US 12,257,116 B2
Method for making a handle for an electrically operated personal care implement
Uwe Jungnickel, Königstein (DE); Martin Brust, Aachen (DE); Marcel Denis Knorr, Frankfurt am Main (DE); Andreas Reuschenbach, Bad Soden (DE); and Markus Morgott, Eschborn (DE)
Assigned to The Gillette Company LLC, Boston, MA (US)
Filed by The Gillette Company LLC, Boston, MA (US)
Filed on Jan. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/155,167.
Claims priority of application No. 20153084 (EP), filed on Jan. 22, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0220101 A1, Jul. 22, 2021
Int. Cl. B29C 45/47 (2006.01); A61C 17/22 (2006.01); B29C 45/14 (2006.01); B29C 45/16 (2006.01); B29C 45/60 (2006.01); B29C 45/62 (2006.01); B29C 45/74 (2006.01); B29C 45/76 (2006.01); B29C 65/00 (2006.01); B29C 65/48 (2006.01); B29L 31/42 (2006.01)
CPC A61C 17/225 (2013.01) [B29C 45/1676 (2013.01); B29C 45/14336 (2013.01); B29C 65/48 (2013.01); B29C 66/02245 (2013.01); B29C 66/028 (2013.01); B29C 66/742 (2013.01); B29L 2031/425 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manufacturing a handle (12) for an electrically operated personal care implement (10), the method comprising the following steps:
providing a metal tube housing (18), the housing (18) having a metal wall (26) with an opening (28) and an inner surface (30), the inner surface (30) defining an inner cavity (32) for accommodating an energy source,
providing a hard switch component (20) comprising a frame (34) with a recess (36),
attaching the frame (34) of the hard switch component (20) to the inner surface (30) of the metal wall (26), the frame (34) surrounding the opening (28) and providing an undercut (38) between the recess (36) and the inner surface (30), the undercut (38) being open towards the opening (28),
at least partially over-molding the opening (28) to form a soft switch component (22), the soft switch component (22) being accommodated in the undercut (38) thereby forming with the hard switch component (20) a switch assembly (24) for activating the energy source, the switch assembly (24) sealing the opening (28) from the inner surface (30) of the metal wall (26).