Patent Publication Number: US-10779627-B1

Title: Adjustable facial shaving guide

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/526,909, filed on Jun. 29, 2017, and incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to razors, and more particularly to a guide for shaping a man&#39;s goatee with a razor or electric shaver. 
     DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
     Numerous innovations for hair trimming devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention in significant ways as will be discussed. 
     A first example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,589, issued on Jan. 7, 1975, to Geiger teaches a set of tonsorial implements for maintaining the sideburns and moustache in a neat and attractive shape; the implements consisting of separate tools each one of which is designed to be used as a template for placement either over a sideburn or a moustache so that a person can trim hair or whiskers projecting beyond the template edge; the templates each accordingly being specifically shaped and sized for a particular style of sideburn or moustache. One drawback with this type of hair trimming device is that it is not adjustable to a beard of a person, and it does not easily allow a person to easily hold the template in place without blocking the person&#39;s view in a mirror, for example. 
     A second example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,055, issued on Mar. 11, 1975, to Barbarow teaches a device for providing an outline pattern for styling a person&#39;s mustache that includes a template, a clamping arrangement receivable within the mouth of the person whose mustache is to be styled, and a member coupling the template with the clamping arrangement to locate and hold the template against the person&#39;s upper lip in response to reception of the clamping arrangement in the mouth and application of clamping pressure by the mouth upon the clamping arrangement. This type of hair trimming device is also not easily adjustable to the specific facial hair pattern of the user. 
     A third example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,389, issued on Dec. 2, 2003, to Bertucci, teaches a device for styling hair comprising a pair of side walls, a top support member connected to the side walls, and a bottom support member connected to the pair of side walls. The device also includes an intermediate support member connected to the pair of side walls between the top support member and the bottom support member to form an upper opening between the top support member and the intermediate support member and to form a lower opening between the bottom support member and the intermediate support member. A method for styling a goatee comprising the steps of providing a device having an upper opening and lower opening, positioning lips in the upper opening and a chin including a goatee in the lower opening, and trimming an area around the goatee as desired. This type of hair trimming device is also not adjustable to a beard of the user, and cannot be easily held by the user without blocking his view in a mirror, for example. 
     A fourth example, U.S. Document 20040074511, published on Apr. 22, 2004, to Sussan teaches a guide to trim and shave facial hair that is held in place by a chin plate and releasable neck strap holding the plate tight on the chin. The guide has a pair of clamps rotatably connected to the chin plate, each clamp having an aperture slidably receiving a calibrated guide rod, the clamp being capable of securing the rod at a variable distance from the chin plate. A second embodiment has an additional pair of guide rods slidably and rotatably attached to the first pair of guide rods by a second pair of clamps. The second pair of guide rods extend from the first pair of rods at a variable distance from the chin plate and can be rotated in parallel planes with the first pair of rods about the axis of the second clamp. This type of device is difficult to use and adjust to the user, and further is overly complicated and therefore expensive to manufacture. 
     In my previous U.S. Pat. No. 8,082,927, issued on Dec. 27, 2011, I teach a shaving guide held in place on a user&#39;s face by biting down on a mouth piece. However, this type of shaving guide is not adjustable in certain ways, like rotation or distance forward and backward, and as a result some have found such a device difficult to use comfortably. 
     It is apparent now that numerous innovations for hair trimming devices have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. 
     None of the aforementioned prior art hair trimming devices teaches an adjustable facial shaving guide that is adjustable to a beard of a person, so that the beard of the person can be trimmed with a razor not shielded by the guide, while also being pivotable and adjustable forward and backward. Likewise, the shape of the guides is not easily adjusted in the aforementioned prior art devices. The present invention accomplishes this objective. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present device is a guide device for trimming the beard of a person with a razor. A rigid body has a proximal side and a distal side. The proximal side has a mouth anchor aperture therethrough and the distal side is open. The body further includes two lateral sides, a top side, and a bottom side. Each lateral side includes a frame recess. 
     A rigid body cover is fixable with the body to cover the open distal side of the body. The body cover includes a threaded through-hole therethrough for receiving a threaded tightening knob therethrough. 
     A mouth piece anchor is adapted for fixing with a mouth piece rotation plate within the body with a mechanical fastener. A mouth piece has a proximal end adapted for gripping with a mouth of the person, and a distal end adapted for pivotally fixing with the mouth piece anchor. 
     A frame clamp has a proximal plate and a distal plate. Left and right frames each have an inner side adapted for fixing between the proximal plate and the distal plate of the frame clamp, and an outer side adapted for fixing with a guide. Preferably the outer side of each frame includes a frame leg projecting away therefrom and adapted to engage a slidable receiver of each guide. As such each guide may be adjusted towards or away from the person&#39;s face. 
     As such, in use, with the frames projecting laterally through the frame recesses of the body, and the body cover fixed with the body, the threaded knob is tightened to squeeze the frame clamp and the mouth piece rotation plate against the distal side of the body to rotationally fix the mouthpiece and laterally fix the frames in place. The person may then insert the mouthpiece into his mouth to hold it in place on his face by imparting a biting pressure on the mouthpiece, the razor then being used with the guides to shape the person&#39;s beard. The person can adjust the distance that the rigid body sits away from his face, as well as the distance between the rigid body and each guide. The mouth piece can tilt up and down and rotate left and right with respect to the rigid body for comfort and a proper fit on the person&#39;s face. 
     The present device is an adjustable facial shaving guide that is adjustable to a beard of a person, so that the beard of the person can be trimmed with a razor not shielded by the guide, while also being pivotable and adjustable forward and backward. Different sets of lateral guides having different shapes can be utilized based on the person&#39;s style and tastes. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the invention, shown as used by a person; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the invention down a vertical center from front to back; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an alternate rear perspective view of the invention; 
         FIG. 7  is another alternate rear perspective view of the invention; 
         FIG. 8  is an alternate front perspective view of the invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional front elevational view of one embodiment of a left frame and a right frame of the invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional front elevational view of another embodiment of the left frame and the right frame of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. The following explanation provides specific details for a thorough understanding of and enabling description for these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well-known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments. 
     Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. When the claims use the word “or” in reference to a list of two or more items, that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and any combination of the items in the list. When the word “each” is used to refer to an element that was previously introduced as being at least one in number, the word “each” does not necessarily imply a plurality of the elements, but can also mean a singular element. 
       FIGS. 1-5  illustrate a guide device for trimming the beard  21  of a person  20  with a razor  15 . A rigid body  30  has a proximal side  32  and a distal side  38 . The proximal side  32  has a mouth anchor aperture  40  therethrough and the distal side  38  is open. The body  30  further includes two lateral sides  35 , a top side  39 , and a bottom side  31 . Each lateral side  35  includes a frame recess  34 . The rigid body  30  is preferably made with a rigid plastic material. 
     A rigid body cover  50  is fixable with the body  30  to cover the open distal side  38  of the body  30 . The body cover  50  includes a threaded through-hole  60  therethrough for receiving a threaded tightening knob  70  therethrough. The proximal side  32  of the rigid body  30  preferably includes a plurality of screw apertures  220  ( FIG. 5 ) cooperative with threaded apertures  230  of the body cover  50 , such that threaded fasteners  240  traversing the screw apertures  220  of the rigid body  30  are tightened with the threaded apertures  230  of the body cover  50  to secure the body cover  50  to the rigid body  30 . The body cover  50  is preferably made with a rigid plastic material, or the like. 
     A mouth piece anchor  80  is adapted for fixing with a mouth piece rotation plate  90  within the body  30  with a mechanical fastener  85 . A mouth piece  100  has a proximal end  102  adapted for gripping with a mouth  22  of the person  20 , and a distal end  108  adapted for pivotally fixing with the mouth piece anchor  80 . Preferably the distal end  108  of the mouth piece  100  includes two cylindrical inwardly-directed and opposing prongs  109  adapted for rotationally fixing with lateral recesses  86  of the mouth piece anchor  80  ( FIG. 5 ), such that the mouth piece  100  tilts upwardly and downwardly with respect to the rigid body  30 . Additionally, the mouth anchor aperture  40  in the proximal side  32  of the rigid body  30  is preferably vertically oblong so that the mouth piece anchor  80  may move up and down within the mouth anchor aperture  40  for accommodating people having varying sizes of chins and for comfort of the person  20 . 
     A frame clamp  110  has a proximal wall  112  and a distal wall  118 . A left frame  120  has an inner side  122  adapted for fixing between the proximal wall  112  and the distal wall  118  of the frame clamp  110 . An outer side  128  is adapted for fixing with a left guide  140 . Similarly, a right frame  130  has an inner side  132  adapted for fixing between the proximal plate  112  and the distal plate  118  of the frame clamp  110 . An outer side  138  is adapted for fixing with a right guide  150 . Preferably the outer side  128 , 138  of each frame  120 , 130  includes a frame leg  125 , 135  projecting away therefrom and adapted to engage a slidable receiver  155  of each guide  140 , 150 . As such each guide  140 , 150  may be adjusted towards or away from the person&#39;s face. The frame clamp  110 , left and right frames  120 , 130 , and guides  140 , 150  are all preferably made from a rigid plastic material. 
     In some embodiments the left and right frames  120 , 130  each include a distance indicia  160  for indicating to the person  20  a distance D 1  that the guides  140 , 150  are extended laterally away from the rigid body  30 . Further, each frame leg  125 , 135  preferably includes a second distance indicia  170  for indicating to the person  20  a distance D 2  that the guides  140 , 150  are extended towards or away from the person&#39;s face. Further, each guide  140 , 150  includes a radial indicia  180  for indicating a radial position around the guide  140 , 150  with respect to the longitudinal axis L ( FIG. 4 ) of the guide device  10 . 
     As such, in use, with the left and right frames  120 , 130  projecting laterally through the frame recesses  34  of the body  30 , and the body cover  50  fixed with the body  30 , the threaded knob  70  is tightened to squeeze the frame clamp  110  and the mouth piece rotation plate  90  against the distal side  38  of the body  30  to rotationally and vertically fix the mouth anchor aperture  40 , mouthpiece  100  and laterally fix the left and right frames  120 , 130  in place. The person  20  may then insert the mouthpiece  100  into his mouth  22  to hold it in place on his face by imparting a biting pressure on the mouthpiece  100 , the razor  15  being used with the left and right guides  140 , 150  to shape the person&#39;s beard  21 . The person  20  can adjust the distance D 2  that the rigid body  30  sits away from his face ( FIG. 8 ), as well as the distance D 1  between the rigid body  30  and each guide  140 , 150 . The radial indicia  180  can be used by the person to evaluate starting and stopping points with the razor  15  on the person&#39;s face for consistency from left to right, for example. The mouth piece  100  can tilt up and down ( FIG. 7 ), rotate left and right ( FIG. 6 ), with respect to the rigid body  30  for comfort and a proper fit on the person&#39;s face. 
     Preferably at least one additional pair of guides  140 , 150  are included that are each selectively attachable with the frame leg  125 , 130  of the corresponding left or fight frame  120 , 130  and that each have a unique shape ( FIGS. 9 and 10 ). 
     In preferred embodiments, the guide device  10  further includes at least one guide bottom  200  ( FIG. 6 ) slidably retained with the bottom side  31  of the rigid body  30  and positionable generally between the left and right guides  140 , 150  when the left and right guides  140 , 150  are separated. Preferably each guide bottom  200  includes a number indicia  190  having a size corresponding to the distance indicia  160  and a separation distance D 3  between the left and right guides  140 , 150 . A bottom side  152  of each guide  140 , 150  preferably includes at least one receiving slot  153  cooperative with a locking tab  203  included on each guide bottom  200  ( FIG. 5 ). A similar but opposing guide top (not shown) may also be included for bridging a gap between the guides  140 , 150  at top sides thereof. 
     An elastomeric cushion  210  may be fixed between the mouth piece rotation plate  90  and the frame clamp  110 , such that the person&#39;s mouth  22  is cushioned against impacts to the left or right guides  140 , 150 . The mouth piece  100  may include a plurality of bite pads at the proximal end  102  thereof for facilitating gripping of the proximal end  102  by the person&#39;s mouth  22 . 
     While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the shape of the mouth piece  100 , rigid body  30  and body cover  50 , and guides  140 , 150  can all be altered somewhat from that shown in the figures without changing the manner in which these elements work together. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims. 
     Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention. 
     The above detailed description of the embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above or to the particular field of usage mentioned in this disclosure. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. Also, the teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. 
     All of the above patents and applications and other references, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet further embodiments of the invention. 
     Changes can be made to the invention in light of the above “Detailed Description.” While the above description details certain embodiments of the invention and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. Therefore, implementation details may vary considerably while still being encompassed by the invention disclosed herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. 
     While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certain claim forms, the inventor contemplates the various aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms. Accordingly, the inventor reserves the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the invention.