Inter-blade guard and method for manufacturing same

1. A razor cartridge, comprising:

a frame defining a length;

a plurality of skin-engaging elements disposed generally lengthwise on the frame, the skin-engaging elements comprising:

two or more blades in parallel relation to one another, each of the blades having a sharpened cutting edge extending along at least a portion of a blade length and each of the two or more blades being affixed to a bent metal blade support; and

a first inter-blade guard having a length and a skin-engaging surface disposed on the frame between two (2) blades such that one of the blades is immediately forward of the first inter-blade guard and one of the blades is positioned immediately aft the first inter-blade guard;

wherein the blade immediately forward of the first inter-blade guard completely separates the blade guard from the bent metal support such that the first inter-blade guard is spaced away from the bent metal support on which the blade immediately forward of the first inter-blade guard is affixed;

wherein a rinse-through gap extends between the first inter-blade guard and the blade immediately aft the first inter-blade guard continuously across substantially the entire length of the blade immediately aft of the first inter-blade guard, the rinse-through gap extending through the razor cartridge at an angle generally perpendicular to shave plane; and

wherein the rinse through gap completely separates the blade support to which the blade immediately forward of the first inter-blade guard from the blade immediately aft the first inter-blade guard.

2. The razor cartridge of claim 1 wherein the razor cartridge includes at least three (3) blades.

3. The razor cartridge of claim 2 wherein the razor cartridge includes at least one additional inter-blade guard, each additional inter-blade guard being disposed between two (2) blades such that one blade is positioned immediately in front of each additional inter-blade guard and one blade is positioned immediately aft of each additional inter-blade guard, and

wherein each inter-blade guard is separated from each of the other inter-blade guards by at least one blade.

4. The razor cartridge of claim 3 wherein an additional rinse-through gap extends between each of the additional inter-blade guards and the blade immediately aft the same additional inter-blade guard and substantially across the length of the blade immediately aft of the additional inter-blade guard.

5. The razor cartridge of claim 1 further comprising a cap, the cap being disposed on the frame aft of two or more blades.

6. The razor cartridge of claim 5 further comprising a blade guard disposed between the cap and the blade immediately forward of the cap, and

wherein a cap rinse-through gap extends between the blade guard and the cap across at least a portion of the length of the frame.

7. The razor cartridge of claim 6 wherein the cap rinse-through gap extends through the razor cartridge at an angle generally perpendicular to the shave plane.

8. A razor cartridge, comprising:

a frame defining a length;

a plurality of skin-engaging elements disposed generally lengthwise on the frame, the skin-engaging elements comprising:

two or more substantially planar blades disposed on the frame in parallel relation to one another, each of the blades having a sharpened cutting edge extending along at least a portion of a blade length, and each of the blades being supported by individual bent blade supports; and

a first inter blade guard having a curved skin-engaging surface disposed on the blade immediately forward thereof such that the entirety of the first inter blade guard is located between the sharpened cutting edge of the blade immediately forward thereof and the blade immediately aft thereof such that one of the blades is the skin-engaging element immediately forward of the first inter-blade guard and the other blade is the skin-engaging element immediately aft the first inter-blade guard;

wherein the first inter-blade guard is adjacent at least a portion of the blade immediately forward of the first inter-blade guard and the blade immediately forward of the first inter-blade guard completely separates the first inter-blade guard from the bent blade support on which the blade immediately forward of the first inter-blade guard is supported such that the first inter-blade guard and the blade immediately forward of the first inter-blade guard are spaced apart; and

wherein a rinse-through gap extends through the razor cartridge between the first inter-blade guard and the blade immediately aft the first inter-blade guard, the rinse-through gap extending continuously all the way across a length of the blade aft of the first inter-blade guard.

9. The razor cartridge of claim 8 wherein the razor cartridge includes at least three (3) blades.

10. The razor cartridge of claim 9 wherein the razor cartridge includes at least one additional inter-blade guard, each additional inter-blade guard being disposed between two (2) blades such that one blade is positioned immediately in front of each additional inter-blade guard, and

wherein each inter-blade guard being separated from each of the other inter-blade guards by at least one blade.

11. The razor cartridge of claim 10 wherein an additional rinse-through gap extends between each of the additional inter-blade guard and the blade immediately aft the same additional inter-blade guard and substantially across the length of the blade immediately aft of the same additional inter-blade guard.

12. The razor cartridge of claim 8 further comprising a cap, the cap being disposed on the frame aft of the two or more blades.

13. The razor cartridge of claim 12 further comprising a blade guard disposed between the cap and the blade immediately forward of the cap, and

wherein a cap rinse-through gap extends between the blade guard and the cap across at least a portion of the length of the frame.

14. The razor cartridge of the claims 13 wherein the cap rinse-through gap extends through the razor cartridge at an angle generally perpendicular to the shave plane.

15. A razor cartridge, comprising:

a housing having a forward edge, a rear edge and an opening between the forward and rear edges; and

at least two blade units, each blade unit comprising:

a metal blade support structure having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being separated by a bend;

a generally planar razor blade having a sharpened cutting edge, the razor blade being mounted to the first portion of the razor blade support;

a blade guard having a skin-engaging surface, the blade guard being affixed to the razor blade such that the skin-engaging surface is generally adjacent to the cutting edge of the razor blade;

wherein the blade of each blade unit completely separates the blade guard from the metal blade support structure such that the blade guard and the metal blade support structure are spaced apart;

wherein the at least one blade unit positioned within the housing opening between the forward edge and the rear edge; and

wherein the two blade units are separated by a rinse thru gap that extends continuously along the entire length of the blade immediately aft of the first inter blade guard, the rinse thru gap extending aft of the entire first blade unit and forward of the entire second blade unit.

16. The razor cartridge of claim 15 , wherein the razor cartridge includes at least three blade units.

17. The razor cartridge of claim 15 , wherein the razor cartridge includes at least four blade units.