Composite Artificial Hair with Polyamide Core and Polyester Sheath

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Solution Overview

Problem

Artificial hair used in wigs often lacks the natural feel and behavior of human hair, particularly in terms of moisture absorbency, tensile strength, elasticity, and bending rigidity, leading to issues like bundling and unnatural appearance under different humidity conditions.

Innovation Solution

The development of artificial hair with a cross-sectional size of 50 to 100 µm and a double structure of polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate, combined with a sheath/core structure of polyamide resins, which adjusts bending rigidity and moisture absorbency to match natural hair, and the formation of fine pores on the surface to reduce gloss and enhance tactile similarity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If polyester fibers are used for artificial hair, then strength and heat stability are improved, but moisture absorbency becomes extremely low and bending rigidity becomes too high, resulting in unnatural feel and bundling under high humidity

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestrengthVSAvoidmoisture absorbency
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite structure with a polyamide resin core (providing moisture absorbency and flexibility) and a polyester resin sheath (providing strength and heat stability). This composite approach allows the artificial hair to simultaneously achieve the strength of polyester fibers while maintaining the moisture absorbency and bending flexibility of polyamide fibers, preventing bundling and achieving natural behavior under high humidity conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If polyamide fibers are used for artificial hair, then appearance and physical properties similar to natural hair are achieved, but bending rigidity becomes too low, resulting in poor standing up when attached to wig base

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveappearance similarityVSAvoidbending rigidity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a composite structure where the polyamide resin core maintains moisture absorbency and natural appearance characteristics, while the polyester resin sheath provides enhanced bending rigidity and strength. This allows the artificial hair to stand up properly when attached to a wig base while retaining the appearance and moisture behavior similar to natural hair.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Shape

If artificial hair has high bending rigidity, then standing up is improved, but tactile feeling becomes rough and adaptability to wearer's own hair is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestanding upVSAvoidtactile feeling
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The composite structure with polyamide core and polyester sheath creates a balanced bending rigidity that allows the artificial hair to stand up properly while maintaining smooth tactile feeling. The polyamide core provides flexibility and softness similar to natural hair, while the polyester sheath provides sufficient rigidity for proper positioning, achieving both good standing up and comfortable tactile sensation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Stability of the object's composition

If polyester fibers are used, then shape preservation is improved, but the artificial hair does not show natural behavior that physical properties change with humidity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshape preservationVSAvoidhumidity responsiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The composite structure combines polyester resin (providing shape preservation and heat stability) with polyamide resin (providing moisture absorbency and humidity responsiveness). The polyamide core absorbs moisture from the environment, causing the artificial hair to expand and soften in high humidity conditions similar to natural hair, while the polyester sheath maintains overall shape integrity and prevents excessive deformation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP1980166B1Artificial hair, wig having artificial hair and method of producing artificial hair
Publication Date: 2017.11.08 ADERANS CO LTD
  • EP1980166B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1980166B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP1980166B1 patent drawingFigure 4(A)~4(B)

AI summary

An artificial hair bundle (10) is made up by mixing a first artificial hair made of a polyester resin (1, 2) and a second artificial hair made of a polyamide resin (5, 6), and the first artificial hair (1, 2) is made of polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate, having a cross-sectional size and bending rigidity similar to those of natural hair, wherein the bending rigidity is in the range of about 6.5 to 7.8 X 10-3gf· cm2/strand at humidity 40 %, and the first artificial hair (1, 2) suppresses bundling of the second artificial hair (5, 6), and the first and the second artificial hairs (1, 2, 5, 6) behave similarly to natural hair.