Constricting Hair Cap with Breathable Microfiber and Drawstring Closure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional absorbent towels cause tangling and heat trapping issues, especially for curly or wavy hair, leading to frizz and difficulty in styling, and often fall off during the drying process.

Innovation Solution

A constricting hair cap with a cone-shaped body made of breathable microfiber material, featuring a resilient band and drawstrings that constrict evenly without twisting, preventing tangling and heat trapping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a twisting motion is applied to squeeze water from hair using a towel, then water absorption is improved, but textured hair becomes extremely tangled and damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater absorptionVSAvoidhair tangling and damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of twisting the towel around the hair (conventional method), the patent inverts the approach by placing the towel in a pouch that envelops the hair and then twisting the pouch itself. This reversal allows the twisting force to be applied to the towel structure rather than directly to the hair, achieving water extraction without hair tangling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a pouch as an intermediary element between the user's hands and the hair. The pouch acts as a mediator that contains the hair and towel together, allowing the twisting and squeezing actions to be applied to the pouch rather than directly to the hair, thereby preventing mechanical damage and tangling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If an absorbent towel is used to dry hair, then water absorption is improved, but heat is trapped inside causing frizz and styling difficulty

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater absorptionVSAvoidheat trapping

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a pouch constructed from a flexible, breathable fabric that allows heat to escape while containing the absorbent towel. This flexible shell structure provides a balance between moisture retention for absorption and thermal ventilation to prevent heat trapping, thereby eliminating the frizz caused by overheated hair

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Quantity of substance

If a towel is wrapped around the head for drying, then water absorption is improved, but the towel becomes separated and falls off during use

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater absorptionVSAvoidposition stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the towel and the securing mechanism into a single integrated pouch structure. The pouch is designed with an elastic band or drawstring closure that is part of the same continuous fabric structure as the towel material, ensuring that the drying element and the securing element work together as one unified device that cannot become separated

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Quantity of substance

If a towel is used to dry hair, then water absorption is improved, but the drying process takes several minutes requiring hands-free operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater absorptionVSAvoiddrying time

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the pouch with self-tightening features where the elastic band or drawstring mechanism automatically secures the pouch to the user's head without requiring continuous manual adjustment. The structure is engineered to maintain its own position and tension throughout the drying process, allowing the user to perform other tasks while the pouch continuously absorbs moisture from the hair

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The cap effectively dries hair without tangling or frizzing, maintaining even pressure and securing to the head, allowing hands-free movement during the drying process.

Implementation Method 1

the main body is constructed from an absorbent, malleable and breathable microfiber material that functions to absorb water from a user's hair without trapping heat inside the device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

A resilient band can be positioned along the bottom end to permit securement to the head of a user

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS10945505B2Constricting hair cap

Publication Date: 2021.03.16 CELEVATORON DEVIN ANN

AI summary

A constricting hair cap includes an elongated, generally cone-shaped body having a crown section, a middle section and an open bottom end. An elastomeric band is positioned along the bottom end, and a plurality of drawstrings extend upward from the bottom end through an aperture located on the crown section. Each of the drawstrings are positioned within a channel that is located inside the main body and are connected to a cord stop that is positioned adjacent to the aperture along the outside of the main body. Each of the drawstrings are positioned evenly along the main body and function to transition the main body between an extended position and a constricted position upon receiving a pulling force.