Flexible Tine Grooming Tool for Adaptable Coat Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal grooming devices lack variability in grooming force and flexibility, requiring multiple tools for different coat types and struggling to groom undercoats without damaging overcoats.
Innovation Solution
A grooming device with flexible tines and interchangeable grooming elements, featuring varying lengths, shapes, and orientations, allowing for customizable grooming actions and easy replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a standard brush or comb with uniform teeth or bristles is used, then the device structure is simple, but the grooming force variability is limited and cannot adapt to different coat types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the tines flexible rather than rigid, allowing them to bend and adapt to different coat densities and lengths. The tines can dynamically adjust their configuration during grooming, with some tines bending more than others based on the resistance encountered, enabling the same device to effectively groom various coat types from short to long and from dense to sparse
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the grooming device into multiple independent flexible tines instead of a single rigid structure. Each tine acts independently and can be selectively removed or replaced, allowing the user to customize the grooming tool by selecting specific tines for specific grooming tasks, thereby achieving versatility without requiring entirely different devices for each coat type
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple different brushes and combs are used to address varying animal hair types, then the adaptability to different coat types is improved, but the number of grooming utensils required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal grooming device where a single handle can accommodate multiple different types of tines that can be interchanged as needed. The handle is designed with a universal retention mechanism that can hold various tine configurations, allowing one device to perform the functions of multiple specialized brushes and combs by simply swapping tines based on the specific grooming task
3Adaptability or versatility
If uniform stiffness teeth or bristles are used, then the manufacturing is simple, but the capability to penetrate overcoat without damaging it while grooming undercoat is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different tines to have different stiffness characteristics, lengths, and spacing configurations. Each tine can be optimized for specific grooming needs - some tines can be stiffer for penetrating dense overcoats while others can be more flexible for grooming delicate undercoats, all within a single device system
Data Source
AI summary
A grooming device includes a plurality of flexible tines, each having a grooming element mounted to the distal end thereof. The tines are spaced from one another laterally and spaced at different elevations as viewed from the side. The tines may be of uniform shape and lengths or different shapes and lengths. The grooming elements can be integrally molded with the tines or the tines may be blades that are made from a different material. The blades may be permanently secured to the tines or can be removable for replacement by a user. The blades may have a planar body with a contact edge. The proximal ends of the tines are secured to a handle which is grasped by the user. The tines can be curved in shape or can be hooked shaped.