This invention relates to a shaving razor, and in particular a harm reduction razor that minimizes the risk of adaptation and possibility of misuse.

Most conventional razors comprise one or more elongate blade edges fixed in a base. Such razors are generally safe to use under normal conditions. That is, they are designed to remove facial or body hair, while reducing the chances of cutting the user's skin during the shaving operation.

However, such razors are able to be dismantled, or otherwise broken apart to expose the sharp blade. Sadly, there are vulnerable sectors of the population, such as those in prison or in mental institutions, who may attempt to use an extracted blade or other sharp edges from a razor to harm themselves, harm others, or even commit suicide. Although there are no simple answers as to why individuals wish to self-harm, there is a need to attempt to prevent such injuries or deaths.

The present invention tackles the problem of the deliberate misuse of razors, by providing a harm reduction razor in the form of a tamper- resistant rigid metallic structure comprising a plurality of apertures having blades within the apertures.

Razor heads are known that have a plurality of sharp-edged apertures over the surface to provide the cutting edges. For example, EP 2165809 discloses a razor blade comprising a metallic foil sheet with a plurality of apertures, the perimeter of each aperture forming a cutting edge. Such a razor is safe under normal usage conditions, but is not tamper-resistant, because the foil sheet is flexible and could be readily distorted to expose the sharpened cutting edges. Similar blades which comprise thin foils with apertures are also described in EP 057770, EP 077318, EP 0436693 and US 4984365.

Another type of razor having multiple sharpened apertures is exemplified by EP 0305866 which describes an elastomeric pad in which the apertures are situated. The pad which surrounds and supports the apertures is designed to be readily deformable to conform to the skin surface. Thus again, such a razor, although suitable for its intended purpose of providing a smooth and efficient shaving action, is not useful as a tamper- resistant razor, as its deformability allows access to the blades if misused. Similar razors having flexible or sponge-like supports for apertures are also described in EP 0276066, US 4977670, and EP 0524194.

The prior art patent documents described above do not suggest a razor having rigid metal structure containing apertures which can satisfy the need for a harm reduction razor.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a razor comprising a rigid metal body member having a plurality of apertures therein, the body member having a skin-engaging surface, wherein each aperture has a cutting blade adjacent the skin-engaging surface.

The body member is sufficiently rigid to prevent the razor from being readily bent or distorted, without specialist tools. Thus, the metal should not be brittle. Suitable metal materials from which the body member may be constructed include titanium or rigid metal alloys such as steel, preferably stainless steel.

The length and width of the body member of this invention may be about the same size as the head of a conventional razor. The thickness of the razor body member should be sufficient maintain to rigidity. A suitable thickness is from 2mm to 10mm, for example 2mm to 5mm, preferably from 2mm to 4mm, especially about 3mm or 3.5mm

The cutting blade is formed within each aperture and is preferably integral with the walls of the aperture. Thus, the width of the aperture at the skin- engaging surface is less than the width of the rest of the aperture. The dimensions and shape of the apertures in the metal body member are sufficient to allow protruding facial or bodily hairs to enter the aperture, but prevent the skin from entering the aperture so that the cutting blade does not injure the skin. Thus, the apertures should accommodate a human hair follicle, which may be typically approximately 0.02mm to 0.2mm in diameter. For example, the distance from the cutting blade to the opposite side of the internal body of the aperture, is suitably from 0.4mm to 1mm, for example from 0.4mm to 0.9mm, preferably from 0.5mm to 0.85mm. The internal width of the main part of the aperture is suitably from 0.6mm to 2mm, preferably from 0.8mm to 1.5mm. The length of the cutting blade is suitably from 0.6mm to 2mm, preferably from 0.9mm to 1.4mm.

It is also possible to increase the size of the area adjacent the skin- engaging surface, by forming a cavity at edge of the aperture opposite to the cutting blade, for example by milling. The cavity assists the hair follicle to enter the aperture and helps to present the base of the follicle to the cutting blade, thus increasing the effectiveness and closeness of the shaving process. The presence of a cavity allows the distance between the cutting blade and the opposite edge of the upper area of the aperture adjacent the skin-engaging surface to be suitably from 0.6mm to 2mm, for example from 0.8mm to 1.5mm, preferably from 0.9mm to 1.4mm. The apertures may be any shape, provided they allow entry of a hair follicle. For example, the shape of each aperture may be circular, hexagonal, triangular, or square. Preferably the apertures are circular.

The apertures may be positioned perpendicular to the skin-engaging surface of the razor, that is, at an angle of 90° to the surface.

Alternatively, in a preferred embodiment, the apertures may be

positioned at an angle of less than 90° to the skin-engaging surface, for example at an angle of from 50° to 70° to the surface, suitably at an angle of about 60° to the surface. One advantage of providing such angled apertures is that drilling the apertures can produce and angled lip adjacent the skin-engaging surface. The angled lip provides a cutting blade. Thus, the angle of the lip may suitably be from 20° to 40° to the skin-engaging surface, preferably at an angle of about 30° to the surface.

The spacing between each aperture on the body member should be sufficient to retain the rigidity thereof, that is to prevent the body member from being bent or distorted. Suitable spacings between each aperture at the skin-engaging surface are from 0.75mm to 3mm, preferably from 1mm to 2.5mm. The thickness of the main aperture walls is suitably from 0.1mm to 1.5mm, preferably 0.15mm to 0.75mm, for example form 0.2mm to 0.3mm.

The apertures are generally spaced equidistantly from each other. It is preferred that alternate rows of apertures in the body member are offset from each other to allow the maximum efficiency to capture every hair follicle, as the razor is pulled across the surface of the skin.

With the dimensions of the body member and the apertures described above, the numbers of apertures in the body member may suitably be from 50 to 300, for example from 60 to 250, preferably from 62 to 225. The cutting blade of each aperture may be formed by drilling the metal body member, and optionally further shaping it, such that edge of the aperture adjacent the skin-engaging surface is sharpened. In order to reduce or prevent burrs on the cutting blade, the body member may be supported on a further piece of metal during the drilling or shaping process. The further piece of metal may suitably be the next body member to be drilled. In that way, guide holes would be produced in the subsequent body member, to aid accurate drilling thereof.

The blade may be shaped by a process called lapping, sometimes referred to as grinding, which involves rubbing the blade against a surface, called a lap, coated with an abrasive such as aluminium oxide, emery, silicon carbide, or diamond. The blade may be then further sharpened. The further sharpening of the cutting blade may be achieved by honing, using a polishing water stone or a diamond stone. Alternatively, the blade may be sharpened and heat-treated by the use of a laser beam.

The body member of the razor may be provided with a slot, or cut-out section in order to assist in holding the body member in a fixed position during the drilling or shaping thereof.

The perimeter of the body member is preferably rounded, in order to avoid any sharp edges which could be used to cause injury.

The body member of the razor of this invention is suitably attached to a handle. To assist in this attachment, the perimeter of the body member is provided with a recess to cooperate with a complementary structure on the handle. For example, the underside of the razor body member may comprise sockets and/or slots, which cooperate with protrusions on the handle. Such an attachment may allow a fixed positioning of the body member onto the handle, or may allow a tilting or rocking mechanism.

The razor of this invention may be disposable and safely discarded after use. Alternatively, the cutting blades within the apertures may be re sharpened for reuse. However, the sharpening process requires specialist tools that are not available to institutional users, so that adaptation is not possible during normal usage, again reinforcing the harm reduction properties of the razor of this invention.

Although the razor of this invention has particular advantages in harm reduction for institutional users, it also provides a smooth and efficient shaving process. It is therefore also valuable for conventional users in the home. The razor of this invention is suitable for use by men or women and may be used to shave hair from the surface of any part of the body including the face, legs and under the arms.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :

Fig. 1 is a perspective representation of one embodiment of a razor of the present invention;

Fig. 2a is a cross-section through the body member of the razor of Fig 1, showing the inside of the apertures therein;

Fig. 2b is an expanded cross-section through two of the apertures of Fig 2a;

Fig. 3 is a view of the underside of the body member of Fig 1;

Fig. 4 shows a handle which may be attached to the razor;

Fig. 5 is a perspective representation of a second embodiment of a razor of this invention;

Figs. 6A and 6B show the apertures of Fig 5 in more detail;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of one aperture of Fig 5; and Fig. 8 shows the fitting of a handle to the razor of Fig 5.

Referring to Fig. l, a body member 1 of the razor has a rectangular shape, with a skin-engaging surface 2 uppermost. The body member 1 is constructed from stainless steel and measures approximately 36mm in length and approximately 13.5mm in width. It has a rounded perimeter 3, to ensure there are no sharp or rough edges that could cause injury. The body member 1 contains apertures 4, situated in nine rows. Each aperture 4 has a circular cross-section, that is, it forms a cylinder within the body member 1. Each alternate row of apertures is offset so that one row contains 24 apertures and the next row contains 23 apertures, making a total of 212 apertures. Each aperture 4 has a sharpened edge, forming a blade adjacent the skin-engaging surface 2.

Fig. 2a is a cross-section through one row of apertures, showing the internal cylindrical shape of each aperture 4. The depth of each aperture is 3.5mm. The cutting blade 5 of each aperture is formed at the upper edge of the cylinder adjacent the skin-engaging surface 2. The cutting blades are formed as the apertures are drilled in the body member 1.

Fig. 2b shows, in cross-section, two of the apertures 4, having main aperture walls 4a. Each aperture is formed by drilling; the drill breaks through into the skin-engaging surface 2, but does not complete its progress through the surface 2, thus forming the sharp cutting edge 5, which are integral with the walls 4a of the aperture 4.

Fig. 3 shows the surface of the body member opposite to the skin- engaging surface of the body member. A recess 6 is provided on the internal edge of the body member 1, that is opposite to the outer rounded perimeter 3, to allow the cut hair to be rinsed away between the body member and the handle of the razor. The recess 6 has a cut-out portion 6a, to assist in holding the body member in position during the drilling of the apertures.

The recess 6 also contains lateral slots 11 and sockets 12 to allow the body member 1 to be attached to a handle

Fig. 4 shows a handle adapted to clip onto the body member of the razor of this invention. The handle 7 is provided, at its head, with two resilient clips 8. Each clip 8 is provided with a lateral tab 9 and a cylindrical protrusion 10 which fit into lateral slots 11 and sockets 12 respectively in the body member 1, as shown in Fig.3. To fit the razor body member 1 onto the handle, the clips 8 are manually squeezed inwardly and the lateral tabs 9 are moved into the slots 11, so that the protrusions 10 clip into the sockets 12. The lateral slots 11 have sloping internal edges, to allow some rotation of the lateral tabs 9 within the slots 11. Flence the razor body member 1 can pivot with respect to the handle 7 during use. The attachment of the handle leaves a gap between the handle and the razor, to enable the cut hair to be rinsed away. The body member 1 may also be removed from the handle to allow cleaning or replacement, without exposing any cutting blades of the razor.

In use, the razor may be pulled across the skin in any direction, because the cutting blades are circular. As the razer is moved across the skin, hairs enter an aperture and are sliced off by the cutting blades 5. The positioning of the tabs 9 within the slots 11 assist in keeping the skin- engaging surface 2 parallel to the facial or body contours. If hairs are missed by one row of cutting blades, the offset rows of apertures ensure that they will be captured by the next row. Thus, a smooth and efficient shaving process is ensured. A further embodiment of a razor of this invention is depicted in Figs. 5 to 8. In this embodiment, the apertures are not perpendicular to the skin- engaging surface.

Referring to Fig.5, a body member 201 measures approximately 32mm in length and 13mm in width. It has a skin-engaging surface 202 and a rounded perimeter 303. The perimeter accommodates a socket 212 for attaching to a handle. The body member 201 contains a plurality of apertures 204, each of which as a circular cross-section aligned at 70° to the plane of the skin-engaging surface. The apertures terminate in a lip, angled at 20° to the skin-engaging surface, forming cutting blades 205, adjacent the skin-engaging surface 202. The edge of each aperture 204, opposite to the cutting blade 205, has a cavity, which gives the top of each aperture a triangular shape.

Figs.6A and 6B are enlarged representations of the apertures. In Fig 6A, opposite the cutting blade 205, there is a cavity 214, the outline of which is shown by the dotted line 214A. In Fig 6B, the dotted line 204A represents the outline of the shape of an aperture, showing its position at an angle to the skin-engaging surface 202.

The structure of the apertures is shown in more detail in Fig. 7, which is a cross-sectional view through one of the apertures. An aperture 204 is drilled into the body of the razor, from the underside of the body, at an angle of 60° to the skin-engaging surface 202. The drilling is terminated shortly before it completely cuts through the surface 202, thus forming a lip 215 at an angle of 30° to the surface 202. The end of the lip forms a cutting blade 205, adjacent the skin-engaging surface 202. The body of the razor is then milled at edge of the aperture opposite to the cutting blade, 205, to cut out a cavity 214, which enlarges the upper area of the aperture 204. Fig. 8 shows a handle adapted to clip onto the body member of the razor depicted in Fig. 5. The handle 207 is provided, at its head, with two resilient clips 208. Each clip 208 is provided with a cylindrical protrusion 210 which fit into sockets 212 in the body member 201. To fit the razor body member 201 onto the handle, the clips 208 are manually squeezed inwardly, and fitted to the underside of the body member 201, so that the protrusions 210 clip into the sockets 212. The body member 201 rests on rounded supports 216, leaving a gap between the handle and the razor, to enable the cut hair to be rinsed away.

In operation, the razor is moved across the skin and hairs enter an aperture. The cavity 214 assists the hair follicle to enter the aperture and helps to present the base of the follicle to the cutting blade 205, thus increasing the effectiveness and closeness of the shaving process.

In accordance with the object of this invention, after use of the razor shown in these embodiments, it is not readily possible, without tools, to bend, distort or break the razor in a way that will expose the cutting blades. The razor minimizes the risk of adaptation and therefore reduces the possibility of misuse compared to a conventional razor. Thus, the potential for harm is reduced.