US3265197A - Razor blade receptacle and dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 9, R HUNT RAZOR BLADE RECEPTACLE AND DISPENSER Filed Jan. 18, 1965 INVENTOR. ROBERT J. HUNT E WN m J A United States Patent 3,265,197 RAZOR BLADE RECEPTACLE AND DISPENSER Robert J. Hunt, 729 27th Ave., San Francisco, Calif. Filed Jan. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 426,100 Claims. (Cl. 206-16) This invention relates to a receptacle and dispenser for sharp-edged, thin objects. It is particularly adapted for use as a receptacle and dispenser for razor blades and provides a convenient device for removing used 'blades from the razor and receiving them with maximum safety.

The razor blade has, of course, long been a useful tool, and it has been constantly improved, improvements in dispensing the blades have been made, but relatively little effort has been made to provide a means for removing a used blade from a razor and receiving it with maximum safety. Because of the potential danger in handling a used blade, structure for removing and receiving it conveniently and safely is desirable.

The prior art has offered various means for removing used razor blades. The following United States patents are examples of the prior art: Dyer (1,912,627), Lashar (1,952,596), Sandford (2,094,722), and Breazeale (2,741,838). None of the prior art patents, however, oifer the advantages of the present invention. In general, they clamp or pinch the blade prior to removing (Dyer), provide a magnet without an associated chamber or depository for receiving the blade (Lashar), fail to provide for the direct pickup of the blade from its seat in the razor (Sandford), or require a prying up of the blade prior to removal from the razor (Breazeale). Each of the foregoing requirements decreases the safety in removing the blade.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a receptacle for a thin, sharp-edged object that is capable of magnetically lifting said object from its useful position so that it may he slid into protective cover with maximum safety and convenience.

Another object is to provide a receptacle for lifting a razor blade from its seat in a razor and sliding the blade into protective cover without prying or pinching the blade.

Another object is to provide a receptacle for lifting and receiving a series of thin, sharp-edged objects, said receptacle having an exposed surface inclined with respect to the receptacle chamber and a localized magnetized area for maintaining engagement with the object.

It is another object to provide a receptacle as described above in combination with a dispensing chamber for dispensing new, unused blades.

Each of the above objects is fulfilled by the specific embodiment which appears in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a razor, a blade seated therein, and the present invention being engaged with the blade for removing it from the razor.

FIG. 2 is a side view with a portion of the razor and receptacle cut away showing the engagement of the blade with the receptacle.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the receptacle and razor blade showing the orientation of the blade and receptacle after removal of the blade from the razor but before the blade is slid into the receiving chamber.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the receptacle.

FIG. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4.

The invention appears generally at in FIG. 1. It consists of a generally six-sided housing including parallel sides 11, parallel edges 12, and parallel ends 13. Sides 11 include dispenser side 11a and receptacle side 11b. The length and width of the sides generally conform to the size of razor blade 14, but each is slightly ice larger. The thickness is about A to /2 the width of blade 14. The housing is divided by partition 15 into dispensing chamber 16 and a receiving chamber 17. Dispensing chamber 16 is defined by partition 15 and dispenser side 11a. Receiving chamber 17 is defiined by partition 15 and receptacle side 11b. A portion of each end of receptacle side 11b is removed to provide entryway 18 granting access to receiving chamber 17. A portion of ends 13 is also removed to define dispensing passage 19, which communicates with the dispensing chamber 16.

An inclined plane 20 extends from one edge of each end 13 to partition 15. The spacing of ends 13 and inclined plane 20 is chosen so that the distance between the joints formed by partition 15 and plane 20 is slightly in excess of the length of razor blade 14. The angle from receptacle side 11b to plane 20 is preferably 20-40".

Magnets 21 are provided on the interior side 22 of inclined plane 20. The magnets 21 are preferably centrally positioned on inclined plane 20 as may be best seen in FIG. 4. They may consist of any small bar magnet and may be adhered to the interior side 22 of inclined plane 20 with any suitable adhesive, or they may be soldered thereto.

The corners of the housing are recessed as best seen at 23 in FIGS. 1 and 4. Thus a protruding end portion 24 is provided. Recesses 23 accommodate hinged covers 25 of razor 26 as the inclined plane 20 engages the end of blade 14 as best seen in FIG. 1. Thus the width of protruding end portions 24 must be less than the distance between hinged covers 25 when opened.

Dispenser side 11a contains window 27 which exposes new blades 14' and provides a passage through which blades 14' may be engaged and slid through dispensing passage 19 to be seated in razor 26 for use therein.

Having thus described the structure of the present invention, its operation may be readily understood with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. Blade 14 is exposed in razor 26 by opening hinged covers 25. Receptacle 10 is then oriented as shown in FIG. 1 andinclined plane 20 is engaged with one end of 'blade 14. Blade 14 is held to inclined plane 20 by means of magnets 21 and the blade may then be lifted from the razor 26 in the direction of arrow A as shown in FIG. 2. After freeing blade 14 from razor 26, it may he slid in the direction of arrow B, as shown in FIG. 3, into receiving chamber 17 After blade 14 is received by receiving chamber 17, it is held therein by edge 27 of entryway 18 and inclined plane 20 since it cannot pass through entryway 18 without being bent to negotiate edge 28 and inclined plane 20.

It may therefore 'be readily seen that the present invention provides a simple, convenient, and safe method for removing a razor blade and receiving it in protective cover.

If desired, coil springs 28 may be provided to engage new blades 14' to prevent premature escape of blades 14 through dispensing passage 19.

It will be readily recognized that deviations may be made from the specific embodiment shown, without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, only one inclined plane 20, magnet 21 and associated entryway 18 may be provided which merely restricts the usefulness of the invention to receiving used blades at one end only. However, it is preferred, but not critical, that two such magnetized entryways be provided. A similar observation may 'be made concerning dispensing passage 19.

In addition, inclined plane 20 may itself be magnetized, which eliminates the need for individual magnets 21 but does not depart from the scope of the present invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A combination razor blade receptacle and dispenser which comprises: a generally six-sided housing including two sides, two ends and two edges, said sides including a dispenser side and a receptacle side, a partition between said sides and parallel thereto dividing said housing into a receiving chamber adjacent said receptacle side and a dispensing chamber adjacent said dispenser side, a window in said dispensing side providing access to said dispensing chamber, at least one of said ends defining a dispensing passage communicating with said dispensing chamber, a magnetized inclined plane extending from at least one of said ends into said receiving chamber to said partition, said inclined plane defining an entryway with said receptacle side and being inclined at an angle of 20-40 therefrom.

2. The combination razor blade receptacle and dispenser of claim 1 further characterized for use with a razor having hinged covers wherein said sides, edges and ends define a recess at each corner of said receptacle and further define a protruding end portion having a width less than the distance between said hinged covers of said razor blade.

3. A combination razor blade receptacle and dispenser which comprises: a generally six-sided housing including two sides, two ends, and two edges, said sides including a dispenser side and a receptacle side, a partition between said sides and parallel thereto dividing said housing into a receiving chamber adjacent said receptacle side and a dispensing chamber adjacent said dispensing side, a window in said dispensing side providing access to said dispensing chamber, each of said ends defining a dispensing passage communicating with said dispensing chamber, a magnetized inclined plane extending from each of said ends into said receiving chamber to said partition, each of said planes defining an entryway with said receptacle side and being inclined at an angle of 20-40 therefrom.

4. The combination razor blade receptacle and dispenser of claim 3 and at least one coil spring secured to said dispenser side and extending into said dispensing chamber.

5. A combination razor blade receptacle and dispenser, for use with a razor having hinged covers, which comprises: a generally six-sided housing including two sides, two ends, and two parallel edges, said sides, edges and ends defining a recess at each corner of said receptacle and further defining a protruding end portion at each end of said receptacle, said end portion having a width less than the distance between said hinged covers of said razor, said sides including a dispenser side and a receptacle side, a partition between said sides and parallel thereto dividing said housing into a receiving chamber adjacent said receptacle side and a dispensing chamber adjacent said dispensing side, a window in said dispensing side providing access to said dispensing chamber, each of said ends defining a dispensing passage communicating with said dispensing chamber, a magnetized inclined plane extending from each of said ends into said receiving chamber to said partition, each of said planes defining an entryway with said receptacle side and being inclined at an angle of 20-40" therefrom.

No references cited.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 5. A COMBINATION RAZOR BLADE RECEPTACLE AND DISPENSER, FOR USE WITH A RAZOR HAVING HINGED COVERS, WHICH COMPRISES: A GENERALLY SIX-SIDED HOUSING INCLUDING TWO SIDES, TWO ENDS, AND TWO PARALLEL EDGES, SAID SIDES, EDGES AND ENDS DEFINING A RECESS AT EACH CORNER OF SAID RECEPTACLE AND FURTHER DEFINING A PROTRUDING END PORTION AT EACH END OF SAID RECEPTACLE, SAID END PORTION HAVING A WIDTH LESS THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID HINGED COVERS OF SAID RAZOR, SAID SIZES INCLUDING A DISPENSER SIDE AND A RECEPTACLE SIDE, A PARTITION BETWEEN SAID SIDES AND PARALLEL THERETO DIVIDING SAID HOUSING INTO A RECEIVING CHAMBER ADJACENT SAID RECEPTACLE SIDE AND A DISPENSING CHAMBER ADJACENT SAID DISPENSING SIDE, A WINDOW IN SAID DISPENSING SAID PROVIDING ACCESS TO SAID DISPENSING CHAMBER, EACH OF SAID ENDS DEFINING A DISPENSING PASSAGE COMMUNICATING WITH SAID

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