Abstract:
In a safety razor a blade unit ( 1 ) is mounted on a carrying structure ( 2 ) for pivotal movement, and a delivery system ( 25,32,44 ) for conducting from a reservoir ( 21 ) a fluid, e.g. a lubricating fluid, which is to be applied to the skin during shaving, discharges the fluid at a port ( 45 ) which opens at or close to the pivot axis. The delivery system incorporates a valve ( 22,24 ) to control the supply of fluid to the blade unit ( 1 ) and the blade unit carrying structure ( 2 ) is coupled to the valve for the valve to eb actuated in response to the blade unit ( 1 ) being pressed against the skin during shaving. The blade unit carrying structured ( 2 ) is connected to a support structure ( 35 ) by a hinged coupling ( 36 ) and the valve is operated by a hinged movement of the blade unit carrying structure ( 2 ).

Description:
This is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/GB00/00480 with an international filing date of Feb. 14, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the field of shaving and, more especially, to so-called “wet shaving” in the process of which a razor with one or more sharpened cutting edges is moved over the skin to sever hairs projecting from the skin. In association with wet shaving it is usual to apply to the skin a preparation, such as shaving soap, which can be applied by means of a brush, shaving foam, or shaving gel to improve the conditions for actual shaving. The need to prepare the skin in this way as part of the overall shaving procedure is an inconvenience and adds significantly to the time required to complete a satisfactory shave. It is also desirable sometimes to apply fluids of other kinds to the skin when shaving. 
     There have been many proposals for razors which include a system for conveying a shaving preparation, e.g. a lubricating fluid, from a reservoir incorporated in the razor structure, such as an aerosol container which serves as the razor handle, to a dispensing location near the head of the razor. However, as far as known to the Applicant none of these prior proposals have been found to be commercially acceptable. Many modern safety razors have blade units which are movably mounted, in particular pivotable, relative to the handle structures on which they are mounted either permanently, in the case of disposable safety razors intended to be discarded when the blade or blades have become dulled, or detachably to allow replacement of the blade unit on a reusable handle structure. The lubricant fluid delivery systems proposed according to the prior art are not ideally suited to such razors. In addition they are generally awkward to use and demand a degree of dexterity on the part of the user who typically is required to press a button to open a valve for fluid to be discharged from the reservoir for delivery to the razor head. 
     Some examples of previously proposed razors with fluid delivery systems are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,077,119, 4,809,432, 5,141,349, GB-A-2266854 and WO-A-88/06511. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the limitations of the prior art and in accordance with one aspect provides a razor comprising a blade unit carrying structure on which a blade unit is mounted or mountable for pivotal movement about a predetermined axis during shaving, and a delivery system for conducting a fluid dispensed from a reservoir connected to the blade unit carrying structure to at least one discharge port, wherein the discharge port opening is at or close to the predetermined pivot axis. 
     By arranging the fluid to be discharged through a port located on or very near the pivot axis of the blade unit, the discharge can occur essentially at the same location, preferably at a guard surface in front of the blade or blades, irrespective of the pivotal movements of the blade unit, and this advantageous result can be achieved with the discharge port being defined by a part which remains stationary with the blade unit carrying structure. In addition, a direct mechanical connection between the stationary part, which may conveniently be constituted by a delivery tube, and the blade unit is not needed, which can simplify blade unit replacement when the razor is intended for use with replaceable blade units. 
     The blade unit is preferably provided with a channel, which can be open continuously along the length thereof, for distributing fluid delivered through the discharge port across the blade unit in the direction of the pivot axis. The channel can be at least partly defined by an elastomeric skin contacting element having a lip which surrounds and seals against the delivery tube adjacent the discharge port. 
     In accordance with another aspect the invention resides in a razor comprising a blade unit carrying structure on one end of which a blade unit is mounted or mountable for pivotal movement relative to the carrying structure, an opposite end of the blade unit carrying structure being hingedly connected to a supporting structure, a delivery system for conducting a fluid to the blade unit from a reservoir, the delivery system including a valve for controlling supply of fluid to the blade unit, the blade unit carrying structure being coupled to the valve for the valve to be actuated by displacement of the blade unit carrying structure relative to the supporting structure caused by pressing the blade unit against the skin during shaving, and the blade unit carrying structure being resiliently biased to close the valve when the blade unit is lifted clear of the skin. 
     A preferred razor according to the invention embodies both aspects described above. By the valve being actuated by movement of the blade unit carrying structure brought about by pressing the blade unit against the skin it can be ensured that fluid is delivered precisely when and where it is needed or desired, such as immediately in front of the blade(s) of the blade unit, and the user is not required to perform any additional operation in order to open the control valve. Nonetheless, the blade unit carrying structure can be adapted also to allow direct manual operation of the control valve by the user to provide for greater flexibility in use. The blade unit carrying structure is conveniently movably connected to a supporting structure, more especially integrally hingedly coupled to the supporting structure by one or more flexible webs. The reservoir is preferably constituted by a container to which the supporting structure, conveniently having the form of a ring, is attached, for example by friction or a snap-fit connection with a rim of the container. The blade unit carrying structure may comprise a hollow stem extending upwardly from a flange-like base which is connected to the supporting ring by a pair of laterally opposed web hinges and the base can define a finger button at which the base can be engaged and be depressed by a finger of the user to open the valve. 
     In conformity with the foregoing the invention also provides a razor or razor blade unit carrying structure wherein the blade unit carrying structure and the supporting structure are integrally connected by at least one flexible web. 
     The invention described herein is applicable, in its various novel aspects, to razors intended for shaving the face as well to razors, e.g. as commonly used by women, for shaving other areas of the body such as the legs. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A complete understanding of the invention will be gained from the more detailed description which follows and in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an axial cross section through a safety razor embodying the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged isometric view showing the blade unit of the razor and its carrying structure; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the blade unit in a different pivotal position on the carrying structure; 
     FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged axial cross-sections through the upper parts of the razor as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and respectively showing the valve closed and open; 
     FIG. 6 is an axial cross section through another embodiment of a razor in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 7 shows on a larger scale the part of the razor shown circled in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 7 but showing the blade unit pivoted to a position of maximum pivotal displacement; 
     FIG. 9 shows the blade unit of FIGS. 6-8 in plan view; and 
     FIG. 10 is a transverse cross section through the blade unit. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The razor illustrated in FIGS. 1 to  5  of the drawings includes a blade unit  1  detachably and pivotally mounted on a blade unit carrying structure  2  which is attached to a container  3 . The blade unit  1  may take any desirable form, but as shown it comprises a plastic frame  4  defining an opening in which three blades  5  are mounted, preferably for movement independently of each other against the action of springs which act on the undersides of the blades, or more particularly on the supports on which the blades are respectively mounted. In front of the sharpened edges of the blades  5  which are substantially parallel to each other is a guard surface  6  defined by an element of elastomeric material having a close-packed array of pockets  8  open at the skin contacting surface of the guard. Between the guard surface defined by the element of elastomeric material and the blades is a so-called backstop  9  integral with the blade unit frame  4 . Carried by the frame  4  behind the blades are cap members comprising a lubricating strip  10  which may be of a form known in the art, and an elastomeric element  11  similar to that defining the guard surface  6  but narrower and having three rows of pockets  8  rather than five rows. 
     The blade unit  1  is pivotally mounted on a pair of yoke arms  12  which project from the blade unit carrying structure  2  and terminate in respective journals which are held within sockets provided at the opposite ends of the blade unit frame  4  so that the blade unit is able to pivot about a predetermined axis  14  located beneath the guard surface  6  adjacent the backstop  9 . The mounting of the blade unit  1  to the yoke arms  12  may be as described in greater detail in our patent application No. WO 97/37819, or as described in our application No. WO 93/10947, the contents of which are incorporated herein by way of this reference. Suitable materials for the lubricating strip  10  and the elastomeric elements of the guard and/or cap are those mentioned in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,113,585 and 5,249,361, the contents of which specifications are also incorporated herein by reference. 
     The container  3  is shown to include an outer rigid canister  15  with a main body  16  and a top wall  17  joined to the body  16  at a rim  18 . Within the canister  15  is a fluid reservoir  21  formed within bag  19  having a flexible wall which is able to collapse as the contents of the bag are discharged. A neck at the upper end of the bag  19  is sealed to a valve housing  20  and the upper end of the valve housing is held by a shaped central section of the canister top wall  17 , a resiliently compressible annular valve seat  22  (FIGS. 4 and 5) being held between the top wall  17  and the valve housing  20 . The closed space  23  confined between the canister  15  and the bag  19  contains a propellant gas for forcing the bag to collapse and discharge its contents when the valve is opened, in a manner well known in the art of aerosol containers. A valve member  24  with a blind bore  25  has its closed end disposed within the valve housing  20  and a peripheral flange  26  on the valve member is normally biased into sealing engagement with the valve seat  22  by a spring  28 . One or more orifices  27  communicate the bore  25  with the exterior of the valve member  24  immediately above the flange  26  and provide a path through which the container contents can escape when the flange  26  is displaced to interrupt its sealing engagement with the valve seat  22 , as depicted in FIG.  5 . 
     The blade unit carrying structure  2  comprises a hollow shaft or stem  30  extending upwardly from a flange-like base  31  with a generally frustoconical upper surface. The central bore  32  of the hollow stem  30  opens through the base and is provided with an eccentric counterbore in which an annular seal  33  is received. The tubular upper end of the valve member  24  is inserted into the seal  33  and makes sealing contact therewith. Due to the eccentric positioning of the seal  33  the valve member is constrained to adopt the slightly canted position shown in FIG.  4 . It will be clear that when the valve is opened, as shown in FIG.  5  and described below, the contents of the reservoir  21  in the container are delivered into the bore  32 . 
     The base  31  is integrally connected to a supporting structure in the form of a ring  35  which is securely attached to the container, for example by a close friction fit with the container ring  18 , or by a snap-fit engagement provided by a plurality of projections  37  spaced around the inside circumference of the ring  35 . The base  31  and the supporting ring  35  are interconnected by a pair of webs  36  which constitute living hinges and define an axis about which the blade unit carrying structure  2  can pivot relative to the container  3 . The webs  36  are approximately diametrically opposed although in the illustrated embodiment they are disposed a short distance forwardly of the central axis of the container  3  and the blade unit carrying structure  2 . A stop  38  is provided on the underside of the base at a forward most circumferential location this stop is arranged to abut the container rim  18  when the valve is closed, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. At a rearmost circumferential position diametrically opposite the stop  38 , the upper surface of the base is shaped with a shallow depression  39  to define a finger button at which ribs  40  or other surface configurations are provided to improve frictional engagement with the finger. With the container  3  held in the hand the forefinger of the same hand can be used to engage and depress the finger button  39  thereby to cause the blade unit carrying structure  2  to pivot at the flexible hinges  36  which in turn tilts the valve member  24  in a clockwise direction as viewed in the drawings so that the sealing engagement between the flange  26  of the valve member and the valve seat  22  is interrupted and the pressurised contents of the reservoir in the container flow out via the orifice  27  and bore  25  into the bore  32  of the stem  30  of the blade unit carrying structure for delivery to the blade unit  1  (see FIG.  5 ). This is one method by which the valve may be selectively actuated by the user of the razor. According to an important aspect of the invention, however, the valve is arranged to be actuable automatically in the process of shaving. The laterally opposed yoke arms  12  are oriented to support the blade unit  1  with its longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the pivot axis defined by the hinge webs  36 , and with the operative face of the blade unit directed forwardly i.e. generally away from the finger button  39  which is located at the rear. By this arrangement with the razor being held by means of the container  3  which forms the handle of the razor, the blade unit  1  can be pressed against the skin in the course of performing a shaving stroke so that a torque is generated to cause the blade unit carrying structure  2  to move by hinging at the webs  36  thereby opening the valve as described above in connection with the manual actuation. When the blade unit is lifted from the skin, the blade unit carrying structure  2  returns to its normal position as illustrated in FIG. 4 under the combined effects of the inherent resilience in the hinge webs  36  and the force of the spring  28  which strives to displace the valve member  24  to the closed position. Of course, an additional mechanical return spring could be included to ensure return movement of the blade unit carrying structure and hence reliable closing of the valve. Because the valve is opened automatically in the process of shaving, the fluid can be dispensed in controlled metered quantities without relying on judgement or dexterity of the user. 
     The return force provided by the resilient webs, etc may be selected so that the valve is opened by pressing the blade unit  1  against the skin under forces typically applied during shaving, or it can be made stronger so that a user must consciously press the blade unit against the skin with greater than usual force to open the valve and dispense the fluid. In the latter case the razor is adapted to provide selective dispensing of fluid under control of the user. 
     From the upper end of the bore  32  in the stem  30  of the blade unit carrying structure, the fluid is conducted to the blade unit  1  by a delivery tube  44  which is fixed relative to the stem  30  and at its distal end defines a discharge port  45  located substantially on the axis  14  about which the blade unit is pivotally mounted on the yoke arms  12 . It will be seen that the discharge port  45  is disposed at a small distance on the underside of the guard surface  6  adjacent the backstop  9 . The fluid delivered through the discharge port passes through a hole in the elastomeric guard element  6  conveniently formed by one or more of the pockets  8 , so that it is supplied directly to the skin which is sliding over the guard surface during shaving. There is no direct mechanical connection between the delivery tube  44  and the blade unit so that the delivery tube does not interfere with pivotal movements of the blade unit, e.g. between the positions illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, to follow the skin contours during shaving. In a manner known per se a spring arrangement can be provided to bias the blade unit to a predetermined pivotal position such as the FIG. 2 position. As a result of the discharge port  45  being located at or very close to the pivot axis  14  reliable delivery of fluid to the desired location on the blade is ensured while the pivoting capability is not impaired in any respect. 
     The described razor can be used for applying directly to the skin during shaving any desirable fluid. The fluid may for example exhibit any one or more of the qualities or properties of the following fluids: 
     (i) shaving soap; 
     (ii) lubricant; 
     (iii) skin conditioner; 
     (iv) skin moisturiser 
     (v) hair softener or conditioner to facilitate cutting; 
     (vi) fragrance; 
     (vii) skin cleanser; 
     (viii) bacterial or medicinal lotion; and 
     (ix) blood coagulant or the like for beneficial treatment of minor cuts and abrasions which can be suffered during shaving. 
     FIGS. 6 to  10  illustrate a modified razor the construction of which for the most part is similar to the razor of FIGS. 1 to  5  and, therefore, only the main differences will be described and the same reference numerals have been used in the drawings to denote corresponding parts of the respective razors. 
     The hollow stem  30  of the blade unit carrying structure  2  is disposed eccentrically of the base  31  so as to position the blade unit  1  more forwardly than in the razor of FIG. 1, which can in some circumstances facilitate use of the razor. Fitted within an outer part of the blade unit carrying structure which includes the hollow stem  30  and the base  31  and which supports the delivery tube  44 , is an inner part having a plate  48  with a tubular boss  50  with which the valve member  24  cooperates, a connection tube  51  being inserted between the inner end of the boss  50  and the upper end of the stem  30  for conducting fluid discharged from the container  3  to the delivery tube  44 . In this embodiment the valve and its operation are exactly as described above in connection with the first embodiment. Thus, when the blade unit  1  is pressed against the skin with sufficient force in the course of shaving, the blade unit carrying structure  2  pivots about the hinge connection formed by the webs interconnecting the base  31  and the supporting ring  35 , whereby the valve member  24  is tilted to open the passage enabling the pressurised fluid to pass out of the container  3  and to the delivery tube  44  via the connection tube  51 . The pivoting of the blade unit carrying structure  2  is in this embodiment limited by a stop member  52  which extends downwardly from the plate  48  into the annular recess defined in the top wall  17  of the container between the outer rim  18  and the central section enclosing the valve housing  20 , the pivotal displacement being limited by abutment between this stop member  52  and the rim and the central section, respectively. 
     The blade unit  1  in the embodiment of FIGS. 6-10 is mounted on the carrying structure  2  by yoke arms  12  as described above, so that the blade unit is able to pivot between the positions respectively shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, about an axis  14  located in close proximity to the port  45  defined at the discharge end of the delivery tube  44 . The elastomeric element  6  defining the guard surface of the blade unit includes a rear portion arranged with the backstop  9  to define a channel  54  extending across the blade unit for the full length of the element  6  and the backstop, the top of the channel being open continuously over the length of the channel. The discharge port  45  opens into the channel  54 , as shown clearly in FIGS. 7 and 8, and the channel  54  serves to distribute the fluid across the blade unit  1  in the direction of the pivot axis  14 . During shaving, the skin segment which is contacted by the elastomeric guard element  6  and the backstop  9  tends to close off the channel opening to encourage fluid to pass along the channel from the discharge port  45 . This closing of the channel opening can also lead to a build up of fluid pressure in the channel and to prevent fluid being forced by this pressure to the underside of the blade unit, the elastomeric material of the element  6  forms a lip  56  with a hole  57  through which the delivery tube passes so that the lip  56  surrounds and seals against the delivery tube  44 . The elastomeric lip is sufficiently flexible that it does not significantly oppose the pivotal movement of the blade unit  1  on the supporting yoke arms  12 , the displacement of the delivery tube at the lip seal being only small in any event due to the end of the delivery tube being at or very close to the pivot axis  14 . 
     Other details of the construction and operation of the razor illustrated in FIGS. 6-10 will be understood from the foregoing description of the razor shown in FIGS. 1-5. 
     Modifications are of course possible to the specific embodiment described above without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims which follow. The blade unit may be permanently mounted on the blade unit carrying structure so that the entire assembly of the blade unit and its carrying structure will be discarded when the blades have become dulled. Alternatively the blade unit  1  may be detachable from the carrying structure with the intention that the blade unit  1  be replaced on the carrying structure when the blades have become blunted. For this purpose the yoke arms may be adapted to disengage the blade unit, or the yoke arms could be included with the blade unit and have a releasable connection with the stem of the blade unit carrying structure. Also the particular form of the blade unit is unimportant to the inventive concept and other forms of blade unit besides those described in detail can be used. If desired a mechanism could be included to control selectively the maximum fluid discharge rate, for example by adjusting a stop which limits the pivoting of the blade unit carrying structure and hence the degree to which the valve can be opened to allow the pressurised fluid to be discharged from the container.