EFTHIMIADIS, Dimitrios (10 Papachristoforou Str, Nea Kypseli - Athens, Nea Kypseli - Athens, GR-114 76, GR)
ZAFIROPOULOS, Panagiotis (12 Karpenisioti Str, Nea Philothei - Athens, Nea Philothei - Athens, GR-115 24, GR)
IACCARINO, Luca (35 Esperou Str, Palaio Faliro-Pireaus, Palaio Faliro-Pireaus, GR-175 61, GR)
EFTHIMIADIS, Dimitrios (10 Papachristoforou Str, Nea Kypseli - Athens, Nea Kypseli - Athens, GR-114 76, GR)
ZAFIROPOULOS, Panagiotis (12 Karpenisioti Str, Nea Philothei - Athens, Nea Philothei - Athens, GR-115 24, GR)
| WE CLAIM : 1. A wet shaver comprising: a handle (2) , - a shaving head (5) having at least two blades (1), defining a shaving plane (P), said shaving head having a cam surface (7), said shaving head being pivotally mounted on said handle about a pivot axis (X) parallel to the shaving plane, said shaving head (5) having a rest position, a biasing member (3) provided on said handle, adapted to exert a camming action on said cam surface to bias the shaving head toward the rest position, characterized in that at least a portion of the cam surface (7) is substantially flat and substantially perpendicular to said shaving plane. 2. A wet shaver according to claim 1, wherein the cam surface is substantially parallel to the pivot axis (X)• 3. A wet shaver according to anyone of the claims 1-2, wherein the biasing member (3) is preloaded when the shaving head (5) is in the rest position. 4. A wet shaver according to anyone of the claims 1-3, wherein said cam surface (7) belongs to a cam plane (C) that intersects the shaving plane (P) in an intersection location (W) and wherein said intersection location (W) is in front of the blades (1) . 5. A wet shaver according to claim 4, wherein said shaving head (5) has a guard (56) having a contact surface (56a) for contacting a user's skin and said intersection location (W) is in the vicinity of said guard contact surface . 6. A wet shaver according to anyone of the claims 1-5, wherein the shaving head has a front side (51) provided with said blades (1) and a back side (52) opposite to said front side (51), wherein the handle is provided with two symmetrically disposed arms (21,22) each having a shell bearing (23,24) at the end thereof, the biasing member (3) being disposed between said two arms, and wherein the back side of the shaving head (5) is provided with arcuate bearing surfaces (53,54) cooperating with said shell bearings (23,24). 7. A wet shaver according to claim 6, wherein the said arcuate bearing surfaces (53,54) are provided with at least one radial abutment (58,59,84) cooperating with said shell bearing (23,24) and adapted to form an angular stop position for the pivotal motion of the shaving head (5) about the pivot axis (X) . 8. A wet shaver according to anyone of the claims 1-7, and wherein the biasing member (3) is an elastic tongue . 9. A wet shaver according to claim 8, wherein the handle (2) comprises a grip portion (28) and a head portion (29), and wherein the elastic tongue (3) is integral with the handle head portion. 10. A wet shaver according to anyone of the claims 1-9, wherein the shaving head has a front side (51) provided with said blades (1) and a back side (52) opposite to said front side (51), said back side (52) being provided with a middle rib (6), said cam surface (7) being arranged on a cam member (4) integral said middle rib (6) . 11. A wet shaver according to claim 10, wherein said middle rib (6) has a width along the pivot axis (X), and said width is comprised between 1,5 mm and 3,5 mm. 12. A wet shaver according to claim 10, wherein said middle rib (6) has a width along the pivot axis (X), and said width is less than 2mm. |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to wet shavers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
More precisely, the invention relates to a wet shaver comprising :
a handle,
a shaving head having at least two blades, defining a shaving plane, said shaving head having a cam surface, said shaving head being pivotally mounted on said handle about a pivot axis parallel to the shaving plane, said shaving head having a rest position,
a biasing member provided on said handle, adapted to exert a camming action on said cam surface to bias the shaving head toward the rest position.
In the known wet shavers of that kind, the cam surface is usually extending at the back of the shaving head, either substantially parallel to the blade plane, or extending along a bulky surface which is detrimental to the rinsing capability.
There is a need to improve the design of wet razors to enhance the rinsing capability of such razors and to simplify the design and the manufacturing.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One objective of the present invention is to propose a wet shaver with a simplified cam surface design and an enhanced rinsing capability.
To this end, the shaver according to the invention is characterized in that at least a portion of the cam surface is substantially flat and substantially perpendicular to said shaving plane.
Thanks to these dispositions, the middle part of the back of the shaving head can be substantially simplified and the biasing member does not obstruct the back of the shaving head, resulting in an improved rinsing capability. In various embodiments of the invention, one may possibly have recourse in addition to one and/or other of the following arrangements:
- the cam surface is substantially parallel to the pivot axis;
the biasing member is preloaded when the shaving head is in the rest position; this preload provides a significant biasing force on the rest position abutment in order to improve the perceived quality;
- the cam surface belongs to a cam plane that intersects the shaving plane in an intersection location and wherein said intersection location is in front of the blades ;
said shaving head has a guard having a contact surface for contacting a user's skin and said intersection location is in the vicinity of said guard contact surface;
the shaving head has a front side provided with said blades and a back side opposite to said front side, wherein the handle is provided with two symmetrically disposed arms each having a shell bearing at the end thereof, the biasing member being disposed between said two arms, and wherein the back side of the shaving head is provided with arcuate bearing surfaces cooperating with said shell bearings;
- the said arcuate bearing surfaces are provided with at least one radial abutment cooperating with said shell bearing and adapted to form an angular stop position for the pivotal motion of the shaving head about the pivot axis;
- the biasing member is an elastic tongue;
the handle comprises a grip portion and a head portion, and wherein the elastic tongue is integral with the handle head portion;
the shaving head has a front side provided with said blades and a back side opposite to said front side, said back side being provided with a middle rib, said cam surface being arranged on a cam member integral said middle rib;
said middle rib has a width along the pivot axis, and said width is comprised between 1,5 mm and 3,5 mm;
- said middle rib has a width along the pivot axis, and said width is less than 2mm; this improves the rinsing capability of the razor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the invention appear from the following detailed description of one of its embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings:
figure 1 is a perspective view of a shaver according to the invention,
figure 2 is perspective view of the handle of the shaver of figure 1,
figure 3 is a perspective view of the shaving head of the shaver of figure 1,
- figure 4 is a sectional perspective view of the shaver of figure 1,
figure 5 is a sectional view of the shaver of figure 1 with the shaving head in rest position,
figure 6 is a sectional view of the shaver of figure 1 with the shaving head in an extended position,
figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the shaver of figure 1 showing the range of positions of the biasing member .
In the figures, the same references denote identical or similar elements.
Figure 1 shows a wet shaver, comprising an elongated handle 2 and a shaving head 5, pivotally mounted on said handle 2 about a pivot axis X between a rest position depicted in Figures 4 and 5, and an elongated position depicted in Figure 6.
The handle 2 comprises a grip portion 28 and a head portion 29 on which is attached the shaving head 5. Said handle head portion 29 comprises a neck portion 29a and two elongated arms 21,22 extending from said neck portion 29a in a direction away from said grip portion 28, and a biasing member 3 which also extends from said neck portion 29a in a direction away from said grip portion 28 between the two said arms 21,22.
Turning now to Figure 2, the biasing member 3 is formed as an elastic tongue 3, able to flex in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the two arms 21,22, said elastic tongue 3 terminates in a substantially cylindrical pushing flange 30.
Each arm 21,22 comprises at its free end a shell bearing 23,24. Both shell bearings 23,24 form a pivotal receiving structure to receive complementary interface structure 80,81 having bearing surfaces 53,54 and belonging to the shaving head 5 that will be described later.
The first shell bearing 23 comprises an arcuate portion 23a, formed as a part of a cylinder centered on the pivot axis X, said arcuate portion 23a extending along the pivot axis X outwardly relative to the free end of the corresponding arm 21 and terminated by the outward tip 23b, and a transversal stop portion 23c extending in a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis X, inwardly relative to the free end of the corresponding arm 21.
The arcuate portion 23a is delimited along the longitudinal extension of the razor by a front edge 23d and a rear edge 23e, both parallel to the pivot axis X.
The second shell bearing 24 is provided on the corresponding arm 22 with a symmetrical design relative to the biasing member 3, it comprises an arcuate portion 24a, formed as a part of a cylinder centered on the pivot axis X, said arcuate portion 24a extending along the pivot axis X outwardly relative to the free end of the corresponding arm 22 and terminated by the outward tip 24b, and a transversal stop portion 24c extending in a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis X, inwardly relative to the free end of the corresponding arm 22.
The arcuate portion 24a is delimited along the longitudinal extension of the razor by a front edge 24d and a rear edge 24e, both parallel to the pivot axis X.
Preferably, according to the invention, the grip portion 28, the neck portion 29a, the two arms 21,22 and the biasing member 3 are integrally formed in a single part, which is obtained by molding a synthetic resin.
Turning now to Figures 3,4,5 and 6, the shaving head 5 comprises a front side 51 on which extend the cutting edges
Ia of blades 1 and a back side 52 opposite to said front side 51, comprising the interface structures 80,81 with bearing surfaces 53,54 for connecting the shell bearings 23,24 of said handle 2.
There are provided four blades 1 in the example illustrated, although any number greater than two blades is considered within the scope of the invention.
The two or more blades define a shaving plane P, shown in particular on Fig. 5, said pivot axis X being parallel to said shaving plane P.
Furthermore, the front side 51 is also provided with a guard member 56 which extends forward of the cutting edges Ia of the blades 1 in the direction of shaving, and a cap member 57 which extends rearward of the cutting edges Ia of the blades 1 in the direction of shaving. Said guard member 56 has a contact surface 56a intended to come into contact with a user's skin.
Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the first interface structure 80 comprises an arcuate rib 83 extending perpendicular to the pivot axis X and having an arcuate slot 82 in which is received the outward tip 23b of the arcuate portion 23a of the first shell bearing 23.
Furthermore, the first interface structure 80 comprises an arcuate bearing surface 54 which is complementary to the arcuate portion 23a of the first shell bearing 23, and a rest position abutment 84 on which is abutting the rear edge 23e of the shell bearing 23.
The second interface structure 81 is symmetrically designed compare to the first interface structure 80 and comprises an arcuate rib 86 extending perpendicular to the pivot axis X and a arcuate slot to receive the outward tip 24b of the arcuate portion 24a of the second shell bearing 24.
The second interface structure 81 also comprises an arcuate bearing surface 53 which is complementary to the arcuate portion 24a of the second shell bearing 24, and a rest position abutment on which is abutting the rear edge 24e of the shell bearing 24.
Each of the bearing surfaces 53,54 of the interface structures 80,81 comprises an front abutment 58,59, having a surface extending radially outwardly from said bearing surfaces 53,54. As shown on Figures 5 and 6, the second abutment 58 is a stop for the front edge 24d belonging to the second shell bearing 24, when the shaving head 5 rotates in the direction of the elongated position.
The bearing surface 54 also comprises a side face 85 extending perpendicular to the pivot axis X, on which is received the corresponding surface of the transversal stop portion 23c of the first shell bearing 23 described above.
As shown in Figure 4 and 5, the shaving head 5 comprises at its front side 51 a front frame 55a, on which are provided the guard member 56, the cap member 57 and the blades 1, and comprises at its back side 52 a back frame 55b on which are provided the interface structures 80,81 and all their features described above.
Furthermore, the back frame 55b also comprises between said interface structures 80,81 a middle rib 6 extending in a direction perpendicular to the pivot axis X and parallel to the shaving plane P, substantially in the middle of the shaving head back side 52.
On said middle rib 6, in a position generally forward of the blades 1, λ forward' being defined as the direction of shaving, is provided a cam member 4, extending away from said middle rib 6 in a direction opposite to the shaving plane P. It should be noted that the cam member does not stand in the center 60 of the middle rib 6, but rather on the forward end of said middle rib 6.
Consequently, the middle rib 6 can be designed in order to improve the rinsing capability of the wet razor. The middle rib 6 has a width along the pivot axis X, said width may be comprised between 1,5 mm and 3,5 mm. Preferably according to the invention, the width of the middle rib 6 along the pivot axis X is less than 2mm.
According to a variant of the invention, the center part of the middle rib could be thinner or even completely suppressed.
The cam member 4 comprises a base portion 41, a strengthening rib 42 and a cam surface 7 on which bears the pushing flange 30 of the elastic tongue 3. The cam member 4 is preferably made integral with the back frame 55b and the middle rib 6, such a part is obtained by plastic molding known in the art.
The position of the pushing flange 30 on the cam surface 7 changes according to the position of the shaving head 5 between the rest position and the elongated position. In the rest position of the shaving head 5, the pushing flange 30 contact on the cam surface 7 is situated at location 71 (cf. Fig. 5) whereas in the elongated position the pushing flange 30 contact on the cam surface 7 is situated at the location 72 (cf . Fig. 6) .
According to the plurality of positions of the shaving head 5, the range of positions of the pushing flange 30 contact on the cam surface extend from position 71 to position 72 along a flat surface, perpendicular to the blade plane P and parallel to the pivot axis X.
Said cam surface 7 is substantially flat and extends substantially perpendicular to said shaving plane P and parallel to the pivot axis X. The biasing member 3 is positioned forward of said cam surface, and as a result the biasing member 3 does not obstruct the back side 52 of the shaving head 5, thus enhancing the rinsing capability of the wet razor.
Moreover, the cam surface 7 is very simple to design and no complex surface needs to be designed, implemented and tested.
Said cam surface 7 belongs to a cam plane C, as shown in Fig. 5, and this cam plane C intersects the shaving plane P at an intersection location W, formed as a line W parallel to the pivot axis X, said intersection location W being positioned forward of the blades 1.
Preferably according to the invention, said intersection location W is in the immediate vicinity or contiguous with the contact surface 56a of the guard member 56. Preferably according to the invention, said intersection location W is located close to the centerline of the contact surface 56a of the guard member 56, as shown in Figure 5.
As shown in Figure 7, the biasing member 3 has a free position 90 which is different from the rest position 91 corresponding to the rest position 94 of the shaving head 5. As a result, the biasing member 3 exerts a preload biasing force in the rest position of the shaving head 5, and this preload provides a significant biasing force on the rest position abutment in order to improve the perceived quality.
The maximum extended position 92,33 of the biasing member 3 and its pushing flange 30, shown in doted lines in Fig. 7, corresponds to maximum elongated position 93 of the shaving head 5, also shown in doted lines, in which the abutment 58 is against the front edge 24d of the shell bearing 24 (cf . Fig. 6) . In this maximum elongated position 93 of the shaving head 5, the cam surface 7 is at location 73 as shown in Fig.7. The particular design of the elastic tongue 3, with a long and rather thin body allows a big range of positions between the free position 90 and the maximum extended position 92, with no loss of flexibility and elasticity over time and along the life time of the razor.
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