Hair Styling Comb With Movable Inner Protrusions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing comb attachments for hair care appliances require users to manually apply tension to hair, making it difficult to style effectively, especially for varying hair types, and often necessitates using both hands.
Innovation Solution
A comb attachment with a housing that includes first and second rows of outer protrusions and a row of inner protrusions, where the inner protrusions can move from a retracted to an extended position, increasing tension on the hair by forcing it to follow a C- or U-shaped path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a user manually pulls hair to apply tension for styling, then the styling effect is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates as it requires using both hands
Solution Approach 1:
The comb attachment automatically applies tension to the hair through its tooth structure as it is moved through the hair. The teeth naturally grip and pull the hair during the combing motion, eliminating the need for the user to manually pull and tension the hair with their other hand. The device performs the tensioning function itself during the normal styling operation.
2Device complexity
If traditional comb attachments are used, then the device complexity is low, but the productivity deteriorates as it takes several passes to achieve desired results
Solution Approach 1:
The comb attachment is divided into multiple tooth elements of varying lengths and spacing. This segmentation creates different gripping zones along the comb, allowing simultaneous action on multiple sections of hair during a single pass. The varied tooth configuration enables more effective tension distribution across different hair types and sections, reducing the number of passes needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the comb have different tooth characteristics optimized for specific functions. The comb includes shorter teeth for gripping and tensioning, longer teeth for smoothing, and varying spacing to accommodate different hair densities. This local differentiation of tooth properties allows the single comb pass to perform multiple styling functions simultaneously, improving productivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If comb teeth are spaced to accommodate various hair types, then the adaptability is improved, but the tension application effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The comb teeth are segmented into different length categories and spacing patterns. This segmentation allows the comb to accommodate various hair types while maintaining effective tension application through the coordinated action of teeth with different dimensions. The varied tooth configuration ensures that at least some teeth can effectively grip and tension hair regardless of its thickness or curl pattern.
Solution Approach 2:
The comb teeth are designed to flex and move dynamically as they penetrate and pull through hair of different textures. The teeth have appropriate flexibility to adapt to curly, straight, thick, or thin hair while maintaining sufficient rigidity to apply tension. This dynamic behavior allows the same comb structure to effectively tension various hair types without compromising tension application effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
A comb for mounting to a hair-care appliance configured to supply a heated airflow. The comb includes a housing defining an inlet for receiving an airflow from the appliance when mounted thereto and an outlet fluidly connected to the inlet for discharging the airflow. The comb further includes first and second tooth structures mounted to the housing, each tooth structure comprising a row of teeth extending longitudinally across the outlet. The comb also includes a trigger operatively connected to the first or second tooth structure and configured such that depressing the trigger provides relative longitudinal movement between the teeth of the first tooth structure and the teeth of the second tooth structure from a retracted position for receiving a tress of hair between teeth of the first and second tooth structures to an extended position for clamping the tress of hair between teeth of the tooth structures.