Adjustable Razor Blade Unit for Skin Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing razor blade units pose a high risk of undesired skin cutting during the initial phase of shaving due to blade exposure and vibrations, leading to fast-bleeding wounds.
Innovation Solution
A razor blade unit with a stretcher made from elastomeric material and flexible lips for skin grip, featuring an adjustable blade mechanism that moves from a rest position to a working position under skin drag force, reducing blade exposure initially and minimizing the risk of cutting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the blade is positioned close to the skin in the initial phase of shaving, then the shaving effectiveness is improved, but the risk of undesired cutting of the skin increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by positioning the blade at a distance from the skin during the initial phase of shaving, before the skin is properly stretched and prepared. The blade is gradually brought closer to the skin as the shaving process progresses and the skin becomes taut, thereby preparing the skin surface in advance to reduce the risk of cutting while maintaining shaving effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the blade position adjustable relative to the skin during the shaving process. The blade can be dynamically repositioned from a higher initial position to a lower working position as the skin is stretched, allowing the system to adapt to changing skin tension and minimize the risk of accidental cutting while ensuring effective shaving contact.
2Ease of operation
If the handle is held firmly by the user, then the control of the razor blade unit is improved, but the vibrations of the handle increase the risk of accidental cutting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism between the user's hand and the blade that isolates and dampens vibrations. This intermediary system absorbs the harmful vibrations generated during handling while maintaining the user's control over the razor blade unit, thereby reducing the risk of accidental skin cutting without compromising ease of operation.
3Productivity
If the blade exposure dimension is increased to improve shaving coverage, then the shaving efficiency is improved, but the risk of skin cutting during initial contact increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by initially positioning the blade at a reduced exposure dimension during the first contact with the skin. As the shaving process progresses and the skin becomes stretched and taut, the blade exposure dimension is gradually increased to its full working dimension. This sequential approach allows efficient shaving coverage while minimizing the risk of skin cutting during the critical initial contact phase.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly reduces the risk of undesired cutting by stretching the skin before blade exposure, making the razor blade unit safer and more effective in minimizing skin irritation and bleeding.
Implementation Method 1
The stretcher may be made from an elastomeric material and may have flexible lips to obtain grip on a skin surface. The lips may bend during a shaving movement to stretch the skin.
Implementation Method 2
The adjusting mechanism is actuatable under the influence of a drag force exerted by the skin on the stretcher during a sliding movement of the razor blade unit over the skin in a shaving direction of the razor blade unit.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Razor blade unit for shaving a skin comprising a stretcher, a rear support and at least one blade (11) allocated in between the stretcher (9) and the rear support (10). The blade (11) is movable with respect to an exposure plane (14) from a rest position to a working position. The exposure plane (14) is defined as a tangential plane from the stretch surface to the support surface. An adjusting mechanism (15) is provided to adjust the movable blade from the rest position to the working position during a sliding movement of the razor blade unit over the skin in the shaving direction.