FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to razor blades, and more particularly to an improved guard structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A wet shave razor cartridge is usually composed of a cartridge housing, blades having cutting edges, a guard area in front of the blades having a guard structure and a cap area having a shaving aid or lubricating strip disposed behind the blades. Each component plays a unique role during shaving.

Turning to the guard area specifically, as it is known in the art, a guard structure of a razor cartridge typically includes resilient or soft material, often arranged in the form of flexible fins or protrusions, disposed in front of the blades to engage the skin's surface by stimulating and stretching the skin in front of the blades, tending to improve comfort while also properly positioning the skin for cutting of hairs. It is generally known in the art that fin guards, placed in the front of the razor blades, play an important role for the engagement, alignment, and extension of hair while also managing the skin during shaving.

Most guard components on the market today are made of a thermoplastic or elastomeric material (e.g., flexible fins) with tips having acute points (e.g., sharp, pointy tips). The tips of the fins are generally disposed such that they are all at the same height or a portion of the fins are all at the same height for constant skin contact. In general, an elastomeric guard is generally costly and time-consuming to manufacture as most methods to assemble a guard generally require a two-color injection molding process in order to effectively bond the flexible material of the guard onto a generally hard plastic base material (e.g., polystyrene) of the overall housing on which the guard is typically supported.

It would be desirable to reduce the cost and time to manufacture the guard structure of the razor cartridge while still providing adequate shaving performance attributes such as skin management, comfort, efficiency and safety. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention includes rows of elongated hard plastic protrusions having rounded (e.g., not sharp or pointed) tips arranged on a tip curved profile. The rounded valleys between the protrusions are also arranged on a valley curved profile which may be different than that of the tip curved profile. The valleys encompass an inner protrusion volume which increases going back to front end of the guard structure. In a preferred embodiment, the front end volumes are larger than the back end inner protrusion volumes to assist in trapping and distributing shaving aid. In one embodiment having at least four protrusions, the inner protrusion volume between a second and third protrusion is the largest, while a volume between first and second protrusion is the second largest volume.

In another aspect, the guard structure is disposed in front of the blades which are formed within the housing and may desirably extend past the front end of the housing.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, and from the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as forming the present invention, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from the following description which is taken in

conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like designations are used to designate substantially identical elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a razor having a cartridge and a handle in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a razor cartridge of the FIG. 1 razor.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a razor cartridge of the FIG. 1 razor showing the overhang of the guard structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the guard structure of the razor cartridge of FIGs. 2 and 3 in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the guard structure of the razor cartridge showing the curvature profile in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a graph representing the curvature profile of FIG. 5 in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 7 is an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Choosing materials, properties and configurations for an appropriate lower cost guard structure (e.g., generally defined as the area in front the blades), leveraging the synergistic effect between the guard structure, the skin and the blades, may be desirable for providing beneficial shaving performance attributes, such as consistent shave closeness and comfort during wet shaving.

In the present invention, the term "guard structure" signifies a physical structure which may engage, hold, or stretch a user's skin for skin management during shaving and may be comprised of, though not limited to, one or more fin elements, elongated filaments or protrusions, or nubs. The guard structure generally be upstanding or curved, rigid or flexible, may have planar or non- planar surfaces, may be contiguous, non-contiguous, patterned, or any combination thereof. It may be made by injection molding techniques for low cost and

manufacturing simplicity of using a single material (e.g., as the housing). The guard structure of the present invention is preferably comprised of hard plastic material comprised of polystyrene, polyphenylene oxide, polypropelene, acrylonkrile butadiene styrene, or high impact polystyrene or materials that are not flexible.

However, it is contemplated in the present invention that the guard structure alternatively may have portions or be wholly comprised of any type of material such as, but not limited to, polystyrene, elastomers, rubbers or other polymers. Elastomers such as silicone, fluorosilicone, polyisoprene, polybutadiene, polyisobutylene, copolymers such as styrene-ethylene-butylene- styrene (SEBS) based thermoplastic elastomer, styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene (SEPS) based thermoplastic elastomer, polyoxyethylene-polyurethane based elastomer, or rubbers such as acrylonitrile-butadiene, polyacrylate and natural rubber, or other polymers such as polyurethane, polystyrene and polyethylene, or any combination thereof are also contemplated in the present invention. Additionally, the guard structure material may include modifications of one or more of the above-listed materials (e.g., polymers and rubbers and their composites) with other materials. Finally, the materials may include textile or fabric materials, natural materials (e.g., wood), or metals coated with elastomeric or plastic materials.

As will be described below, the guard structure of the present invention, generally defined as the upper, or as the case may be the uppermost skin contacting surface of the guard area in front of the blades, desirably utilizes an effective arrangement of hard plastic protrusion elements (e.g., in a preferred embodiment, perpendicular to the shave direction) whose elongated protrusions have curved or rounded tips or peaks (as opposed to an acute or sharp) tip, rounded valleys, and whose protrusions' tips and valleys of tips are disposed on a curve or circular path, and which together provides desirable contact with a user' s skin to better affect skin management and the ability to better distribute shaving aid material (e.g., shave preparation, skin gels) evenly over the skin. The guard structure of the present invention generally extends beyond the housing structure. By not being within the boundaries of the housing the guard structure of the present invention generally provides a beneficial skin contact point for a user' s skin before engagement with the blades.

Referring to FIGs. 1 and 2, shaving razor 10 includes a cartridge 12 and a handle 14. The cartridge 12 may or may not be removable from the handle 13. The cartridge 12 may be connected to the handle directly or indirectly via a shell bearing structure (not shown) or any other feasible mechanism and the cartridge 12 may or may not pivot relative to the handle about a pivot axis.

As shown in FIG. 2, a close up of the cartridge 12 of FIG. 1 is shown. Cartridge 12 includes a housing 16, which carries three blades 18, a guard structure 20 in guard area 19 and cap 22. Clips 17 disposed on ends of the blades 18 assist in retaining the blades 18 in the housing 16. These elements are also depicted in the FIG. 3 side view of razor cartridge 12.

Additionally in FIG. 3, the guard structure 20 comprises protrusions which will be described in more detail below.

In the present invention and as can be seen in FIGs. 1-3, and most clearly in FIG. 3, the guard structure 20 extends out beyond the front perimeter of the housing 16, effectively

overhanging the front end 31 of the housing 16 by a depth or width 34' of preferably about 1.00mm to about 3.00mm, and most preferably, about 1.19mm as depicted in FIG. 4. The portion 34"of the guard structure 20 that is necessarily supported by the housing may preferably be about 1.00mm to about 2.00mm, more preferably about 0.5mm and therefore the total depth 34 of the guard structure 20 which may take into account the depth of the guard bar 25 (guard bar 25 is desirably disposed at the back end of the guard structure 20 and just in front of the blades, the latter not shown) may preferably range from about 1.00mm to about 4.00mm, more preferably about 2.52mm.

One benefit of having an overhanging or substantially unsupported guard structure in the present invention is to provide an early or increase in skin contact with a user's skin prior to reaching the blades or cutting a user's hair by the blades. Another unforeseen benefit is that with the overhanging portion, the guard structure, though comprised of hard plastic, is provided with some degree of flexibility as it contacts a user's skin. This flexibility may be improved if the guard comprises less material under the protrusions or potentially a reduction in height 33.

A cross-sectional view of a guard structure 20 is shown in FIG. 4 to include a group of six protrusions, 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e, and 32f disposed at an upper surface 21 of the guard 20. Though six protrusions are shown, the present invention contemplates any feasible number of protrusions, preferably at least three protrusions, more preferably four protrusions and most preferably si protrusions. The protrusions are elongated and arranged generally parallel to the cutting edges of the blades.

The protrusions 32a-32f and/or preferably the entire guard structure 20 on which they are disposed are preferably compri sed of a hard material such as polystyrene or high impact polystyrene (e.g., hard non-flexible plastic). The material ma have a Shore A hardness of 80 to 55, preferably 75 to 65, and most preferably about 70. As values are increased above this range, performance may tend to deteriorate, and as values are decreased below this range, there may be production problems. From the front end 23 of the guard structure towards the back end 24 of the guard structure

20 towards the blades 18 (not shown), the tips increase in elevation, d sposed at increasing heights up from the bottom 22 to the top or upper surface 21 of the guard structure 20. The upper surface may generally be a top portion of a center of the rounded tip. While the protrusions are desirably upstanding in the present invention for ease of rnanufacturability using injection molding processes, they may also be angled relative to each other or to the blades.

First tip 32a' is at a height 35a from the bottom 22 of about 1.61mm, second tip 32b' is at a height 35b of about 2.05mm from the bottom 22, third tip 32c' is at a height 35c of about 2.25mm from bottom 22, fourth tip 32d' is at a height 35d of about 2.35mm from the bottom 22, fifth tip 32e' is at a height 35e of about 2.41mm from the bottom 22, and sixth tip 32f is at a height 35f of about 2.44mm from the bottom 22 of the guard structure.

A maximum height 33 of the upper surface of the guard is substantially reached near or at the sixth tip 32f , that height being about 2.50 mm.

It should be noted that a tip represents the maximum or highest point on the protrusion.

Preferably and as depicted, none of the tips are at the same height. It should be noted that the distance between the height of the first tip 32a' and the height of the second tip 32b' may be the largest difference as compared to the distances between heights of the remaining tips. In the present invention, the distance between the height 35a of the first tip 32a' and the height 35b of the second tip 32b' may be about double the distance between heights of the next adjacent tip and/or the remaining tips. For instance, first tip 32a' may desirably be about 0.4mm lower than second tip 32b' while second and third tip heights 35c and 35d may differ by about 0.2mm.

Additionally in accordance with the present invention, second tip 32b' may preferably be about 0.2mm lower than third tip 32c' while third tip 32c' may preferably be about 0.1mm lower than fourth tip 32d', fourth tip 32d' may be about 0.1mm lower than fifth tip 32e', and fifth tip 32e' may be about 0.1mm lower than sixth tip 32e'. Thus, the second tip 32b' of protrusion may be disposed such that it differs the most in height relative to neighboring tips, 32a' and 32c'.

While specific and generally preferred values are given above for various heights and height differentials of the protrusions, these values can vary by about +/- 0.5mm as contemplated by the present invention.

The preferred height arrangement may generally allow for a user' s skin to be smoothly stretched and flattened and presented to the cutting blades uniformly. The configuration provides a low cost manufacturing solution by having one material for the housing and the guard while also providing protective functionality. The protrusions of the present invention may be spaced apart from each other preferably by about 0.4mm to about 0.6mm, center to center.

The distance from the front of the first protrusion 32a to the back of the last protrusion 32f is about 2.53 mm. Alternatively, this distance can be from 2.0 mm to 3.5 mm.

While fins of the prior art are generally acute, the tips of the present invention are desirably rounded or curved and thus are not pointy tips, acute or sharp. As they are rounded, the tips' radius of curvature 42 of the present invention tips 32a', 32b', 32c', 32d', 32e', and 32f may each preferably range from about 0.05mm to about 0.20mm. Though not shown, the radius of curvature for the tips 32a', 32b', 32c', 32d', and 32e', is disposed at a respective location for each tip as is shown for radius of curvature 42 at tip 32f . in use, the protrusions of the present invention tend to stimulate, flatter!, stretch, and/or engage the skin in front of the blades, tending to improve comfort and proper positioning of the skin for cutting of hairs.

In addition, the present invention guard structure includes valleys or the space (inner protrusion volumes) between the protrusions and between the tips (as shown in more detail in FIG. 5). The valleys provide contact with the skin and increase friction which allows the dissipation or distribution of shaving aid or preparation to spread across a user's skin evenly. The arrangement of the valleys provides for easy rinsability and removal of debris.

The hard plastic protrusions with rounded tips on a curved profile provide a robust structure as the first skin contacting member just before engagement by the first blade, to improve skin stretching and improve comfort.

Since there is no substantial flexibility or resiliency in the protrusions, the user does not need to press harder to adjust the geometry of the exposure of the first blade and thereby by easing off the pressing, comfort is also improved. Referring to FIG. 5, dps of the protrusions of FIG. 4 are connected via a curved line 51. In addition, each valley 52a, 52b, 52c, 52d, 52e, and 52f, is interspersed between the tips of FIG. 4, also shown connected via a curved line 53. It should be noted that valley points 52a', 52b', 52c', 52d\ 52e', and 52f represent the minimum or lowest point of each the valleys respectively, which are disposed between the protrusions.

As they are rounded, each valley has a radius of curvature 44 as shown in FIG. 4 for valley 52d. The valleys' radius of curvature 44 may each preferably range from about 0.05mm to about 0.20mm. Though not shown for every valley in FIG. 4, the valley radius of curvature is disposed at the same respective location for each remaining valley as is shown for radius of curvature 44 for tip 52d at point 52d'.

The curve profile 51 of the tips and the curve profile 53 of the valley points in between the prolusion tips may or may not be the same.

Though any curved profile may generally be feasible, the curved profile of the guard structure, which may include the tips on a curve 51 may be preferably represented by the following equation (1):

(1) y - 0,0348.x ⁵ - G.3058x ⁴ + 1.0288x ³ - 1..7220X ² + 1.6388%, where x represents a distance from a front end 23 of the guard structure towards the blades and y represents a height of said protrusions relative to a first protrusion at the front end 23 of the guard structure.

A graph of the guard structure curved profile 51 of the tips of protrusions of FIG. 4 or 5 as generally represented by the equation (1) above is depicted in FIG. 6.

It should be noted that in the graph of FIG. 6, the points of tangency of the profile curve (e.g., 32f , 23d', and so on) may or may not be the actual highest point on each protrusion shown in FIG. 5 though represented, for simplicity, in this manner. The curve 53 of FIG. 5 of the valleys' lowest points 52a', 52b', 52c', 52d\ 52e\ and 52f\ which are interspersed between the tips (or preferably the highest point of the protrusions) 32a', 32b', 32c', 32d', 32e', and 32f may also be represented by a similar such curved profile graph as in FIG. 5, (e.g., an offset curve from the tips profile curve 51) or preferably by a different nonlinear, curved profile than that of the tips' curved profile (not shown). Having a different curve helps to make the inner protrusion volume or cross-sectional area of the valleys (shown in FIG. 5) different which in turn provides the ability to improve shave prep retention and distribution on the skin, as will be discussed in more detail below.

It is noted that the highest point on each protrusion may vary, generally on the order of +/- 0.1mm in all directions. Due to this variation, the resulting curve of the present invention may change, thereby resulting in a modified equation from equation (1). Variability may occur for many reasons, including but not limited to, variability in manufacturing process outcomes (such as with injection molding), which is a preferred method to make the guard structure of the present invention.

Turning to FIG. 5, inner protrusion volumes 55a, 55b, 55c, 55d, and 55e depict the inner volume amount generally capable of being encompassed under curve 51 and between tips of adjacent protrusions. It is noted that the present invention contemplates that the inner protrusion volumes may generally be different than each other, generally increase from lowest to highest going from the back end of the guard structure to the front end of the guard structure, that some inner protrusion volumes are substantially the same, that the volume 55b may be greater than the volume 55c and both are greater volumes than remaining volumes.

For instance, it may generally be desirable that the front end inner protrusion volumes (e.g., 55a, 55b) be greater than those inner protrusion volumes towards the back end (e.g., 55c, 55d, and 55e). While any feasible range of volume values is contemplated by the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, the values may preferably be about 0.082 mm ² for inner protrusion volume 55a, about 0.098 mm ² for inner protrusion volume 55b, about 0.059 mm ² for inner protrusion volume 55c, and about 0.044 mm ² for inner protrusion volumes 55d and 55e. Expressed in terms of percentage of the leading valley's inner protrusion volume (e.g., 55a), with 55a being at 100%, the remaining inner protrusion volumes may be as follows: inner protrusion volume 55b is about 120% percent of that of inner protrusion volume 55a, inner protrusion volume 55c is about 72% percent of that of inner protrusion volume 55a, and inner protrusion volumes 55d and 55e are both about 54% percent of that of inner protrusion volume 55a.

The benefit of having a generally increasing arrangement of volumes is the ability to capture shaving aid material (or shave prep) in larger amounts in the valleys interspersed between the protrusions and particularly in the front end guard structure areas allowing for more shaving aid material and better distribution of shaving aid material across a user's skin particularly since the front end guard structure is the initial skin contact area. The ability to provide more shaving aid distribution over a user's skin is beneficial for alleviating discomfort and for continuing to lubricate hair. Theoretically, such a volume arrangement may leave behind or allow some shaving aid material to be reapplied in subsequent strokes after a user has initially applied it on their skin, rather than being completely wiped off by the guard which may also be a desirable attribute for similar reasons.

Desirably, substantially most, if not all, of the protrusions of the present invention have rounded tips. The present invention contemplates alternate embodiments where some of the protrusions have tips which are not rounded but rather sharp or acute, and as such the guard structure has protrusions with a mixture of rounded and acute tips.

FIG. 7 depicts such an alternate embodiment of a guard structure where the arrangement shows sharp tips 72d\ 72e\ and 72f of protrusions 72d, 72e, and 72f, respectively, generally desirably disposed towards the back end 74 of the guard structure 70 and the rounded tips 72a', 72b', and 72c' of protrusions 72a, 72b, and 72c, respectively towards the front end 73 of the guard structure. In this way, if the protrusions are all made of a hard plastic, the rounded tips, and not the sharp pointy hard tips, are the first to contact to a user's skin thereby providing more initial comfort. Additionally, the tips of FIG. 7 may still be arranged as shown along the same or similar curve profile of FIG. 6. The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm."

Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.