Background

[0001] 1. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to safety razors in general and, more particularly, to razor handles having grip portions manufactured from glass.

[0003] 2. Background

[0004] Many modern so-called safety razors include a disposable razor cartridge (cartridge) adapted to be selectively connected to a reusable handle by connecting structure therebetween. Other so-called disposable razors are disposed of as an entire unit of a handle with connected cartridge. Many of these modern razor handles have a substantial “plastic” (i.e. thermopolymer or thermoplastic) content. There is a desire amongst some consumers to use less plastics materials for reasons of either or both reducing a so-called carbon footprint, and less microplastics entering the food chain. Consequently, there is a desire for manufacturers to provide products having a significantly reduced plastics content, and further comprising a substantial content of recyclable or sustainable materials. Glass is one such sustainable material that is readily understood by a consumer to easily and readily recycled. However, some common types of glass have physical performance limitations, e.g. a tendency to break upon impact.

Summary:

[0005] The present disclosure has for its objective to substantially alleviate the limitations of the prior art razor handles by providing a razor handle comprising a substantial proportion of glass. The handle has a head portion including a first end having a mechanism to permit a user to selectively connect a razor cartridge to the handle, and a second end defining a recess. A shock absorbing sleeve is secured in the recess. A grip portion has a proximal end secured in the sleeve. The grip portion consists essentially of glass.

[0006] In some aspects the proximal end is releasably secured in the sleeve. The proximal end can have an external thread matingly received in an internal thread of the sleeve. The external thread has 1.5 - 2.5 pitches (turns) at 3mm pitch.

[0007] In other aspects of any preceding aspect, the glass is container glass and contains up to 75% recycled container glass. The sleeve can comprise a non-elastomeric polymer, preferably a semi-crystalline polymer having a flexural modulus in a range 800-2500 MPa, more preferably 1000-1500 MPa, and most preferably polypropylene. A shell of the head portion can comprise a relatively rigid material, e.g. die-cast zinc alloy.

[0008] In further aspects of any preceding aspect a distal end portion of the grip portion is hollow and has a wall thickness at least 3.5mm.

[0009] The razor handle comprises a substantial proportion of a user-recognizable sustainable and recyclable material. The sleeve can absorb impact forces that might fracture the proximal end. Tire wall thickness can resist impact forces that might fracture the remaining portion(s) of the grip portion. The grip portion can be exchanged by a user.

[0010] The above features and advantages will be more fully understood with reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings: [0011] Fig. 1 is a view of a safety razor of the present disclosure;

[0012] Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken at 2-2 in Fig. 1; and [0013] Fig. 3 is an enlarged portion “3” of Fig. 2.

Detailed Description:

[0014] In the context of the present disclosure, the term “glass” is intended to describe a non- crystalline (amorphous) solid comprising silica. Some common forms of “silicate” glass include: fused quartz, also called fused-silica glass; sodium borosilicate glass (e.g. PYREX™); lead-oxide glass, also called “crystal” glass; aluminosilicate glass; and also germanium-oxide glass. Another common type of glass is soda-lime-silica glass, also called window or flat glass. A slight variation of flat glass is so-called container glass, a soda-lime glass having more alumina and calcium, and less sodium and magnesium. In the present context an exemplary' type of container is a bottle or jar. The preferred glass of the present disclosure is container glass and can include virgin glass, and up to 75% recycled, cleaned and high-temperature treated glass of the same type.

[0015] Referring now to the drawings, a safety razor 10 is depicted. The safety razor 10 comprises a handle 20 and a razor cartridge 40. The handle 20 comprises a head portion 22 having a first end 24 having a mechanism 26 to permit a user to selectively connect the razor cartridge 40 to the handle 20, and a second end 28 defining a recess 30 having a rim 31. The mechanism 26 can include arms 32 to engage mating structures 42 of the razor cartridge, e.g. to provide pivotal motion of the cartridge 40 relative to the handle 20. The mechanism 26 can also include an actuator button 34 to permit a user to release the razor cartridge 40 from the handle 20 to enable a new razor cartridge 40 to be connected to the handle 20. The shell 38 of the head portion 22 is preferably manufactured from a die-cast zinc alloy with a suitable aesthetic or protective coating.

[0016] A shock absorbing sleeve 50 is disposed in the recess 30. The sleeve 50 is preferably manufactured by injection molding a non-elastomeric polymer, e.g. a semi-crystalline polymer having a relatively high impact strength and a high stiffness, e.g. having a preferred flexural modulus in a range 800-2500 MPa (according to ASTM D790A), more preferably in a range 1000-1500 MPa. One suitable material is a polypropylene copolymer designated AVI 61 manufactured by SUMITOMO CHEMICAL. Elastomeric polymers having a relatively high stiffness (e.g. typically within the Shore D range) are acceptable.

[0017] The sleeve 50 is retained in the recess by suitably forming a rivet 36 of the second end 28 of the head portion 22. The rivet is received in a hole 52 of the sleeve 50 (and is shown in its pre-formed state in Figs. 2 and 3). The sleeve 50 can be retained in the recess 30 by other suitable methods, such as by use of a suitable adhesive. A flange 56 of the sleeve 50 extends over the rim 31 of the recess 30.

[0018] The handle 20 also includes a grip portion 60. The grip portion 60 consists essentially of glass according to the preceding description, i.e. the grip portion 60 consists of glass but the glass can contain impurities and pigments. The specific gravity of glass is approximately 2.5. Given typical acceptable dimensions for a grip portion 60 that can be comfortably held by a user, and to avoid an unacceptable mass, a distal end portion 74 of the grip portion 60 preferably includes a hollow portion 62. The hollow portion 62 is preferably formed by blowing. Other grip portion 60 shapes are within the scope of this disclosure and these shapes (e.g. rectangular, “W,” “U,” “Z” shaped in transverse cross section) can be suitably dimensioned to obviate the need for a hollow portion 62. A wall thickness 64 of the grip portion is preferably at least about 3.5mm, in a range up to about 6mm. A base thickness 66 of the grip portion 60 is preferably at least about 4.5mm in a range up to about 10.5mm. In manufacturing, the wall and base thickness 64, 66 can be estimated by determining the mass of the grip portion 60. E.g. if the mass is lower than a predetermined threshold it is likely the wall thickness is unsuitably thin.

[0019] A proximal end region 70 of the grip portion 60 is retained in the sleeve 50. Preferably the proximal end region 70 has an external screw thread form 72 received in mating internal thread form 54 of the sleeve 50. The thread forms of the connection between the proximal end region 70 and the sleeve 50 is preferably a so-called knuckle thread. The thread form can be a standard size according to (US) GPI (Glass Packaging Institute) standards, or DIN 168. The thread form can be a modification to a standard form having e.g. a different pitch or outside diameter. Preferably the external screw thread form 72 has 1.5 - 2.5 pitches (turns) at pitch 3mm. The thread form can also have a different form.

[0020] The sleeve 50 is sufficiently rigid that a user experiences no loss of confidence as the grip portion 60 is not subjectively felt to flex in use relative to the head portion 22, especially since the shell 36 of the head portion 22 is also rigid to limit deflection of the sleeve 50. The sleeve 50 provides impact resistance (i.e. it is shock absorbing) to prevent fracture of the grip portion at the proximal end region 70. The wall and base thicknesses 64, 66 provide impact resistance in other regions of the grip portion 60. Since the grip portion has a screw-threaded attachment, it can be voluntarily removed by a user to be substituted by another grip portion of another e.g. shape, color, texture. [0021] In other embodiments, the entire shell of the head portion can be manufactured from a suitable shock absorbing material, e.g. the AV161 material, the recess can be internally threaded, and the sleeve 50 can be omitted.

[0022] While various embodiments have been described above it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. For instance, modifications or changes as can be made within the scope of the attached claims and features disclosed in connection with any one embodiment can be used alone or in combination with each feature of the respective other embodiments. Thus, the breadth and scope of any embodiment should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.