Razor Blade Technology
An inter-blade guard of a suitably ductile material for a razor cartridge is provided with an elongated weakened region. The weakened region is provided after the inter-blade guard is attached to a surface of a razor blade. The weakened region is provided by the application of laser energy that forms a groove along a side of the inter-blade guard. The root region of the groove undergoes intergranular carbide precipitation to locally embrittle the intergranular boundary regions in the groove root region of the otherwise ductile material.
1 . A method of manufacturing an inter-blade guard for a razor cartridge, comprising the steps of:
a) providing a razor blade having an upper surface;
b) attaching an at least partially formed inter-blade guard to the upper surface, the inter-blade guard having an attachment portion and a removable portion;
c) weakening the inter-blade guard in a region of the inter-blade guard between the attachment portion and the removable portion, wherein this step is performed after the inter-blade guard is attached to the upper surface; and
d) removing the removable portion of the inter-blade guard.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inter-blade guard comprises austenitic stainless steel.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of weakening the inter-blade guard is performed by providing an elongated groove in an upper surface of the inter-blade guard in the region of the inter-blade guard between the attachment portion and the removable portion.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the groove has a depth up to two thirds of a thickness of the inter-blade guard.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the groove is formed by an application of laser energy.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein a root region of the groove undergoes intergranular carbide precipitation.
7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the austenitic stainless steel has an elongation at break greater than 10%.
8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the austenitic stainless steel has an elongation at break greater than 20%.
9 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the laser energy is focused at the upper surface of the inter-blade guard.
10 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the laser energy is focused below the surface of the inter-blade guard.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the laser energy is focused up to 0.05 mm below the surface of the inter-blade guard.