Abstract: A blade cartridge including one or more blades fixed between a platform member and a cap member. The blades have apertures that allow lubricants removed from a surface of a shaver by the cutting edge of the blade to be transported through the blade and supplied to the cutting edge of the adjacent blade or to a skin engaging surface of the cap member, whichever the case may be. The apertures in the blades define flow paths that allow lubricants to reach successive cutting edges or skin engaging surfaces, thereby reducing irritation to the shaver. The blades are spaced apart by spacers that are constructed with passages that allow the free flow of lubricant through adjacent flow paths. The cap member includes passages that allow the free flow of lubricating agents through the flow paths to the skin engaging surface of the cap member.

Abstract: To automatically retract the blade after cutting, a flat serpentine spring is integrally formed with a thumb piece which is slidably received in a slot formed along the upper edge of a housing/handle. The housing has a finger rest projection on the lower edge to facilitate cutting while the blade is projected with the thumb. The two halves of the housing snap together using a block-like projection formed on one half, and a pair of tabs formed on the other. The tabs, which are resilient, slide along the sides of the projection until recesses on each of the side of the projection are reached. Inwardly extending ridges on the ends of the tabs enter the recesses to provide a click lock. An aperture between the tabs allows pressure to be applied to the top of the projection to separate the two halves for blade reset/re-adjustment. The blade carrier, which is adapted to support two different types of blades, is slidably mounted in the housing so that it and the thumb piece are free of detents or click-locks.

Abstract: A blade cartridge including a platform member having a blade seat, and a guard member located forward of and parallel to the blade seat so as to form a longitudinal slot between the blade seat and the guard member. A first blade is disposed on the blade seat such that the cutting edge of the blade is located rearwardly of the guard member. A spacer is located on the upper surface of the first blade. The spacer includes an upper surface having a plurality of protruding members extending therefrom and extending through apertures on a second blade such that the second blade is disposed on the upper surface of the spacer. The first blade has apertures that allow debris to flow between the first and second blades and downward through the aperture in the first blade and out through the platform member. A third blade is disposed on an upper surface of the protruding members of the spacer, thereby forming a gap defined by the second and third blades.

Abstract: In order to improve adhesion between the skin and a razor guard provided at the leading edge of a razor cartridge, the guard is provided with a large number of small concavities. These are preferably, but not to limited to hemispherically shaped concavities and are discrete and thus isolated from one another. These concavities can act as suction cups that increase the adhesion between the skin and the guard and thus tension the skin as the razor is drawn thereover. These concavities or dimples can also contain a reserve of shaving preparation for release on multiple passes over the same area.

Abstract: A blade cartridge including one or more blades fixed between a platform member and a cap member. The present invention provides a novel blade cartridge including one or more protruding members, or guard ribs, positioned proximate the skin engaging edges of the blades such that a portion of the blade adjacent the guard ribs has a negative exposure. The guard rib preferably has an arcuate contact surface and is narrow in thickness in a direction along the skin engaging edge. Preferably a plurality of guard ribs are evenly positioned along the blade cartridge. In addition to the guard ribs on the platform member, the present invention further includes protruding members, or guard ribs, on the cap member. The guard ribs on the platform member are preferably aligned with and substantially continuous with the guard ribs on the cap member. In a further embodiment, the blade cartridge includes a spacer separating the first blade and a second blade.