Hair Care Device With Flexible Alternating Bristles for Wet-Hair Detangling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional hairbrushes and combs with stiff bristles fail to effectively untangle wet hair, often leading to knots and hair breakage, and are inefficient in applying hair treatment materials uniformly.

Innovation Solution

A hair care device with flexible, alternating short and long plastic bristles, designed to conform to the head's shape, which allows for gentle detangling and even distribution of treatment materials by ensuring the bristles flex at different points, reducing stress on hair.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If stiff bristles are used to untangle hair, then the brush structure is simple and strong, but it causes knots and hair breakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebristle strengthVSAvoidhair integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical parameter of bristle stiffness to flexible, and modifies the length parameter by creating alternating short and long bristles. This allows the brush to gently detangle hair without causing breakage, while maintaining structural integrity through the flexible material property

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The brush surface is segmented into alternating patterns of short and long bristles. This segmentation allows different bristle lengths to perform different functions - shorter bristles for surface-level detangling and longer bristles for deeper penetration, reducing overall hair stress

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If conventional brushes are used on wet hair, then the brush structure is simple, but it fails to effectively untangle and causes knots

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebrush structureVSAvoiddetangling effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the flexibility parameter of the bristles to be suitable for wet hair conditions. The flexible bristles can adapt to the increased hair fragility when wet, providing effective detangling without requiring complex device structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the brush have different bristle lengths (short and long alternating patterns), creating local quality variations that enhance detangling effectiveness for wet hair while maintaining overall structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If uniform bristle length is used, then the brush is easy to manufacture, but it cannot provide varied flexing points for effective detangling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebristle manufacturingVSAvoiddetangling performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The brush is segmented into alternating short and long bristles arranged in a systematic pattern. This segmentation provides varied flexing points for effective detangling while maintaining ease of manufacture through regular alternating patterns that can be efficiently produced

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The brush combines two types of bristles (short and long) in a composite arrangement. This composite structure provides the benefits of both bristle lengths for enhanced detangling performance while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through systematic alternation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Productivity

If treatment materials are applied to hair, then hair treatment is achieved, but conventional methods are inefficient and do not ensure uniform application

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment application speedVSAvoidmaterial distribution uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The alternating short and long bristle pattern creates local quality variations that facilitate different aspects of treatment application - shorter bristles for surface coverage and longer bristles for deeper penetration, ensuring uniform distribution while maintaining quick application

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 device efficiently untangles wet hair without breakage and ensures uniform application of hair treatments, reducing the risk of re-tangles and ensuring complete coverage within the manufacturer's time frame.

Implementation Method 1

The plastics material chosen for the bristles must be such that the bristles are resilient and after flexing in use return to their (unflexed) rest position

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS12414623B2Hair care device

Publication Date: 2025.09.16 TANGLE TEEZER LIMITED

AI summary

A hair care device for use in untangling hair includes a body portion and a plurality of substantially parallel flexible bristles made of soft plastics material and projecting from the body portion. The bristles are arranged such that over at least a part of the area of bristles, some of the bristles are of shorter length. The bristles and the shorter length bristles are interspersed over the at least part of the area of bristles.