Shaving systems

1. A shaving system comprising:

a plastic housing, constructed to contact a user's skin during shaving, and

at least one elongated supported blade having two ends, the two ends of the supported blade being encapsulated by the plastic of the housing;

wherein the blade is fixedly mounted in the housing so as to resist movement perpendicular to its length; and

wherein the plastic of the housing includes flexible regions in the vicinity of the blade ends, the flexible regions being configured to accommodate the shrinkage differential between the blade and the plastic of the housing.

2. The shaving system of claim 1 wherein the flexible areas are provided by apertures in the housing adjacent the blade ends.

3. The shaving system of claim 2 wherein the apertures are substantially C-shaped, extending around the blade ends.

4. The shaving system of claim 3 wherein the apertures extend through the thickness of the housing.

5. The shaving system of claim 3 wherein the apertures extend partially through the thickness of the housing, and extend in a direction parallel to the blade length to an edge of the housing.

6. The shaving system of claim 1 wherein substantially all of a shaving area of the elongated supported blade is unsupported by the housing.

7. The shaving system of claim 1 wherein the plastic housing comprises the housing of a razor cartridge.

8. The shaving system of claim 1 wherein the plastic housing comprises the shaving unit of a disposable razor.

9. The shaving system of claim 1 wherein the supported blade comprises a blade member mounted on a reinforcing member.

10. The shaving system of claim 9 wherein the blade member is welded to the reinforcing member.

11. The shaving system of claim 1 wherein the supported blade comprises a single piece of formed material.

12. A shaving system comprising:

a plastic housing, constructed to contact a user's skin during shaving, and

at least one elongated blade having two ends, the two ends of the blade being captured by the plastic of the housing,

wherein the plastic capturing the two ends includes a resilient portion that comprises a compliant material and is configured to accommodate the shrinkage differential between the blade and the plastic of the housing, thereby resisting warpage of the housing.

13. The shaving system of claim 12 wherein the resilient portion is constructed to allow the blade to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to its length during shaving.

14. The shaving system of claim 12 wherein the compliant material comprises a thermoplastic elastomer, silicone elastomer, thermoset rubber, natural rubber (latex), butyl rubber, or a blend thereof.

15. The shaving system of claim 12 wherein substantially all of a shaving area of the elongated blade is unsupported by the housing.

16. The shaving system of claim 12 wherein the plastic housing comprises the housing of a razor cartridge.

17. The shaving system of claim 12 wherein the plastic housing comprises the shaving unit of a disposable razor.

18. The shaving system of claim 12 wherein the blade comprises a supported blade.

19. The shaving system of claim 18 wherein the supported blade comprises a blade member mounted on a reinforcing member.

20. The shaving system of claim 19 wherein the blade member is welded to the reinforcing member.

21. The shaving system of claim 18 wherein the supported blade comprises a single piece of formed material.

22. The shaving system of claim 12 wherein the housing includes apertures adjacent the blade ends.

23. A shaving system comprising:

a housing, constructed to contact a user's skin during shaving, and

at least one elongated supported blade having two ends, the two ends of the supported blade being captured by the plastic of the housing;

wherein the plastic of the housing includes flexible regions in the vicinity of the blade ends, the flexible regions being configured to accommodate the shrinkage differential between the blade and the plastic of the housing.

24. The shaving system of claim 23 wherein the flexible regions are provided by apertures in the housing adjacent the blade ends.

25. The shaving system of claim 24 wherein the apertures extend partially through the thickness of the housing, and extend in a direction parallel to the blade length to an edge of the housing.

26. The shaving system of claim 24 wherein the apertures are substantially C-shaped, extending around the blade ends.

27. The shaving system of claim 26 wherein the apertures extend through the thickness of the housing.

28. The shaving system of claim 23 wherein substantially all of a shaving area of the elongated supported blade is unsupported by the housing.

29. The shaving system of claim 23 wherein the supported blade comprises a blade member mounted on a reinforcing member.

30. The shaving system of claim 29 wherein the blade member is welded to the reinforcing member.

31. The shaving system of claim 23 wherein the supported blade comprises a single piece of formed material.

32. A shaving system comprising:

a plastic housing, constructed to contact a user's skin during shaving, and

at least one elongated supported blade having two ends, the two ends of the supported blade being captured by the plastic of the housing;

wherein the plastic of the housing includes flexible regions in the vicinity of the blade ends, the flexible regions being configured to accommodate the shrinkage differential between the blade and the plastic of the housing, the flexible regions being provided by apertures in the housing adjacent the blade ends.

33. A shaving system comprising:

a plastic housing, constructed to contact a user's skin during shaving, and

at least one elongated supported blade comprising a blade member welded to a reinforcing member, the supported blade having two ends and the two ends of the supported blade being encapsulated by the plastic of the housing;

wherein the blade is fixedly mounted in the housing so as to resist movement perpendicular to its length.