The invention relates to wet shaving razor systems and, in particular, to a container for razor blade cartridges for a wet shaving razor which are releasably attachable to the razor handle of the razor.

Modem wet shaving razors include a handle and a razor cartridge mounted on the handle. The razor cartridge comprises one or more blades. In razor systems in which the handle is reusable, the razor cartridge is removably mounted on the handle.

The replaceable blade cartridges for razor systems having a reusable handle are stored in a container (also referred to as a dispenser). Some known razor systems also comprise a razor tray for placing the razor thereon when not in use. Some known razor trays also comprise receiving spaces for replaceably receiving a container or dispenser. After shaving, the razor handle including the blade cartridge attached thereto can be placed on the tray. Some known trays are provided with features for supporting the razor handle in a position in which the razor handle projects from the tray so that, for drying purposes, the razor blade cartridge is completely surrounded by the air instead of being arranged close to the tray which can affect venting of the wet razor blade cartridge.

Examples for the prior art system described above are shown in US-A-2,122,158, US-Des-256,996, GB-A-1 459 446, DE-A-2405175, US-Des-256,995, USD 494,796 S, and USD 533,380 S.

In GB-A-1 459 446 a container for razor cartridges is disclosed which comprises several separated compartments for storing one razor blade cartridge each. In this document it is mentioned that the known container can be used as a razor stand by returning the razor blade cartridge to an empty compartment and leaving the handle secured to the razor blade cartridge. For this possibility, one or more drain holes may be provided in the known container to facilitate the escape of water to avoid the razor blade cartridges being subjected to excessive moisture. However, this known kind of razor stand feature in a container for razor blade cartridges is still disadvantageous in that venting the razor blade cartridge in the compartment is more or less aggravated so that the razor blade cartridge will be kept in a wet environment for a rather long time.

US-A-4 034 892 discloses a container for razor blade cartridges releasably attachable to a razor handle, comprising a housing, several storage spaces in the housing for storing razor blade cartridges, wherein each storage space comprises a side access opening for access to the respective storage space. Each storage space furthermore comprises a slit being open at one end thereof for receiving the razor handle when attaching the same to the cartridge stored in the respective space.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive possibility of maintaining a razor in a position facilitating venting the razor blade cartridge after use thereof.

The above-mentioned problem is solved according to the invention by a container for razor blade cartridges releasably attachable to a razor handle, comprising the features of claim 1.

According to one aspect of the present invention the container for storing razor blade cartridges releasably attachable to a razor handle comprises a housing with an upper wall and several storage spaces defined in the housing for storing razor blade cartridges. Typically, the housing comprises several access openings for having access to the respective storage spaces defined in the housing. In one embodiment the access openings can be arranged in a lower wall of the housing opposite its upper wall. The storages spaces can be provided with features for preventing undesired removal of the razor blade cartridges when located in the storage spaces. These features can use frictional forces for maintaining the razor blade cartridges in the storage spaces or can comprise other locking features which can be released upon docking a razor handle to a razor blade cartridge arranged in a storage space. Both systems are known to the skilled person.

In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one area of the housing associated to one of the storage spaces is provided with a razor handle receiving opening. This opening can be used to insert the razor handle such that the razor handle projects from the housing in an angled relation thereto. This parking position of the razor handle can be used for drying the razor blade cartridge after a shaving operation.

The invention provides a relatively inexpensive razor stand in that for this purpose the container for storing the razor blade cartridges is used. Accordingly, providing a special razor tray is no longer necessary. This reduces the costs of a wet shaving razor system comprising a handle and removably mounted razor blade cartridges.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one razor handle receiving opening is arranged in a sidewall of the housing opposite the access openings. In other terms the opening is located in the bottom of a storage space of the housing. The opening can be used for placing the razor handle therein after the razor blade cartridge is removed from the storage space. Accordingly, the first razor blade cartridge which is to be used for shaving purposes should be that razor blade cartridge which is stored in the storage space which the razor handle receiving opening is associated to. Namely, after removing the razor blade cartridge out of that storage space, this storage space is empty so that the razor handle and, in particular, its end portion opposite the razor blade cartridge can be inserted into the opening and, accordingly, can extend into a storage space.

Typically, in a container the storage spaces are arranged side-by-side along a longitudinal direction of the housing. In such a container, each storage space has a width dimension which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing. The width dimension of the storage space generally is in parallel to the extension of the razor blade or razor blades of the cartridge when arranged in the respective storage space.

The razor handle when inserted into the razor handle receiving opening projects upwardly from the container and in an angled relation to the upper surface of the container. For stability reasons it is advantageous to locate the razor handle receiving opening in an area of the housing associated to one of the outermost storage spaces in the longitudinal dimension thereof. The edge of the opening might be designed such that the razor handle when inserted into the receiving opening extends above and over the container so that the end of the razor handle to which a razor blade cartridge can be or is mounted is located above the container or beyond the end of the container opposite the storage space to which the razor handle receiving opening is associated. This arrangement serves for preventing a container from tilting when the container is used as a razor stand.

The present invention will be described in more detail hereinbelow referring to an embodiment thereof shown in the drawings in which

Fig.1

is a side view of the individual elements of a wet shaving razor system with replaceable razor blade cartridges, comprising a razor handle and a container for storing several razor blade cartridges,

Fig.2

is a side view showing the use of the container as a razor stand,

Fig.3

is a cross-sectional view of a detail of Fig. 2 marked by III, and

Fig.4

is a top view to the container of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1 there are shown the individual elements of a wet shaving razor system comprising a razor handle 10 having one end 12 designed for attaching thereto a razor blade cartridge, and having a second end 14 opposite the first end 12. Moreover, the wet shaving razor system comprises at least one razor blade cartridge 16 replaceably attachable to the first end 12 of the razor handle. In Fig. 1 there is also shown a cartridge or container 18 for storing several (in this embodiment up to four) razor blade cartridges 16.

The container 18 includes a housing 20 typically made of a thermoplastic material and including several storage spaces 22 each provided for storing a razor blade cartridge 16. When using the razor system, one of the razor blade cartridges 16 is removed from its storage space 22 and is attached to the razor handle 10. Typically, the user picks up one of the razor blade cartridges 16 by means of the razor handle 10 so as to remove the cartridge out of the storage space 22 with the razor blade cartridge 16 already attached to the razor handle 10. This is the usual way of how to handle the container 18 and the cartridges arranged therein.

The housing 20 of the container 18 comprises a first wall 24 (upper wall when looking at the orientation of the container 18 in Fig. 1) and sidewalls 26. In the housing 20 there are arranged several separation features 28 which in this embodiment are designed as separation walls for dividing the housing 20 into several storage spaces 22. In each storage space 22 a razor blade cartridge 16 is located.

The first wall 24 comprises several areas which are associated to the individual storage spaces 22. Opposite to these areas there are arranged access openings 32 through which an access to the razor blade cartridges 16 is possible.

Within one of the areas 30 of the first wall 24 an opening 34 is arranged as shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

The specific feature of the container 18 of this embodiment is that the opening 34 can be used as a razor handle receiving opening for receiving the second end portion 14 of the handle 10 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When inserted into the opening 34, the razor handle 10 projects into the storage space 22 associated to the opening 34. Accordingly, prior to the insertion of the handle 10 into the opening 34, the razor blade cartridge 16 has to be removed from the associated storage space 22. Therefore, this razor blade cartridge 16 should be the first cartridge of the cartridges stored in the container 18. Thereafter, the container 18 can be used as a razor stand as shown e.g. in Fig. 2.

As evident from the drawings, the opening 34 is arranged within that area 30 of the first wall 24 of the housing 20 which is associated to the rightmost storage space 22 (when regarding the drawings). The orientation of the razor handle 10 when inserted into the opening 34 is as shown in Fig. 2. The handle 10 projects from the first or upper wall 24 of the housing 20 and extends above that wall 24 with the razor blade cartridge 16 or first end 12 of the razor handle 10 located also above or beyond the end 36 of the container 18 opposite the opening 34.

In order to support the orientation of the handle 10 when inserted in the opening 34 as shown in Fig. 2 (angled orientation with regard to the container 18) the opening 34 is provided with an edge 38 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The edge 38 of the opening 34 is provided with two opposite curved sections 40,42 forming together a shape substantially identical to a cross-section through the handle 10 along a plane 44 arranged within the opening 34 when the handle 10 is inserted therein. As can be seen from Fig. 3, the edges 40,42 are inclined such that the edges contact the handle 10 in a manner shown in Fig. 3 when the handle 10 is inserted into the opening 34.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific illustrative embodiments thereof, it is not intended that the invention be limited to those illustrative embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that variations and modifications can be made without departing from the true scope of the invention as defined by the claims that follow. It is therefore intended to include within the invention all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.