Cutlery – Razors – Multiple blade
Patent
1993-05-27
1995-02-14
Rada, Rinaldi I.
Cutlery
Razors
Multiple blade
30 49, B26B 2140
Patent
active
053883322
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention is concerned with spacers for flexible razor blade units comprising two blades in tandem, with flexible razor blade units comprising such spacers, and with safety razors comprising such blade units.
Tandem razor blade units which are flexible, in response to forces encountered during normal use, about an axis or axes parallel with the plane of the blades and extending substantially perpendicularly to the cutting edges of the blades have been described in a number of patent specifications, for example, British Specifications 1589591 and 2119690.
The flexibility of such a blade unit can be assured by the design of the moulded plastics housing in which the blades and spacer are mounted, by the use of blades which are thinner than conventional, and by the design and material of the blade spacer. The spacers which are conventionally used in non-flexible blade units are formed of 0.02 inch (0.51 mm) thick aluminum; the use of such a spacer in a blade unit which was, in other respects, flexible would stiffen it to such an extent that it would not flex in shaving and it has accordingly been recognised that in a flexible blade unit, the spacer should be made of a flexible, preferably plastics, material.
We have now developed spacers which provide tandem razor blade units with improved flexibility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a spacer for a flexible razor blade unit comprising two blades in tandem, which comprises a flexible plastics strip having a length and width appropriate to the blades with which it is to be used, the major surfaces of the strip being formed with transverse ribs, the ribs on one side of the strip being offset with respect to those on the other side and the thickness of the strip and two ribs being greater than the desired separation of the blades.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a flexible tandem razor blade unit, which comprises a flexible moulded plastics housing providing a guard portion and a cap portion and in which tandem blades and a spacer according to the invention therebetween, are clamped under compression.
In such a unit, the guard portion and the cap portion preferably have a comb-like form, the teeth of the two comb-like portions being interconnected by a web which is sufficiently thin as to be flexible.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a safety razor comprising a flexible tandem blade unit according to the invention, a handle, and connecting means connecting the blade unit to the handle which means permit flexing of the blade unit.
The spacer according to the invention is preferably formed of polyethylene. In addition to its cheapness and good moulding properties, polyethylene has the advantage of a very low coefficient of friction against steel so that the blades can move easily against the spacer as the blade unit is flexed. It is preferred that the height of the ribs should be such that the thickness of the strip and two ribs should be greater than the desire separation of the blades by less than the height of a rib.
For the better understanding of the invention, a currently preferred embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flexible tandem razor blade unit which also show the blades and spacer thereof prior to assembly in the unit,
FIG. 2 is a partial longitudinal section of the spacer shown in FIG. 1, and
FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal section of the blades and spacer shown in FIG. 1 as clamped in the unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, a flexible tandem razor blade unit 10 comprises a flexible moulded plastics housing 11 providing a guard portion 12 and a cap portion 13 and in which tandem blades 14 and a spacer 15 therefor, are clamped under compression. The spacer 15 is a flexible plastics strip 16 of moulded polyethyl
REFERENCES:
patent: 2319980 (1943-05-01), Des Vardins
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patent: 4069580 (1978-01-01), Cartwright
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patent: 4443939 (1984-04-01), Motta
patent: 4516320 (1985-05-01), Peleckis
patent: 4641429 (1987-02-01), Abatemarco
patent: 4854043 (1989-08-01), Chen
patent: 5276967 (1994-01-01), Ferraro et al.
Rada Rinaldi I.
The Gillette Company
Tobin Donal B.
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