Shaving Razor Bridge Member for Interblade Span Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional shaving razors often cause skin irritation, nicks, cuts, and conditions like pseudofolliculitis barbae due to close blade spacing and nerve stimulation during shaving, leading to discomfort and potential skin issues.

Innovation Solution

A shaving razor cartridge design featuring a housing with a primary guard, a secondary cap, and a bridge member with spaced-apart legs between two blades, which increases the interblade span to reduce hair re-engagement and nerve stimulation, minimizing skin contact and irritation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If blades are spaced closely together to achieve closer shave, then shaving closeness is improved, but skin irritation and nerve stimulation increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshaving closenessVSAvoidskin irritation

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The bridge member is mounted on spring members that allow it to flex and adapt during the shaving stroke. This dynamic configuration enables the bridge member to maintain optimal spacing between blades while accommodating variations in skin contour and pressure, thereby preserving shaving closeness while reducing skin irritation caused by rigid close spacing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the interblade span parameter by introducing a bridge member that spaces the blades further apart compared to conventional razors. This parameter change reduces the frequency of hair re-engagement and nerve stimulation, directly addressing the skin irritation problem while maintaining effective shaving through the controlled spacing geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If interblade span is increased to reduce hair re-engagement, then skin comfort is improved, but blade exposure geometry becomes more difficult to control

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehair re-engagementVSAvoidblade exposure geometry

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The bridge member acts as an intermediary structural element between the housing and the blades. It provides a stable reference surface that defines the shaving plane and controls blade exposure geometry, while simultaneously maintaining the increased interblade span. This intermediary structure decouples the spacing function from the exposure control function, allowing both requirements to be satisfied

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The bridge member is pre-positioned and secured to the housing before the blades are installed. This preliminary action establishes the correct shaving plane and spacing geometry in advance, ensuring that when the blades are mounted, their exposure is automatically controlled by the bridge member's fixed position, simplifying the manufacturing process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Stability of the object's composition

If bridge member is secured rigidly to housing, then structural stability is improved, but ability to accommodate skin contour variations is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebridge member stabilityVSAvoidskin contour adaptation

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The bridge member is mounted on spring members that provide a compliant connection to the housing. This dynamic mounting allows the bridge member to remain stable in its positioned state while simultaneously accommodating variations in skin contour and pressure during the shaving stroke, resolving the contradiction between stability and adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting system is segmented into the bridge member, spring members, and housing connection points. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function: the bridge member maintains spacing, the springs provide compliance, and the housing provides structural support. The segmented design enables both stability and adaptability to coexist

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10773401B2Shaving razor cartridge and method of assembling

Publication Date: 2020.09.15 THE GILLETTE CO

AI summary

In one aspect, the invention features, in general, a shaving razor cartridge with a housing having a primary guard at a front of the housing, a secondary cap at a rear of the housing and at least one spring member positioned between the primary guard and the secondary cap. A bridge member is positioned between the primary guard and the secondary cap. The bridge member has a primary cap surface and a secondary guard surface. A first blade having a cutting edge is mounted to at least one of the spring members between the primary guard and the primary cap surface. A second blade having a cutting edge is mounted to at least one of the spring members between the secondary guard surface and the secondary cap. The bridge member is mounted on a plurality of the spring members.