Foldable Cosmetic Applicator Core with Flexible Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cosmetic applicators with large core diameters require separate wipers and containers with adapted neck diameters, leading to increased production costs and limited independence from container dimensions, as injection-molded bristles are prone to damage when passing through narrow necks.
Innovation Solution
A cosmetic applicator with a core composed of a slotted tube or rod-shaped central body, featuring arms with bristles that are flexible and can collapse to reduce the cross-sectional area when passing through the container neck, allowing for a larger core diameter without needing a new container or wiper, and returning to original shape after passage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the core diameter of the applicator is increased, then the application surface area is improved, but the wiper and bottle neck diameter must also be increased leading to higher production costs
Solution Approach 1:
The core is designed with flexible arms that can dynamically change their configuration. During insertion, the arms are compressed into a compact state to fit through standard bottle necks. During use, the arms extend outward to provide a large application surface area, thus resolving the contradiction between large application area and standard container dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible arms are designed to nest within the central body of the core during storage and insertion. The arms can be collapsed inward to fit within the diameter constraints of standard bottle necks, while still providing extended functionality when deployed during application
2Quantity of substance
If the core diameter is increased to support more bristles, then the cosmetic application capability is improved, but the bristles are at risk of damage when passing through narrow necks
Solution Approach 1:
The arms supporting the bristles are made flexible rather than rigid. This allows the entire bristle assembly to dynamically compress during insertion through narrow necks, preventing bristle damage. During application, the arms extend to provide adequate bristle exposure for effective cosmetic application
Solution Approach 2:
The arms are constructed from flexible material that allows bending and compression. This flexibility enables the bristle-bearing arms to deform elastically during insertion and extraction, protecting the bristles from mechanical damage while maintaining structural integrity
3Adaptability or versatility
If a separate wiper and container are produced for each core diameter, then the applicator performance is optimized, but the production and storage costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible core design allows a single applicator model to work with multiple container types and sizes. The arms can be compressed to fit through various bottle neck diameters, making the applicator universally compatible with existing container systems while maintaining optimized performance through proper bristle configuration
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
Enables the production of applicators with enlarged diameters without the need for new container and wiper designs, ensuring the bristles are not damaged during use, while maintaining conventional applicator shape and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
the core is flexible at least in some regions so that during the passage through the wiper and/or the neck of the cosmetic container associated with the cosmetic applicator, the cross-sectional area occupied by the core automatically decreases under the influence of the forces that the wiper and/or the bottle neck of the cosmetic container exerts on the core
Data Source
AI summary
A cosmetic applicator having a core that supports the application elements in the form of bristles and/or comb tines; the core has a central body that is itself equipped with a plurality of bristles and/or comb tines protruding out directly from it; the core is also composed of at least one arm that protrudes out from the central body and is itself equipped with a plurality of bristles and/or comb tines and is mobile relative to the central body.