Razor Blade Unit Biasing via Cam Follower
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shaving razors with pivotal frames and blade units lack an effective biasing mechanism to maintain the blade unit in the optimal shaving position, leading to suboptimal shaving performance and frequent replacement of dull blades.
Innovation Solution
A shaving razor design featuring a biasing member with a cam follower surface that extends from the interconnect member to act on the camming surface of the blade unit, allowing it to pivot towards the upper surface of the pivotal frame, ensuring the blade unit is biased into the preferred shaving position, and includes a spring-biased plunger or cantilever spring for maintaining this position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a biasing member is added to bias the blade unit into the preferred shaving position, then shaving performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing member is nested within the interconnect member structure, with the plunger fitting into a recess in the base structure. This integration allows the biasing function to be incorporated without adding external components, thereby improving shaving performance while minimizing increases in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member acts as an intermediary element between the blade unit and the handle, providing the necessary biasing force through the plunger-camming surface interaction. This mediator approach enables precise control of blade unit positioning without requiring direct complex mechanisms between the blade unit and handle.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the blade unit is resiliently mounted to deflect under skin contact force, then adaptability to skin contours is improved, but stability of blade position is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The blade unit is resiliently mounted to allow dynamic deflection under skin contact forces, enabling adaptation to skin contours. The biasing member provides a restoring force that maintains stability, creating a dynamic system that balances adaptability and stability through controlled elastic deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member provides a counteracting force that opposes the deflection of the resiliently mounted blade unit. This counterforce maintains the blade unit in its preferred shaving position while still allowing controlled deflection for skin contour adaptation, effectively balancing stability and adaptability.
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 effectively biases the blade unit into the optimal shaving position, enhancing shaving performance and allowing for either replacement of the cartridge or the entire razor when blades become dull, improving user experience and reducing waste.
Implementation Method 1
The biasing member comprises a spring biased plunger or a cantilever spring
Data Source
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AI summary
A razor (10) including a replaceable shaving cartridge (14). The replaceable shaving cartridge includes a pivotal frame (16), a blade unit (18) moveably secured to the pivotal frame and an interconnect member (24). The blade unit includes one or more blades (19) and has a camming surface (32). The interconnect member has a pivotal support structure that pivotally supports the pivotal frame for pivoting about a pivot axis. A biasing member (43) that has a cam follower surface extends from the interconnect member to act on the camming surface to bias the blade unit. A handle (12) is releasably secured to the interconnect member.