Razor Handle Yoke Stop Element Prevents Accidental Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing razor handles with flexible yokes can inadvertently release shaving cartridges during shocks or accidental manipulation, posing a risk of injury, especially when carried in bags or handled by children.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a stop element that prevents the yoke from flexing inadvertently by using cam-followers and cams with non-linear surfaces, along with a spring member and latch elements to securely retain the shaving cartridge, ensuring it can only be released with deliberate user action.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a flexible yoke is used to retain the shaving cartridge, then the cartridge can be easily installed and removed, but the cartridge may inadvertently release during shocks or accidental manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The stop element is positioned in advance to prevent inadvertent flexing of the yoke. The locators on the slide element are pre-configured to engage with the stop element, creating a mechanical barrier that must be deliberately overcome for cartridge release, thus preventing accidental release during shocks or manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop element acts as an intermediary between the slide element and the yoke, mediating the interaction by providing a mechanical stop that prevents unintended yoke flexing. This intermediary component ensures that the cartridge retention system maintains reliability while still allowing deliberate cartridge removal.
2Ease of operation
If the yoke is made flexible to allow cartridge release, then the cartridge can be removed without tools, but accidental flexing can cause injury from blade exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The stop element provides preliminary anti-action by preventing inadvertent flexing of the yoke before accidental release can occur. The locators engage with the stop element to create a mechanical barrier that counteracts unintended release forces, thereby preventing harmful blade exposure while maintaining tool-free deliberate removal capability.
3Reliability
If a stop element with locators is added to prevent inadvertent flexing, then accidental release is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stop element is merged with the slide element by providing locators that are integral parts of the slide element structure. This combining of functions (stop element and slide element) into a single integrated component achieves the reliability improvement without proportionally increasing overall device complexity, as the locators serve dual purposes of both sliding engagement and inadvertent flexing prevention.
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 prevents accidental release of the shaving cartridge, reducing the risk of injury from blade exposure during handling or travel, by requiring intentional user effort to overcome resistance and release the cartridge.
Implementation Method 1
a spring member to return said slide element from the release position to the rest position
Implementation Method 2
Each cam-follower comprises a non-linear surface provided with a bulge providing a resistance to the movement of the cams
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
A razor handle comprising: -an elongated handle body (14) terminating in a flexible yoke (22) for receiving and releasably retaining a shaving cartridge (16), -a slide element (20) cooperating with the yoke (22) and connected to the handle body (14), the slide element being movable relative to the handle body (14) between a rest position, in which the yoke (22) is open and can releasably retain a shaving cartridge (16) received in the yoke (22), and a release position, in which the yoke (22) is flexed and can receive a shaving cartridge (16) or release a shaving cartridge (16) received in the yoke (22), -a spring member to return the slide element (20) from the release position to the rest position, and -a stop element to prevent the yoke (22) from inadvertently flexing when the slide element (20) is in the rest position.