Method of securing a shaving aid to a razor cartridge.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a method for attaching a shaving additive to the head of a razor.

The razors to which this invention belongs can take the form of a single-blade or double-blade head, where each blade is formed with a single cutting edge.

In general, safety razors for wet shaving comprise a razor head attached to a handle. The head is usually attached to the handle by means of a rail or a pivoting connection. As a variant, the razor head is molded into an integral part of the handle to form a unitary structure.

U.S. Pat. 4,461,079 illustrates a typical lane; U.S. Pat. 4,428,116 illustrates a typical pivotal connection and US Pat. 4,425,705 illustrates a handle forming an integral part of the head to constitute a unitary structure.

Means for providing a razor additive on the razor head are also known. U.S. Pat. 4,170,821 discloses an elongated synced strip of a water-soluble additive shaving material provided on the razor head.

A procedure for attaching the shaving additive to the razor head has included the use of adhesive. Although this procedure is effective, it has certain drawbacks, such as the difficulty of regulating the application of adequate amounts of adhesive in a uniform manner. In addition, the time necessary for the adhesive to harden and the pressure necessary to ensure good contact sometimes delays high speed chain manufacturing operations.

The present invention is intended to provide a method for attaching a permanent shaving additive to a surface of the head of a razor, which contacts the face and is free from the problems associated with a method of use. of adhesive.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for attaching a shaving additive to the razor head, which lends itself to modern high speed chain manufacturing operations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing process comprising a minimum processing phase number, the phases of which are free from critical limitations.

Following this invention, a method is provided for attaching a shaving additive to the head of a razor, whose head is manufactured, at least in part, from a deformable material, which comprises the phases of:

Constitute a housing formation of the shaving additive on the surface of the head that contacts the face;

place the shaving additive in the aforementioned formation; and after forming the head, in the region of the aforementioned shaving additive, to the extent sufficient to retain the additive in a virtually permanent manner in said formation.

In one embodiment, formable elements are formed along the virgins of the aforementioned shaping additive housing formation and said elements are deformed to retain the shaving additive. A plurality of the said deformable elements was conveniently located at separate intervals along the virgins.

If desired, the deformation phase can be performed by blow.

The head may be an integral part of a handle, such as in a disposable razor, or it may be constituted as a cartridge with means for attaching it to a reusable handle.

Following another aspect of the invention, a razor head is provided to accommodate a shaving additive, comprising:

a shaping additive housing formation, provided on a surface of the razor head that contacts the face, the formation of which is adapted to receive a shaving additive, and retention means for retaining the shaving additive in the aforementioned training;

and it is characterized in that the retention means are deformable between a first position, in which they do not retain the shaving additive in said formation, and a second position in which they retain the shaving additive in the formation.

The retention means preferably comprise deformable means, provided along the virgin of the shaping additive housing formation. If desired, the deformable elements can be projected continuously along the margins.

However, it is preferable that there is a plurality of said deformable elements at separate intervals along the margins.

The head of the razor can be an integral part of a handle, such as a disposable razor, or it can be constituted as a cartridge with means for attaching it to a reusable handle.

Take the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a razor head showing a strip of solid shaving additive, before and after being combined with a face-fitting surface of the face; Y

Figure 2 shows a shaping tool for deforming or shaping the razor head in order to hold the shaving additive permanently to the head.

Reference numeral 10 indicates a disposable razor head having a rail 11 for connecting to a detachable razor handle (not shown).

The head 10 includes a protection bar 12, twin blades 13 and 14 each of which has a cutting edge 16 and 17, respectively, separated in a manner known by a spacer 18.

The head 10 is made of a deformable material which, in the described embodiment is a polymeric resin; head 10 also includes

014 468 a cap 19 that has a surface 19a of adaptation to the face.

The cap that has the surface 19a for adapting to the face is constituted with a housing formation of a shaving additive in the form of a recess 21, limited by deformable elements 22 and 23; Elements 22 and 23 are represented with solid lines and dotted lines, then explained in more detail below. The elements 22 and 23 are shaped like fins that project virtually parallel to the longitudinal axis of the recess 21l.

A shaving additive 24, solid, elongated, with generally figured in accordance with recess 21, is disposed in recess 21, while elements 22 and 23 are in the position indicated with solid lone.

Then, the elements 22 and 23 are deformed to the position indicated with a dotted line, by means of the forming tool 26 (Figure 2). The elements 22 and 23 are deformed so that they set the shaving additive 24 securely and permanently in the cap 19 of the head 10.

Although elements 22 and 23 appear continuous in the drawing, it is understood that they could be discontinuous; in this case, separate elements 22 were formed along one side of the recess 21 and the separated elements 23 would be along the other side of the recess 21.

Furthermore, depending on the deformation characteristics of the material from which the head 10 is manufactured, the elements 22 and 23 can be dispensed with and the crimping phase carried out by means of riveting points or highlighting along the olymite margin of the recess to move material of the head on portions of the strip, in order to hold the strip to the head.

The forming tool 26 is constituted according to the desired crimping model.

The deformable material can be for cold work or for hot work, depending on the deformation characteristics of the material from which the head is manufactured.

The shaving additive comprises a structure that has at least one material that helps the shaving process. The shaving additive can choose between any or any combination of the following materials:

A) A material to reduce frictional forces between the razor and the skin, eg, a lubricant. Examples of lubricants are: microencapsulated silicone oil; polyethylene oxide in the range of molecular weights between 100,000 and 6,000,000; an inonic polyacrylamide; and / or a natural polysaccharide derived from plant materials such as "guar gum"

B) A material that modifies the chemical structure of the hair, so that the razor blade can pass through the beard hairs with ease, eg a depilatory agent.

C) A cleaning product that allows the hair of the bar and the dirt of the skin to be removed more easily from the parts that constitute the razor during shaving, eg a block copolymer of silicone polyethylene oxide and a detergent such as , for example, sodium laryl sulfate.

D) A medicinal agent to eliminate bacteria or repair the damage and abrasion suffered by the skin.

E) A cosmoethic material to soften, soften, condition or improve the skin.

F) A coagulant to cut the bleeding that occurs due to cuts.

The shaving additive may include materials such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene or polyacetal.

Following is used herein, the expression "shaving additive" may refer to a solid that is partially water soluble or virtually completely water soluble.

The shaving additive may comprise a solid microporous structure that has incorporated water-soluble material, or a water-soluble, microencapsulant, solid structure that incorporates a water-soluble material.

The above description refers to a cartridge-shaped razor head to be attached to a razor handle. It was understood that the head could be molded into an integral part of the control to constitute a disposable razor.

014 468