Electric Beard Trimmer Cutter with Zoned Perforations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric shavers and trimmers face challenges in simultaneously achieving close and thorough hair cutting, efficient energy use, low friction, and reduced skin irritation, particularly when combining shear foil-like perforations and comb-like cutting teeth, leading to high energy consumption and discomfort.
Innovation Solution
The cutter system features restricted cutting perforations only in areas following comb-like teeth, with an unperforated center section, and uses flexible or rigid support ribs to maintain precise positioning of cutting elements, reducing friction and heat generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cutting perforations are provided across the entire skin contact surface including the center section, then short hair cutting capability is improved, but friction between cutting elements increases leading to high energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing cutting perforations only in specific zones (front and rear sections) rather than uniformly across the entire skin contact surface. The center section is deliberately left unperforated, creating different functional zones: the perforated front section for efficient short hair cutting, the unperforated center section for reduced friction, and the perforated rear section for completing the cutting action. This spatial differentiation resolves the contradiction between maintaining short hair cutting capability and reducing energy consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If comb-like cutting teeth and shear foil-like perforations are combined in the same cutting elements, then both long and short hair cutting functionality is achieved, but friction and heat generation increase causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines comb-like cutting teeth and shear foil-like perforations in the same cutting elements but applies them in different spatial zones. The comb-like teeth are positioned at the edges for long hair cutting, while shear foil-like perforations are located in the front and rear sections for short hair cutting. The unperforated center section reduces overall friction and heat generation, thereby minimizing skin irritation while maintaining versatile cutting functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting element is segmented into distinct functional zones: edge regions with comb-like teeth, front and rear sections with perforations, and a central unperforated section. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally while reducing the cumulative friction and heat that would result from uniform perforation across the entire surface.
3Use of energy by moving object
If cutting perforations are restricted only to areas following comb-like teeth with an unperforated center section, then friction and energy consumption are reduced, but short hair cutting thoroughness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The comb-like cutting teeth positioned at the edges perform a preliminary action by catching and guiding longer hairs into the cutting path before they reach the perforated sections. This preliminary action ensures that hairs are properly positioned and oriented, allowing the subsequent perforated sections to efficiently cut short hairs without requiring the entire surface to be perforated, thus maintaining thoroughness while reducing friction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuity of useful action by arranging perforated sections at both the front and rear of the unperforated center section. This configuration ensures that hairs are cut at multiple stages along their path through the cutter system, with the front perforations initiating the cut and the rear perforations completing it, thereby maintaining cutting thoroughness despite the reduced total perforated area.
Data Source
AI summary
A cutter system is for an electric shaver and trimmer, comprising a pair of cooperating cutting elements with two rows of comb-like cutting teeth at opposite edges thereof and cutting perforations between said rows of comb-like cutting teeth, wherein said cutting elements are movably supported relative to each other by a support structure. The cutting perforations are arranged in two separated elongated fields of perforations which are separated from each other by an elongated unperforated center section of an outer one of said cutting elements defining a skin contact surface, and each of at least two rows of perforations extends along the rows of comb-like cutting teeth.