The Gillette Company

Joseph Roger Yeoman

Ian Saker

Christopher Martin Hawes

David Vince

The invention relates to safety razors having a blade unit carried on a handle that includes a vibration mechanism and a control device for controlling operation of the vibration mechanism, the control device being connected to an electrode arrangement that can comprise a blade and an electrically conductive casing of the handle, to detect water so that the vibration mechanism is activated in response to the blade unit being immersed into a body of water for rinsing.

Safety razors

The invention relates to a hand held electrical appliance having a handle and a head part to be brought into contact with the body of the user, such as a toothbrush with a brush head or a safety razor with a head part in the form of a blade unit, including an electrically operable vibration generating device, for example an electric motor and eccentric weight, and a control device for controlling operation of the vibration generating device. The control device is proximity or touch sensitive and includes a sensor element, such as an electrode formed by a blade of the blade unit, so that the vibration generating device is actuated in response to a person using the appliance and moving the blade unit (or other head part) into close proximity to or into contact with the body area to be treated. Due to the vibration generating device being operated only when the head part is applied or about to be applied to the body, the discomfort of holding a vibrating appliance in the hand, as perceived by a user, is greatly diminished.

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Kidmore End, United Kingdom

Joseph Roger Yeoman