Cutlery – Razors – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
1994-08-03
2001-10-02
Rachuba, M. (Department: 3724)
Cutlery
Razors
Combined
C030S041700, C030S538000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295733
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to shaving aids for razor heads and in particular to shaving aids which change color, either in whole or in part, after a certain period of usage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In order to provide for smoother shaves and to increase the comfort of the user, shaving aids in the form of comfort strips have been mounted on disposable razor heads and in disposable razor systems for many years. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,821, issued to Booth, discloses a solid water soluble shaving aid incorporated as a strip attached to a disposable razor blade cartridge. Razor heads having such comfort strips are currently marketed with the shaving aid being mixed with a thermoplastic polymer and have a uniform, unchanging color and texture.
Generally, individuals with sensitive skin are most likely to be users of razors containing shaving aids. Consequently, many products which are currently marketed with shaving aids contain materials such as aloe and are directed at the sensitive skin user. However, a drawback of currently available comfort strip-type shaving aids is that the strips gradually degrade and, after a certain number of uses, the shaving aid material contained in the strips is reduced to the point that the strips are not effective for the sensitive skin user. At this point a sensitive skin consumer should replace the razor blade cartridge to ensure the continued availability of shaving aid. However, absent a definite indication, many users do not realize when the cartridge should be replaced and consequently the quality of the shave suffers.
Various attempts have been made to create systems to indicate when the user should change the cartridge. Most of the previous systems require the user to manually interact with the razor by an act such as the turning of a knob or the breaking off of a tab. Such systems are inefficient in that most users are not careful to accurately perform the acts necessary to monitor their razor cartridge usage.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a disposable razor cartridge or a disposable razor system with a shaving aid which would automatically indicate to the user that the cartridge containing the shaving aid should be replaced. Such shaving aids would not require manual intervention and thus would be more accurate than presently known systems.
It would further be desirable to provide such a shaving aid in the form of a comfort strip which would change color after a certain number of uses to signal to the user that the cartridge should be replaced. The color change may take place either through selective solubility or through abrasion. Such a shaving aid would allow the user to obtain the most efficient cartridge use. It would be particularly desirable to provide a shaving aid which changes color coincidentally with the wear of the blade such that when the strip changes the blade is no longer delivering average optimum performance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention features a disposable razor cartridge unit or disposable razor system having a shaving aid in the form of a comfort strip mounted on a razor head, wherein the shaving aid changes color over a period of time so that the user knows that the razor head should be replaced. In one embodiment, the strip is in the form of a single layer and comprises a polymer of a first color. A coloring agent of a second color is added such that the resulting color of the shaving aid is a third color when the strip is new. The coloring agent gradually leaches from the strip due either to exposure to water, abrasion during usage, or a combination of both such that after a certain number of uses the color of the strip changes from the third color to the first color of the polymer or some intermediate color noticeably different to the consumer. Alternatively, the polymer may be colorless so that when the coloring agent leaches out the resulting strip is colorless.
A third embodiment of the present invention is a two-layer strip in which the upper layer contains water soluble or a combination of soluble and non-soluble shaving aid material of a first color, while the lower layer contains essentially non-water soluble material of a second color. Upon exposure to water during usage, the upper layer gradually deteriorates to the point where the second color of the lower layer becomes visible through the upper layer, thus indicating the need to change the razor head.
A further embodiment involves a three-layer strip, in which both of the outside layers are of an water soluble or a combination of soluble and non-soluble material of a first color and the center layer is of a non-water soluble material of a second color. Such a tri-layered strip would allow the strip to be attached to the razor cartridge during manufacture without concern for the orientation of the top and the bottom of the strip. A tri-layered strip would be particularly useful when the strip is manufactured by the process of extrusion.
A still further, and most preferred, embodiment comprises a shaving aid of a first color which is coated with a sectional portion of a second color. During shaving, the coated section wears away through solubility, abrasion, or a combination of the two, to indicate to the consumer that the cartridge should be replaced. The coating may consist of multiple layers, some of which layers may wear away during usage.
In a still further embodiment, different color water soluble and non-water soluble coloring agents are mixed so as to indicate a single color when the strip is new. The water soluble agent leaches from the strip upon exposure to water so that after a certain period of usage the strip changes color to that of the non-water soluble coloring agent.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2703451 (1955-03-01), Hensel et al.
patent: 2750664 (1956-06-01), Merlo
patent: 3302230 (1967-02-01), Poppelman
patent: 3618563 (1971-11-01), Singer
patent: 3879844 (1975-04-01), Griffiths
patent: 4170821 (1979-10-01), Booth
patent: 4268958 (1981-05-01), Hilbert
patent: 4562644 (1986-01-01), Hitchens
patent: 4850106 (1989-07-01), Braun
patent: 4875287 (1989-10-01), Creasy et al.
patent: 5061106 (1991-10-01), Kent
patent: 5062209 (1991-11-01), Rais
patent: 5113585 (1992-05-01), Rogers et al.
patent: 5119557 (1992-06-01), Kaiko
patent: 5340581 (1994-08-01), Tseng
patent: 5388331 (1995-02-01), Siamak
patent: 5653971 (1997-08-01), Badin et al.
patent: 5915791 (1999-06-01), Yin et al.
patent: 348627 (1990-01-01), None
patent: 2024082 (1980-01-01), None
patent: WO 98/38015 (1988-09-01), None
patent: WO 92/15198 (1992-09-01), None
patent: WO 93/03649 (1993-03-01), None
patent: WO 93/14911 (1993-08-01), None
patent: WO 95/20472 (1995-08-01), None
patent: 9316135 (1995-08-01), None
patent: WO 96/01172 (1996-01-01), None
patent: WO 97/35694 (1997-10-01), None
patent: WO 97/44164 (1997-11-01), None
Notice of Opposition to a European Patent (Pat. No. EP-B-773 855), with Exhibits D1-10, dated Feb. 12, 1999.
USPTO Corrected Filing Receipt U.S. application No. 08/269,495, filed Jul. 1, 1994, Copy of Application Entitled “Shaving System”, (12 Pgs., Dwgs. 4 sheets, Power/Declaration, 2 pgs., M.M. Tseng.
Advertisement—“Finally, a Razor Worth Holding Onto” (1 pg.), McCall's, Sep. 1992.
Declaration of Michael J. Kwiecien, May 14, 1998, (3 pgs.).
Response to Opposition, with Exhibits D11-17, dated Jul. 21,1999.
Patentee's Comments on the Observations of the Opponent, dated Apr. 12, 2000, Annex 1, Annex 2, Annex 3 and Exhibits D22-D28.
“How a $4 Razor Ends Up Costing $300 Million”, Business Week, 2 pgs.,Jan. 29, 1990.
New Oxford English dictionary definition of “certain”.
Official Leter dated Apr. 18, 1997 re: 95923840.3-1260/US9507506.
U.S. application No. 08/624819, Yin et al., filed Mar. 1996.
“Sensor for Women” product literature (copyright 1992).
Andrade Manuel
Wexler Fred C.
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Rachuba M.
Warner-Lambert & Company
LandOfFree
Changeable color shaving aid does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Changeable color shaving aid, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Changeable color shaving aid will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2606184