Shaving Head Retainer Anchor Tooth Press-Fit Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional shaving razors face manufacturing inefficiencies due to buckling clips and improper installation, leading to inconsistent blade exposure and increased production costs.

Innovation Solution

A shaving razor design featuring a housing with retainers that are press-fit onto the side walls, utilizing an anchor tooth that fits into a recess in the housing to securely couple the retainer with the housing, ensuring proper retention of components like blades, guard bars, and lubrication strips.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional clips are used to retain components in the housing, then components can be retained, but the clips buckle during manufacturing causing inconsistent blade exposure and requiring additional labor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent retention consistencyVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The retainer is divided into a housing portion that fits into the housing and a blade holder portion that secures the blade, with an anchor tooth connecting them. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while being manufactured as a single integrated component, eliminating the buckling issues associated with traditional multi-location clipped assemblies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The retainer combines the housing engagement function and blade retention function into a single integrated component. The anchor tooth merges the securing mechanism with the retainer body, eliminating the need for separate clips and reducing manufacturing complexity while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple clips are used to retain multiple components, then all components can be retained, but each component requires separate retaining means increasing device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent retention capabilityVSAvoidretaining mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The single retainer component is designed to perform multiple functions: it retains the blade, engages with the housing via the anchor tooth, and provides structural support. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for multiple separate clips and retaining mechanisms, reducing device complexity while maintaining comprehensive component retention capability.

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

3Reliability

If clips are bent at multiple locations to retain components, then components can be secured, but manufacturing becomes difficult with multiple tolerance locations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent retentionVSAvoidtolerance control
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The retainer is segmented into distinct functional portions (housing portion and blade holder portion) connected by an anchor tooth, allowing each portion to be designed and manufactured with optimized tolerances for its specific function, rather than requiring multiple bending locations with cumulative tolerance stacks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The design transitions from a flexible clip requiring precise bending at multiple locations to a rigid or semi-rigid retainer with fixed geometric parameters. The anchor tooth provides a predetermined engagement geometry that simplifies tolerance control during manufacturing while ensuring reliable component retention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3389960B1Shaving head
Publication Date: 2020.06.24 BIC VIOLEX SA
  • EP3389960B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3389960B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3389960B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A shaving head 100 includes a housing 101, at least one component 113 coupled with the housing, and at least one retainer 150 coupled with the housing. The retainer secures the at least one component in the housing. The retainer also includes an anchor tooth 152 received by the housing.