Razor Cartridge Blade Thickness and Exposure Gradient
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional razor cartridges do not adequately consider the correlation between the shape, thickness, and exposure of razor blades, leading to suboptimal shaving comfort and performance due to separate consideration of these factors.
Innovation Solution
A razor cartridge design that incorporates a blade housing with a combination of thin and thick blades, where the thickness and exposure of each blade are strategically arranged to optimize shaving comfort and performance, with the thin blades having lower cutting force and higher durability, and thick blades having higher cutting force and durability, and their exposures relative to a contact plane are carefully managed to balance cutting efficiency and skin irritation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the tip edge of the razor blade is made thin to reduce cutting force and improve shaving comfort, then the cutting force required for shaving decreases, but the possibility of breakage or damage increases, shortening blade durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different tip edge thicknesses at different locations along the blade. Specifically, the blade has a first tip edge portion with a first thickness and a second tip edge portion with a second thickness greater than the first thickness. This allows the thinner portion to provide reduced cutting force and improved comfort, while the thicker portion maintains durability and resistance to breakage.
2Reliability
If the tip edge of the razor blade is made thick to increase durability and reduce breakage, then blade life increases, but cutting force increases causing shaving discomfort and skin irritation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different tip edge thicknesses at different locations along the blade. Specifically, the blade has a first tip edge portion with a first thickness and a second tip edge portion with a second thickness greater than the first thickness. This allows the thinner portion to provide reduced cutting force and improved comfort, while the thicker portion maintains durability and resistance to breakage.
3Productivity
If multiple blades are positioned with different exposures to provide varied cutting action, then shaving performance improves, but the blades wear at different rates reducing overall cartridge durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by systematically varying the exposure positions of multiple blades relative to each other. The blades are arranged with different exposures where each subsequent blade has a greater exposure than the previous one. This creates a gradient of cutting actions that maintains shaving performance while distributing wear more evenly across the blade set, extending overall cartridge life.
Data Source
AI summary
A razor cartridge includes: a blade housing accommodating a plurality of blades including at least a first blade and a second blade; a first contact member arranged at a front side of the plurality of blades with respect to a shaving direction; and a second contact member arranged at a rear side of the plurality of blades with respect to the shaving direction, each blade including an edge portion and a base, wherein a thickness of a first position of the edge portion of the first blade is less than a thickness of a corresponding second position of the edge portion of the second blade, and wherein a first exposure amount of the first blade with respect to a contact plane defined between the first contact member and the second contact member is less than a second exposure amount of the second blade with respect to the contact plane.