Safety razor and blade unit for safety razor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11279053-B2
Application number	US-201515329073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2015
Priority date	Jul 31, 2014
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed is a blade unit for a safety razor comprising a connecting structure for fixing the blade unit to a handle, a blade housing comprising a plurality of blades having cutting edges lying in a shaving plane, and a rear portion next to the plurality of blades, comprising a non-flexible back portion extending parallel to the shaving plane, and a lubricating pad having a flexible portion and a non-flexible portion, the non-flexible portion being arranged on and supported by the non-flexible back portion, the flexible portion extending rearwards from the non-flexible portion beyond the non-flexible back portion to define a rear edge of the rear portion of the blade unit, the flexible portion forming a convex skin-contacting surface when bending away from the shaving plane in use.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A blade unit for a safety razor, wherein the blade unit comprises:
a connecting structure configured to fix the blade unit to a handle;
a blade housing comprising a plurality of blades having respective cutting edges lying in a shaving plane and being arranged to exert a cutting action when moved across a user's skin in a shaving direction; and
a rear portion arranged next to the plurality of blades in the shaving direction, comprising:
a non-flexible back portion extending parallel to the shaving plane, and
a lubricating pad consisting of a flexible portion and a non-flexible portion, the non-flexible portion of the lubricating pad being arranged on and supported by the non-flexible back portion, the flexible portion of the lubricating pad extending rearwards from the non-flexible portion of the lubricating pad beyond the non-flexible back portion to define a rear edge of the rear portion of the blade unit, the flexible portion of the lubricating pad being configured to form a convex skin-contacting surface when bending away from the shaving plane in use.

2. The blade unit of claim 1 , wherein a back surface of the lubricating pad, opposite to the skin-contacting surface, is planar.

3. The blade unit of claim 2 , wherein the flexible portion of the lubricating pad is curved in an arc shape along the rear edge.

4. The blade unit of claim 1 , wherein a back surface of the lubricating pad, opposite to the skin-contacting surface, has an inward step.

5. The blade unit of claim 4 , wherein the flexible portion of the lubricating pad is curved in an arc shape along the rear edge.

6. The blade unit of claim 1 , wherein the flexible portion of the lubricating pad is curved in an arc shape along the rear edge.

7. The blade unit of claim 1 , wherein the non-flexible back portion comprises a straight member and an arched member that are connected to each other so as to define at least one hole or recess in which part of the non-flexible portion of the lubricating pad is disposed.

8. The blade unit of claim 1 , wherein the blade unit further comprises a forward portion arranged next to the plurality of blades in the shaving direction on an opposite side of the rear portion, comprising
a non-flexible back portion parallel to the shaving plane, and
an elongate lubricating strip arranged on and being supported by the non-flexible back portion and which extends up to a front edge of the forward portion of the blade unit.

9. The blade unit of claim 8 , wherein a skin-contacting surface area of the lubricating pad is greater than a skin-contacting surface area of the elongate lubricating strip.

10. The blade unit of claim 8 , wherein the rear portion of the blade unit and the forward portion of the blade unit are connected by side portions of the blade unit, to define a supporting structure of the blade housing.

11. The blade unit of claim 8 , wherein the lubricating pad and elongate lubricating strip extend along at least 60% of an outer perimeter of the blade unit when viewed from a direction perpendicular onto the shaving plane.

12. The blade unit of claim 8 , wherein the lubricating pad and elongate lubricating strip extend along at least 80% of an outer perimeter of the blade unit when viewed from a direction perpendicular onto the shaving plane.

13. The blade unit of claim 1 , wherein the lubricating pad extends along at least 30% of an outer perimeter of the blade unit when viewed from a direction perpendicular onto the shaving plane.

14. The blade unit of claim 1 , wherein the lubricating pad extends along at least 40% of an outer perimeter of the blade unit when viewed from a direction perpendicular onto the shaving plane.

15. A safety razor, wherein the safety razor comprises the blade unit of claim 1 and a handle having a proximal portion to which the blade unit is fixed and a distal portion.

16. The safety razor of claim 15 , wherein the proximal portion arcuately bends away from the shaving plane.

17. The safety razor of claim 16 , wherein the proximal portion comprises a non-flexible annular rim surrounding a flexible elastic portion to which connecting structure is attached.

18. The safety razor of claim 15 , wherein the proximal portion comprises a non-flexible annular rim surrounding a flexible elastic portion to which connecting structure is attached.

19. The safety razor of claim 15 , wherein the connecting structure is at an off-centered position of the flexible elastic portion relative to the non-flexible annular rim.

20. A method of manufacturing a blade unit for a safety razor, wherein the method comprises:
providing a connecting structure configured to fix the blade unit to a handle;
providing a blade housing comprising a plurality of blades having respective cutting edges lying in a shaving plane and being arranged to exert a cutting action when moved across a user's skin in a shaving direction; and
providing a rear portion arranged next to the plurality of blades in the shaving direction, comprising:
a non-flexible back portion extending parallel to the shaving plane, and
a lubricating pad consisting of a flexible portion and a non-flexible portion, the non-flexible portion of the lubricating pad being arranged on and supported by the non-flexible back portion, the flexible portion of the lubricating pad extending rearwards from the non-flexible portion of the lubricating pad beyond the non-flexible back portion to define a rear edge of the rear portion of the blade unit, the flexible portion of the lubricating pad being configured to form a convex skin-contacting surface when bending away from the shaving plane in use.

Assignees

• Beiersdorf Ag
• Kai R&D Center Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lessmann Michael
• Treu Jens
• Zeng Kesen
• Neumann Yvonne
• Nakasuka Hiroyuki

Classifications

• B26B21/227

  with blades being resiliently mounted in the changeable unit · CPC title

• B26B21/06

  Safety razors with fixed blade, e.g. with moulded-in blade · CPC title

• B26B21/4068

  Mounting devices; Manufacture of razors or cartridges (B26B21/528 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B26B21/4025

  Cap elements · CPC title

• B26B21/443 Primary

  Lubricating strips attached to the razor head · CPC title