Rotational Axis Handle for Skin-Conforming Shaving

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Solution Overview

Problem

Safety razors with limited mobility about a single pivotal axis often disengage from the skin during shaving, failing to conform to all body contours effectively.

Innovation Solution

A hand-held device with a head unit capable of both pivotal and rotational movement, featuring a handle with a grip portion and a connection portion connected by a rod, allowing the blade unit to pivot about a pivot axis and rotate about a rotational axis, enhancing conformance to skin contours.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the blade unit is provided with only a single pivotal axis, then the device structure is simple, but the blade unit has limited mobility and cannot follow all skin contours during shaving

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblade unit mobilityVSAvoidpivot structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention adds a second axis of rotation perpendicular to the first pivotal axis, transforming the blade unit's movement from one-dimensional (single pivot) to two-dimensional (dual-axis rotation). This enables the blade unit to follow complex skin contours by combining movements along both axes, directly resolving the contradiction between mobility and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention implements dynamic movement capabilities by allowing the blade unit to pivot about a first axis and rotate about a second axis independently. This dynamic multi-axis movement system adapts to varying skin contours during shaving, providing the necessary versatility while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through the use of interconnected rotational joints.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the blade unit pivots about two axes, then the conformance to face contours is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconformance to body contoursVSAvoidmultiple axis mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the movement function into two independent rotational axes: a first pivot axis for vertical movement and a second rotation axis for lateral movement. This segmentation allows each axis to handle specific contour adaptation tasks, improving overall conformance while keeping the mechanical structure organized and manageable through functional decomposition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The dual-axis mechanism provides multi-functional movement capabilities, where the blade unit can independently pivot and rotate to adapt to various body contours including facial areas, underarm regions, and other body parts. This universal adaptability across different shaving zones achieves improved conformance without proportionally increasing complexity, as the same two-axis system serves multiple application scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2691216B1Hand held device having a rotational axis
Publication Date: 2016.10.12 THE GILLETTE CO
  • EP2691216B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2691216B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP2691216B1 patent drawingFigure 7~12

AI summary

A hand held device comprising: a handle, said handle comprising a grip portion and a connection portion, said connection portion rotating with respect to said grip portion about a rotational axis, said connection portion forming a docking portion suitable for receiving an optional head unit, said docking portion being positioned opposite distally away from said grip portion, wherein the grip portion and the connection portion are connected by a rod, said rod comprising a distal end non-rotatably attached to the grip portion and a proximal end non-rotatably attached to the connection portion, wherein rotational axis forms a central longitudinal axis of said rod.