Comb Applicator With Variable Gap Widths For Agent Containment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing application devices for fibrous materials, such as hair and fur, face challenges in ensuring efficient and reliable manual application of active agents, particularly in maintaining the agent within the applicator and preventing undesired escape or stripping from the material.

Innovation Solution

The device features comb-like applicators with uniformly sized gaps between teeth, where the top gaps are narrower than the bottom, and a design that ensures the active agent is pressed against the material effectively, using a mobile roller and angled surfaces to prevent leakage and enhance wetting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the gaps between teeth are made uniform in width, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the active agent may escape from the applicator in undesired manner

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidapplication tightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The gap widths are differentiated between upper and lower walls: upper gaps are narrower to prevent active agent escape, while lower gaps are wider to facilitate material introduction. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each region's gap width for its specific function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the gaps are made narrower to prevent active agent escape, then application tightness is improved, but the material introduction becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication tightnessVSAvoidmaterial introduction
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The lower gaps are designed with larger width to facilitate easy material introduction, while upper gaps maintain narrower width for preventing active agent escape. This spatial differentiation of gap dimensions simultaneously satisfies both requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If the top wall is positioned above the cavity and bottom wall below the cavity, then the applicator structure is stabilized, but the active agent may escape upwards

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplicator structure stabilityVSAvoidactive agent containment
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The narrower upper gaps compensate for the top wall position above the cavity by providing additional containment, while the wider lower gaps accommodate the bottom wall position below the cavity for stable material introduction. This localized dimensional adjustment maintains both stability and containment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2717737B1Application device and method
Publication Date: 2019.08.28 WAGNER ANKE
  • EP2717737B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2717737B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP2717737B1 patent drawingFigure 7~8

AI summary

The invention relates to an application device for applying an active agent to material, having a housing, having a storage volume, which is arranged in the housing and is intended for storing the active agent, and having an applicator by means of which the active agent located in an application volume is applied to the material. In order to make reliable and straightforward application possible, it is proposed that the applicator has an application volume, a number of hollow teeth, which are arranged in a comb-like manner and have an upper wall and a lower wall, between which at least part of the application volume is arranged, and also has gaps, which are located between the teeth and are intended for introducing the material into the application volume.