The Gillette Company

Brian Oldroyd

Frank Edward Brown

Oliver David Oglesby

Alan Crook

Kevin James Wain

Graham John Simms

John Charles Terry

Harry Pentney

A razor blade unit for safety razor has optimized shape and dimensions for body shaving, especially the regions of the axillae. The blade unit has an elongate blade with a rectilinear sharpened edge, and a skin contacting surface at which the length is 1 to 4 times the width and not greater than about 60 mm, e.g., 40 to 45 mm. The skin contacting surface has a footprint area of at least 450 mm, e.g., 600 to 750 mm, and a circularity which is not less than the lower of (i) 65%, and (ii) the circularity of a rectangle with the same length and width as the skin contacting surface and with corner radii of 30% of the width. In a plane perpendicular to the blade edge the skin contacting surface is convex and shaped to make at least a three point contact with an imaginary circumscribing circle with a radius of 15 to 70 mm, e.g., 25 mm. Guard cap surfaces in front of and behind the blade edge each have a skin contact area of at least 140 mm,and their combined area is preferably at least 400 mm, e.g., 450 to 500 mm. A useful shape is rectangular with semi-circular ends.

Oval frame razor

A razor blade unit for safety razor has optimized shape and dimensions for body shaving, especially the regions of the axillae. The blade unit has an elongate blade with a rectilinear sharpened edge, and a skin contacting surface at which the length is 1 to 4 times the width and not greater than 60 mm, preferably 40 to 45 mm. The skin contacting surface has a footprint area of at least 450 mm, preferably 600 to 750 mm, and a circularity which is not less than the lower of (i) 65%, and (ii) the circularity of a rectangle with the same length and width as the skin contacting surface and with corner radii of 30% of the width. In a plane perpendicular to the blade edge the skin contacting surface is convex and shaped to make at least three point contact with an imaginary circumscribing circle with a radius of 15 to 70 mm, preferably 25 mm. Guard cap surfaces in front of and behind the blade edge each have a skin contact area of at least 140 mm, and their combined area is preferably at least 400 mm, e.g. 450 to 500 mm. A preferred shape is rectangular with semi-circular ends.

A safety shaving assembly for attachment to a razor handle has optimised shape and dimensions for body shaving, especially the regions of the underarm. The shaving assembly has an elongate blade with a linear sharpened edge, and a skin contacting surface whose length is 1 to 4 times the width, preferably 1 to 2.8 times the width, has a large footprint area of at least 450 mm, preferably at least 600 mm, and a circularity (as herein defined to relate the area enclosed by the perimeter to the length of the perimeter) of not less than 70%. The shaving assembly is substantially inflexible over a major longitudinal dimension in use. In preferred embodiments the circularity is about 80%. A preferred shape is an oval resembling a rectangle with semi-circular ends. The forward and rearward skin-engaging surfaces in front of and behind the blade edge each can have a skin contact area of at least 140 mm, and their combined areas is preferably at least 400 mm. In preferred embodiments of the invention the length is not greater than 60 mm.

Mechanism for connecting a shaving cartridge to a razor handle with shell bearings to allow the cartridge to swivel about an axis parallel to the edge of the cartridge blades and each shell bearing supported on a four bar linkage to permit the cartridge to rock end-to-end about an axis parallel to the direction of shaving.

Razor with a movable cartridge

A safety razor blade unit having a plurality of blades presenting substantially parallel blade edges. The blades are disposed between a guard and a cap. The blades are independently movable and are carried by supports. At least one of the supports has spaced portions projecting forwardly of the associated blade to present skin contacting potions.

Safety razors

A razor blade unit for a safety razor has optimised shape and dimensions for body shaving, especially the regions of the axillae. The blade unit has an elongate blade with a rectilinear sharpened edge, and a skin contacting surface at which the length is 1 to 4 times the width and not greater than 60 mm, preferably 40 to 45 mm. The skin contacting surface has a footprint area of at least 450 mm,, preferably 600 to 750 mm,, and a circularity which is not less than the lower of (i) 64%, and (ii) the circularity of a rectangle with the same length and width as the skin contacting surface and with corner radii of 30% of the width. In a plane perpendicular to the blade edge the skin contacting surface is convex and shaped to make at least three point contact with an imaginary circumscribing circle with a radius of 15 to 70 mm, preferably 25 mm. Guard and cap surfaces in front of and behind the blade edge each have a skin contact area of at least 140 mm,, and their combined areas is preferably at least 400 mm,, e. g. 450 to 500 mm,. A preferred shape is rectangular with semi-circular ends.

Mechanism for connecting a shaving cartridge to a razor handle with bearings to allow the cartridge to swivel about a first axis parallel to the edge of the cartridge blades and the bearings being supported on a linkage to permit the cartridge to rock end-to-end about a second axis perpendicular to the first swiveling axis and parallel to the direction of shaving.

Shaving system

The tandem blades of a razor can be protected when not in use for shaving, without disturbing a pre-set shaving geometry and with reduced risk of damage to the blades and the fingers of a user during manipulation, by providing a shaving cartridge 11 which is movable, relative to a handle 10 of the razor, for retraction behind a shield 23 formed in the handle. Also disclosed are means to provide, in such a razor, replaceable cartridges for a permanent handle which includes a cartridge carrier 61.

Razor with blade protection means

Top rear surface of razor head

A safety razor blade unit has cap structure with upstanding fin elements directed perpendicular to the blade edges to define a cap surface featuring low frictional resistance characteristics during shaving. The fin elements are spaced at a pitch distance of 0.3 to 0.7 millimeter, are 0.3 to 1.0 millimeter in height and are substantially triangular in cross-section with an aspect ratio of 2:1 to 4:1.

Razors

Razor blade units and blade spacers therefor

A razor head or cartridge is provided on its skin engaging surfaces, e.g. caps and/or guard surfaces with an array of closely spaced projections which, in use, produce a pleasant tactile sensation tending to reduce shaving discomfort. The projections may be formed by closely packed flexible filaments, or by moulded fins or pillars.

Growing community of inventors

Reading, United Kingdom

Brian Oldroyd