Razor Handle Pivoting Head for Skin Contact

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing shaving razors struggle to provide a close, comfortable shave while delivering skin benefits like fluid or heat, due to the need for effective blade pivoting in a compact, durable design.

Innovation Solution

A shaving razor with a handle and blade cartridge unit that pivots, featuring a main body with a pivoting head and arms that allow for fluid or heat delivery to the skin, while maintaining a compact and durable design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a pivoting mechanism is added to allow blade cartridge unit to pivot on the handle, then blade contact with skin is maximized for closer shave, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblade contact with skinVSAvoidpivoting mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The blade cartridge unit is designed to pivot dynamically on the handle through a pivoting head mechanism, allowing the blades to adapt to the contours of the skin surface. This dynamic adjustment maximizes blade contact area during shaving operations, directly resolving the contradiction between operational ease and device complexity by implementing a controlled pivoting motion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The handle is segmented into a main body and a separate pivoting head portion, with the blade cartridge unit attached to the pivoting head. This segmentation allows the pivoting functionality to be isolated in a specific component, making the overall system more manageable and easier to manufacture despite adding pivoting capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the handle weight is increased to provide stability and support for skin benefit delivery, then skin benefit delivery is improved, but portability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveskin benefit deliveryVSAvoidhandle weight
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The handle employs local quality enhancement by incorporating a secondary frame that overlies the main frame, creating regions of increased structural density where needed. This allows the handle to provide sufficient weight and stability for reliable skin benefit delivery (fluid or heat) without uniformly increasing the entire handle's weight, thus maintaining portability while achieving the desired reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The handle construction uses composite structural elements with the secondary frame overlying the main frame, potentially utilizing different materials or material combinations in different regions. This composite approach enables optimized weight distribution that provides necessary stability for skin benefit delivery while minimizing overall weight increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If a secondary frame is added overlying the main frame to provide structural support, then durability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural supportVSAvoidassembly process
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The secondary frame is designed to overlay and integrate with the main frame, merging structural support functions into a unified assembly. This merging approach provides enhanced durability through the combined structural support of both frames while simplifying the manufacturing process by creating a integrated component system that can be manufactured as a unified structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3774234B1Razor handle with a pivoting portion
Publication Date: 2025.03.05 THE GILLETTE CO
  • EP3774234B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3774234B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3774234B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A handle. The handle includes a main body weighing greater than about 60 grams, the main body comprising a main frame (18) and a secondary frame (20) overlying the main frame. A first arm (24) having a first proximal portion (52) and a first distal end (58) can have the first proximal portion coupled to the main body at a first location. A second arm (24) having a second proximal portion (52) and a second distal end (58) can have the second proximal portion coupled to the main body at a second location. The first and second distal ends can be in spaced relationship and have pivotally coupled therebetween a pivoting head (22).