Cutlery – Razors – Attachment or accessory
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-02
2001-02-13
Payer, Hwei-Siu (Department: 3724)
Cutlery
Razors
Attachment or accessory
C206S354000, CD28S047000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185827
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a protective casing for a shaving head. The shaving head to which this invention relates may contain one or more shaving blades and may be either an integral part of a one-piece, disposable safety razor system or may be a cartridge that is detachably engageable with the handle of a safety razor system.
The need for protective casings for shaving heads has long been recognized. Such protective casings protect both users from accidental injury from exposed cutting edges of shaving heads and protect the shaving blades themselves from nicks and other damage. In general, the prior art consists of two types of protective casings: a casing for holding an individual shaving head (disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,587,730 and 5,095,621) and a tray-type casing for holding a plurality of shaving heads (disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,114).
Each of these types of protective casings has certain advantages and disadvantages. For example, individual protective casings may be simple and inexpensive to manufacture; yet, they may be inconvenient both to a manufacturer and a user for storing together multiple shaving heads. In contrast, while a tray is convenient for storing together multiple shaving heads, its flexibility is limited because it can only store a fixed number of shaving heads. In addition, a tray may be more difficult and expensive to manufacture than individual protective casings because of the precision required for the uniform placement of the common walls between shaving cartridges.
Another type of protective casing has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,392, issued to Althaus. Althaus discloses individual protective casings that may be frangibly connected in a side-by-side relationship to form a razor blade pack. While combining some of the advantages of individual and tray-type casings, the casings disclosed in Althaus still have several shortcomings. First, once a protective casing is broken off from the pack, it can no longer be reattached. Second, there is always the concern that a frangible connection, once broken, may be jagged and dangerous to a user. Third, if the pack is integrally molded, the number of shaving heads sold together in a pack is fixed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an improved protective casing that combines ease of manufacturing, flexibility of use and storage, and safety of handling. According to the present invention, a protective casing comprises a hollow structure for receiving the shaving head, the hollow structure having a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall, and means for engaging the shaving head therein. The protective casing also comprises at least one projection on the outer surface of the first side wall and one or more projections on the outer surface of the second side wall. The projections on the second side wall form a space for interconnectingly receiving an element having the same shape as said at least one projection on the first side wall.
Preferably, the hollow structure, said at least one projection on the first side wall, and the projections on the second side walls are composed of a polystyrene-based material. In a preferred embodiment, said at least one projection on the first side wall is an elongated projection with a rounded cross-section disposed lengthwise along the longitudinal axis of the first side wall.
In another preferred embodiment, the projections on the second side wall comprise a row of top projections and a row of bottom projections. The projections in each row are arranged in an alternating pattern with respect to the projections in the other row, and together, the top and bottom rows of projections form a slot for interconnectingly receiving an element having the same shape as said at least one projection on the first side wall.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 210713 (1968-04-01), Hamill et al.
patent: D. 226642 (1973-04-01), Ferrier, Jr.
patent: 2878563 (1959-03-01), Schmoyer
patent: 3172202 (1965-03-01), Sooter
patent: 3396465 (1968-08-01), Knight et al.
patent: 3760938 (1973-09-01), Ferrier, Jr.
patent: 3880284 (1975-04-01), Pomfret
patent: 3915300 (1975-10-01), Gatley
patent: 4328902 (1982-05-01), North
patent: 4476630 (1984-10-01), Byrne
patent: 4587730 (1986-05-01), Iten
patent: 4601392 (1986-07-01), Althaus
patent: 4742909 (1988-05-01), Apprille, Jr. et al.
patent: 4833779 (1989-05-01), Iten
patent: 4889254 (1989-12-01), Vola
patent: 5095621 (1992-03-01), Rapp
patent: 5518114 (1996-05-01), Kohring et al.
patent: 5893213 (1999-04-01), Motta
patent: 2587880 (1987-04-01), None
patent: 2622174 (1989-04-01), None
patent: 1145532 (1969-03-01), None
Abstract of French Patent Document FR2587880, Apr. 3, 1987.
Payer Hwei-Siu
Pennie & Edmonds LLP
Violex-Bic S.A.
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