Dedicated Attachment Systems for Consumer Products
Consumer products, e.g., shaving systems and toothbrushes, are disclosed which have a replaceable portion, e.g., a shaving assembly or a toothbrush head, that is removably mounted on a handle. The consumer products described herein include keyed structures on the handle and replaceable portion, the relative placement of which creates a unique interaction between the two parts. This unique interaction may, for example, be used to provide a dedicated attachment system for each specific customer of the manufacturer of the consumer product.
1 . A shaving system comprising:
a handle having a distal end and a proximal end, and
a shaving assembly configured to removably interface with the handle,
wherein the distal end of the handle includes a keyed structure and the shaving assembly includes a complementary keyed structure.
2 . The shaving system of claim 1 wherein the shaving assembly can interact with the handle in only a single predetermined orientation.
3 . The shaving system of claim 1 wherein the complementary keyed structures comprise male and female structures.
4 . The shaving system of claim 1 wherein the keyed structures comprise ribs and channels.
5 . The shaving system of claim 1 wherein the handle includes a protrusion and the shaving assembly includes a cavity configured to receive the protrusion, and the keyed structures are provided on the protrusion and within the cavity.
6 . The shaving system of claim 5 wherein the complementary keyed structures comprise one or more channels or bores disposed on the protrusion and/or in the cavity, and one or more complementary ribs or pins disposed on the protrusion and/or in the cavity and configured to be received in the channels or bores.
7 . The shaving system of claim 1 wherein the shaving assembly includes a protrusion and the handle includes a cavity configured to receive the protrusion, and the keyed structures are provided on the protrusion and within the cavity.
8 . The shaving system of claim 7 wherein the complementary keyed structures comprise one or more channels or bores disposed on the protrusion and/or in the cavity, and one or more complementary ribs or pins disposed on the protrusion and/or in the cavity and configured to be received in the channels or bores.
9 . The shaving system of claim 1 , wherein the complementary keyed structures include a mix of male and female structures on each of the distal end of the handle and the shaving assembly.
10 . A method for providing two or more shaving systems, each shaving system having a unique cartridge attachment, the method comprising:
providing a first shaving system comprising:
a handle having a distal end and a proximal end, and
a shaving assembly configured to removably interface with the handle,
wherein the distal end of the handle includes a keyed structure and the shaving assembly includes a complementary keyed structure, the keyed structures having a first configuration; and
providing a second shaving system comprising:
a handle having a distal end and a proximal end, and
a shaving assembly configured to removably interface with the handle,
wherein the distal end of the handle includes a keyed structure and the shaving assembly includes a complementary keyed structure, the keyed structures having a second configuration different from the first configuration, such that the shaving assembly of the first shaving system cannot be attached to the handle of the second shaving system.
11 . The method according to claim 10 wherein the complementary keyed structures comprise male and female structures.
12 . The method of claim 10 wherein the keyed structures comprise ribs and channels.
13 . The method of claim 10 wherein in each of the shaving systems the handle includes a protrusion and the shaving assembly includes a cavity configured to receive the protrusion and the keyed structures are provided on the protrusion and within the cavity.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the complementary keyed structures comprise one or more channels or bores disposed on the protrusion, and one or more complementary ribs or pins disposed in the cavity and configured to be received in the channels or bores.
15 . The method of claim 10 wherein the shaving assembly includes a protrusion and the handle includes a cavity configured to receive the protrusion and the keyed structures are provided on the protrusion and within the cavity.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein complementary keyed structures comprise one or more channels or bores disposed on the protrusion, and one or more complementary ribs or pins disposed in the cavity and configured to be received in the channels or bores.
17 . A method of removably attaching a shaving assembly to a handle, the method comprising:
providing a handle having a distal end and a proximal end,
the handle having a keyed structure at its distal end, and
mounting on the handle a shaving assembly configured to removably interface with the handle,
the shaving assembly having a keyed structure that is complementary with that of the handle.
18 . A method of shaving comprising contacting the skin with the shaving assembly of a shaving system, the shaving system comprising a handle having a distal end and a proximal end, and a shaving assembly configured to removably interface with the handle, wherein the distal end of the handle includes a keyed structure and the shaving assembly includes a complementary keyed structure.