Abstract:
The handle of a razor is provided with a single-chip radio receiver, controls, battery, antenna and an audio transducer, such as a speaker or a piezoelectric annunciator by which a person can listen to broadcast radio channels while shaving. A waterproof speaker, waterproof controls and a waterproof housing make the shaving apparatus with a radio immersible. By using a small processor with memory instead of a radio IC and an audio transducer, the shaving apparatus can play back pre-recorded audio or, record audio from the audio transducer for later playback to the audio transducer.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention generally relates to an audio shaving razor and, more particularly, to a system capable of incorporating a radio circuit into a shaving razor using a waterproof plastic housing and a waterproof speaker means.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Shaving razors have been manufactured for years. Some shaving razors are manufactured so inexpensively that they are disposable.  
           [0003]    Improvements in semiconductor technology have made possible integrated circuits that contain virtually all of the electronics for a broadcast radio receiver. It is now possible to place virtually all of the circuitry of an AM, FM or AM/FM radio on a single integrated circuit substrate. The commercial success of light-weight transistorized radios have lead to the development of various electronic radio combinations such as the electronic radio/alarm clock.  
           [0004]    An object of this invention is therefore to provide an improved shaving razor with the ability to receive broadcast radio and render the broadcast programming as audio from a speaker.  
           [0005]    Another object of this invention is to provide an improved shaving razor with a radio enclosed within a waterproof housing.  
           [0006]    Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved shaving razor to which a radio can be readily attached and detached. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    The present invention and the advantages and features provided thereby, will be best understood upon review of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the following drawings, where like numerals represent like elements, in which:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the front of a shaving apparatus incorporating a radio circuit, controls, speaker, an antenna and a battery.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a shaving apparatus incorporating a radio circuit, controls, a speaker, an antenna and a battery.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of broadcast radio receiver implemented using an integrated circuit (IC).  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of an alternate embodiment of a shaving apparatus to which a radio can be attached and from which the radio can be detached. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0012]    With references to FIGS. 1 and 2, a battery-powered radio  10  is provided by a plastic shaving handle  12 , a first end  13  of which carries a shaving head  15  capable of carrying one or more razor blades commonly used for hair removal. In one embodiment, the shaving head  15  carries disposable razor blade assemblies, well-known in the disposable razor art.  
         [0013]    In the preferred embodiment, the plastic handle  12  encloses a waterproof volume  17  in which electronic components such as one or more active devices and one or more passive devices can be connected together and mounted. The enclosed volume  17  is made waterproof by appropriate gaskets and/or seals between mating surfaces of the plastic handle  12 .  
         [0014]    The electronic components encased in the waterproof plastic housing  17  include a radio receiver integrated circuit (IC)  14  as well as ancillary passive devices that are, or might be required by the IC  14 , can be mounted inside the waterproof plastic housing  17 . Adjustment and operation of IC  14 , i.e., radio tuning and audio output level adjustment can be accomplished using waterproof controls  18  that are accessible from at least one side or face of the shaver handle  12  as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. By appropriate connections between the waterproof controls  18  and the IC  14 , the waterproof controls  18  can be used to change a received frequency, change the audio output volume from an audio transducer such as a speaker. Examples of waterproof controls  18  would include a waterproof potentiometer, waterproof switches and waterproof variable capacitors and inductors. In one alternate embodiment, fixed-value capacitance is used whereby the radio IC  14  is always tuned to a single radio frequency. An embodiment wherein a radio is tuned to a single frequency finds application where the single frequency is a public safety channel, e.g., the weather service, or as a promotional item for a particular radio station.  
         [0015]    In embodiments where the IC  14  is capable of receiving both AM and FM frequency bands, a particular band can be selected using a handle-mounted waterproof switch to select between different frequency bands. Those of ordinary skill will appreciate that the functionality of the controls  18  must therefore extend into and connect to control inputs of the IC  14  enclosed in the waterproof volume  17  of the plastic handle  12 .  
         [0016]    A waterproof volume control is used to adjust the audio output volume from the waterproof speaker  22 ; a waterproof tuner is embodied as either a waterproof fixed or variable capacitance or a waterproof voltage-controlled oscillator or VCO.  
         [0017]    The handle also encloses a battery  16  in either the same waterproof compartment  17  as the IC or its own separate waterproof compartment. Inasmuch as the battery  16  can be depleted of energy, its periodic replacement is enabled by mounting the battery  16  in a recloseable, separate waterproof compartment, accessible from the handle&#39;s  12  exterior.  
         [0018]    For purposes of claim construction, the term “waterproof” should be understood to mean capable of withstanding water infiltration when the shaver  10  is immersed in water depths commonly found in the home. In other words, a “waterproof” compartment will admit no water when the shaver is immersed in water, to a depth of 12-18 inches. Waterproof should also be understood to mean that the radio can be operated under water as well. Therefore, a “waterproof” shaver radio includes a waterproof speaker that is a speaker that is either capable of operating underwater or is enclosed within a waterproof yet sound-transmissive compartment. At least one speaker embodiment was rubberized.  
         [0019]    A single-chip FM band broadcast radio receiver IC is manufactured by and available from Phillips Semiconductors (See e.g., http://www.phillipssemiconductors.com). This device is identified by the Phillips part number TDA7088T. Phillips previously manufactured a single-chip AM band broadcast radio receiver identified by the Phillips part no. TEA5551 T but has discontinued the manufacture of a single-chip AM radio.  
         [0020]    The FM radio IC TDA7088T is available in an S016 package. The IC can be powered from voltage sources as low as 1.8 volts and search tuned using a single varicap diode. Devices like the TDA7088T and TEA555 IT are small and readily enclosed within the handle of a shaver.  
         [0021]    The handle depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown with a substantially rectangular cross section and sized to accommodate ancillary devices for the single chip radio IC  14 . Alternate and equivalent embodiments of the shaver include handles with circular or elliptical cross-sections as well.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 depicts external circuitry required to enable a single chip radio such as the aforementioned TDA7088T FM radio IC  14  operate. In particular, RF signals picked up by the antenna  20  are coupled to the RF input pins  11  and  12  of the device. Audio output from the TDA7088T device appears on pin  2 . In one embodiment, the audio signals output from pin  2  are coupled to a waterproof speaker (not shown in FIG. 3). A varicap diode coupled to pin  15  enables the TDA7088T device to be tuned.  
         [0023]    Complete implementation details for the TDA7088T single-chip FM radio receiver IC  14  are available from the application notes published by Phillips Semiconductors and downloadable from the aforementioned Phillips Semiconductors web site.  
         [0024]    A waterproof speaker and a waterproof plastic housing enable a user to rinse the razor under water. A waterproof volume control enables a user to adjust the level of the speaker output. In another embodiment of the present invention, the audio shaving razor will include an auto scan function to search for radio stations automatically. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, fixed capacitances can be used to tune the radio to a single channel. A display of the frequency, band and volume can be provided by using an LED or LCD display (not shown) in the handle  12 . By utilizing a waterproof, transparent window to view an LED or LCD display, the shaver can display the radio station being monitored.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is an alternate embodiment of the shaving razor  10  wherein a portable razor  10  has a disposable shaving head  15  attached to on end of a plastic handle  12 . The opposite or second end of the handle  12  has a connector (not shown) that detachably couples to a portable broadcast radio receiver handle attachment  12 A.  
         [0026]    The embodiment depicted in FIG. 4 provides the functionality of the previously-described embodiments, including a radio receiver IC  14 , a speaker  22 , a battery  16  and controls  18 , however, by making the radio detachable, the IC, speaker  22  and controls  18  need not be waterproof. A translucent window (not shown) over a display LED or LCD can also provide information to an operator.  
         [0027]    By making the radio receiver handle attachment  12 A detachable from the shaver handle  12 , the handle  12  and the shaving head  15  can be separated from electronic components that should not get wet. By detaching the handle  12  from the attachment  12 A, parts that require cleaning can be immersed with less likelihood of damaging electronic components in the attachment  12 A. The battery  16  can also be specified to be rechargeable so that it need not be housed in a resealable, waterproof compartment in the handle attachment  12 A.  
         [0028]    In yet another embodiment, the shaving razor depicted in the figures can be made to play pre-stored music, synthesized or digitized speech or other audio from the speaker or another type of audio transducer, such as a piezoelectric audio transducer. By replacing the IC  14  with an appropriately-capable processor and memory, music, speech or other audio program content can be reproduced from data stored in memory output from the audio transducer  22 .  
         [0029]    Those of ordinary skill in the computer programming and semiconductor arts know that single-chip microprocessors have been available for years that include read only memory in which both program instructions and data representing audio can be stored (e.g., the Intel 8051 and Motorola 68HC11-families of microcontrollers). By replacing the aforementioned radio IC  14  with a suitably-capable processor  14 , a stream of data output from the processor is converted to an analog signal. Music, speech or other audio can be digitized, stored in the processor or ancillary memory and read out (played back) through the audio transducer  22 .  
         [0030]    In yet another embodiment, the shaving razor can also be used to record and playback audio signals. By programming the aforementioned microcontroller/processor  14 , it digitizes analog signals picked up by the audio transducer and stores the data into memory. The data stored in memory can be read out and used to reconstruct, i.e., playback the audio that was previously picked up by the transducer  22 , converted to a digital form by the processor  14  and stored as data.  
         [0031]    Single-chip voice recorders are readily available from Winbond Electronics Corporation of America, 2727 North First Street, San Jose, Calif.,  95134 . (See www.isd.com.) As of the filing date of this application, the Winbond ISD5008 single chip recorder is capable of storing up to eight (8) minutes of audio. Other devices from Winbond have shorter as well as longer recording times.  
         [0032]    In light of the foregoing, a shaving razor can be provided with audio capability in the form of broadcast radio reception, pre-recorded audio or recorded audio. Promotional shavers with radios embedded into the handle can be user tuned or pre-tuned to a particular radio station as a promotional item. By replacing the radio IC  14  with a single chip recorder, promotional music or other audio content can be stored and played back from the razor.