Improved razor assembly

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a disposable razor assembly of the type comprising a handle portion comprising an elongate aerosol canister containing shaving foam and having a foam release valve at one end thereof, and a head portion comprising a cap removably attached to the handle portion and enclosing the valve, and a razor head mounted on the cap, the arrangement being such that the cap must be removed to allow foam to be dispensed. Such a razor assembly is disclosed in FR-A-2 426 549.

[0002] In spite of the advent of electric razors, the wet razor is still a very popular means of shaving. However, for the traveller, the carrying of the necessary wet shaving requisites often presents a problem due to the number and shape of the various items required.

[0003] There have been a large number of prior proposals for an assembly which combines a razor head with a reservoir of shaving lubricant, e.g. foam or cream. These proposals generally fall into two categories, firstly those where the shaving foam is directed onto the blade of the razor head or onto the face immediately before the razor head, as described in US-A-3 417 468 and US―A―4 077 119, and secondly those where the foam is dispensed for application onto the face in a separate operation prior to actual shaving, as described in the aforementioned FR-A-2426549 or in US―A―1 867 980, US―A― 3 783 511 and U5-A-4 023 269.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable razor assembly of simple construction which is cheap enough to manufacture to allow the whole item to be thrown away after use.

[0005] The present invention provides a disposable razor assembly of the aforesaid type, characterised in that the razor head is mounted on the cap by means of a pylon or neck portion extending obliquely from the cap such that the face-engaging portion of the razor head is situated outside an extrapolation of the cross-sectional extent of the handle portion, and in that the cap positively engages the handle portion as a screw-or snap-fit such that the cap does not become released from the handle portion during normal shaving operations.

[0006] Thus there is provided in a single assembly all the requisites to enable wet shaving to be carried out. This is particularly useful for travellers who may buy the razor assembly (for example, from a slot machine) without the need to purchase a number of different items, possibly involving the need to visit a number of shops. The assembly is compact and cheap to produce and is generally thrown away after use. The aerosol canister will normally contain at least sufficient foam to outlast the life of the razor head. In fact, it may often be desirable to sell a spare razor head with the assembly.

[0007] The handle portion is constituted by the elongate aerosol canister itself. For this purpose, the canister will generally be cylindrical, 5 to 10 cm long and 0.5 to 3 cm in diamefer. It is possible that the handle portion may also include a casing containing the aerosol canister.

[0008] The cap of the head portion serves to protect the valve and to prevent accidental release of foam.

[0009] The razor head is of conventional construction and may include one or two blades. Normally, the head portion will be formed of injection-moulded plastics material and the blade or blades will be embedded in the plastics during the moulding operation. Suitable plastics include polyethylene, polypropylene and polycarbonate.

[0010] It is particularly advantageous if the head is pivotally mounted to the cap to allow swivelling of the head around an axis transverse to the direction of the handle portion during shaving. This allows the head to adopt an optimal shaving orientation.

[0011] The razor assembly is equally applicable to men and women.

[0012] Embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the drawings, wherein

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a first embodiment, and

Figures 2 to 5 show various views of a second embodiment of the invention.

[0013] The razor assembly of Figure 1 comprises an aerosol canister 1 having removably attached thereto a razor head 3 mounted on a cap 2.

[0014] The handle portion is formed of an aerosol canister 1 containing shaving foam having a valve 4 at an upper end thereof.

[0015] The cap 2 is a snap-fit on the canister 1. For this. purpose, a ridge 5 is formed around the upper end of the aerosol canister 1 and a corresponding groove is formed in the inside surface of the cap 2.

[0016] The razor head 3 is attached to the cap 2 by means of a pylon 6. The whole head portion is injection moulded from a plastics material. Twin razor blades 7 are provided in the razor head.

[0017] The razor assembly may be purchased as a complete unit and is compact and easy to carry around. In use, the cap is removed from the aerosol canister and shaving foam applied to the face. The cap is then replaced, the handle portion grasped in the hand and shaving carried out in the normal way. When the aerosol canister becomes empty, the whole assembly is then thrown away. The assembly may be produced at an economical price.

[0018] Figures 2 to 5 show a second embodiment of the invention. This is generally similar to the first embodiment except that the razor head 3 is slidably mounted on the cap.

[0019] The cap 2 is provided with a wide neck portion 8 having at an upper end thereof a transverse bar 9. The head 3 includes a channel 10 having inwardly turned edges for slidably embracing the bar 9. In this way the razor may be replaced when the blades are blunt by a new head, simply by sliding off the old head and sliding on a new one.

[0020] In a particularly preferred form, the head is pivotally mounted onto the neck portion 8, so that the head may swivel about a transverse axis (i.e. about an axis extending across the length of the head) to allow the head to adopt an optimal orientation during shaving.

Claims

1. A disposable razor assembly which comprises a handle portion comprising an elongate aerosol canister (1) containing shaving foam and having a foam release valve (4) at one end thereof, and a head portion comprising a cap (2) removably attached to the handle portion and enclosing the valve, and a razor head (3) mounted on the cap, the arrangement being such that the cap must be removed to allow foam to be dispensed, characterised in that the razor head (3) is mounted on the cap (2) by means of a pylon or neck portion (6, 8) extending obliquely from the cap (2) such that the face-engaging portion of the razor head (3) is situated outside an extrapolation of the cross-sectional extent of the handle portion, and in that the cap (2) positively engages the handle portion as a screw- or snap-fit such that the cap does not become released from the handle portion during normal shaving operations.

2. An assembly according to Claim 1, wherein the razor head is removably mounted on the cap, the cap comprising a bar (9) extending transversely to the canister and the razor head being slidably mounted on the bar.

3. An assembly according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the razor head is pivotally mounted on the cap to allow pivoting around a transverse axis of the head.

Ansprüche

1. Wegwerfrasiervorrichtung mit einem Griffteil, welcher einen länglichen Aerosolbehälter bzw. -dose (1) aufweist, der Rasierschaum enthält und ein Schaumauslassventil (4) an einem Ende des Behälters, und ein Kopfteil mit einer Abdekkung bzw. Kappe (2), die abnehmbar an dem Griffabschnitt angeordnet ist und das Ventil umschließt, und einem Rasierkopf (3), der an der Kappe befestigt ist, wobei die Anordnung so getroffen ist, daß die Kappe entfernt werden muß, um den Auslaß von Schaum zu ermöglichen,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Rasierkopf (3) an der Kappe (2) durch ein Tragrohr oder einen Halsabschnitt (6, 8) befestigt ist, der sich von der Kappe (2) aus schräg erstreckt, so daß der an dem Gesicht angreifende Abschnitt des Rasierkopfes (3) außerhalb einer Extrapolation der Querschnittserstreckung des Griffteiles sitzt, und daß die Kappe (2) fest in den Griffabschnitt als Schraub- oder Schnappverschluß eingreift, so daß die Kappe (2) während normalen Rasiervorgängen nicht von dem Griffteil gelöst wird.

2. Rasiervorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Rasierkopf lösbar auf der Kappe befestigt ist, und daß die Kappe einen Riegel (9) aufweist, der sich quer zu dem Behälter erstreckt, und daß der Rasierkopf verschiebbar auf dem Riegel befestigt ist.

3. Rasiervorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Rasierkopf drehbar auf der Kappe befestigt ist, um ein Drehen um die Querachse des Kopfes zu ermöglichen.

Revendications

1. Ensemble à rasoir jetable qui comprend une partie formant poignée constituée par une bombe aérosol allongée (1) qui contient de la mousse à raser et comporte à l'une de ses extrémités une soupape d'émission de mousse (4), et une partie formant tête qui est constituée par un capuchon (2) monté de manière amovible sur la partie formant poignée et entourant la soupape et par une tête de rasoir (3) fixée sur ce capuchon, l'agencement étant tel que le capuchon doit être enlevé pour permettre à la mousse d'être distribuée, caractérisé en ce que la tête de rasoir (3) est fixée sur le capuchon (2) par l'intermédiaire d'une partie en forme de colonnette ou d'étranglement (6, 8) qui s'étend de manière oblique par rapport à ce capuchon (2) de façon que la partie de la tête de rasoir (3) qui vient au contact du visage soit située à l'extérieur d'une extrapolation de l'étendue de la partie formant poignée en section transversale et en ce que le capuchon (2) coopère de manière active avec cette partie formant poignée sous forme d'un emboîtement par vissage ou encliquetage qui est tel que le capuchon ne se trouve pas libéré de la partie formant poignée pendant les opérations normales de rasage.

2. Ensemble selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la tête de rasoir est fixée de manière amovible sur le capuchon, ce capuchon comportant une barrette (9) qui s'étend transversalement à la bombe et la tête de rasoir étant montée de façon coulissante sur cette barrette.

3. Ensemble selon la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, dans lequel la tête de rasoir est montée pivotante sur la capuchon de façon à permettre un pivotement autour d'un axe transversal de la tête.

Drawing