SHAVING BLADE UNIT COMPRISING A MOVABLE TRIMMIMG BLADE PROTECTOR AND SHAVER HAVING SUCH A BLADE UNIT

Field of the invention The invention is concerned with shaving blade units and shavers having such blade units .

More particularly, the invention relates to a shaving blade unit comprising: a housing having a primary cap and a primary guard, said housing having an upper face and a rear face, at least one primary blade located between the primary cap and the primary guard and extending at said upper face, and at least one trimming blade extending at said rear face of the housing.

Such a shaving blade unit allows : a traditional shaving of the user's skin, thanks to the primary guard, blade and cap, thanks to the trimming blade, a better shaving of skin areas constricted by adjacent protruding facial features, e.g. skin areas situated under the nose, near the ears , and the same .

In fact, to shave traditionally, the user brings the upper face of the housing in front of his skin, whereas to use the trimming blade, he brings the rear face of the housing in front of his skin. Thus, the user turns the shaver handle of an angle of around 180° to change from traditional shaving to trimming and vice versa.

Background of the invention

In recent years, shavers have been designed with one ore more primary blade (s) and one trimming blade, such as disclosed in US 6 276 061.

However, this patent discloses a trimming blade provided on the rear face of the shaving unit which is constantly accessible and thus accidental movement can damage the trimming blade. Besides, the user can inadvertently cut when handling the razor, in particular when handling the shaving blade unit, for instance when changing the shaving blade unit .

Summary of the invention

On object of the present invention is to provide a shaving blade unit with improved safety and ergonomics .

This problem is solved by the fact that the shaving blade unit further comprises a trimming blade protector able to selectively cover and uncover at least said at least one trimming blade . Consequently, when covered, the trimming blade is safe and no accidental movement can damage it or the user.

In various embodiments of the invention, one may have recourse to one or several of the following dispositions:

- the trimming blade protector may be movably mounted on the housing between a closed position in which it covers said at least one trimming blade and an open position in which said at least one trimming blade is usable . The trimming blade protector being mounted on the housing, it can not be lost. Besides, the user cannot cut himself when handling the trimming blade protector;

- the trimming blade protector is pivotally mounted on the housing between the closed and open positions; the shaving blade unit further comprises retaining means able to retain the trimming blade protector in each of said closed and open positions;

the trimming blade is located between a trimming cap and a trimming guard provided in the rear face of the housing and wherein the trimming blade protector is able to cover said trimming guard, said at least one trimming blade and at least a part of said trimming cap;

- the trimming blade protector comprises two pivoting arms pivotally connected to the rear face of the housing and a cover extending between said two pivoting arms, said cover being shaped to cover said trimming guard, said at least one trimming blade and at least a part of said trimming cap;

- the trimming blade protector is made of plastic material ; - the trimming blade extends in a plane at an angle comprised between 125° and 140° to a plane in which said first primary blade extends. This angle is chosen in order to attain around 90° between the shaving surface and the trimming surface and allows a good positioning of the trimming blade relative to the handle.

The invention also concerns a shaver comprising a handle and a shaving blade unit as described above, said shaving blade unit being connected to the handle.

The shaving blade unit may be pivotally mounted relative to the handle between a forward end position and a rearward end position, wherein in the open position, the trimming blade protector maintains the shaving blade unit in a predetermined angular position relative to the handle, and in the closed position, trimming blade protector does not interfere with pivotal movements of the shaving blade unit. In the open position, the trimming blade protector may bear against an abutment face belonging to the handle to maintain the shaving blade unit in said forward end position.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of several embodiments of the invention, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shaver according to a first embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a cross-section of the shaving blade unit and distal end of the handle of the shaver shown in figure 1, the shaving blade unit being in a rest position, in a configuration for normal shaving,

Figure 3 is a figure similar to Figure 2, showing the shaving blade unit in a trimming position,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a trimming blade protector belonging to the shaving blade unit of the shaver according to figure 1,

Figure 5 is perspective view of the distal end of the handle belonging to the shaver of figure 1,

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the shaving blade unit of the shaver according to figure 1,

Figures 7A, 7B, 7C, 8 are perspective views of shaving blade units according to other embodiments of the invention, and

Figures 9-11 are cross-sections of shaving blade units according to yet other embodiments of the invention.

More detailed description

In the various figures, the same references denote identical or similar elements. Figure 1 illustrates a shaver comprising a shaving blade unit 10 (or shaving head) to be releasably connected to a shaver handle 11 through a head to handle attachment 13.

As shown on figures 1 and 5, the handle 11 has a head portion 15 having a V-shaped pair of spaced arms 17 each provided at an end thereof, with bearing structures 19 for connection to the shaving blade unit 10. To allow a pivoting of the shaving blade unit 10, the bearing structures 19 comprise actuate rails 21 to be clipped onto corresponding hooks 23 provided on the shaving blade unit 10, whereas a longitudinal flexible tongue 25 extending between the spaced arms 17 and able to cooperate with a groove formed on the shaving blade unit 10, provides a spring force which biases the shaving blade unit 10 towards a median rest position illustrated on figure 2.

As depicted on figure 2, the shaving blade unit 10 comprises three primary blades: a first blade 8i, a second blade 8 ₂ and an additional blade 8 ₃ located between the first blade 8χ and the second blade 8 ₂ . The pivoting centre O of the shaving blade unit 10 is located on blade 8 ₃ between blades 8χ and 8 ₂ ,in the vicinity of a reference plane S ₈ which is tangent to the primary guard 16 and to the primary cap 14.

The shaving blade unit 10 is able to pivot freely between:

- a forward end position (illustrated on figure 3) , in which the plane P ₈ of the primary blades 8i, 8 ₂ and

8 ₃ is separated from the longitudinal axis L by an angle

- and a rear end position (not illustrated) , in which the plane P ₈ is separated from the longitudinal axis L by an angle γ ₂ smaller than Y ₁ .

In the rest position, as illustrated on figure 2, the shaving blade unit 10 is located in a median position relative to the longitudinal axis L of the shaver, corresponding to a position in which the plane P ₈ is

separate from the longitudinal axis L from an angle γ ₀ . The angle γ ₀ corresponds to the average of the extreme angles γi and γ ₂ :

The shaving blade unit 10 comprises a housing 12 having a primary cap 14 (usually provided with a lubricating strip 50) and a primary guard 16 (see figure 2) . The housing 12 has an upper face 12A including said primary cap 14 and primary guard 16, a rear face 12B, a lower face 12C, a front face 12D and two lateral faces 12E and 12F (see figure 1) .

As shown on figure 2, the primary blades 8i, 82 and 8 ₃ extend at said upper face 12A of the housing 12 and are located between the primary cap 14 and the primary guard 16. The primary blades 8 ₁ , 8 ₂ and 83 are stacked with a first spacer 22 and an additional spacer 62 which are interposed between said primary blades . Retaining pins (not illustrated) , protruding from the cap, may go through the primary blades and the spacers and may be crimped so as to retain said primary blades and said spacers in the housing 12.

Here, the primary blade which first contacts the skin in the direction of shaving is the primary blade 8 ₂ , called here "second primary blade", whereas the last primary blade in the direction of shaving is the primary blade 8 ₁ , called here "first primary blade", and the middle primary blade is the primary blade 8 ₃ , called here "additional primary blade" .

The primary cap 14 is extended in the rear face 12B of the housing 12 to form a trimming cap 14a for a trimming blade 20 extending at the rear face 12B of the housing 12. Besides, a trimming guard 28 is provided for

the trimming blade 20 in the rear face 12B of the housing 12.

Thus, the trimming blade 20 is located between the trimming cap 14 and the trimming guard 28 provided in the rear face 12B of the housing 12, as best illustrated on figures 2 or 3.

The shaving blade unit 10 further comprises a trimming blade protector 30 able to selectively cover and uncover at least said trimming blade 20. The trimming blade protector can be either an independent element which can be separated from the shaving blade unit 10 or on the contrary, such trimming blade protector can be movably mounted on the housing 12 as depicted on figure 2. In this last case, the trimming blade protector 30 is preferably pivotally mounted on the housing 12, between a closed position, illustrated on figure 2, in which it covers the trimming blade 20, and an open position, illustrated on figure 3, in which the trimming blade 20 is usable.

As shown in figures 2 to 4, the trimming blade protector 30, which may be made out of plastic material, may comprise two pivoting arms 32 pivotally connected to the rear face 12B of the housing 12 and a cover 34 extending between said two pivoting arms 32. The free end of each arm 32 may comprise a circular lug 32a extending along the pivoting axis X of the protector 30, said circular lug 32a being fitted into a corresponding hole

(not shown) made in the lateral face 12F of the housing. Further, the free end of each arm 32 may be rounded so as to form a cylindrical radial surface 32b which is centred on axis X. This radial surface 32b may contact a facing edge 23 belonging to the lateral face 12F of the housing, and may include radially protruding

spigots 38, 40 which penetrate by snap-fitting in a corresponding groove 42 formed in said edge 23 when the trimming blade protector 30 in either in the open position or in the closed position. The spigots 38, 40 and groove 42 retain the trimming blade protector 30 in each of said closed and open positions.

The cover 34 is preferably shaped to cover in the closed position, the trimming guard 28, the trimming blade 20 and at least a part of the trimming cap 14. Consequently, in the closed position, the user can not cut himself inadvertently and no accidental movement can damage the trimming blade 20.

In case of a pivoting shaving blade unit as depicted on the figures, the pivoting of the shaving blade unit which is very useful when shaving traditionally is not required when trimming. On the contrary, it is then better to lock the shaving blade unit to shave more precisely.

In this case, as shown in figure 3, the trimming blade protector 30 can bear on a corresponding abutment face 27 of the handle 11 so as to maintain the shaving blade unit in said forward end position when said the trimming blade protector is in the open position. Since the trimming action tends to pivot the shaving blade unit further forward, which is not possible since the shaving blade unit is already in the forwardmost position, the shaving blade unit remains locked in the forward end position during trimming. On the contrary, when the trimming blade protector is in the closed position, the shaving blade unit is free to pivot .

As best illustrated on figure 5, the abutment faces 27 may be protruding from the actuate rails 21 onto which the arms 32 of the trimming blade protector 30 come in abutment in the open position (see figure 3) .

As best seen on figure 6, the trimming blade 20 which has a continuous cutting edge and may be secured by gluing or spot welding to said first spacer 22 stacked between the first primary blade 8 ₂ and the additional primary blade 8 ₃ .

The first spacer 22 comprises two portions: a front portion 22A and a rear portion 22B provided with the trimming blade 20, each of said front and rear portions having an upper side and a lower side. Here, for instance the trimming blade 20 is secured to the upper side 22 'B of the rear portion 22B. The trimming blade could also be fixed to the lower side of the first spacer 22, or to the upper or lower side of the additional spacer 62. The rear portion 22B and the front portion 22A, which extends a plane parallel to said plane Ps parallel to the primary blades 8i, 8 ₂ and 8 ₃ , are separate by an elbow 48 having an angle α. To improve the ergonomics of the shaver, in particular when using the trimming blade, this elbow 48 has an angle α comprised between 125° and

140° seen from the head to handle attachment 13, so that the trimming blade 20 is located in a plane P2 ₀ ^a t said angle α to a plane P ₈ of the primary blades 8χ, 8 ₂ and 8 ₃ .

This angle α is chosen in order to attain an angle β around 90° between the reference surface S ₈ of the primary blades and a reference surface S ₂₀ of the trimmer blade (best illustrated on figure 3), said reference surface S ₂₀ allowing a good positioning of the trimming blade 20 relative to the handle 11. Consequently, the user can use the shaver safety for traditional shaving or for trimming. To shave traditionally, the user has just to take the handle 11 as usual, and to use the trimming blade 20, he has just to

turn the handle 11 of about 180° around its longitudinal axis L.

The embodiment illustrated on figure 7A is similar to the embodiment already discussed hereabove and thus will not be described again here. This embodiment distinguishes from that of figures 1-6 only by the fact that the cutting edge of the trimming blade 20 is discontinuous, so as to obtain a particular pattern of the shaved hair. More particularly, in the example of figure 7, the cutting edge of the trimming blade has three separate cutting portions 2OA, 2OB and 2OC which are separated by two notches 44 which are cut out in the cutting edge of the trimming blade.

As illustrated on figure 7A, the trimming blade 20 may be of the same length L ₂₀ as the length Ls of the primary blades 8χ, 8 ₂ and 8 ₃ , but it can be shorter or longer as in all the other embodiments of the invention. Besides, the three separate cutting portions edges 2OA, 2OB and 20C can be of the same or of different lengths, respectively L ₂ OA/ L20B and L ₂₀ c-

In the embodiment illustrated on figures 7B and 7C, the trimmer blade 20 is a precision trimmer blade. In fact, this trimmer blade 20 has a continuous edge 20', but it length L ₂ o is smaller than the length L ₈ of the primary blades 8 _X , 8 ₂ and 8 ₃ . For instance, the length L ₂₀ is around 2/3 of the length Lg of the primary blades 8 _l7 8 ₂ and 8 ₃ , such that the trimming can be more precise than with a longer trimmer blade and can in particular reach difficult areas. The rear portion 22B of the spacer 22 onto which the trimmer blade 20 is fixed is shaped accordingly. In fact, the rear portion 22B of the spacer 22 is smaller (in length) than its front portion 22A.

The housing 12 is also shaped accordingly. In particular, it comprises a smaller protruding part 12' in which the trimmer blade 20 extends and the trimming cap 14a and the cover 34 of the trimming blade protector 30 have a suitable length so that in the closed position the cover 34 covers the trimming blade 20.

As best seen on figure 7C, the protruding part 12' can be delimited by two lateral flanges 12 'a and 12 'b protruding from the rear face 12B and surrounding two lateral flanges 14b and 14c provided on the trimming cap 14a. These two lateral flanges 14b and 14c protrude toward the lower face 12C and surround laterally the trimmer blade 20.

In the embodiment of figure 8 , three trimming blades 52, 54, 56 are fixed by gluing or welding in juxtaposed manner on the first spacer 22 instead of one single trimming blade 20 as described above. The lengths of the cutting edges of these trimming blades 52, 54, 56 may be similar or different from the lengths of the cutting portions of the trimming blade of figure 7.

The embodiments illustrated respectively on figures 9 and 10, differ from the preceding embodiments in that the shaving blade unit 10 only has one (8χ) or two (8χ , 8 ₂ ) primary blades and one single spacer 22 on which the trimming blade 20 is fixed.

In the embodiment of figure 11, an additional trimming blade 60 is fixed to the additional spacer 62, in a similar fashion as the trimming blade 20. The trimming blades 20, 60 are parallel to one another.