Coatings for a razor blade

Abstract

A razor blade including: a substrate having a tip portion including a tip region, a blade body including a base, and first and second outer sides disposed opposite a split line of the substrate, in which the first and second outer sides converge at a tip, the first outer side comprises a first coating disposed substantially thereon and extending from the tip region toward the base, and a first portion of the second outer side is substantially free of any coating, the first portion extending from the tip region toward the base or being spaced apart from the tip region and the base. Also provided is a method of coating the razor blade.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A razor blade comprising:
 a substrate having a tip portion comprising a tip region, a blade body comprising a base, and first and second outer sides disposed opposite a split line of said substrate, wherein said first and second outer sides converge at a tip,   wherein said first outer side comprises a first coating disposed substantially thereon, said first coating extending from said tip region toward said base, and   wherein a first portion of said second outer side is substantially free of any coating, wherein said first portion extends from said tip region toward said base or is spaced apart from said tip region and said base.   
     
     
         2 . The razor blade of  claim 1 , wherein a second portion of said second outer side comprises a second coating disposed substantially thereon, said second coating extending substantially from a first location to a second location, wherein said first location is spaced apart from said tip region and said second location is located toward said base. 
     
     
         3 . The razor blade of  claim 1 , wherein said first portion comprises substantially an entirety of said second outer side. 
     
     
         4 . The razor blade of  claim 1 , wherein a second portion of said second outer side comprises a second coating disposed substantially thereon, said second coating comprising a first section extending substantially from a first location to a second location and a second section extending substantially from a third location to a fourth location, wherein said first location comprises said tip region, said second location is spaced apart from said third location, and said first portion of said second outer side that is substantially free of any coating is located between said first and second sections of said second coating. 
     
     
         5 . The razor blade of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said first outer side defines a skin-contacting surface. 
     
     
         6 . The razor blade of  claim 1 , wherein said split line splits said substrate into two substantially equal halves. 
     
     
         7 . The razor blade of  claim 1 , wherein said split line splits said substrate into two asymmetrical halves. 
     
     
         8 . The razor blade of  claim 1 , wherein said first coating comprises a plurality of layers of material. 
     
     
         9 . The razor blade of  claim 8 , wherein said first coating comprises:
 a first layer disposed substantially on said first outer side and extending from said tip region toward said base for a first distance; and   a second layer disposed on top of at least a section of said first layer and extending from said tip region toward said base for a second distance that is the same as or less than said first distance.   
     
     
         10 . The razor blade of  claim 9 , wherein said first layer comprises a first material and said second layer comprises a second material that is different from said first material. 
     
     
         11 . The razor blade of  claim 1 , wherein said first coating comprises a thickness that varies along at least a section of said first coating in a direction extending from said tip region toward said base of said razor blade. 
     
     
         12 . The razor blade of  claim 1 , wherein said first coating comprises an ion-implanted material. 
     
     
         13 . The razor blade of  claim 1 , wherein at least a section of said first coating defines an outer shape that is different from an outer shape of an underlying portion of said substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The razor blade of  claim 1 , a second portion of said second outer side comprises a second coating disposed substantially thereon. 
     
     
         15 . The razor blade of  claim 14 , wherein said first coating comprises one or more first materials and said second coating comprises one or more second materials, at least one of said second materials being different from at least one of said first materials. 
     
     
         16 . The razor blade of  claim 1 , wherein said first outer side comprises one or more first facets and said second outer side comprises one or more second facets. 
     
     
         17 . The razor blade of  claim 16 , wherein said first coating is disposed on at least one of said first facets and said first portion of said second outer side that is substantially free of any coating comprises at least a portion of one of at least one of said second facets. 
     
     
         18 . The razor blade of  claim 16 , wherein said first coating comprises:
 a first section extending substantially from a first location to a second location on said first outer side; and   a second section extending substantially from said second location to a third location on said first outer side, wherein said first location comprises said tip region and said second location comprises a junction between (i) two adjacent ones of said first facets, or (ii) said blade body and one of said first facets.   
     
     
         19 . The razor blade of  claim 18 , wherein said second location comprises said junction between two adjacent ones of said first facets and said third location comprises said junction between said blade body and one of said first facets, said first coating further comprising a third section extending substantially from said third location toward said base. 
     
     
         20 . A method of coating a razor blade comprising a substrate having a tip portion comprising a tip region, a blade body comprising a base, and first and second outer sides disposed opposite a split line of said substrate, wherein said first and second outer sides converge at a tip, the method comprising one of:
 (i) applying a first coating only to a portion of said first outer side, said coating extending from said tip region toward said base and being disposed substantially on said first outer side; or   (ii) applying a first coating to a portion of said first outer side, said first coating extending from said tip region toward said base and being disposed substantially on said first outer side, and applying a second coating to said second outer side such that a first portion of said second outer side is substantially free of any coating and a second portion of said second outer side comprises said second coating, wherein said first portion extends from said tip region toward said base or is spaced apart from said tip region and said base.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said substrate comprises said second coating. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said second coating extends substantially from a first location to a second location, said first location being spaced apart from said tip region and said second location being located toward said base. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said second coating comprises a first section extending substantially from a first location to a second location and a second section extending substantially from a third location to a fourth location, said first location comprising said tip region and said second location being spaced apart from said third location, wherein said first portion of said second outer side that is substantially free of any coating is located between said first and second sections of said second coating. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first coating comprises one or more first materials and said second coating comprises one or more second materials, at least one of said second materials being different from at least one of said first materials. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first and second coatings are applied simultaneously. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first and second coatings are applied sequentially. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first and second coatings are applied using a same technique. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first coating is applied with a first technique and said second coating is applied with a second technique that is different from said first technique. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said first coating is applied such that at least a section of said first coating defines an outer shape that is different from an outer shape of an underlying portion of said substrate. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said first coating is applied such that said first coating comprises a thickness that varies along at least a section of said first coating in a direction extending from said tip region toward said base of said razor blade. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein applying said first coating further comprises applying a plurality of layers of material. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein applying said plurality of layers of material comprises:
 applying a first layer to said portion of said first outer side, said first layer extending from said tip region toward said base for a first distance; and   applying a second layer on top of at least a section of said first layer, said second layer extending from said tip region toward said base for a second distance that is the same as or less than said first distance.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said first layer comprises a first material and said second layer comprises a second material that is different from said first material. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said first outer side of said substrate comprises one or more first facets and said second outer side comprises one or more second facets. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said first coating is disposed on at least one of said first facets and said first portion of said second outer side that is substantially free of any coating comprises at least a portion of one of at least one of said second facets. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said first coating is applied such that said first coating comprises:
 a first section extending substantially from a first location to a second location on said first outer side; and   a second section extending substantially from said second location to a third location on said first outer side, wherein said first location comprises said tip region and said second location comprises a junction between (i) two adjacent ones of said first facets, or (ii) said blade body and one of said first facets.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said second location comprises said junction between two adjacent ones of said first facets and the third location comprises said junction between said blade body and one of said first facets, said first coating being applied such that said first coating further comprises:
 a third section extending substantially from said third location toward said base.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 performing one or more post-application treatments on at least one section of said first coating.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said one or more post-application treatments comprise one or more of:
 subjecting at least one section of said first coating to ion implantation; or   partially removing one or more sections of said first coating.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said one or more post-application treatments further comprise selectively applying material to said first coating following partial removal of said one or more sections of said first coating. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein at least a portion of said first outer side with said material defines a skin-contacting surface. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said substrate comprises said second coating, the method further comprising:
 performing one or more post-application treatments on at least one section of said second coating.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said one or more post-application treatments comprise partially removing one or more sections of said second coating.