Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a safety razor having a blade, a handle mounted to the blade, and counting means attached to the handle for keeping track of the number of uses of a particular blade. The counter can be adapted for use on a disposable razor or on a razor having a replaceable blade.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to safety razors and more particularly relates to a device for counting the number of times a particular razor blade has been used. 
     Sometimes the user of a safety razor will attempt to shave with a dull blade, having forgotten how many times a particular blade had been used previously. This problem is especially common when several disposable razors of the same type are stored together, or when the blade on a non-disposable razor is not replaced at regular time intervals. The use of a dull blade generally will result in a poor shave, and may be uncomfortable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION counting the number of shaves performed with a particular razor blade. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a shave counter which either can be packaged with each new razor, or can be removed from one razor and placed on another. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a shave counter that is particularly suitable for use with a conventional razor. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a shave counter that is positioned on the razor handle such that it will aid the user in gripping the razor. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a shave counter that is particularly suitable for use with a conventional non-disposable razor. 
     These and other objects will become apparent from the following description of the invention, the drawings and the claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a safety razor incorporating a shave counter according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front view thereof, taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is perspective view of the counter shown in FIGS. 1-3 according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of having a safety razor counter according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken along lines 6--6 of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the counter shown in FIGS. 5 and 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a back view of the razor shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals represent the same or like parts throughout, and referring first to FIGS. 1-4, disposable razor 10 having flexible plastic counter 12 is shown. T-shaped razor 10 is a conventional plastic disposable razor with the exception that counter 12 has been added. Razor 10 includes blade 14 held by encasement 16, which is attached to elongated handle 18. Handle 18 has front side 20 and back side 22, with slot 24 extending along the length of handle 18 on front side 20. Counter 12 having square head 30 and serrated stem 32 is removably mounted in slot 24 near the end of handle 18 opposite blade 14. One-piece counter 12 is manually removable from and replaceable on the handle 18 without disassembling the razor 10. In the preferred embodiment, counter 12 is positioned on the razor such that it enables the user to grip the razor more easily than if no counter is included on the handle. 
     Head 30 has two pairs of opposite faces 34 having the numerals &#34;1&#34; to &#34;4&#34; imprinted thereon. Faces 34 are angled outward from center 36 of head 30 and downward toward stem 32 in order to provide for relatively easy manual rotation of square head 30. Stem 32 has a parallel series of circular ridges 46 which engage slot 24 and allow for rotation of head 30, with stem 32 serving as the axis of rotation. Slot 24 serves as an index along which each of the numbers &#34;1&#34; to &#34;4&#34; can be aligned. FIG. 2 depicts the number &#34;3&#34; aligned with the slot. 
     When counter 12 is used in a typical manner, the number &#34;1&#34; on counter 12 is aligned adjacent slot 24 before razor 10 is used. After razor 10 has been used once, counter 12 is rotated 90° in a clockwise direction, thereby aligning the number &#34;2&#34; with slot 12. Rotation of the counter continues in the same manner until after the fourth shave, at which time razor 10 can be disposed. Counter 12 can be removed from razor 10 and placed on another razor. 
     FIGS. 5-8 depict a second embodiment of a shave counter according to the present invention. T-shaped razor 60 is a conventional non-disposable razor, with the exception that counter 61 has been added. Razor 60 has blade 62 held in encasement 64 which is removably attached to handle 66. Encasement 64 can be removed by depressing tabs 68 on opposite first and second sides 70,72 of handle 66. Handle 66 has a substantially circular cross-section, and has a series of substantially parallel ribs 78 projected along the perimeter of a portion of handle 66 on first and second sides 70,72 and extending in the direction of rotation of the counting means. 
     Counter 61, a tubular band made of flexible plastic, is rotatably and removably mounted on handle 66. Counter 61 can be placed on handle 66 by slipping counter 61 on handle 66 from end 81. One-piece counter 61 is manually removable from and replaceable on the handle 66 without disassembling the razor 60. The diameter of generally smooth inner surface 82 of counter 61 is sufficient to snugly fit around handle 66, yet allow the user to manually slide counter 61 on and off handle 66 at end 81 and along the length of handle 66, as well as rotate counter 61 around the circumference of handle 66. In the preferred embodiment, counter 61 is positioned along the length of the handle such that it aids the user in gripping the razor. 
     On the outer surface of counter 61, a sequential series of numerals &#34;1&#34; to &#34;6&#34;, are disposed equiangularly around the circumference. Counter 61 has knurled portion 90 extending around the circumference below the numbers to facilitate manual rotation. 
     As shown in FIG. 8, counter 61 can be rotated to sequentially align each of the numbers &#34;1&#34; to &#34;6&#34; with index 92, which extends in the direction of the length of the handle along back side 73 of handle 66. 
     It will be appreciated that the above description of the preferred embodiment is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. For example, while counters 12 and 61 shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 are removable, enabling the user to fasten them to different razors, it is within the scope of the invention to provide counters which are not readily removable from a razor. Slot 24 can be substituted by any suitable aperture. Head 30 can be rotatable relative to a stem that is stationary in relation to the handle. While the counter in FIG. 4 has four sides, counters with any number of sides, or counters with a head having a circular or oval cross section, are also within the scope of the invention. Letters or other distinguishable characters or marks can be used instead of numbers to keep track of the number of shaves. Similarly, the tubular counter shown in FIG. 7 may have any suitable range of numbers, depending, for example, upon the useful life of the blade. While the preferred embodiment depicts rotatable counters, the invention also encompasses slidable counters, and includes embodiments in which numerals or other marks are printed on the handle itself and an index is rotatably or slidably moved to be adjacent a particular numeral or mark. The index can be any suitable reference point on the razor, including, but not limited to an edge or end of the handle, a notch or a line. Other variations not specifically referred to also are within the scope of the invention.