or containers for transport, storage and dispending of these blades is known in the art. Additionally, the use of a magnetic device for holding the blade is known.  
         [0006]     By way of example, attention is drawn to U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,299,097 issued Apr. 1, 1919 to Ames; 2,370,815 issued Dec. 11, 1962 to Randol; 3,358,367 issued Dec. 19, 1967 to Bartley; 3,660,894 issued May 9, 1972 to Sand; and 5,479,950 issued Jan. 2, 1966 to Andrews.  
         [0007]     An improved arrangement that enables the transport, storage, protection, and dispensing of a single edged razor blade by craftsman would be desirable. Additionally, an arrangement that utilizes a magnetic device for holding the blade and also makes the safety razor blade directly available to an individual when working in remote areas would be desirable.  
       SUMMARY OT THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     According to this invention, embodiments of a blade holder for holding a razor blade having a single cutting edge are disclosed. Preferably, the blade holder comprises a housing of non-magnetic material. The housing is formed with upper and lower end walls, a front side, a vertical channel opening outwardly along the front side of the housing, and a slot or chamber extending across the lower end wall. The channel and slot have a width that is greater than the width of the blade, and the slot communicates with the channel and has a depth sized to receive and conceal the cutting edge of the blade. A magnet is embedded in the housing for attracting and removably holding or retaining the razor blade, where desired, against the front side of the housing when the blade is disposed in the channel.  
         [0009]     Preferably, to enable centering, placement, and removal of the blade, a pair of sidewalls that project upwardly form the front side of the housing define the vertical channel on the front side that received the razor blade. The upward extension of the sidewalls is greater that the thickness of the blade.  
         [0010]     In one preferred embodiment according to this invention, the front side is divided into upper and lower portions with the transition between the portions defining a fulcrum against with the blade may pivot. The upper portion between the upper end wall and the fulcrum is concave and the surface tapers (i.e., slopes) outwardly from the back side in extending between the upper end wall and the fulcrum. The lower portion is substantially flat or generally planar and sized to position the blade thereon.  
         [0011]     In another preferred embodiment according to this invention, the front side is generally flat (or planar), and the upper end wall has a central portion between the sidewalls that is concave. The concave central portion extends towards the lower end wall whereby to form a cut-out region that allows a user&#39;s fingers to be received therewithin to grip the upper edge portion of the razor blade, whether for placement of removal.  
         [0012]     Preferably and according to an important aspect of this invention, there is provided apparatus for attaching and carrying a single edged razor blade on clothing, the apparatus comprising the blade holder, as described herein above, and a keeper. The keeper is of a non-magnetic material and provided with a magnet. The magnets are such that the holder and the keeper will be held in gripped relation when brought in to contact with one another. In use, the garment is sandwiched between the holder and the keeper.  
         [0013]     Preferably and according to this invention, the magnet is comprised of the element Neodymium. As applied herein, the Neodymium magnet is made up of a compound called NIB, for Neodymium Iron Boron (Nd2Fe14B), and formed into a cylindrical or disc shaped form.  
         [0014]     Further, preferably two cylindrical Neodymium magnets are provided in the holder and in the keeper. However, in some applications, one magnet may be adequate. Additionally, other shapes (such as rectangular slab) and other magnetic materials may be utilized.  
         [0015]     In a related aspect, there is provided in herein a kit for enabling a single edged razor blade to be removably secured to a garment and transported for use where desired. According to this aspect, the kit comprises the keeper as described herein above, the keeper including at least one magnet, the blade holder, as described herein above, the holder including at least one magnet, and a single edged razor blade.  
         [0016]     Further and according to another aspect of the invention herein, a method of storing, carrying and using a razor blade of the type having a single cutting edge is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of:  
         [0017]     (a) Providing a holder having a magnet therein and a keeper having a magnet therein, the holder being formed to include on a front side thereof a vertical channel for receiving the blade and a fulcrum to enable the blade to pivot relative to the front side, and a slot for receiving the cutting edge of the blade,  
         [0018]     (b) positioning the keeper and holder on opposite sides of a garment whereby the magnets will attract to one another and the garment will be sandwiched the holder and the keeper, and for storage,  
         [0019]     (c) inserting a razor blade into the channel whereby the holder magnet will attract and retain the blade in the channel and against the front side of the holder,  
         [0020]     (d) for use, 
        (i.) forcing the razor blade vertically upward in the channel such that the fulcrum is positioned generally medially of the blade, and     (ii.) substantially simultaneously with the forcing, pushing the upper half of the blade toward the front side and pulling the lower half of the blade upwardly in the channel, the inward pushing freeing the hold of the magnet on the razor blade.        
 
         [0023]     The present invention will be more clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawings and to the following detailed description, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]      FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of an exemplary preferred blade holder and associated keeper according to this invention being positioned for removable attachment to a garment and a single edged razor blade positioned for retention to the blade holder.  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a plan view showing the front of the blade holder of  FIG. 1   
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2   
         [0027]      FIGS. 4A, 4B , and  4 C are section views of the blade holder and associated keeper attached to a garment and illustrates a singe edged razor blade, respectively, when in a retained position for carrying, an intermediate stage in removal, and the removal of the blade from the blade holder.  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is perspective exploded view of another exemplary preferred blade holder according to this invention and a single edged razor blade being positioned for receipt in a channel of the blade holder.  
         [0029]      FIGS. 6-9  are, respectively, a top plan, a front elevation, a side elevation, and a bottom plan view of the blade holder  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0030]     Turning to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates apparatus and a method of use of apparatus  10  that enables a worker to safely carry and store a safety edge razor blade  12  when not in use as well as permit easy access to and removal of the blade for use. Although the invention is not to be construed as so limited, the present invention enjoys particular utility by a window washer, painter or other practitioner who needs easy access to a razor blade, but also needs safe storage thereof.  
         [0031]     According to an exemplary preferred embodiment, a blade holder  14  for storing, carrying, and dispensing the razor blade  12  is positioned on the exterior of a garment  16  of cloth or like material worn by a worker and placed in juxtaposition with a keeper  18  positioned on the other side of the garment. The blade holder  14  and keeper  18  are each provided with at least one magnetic member  20  that enables each to be magnetically attracted and fastened to one another and sandwich the garment  16  there between.  
         [0032]     According to an important aspect of this invention, the razor blade  12  is of a suitable magnetically attachable material, such as an industrial quality high carbon, or stainless steel and the like. Preferably, the razor blade  12  is a conventional single edge industrial blade that fits standard tools satisfying a wide variety of home and professional scraping and cutting needs, such as for removing coatings, paint and stickers from glass, mirrors, and windshields, and installing wallpaper.  
         [0033]     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the blade  12  comprises a thin, generally rectangular, blade element  22  having a pair of short, non-cutting lateral edges, a reinforcement band  24  secured along the top edge of the blade element, and a cutting edge  26 . The reinforcement band  24  and the cutting edge  26  extend between the non-cutting edges of the blade element and the cutting edge  26  is spaced from the reinforcement band  24 . The blade element  22  is about 40 mm by 20 mm (or about 1.575″ by 0.787″), the cutting edge  26  has a thickness of about 0.23 mm (about 0.009″), and the central body portion of the blade is about 0.304 mm (or about 0.012″) and provided with tool alignment features, such as a central slot and notches in the lateral non-cutting edges. The reinforcement band  24  has a thickness of about 1 mm (or about 0.039″) when fastened about the top of the blade element  22 .  
         [0034]     According to this invention, referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the blade holder  14  comprises a housing  28  having a front and a back side  30  and  32 , an upper end wall  34 , and a lower end wall  36  spaced from the upper wall. The housing  28  is integrally preferably formed of a non-magnetic material, such as a suitable plastic, to include a pair of sidewalls  38  and  40  project upwardly from the front side  30  by an amount that is greater than the greatest thickness of the razor blade  12  and the reinforcement band  24  and define an outwardly open vertical channel  44  on the front side of the holder  14 . The channel  44  is slightly wider than the width of the blade between the non-cutting edges thereof and is sized to receive the blade in a clearance fit.  
         [0035]     The slot  42  is formed by a guard wall  43  that is spaced from the front side  30 , the guard wall extending between the sidewalls  38  and  40  and upwardly from the lower end wall  36 . The slot  42  thus formed across the front side  30  or the housing  28  forms a continuation of the vertical channel  44 . The slot  42  has a transverse dimension or width that is greater than the thickness of the blade element  22  and a depth sufficient to receive, cover, conceal, and protect the cutting edge  26  of the razor blade  12 .  
         [0036]     According to one embodiment, the sidewalls  38  and  40  are spaced about 2 inches apart, the upper and lower end walls  34  and  26  are spaced about 1 1/16 inches apart, the guard wall  43  is about 3/16 inch, and the slot  42  has a width or about 1/16 inch and covers about 1/16 inch of the cutting blade  26 .  
         [0037]     The front side  30  of the blade holder housing  28  is divided into generally vertically extending lower and upper portions  46  and  48 . The lower portion  46  is generally planar and parallel to the plane of the back side  32  and provides a surface for supporting the blade element  22 . Further, the lower portion  46  is dimensioned to be slightly less than the height of the razor blade  12  (i.e., the distance between the cutting edge  26  and the edge of the reinforcement band  24 ).  
         [0038]     Preferably and according to an important aspect of this invention, the upper portion  48  extends downwardly and outwardly from the upper wall  34  and intersects the lower portion  46 . That is, the upper portion  48  between the upper wall  34  and the lower portion  46  is contoured, undergoes a change in thickness, and is concave. The location where the portion  46  and  48  intersect forms a fulcrum  50  that extends laterally between the sidewalls  38  and  40  and enables the razor blade  12  to be pivoted (i.e., rotated) relative to the front side  30  of the housing  28 .  
         [0039]     As will be described hereinbelow, upward vertical advance of the razor blade  12  in the channel  44  formed between the sidewalls  38  and  40  causes the reinforcement band  24  to advance above the fulcrum  50  and be superposed above a concave region. Inward force against the band  24  towards the upper portion  48  will cause the razor blade  12  to pivot relative to the fulcrum  50  and the blade element to be pulled from the retaining attraction of the magnets  20 .  
         [0040]     Importantly and critical to the practice of this invention, at least one and preferably two generally cylindrical disc-shaped magnets  20  are provided in the housing.  
         [0041]     In one embodiment, each magnet is about ½ inch in diameter, and about ⅛ inch thick.  
         [0042]     Preferably, the magnets  20  are integrally molded or otherwise embedded into the housing  28  and the two magnets disposed in a side-by-side contacting engagement with one another. That is, the outer circumferences of the two magnets  20  touch one another whereby to maintain a flux path and the magnetic field therebetween.  
         [0043]     Preferably, the magnets  20  are comprised of the element Neodymium (element  60  on the Periodic Table). As applied herein, the Neodymium magnet is made up of a compound called NIB, for Neodymium Iron Boron (Nd2Fe14B), one of the strongest known ferromagnetic materials. Importantly, such magnet has a higher Gauss than ordinary household magnets and remains more permanent with little or no loss of magnetic pull for over perhaps a ten-year period.  
         [0044]     Further, in some applications, only one magnet may be adequate. Additionally, other shapes than the cylindrical disc shown (such as rectangular slab) and other magnetic materials may be utilized.  
         [0045]     The keeper  18  comprises a generally rectangular housing  52  having front and back sides  54  and  56 . The keeper  52  is formed of non-magnetic material, such as a suitable plastic, and provided with at least one and preferably two generally cylindrical magnets  20 . Preferably, the magnets  20  are integrally molded or otherwise embedded into the keeper housing  52  and disposed in a side-by-side contacting engagement with one another such that the outer circumferences of the two magnets touch one another. As with the header, the magnets  20  are, preferably, neodymium magnets.  
         [0046]     Referring to  FIGS. 4A, 4B , and  4 C, a method of using the apparatus  10  herein is illustrated. As shown in  FIG. 4A , the front side  54  of the keeper  18  is placed on one side of the garment  16  and juxtaposed with the back side  32  of the holder  14 . The magnets  20  in keeper  18  and in the holder  14  are juxtaposed with one another. Due to the magnetic attraction between the two pairs of magnets  20 , the keeper  18  and the holder  14  are held together.  
         [0047]     The razor blade  12  is inserted into the channel or passageway  44  formed between the sidewalls  38  and  40  of the holder  14  such that the cutting edge  26  is disposed inwardly of the slot  42  and the reinforcement band  24  is generally medially of the fulcrum  50 . The magnets  20  in the holder retain the razor blade  12  in place, in the channel  44 , against the front side  30 , for storage, protection and/or carrying, even if the cutting edge  26  is outwardly of the protective slot  42 .  
         [0048]     As shown in  FIG. 4B , when the worker needs to remove the razor blade  12  for use, the worker places a finger (shown in phantom) against the blade element  22 , and forces the blade vertically upward (in the direction of the arrow “A”). This movement causes the reinforcement band  24  to be moved above the fulcrum  50 . The magnets  20  in the blade holder  14  operate to retain the blade element  22  against the lower portion  46  of the front side  30 .  
         [0049]     Finally, as shown in  FIG. 4C , the razor blade  12  is simultaneously moved upwardly and the reinforcement band  24  forced inwardly and towards the upper portion  48  of the front side (in the direction of the arrow “B”). This combined movement causes the blade element  22  to pivot relative to the fulcrum  50  and be free from the grip of the magnets  20 . This enables the user to grip the razor blade  12  relative to the reinforcement band  24  and remove the razor blade from the blade holder  14 .  
         [0050]     In a related aspect, there is thus provided herein a kit for enabling a single edged razor blade  12  to be removably secured to a garment  16  and transported for use where desired. The kit comprises the keeper  18 , as described herein above, the keeper including at least one magnet  20 , a blade holder  14  including at least one magnet  20 , and a razor blade  12  having a single cutting edge  26 .  
         [0051]     In the use of the kit, and according to this invention herein, a method of storing, carrying and using a razor blade of the type having a single cutting edge is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of providing a holder, keeper and single edged cutting edge, the keeper and holder having respective magnets for retaining each together and the blade onto the front side of the holder. The keeper and the holder are positioned on opposite sides of a garment whereby the magnets will attract one another and the garment will be sandwiched the holder and the keeper.  
         [0052]     For blade carrying and storage, the cutting edge of the razor blade is positioned towards the slot and the razor blade moved downwardly and inserted into the channel. The magnet will then attract and retain the blade in the channel and against the front side of the holder.  
         [0053]     For blade use, the razor blade is forced or pushed vertically upward in the channel along the front side such that the fulcrum is positioned generally medially of the blade and the reinforced band is positioned over the concave upper portion of the sidewall. The upper half of the blade is pushed upwardly and the reinforcement band portion thereof forced inwardly and towards the front side of the holder in a simultaneous motion thereby pulling the lower half of the blade from magnetic engagement with the channel wall. This disengagement enables the user to remove the razor blade from the blade holder and for use.  
         [0054]     Turning now to  FIGS. 5-9 , an alternate preferred embodiment of a blade holder  52  according to this invention is disclosed. The blade holder  52  is adapted to receive, center, position, and enable easy removal of a single edged razor blade  12  as described herein above.  
         [0055]     The blade holder  52  is preferably formed of a non-magnetic material and comprises a body  54  that has a front side  56  and a back side  58 , a planar wall  60 , and a U-shaped outer peripheral wall  62  on the front side  56 . The U-shaped wall  62  projects outwardly from the wall  60  and defines a pair of laterally spaced sidewalls  64  and  66 , a slot  68  extending between the sidewalls for receiving the cutting edge  26  of the blade  12 , and a channel or recess  70  for receiving the blade element  22 . The front surface of the channel  70  is formed by the wall  60  and is generally flat to provide a support surface against which the blade element  22  is positioned.  
         [0056]     The back side  58  is configured to minimize the amount of material utilized. In this regard, the back side  58  is formed to include a peripheral (or outer) reinforcement rib  72 , a pair of circular pockets or retention sockets  74 , and a rectangular reinforcement rib  76  medially of the outer rib  72  and retention sockets  74 . The retention sockets  74  are dimensioned to receive and seat a respective magnet  20  (as described herein above). While two circular sockets are shown, depending on the application, the geometry of the socket could be different (e.g., if the magnets were square) and the number of sockets could be other than two.  
         [0057]     The magnets  20  may be firmly secured to the back side  58  and within their respective sockets  74  by a suitable adhesive. Further, if suitably dimensioned, the outer surface of the magnet and wall of the socket could be dimensioned to provide a strong frictional interference fitment.  
         [0058]     Preferably and according to this embodiment, the planar wall  60  has an upper edge  76 , which is configured to have a central portion  78  between the sidewalls  64  and  66  which is concave. The concave central portion  78  extends towards the slot  68  whereby to form a cut-out region that allows the user&#39;s fingers to be received therewithin to grip the upper edge portion  24  of the razor blade, whether for placement or removal.  
         [0059]     It is to be understood that the blade holder  52  may be used with the keeper  18 .  
         [0060]     While shown and described with respect to a single edged razor blade, the invention is applicable to and can be used to temporarily hold other ferrous or magnetically attracted objects.  
         [0061]     Further, while the blade holder  14  or  52  is shown as being generally flat and planar, the body of the blade holder can be provided, at least in part, with a portion that is slightly curved or suitably contoured. This non-planar portion will enable the blade holder to conform to a shaped surface defined by the garment and/or anatomy of the user against which the blade holder is to be carried or positioned when in use and inhibit the blade holder popping free from its retained securement when in use.