Hair Clip With Guide Loop And Pivot Finger

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional hair clips fail to securely hold hair in a gathered or bundled form and tend to fall off during head movement due to inadequate elastic force and design limitations.

Innovation Solution

A hair clip design featuring a pivot connection between upper and lower clip pieces with a coil spring, a finger for holding hair in a bundled state, and a guide loop to prevent hair from entering the joint portion, enhancing the hair clipping force and stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If the clip pieces are made long and narrow to form a lever, then the hair can be clipped near the connecting pin area, but the elastic force deteriorates in the area away from the connecting pin

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclip piece lengthVSAvoidelastic force
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The upper clip piece is divided into two functional parts: the main clip piece for leverage and a separate finger extension for additional hair engagement. This segmentation allows the long clip piece to maintain leverage while the finger provides localized gripping force at the distal end, compensating for the deteriorated elastic force in that region.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The finger acts as an intermediary element between the upper clip piece and the hair. It is connected to the upper clip piece through a pivot connection, allowing it to independently engage and hold hair in bundled form, thereby compensating for insufficient elastic force at the distal end of the long clip piece.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Length of moving object

If the clip pieces are long and narrow, then they can form a lever mechanism, but they cannot clip hair in a gathered or bundled form

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclip piece lengthVSAvoidhair holding capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The upper clip piece is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides the lever mechanism for mechanical advantage while simultaneously supporting a finger extension that can hold hair in bundled or gathered forms. This multi-functionality allows a single component to address both the leverage requirement and the versatile hair holding requirement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The finger is connected to the upper clip piece through a pivot connection, adding a rotational degree of freedom. This allows the finger to move independently and adapt to different hair configurations (gathered or bundled), enabling the clip to handle various hair styles beyond what a simple long clip piece could achieve.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If the conventional hair clip design is used, then it is simple in structure, but the hair clip falls off easily during head movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclip structureVSAvoidholding stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The finger is connected through a pivot connection rather than being rigidly fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and angle. This dynamic capability enables the finger to adapt to head movements and maintain secure hair holding, improving reliability without significantly increasing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The finger is nested within or integrated with the upper clip piece structure, with the guide loop providing an additional nested element to prevent hair from entering the joint portion. This nested arrangement allows multiple functional elements to be compactly integrated, maintaining simplicity while enhancing holding stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

4Adaptability or versatility

If a finger is added to hold hair in bundled form, then hair holding capability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehair holding capabilityVSAvoidclip structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The finger is merged with the upper clip piece through a pivot connection, combining two functional elements into a integrated assembly. The guide loop is also merged with the finger structure, creating a compact unit that provides multiple functions (hair holding and hair guidance) without requiring separate independent components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 allows for secure clipping of hair in a gathered or bundled form, preventing the hair clip from falling off even with head movement, ensuring safety and maintaining a desired hairstyle.

Implementation Method 1

a pivot connection that has a hinge pin and a coil spring

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP1922949B1Hair clip
Publication Date: 2011.07.13 KIM CHAN SOO
  • EP1922949B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1922949B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP1922949B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

A hair clip is provided. The hair has a lower clip piece and an upper clip piece connected through a pivot connection with a hinge pin and coil spring. The upper clip piece has a bottom portion that defines a concavity portion for defining a hair holding space to hold hair in a bundled state. A finger is connected to the upper clip piece through a pivot connection and for holding hair in a bundled state. A guide loop is connected to a rear and portion of the finger through a pivot connection. The guide loop prevents hair from entering a joint portion defined by the finger and the upper clip piece.