Epilator Housing with Through-Opening for Debris Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing epilating devices face challenges in cleaning the tweezer portion, as hairs tend to collect between the tweezers and housing, and can cause skin pinching, especially in sensitive areas where the rotating tweezers may drag skin or nip it.

Innovation Solution

The epilating device features a housing with an opening from the front to the rear side, allowing hair and debris to escape while preventing skin pinching, and includes a spacer bar or removable guard to further reduce skin pinching and facilitate cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the housing completely surrounds the tweezer mechanism, then the device structure is more complete and protective, but hairs collect in the space between tweezers and housing making cleaning difficult and creating unsightly appearance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehousing structure completenessVSAvoidcleaning ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the harmful accumulation space by creating an opening in the housing that allows hairs and debris to escape from the space between the tweezers and housing during rotation, preventing collection and simplifying cleaning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If guards are added around the active part of the tweezer mechanism, then protection is improved for intimate or sensitive regions, but hair retention increases making cleaning more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection for sensitive regionsVSAvoidcleaning ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the need for additional guards by designing the housing opening to serve both protective and cleaning functions, allowing hairs to escape while maintaining appropriate coverage for sensitive regions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the rotating tweezers are used to reach difficult locations, then access to hard-to-reach areas is improved, but skin pinching occurs as the tweezers drag or nip soft or unsupported skin

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to difficult regionsVSAvoidskin pinching
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a spacer bar as an intermediary element between the tweezers and the skin, preventing direct contact and pinching while allowing the tweezers to maintain their rotating motion for effective hair removal in difficult-to-reach areas

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 design ensures easy cleaning, prevents skin pinching, and allows for effective hair removal in hard-to-reach areas with a clean visual appearance.

Implementation Method 1

A tweezer portion having an axis, first and second ends, and at least one pair of tweezer elements is mounted to rotate about the axis during use and defines at least one pinching region at its circumference at which hairs may be pinched

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

A drive mechanism located within the housing is arranged to apply rotational motion to rotate the tweezer portion about the axis

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRotational Motion:

Data Source

PatentEP2895025B1Epilating device having open configuration
Publication Date: 2018.08.08 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
  • EP2895025B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2895025B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2895025B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

An epilating device (1) has a housing (2) defining a handle (4) and first and second shoulder portions (6, 8) forming an open jaw (10). A tweezer portion (12) is mounted in the jaw (10) for rotation about its axis such that an opening (20) is formed through the device (1) from a front side (22) of the housing (2) to a rear side (24) of the housing (2), the opening (20) being bounded by the handle (4), the shoulder portions (6,8) and the tweezer portion (12). A drive mechanism (36) located within the housing (2) is arranged to apply rotational motion to rotate the tweezer portion (12) about the axis. By providing an opening (20) through the housing (2) of the epilator (1) from the front (22) to the rear side (24), collection of hair and debris beneath the tweezer portion (12) is avoided.