Abstract:
Stands for safety shaving razors are disclosed. The stands include a pair of generally vertical members, connected by a generally U-shaped horizontal member configured to receive a portion of a razor handle, and a base configured with a cavity dimensioned to receive a portion of the razor handle.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/032,026, filed Aug. 1, 2014, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates generally to shaving and, more particularly, to a shaving razor stand for holding a safety shaving razor in a particular orientation when not in use. 
     SUMMARY 
     Generally, this invention relates to a stand for holding a safety shaving razor in an upright orientation when not in use. 
     In one aspect the invention features a shaving razor stand comprising a pair of generally vertical members, connected by a generally U-shaped horizontal member configured to receive a portion of a razor handle, and a base configured with a cavity dimensioned to receive a portion of the razor handle. 
     Some implementations include one or more of the following features. 
     The cavity of the razor stand may be configured with a port that opens on the front side of the stand. A portion of the base may be constructed from elastomeric material. The horizontal member may be configured with razor support elements. The cavity may include a region of elastomeric material. The elastomeric material may be configured to interact with a portion of a handle of a safety shaving razor. The horizontal element may be configured to position the razor in a predetermined orientation. 
     In some implementations, the base may include a platform element on which the portion of the razor handle rests, and the elastomeric material extends from the base through an opening in the platform element. 
     The invention may feature a stand that may be configured to have a low center of gravity. The cavity may be configured so that the center of gravity of a shaving razor positioned in the stand will be positioned substantially within the footprint of the base. The cavity may be configured so that the center of gravity of a shaving razor positioned in the stand will be positioned substantially directly over the center of the base. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of shaving razor stand according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the stand. 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the stand. 
         FIG. 4  is a right side elevational view of the stand. 
         FIG. 5  is a rear elevational view of the stand. 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the stand. 
         FIG. 7  is a top, right perspective view of the stand with a shaving razor shown in phantom. 
         FIG. 8  is a section view of the stand taken along sectional indicator  8  shown in  FIG. 7 , the shaving razor shown in phantom. 
         FIG. 9  is a rear perspective view of the stand with a shaving razor shown in phantom. 
         FIG. 10A  is a front elevational view of the stand with a shaving razor shown in phantom. 
         FIG. 10B  is a sectional view of  FIG. 10A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure relates generally to shaving and, more particularly, to a shaving razor stand for holding a shaving razor in a particular orientation when not in use. The stand allows the razor to be stored upright, allowing water to drain from the cartridge during storage. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 and 7 , a razor stand  10  is configured to hold a safety shaving razor  40  ( FIG. 7 ) in a desired orientation. The stand  10  is composed of vertical members  20 ,  24  that extend from connecting member  12 . Preferably vertical members  20 ,  24  are integrally molded with connecting member  12 . Connecting member  12  is generally U-shaped and defines the general shape of the footprint of the stand. Cradle member  28  connects the upper portions of the vertical members  20 ,  24  and is configured to receive a portion of a shaving razor  40 . Cradle member  28  is disposed generally perpendicular to the long axis of vertical members  20 ,  24 , and extends forward of the vertical members along the horizontal plane so as to surround and support the razor handle. In preferred implementations, the cradle member is formed integrally with the vertical members. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3, 5 and 9 , support members  30 ,  31  are disposed inside cradle member  28  on opposing sides. Support members  30 ,  31  help guide the safety shaving razor into a predetermined orientation with respect to stand  10 . The support members are formed during the molding/shaping process. While shown in elliptical form, it should be understood that the support elements could take any desired shape so long as they successfully guide insertion of the shaving razor into the stand and support it when stored in the stand. In some implementations, the support elements may be omitted and the cradle member shaped to provide the same functionality. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3, 7 and 9 , a platform element  33  is disposed in connecting member  12 . A portion of the rear edge of element  33  defines cavity  32 . Cavity  32  is configured to receive a portion of the shaving razor  40 , e.g., an end of the razor handle. Port  18  is disposed within cavity  32  generally near the front edge, as shown in  FIG. 8 . The cavity  32  of the stand  10  and the portion of the handle to be received are preferably formed to interact in a complementary manner. 
     Base element  14  is configured to substantially cover the lower surface of connecting element  12  and platform element  33 . Advantageously, base element  14  occupies a small area such that the stand takes up minimal space on a counter or other surface. The small footprint of the base has similar dimensions (width and length) as the long edge of the shaving cartridge ( FIG. 7 ). Preferably, the area of the base is 18.50 square centimeters but could range from generally 18.00 to 19.00 square centimeters. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 8 , a portion  34  of the base element  14  is exposed in the cavity  32 . Portion  34  provides a soft landing zone for the handle of the razor when placing the shaving razor in the stand. As shown in  FIG. 3 , portion  34  may be generally oblong or rectangular in shape. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 6 , base element  14  has a plurality of gripping elements  16  that ensure the stand  10  does not unduly slide or slip when in contact with a smooth surface, e.g. a generally flat portion of a sink or shelf. Preferably, gripping elements  16  are made of an elastomeric material with a Shore A durometer of 20 to 80, e.g. from 40 to 60. In some cases the entire base is made of elastomeric material. Another embodiment of the stand may feature a base that is coated with a soft touch material, e.g. an elastomeric material that applied via an aerosolized spray, which would provide similar anti-slip characteristics. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 8 , as noted above the port  18  is configured within the base element  14  and is designed to collect and transport excess water away from the shaving razor  40  and out of the stand  10 . Preferably port  18  drains out the front of the stand through a conduit  41  ( FIG. 8 ) that terminates in an opening  42 , as shown, providing a relatively short path for the water and allowing the user to easily visualize water draining from the stand and wipe it up if desired. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 6, and 8 , base element  14  is configured to be press fit into the body  12 . In alternate embodiments, the base element may be integrally molded with the body, mechanically attached, e.g. ultrasonically welded or similar, or chemically attached, e.g. glued with adhesive. 
     The stand is advantageously designed with a low center of gravity, such that it provides a stable platform to support the safety razor, and so that the stand itself does not tip over if it is bumped when empty. For example, in some implementations the center of gravity of the stand is less than an inch above the surface on which the stand is placed. 
     Moreover, the stand is designed so that the center of mass of the razor will be positioned within the footprint and preferably substantially directly over the center of the base element  16 , for example, within 0.5 inch of the center, as shown in  FIGS. 10A and 10B . Positioning the razor in this manner lends further stability to the stand when in use. This is accomplished by appropriately orienting the safety razor with respect to the stand in concert with the dimensions of the base. 
     The stand  10  can be made of any suitable material including, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE), high density (HD) PETE, thermoplastic polymer, polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, polyurethane, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyester, metal, synthetic rubber, natural rubber, silicone, nylon, polymer, wood, antibacterial or antimicrobial materials, insulating, thermal, other suitable sustainable or biodegradable materials, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, it should be understood that the body could be constructed of material that could be colored or plated to look like metal, wood, or other materials. 
     Other Embodiments 
     A number of embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. 
     For example, a ferrous magnet or a plurality of ferrous magnets can be implanted in the stand to provide enhanced engagement between the handle of the shaving assembly and the stand. Corresponding metal strips could be affixed, implanted or co-molded to the handle to ensure proper interaction with the magnets when the handle is in the base. The magnetic interaction would provide a retention force so that the shaving assembly would be securely held in the stand, but the retention force would not be so strong as to unduly complicate the removal of the shaving assembly from the stand when desired, e.g. as when initiating shaving. 
     Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.