Razor cartridge with printed member

Abstract

A razor cartridge includes a guard at a front portion of the cartridge, a cap at a rear portion of the cartridge, at least one blade positioned between the guard and the cap, a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, and a lubrication member positioned in the cartridge at the top surface. The lubricating member has a visible surface having a visible surface area. The visible surface includes a printed structure on the visible surface of the lubricating member. The printed structure is formed from a UV curable ink and covers a portion of the visible surface area, thereby forming a printed portion and an open portion. The UV curable ink has a contact angle of 65 degrees to 80 degrees and a work of adhesion of 45 mJ / m2 to 60 mJ / m2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to razors, and more particularly to razor cartridges having a lubrication member with a printed portion. Background Art

[0002] The use of shaving aids on razor blades to provide lubrication benefits during shaving is known. See, for example, U.S. Patents 7,121,754; 6,298,558; 5,711,076; 5,134,775; 6,301,785; and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2009 / 0223057 and 2006 / 0225285. These shaving aids are also commonly referred to as lubricating strips or lubricating members. These types of lubricating strips have been used in the shaving industry for many years. These strips are typically extruded, making them very cost-effective. They can also be extruded in two or more colors to provide both visual and functional benefits. The visual benefit is limited by the capabilities of the extruder.

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide a lubricating member for a razor cartridge wherein printing is directly on the lubricating member and wherein the printed image on the lubricating member exhibits durable wear resistance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One aspect of the present invention relates to a razor cartridge. The razor cartridge includes a guard located at a front portion of the cartridge, a top cover located at a rear portion of the cartridge, at least one blade positioned between the guard and the top cover, a top surface, and a lubricating member positioned at the top surface. The lubricating member has a visible surface, and the visible surface has a visible surface area. A printed structure is located on the visible surface of the lubricating member. The printed structure includes UV curable ink and covers a portion of the visible surface area, thereby forming a printed portion and an open portion. The UV curable ink has a contact angle with the lubricating member of 65 to 80 degrees and an adhesion work with the lubricating member of 45 mJ / m 2 Up to 60mJ / m 2 .

[0005] The lubricating member within the opening portion is directly exposed to the user's skin during shaving.

[0006] The printed portion is directly exposed to the user's skin during shaving.

[0007] The lubrication member may be located on the cap, on the guard, or in the form of a ring that partially or completely surrounds the blade.

[0008] The printing structure may include a plurality of printing drops. Adjacent printing drops may be spaced apart from each other or may overlap each other.

[0009] The printed portion may cover 3% to 70% of the visible surface area. The printed portion may cover 5% to 40% of the visible surface area. The printed portion may cover 10% to 30% of the visible surface area.

[0010] The printed structure may be in the form of alphanumeric characters or alphanumeric text.The printed structure may be in the form of non-alphanumeric graphics such as lines, shapes, graphics or patterns, to name a few. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly stating the subject matter regarded as forming the invention, it is believed the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals are used to designate substantially identical elements, and wherein:

[0012] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a front view of a razor cartridge of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 2 For the Figure 1 A cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2.

[0014] Figure 3 It is a side elevation view of the lubricating member of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 4 for Figure 1 An enlarged view of a portion of the lubrication component is shown.

[0016] Figure 5 1 is a side view of the printing process of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 6 1 is a side view of the printing process of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 7 Contact angle data for inventive and comparative examples are plotted.

[0019] Figure 8 Work of adhesion data for inventive and comparative examples are plotted.

[0020] Figure 9 Visual images from technical wear testing of comparative and inventive examples are depicted.

[0021] Figure 10 FIG. 2 is a front view of another razor cartridge according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 11 FIG. 2 is a front view of another razor cartridge according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] refer to Figures 1 to 4The razor cartridge 14 includes a guard 16 positioned at the front of the cartridge 14, a cap 18 positioned at the rear of the cartridge 14, and blades 20 positioned between the guard 16 and the cap 18. The cartridge 14 includes a top surface 22 and an opposing bottom surface 24. A lubrication member 30 is positioned on the top surface 22 of the cartridge 14. The lubrication member 30 has a visible surface or top surface 32. The visible surface 32 has a visible surface area that can be seen by a user.

[0024] The guard 16 may include one or more elongated flexible protrusions 17 for engaging the user's skin. The flexible protrusions 17 include flexible fins that are generally parallel to the one or more elongated blades 20. In another embodiment, the flexible fin has at least one portion that is not generally parallel to the one or more elongated edges. Non-limiting examples of suitable guards include those used in current razor blades and include those disclosed in U.S. Patents Nos. 7,607,230 and 7,024,776 (disclosing elastomeric / flexible fin rods) and U.S. Publication Nos. 2008 / 0034590 (disclosing curved guard fins) and 2009 / 0049695A1 (disclosing an elastomeric guard having a guard having at least one channel extending between an upper surface and a lower surface).

[0025] The lubrication member 30, along with the guard 16, cap 18 and blades 20, form the skin engaging portion of the cartridge 14. The lubrication member 30 is preferably locked into the opening or to a plate or other surface of the cartridge 14 (via adhesive, fitting or fusion bonding).

[0026] The lubrication member 30 is positioned on the blade cartridge such that the lubrication member 30 contacts or engages the skin at the front and / or rear of the blade and / or along both sides of the blade cartridge between the front and rear during the hair removal process. For example, a feature "front" of one or more elongated blade edges is positioned such that a surface to be treated with the blade cartridge or hair removal device encounters the feature before it encounters the elongated edge. A feature "rear" of an elongated blade edge is positioned such that a surface to be treated with the blade cartridge or hair removal device encounters the feature after it encounters the elongated blade edge. Figures 1 to 2 In the embodiment shown, lubrication member 30 is positioned behind blade 20 on top cover 18. In the case where more than one lubrication member is provided on the blade cartridge, the lubrication members may be the same or different. Different means having different size, different shape, different composition, different function and / or different printed images thereon.

[0027] In one embodiment, the lubricating member 30 comprises a solid polymer matrix comprising a water-soluble polymer material having a melting point of about 150° C. to about 250° C. and optionally a water-insoluble polymer material. In one embodiment, the matrix comprises a water-soluble polymer comprising at least one of polyethylene oxide, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyacrylamide, polyhydroxymethacrylate, polyvinyl imidazoline, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate, silicone polymer, and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, the water-soluble polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, and mixtures thereof.

[0028] The lubricating member 30 may include other ingredients commonly found in commercially available lubricating members such as those used on razor cartridges by Gillette, Schick, or BIC. Non-limiting examples of such lubricating members include those disclosed in U.S. Patents 6,301,785; 6,442,839; 6,298,558; 6,302,785 and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2008 / 060201 and 2009 / 0223057. The lubricating member may also include an ingredient selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyacrylamide, hydroxypropyl cellulose, polyvinyl imidazoline, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate, silicone copolymer, sucrose stearate, vitamin E, soap, surfactants, panthenol, aloe vera, plasticizers such as polyethylene glycol; beard softeners; additional lubricants such as silicone oil, Polytetrafluoroethylene powder (produced by DuPont) and waxes; essential oils such as menthol, camphor, eugenol, eucalyptol, safrole, and methyl salicylate; tackifiers such as Hercules Regalrez 1094 and 1126; inclusion complexes of non-volatile cooling agents, skin soothing agents, and cyclodextrins; fragrances; antipruritic / anti-irritant materials; antimicrobial / keratolytic materials such as resorcinol; anti-inflammatory agents such as candelilla wax and glycyrrhetinic acid; astringents such as zinc sulfate; surfactants such as pluronic and iconol materials; compatibilizers such as styrene-b-EO copolymers; mineral oil, polycaprolactone (PCL), and combinations thereof.

[0029] The water-soluble polymer will preferably comprise at least 50% by weight of the skin engaging member, more preferably at least 60% by weight, and up to 99% or up to 90% of the matrix. More preferred water-soluble polymers are the polyethylene oxides generally known as POLYOX (available from Dow) or ALKOX (available from Meisei Chemical Works (Kyoto, Japan)). These polyethylene oxides will preferably have a molecular weight of 100,000 to 6 million, most preferably 300,000 to 5 million. The most preferred polyethylene oxides comprise a blend of 40% to 80% polyethylene oxide having an average molecular weight of about 5 million (e.g., POLYOX COAGULANT) and 60% to 20% polyethylene oxide having an average molecular weight of about 300,000 (e.g., POLYOX WSR-N-750). The polyethylene oxide blend may also advantageously contain up to about 10% by weight of a low molecular weight (ie, MW < 10,000) polyethylene glycol such as PEG-100.

[0030] The matrix may comprise from about 0.5% to about 50%, preferably from about 1% to about 20%, of polycaprolactone (preferably of molecular weight 30,000 to 60,000 Daltons). See US 6,302,785.

[0031] The lubricating member may contain other conventional ingredients, such as low molecular weight water-soluble release enhancers such as polyethylene glycol (MW <10,000, e.g., 1 wt%-10 wt% PEG-100); water-swellable release enhancers such as cross-linked polyacrylates (e.g., 2 wt%-7 wt%); colorants; antioxidants; preservatives; vitamin E; aloe vera; cooling agents; essential oils; beard softeners; astringents; medicaments, etc.

[0032] The matrix may also include a water-insoluble polymer having a water-soluble polymer dispersed therein. Preferably, the water-insoluble polymer comprises from about 0% to about 50%, more preferably from about 5% to about 40%, and most preferably from about 15% to about 35%, by weight of the skin engaging member. Suitable water-insoluble polymers that can be used include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene, polystyrene (PS), butadiene-styrene copolymers (e.g., medium-impact and high-impact polystyrene), polyacetals, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, polyurethanes, and blends thereof such as polypropylene / polystyrene blends or polystyrene / impact polystyrene blends.

[0033] A preferred water-insoluble polymer is polystyrene, preferably general purpose polystyrene or high impact polystyrene, such as Styrenics 5410 (ie polystyrene-butadiene) available from Ineos, such as BASF 495F KG 21. The water-insoluble polymer provides mechanical strength to the lubricated component for production and during use.

[0034] Another preferred water-insoluble polymer is ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). EVA can account for about 10% to about 50% of the lubricating member, preferably about 22% to about 40%. EVA can be obtained in a variety of grades, which can be characterized by the vinyl acetate (VA) % incorporated into the polymer. The EVA of the present invention can include a single grade of EVA or a mixture of different grades of EVA. Any grade or type of EVA can be used to form a lubricating member, such as general-purpose EVA. Preferred grades of EVA include EVA with about 18 or lower vinyl acetate %.

[0035] The lubricating member can be prepared by extrusion or another high temperature process such as injection molding, compaction, ultrasonic or radio frequency sintering, and slot coating.

[0036] The blended components of the lubricating member can be extruded through a Haake System 90, 3 / 4 inch diameter extruder with a barrel pressure of about 1000 psi to 2000 psi, a rotor speed of about 10 rpm to 50 rpm, and a temperature of about 150°C to 185°C and a die temperature of about 170°C to 185°C. Alternatively, a 1 1 The extruder is a 1 / 4 inch single screw extruder with a processing temperature of 175°C to 200°C, preferably 185°C to 190°C, a screw speed of 20 rpm to 50 rpm, preferably 25 rpm to 35 rpm, and an extrusion pressure of 1800 psi to 5000 psi, preferably 2000 psi to 3500 psi. The extruded strands are air cooled to about 25°C. To injection mold these strands, the powder blend is preferably first extruded into pellets. This can be done at 1 1 / 4 or 1 1The pellets are then molded on a 1 / 2 inch single screw extruder at a temperature of 120°C to 180°C, preferably 140°C to 150°C, with a screw speed of 20 rpm to 100 rpm, preferably 45 rpm to 70 rpm. The pellets are then molded in a single-material molding machine or a multi-material molding machine, which may be single cavity or multiple cavities, optionally equipped with a hot runner system. The processing temperature may be 165°C to 250°C, preferably 180°C to 225°C. The injection pressure should be sufficient to completely fill the part without flashing. Depending on the cavity size, configuration and number, the injection pressure may be in the range of 300 psi to 2500 psi. The cycle time depends on the same parameters and may be in the range of 3 seconds to 30 seconds, with the optimum generally being about 6 seconds to 15 seconds. In one embodiment, one or more feeds may be preheated or may be fed at ambient temperature.

[0037] In one embodiment, the lubrication member is attached to the cartridge via a carrier. The lubrication member may be a molded soap formulation and may be integrally formed with the carrier (meaning they are formed in the same process, such as where they are both cast together in a single mold), or non-integrally formed (meaning the lubrication member may be attached to the carrier via mechanical attachment, such as where the lubrication member is molded or otherwise fitted around a retaining portion of the carrier, or via adhesive or thermal bonding). Non-limiting examples of suitable lubrication members include those present in Venus Soap wings on a 2-in-1 razor, and / or In one embodiment, the lubricating member and carrier may be similar to the shaving aids and shaving aid holders disclosed in US Patent Publication Nos. 2006 / 225285A and 2006 / 080837A and / or US Patent No. 7,811,553.

[0038] Now refer to Figure 4 , a printed portion 36 of a printed structure 34 on a visible surface 32 includes a plurality of printed drops 38. The size of the printed drops 38 can be consistent throughout the printed structure 34. The size of the printed drops 38 can vary throughout the printed structure. Adjacent printed drops 38 can overlap. Adjacent printed drops can contact each other.

[0039] The printing droplets can be applied to suitable types of devices, including but not limited to print heads, nozzles, and other types of material deposition devices. Any suitable type of print head can be used, including but not limited to inkjet print heads. In certain embodiments, the deposition device is an inkjet print head. The print head can be a non-contact digital type of deposition device. By "non-contact" is meant that the print head does not contact the surface to be printed. By "digital" is meant that the print head can apply ink droplets only where needed to form a pattern in the form of text, graphics (e.g., a picture), or design.

[0040] The inkjet print head will typically include a plurality of nozzles. The nozzles are roughly aligned in rows and are configured to spray ink in a specific direction that is roughly parallel to the direction of the other nozzles. The nozzles in each row on the print head can be aligned linearly. Alternatively, the nozzles can be in one or more rows, which are diagonally oriented relative to the longer dimension (or length) of the print head. This type of arrangement of nozzles can be considered to be a substantially linear array. The inkjet print head can include nozzles of any suitable number and arrangement. A suitable inkjet print head comprises approximately 360 nozzles per inch (every 2.54 cm). Xaar 1001 is an example of a print head suitable for this article and is available from Xaar, Cambridge, UK.

[0041] The diameter of the ink droplets can range from about 10 microns or less to about 200 microns or more. The ink droplets can be distributed over a given area in any suitable number. Typically, in inkjet printing, the ink droplets form a matrix with a specified number of drops per inch (DPI) in the direction of movement of the print head or the article to be printed, and in a direction perpendicular thereto on the surface of the article. The ink droplets provided on the surface of the lubricating member to form a solid image can be applied at a range of about 80 or less to about 2,880 or more drops per inch (DPI) in at least one direction.

[0042] The apparatus may include a printing device having any suitable number, arrangement, and type of print heads. For example, the apparatus may include between 1 and 20 print heads, or more. The print heads may be arranged in a spaced relationship. Alternatively, one or more of the print heads may be positioned adjacent to and in contact with another of the print heads.

[0043] If there is more than one printhead, the different printheads may print cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, or any other combination of colors desired.

[0044] The ink of the present invention is preferably an ultraviolet (UV) curable ink. UV curable inks are generally based on monomers / oligomers with photosensitive molecules that initiate a polymerization reaction (e.g., cure) when exposed to UV light. Once the ink lands on the substrate, the reaction is almost instantaneous. The crosslinking that occurs during curing provides a durable ink that adheres well to the substrate.

[0045] Suitable types of UV-curable inks that can be used include free radical and cationic. Both free radical and cationic UV inks cure when exposed to UV light. When free radical inks are exposed to UV light, the photoinitiator absorbs the UV light to generate free radicals, which react with double bonds, leading to a chain reaction and polymerization. When cationic inks are exposed to UV light, the photoinitiator absorbs the UV light to generate Lewis acids, which react with epoxy groups, leading to polymerization.

[0046] Other types of UV curable inks may also be used. Examples of such UV curable inks include, but are not limited to, hybrid UV / water-based inks and hybrid UV / oil-based inks.

[0047] The high curing rates of UV-curable inks translate into very high operating speeds. Consequently, UV-curable inks can be advantageously run on high-speed production equipment without necessarily requiring overly large dryers, as is required with other ink systems. The fast curing rates also allow UV-curable inks to be used to apply multiple layers consecutively without having to move the substrate after each layer. This, in turn, allows for easy incorporation of height, structure, texture, and color.

[0048] See also Figure 5 , shows an extruder 70 that extrude the lubricating member 30. A printing station 72 comprising a plurality of print heads prints ink in the form of droplets 38 on the lubricating member 30, such as Figure 4 The light unit 73 directs UV light toward the lubricating member 30 to cure the ink. The lubricating member is supported by rollers 74 until it is taken up by a take-up roller 76.

[0049] refer to Figure 6 , showing a carrier independent blade holder 14 such as Figure 1 The blade cartridge 14 passes under printing stations 82, 84 and 86 which print ink in the form of droplets 38 on the lubricating member 30, such as Figure 4 As shown. The light unit 87 directs UV light toward the blade holder 14 to cure the ink. The blade holder 14 can then be transported by the material belt 80 to the next processing station.

[0050] Other forms or techniques of printing may be used. However, given the advantages associated with inkjet printing of UV-curable inks, inkjet printing of UV-curable inks is preferred. UV-curable inks are an ideal material for this structure. Upon curing, UV-curable inks form a durable ink that is not easily corroded during shaving, thereby maintaining its integrity after multiple shaves. This integrity maintenance provided by the UV-curable ink allows the structure to maintain a consistent flow of lubrication from the lubricating member through the structure over multiple shaves.

[0051] High-precision ink printing typically requires the use of inks with a contact angle of approximately 90 degrees with the printed material. This 90-degree contact angle ensures that the ink does not "spread" over the surface of the printed material, resulting in a blurred image. Inks with contact angles less than 90 degrees tend to spread, while inks with contact angles greater than 90 degrees can "ball up" on the printed surface, again resulting in a blurred image.

[0052] Surprisingly, the inks useful in the present invention have contact angles of less than 90 degrees (as measured on the lubricating material) while still providing fine text and images. Lower contact angles correspond to increased work of adhesion. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that the ability of the ink to diffuse into the roughness of the lubricating member's surface increases the work of adhesion, thereby increasing the life of the printed image during use.

[0053] It has further been discovered that the fineness of an image can be controlled by rapidly solidifying the ink droplets so that they spread slightly, but not to such an extent that the image is blurred.

[0054] Figure 7 The contact angles of two UV-curable inks (a comparative example and an inventive example) applied to a lubricating material are plotted. Contact angle measurements were taken twice for each UV ink. The comparative example exhibited contact angles of 99.1 and 94.2 degrees with the lubricating component. The inventive UV ink exhibited contact angles of 74.7 and 78.3 degrees with the lubricating component. The inventive UV ink exhibited contact angles of 65 to 80 degrees with the lubricating component.

[0055] Figure 8 The adhesion work of the comparative example and one example of the present invention is depicted. Two adhesion work measurements were performed on the two UV inks. It can be seen that the adhesion work of the comparative example and the lubricating component is 42.16 mJ / m 2 and 42.85 mJ / m 2 The adhesion work of the UV ink example of the present invention to the lubricating component is 56.38mJ / m 2 and 57.81mJ / m 2 The adhesion work of the UV ink of the present invention to the lubricating component is 45mJ / m 2 Up to 60mJ / m 2 .

[0056] Figure 9 Images of razor cartridges with lubricating components that have been subjected to the wear test described below are shown. As can be seen from the images, the UV ink of the present invention exhibits superior image quality compared to the comparative example when subjected to the 5- and 50-rotation wear test. Surprisingly, inks exhibiting contact angles less than 90 degrees result in high-precision image quality and excellent wear resistance. It can be seen that prints from embodiments of the present invention are more durable than those from the comparative example.

[0057] Both comparative inks and inventive inks were evaluated on lubricated components where the polymer matrix was high impact polystyrene and ethylene vinyl acetate.

[0058] refer to Figure 10 The razor cartridge 114 includes a guard 116 positioned at the front of the cartridge 114, a cap 118 positioned at the rear of the cartridge 114, and a blade 120 positioned between the guard 116 and the cap 118. The cartridge 114 includes a top surface and an opposing bottom surface. A lubrication member 130 is positioned on the top surface of the cartridge 114. The lubrication member 130 partially surrounds the blade 120.

[0059] refer to Figure 11 The razor cartridge 214 includes a guard 216 positioned at the front of the cartridge 214, a cap 218 positioned at the rear of the cartridge 214, and a blade 220 positioned between the guard 216 and the cap 218. The cartridge 214 includes a top surface and an opposing bottom surface. A lubrication member 230 is positioned on the top surface of the cartridge 214. The lubrication member 230 completely surrounds the blade 220.

[0060] Table 1 - Composition and technical data of lubricating materials

[0061] HIPS EVA HIPS 23.5％ not applicable EVA not applicable 35％ PEO N750 19.9％ not applicable PEO N750-B4 5％ not applicable PEO N750-E4 not applicable 5％ PEO COAG 37.35％ 44％ PEG DOW 4600 5％ 5％ Polycaprolactone CAPA6506 5％ 5％ HIPS-based colorants 4％ not applicable EVA-based colorants not applicable 4％ Antioxidant A 0.25％ not applicable Antioxidant B not applicable 2％ Technical Data Contact angle (compared with UV ink) 94.2° 99.1° Adhesion performance (compared with UV ink) <![CDATA[42.85mJ / m 2 ]]> <![CDATA[42.16mJ / m 2 ]]> Contact angle (UV ink of the present invention) 78.3° 74.7° Adhesion work (UV ink of the present invention) <![CDATA[57.81mJ / m 2 ]]> <![CDATA[56.38mJ / m 2 ]]>

[0062] Adhesion of ink samples using Wilhelmy plate and contact angle

[0063] The equilibrium total surface tension of the ink samples was determined using a modified ASTM D1331-20 Method C (Standard Test Method for Surface and Interfacial Tension of Coating Solutions, Solvents, Surfactant Solutions, and Related Materials); surface tension was measured by Wilhelmy plate.

[0064] The contact angle on the lubricated material was determined using a modified ASTM D7490-13 (Standard Test Method for Surface Tension of Solid Coatings, Substrates, and Pigments Using Contact Angle Measurements).

[0065] The contact angles on both sides of the ink sample droplet were measured on a 3 cm section of the lubricant. The average contact angle of the droplet was then substituted into the Young-Dupré equation along with the surface tension of the ink sample (see Section B for determination of surface tension properties). The work of adhesion of the ink sample on the lubricant could then be solved. The initial contact angle (the first measurable contact angle when the ink droplet impacted the surface of the lubricant) was also reported.

[0066] Equipment for Wilhelmy plates and contact angle methods

[0067] Tensiometer - A force tensiometer that can be equipped with a sample stage, temperature control, and a force balance capable of 10 μg force resolution ( K100 Tensiometer, or equivalent)

[0068] Glass Cover Slips - Cover Slips, 22 x 22 mm square (VWR catalog number: 48366-227, or equivalent)

[0069] Force Balance Software - Software that converts mass into total surface tension ( Lab Desktop software version 3.2.2.3044, or equivalent)

[0070] Goniometer - an instrument consisting of a high-resolution camera and zoom microscope, a PCI frame grabber card, a computer-controlled syringe pump and volume dispensing, and an adjustable specimen stage for holding the sample (First Ten Angstrom, Model 200, or equivalent).

[0071] Imaging Software - Software capable of measuring and extracting contact angle data from image or video files (FTA Software Version 2.1 Build 378, or equivalent)

[0072] Hypodermic Syringe—A gas-tight syringe such as a 3 mL hypodermic syringe equipped with a 27-gauge blunt-tipped stainless steel needle and capable of delivering 100 to 200 drops from 3 mL.

[0073] Wilhelmy plate method

[0074] Test Preparation :

[0075] Avoid surface contamination by wearing clean nitrile gloves and working on a clean surface in a room free of atmospheric pollutants and dust. Mount a 22 × 22 × 0.15 mm (L) glass cover slip in a rigid sample holder fixture ( The sample was placed in a 100 μl container (model CLMP 10) so that it could be inserted vertically into the ink sample fluid. Before the experiment, the cover glass was passed through a flame 6 times to thoroughly clean the surface. 20 mL of sample was introduced into a clean vial with a diameter sufficient to prevent edge effects.

[0076] Regulations

[0077] The sample was raised at 6 mm / min until the surface was detected (sensitivity 0.01 g on the microbalance). The cover slip was then introduced 2 mm into the ink sample. The mass of the glass cover slip was measured by the microbalance every 2 seconds for a total of 120 seconds. The software converts mass into total surface energy using the Wilhelmy equation of state. The magnitude of the surface tension decreases over time until the standard deviation of five consecutive measurements is minimized. At this point, the surface tension is considered to be in equilibrium.

[0078] Total surface tension calculation :

[0079] A plate material with high surface energy (ie glass) is chosen because it is wetted optimally and therefore typically forms a contact angle (θ) of 0° with the liquid (cosθ=1). The required variable σ can be calculated directly from the measured force.

[0080] σ=F / (Lcosθ)

[0081] in

[0082] F = force in mN / m, L is the wetted length

[0083] σ = total surface tension in dyn / cm

[0084] θ = contact angle, in degrees

[0085] Contact angle method

[0086] Positioning of the substrate

[0087] Avoid surface contamination by wearing clean nitrile gloves and working on a clean surface in a room free of atmospheric contaminants and dust. Obtain a 2.0-3.0 cm strip of lubricating material, ensuring that the surface of the substrate is not contaminated by anything other than clean atmospheric air. Mount a 2 cm wide x 6 cm long strip of double-sided tape lengthwise along the edge of a clean glass microscope slide, minimizing wrinkling and trapped air bubbles. Mount the sample lengthwise along the edge of the tape, minimizing wrinkling and trapped air bubbles. Place the mounted sample on the sample stage beneath the syringe. Do not touch the sample with your fingers or contaminate it in any other way while positioning it on the sample stage.

[0088] Regulations

[0089] Thermal regulation (±1°C) was used to ensure that temperature fluctuations did not significantly affect the measurements. Humidity control (±5% relative humidity) was used so that the general condition of the surface did not change significantly with changes in humidity. In all cases, humidity and temperature were recorded prior to data collection.

[0090] Set up the goniometer and level the table according to the manufacturer's instructions.

[0091] The contact angle of each discrete drop of ink on the lubricating material sample is measured as described in ASTM D7334 or the manufacturer's literature for the instrument used.

[0092] The tip of the hypodermic needle was positioned at the distance recommended by the instrument manufacturer (3 mm (1 / 8 inch)) from the surface, and a 3 μL to 5 μL size drop of test liquid was deposited on the sample.

[0093] contact angle

[0094] The camera or video device is focused so that an image of the droplet can be captured.

[0095] Take two angle measurements (one angle measurement on each droplet edge) for each of the test liquids on the sample using commercial software designed to extract contact angles from movies or images (e.g., FirstTen Angstrom software version 2.1, build 378, or equivalent). If the contact angles on the two edges differ by more than 4°, eliminate those values ​​and repeat the test. Repeat this measurement five more times on new drops. The contact angle of the sample should be the average of the ten angles measured for each side.

[0096] High-speed video imaging

[0097] The image acquisition speed should capture at least 10 to 20 images from the time the droplet hits the surface to the time it can no longer be resolved from the sample surface. This work utilized a capture rate of 100 images / second. The above software extracts the contact angle from the video input. The volume is also calculated using the same software at the sessile drop volume. The contact angle is plotted using a sessile drop volume plot. Ideally, sufficient time is allowed for the droplet to wet to equilibrium. However, in highly absorbent systems, the droplet will absorb into the material before equilibrium is reached. In these cases, where the droplet absorbs into the substrate quickly (<0.2s), the video is continued until 2% of the droplet volume is absorbed into the substrate. The contact angle is recorded at this time point. If the second image shows a volume loss of more than 2%, this may mean that the first resolved image was taken in an extremely fast absorbing system.

[0098] Adhesion work :

[0099] The work of adhesion (W) was calculated using the Dupré equation of state:

[0100] W SL =Y L (cosθ+1)

[0101] in:

[0102] W SL = the work of adhesion between a solid and a liquid, in dyn / cm

[0103] Y L = total surface tension of the liquid in dyn / cm

[0104] θ = contact angle, in degrees

[0105] Reference: A. Dupré, Theorie Mechanique de la Chaleur; Gauthier-Villars: Paris, 1869; .pp 36W.

[0106] Wear method :

[0107] Equipment / Calibration

[0108] Gillette Abrasion Tester, Part #45235-A (Brookfield Machine)

[0109] The Insert Wear Tester is an instrument that holds a razor cartridge on a rotating wheel fitted with a wool felt surface.

[0110] The wheel rotates partially submerged in a bath of deionized water to maintain a wetted surface. The wheel is controllable to maintain a constant angular velocity of 25 rpm. The wear tester is used to evaluate relative performance between lubricated components, rather than absolute results. Therefore, different settings can be used to obtain the desired relative performance data.

[0111] Regulations :

[0112] Insert the lubricating material into the shaving cartridge. Prepare and weigh 5 cartridges with the lubricating material to be tested for each of the following sets of revolutions: 5, 10, 15, 25, and 50 revolutions.

[0113] Prepreg cycle

[0114] 1) If the wear tester has just been started or the wool felt has not been used for a while,

[0115] It is recommended that a long soaking period be carried out before any testing is carried out. It is recommended that the wool felt be soaked in water for 16 hours before testing.

[0116] 2) Secure the wool felt to the test wheel. Before you begin, make sure the wool felt is taut, centered, and correctly aligned.

[0117] 3) Fill a water bath with approximately 6.5 L of deionized water at room temperature.

[0118] 4) Fill the immersion pan fully (approximately 1.5") from the top of the pan to ensure that the bottom of the wheel is immersed in water 1 / 2 to 1 inch. Fresh water should be used at the beginning of each day of testing and the wear cycle test should be performed

[0119] 5) a) Place the test sample into the appropriate blade holder fixture.

[0120] 6) Hold the sample in place and check to ensure it is flat and stable.

[0121] 7) Place the blade holder fixture into the wheel well:

[0122] 8) Begin running the wear cycle on the sample by selecting 5, 10, 15, 25, or 50 revolutions, depending on the test plan.

[0123] 9) Press the "Start" button.

[0124] 10) After each run, the sample should be placed in the tray with the lubricant facing up and not in contact with other samples

[0125] 11) Repeat the abrasion cycle until all samples have been tested.

[0126] 12) When the test period is complete, empty and clean the water bath.

[0127] 13) Dry the sample in a 55°C oven overnight (16 to 24 hours) to remove excess moisture.

[0128] Sample measurement

[0129] a) Remove the sample from the oven and allow it to equilibrate at room temperature for 1 hour.

[0130] b) Weigh each sample to determine the weight loss.

[0131] c) Record the final weight of each sample.

[0132] It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given throughout this specification includes every lower numerical limitation, as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this specification includes every higher numerical limitation, as if such higher numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every numerical range given throughout this specification includes every narrower numerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were expressly written herein.

[0133] Unless otherwise indicated, all parts, ratios and percentages in the specification, examples and claims herein are by weight and all numerical limitations are to be used with the standard accuracy provided in the art.

[0134] The dimensions and values ​​disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values ​​recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range encompassing that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm."

[0135] Unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited, each document cited herein, including any cross-referenced or related patent or patent application and any patent application or patent to which this application claims priority or the benefit of, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art to any of the present inventions disclosed or claimed herein, or an admission that it, by itself or in combination with any one or more references, proposes, suggests, or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.

[0136] Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended that all such changes and modifications within the scope of the invention be encompassed in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A razor blade cartridge, comprising: a. a guard located at a front portion of the cartridge, a cap located at a rear portion of the cartridge, at least one blade positioned between the guard and the cap, a top surface, and a lubrication member positioned at the top surface, the lubrication member having a visible surface, the visible surface having a visible surface area; b. a printed structure located on the visible surface of the lubricating member, the printed structure comprising a UV curable ink covering a portion of the visible surface area, thereby forming a printed portion and an opening portion, the UV curable ink having a contact angle with the lubricating member of 65 to 80 degrees and an adhesion work of 45 mJ / m 2 Up to 60mJ / m 2 .

2. The razor cartridge of claim 1 wherein the lubrication member within the open portion is directly exposed to the user's skin during shaving.

3. The razor cartridge of claim 1 or 2, wherein the printed portion is directly exposed to the user's skin during shaving.

4. The razor cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the lubrication member is positioned on the cap.

5. The razor cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the lubrication member is positioned on the guard.

6. The razor cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lubrication member at least partially surrounds the blade.

7. The razor cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lubrication member completely surrounds the blade.

8. The razor cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the printed structure comprises a plurality of printed droplets.

9. The razor cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the printed structure depicts alphanumeric text.

10. The razor cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the printed structure depicts a non-alphanumeric graphic.

11. The razor cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the printed portion covers 3% to 70% of the visible surface area.

12. The razor cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the printed portion covers 5% to 40% of the visible surface area.

13. The razor cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the printed portion covers 10% to 30% of the visible surface area.

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