Razor Cartridge Inter-Blade Guard Segmentation for Rinsing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Razor cartridges face a dilemma in balancing tip-to-tip span to enhance comfort and rinsability, as reducing span improves safety and comfort but complicates rinsing debris, and increasing span for better rinsability compromises comfort.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating additional inter-blade guards between blades, each separated by at least one blade, to reduce effective skin-engaging span and maintain rinse-through gaps for improved comfort, safety, and rinsability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the tip-to-tip span between blades is reduced to increase comfort and safety, then the skin bulge angle decreases and drag on skin is reduced, but the rinsability of the razor cartridge deteriorates because debris cannot be rinsed away effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the space between blades into multiple segments by introducing inter-blade guards. Each guard creates a separate rinse-through gap, allowing debris to be rinsed away effectively even when blades are positioned close together for comfort. The guards segment the otherwise blocked space into multiple rinseable channels.
Solution Approach 2:
Inter-blade guards act as intermediary elements between adjacent blades. These guards provide the necessary spacing for rinse-through while allowing the blade tips to remain close together for comfort. The guards mediate between the conflicting requirements of close blade positioning and effective rinsing.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the tip-to-tip span between blades is increased to improve rinsability, then debris can be rinsed away more effectively, but shaving comfort and safety deteriorate because the skin bulge angle increases and drag on skin increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inter-blade guards segment the space between blades into distinct regions. This segmentation allows the blade tips to be positioned close together for comfort while the guards extend backward to create rinse-through gaps for effective debris removal. The segmentation decouples the two conflicting requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention solves the contradiction by adding a dimensional element - the inter-blade guards extend in the longitudinal direction (backward from the blade tips) to create rinse-through gaps. This allows transverse blade spacing to be minimized for comfort while longitudinal guard spacing provides rinsing pathways.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~3A
Figure 4~4B
AI summary
According to the present invention, a razor cartridge includes a plurality of skin-engaging elements disposed on a frame. The skin engaging elements include at least two or more substantially blades having a sharpened cutting edge, a first inter-blade guard, and a cap. The two or more blades are disposed on the frame in parallel relation to one another. The first inter-blade guard is disposed on the frame between two (2) blades. A rinse-through gap extends across substantially the entire length of the frame between the first inter-blade guard and the blade aft the first inter-blade guard.