Field of the I nvention

[1] This invention relates general ly to a device for cleaning reusa ble razor cartridges.

Background of the Invention

[2] Safety razors comprise a handle and a replacea ble razor cartridge housing two or more blades. However, debris bu ildup may hamper the cutting efficiency of the cartridge and, as such, various devices have been proposed for cleaning razor blades with water.

[3] For exam ple, US 4027387 A ( KE LLIS) 07 J une 1977 [hereinafter referred to as Dl] discloses a device having a housing having a grom met which is pressed into a spout and a slot for a handle to position a cartridge thereof under the grom met for cleaning.

[4] CN 205757911 U ( U N IVERSITY XI H UA) 07 Decem ber 2016 [hereinafter referred to as D2] discloses a sim ple boxl ike structure having a grinding block therein retained by an elastic rod and water inlets which agitate the elastic rods and grinding block to sharpen the blades thereof.

[5] US 4838949 A ( DUG ROT) 13 June 1989 [hereinafter referred to as D3] discloses a device having a housing having an entrance which connects to a spout and which has a strap thereabove to hold the spout the entrance. The housing com prises a slot within which a razor may be inserted to position a cartridge thereof beneath the spout for cleaning.

[6] EP 0895733 A1 ( KAU P, FRANZ-JOSE F) 10 February 1999 [hereinafter referred to as D4] discloses a device configured to direct a jet of water sim ultaneously across and rearwardly into a cartridge for cleaning.

[7] G B 2087231 A (STAAR SOCI ETE ANONYM E) 26 May 1982 [hereinafter referred to as D5] discloses a cleaning device configured to hold a razor cartridge in a correct position and has formations which directs jets of water around the cartridge.

Summa ry of the Disclosure

[8] There is provided herein and im proved razor cartridge cleaning device which overcomes or at least substantial ly amel iorates at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provides an alternative.

[9] The present cleaning device com prises a cleaning cham ber within which razor cartridges are inserted for cleaning. The device has a high-pressure nozzle of decreasing diameter which receives water from a tap spout and directs a pressurised high velocity jet of water between the blades of the cartridge for removing debris therebetween. [10] In contradistinction with the prior art however, D1 does not com prise such a h igh pressure nozzle and therefore the relatively low velocity wate r flow therethrough is less effective at dislodging debris from between the blades of the cartridge. Furthermore, the water inlets of D2 are not directed between the blades of the cartridge and are rather used for introducing turbulence to agitate the flexible grinding rods.

[11] Whereas D3 - D5 however do em ploy pressurise pressurised nozzles in that D3 has inlet leading to a conduit directed onto an angled rear face to provide a high velocity splashback sheet of water and D4 and D5 have tapering inlets, the pressurisation from the present nozzle causes problems for interfacing with the tap spout.

[12] For exam ple, the present nozzle may decrease in diameter substantia lly such as by a ratio of more than 50 to 1, thereby providing a relatively very high pressurised jet of water for effective cleaning.

[13] In this regard, D3 proposes holding the in let of the to the spout with a strap. The inlet of D3 has a cylindrical entrance and an O-ring thereabout. Flowever, the fl uid tightness between the entrance of D3 and the spout coupled thereto depends entirely on the conform ity of the outer diameter of the spout with the inner diameter of the O -ring. As such, D3 cannot be used for spouts of differing diameter. Furthermore, the strap, which may be attached by hook and loop fasteners, may be ill su ited to withstand pressurisation and which may allow the device to leak or even blown off the spout unexpectedly. D5 does not propose a high-pressure coupling, other tha n by the use of a flexible connector which is slightly conical so can be easily fastened to the spout and D4 proposes the use of a quick coupling (such as a conventional garden hose qu ick coupling connector) for interfacing the spout and the device but which is inconvenient to not only install but to use.

[14] Conversely, the present device com prises a spout seating grom met which interfaces the nozzle. The grommet may be rubberised and have an entrance of decreasing diameter, such as one being frustoconical.

[15] The device further com prises a clam p frame having a th roat adjacent the grom met and which is open at least from the rear. The device further com prises an adjusting screw rotatably retained by the clamp frame and having a handle for adjusting a movable jaw thereof within the throat towards the grom met.

[16] As such, the present device may be quickly attached to the spout in a fluid tight manner by inserting the spout via the rear of the throat until the spout substantial ly collocates with the grommet. The handle is then tightened to press the spout tightly against the grom met in a fluid tight manner. [17] The grommet al lows for a fl uid tight connection of spouts of differing diameters and configurations. Furthermore, the clamp frame resiliently holds the device to the spo ut despite sign ificant pressurisation, avoiding leakage or blowoff as may be problematic with the device of D3.

[18] The tap may then be turned on to cause water to flow via the spout, grom met and via the high pressure nozzle to clean between the blades of the cartridge with a relatively high velocity pressurised jet of water.

[19] In a preferred em bodiment, the cleaning cham ber of the present device com prises a mechanical shutter which selectively encloses the cleaning cham ber to prevents or reduce splashback, especial ly from a high velocity jet of water.

[20] The cleaning cham ber may com prise an entrance across which the shutter is movably engaged. I n a preferred em bodiment, the entrance is located in front and below the throat of the clam p frame such that the cartridge can be inserted from the front of the device conveniently beneath tap on such that water flows directly down therethrough and f al ls therefrom into the basin there underneath.

[21] The shutter may be urged upwardly by com pression springs to a closed configuratio n. The shutter may com prise a central recess which may cooperate with a corresponding central recess of the housing to accom modate the handle of the razor therebetween and close behind the cartridge, thereby substantially preventing splash back via the entr ance.

[22] The outer edge of the shutter and the corresponding outer edge of the housing may be inwardly curved so that the shutter can be opened by sim ply pressing the cartridge against the shutter. Furthermore, the inner edges of the shutter and housing may be sim ilarly curved. As such, and with the present device being held in place by the clam ping frame, the present device need not be supported by hand and the cartridge may be easily inserted and removed with one hand.

[23] According to one aspect, there is provided a razor cartridge cleaning device having housing defining a cleaning cham ber therein, a spout seating grom met interfacing a nozzle of decreasing interior cross section directed into the cham ber and a clam p frame having a throat adjacent the grom met an adjusting screw rotatably retained by the clam p frame having a handle for adj usting a movable jaw thereof within the throat towards the grom met.

[24] The nozzle may decreases in cross-section by a ratio of greater than 50 : 1.

[25] The clam p frame may be open at a front and rear of the device and enclosed at the sides.

[26] The entrance may be located at the front [27] The grom met may have an entrance of decreasing diameter.

[28] The entrance may be substantial ly frustoconical.

[29] The grom met may be elastic.

[30] The grom met may be rubberised.

[31] The nozzle may have an annular entrance within which a corresponding cylindrical exterior of the grom met interfaces in a fl uid tight manner.

[32] The housing may be bifurcated and wherein the nozzle may com prise a peripher al recess within which closing edges of the portions of the housing locate.

[33] An outlet of the nozzle may be longitudinal .

[34] The outlet may be orientated widthwise with respect to the housing.

[35] The cleaning cham ber may have an entrance having a shutter at the e ntrance deflectable between closed and opened positions.

[36] The device may further com prise a biasing mechanism to bias the shutter towards the closed position.

[37] The biasing mechanism may com prise at least one com pression spring engaged between the housing and an undersurface of the shutter.

[38] The shutter may com prise an outer curved edge.

[39] The housing defines an outer curved edge facing the shutter.

[40] The shutter may com prise a shutter central recess.

[41] The housing defines a housing central recess.

[42] The shutter may com prise an inner curved edge.

[43] The housing defines an inner curved edge facing the shutter.

[44] The housing may have a cleaning cham ber outlet.

[45] An interior of the housing may slope towards the outlet.

[46] According to a nother aspect, there is provided a method of cleaning a razor cartridge using the razor cartridge cleaning device, the method com prising inserting a spout of a tap via a rear of the throat until such time that the spout locates substantial ly above the grom met, turning the handle to clam p the spout between the grom met and the movable jaw, pressing a cartridge against the shutter to deflect the shutter downwardly, thereby passing the cartridge into the cleaning cham ber and turning on the tap to direct a high - pressure jet of water towards the cartridge for cleaning.

[47] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed. Brief Description of the Drawings

[48] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fal l within the scope of the present invention, preferred em bodiments of the disclosure wil l now be described, by way of exam ple only, with reference to the accom panying drawings in which :

[49] Figure 1 shows an underside perspective exploded view of a razor cartridge cleaning device in accordance with an em bodiment;

[50] Figure 2 shows an upper side perspective exploded view of the device;

[51] Figure 3 shows the device assem bled with out a front portion of the housing; and

[52] Figures 4 and 5 show a shutter of the device in closed and open positions respectively.

Description of Embodiments

[53] A razor blade cartridge cleaning device 100 com prises housing 101 defining a cleaning cham ber 122. A cartridge is inserted into the cleaning cham ber 122 via an entrance 112 for cleaning with a jet of water from a tap . For orientational convenience, the device 100 wil l be described with reference to the entrance 112 being at the front of the device 100.

[54] The housing 101 may be bifurcated as shown and held together with screws 112.

[55] The device 100 com prises a nozzle 105 which directs a pressurised jet of water into the cleaning cham ber 112.

[56] The nozzle 105 may be of dim inishing interior cross section so as to p ressurise water passing therethrough which escapes from an outlet 118 thereof at high velocity. The nozzle 105 may dim inish and d iameter by a ratio of greater than 50 : 1. The outlet 118 may be longitudinal and orientated widthwise to spray across the cartridge correspondingly located widthwise thereunderneath .

[57] The device 100 may com prise a rubberised spout seating grom met 104 which seals within an annu lar entrance 125 of the nozzle 105. With reference to Figure 2, the exterior periphery of the grom met 104 may com prise a peripheral recess 123 which sits within opposing edges 124 of the housing 101.

[58] The grom met 104 may com prise an entrance 121 of decreasing cross -section so as to seal against taps spouts of differing diameters in a fluid tight manner. The entrance 112 may be substantial ly frustoconical as shown .

[59] The housing defines a clam p frame 125 having a throat 103 adjacent the grom met 104. The frame 125 may be open at the front and rear and enclosed at the sides. [60] The device 100 may further com prise an adjusting screw 106 rotatably retained by the clam p frame 125. The adjusting screw 106 may com prise a handle 108 and a threaded stem 107 for adjusting a movable jaw 109 thereof within the throat 103 towards the grom met 104. The movable jaw 109 may com prise a rubber interfacing knob having a rearward protrusion retained within a central recess of the stem 107.

[61] The threaded stem 107 may be screwably retained within resil ient screw block 110. The screw block may 110 be non-rotatably retained between annular plates 120 of the housing 101.

[62] The entrance 112 may be selectively enclosed by a shutter 113 deflectable between closed and open positions. In the em bodiments shown, the shutter 113 may be sim ilarly bifurcated and held together by screws.

[63] The shutter 113 may define a central shutter recess 115 which may cooperate with a corresponding central housing entra nce recess 127 of the housing 101 to accom modate the handle of the razor therebetween .

[64] The housing entrance recess 127 may be substantial ly coincident in elevation with the outlet 118 of the nozzle 105 which may reduce upward splashback from the entrance 112.

[65] Com pressed springs 117 retained at lower edges thereof by footing 116 may engage undersurface bosses 129 of the shutter 113 to urge the shutter 113 upwardly.

[66] The shutter 113 may com prise a front inward curved edge 114 such that, when pressed against by the cartridge widthwise therealong, the cartridge urges the shutter 113 downwardly to allow the cartridge to pass.

[67] The housing 101 may sim ilarly com prise a front inner curved edge 128 which urges the cartridge downwardly. As such, when the cartridge is pressed between the housing 101 of the shutter 113, the shutter 113 is urged downwardly.

[68] With reference to Figure 4, the shutter 113 may sim ilarly com prise an inner curved edge 131 which cooperates with adjacent inner curved edge 131 of the housing 101 which deflects the shutter 113 downwardly when the cartridges pulled from the entrance 112. As such, when the hand le of the razor is pulled, the cartridge thereof deflects the shutter 131 downwardly. As such, the col leges can be inserted and removed with one hand.

[69] Figure 4 ill ustrates the shutter 113 biased by the com pression springs 117 to a closed position and the curved edges 114 and 128 defining a widthwise mouth. Figure 5 ill ustrates the shutter 113 deflected downwardly within the entrance 112. [70] The entrance 112 may be in front and beneath the front entran ce of the throat 103 such that when a tap spout is clam ped to the grommet 104, the entrance 112 is rigidly held and located accessibly in front of the tap.

[71] The housing 101 may com prise an outlet 119 for releasing water from the cleaning cham ber 122. The ho using 101 may be sloped towards the outlet 119 such that water tends towards the outlet 119.

[72] Util isation of the device 100 com prises unscrewing the adjusting screw 106 by turning the handle 108 anticlockwise and inserting a spout of a tap via the rear entr ance of the throat 103 until such time that the end of the spout locates approximately above the grom met 104. The screw 106 is then tightened by turning the handle 108 clockwise such that the movable jaw 109 thereof presses the spout against the grom met 104. The screw 106 is tightened to sufficiently press the spout against the grom met 104 to form a watertight seal therebetween.

[73] A razor with a cartridge thereof poised horizontal ly is then pressed between the shutter 113 and the housing 106 at the curved edg es 114 and 128 which urges the shutter 114 downwardly to al low the cartridge to pass into the cleaning cham ber 122. The shutter 113 returns to the closed position and the recesses 115 and 127 accom modate the handle therebetween. The device may be resil ient ly held by the clam p frame 126 such that the device 100 may not be supported by hand.

[74] The tap is then turned on which causes water to flow via the grom met 114 into the nozzle 105. The dim inish ing diameter thereof pressurises the water such that a high velo city jet of water escapes from the outlet 118 of the nozzle 105. The jet of water sprays between the blades of the cartridge, thereby dislodging debris entrapped therebetween. The cartridge may be wiggled from side to side if needs be by manipulating the p roximal end of the handle extending from between the shutter 113 and the housing 101. Spent water escapes via the outlet 119.

[75] The cartridge can then be pulled from the cleaning chamber 122 which presses against inner curved edges 130 and 131 of the shutter in housing respectively to deflect the shutter 113 downwardly.

[76] The foregoing description, for purposes of expla nation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough u nderstanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skil led in the art that specific details are not required in order to practi se the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific em bodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of ill ustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to li m it the invention to the precise forms disclosed as obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The em bodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practica I appl ications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best util ize the invention and various em bodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contem plated. It is intended that the fol lowing claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.