Cosmetic Blender With Segmented Porous Layers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cosmetic blenders made of open-cell foam are inefficient in terms of material usage, hygiene, and speed of cleaning and drying, as they absorb excessive makeup, are prone to bacterial growth, and lack variability in density and rebound characteristics for different skin areas.
Innovation Solution
A cosmetic applicator with a resilient body featuring a patterned surface comprising two distinct porous layers, one for makeup pickup and another for tamping, along with actuators and sensors for controlled force adjustment and communication with remote devices for optimal use, and a fluid-impermeable core for rapid cleaning and drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If open-cell foam is used for makeup absorption, then cosmetic material pickup is improved, but excessive impregnation occurs causing waste and cleaning difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The blender is divided into two distinct layers: a top layer with larger pores for makeup pickup and a bottom layer with smaller pores for controlled release. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function optimally, preventing excessive absorption while ensuring adequate makeup transfer to the skin.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the blender have different pore sizes tailored to their specific functions. The top surface has larger pores for efficient makeup pickup, while the interior and bottom layers have smaller pores for controlled release and reduced absorption, creating local quality variations that solve the contradiction.
2Quantity of substance
If small pore size foam is used to hold water for moisturization, then moisture retention is improved, but cleaning time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The water-holding function is segmented to only the bottom layer with small pores, while the top layer maintains larger pores for quick drying. This allows the blender to retain sufficient moisture for moisturization without requiring the entire structure to dry slowly during cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom layer is designed with small pores specifically for water retention and moisturization, while the top layer has larger pores that facilitate quick evaporation and drying. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between moisture retention and cleaning speed.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform density foam is used throughout the blender, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but different skin areas cannot receive optimized blending force
Solution Approach 1:
The blender incorporates regions of different foam densities: softer foam for sensitive areas like around the eyes and firmer foam for more robust areas. This local quality variation allows the single blender to adapt to different skin areas and requirements without complicating the overall manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The blender uses composite foam structures with varying densities and pore sizes in different layers and regions. This composite approach enables the blender to provide optimized blending characteristics for different skin areas while maintaining a relatively simple single-piece construction method.
4Ease of operation
If open-cell structure is used for makeup pickup, then cosmetic application effectiveness is improved, but bacterial growth risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The top layer maintains an open-cell structure for effective makeup pickup and application, while the bottom layer uses a closed-cell or less porous structure that resists bacterial penetration and growth. This local quality differentiation allows the blender to remain effective while reducing hygiene risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The blender structure is segmented into a makeup-contacting open-cell layer and a protective closed-cell layer. This segmentation isolates the bacterial growth risk to the interior while maintaining application effectiveness at the surface, and facilitates easier cleaning of the exterior surface.
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 solution enables efficient, hygienic, and rapid makeup application with controlled moisture, reduced waste, and adjustable force characteristics, while preventing bacterial growth and allowing for precise blending and tamping of cosmetic materials.
Implementation Method 1
cosmetic materials, such as contour makeup 60 (FIG. 3), are picked up by open cells of the blender surface
Implementation Method 2
the uniformity of the resilient open cell foam material and the slow rebound of such memory foam from a compressed or tensioned state to its repose memory shape
Data Source
AI summary
Cosmetic blenders and applicators, and more particularly to a soft, resilient blender system that includes an open-cell memory foam surface portion that is easily cleanable or optionally disposable in combination with a resilient core and a fluid impermeable boundary between the surface portion and the resilient core. Further, variations of the blender provide a patterned surface structures for makeup pickup and release together tamping features and user-controlled variable stiffness surface tamping features.