Patent Publication Number: US-2016243665-A1

Title: Razor Blade Sharpening Device and Method

Description:
This application is a non-provisional application of provisional application No. 62/119,019 filed on Feb. 20, 2015, and is incorporated herein by this reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to razor blades employed on conventional safety razors. More particularly, it relates to a device and method employing a sharpening device configured with the plurality of paddles positioned to contact the blade or blades sequentially with a curved stropping and polishing surface to sharpen and straighten the edges of the metal blades. 
     2. Prior Art 
     In modern homes the use of the safety razor is a very common daily occurrence for most men and women for use in shaving and removing unwanted body hair. Conventionally, a razor is a shaving device which includes a handle which extends from one or a plurality of razor blades affixed on a distal end in a razor head. This razor head in some razors is fixed and non removable and in other razors is removably engageable to allow the user to replace the razor head with one having new and sharp blades. Generally speaking razors with nonremovable razor heads are inexpensive and intended to be disposed of once the blades have dulled. Razors with removable razor heads are usually more expensive and therefore the manufacturers provide razor heads which may be removed and replaced with a fresh razor head having sharp blades once those of the older razor head have dulled. 
     Because the razor blades which are mounted in the razor head are manufactured from very thin, metallic material, they tend to wear out rather quickly. The cost for replacing such blades by disposing of the used razor head and installing a new one when desired, on an annual basis, can be a significant amount of money since each razor handle is configured by the manufacturer to only engage with razor heads manufactured by the same manufacturer and such can be expensive since there is no competition or available substitute to the user once the razor has been purchased. Further, throwing away blade heads formed of plastic and metal adds to pollution and land fills since such cannot be recycled. 
     Attempts have been made to develop an alternative that will prolong the useful life of such single and multi-blade safety razor heads by sharpening the blades so that they can be used repeatedly. Consequently, some sharpeners to hone the dulled razor blade edges have come on the market. 
     Most such sharpeners use some type of translating or rotating belt, or stone, or grinder formed of abrasive material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,702 teaches a device for the sharpening of razor blades which employs a pair of vibrating sharpening stones. When the blade is engaged and moved from side to side, each side of the blade is sharpened by a separate individual vibrating stone. 
     Another example of prior art is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,299 which teaches a razor blade sharpener for razor heads which include multiple blades. As taught, a biased rotating belt formed of abrasive material is placed in contact with the blades when engaged with the device. The belt runs horizontally across all the blade edges of the multiple blade head simultaneously and does not necessarily compensate for the angle of each of the multiple blades. Further, there is no means taught to remove the residue resulting from the sharpening process or left between the blades from shaving. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,104,874 teaches a razor sharpening apparatus which uses a rotatable hub which includes a flexible sharpening strip formed of an abrasive surface such as grit or sandpaper mounted on the hub for sharpening one or more blades. However the use of abrasive material easily wears the blades down and as the abrasive material is rotated across the face of the blades at an angle perpendicular to the blade edge, it can easily leave marks and grooves extending into the cutting edge of the blade rendering it somewhat corrugated in shape. 
     As can be discerned, prior art blade sharpeners operate using highly abrasive material which is placed in contact with the razor blades of a shaving head in an effort to sharpen them. However, using such abrasive materials can also impart grooves or recesses to the blades and edges and in some modes actually ruin the factory edge by encountering it at the wrong angle. Such will of course provide uneven sharpening of the factory-provided blade which in most instances may simply be dirty with grime and easily placed back into factory-new condition without grinding or abrasive contact with sharpening devices. 
     As such, there exists an unmet need, for a razor blade sharpening device and method which is easily employed by the user to recondition and sharpen the cutting edges of the single and multiple blade safety razors as well as realign each blade. Such a device should endeavor to place the blade edges back into a sharp condition without the use of rotating stones and belts formed of abrasive and potentially damaging material. Such a device should allow for the easy positioning and sharpening of blade heads by the user and re-sharpen one or a plurality of blades in the blade head correctly, and quickly irrespective of the angle of the blades. 
     The forgoing examples of related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the disclosed blade sharpening invention and method described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art are already or will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The device and method herein disclosed and described provides a solution to the shortcomings in the prior art method and devices employed for the re-sharpening and reconditioning of safety razor blade edges having a plurality of parallel blades in a head. Additionally, the curved surface not only shapes each of the plurality of blades, it also realigns each bladed to a straight edge. 
     The system herein provides for the sharpening and reconditioning of the cutting edges of razor blades engaged in single and multiple positions in a conventionally employed safety razor. However, unlike the prior art, the system herein provides for this sharpening and cleaning of the blade cutting edges of each blade in a razor head, without the use of overly abrasive materials being placed in contact with the blade edges. Instead of employing rotating stones, and elongated belts formed of abrasive material, the system herein provides a rotating wheel having at least one and preferably a plurality of leather strips or paddles engaged thereon, formed in a length configured wherein the distal end curved surface of each paddle, contacts each of a plurality of parallel blades, in a sliding contact across the cutting edge of each blade in a blade head. The curved surface has also shown the function to realign any blade edge which is not straight. 
     The device is configured with a housing, having a top surface adapted with a recess sized to contact and position the razor head having one or multiple parallel blades, in a position for a reconditioning and sharpening contact with the curved distal end of one or preferably a plurality of flexible paddles engaged at respective first ends with the wheel. The wheel is rotated by a motor which is powered by a rechargeable or replaceable battery or by power from a conventional AC socket communicated directly to the device. 
     The recess formed in the top surface has an aperture therein communicating with the interior cavity of the housing. Consequently when a razor head having one or a plurality of parallel spaced cutting blades therein is placed into the recess, the cutting edges of each blade are positioned to come into contact with a portion of the curved exterior surface of the distal ends of each flexible leather paddle engaged to the rotating wheel inside the cavity. Of course the distal end curved surface may be formed of another material similar in abrasiveness to leather, or leather infused with silica or other materials. 
     In a particularly preferred mode of the device and method, at least the distal ends of each of the paddles are formed of leather, such as horse hide or bovine hide, having a smooth tanned surface which is configured in a curve or loop configuration to the wheel. Consequently, this configuration provides one or a plurality of such flexible leather paddles where the distal end of each tanned leather paddle, contacts each of the blades with a portion of a curved surface. 
     Thus, the distal end of each paddle so formed, will first contact each cutting edge of each blade on a first side of the distal edge of the paddle, and each parallel blade edge will follow a curved pathway around the curved distal end of each looped leather paddle as the wheel rotates. Experimentation has found this looped distal end formed of leather to be far superior to another mode of the device herein which employs a flexible paddle formed with a smooth surface of tanned leather or a similar material having a frictional index or coefficient of friction, similar to smooth tanned leather material. This secondary mode, is of course still superior to the prior art, by re-sharpening and straightening each of the multiple edges of razor blades in a safety razor, through the employment of these flexible paddles which will not damage the blades being sharpened with stone or other stone-like abrasives. 
     Additionally, with multiple paddles, one or more of the curved surfaces of the paddles may be formed of a woven or non woven fabric which can be included to clean the surface of each parallel blade. Such fabrics include canvas, linen, or compressed felt. 
     In use, for blade heads with multiple parallel blades in a blade head, the user simply positions the blade head of the safety razor within the recess on the top surface of the housing. The recess is sized to contact at least two opposing edges of the body of the blade head, and position it such that the plurality of blades, project past the interior surface of the housing. 
     Once so positioned, a motor of the device is energized using a switch which can also be automatic once a seating of the razor head on the recess is sensed. Thereafter at least one and preferably a plurality of flexible paddles, having at least the distal ends formed of leather or a material having an abrasive index and flexibility similar thereto, will sequentially and repeatedly contact, and slide across the cutting edges of each of the plurality of parallel blades in the lade head. 
     Where the preferred looped or rounded distal edge is employed with the length of the paddles such that a leading edge of each curved surface contacts each of the blades, each blade edge will follow a curved path around the distal edge during sharpening. Such has been found to provide excellent sharpening of each of a plurality of parallel blades as well as realignment thereof. 
     With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed razor blade sharpening device and method thereof in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention herein described is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing razor blade sharpening methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device and method. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     As used in the claims to describe the various inventive aspects and embodiments, “comprising” means including, but not limited to, whatever follows the word “comprising”. Thus, use of the term “comprising” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present. By “consisting of” is meant including, and limited to, whatever follows the phrase “consisting of”. Thus, the phrase “consisting of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, and that no other elements may be present. By “consisting essentially of” is meant including any elements listed after the phrase, and limited to other elements that do not interfere with or contribute to the activity or action specified in the disclosure for the listed elements. Thus, the phrase “consisting essentially of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present depending upon whether or not they affect the activity or action of the listed elements. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a razor blade sharpening device and method which employs flexible paddles without using stone or metal or similar abrasives. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide such a razor sharpening device which employs one or a plurality of flexible paddles sized where rounded or curved distal ends will provide a curved path of contact to sharpen and straighten each of the parallel razor blades. 
     These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, as well as the advantages thereof over existing prior art, which will become apparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by the improvements described in this specification and hereinafter described in the following detailed description which fully discloses the invention, but should not be considered as placing limitations thereon. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive, examples of embodiments and/or features of the razor blade sharpening device and method herein. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of a top surface of a housing of the device showing an opening or recess therein adapted to contact at least two opposing edges of a blade head and position a blade head in a registered position to project the blades into the housing for sharpening by an underlying flexible paddle. 
         FIG. 2  shows an overhead view of the device of  FIG. 1  showing one mode of forming opposing blade head contact surfaces. 
         FIG. 3  shows a sectional view of the device of  FIG. 1  depicting the parallel adjacent blades in position to contact and follow a curved path of contact around the distal ends of the paddles during sharpening. 
         FIG. 4  shows a view of a mode of the rotating wheel of  FIG. 3  and depicting the curved contact pathway at the distal ends of each flexible paddle which are depicted in U-shaped leather sheets engaged to the wheel. 
         FIG. 4 a    shows that the paddles may be removably engageable and replaced, and also shows the radial or curved pathway for contacting each parallel blade in a blade head. 
         FIG. 4 b    shows a paddle as in  FIG. 4 a    depicting a length “L” and width “W” which would be configured such that each paddle is of a length whereby a leading edge of the curved end would contact each blade. 
         FIG. 5  shows another mode of the wheel having a plurality of flexible paddles formed of sheets of leather which are folded over at the distal end. 
         FIG. 5 a    shows the that the paddles in all modes may be removably engageable to the hub of the wheel to allow replacement. 
         FIG. 6  shows a view of a mode of the paddles wherein the distal ends may be slightly curved in a smaller radius than that of  FIG. 4 or 5 . 
         FIG. 6 a    again shows again that the paddles may be removably engaged. 
     
    
    
     Other aspects of the present razor blade sharpening device and method thereof shall be more readily understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the following detailed description, neither of which should be considered limiting. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only and they are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation. 
     Now referring to drawings in  FIGS. 1-6 , wherein similar components are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in  FIG. 1  a perspective view of the device  10 . As shown a top surface  12  of a housing  14  of the device  10  has an opening or recess  16  formed therein. The recess  16  is configured to engaged a blade head  20  ( FIG. 3 ) in a registered position such that each of the blades  22 , extending from the blade head  20 , projects through an aperture  25  at opening in the recess  16  into the interior cavity  26  of the housing  14 . This engagement of the blade head  20  with the recess  16 , places each of the adjacent blades  22  in the blade head  20 , in a position to contact and follow a curved path of contact around the curved distal end  28  of a paddle  30  rotating in the interior cavity  26  of the housing  14 . For example, opposing sides  17  of a shelf can be formed in the recess  16  which will contact edges of the blade head  20  in a manner to position the blades  22  projecting into the interior cavity  26 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , a top view of the housing  14  provides an overhead view of the recess  16  and shows at least to opposing sides  17  position the form a shelf or contact for areas of the blade head  20  and position the blades  20  projecting into the internal cavity  26  of the housing  14 . Also depicted are the curved distal end  28  of a paddle  20  which can be seen through the aperture  25  formed through the top  14  of the housing  14  in the recess  16 . 
     As noted, in  FIG. 3  a sectional view of the device  10  through  FIG. 1 , is depicted showing the device  10  with a blade head  20  in the as-used configuration with a safety razor  21  having the blades  22  and blade head  23  positioned and in contact with the shelf formed within the recess  16 . As can be seen in this preferred mode of the device  10 , and in  FIG. 3  for example, a curved path  32  of contact for each of the blades  22  projecting into the internal cavity  26 , communicates around the exterior or facing surface at the distal ends  28  of the paddles  30 . 
     This curved path  32  of engagement and contact with the blades  22  can be longer or shorter depending on a length “L” shown in  FIG. 4 b   , of the blade  22  forming the paddles  30 . A longer length “L” such that the distal end  28  of the paddle  30  contacts each blade  20  during rotation of the wheel, allows contact of the curved distal end  28  lower upon on a leading edge, and thus a longer curved path  32  of contact against each blade  22 . This is accomplished for example where the length “L” of the paddle  30  from the wheel  38  to the distal end  28 , is equal to or longer than a distance from the exterior of the wheel  30  to an interior surface  27  of the interior cavity  26  which surrounds the opening through which the blades  22  project past that interior surface  27 . 
     Conversely, a shorter length “L” can be formed to raise the contact point of each blade  22  with the leading edge of the distal ends  28  and thus shorten the length of the curved pathway  32  of contact. For example a length from the first end of the paddle  30  from the exterior of the wheel  38 , to a distal end  28  of the paddle  30 , which is long enough to contact the edges of each of the projecting blades  22 , but is less than the distance from the wheel  38  to the interior surface  27  surrounding the blades  22  projecting into the interior cavity  26 . 
     The curved distal end  28 , of each paddle  30  thereby provides such a curved pathway  32  and contact surface with each blade  22  at the distal end  28  of each flexible paddle  33 . The paddles  30  may be entirely formed of leather or a similar flexible material. Or the paddles  30  can be formed of a flexible material such as a polymeric material, with the distal ends  28  formed of leather or a material having a similar coefficient of friction. Forming the paddles  30  of flexible material from their engagement end to the wheel to the distal ends  28 , allows each paddle  30  to flex upon contact of the distal end  28  with each surface of each blade  22 . This flex insures that once each blade  22  contacts the distal end  28 , it is drawn in this contact around the distal end  28  forming the curved pathway  32  of contact. 
     Of course other materials might be employed to achieve the curved distal end  28 , and pathway  32  at the distal ends  28  of each paddle  30 , if the material has a similar abrasive index to that of tanned leather and such is anticipated within the scope of this application. Further, as noted, the plurality of rotating paddles  30  can include at least one having a distal end  28  formed of woven or non woven textile fabric to provide a cleaning surface along the curved pathway  32  of contact with each blade  22 . 
     It should be noted that the curved distal ends  28  of the paddles  33  may also be achieved by employing flexible material with a bulbous distal end which has an index of abrasion or friction similar to that of tanned leather. Such could be manufactured in a unitary structure with a proximal end configured to connect to the wheel, and a bulbous distal end forming the curved pathway around the distal end of the paddle  33  which the blades follow during sharpening. 
     Also shown in  FIG. 3  is a view of the rotating wheel  38  which is powered by the motor  40  ( FIG. 3 ) which is energized by a replaceable or rechargeable battery  42  or other low voltage electric power such as a small transformer or charge. 
       FIG. 4  shows a view of a mode of the rotating wheel  38  of figure of  FIG. 3 , and depicting the curved contact pathway  32  at the distal ends  28  of each flexible paddle  30 . In this figure the paddles are shown formed of leather material or similar material in U-shaped sheets and engaged to a base  31  adapted for engagement to the wheel  38 . This engagement could be by friction or mechanical engagement the base  31  to the wheel  38  or by other removable engagement. Alternatively the paddles  30  can be permanently engaged to a wheel  38  and replaced all at once by replacement with a similarly configured wheel  38 . 
       FIG. 4 a    shows that the paddles  30  may be removably engageable and replaced as noted. Further shown, is the radial or curved contact pathway  32  which contacts each parallel blade  22  mounted in a blade head  22 . The lines extending radially indicate, depending on the direction of wheel  38  rotation, that the blades  22  will contact the curved distal end  28  at a first point and follow around the curved distal end  28  in contact with the blade, as the mid portion  21  of each paddle  30  flexes while the distal end  28  is in such contact. 
       FIG. 4 b    shows a paddle as in  FIG. 4 a    depicting a length “L” and width “W” which would be configured such that each paddle is of a length whereby a leading edge of the curved distal end  28  will contact each blade  22  in the plurality and then follow the curved contact pathway  32  around it as the mid portion  21  of the paddle  30  flexes slightly. 
       FIG. 5  shows another mode of the wheel  38  having a plurality of flexible paddles  30  formed of sheets of leather or material with a similar coefficient of friction, which are folded over at the distal end  28  to form the curved contact pathway  32 .  FIG. 5 a    shows the that the paddles  30  in this and in all modes may be removably engageable to the wheel  38  to allow replacement. 
       FIG. 6  shows a view of a mode of the paddles  30  wherein the distal ends  28  may be slightly curved in a smaller radius than that of  FIG. 4 or 5 . Also,  FIG. 6 a    again shows again that the paddles  30  may be removably engaged to the wheel  38  to allow for replacement. 
     While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the razor blade sharpening system and method of employment have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.