US3373862A - Razor blade dispenser - Google Patents

Description

March 19, 1968 M.. D. MlNCHlN RAZOR BLADE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 6, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet l March 19, 1968 MDWNCHW 3,373,862-

RAZOR BLADE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 6, 1965 4 Sheets$heet 2 March 19, 1968 M. D. MINCHIN 3,373,862

RAZOR BLADE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 6, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 GT H a f\ FIGII' /I iJWBZ 40 L. 20 a ,8( Flchlz.

March 19, 1968 M, D, WNCHIN 3,373,862

RAZOR BLADE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 6, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Uitei States Patent Ofifrce Patented Mar. 19, 1968 3,373,862 RAZOR BLADE DISPENSER Marjorie Doreen Minchin, 154 Victoria Ave.,

Borrowash, Derby, England Filed Aug. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 477,880 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Aug. 8, 1964, 32,386/64: Nov. 19, 1964, 47,0'74/64 5 Claims. (Cl. 206-16) This invention relates to improvements in safety razor blade dispensers and concerns dispensation of naked, i.e., unwrapped safety razor blades having longitudinally extending slots.

In a number of prior proposals an exit for the blades, of which there is only one has been provided by a slot. However due to the very small thickness of safety razor blades, i.e. in the order of .004 inch it has been found imprecticable in manufacture for the slot to be formed with such precision as to permit only one blade to be dispensed at a time, the result being that there are times when two or more blades are undesirably dispensed when only one is required.

Another reason for this is that the blades are coated with a lubricant, and this imparts to them a strong tendency to stick to each other, so that as one blade is moved towards the exit, there is a strong tendency for the next blade to be carried by the first blade also towards the exit.

In an endeavor to avoid this latter difficulty one proposed dispenser has been formed with a ramp extending from the interior of the base, at the exit end, upwardly to the exit, and in addition to have three cam formations. This ramp and the cam formations are provided so that when the top blade starts to move towards the exit, the ramp and cam formations act on adjacent parts of the blade in a manner causing the blade to become bowed longitudinally thereof, and this is for effecting separation of the top blade from the next blade. However since the exit is provided by an open slot it can happen that two or more blades are dispensed at a time because of the dimensional difficulties above referred to.

In another proposed construction the exit has been formed by a completely closed slot, this being provided as a seal against the entry of dust into the dispenser. At the exit there has been a taper formation for entry of the front edge of the top blade, and a spring is provided to bias the blades upwardly. Whereas in other constructions there is an aperture in the top cover for blades to be dispensed by thumb pressure through the aperture on to the top blade, in the latter proposed construction, there is a slide member on the top cover and on the underside of the slide at the rear thereof there is a thin strip formation for the purpose of engaging behind the top blade. One disadvantage of this construction is that due to the very small thickness of the blades, being in the order of .004 inch, it would be impracticable in manufacture for the thin strip formation to be formed with such precision as to permit only one blade to be dispensed at a time, the result being that there would be times when two or more blades would be undesirably dispensed when only one is required. Another disadvantage is that, since the exit is completely closed, this would have unacceptable contact with the cutting edges of the blade.

In other proposed constructions there have been provided enlarged openings at each end of the exit so as to preserve the cutting edges during the dispensing operation. However in these constructions the remainder of the exit has been formed by a completely open slot so that it has the dimensional difficulties in manufacture as above referred to.

In the above proposal having cam formations, certain of these cam formations have been disposed to project through the longitudinally extending slots in the blades thereby to prevent or minimize transverse movements of the blades to maintain their cutting edges clear of the sides of the box. However these cam formations have been of fixed form in such manner as to strongly resist the dispensing movements of the blades.

In one proposed construction by which only one blade can be dispensed at a time, the blades are arranged to be dispensed from opposite end exits. However in this type of construction the blades have to be staggered longitudinally so that the dispenser is unduly long, special oppositely acting stop means having to be provided, and the blades have to be marked with arrows so that particular care has to be taken in assembling the blades in the dispenser and this is undesirably time consuming.

An object of the invention is to provide a safety razor blade dispenser of such improved construction as to be devoid of all the above disadvantages and difficulties, i.e. to provide a razor blade dispenser which is practical in manufacture, is comparatively small and simple in construction so as to be economical to produce, provides for separation of blades without fail, provides for preservation of the cutting edges of the blades, and ensures without fail that only one blade can be dispensed at a time.

The invention provides a safety razor blade dispenser comprising a rectangular container for a stack of the blades, a cover for the container, upstanding formations on the base of the container at locations to locate the blades with their cutting edges clear of the dispenser sides but permitting forward dispensing of the blades, a ramp face extending from the base at the exit end of the dispenser upwardly to the exit and by which the blades are caused to be longitudinally displaced relative to each other upon movement of the blades, by the thumb through a top opening in the dispenser, towards the exit, and by which the top blade is separated upwardly, at the exit end of the dispenser, from the next blade, without additional cam or spring means, the exit having end openings to be clear of the cutting edges of a blade while the blade is being dispensed, and said exit for the remainder of its length being provided by formations which include at least one control formation which is resiliently obstructive in predetermined manner to a blades dispensing movement. With this construction, there are no manufacturing difiiculties; no added parts such as a spring and several cam formations; the blades cutting edges are preserved; it is substantially guaranteed that only one blade can be dispensed at a time; and the blades are easily and quickly stacked without any special arrangement and such that the dispenser is of minimum length without special oppositely acting stop means. Conveniently the exit is provided by longitudinally arcuate formations by which the leading end of a blade being dispensed is bowed transversely thereof to enhance the separation of the top blade from the next. In one construction the exit is provided by opposed formations which are longitudinally arcuate to slightly different degrees respectively. The arcuate surfaces may be of continuous or stepped form. The steps may be in opposed relationship or in relatively staggered relationship. The step portions of the opposed formations may be in mutual contact or they may be spaced but overlap across the exit. In another construction the exit may be of straight formation. The blade container is conveniently a tray and the cover is conveniently a sheath in which the tray is slidably received, with interengaging catch formations on the tray and sheath locating them in assembled position. The upstanding formations on the base, i.e. of the tray, conveniently includes a longitudinally extending rib which extends in a cut-out and is free,

at the exit end of the dispenser, for up and down fiexure.

The exit formations may include a central downward projection for entry into the longitudinal slot of a blade being dispensed.

The dispenser conveniently has a lower compartment for used blades, and a slot for their entry into the compartment.

The dispenser is conveniently made of plastic which provides for the required resilience at the exit, of the central rib, and of the catch formations. The ramp face is particularly smooth and conveniently smoother than the remainder of the dispenser, as provided by accuracy of moulding of the ramp face.

The above and other features of the invention set out in the appended claims are incorporated in the construction which will now be described, as a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a general perspective view of a safety razor blade dispenser according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a general perspective view of a tray part of the dispenser.

FIGURE 3 is a general perspective view of the tray part loaded with blades.

FIGURE 4 is a general perspective view of a sheath of the dispenser showing the tray sliding into the sheath.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail perspective view, partly broken, and illustrating the interior arrangement of the dispenser.

FIGURE 6 is a front end view of the dispenser.

FIGURE 7 is a similar view to FIGURE 5 showing initial dispensing movements of the blades.

FIGURE 8 is a similar view to FIGURE 5 showing separation of the top blade from the next blade and the commencement of exit of the top blades.

FIGURE 9 is a general perspective view of the dispenser, with parts broken away to show the blade separation and initial exit.

FIGURE 10 is a further general perspective view showing the conditions of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view of the exit end of the dispenser showing the top blade further advanced through the exit.

FIGURE 12 is a similar view to FIGURE 11 showing the top blade still further advanced.

FIGURE 13 is a front view of the dispenser showing a modification.

FIGURE 14 is a front view of the dispenser showing an alternate modification.

FIGURE 15 is a sectional view of the front end of the dispenser of FIGURE 14.

FIGURE 16 is a front view of the dispenser showing a still further modification.

FIGURE 17 is a front view of the dispenser showing yet another modification.

FIGURE 18 is a sectional view of the front end of the dispenser of FIGURE 17.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a safety razor blade dispenser 1 for naked blades is provided comprising a container tray 2, FIGURES 2, 3, and a cover sheath 3, FIGURES 1 and 4.

The tray, FIGURE 2, comprises in this example, a plastic moulded base 4 with side walls 5, 6 and end walls 7, 8, and also with rear upstanding spaced lugs 9, 10, side catch formations 11, 12, and a central longitudinal rib 13. The latter is formed in a longitudinal opening 14 and has a triangular rear end portion 15 integral with the base 4 and flanked by slots 16, 17 in the base 4, and a triangular front upstanding rib portion 18 which is free of the base 4.

The front wall 8'has its inner face in the form of a ramp 19 extending from the base 4 upwardly to an exit formation 20 on top of the front wall 8. In this instance the exit formation 20 is longitudinally convex to a small degree.

At each end of the exit formation 20. there is, see particularly FIGURE 3, a part rectangular recess 21, 22.

The ramp face 19 is made particularly smooth and conveniently smoother than the remainder of the dispenser by particular accuracy in moulding of the ramp face.

The sheath 3, FIGURES 1 and 4, is also of moulded plastic and has slightly bowed side walls 23, 24 and a front end wall 25 which has a rectangular recess 26 along its upper edge and a rectangular recess 27 along its lower edge. The top cover 28 of the sheath has a substantially central and substantially rectangular opening 29 at the front end of which there is a rectangular notch 30 and at the front edge of the cover 28 there is a rectangular recess 31 registering with the recess 26.

At the underside of the front edge of the cover 28 there is an exit formation 32 which in this example is of slightly convex form longitudinally, and at each end of this exit formation there is a part rectangular recess 33, 34. The sheath 28 is also formed with rectangular apertures 35, 36 for co-operation with the catches 11, 12 of the tray.

In assembling the tray and sheath, first a plurality of naked blades 37 are positioned in simple stack form in the tray with the rear ends of the stack located by the upstanding lugs 9, 10-, FIGURE 3, and with the rib 18 projecting upwardly through the slots 38 in the blades and into the notch 30, and then the tray is slid into the sheath from the rear thereof as indicated in FIGURE 4, until, as indicated in FIGURE 1, the catches 11, 12 engage in the openings 35, 36, as allowed by resiliency of the trays side walls 5, 6.

With the parts thus assembled, a slot 39, FIGURE 4, which is formed by the recesses 26, 31 is at lea-st partly closed or masked by the exit formations 20 and 32 of the tray and sheath respectively as illustrated in FIGURE 5, and the arrangement of the stack of blades 37 is of regular form i.e. with all the edges in vertical alignment as shown for the front edges 37a in FIGURE 5.

In the present instance the exit formation 20 on the tray, FIGURE 6, has a slightly greater degree of convexity than the degree of concavity of the exit formation 32 of the sheath, with the result that there is contact between the two exit formations only over a part thereof intermediate the exit ends.

FIGURE 6 also shows that the rectangular recesses 21, 22 of the tray register with the rectangular recesses 33, 34 in the sheath to form completely rectangular openings many times greater in depth than the thickness of one of the blades. The distance apart of the outer edges of these recesses is greater than the width of one of the blades.

As indicated in FIGURE 4, the exit end of the top 28 of the sheath is normally straight, but the convex exit formation 20 of the tray is of such depth that when the tray is assembled in the sheath, the exit end of the sheath top 28 is flexed into arcuate form and there is therefore a predetermined degree of flexible pressure between the exit formations.

FIGURE 5 illustrates that when it is required to dispense the top blade, the thumb indicated at T is pressed down through the opening 29 in the top 28 of the sheath on to the top blade 37 and at a location towards the rear of the opening 29 such that the rib portion 18 is also very slightly depressed.

FIGURE 7 shows that upon forward movement of the thumb T for a short distance, the rib portion 18 is further depressed slightly, and the blades 37 are all displaced longitudinally relatively to each other and forwardly until their front edges 37a abut the ramp face 19 of the tray. This effects initial separation in longitudinal direction of each blade from the next.

FIGURE 8 shows that upon further forward movement of the thumb T for a short distance the front end of the uppermost blade 37 is caused by its engagement with the ramp face 19 which is between 10 to 45 to ride up this face and become further separated from the next blade 37, i.e. in an upward direction. In addition the front end of the uppermost blade 37 is thereupon forced against the exit formations 20, 32, and by virtue of relative resilience between these formations against the blade, a normal pushing action of the thumb on the blade is sufficient for the leading end of the blade to urge the exit formations 20 and 32 to just sufficient distance apart for exit of this one blade, the commencement of which is illustrated in FIGURES 8, 9 and 10.

FIGURE 9 particularly illustrates that whereas the leading end of the blade curves transversely in convex manner, caused by the arcuate exit formations to further ensure separation of the blade from the next blade the pressure of the thumb on a middle part of the blade tends to cause this part of the blade to curve in concave manner as illustrated by the broken section X, a particular result of ths being to still further ensure separation of the top blade from the next blade.

FIGURE 10 particularly shows that at the leading end of the blade the second blade from the top remains with its leading edge straight as indicated at Y.

FIGURE 11 shows a later stage where the topmost blade has been further dispensed during which the rib 18 has been lowered but is now allowed to return upwardly upon removal of pressure of the thumb T. This rib 18 has in the meantime prevented sideways movement of the blade to keep its cutting edges clear of the sides of the dispenser. In addition the rectangular apertures at the ends of the exit formations have also allowed for clear passage of the cutting edges of the blade as the blade is being dispensed.

FIGURE 12 shows that upon further dispensing of the topmost blade, the rear end of the blade first depresses and then rides over the rib 18 leaving the blade free to be pulled away from the dispenser.

FIGURE 13 shows that it is not essential for the exit openings to be continuously arcuate as in FIGURE 6. Instead the arcuate surfaces may be interrupted by recesses such as 32a and 20a, forming steps which are relatively staggered.

FIGURE 14 further shows that it is not essential for at least parts of the exit formations to be in contact with each other, but instead the arcuate surfaces may he stepped in registry but spaced and conveniently with the step formations such as 32b in FIGURE 14 slightly overlapping the step formations 20b across the exit.

FIGURE 15 shows the gap G which is provided by the step formations of FIGURE 14 but it will be appreciated that the step formations provide the necessary resilient resistance to passage of the blade through the exit.

FIGURE 16 shows that in a simpler form, the exit formations may be straight and in mutual contact as indicated at 32c, c.

FIGURE 17 illustrates that there may be a downward projection 32d in the exit formation 32 which, as shown in FIGURE 18, is inclined on its underside and which is for the purpose of entering into the slot 38 of the topmost blade after the rear end of the blade has left the rib 18. This is to further ensure against undersirable sideways movement of the rear end of the blade during its final dispensing movement.

As indicated in FIGURES 2, 9, 11 and 12, the tray is conveniently formed of substantially H shape in cross section to provide for a lower compartment for used blades, there being an entry slot 40, FIGURES 9, 11, 12 for insertion of used blades.

What I claim is:

1. A naked razor blade dispenser comprising a casing having a top formed with a thumb opening and a blade exit end portion, an end wall having an upper blade exit portion which forms with the blade exit end portion of the casing top a blade exit slot; ramp means in the casing and extending from side-to-side of the casing and inclining from a location on the casing floor spaced from said end wall upwardly and forwardly toward said blade exit slot; and on the underside of said blade exit end of'the casing top and on the top side of said ramp means, arcuate surfaces cooperating in resilient, substantially closed, exit relationship with each other.

2. A naked razor blade dispenser comprising a sheath and an inner tray forming a casing, said sheath having a top wall formed with a thumb opening and a blade exit end portion, said tray having an end wall and an'upper blade exit end portion which forms a blade exit slot with the blade exit end portion of said sheath, ramp means in the casing and extending from side-to-side of the casing and inclining from a location on the casing floor spaced from said end wall upwardly and forwardly toward said blade exit slot, and on the underside of the blade exit end of the top wall of said sheath and on the top side of said ramp means, arcuate surfaces cooperating in resilient, substantially closed, exit relationship with each other.

3. A naked razor blade dispenser comprising a casing having a top wall formed with a thumb opening and a blade exit end portion, an end wall having an upper blade exit portion which forms with the blade exit end portion of the casing top a blade exit slot; ramp means in the casing and extending from side-to-side of the easing and inclining from a location on the casing floor spaced from said end wall upwardly and forwardly toward said blade exit slot; and on the underside of the said blade exit end of the casing top and on the top side of said ramp means, arcuate surfaces formed with alternate projecting surfaces and recesses and the respective projecting surfaces cooperating in resilient, substantially closed, exit relationship with each other.

4. A naked razor blade dispenser comprising a casing having a top wall formed with a thumb opening and a blade exit end portion, an end wall having an upper blade exit portion which forms with the blade exit end portion of the casing top a blade exit slot; ramp means in the casing and extending from side-to-side of the casing and inclining from a location on the casing floor spaced from said end wall upwardly and forwardly toward said blade exit slot; and on the underside of said blade exit end of the casing top and on the top side of said ramp means, arcuate surfaces formed with alternate projections and recesses and the projecting surfaces and recesses respectively cooperating in resilient, substantially closed, exit relationship with each other.

5. A naked razor blade dispenser comprising a casing having a top wall formed with a thumb opening and a blade exit end portion, and an end wall having an upper blade exit portion which forms with the blade exit end portion of the casing top a blade exit slot; ramp means in the casing and extending from side-to-side of the casing and inclining from a location on the casing floor spaced from said end wall upwardly and forwardly toward said blade exit slot; and on the underside of said blade exit end of the casing top a concave surface and on the top side of said ramp means a convex surface, the concave and convex surfaces mating to deform the topmost blade when being dispensed and separate it from the next blade.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,696,293 12/1954 Testi 20616 X 2,928,531 3/1960 Henley 20616 3 3,059,761 10/1962 Kuhnl 20616 FOREIGN PATENTS 533,447 11/ 1956 Canada.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A NAKED RAZOR BLADE DISPENSER COMPRISING A CASING HAVING A TOP FORMED WITH A THUMB OPENING AND A BLADE EXIT END PORTION, AN END WALL HAVING AN UPPER BLADE EXIT PORTION WHICH FORMS WITH THE BLADE EXIT END PORTION OF THE CASING TOP A BLADE EXIT SLOT; RAMP MEANS IN THE CASING AND EXTENDING FROM SIDE-TO-SIDE OF THE CASING AND INCLINING FROM A LOCATION ON THE CASING FLOOR SPACED FROM SAID END WALL UPWARDLY AND FORWARDLY TOWARD SAID BLADE EXIT SLOT; AND ON THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID BLADE EXIT END OF THE CASING TOP AND ON THE TOP SIDE OF SAID RAMP MEANS, ARCUATE SURFACES COOPERATING IN RESILIENT, SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED, EXIT RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER.

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