Shaving Razor Clip Design for Blade Retention and Corrosion Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing shaving razors with multiple blades face challenges in securely retaining blades without increasing the length of the clips, while also protecting the blades from corrosion and maintaining effective shaving performance.

Innovation Solution

The design features a shaving blade unit with a housing and clips that have bent legs with differing curvatures, securely attaching to the housing and forming an anode-cathode cell to protect the blades from corrosion, and an elastomeric member for skin stretch and debris removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If clips are extended over the blades and about the periphery of the housing to securely retain multiple blades, then blade retention security is improved, but clip length increases substantially

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade retention securityVSAvoidclip length

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The clip design transitions from a linear peripheral configuration to a multi-dimensional structure with legs extending through apertures in the housing. The legs are bent at angles (e.g., 90 degrees) to engage with blades at different spatial orientations, effectively utilizing three-dimensional space within the housing rather than requiring extended linear length.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The clip legs are received within apertures defined by the housing, creating a nested configuration where the clip is contained within the housing structure. This nesting allows the clip to securely retain blades without extending beyond the housing periphery, as the housing itself provides the structural framework for clip attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If clips are made longer to securely attach to housing and retain blades, then attachment security is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment securityVSAvoidclip structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The clip is segmented into multiple legs, each received by separate apertures in the housing. This segmentation allows each leg to be independently formed and positioned, simplifying the overall structure compared to a single long peripheral clip. The segmented design enables modular manufacturing and assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The clip legs incorporate bent portions with specific curvatures (e.g., 90-degree bends) that allow the legs to engage with blades and housing at optimal angles. These controlled curvatures provide secure attachment while maintaining simple geometric forms that are easy to manufacture using standard forming processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Area of stationary object

If multiple blades are positioned close together to maintain compact size, then device compactness is improved, but blade corrosion protection becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade unit areaVSAvoidblade corrosion

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The clip acts as an intermediary element between the housing and the blades, providing corrosion protection to the blades. The clip is made of a corrosion-resistant material and is in electrical contact with the blades, forming a sacrificial anode that protects the blades from corrosion through galvanic protection, while allowing the blades to be positioned close together.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If clips extend about the periphery of the housing to retain blades, then blade retention is improved, but the width of the blade unit increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade retentionVSAvoidblade unit width

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The clip structure utilizes the vertical dimension by extending legs through apertures in the housing and bending them at angles to engage with blades. This three-dimensional engagement provides secure retention without requiring the clip to extend horizontally about the periphery of the housing, thereby maintaining a compact blade unit width.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS8281491B2Shaving razor and shaving cartridges

Publication Date: 2012.10.09 THE GILLETTE CO

AI summary

A shaving blade unit includes a housing having a front edge, a rear edge and side edges extending between the front and rear edges. The housing has an aperture located between the front and rear edges. One or more shaving blades are positioned between the front edge and the rear edge and the one or more blades have cutting edges arranged to define a first cutting region. A clip is arranged to retain the one or more shaving blades on the housing. The clip has a leg received by the aperture, the leg having a bent portion defining a curvature to secure the clip to the housing.