Patent Publication Number: US-9889570-B2

Title: Razor with attached shaving aid

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention is a U.S. National Stage under 35 USC 371 patent application, claiming priority to Serial No. PCT/JP2013/079818, filed on 5 Nov. 2013; which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-244027, filed 6 Nov. 2012, the entirety of both of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a razor with an attached shaving aid capable of shaving body hairs grown on various skin surfaces of a body. 
     Patent Document 1 discloses a razor that includes a blade body attachment member having a blade body and a base member having a shaving aid. The base member is pivotally supported by the blade body attachment member. In addition, the base member is provided with a leaf spring that elastically holds the base member with respect to the blade body attachment member. When body hairs on a skin surface are shaved by using the razor, the base member pivots against the elastic force of the leaf spring so that frictional resistance between the shaving aid and the skin surface is reduced. 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENT 
     Patent Document 
     Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 4921747 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The razor described in Patent Document 1 has a support structure in which the base member is pivotally supported by the blade body attachment member and elastically held by the leaf spring. Thus, this kind of razor has an increased number of components and requires assembly work of the base member with respect to the blade body attachment member, which increases the manufacturing costs. In addition, in the razor described in Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that the shaving aid will expand by absorbing water when used and project more than necessary. In this case, the shaving aid is pressed against the skin surface more than necessary, so that a cutting edge of the blade body is not properly brought into contact with the skin surface, degrading the shaving sensation. 
     Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to improve the shaving sensation with a razor provided with a shaving aid and simplify the support structure of the shaving aid. 
     In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a razor with an attached shaving aid is provided. The razor includes an attachment portion that includes a blade body and a shaving aid. The shaving aid includes a deformable portion that is deformable when contacted by a skin surface. 
     In this case, the shaving aid is deformed so that frictional resistance between the shaving aid and the skin surface when the razor is used is reduced. Thus, it is possible to improve the tactile sensation when the razor is brought into contact with the skin surface to improve the shaving sensation. Also, it is possible to simplify the support structure of the shaving aid. 
     The deformable portion of the shaving aid preferably includes a flexible part. In this case, the deformable portion of the shaving aid can be easily provided in the flexible part. 
     The deformable portion of the shaving aid preferably includes a thin-walled part. In this case, the deformable portion of the shaving aid can be easily provided in the thin-walled part. 
     The deformable portion of the shaving aid includes preferably a groove. In this case, the deformable portion of the shaving aid can be easily provided in the groove. 
     The shaving aid is preferably provided in the attachment portion. In this case, the shaving aid is integrally formed with the attachment portion so that the support structure of the shaving aid is simplified. 
     The shaving aid preferably includes an annular support portion and a non-support portion arranged inside the support portion, and the shaving aid is preferably supported by the attachment portion in the support portion but is not supported by the attachment portion in the non-support portion. Also, the deformable portion is preferably provided in the non-support portion. In this case, the shaving aid is supported in the annular support portion by the attachment portion, and the deformable portion of the shaving aid is provided in the non-support portion. The shaving aid thus can be easily deformed. 
     The shaving aid preferably includes a support portion and a non-support portion, and the shaving aid is preferably supported by the attachment portion in the support portion but is not supported by the attachment portion in the non-support portion. Also, the deformable portion is preferably provided in a part of the non-support portion that borders the support portion. In this case, the shaving aid is supported in the support portion by the attachment portion, and can be easily supported and deformed with respect to the attachment portion by varying the deformation degree of the shaving aid across the deformable portion. 
     In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a razor with an attached shaving aid is provided. The razor includes an attachment portion that includes a blade body and a shaving aid. The shaving aid includes an expansion reduction portion that reduces forward expansion of the shaving aid when the shaving aid contains moisture. 
     In this case, it is possible to prevent the shaving aid from expanding forward more than necessary. Thus, it is possible to prevent the shaving aid from being pressed against the skin surface more than necessary when the razor is used. It is also possible to improve the shaving sensation by allowing the cutting edge of the blade body to be properly brought into contact with the skin surface. 
     The expansion reduction portion of the shaving aid preferably includes a groove. In this case, the expansion reduction portion, which reduces forward expansion of the shaving aid, is easily provided in the groove. 
     In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, a razor with an attached shaving aid is provided. The razor includes an attachment portion that includes a blade body and a shaving aid. The shaving aid is formed in a thin-walled shape, and front and rear sides of the shaving aid are exposed. In this case, the razor can be configured to allow the cutting edge of the blade body to be brought into contact with the skin surface on at least one of the sides in the thickness direction, for example. 
     In addition, the shaving aid expands forward and backward by absorbing water when the razor is used. Since the shaving aid does not expand only forward, but forward and backward, the expansion direction is split to enable the shaving aid to be prevented from expanding forward more than necessary. Thus, it is possible to prevent the shaving aid from being pressed against the skin surface more than necessary when the razor is used. It is also possible to improve the shaving sensation by allowing the cutting edge of the blade body to be properly brought into contact with the skin surface. 
     The attachment portion is preferably provided with a through hole that extends through the attachment portion, and the shaving aid is preferably provided between a pair of edge portions facing each other in a periphery of the through hole. In this case, it is possible to prevent the shaving aid from expanding outward of the through hole more than necessary. Thus, it is possible to prevent the shaving aid from being pressed against the skin surface more than necessary when the razor is used. It is also possible to improve the shaving sensation by allowing the cutting edge of the blade body to be properly brought into contact with the skin surface. 
     The blade body preferably includes a cutting edge in the attachment portion, and inclines such that the cutting edge is separated from the shaving aid. In this case, it is possible to easily create a space in which the shaving aid is provided in the attachment portion. 
     The shaving aid preferably includes portions that are different from each other in a deformation degree across the deformable portion. In this case, it is possible to easily support and deform the shaving aid with respect to the attachment portion by varying the deformation degree of the shaving aid across the deformable portion. 
     The shaving aid preferably includes a support portion and a non-support portion, and the shaving aid is preferably supported by the attachment portion in the support portion but is not supported by the attachment portion in the non-support portion. Also, the deformable portion is preferably provided in the non-support portion. In this case, the shaving aid can be supported in the attachment portion by the support portion, and can be easily deformed in the deformable portion of the non-support portion. 
     The non-support portion is preferably exposed on front and rear sides of the shaving aid. In this case, the razor can be configured to allow the cutting edge of the blade body to be brought into contact with the skin surface on at least one of the sides in the thickness direction, for example. In addition, since the shaving aid expands forward and backward by absorbing water when the razor is used, the expansion direction of the shaving aid is split to enable the shaving aid to be prevented from expanding forward more than necessary. Thus, it is possible to prevent the shaving aid from being pressed against the skin surface more than necessary when the razor is used. It is also possible to improve the shaving sensation by allowing the cutting edge of the blade body to be properly brought into contact with the skin surface. 
     The support portion preferably includes an upper portion and a lower portion, and the non-support portion is preferably provided between the upper portion and the lower portion. In this case, it is possible to easily support and deform the shaving aid with respect to the attachment portion. 
     The support portion is preferably formed in an annular shape, and the non-support portion is preferably provided inside the support portion. In this case, it is possible to easily support and deform the shaving aid with respect to the attachment portion. 
     The deformable portion is preferably provided in a part of the non-support portion that borders the support portion. In this case, it is possible to easily support and deform the shaving aid with respect to the attachment portion by varying the deformation degree of the shaving aid across the deformable portion. 
     A maximum thickness of the non-support portion is preferably set less than a maximum thickness of the support portion. In this case, it is possible to easily deform the non-support portion in the shaving aid. 
     A width of the blade body in a direction intersecting the cutting edge is preferably set to be maximum at a middle portion in an extending direction of the cutting edge of the blade body and to decrease toward opposite ends in the extending direction of the cutting edge of the blade body. In this case, since the shaving aid is provided with a wide middle portion in the extending direction of the cutting edge of the blade body, it is possible to improve the shaving sensation by allowing frictional resistance between the shaving aid and the skin surface to be easily reduced when the razor is used. 
     The shaving aid is preferably molded by injection molding to be provided in the attachment portion. In this case, the shaving aid can be easily molded integrally with the attachment portion. 
     The shaving aid is preferably molded with at least a water-soluble component and a water-insoluble component including soft plastic, and a weight ratio of the soft plastic contained in the water-insoluble component with respect to the whole shaving aid is preferably set to be more than a weight ratio of the water-soluble component with respect to the whole shaving aid. In this case, it is possible to provide a shaving aid that improves the shaving sensation. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is an overall front perspective view of a pivoting head razor on which a cap is attached at a neutral position of a razor head. 
         FIG. 1B  is an overall rear perspective view of the pivoting head razor of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2A  is a partially enlarged side view showing a top portion of a holder and the razor head in the pivoting head razor of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2B  is a partially enlarged cross-sectional side view of the pivoting head razor of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 3A  is a partially enlarged front view showing the top portion of the holder and the razor head in the pivoting head razor of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 3B  is a partially enlarged rear view of the pivoting head razor of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 4  is a partially enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of an upper shaving aid shown in  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 5  is a partially enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view of the upper shaving aid shown in  FIG. 3A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A razor according to one embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the razor is provided with a holder  1 , and the holder  1  includes a handle  2  and a top portion  3  provided at an upper end of the handle  2 . In the front of the top portion  3 , a razor head  4  is attached through a pivoting mechanism  5 . A lower portion of the razor head  4  is detachably fitted from above into a cap  4   a.    
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the top portion  3  of the holder  1  is provided with an annular supporting body  6 . The razor head  4  is provided with a supported body  7 . Between the supporting body  6  and the supported body  7 , an annular elastic portion  8  is arranged. The pivoting mechanism  5  is composed of the supporting body  6 , the supported body  7 , and the elastic portion  8 . The elastic portion  8  pushes the razor head  4  toward a neutral position of the razor head  4 , so that the razor head  4  is at rest at the neutral position. The razor head  4  can be moved to any pivoted position tilted in any of three-dimensional directions from the neutral position against pushing force of the elastic portion  8 . The three-dimensional directions include a direction in which the razor head  4  faces the front of the top portion  3 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2B, 3A, and 3B , the razor head  4  is provided with an attachment portion  9 , and the attachment portion  9  includes a main body  10  and a frame body  11 . The main body  10  of the attachment portion  9  includes a base portion  12 , a covering portion  13 , and a plurality of blade bodies  14  provided in a space between the base portion  12  and the covering portion  13 . The supported body  7  includes a first coupling portion  7   a  projecting backward from the base portion  12 , and a second coupling portion  7   b  attached to the elastic portion  8 . The coupling portions  7   a  and  7   b  are coupled to each other. Accordingly, the attachment portion  9  is coupled to the top portion  3 . 
     Each of the blade bodies  14  is provided at its tip with a cutting edge  14   a  extending in a lateral direction Y (hereinafter referred to as an extending direction Y). The cutting edges  14   a  are oriented downward in a vertical direction Z orthogonal to the extending direction Y (lateral direction) of the cutting edges  14   a  of the blade bodies  14 . The frame body  11  of the attachment portion  9  includes: a lower outer frame portion  15  and an upper outer frame portion  16 , which face each other in the vertical direction Z; and a left outer frame portion  17  and a right outer frame portion  18 , which face each other in the extending direction Y (lateral direction) of the cutting edges  14   a  and connect the lower outer frame portion  15  and the upper outer frame portion  16  to each other. The outer frame portions  15 ,  16 ,  17 , and  18  enclose and define an opening  19  that opens in a front-rear direction X. The main body  10  is fitted into the opening  19 , and an outer periphery that connects lower, upper, left, and right portions of the main body  10  to each other is enclosed by the outer frame portions  15 ,  16 ,  17 , and  18 . The cutting edges  14   a  of the blade bodies  14  are exposed forward in the opening  19 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2B, 3A, 3B, 4, and 5 , the frame body  11  is opened by being provided with a through hole  20  that is formed to extend through the upper outer frame portion  16  in the front-rear direction X (penetration direction). Between a front edge portion  20   a  and a rear edge portion  20   b  of the through hole  20  in a periphery of the through hole  20 , there are provided a first inner portion  21  on the lower side, a second inner portion  24  on the upper side, a third inner portion  22  on the left side, and a fourth inner portion  23  on the right side. The third inner portion  22  includes a third inner surface  22   a , which includes a stepped surface  22   b  between the front edge portion  20   a  and the rear edge portion  20   b . The fourth inner portion  23  includes a fourth inner surface  23   a , which includes a stepped surface  23   b  between the front edge portion  20   a  and the rear edge portion  20   b . The second inner portion  24  includes a second inner surface  24   a , which is formed over the whole surface between the front edge portion  20   a  and the rear edge portion  20   b  by extending to the third inner surface  22   a  and the fourth inner surface  23   a . The first inner portion  21  includes a first inner surface  21   a  and a stepped surface  21   b  extending downward from the first inner surface  21   a . The stepped surface  21   b  is stepped between the first inner surface  21   a  and an upper portion of the covering portion  13  of the main body  10 . 
     In the inner portions  21 ,  22 ,  23 , and  24  of the through hole  20 , a shaving aid  25  is attached integrally with the frame body  11  of the attachment portion  9  by injection molding to be located between the front edge portion  20   a  and the rear edge portion  20   b , which extend annularly. The shaving aid  25  contains a water-soluble component such as water-soluble polyethylene oxide, and a water-insoluble component including soft plastic such as elastomer resin. The weight ratio of the soft plastic included in the water-insoluble component with respect to the whole shaving aid  25  is set to be more than the weight ratio of the water-soluble component with respect to the whole shaving aid  25 . The elastomer resin is set at a weight ratio of 30% or more (a weight ratio of 50% or more in an exemplary embodiment), and the water-soluble component is set at a weight ratio of 50% or less (a weight ratio of 15% in the exemplary embodiment). 
     Other parts than the blade bodies  14  in the razor head  4 , namely the frame body  11  and the supported body  7  of the attachment portion  9 , and the base portion  12  and the covering portion  13  of the main body  10 , are molded with synthetic resin. 
     The shaving aid  25  includes: an annular support portion  26  that is attached to the inner surfaces  21   a ,  22   a ,  23   a , and  24   a , and the stepped surfaces  21   b ,  22   b , and  23   b , in the inner portions  21 ,  22 ,  23 , and  24  of the through hole  20 ; and a non-support portion  27  that is formed inside the support portion  26 . The support portion  26  and the non-support portion  27  are molded integrally with each other, and are exposed from the through hole  20  at both sides in the front-rear direction X (thickness direction). The support portion  26  includes: a coupling portion  26   a  attached to the inner surfaces  21   a ,  22   a ,  23   a , and  24   a ; and a coupling portion  26   b  attached to the stepped surfaces  21   b ,  22   b , and  23   b . The coupling portion  26   b  attached to the stepped surface  21   b  is adjacent to the upper portion of the covering portion  13  of the main body  10 . In the inside of the support portion  26 , a cavity  26   c  is formed behind the non-support portion  27 . The non-support portion  27  includes a deformable portion  28  that is annularly formed in a part bordering the support portion  26 , and a movable portion  29  that is formed inside the deformable portion  28 . The deformable portion  28  includes an annular groove  28   a  (expansion reduction portion), and an annular thin-walled part  28   b  (flexible part) that is thinned by forming the groove  28   a . The movable portion  29  is bent forward in an inner periphery of the thin-walled part  28   b . The cavity  29   a  is formed inside the thin-walled part  28   b . The movable portion  29  expands to the front side of the cavity  29   a , and is enclosed by the groove  28   a . Front surfaces of the coupling portions  26   a  and  26   b  of the support portion  26  and a front surface of the movable portion  29  of the non-support portion  27  are arranged on a plane including the front edge portion  20   a  in the periphery of the through hole  20 . A rear surface of the coupling portion  26   a  of the support portion  26  is arranged on a plane including the rear edge portion  20   b  in the periphery of the through hole  20 . The maximum thickness of the non-support portion  27  is set less than the maximum thickness of the support portion  26 . The width of the shaving aid  25  in the vertical direction Z intersecting the extending direction Y (lateral direction) of the cutting edges  14   a  is set to decrease toward the opposite ends in the extending direction Y, and is set to be maximum at a middle portion between the opposite ends. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1A, 3A, and 4 , a pair of recessed portions  13   a  is arranged near respective ends in the lateral direction Y in an upper portion of the covering portion  13  of the main body  10 . Between the recessed portions  13   a , a plurality of recessed portions  13   b  is arranged side by side along the front edge portion  20   a  of the periphery of the through hole  20  in the lateral direction Y. That is, the upper portion of the covering portion  13  opens toward the shaving aid  25  in the recessed portions  13   a  and  13   b . Although not illustrated, a surface of the covering portion  13  on which each of the middle recessed portions  13   b  is formed is positioned to be slightly displaced backward with respect to a surface of the covering portion  13  on which the recessed portions  13   a  at the opposite ends are formed. Thus, the water-soluble component melting from the shaving aid  25  and shaving aid material such as shaving foam applied to the skin in advance enter the middle recessed portions  13   b  and accumulate there more easily than the pair of recessed portions  13   a  arranged near the respective ends in the lateral direction Y. 
     On either side of the covering portion  13  of the main body  10  in the lateral direction Y, a belt-like protrusion  13   c  extending in the vertical direction Z is formed. The top surface of each protrusion  13   c  is positioned almost on a surface including the cutting edges  14   a  of the blade bodies  14 . The protrusions  13   c  are brought into contact with the skin surface together with the cutting edges  14   a  when the razor is used to guide the razor head  4  in the vertical direction Z while stabilizing the razor head  4 . 
     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 2B , a stepped portion  30  is formed on a rear side of the lower outer frame portion  15  in the frame body  11 . In the stepped portion  30 , a shaving aid  31  is attached integrally with the frame body  11  of the attachment portion  9 . The shaving aid  31  is simultaneously molded with the shaving aid  25  attached to the upper outer frame portion  16  by injection molding to be attached integrally with the frame body  11  of the attachment portion  9 . The shaving aid  31  in the stepped portion  30  is adjacent to a lower portion of the covering portion  13  of the main body  10 . 
     In  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the attachment portion  9  of the razor head  4  (the main body  10  and the frame body  11 ) is set such that the maximum dimension in the lateral direction Y is about 48 mm, and the maximum dimension in the vertical direction Z is about 30 mm. In addition, in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the maximum thickness of the support portion  26  of the shaving aid  25  is set at about 3 mm, and the maximum thickness of each of the thin-walled part  28   b  and the movable portion  29  of the non-support portion  27  of the shaving aid  25  is set at about 0.8 mm, preferably within a range from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. 
     Next, operation of the razor will be described with a focus on the shaving aids  25  and  31 . 
     When body hairs are shaved with the razor in accordance with the present embodiment, the razor head  4  arranged at the neutral position is pressed against the skin surface. The razor head  4  tilts in accordance with the pressed direction against the pushing force of the elastic portion  8  of the pivoting mechanism  5  to reduce resistance when the body hairs are shaved. The shaving aids  25  and  31  of the razor head  4  are brought into contact with the skin surface while containing moisture so that the razor head  4  smoothly slides to improve the shaving sensation. Since the shaving aid  25 , which includes the deformable portion  28  in the non-support portion  27 , can be deformed at the groove  28   a  and the thin-walled part  28   b  of the deformable portion  28  by contact with the skin surface, the tactile sensation with respect to the skin surface is improved. In addition, since the shaving aid  25  includes the groove  28   a , when containing moisture, the shaving aid  25  not only expands forward in the thickness direction X but also backward in the thickness direction X while expanding toward the inside of the groove  28   a . As a result, the amount of expansion toward the front side of the shaving aid  25  is split, so that the pressure onto the skin surface with the expansion is reduced to further improve the shaving sensation. 
     The preferred embodiment has the following advantages. 
     (1) Since the shaving aid  25  itself is deformed to reduce frictional resistance between the shaving aid  25  and the skin surface when the razor is used, the tactile sensation with respect to the skin surface becomes better to improve the shaving sensation. 
     (2) Since the shaving aid  25  itself is deformed, it is possible to simplify the support structure of the shaving aid  25  as compared with a conventional razor in which a base member including a shaving aid pivots. 
     (3) The shaving aid  25  includes the groove  28   a  as an expansion reduction portion. Thus, when containing moisture, the shaving aid  25  not only expands forward in the thickness direction X but also backward in the thickness direction X while expanding toward the inside of the groove  28   a . As a result, the shaving aid  25  is prevented from excessively expanding forward to reduce the pressure onto the skin surface with the expansion. Also, the cutting edges  14   a  of the blade bodies  14  are allowed to be properly and easily brought into contact with the skin surface, whereby the shaving sensation is improved. 
     The above illustrated embodiment may be modified as follows. 
     In the above illustrated embodiment, the pivoting mechanism  5  may be omitted, and the razor head  4  may be supported to be unable to pivot with respect to the top portion  3  of the holder  1 . 
     In the above illustrated embodiment, the shaving aids  25  and  31  may be provided in the razor head  4  in which the main body  10  and the frame body  11  are integrally formed. 
     In the above illustrated embodiment, the shaving aid  31  of the razor head  4  may be omitted. 
     The shaving aid  25  may be provided in a portion other than the razor head  4 , such as the holder  1  and the cap  4   a.    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       9  . . . attachment portion,  14  . . . blade body,  14   a  . . . cutting edge,  20  . . . through hole,  25  . . . shaving aid,  26  . . . support portion,  27  . . . non-support portion,  28  . . . deformable portion,  28   a  . . . groove (expansion reduction portion),  28   b  . . . thin-walled part (flexible part), X . . . thickness direction.