Electric Beard Trimmer Cutter System With Asymmetric Protective Teeth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric shavers and trimmers face challenges in achieving a close and thorough cut of longer stubbles while minimizing skin irritations, ensuring efficient hair capture, and maintaining low friction and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A cutter system with asymmetrical comb-like cutting elements featuring two rows of cooperating teeth with differently configured tooth tips, including variations in shape, size, and positioning to provide aggressive and less aggressive cutting actions, and a two-step rounding of tooth tips to prevent skin piercing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the tooth tips are made sharp and protruding to achieve a close and thorough cut, then the cutting efficiency and aggressiveness improve, but skin irritations and nicks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different tooth tip configurations at different locations. The upper comb-like cutting element has tooth tips with rounded and thickened portions that overhang the lower element's tooth tips, preventing skin contact. This localized modification at the tooth tip region resolves the contradiction by maintaining sharp cutting edges while preventing skin piercings through the overhanging rounded structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetry by creating an asymmetric relationship between the upper and lower cutting elements. The upper element's tooth tips are configured with rounded and thickened portions that overhang the lower element, creating an asymmetric protection structure. This asymmetric design allows the upper teeth to protect the skin from the lower teeth while maintaining cutting effectiveness.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the tooth tips are rounded and thickened to prevent skin piercings, then skin comfort improves, but the aggressiveness and closeness of the cut decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the cutting system into two distinct comb-like cutting elements with different functions. The upper element provides skin protection through its rounded and thickened tooth tips, while the lower element provides the actual cutting action with its sharp tooth tips. This segmentation allows each element to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between skin comfort and cutting aggressiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper comb-like cutting element acts as an intermediary between the lower cutting element and the skin. Its rounded and thickened tooth tips that overhang the lower element serve as a protective mediator, preventing direct contact between the sharp lower teeth and the skin, thereby maintaining both skin comfort and cutting effectiveness.
3Device complexity
If a single row of cutting teeth is used to simplify the device, then device complexity reduces, but the ability to provide both aggressive cutting and skin protection decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining two comb-like cutting elements with different functions into a single integrated cutter system. The upper element with rounded tooth tips and the lower element with sharp tooth tips work together as a unified cutting system, providing both skin protection and effective cutting in one device, thereby maintaining simplicity while achieving versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a cutter system for an electric shaver and/or trimmer, comprising a pair of comb-like cutting elements each with at least one row of cutting teeth and movable relative to each other, wherein at least one row of cooperating cutting teeth define a convex or concave skin contact surface when viewed in a cross-sectional plane parallel to a reciprocating direction of the cutting teeth and perpendicular to said skin contact surface.