Hair Comb With Spring-Actuated Teeth For Mating Contact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional hair combs with elastic structures and flexible teeth fail to achieve mating contact with hairs, limiting their effectiveness in combing.

Innovation Solution

A hair comb design featuring a hollow handle with a combing assembly that includes a holder, multiple teeth, springs, and a cap, where the springs are actuated to push the teeth out of the combing assembly, allowing them to mate with hairs when pressed, utilizing a locking groove and tilted engagement faces for secure assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If multiple teeth are connected via flexible limitation sheet and urged to retract inward by arcuate elasticity sheet, then the teeth can be contained within the seat, but the teeth cannot matingly contact with the hairs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveteeth containmentVSAvoidmating contact with hairs

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the static tooth structure into a dynamic one by introducing springs that allow teeth to move between retracted and extended positions. The teeth can dynamically adjust their state based on operational needs, extending to contact hairs during combing and retracting when not in use, thereby resolving the contradiction between containment and mating contact capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state parameters of the teeth by using elastic deformation of the springs. The teeth transition between different positions (retracted vs. extended) through elastic potential energy storage and release, enabling them to achieve both containment within the seat and the ability to extend for mating contact with hairs when required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If the teeth are pressed to comb hairs, then combing action is achieved, but the teeth cannot securely maintain contact with the hairs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombing actionVSAvoidcontact maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spring mechanism provides continuous feedback to the teeth, constantly pushing them outward to maintain contact with the hairs. This elastic feedback force ensures that the teeth remain engaged with the hairs throughout the combing process, providing reliable contact maintenance while enabling continuous combing action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The springs are pre-loaded to exert continuous outward force on the teeth before combing begins. This preliminary action ensures that the teeth are already in a ready state to immediately engage with hairs upon contact, maintaining reliable contact throughout the combing operation without requiring additional force application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional elastic structure is used, then the comb can be manufactured simply, but the teeth fail to achieve proper mating contact with hairs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomb structure simplicityVSAvoidmating contact precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the tooth assembly into independent units, each with its own spring mechanism. This segmentation allows each tooth to be manufactured and assembled separately, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while enabling precise control over the mating contact of each individual tooth with the hairs, thereby improving overall contact precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The spring acts as an intermediary element between the tooth and the housing structure. This intermediary component translates simple manufacturing constraints into precise mating contact by providing elastic deformation that compensates for manufacturing tolerances, ensuring proper contact between teeth and hairs without requiring complex manufacturing processes.

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

Enables the teeth to securely and effectively contact and comb hairs, enhancing the combing experience by ensuring proper mating contact and operation.

Implementation Method 1

a spring (40) pushing the tooth (30) outward

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS10694826B2Hair comb

Publication Date: 2020.06.30 CHEN CHENG LANG

AI summary

A hair comb contains: a hollow handle and a combing assembly. The hollow handle includes a top fringe, a bottom fringe, two protective extensions, an accommodation chamber, a locking groove, and a fixing orifice, wherein a width of the locking groove gradually reduces from the top fringe to the bottom fringe, and the locking groove has two tilted engagement faces. The combing assembly includes a holder, multiple teeth, multiple springs, and a cap. The holder has a trench, two positioning faces, a protrusion, multiple first apertures, and multiple second apertures. The cap has multiple columns, wherein each of the multiple first apertures is more than and is in communication with each of the multiple second apertures, and each first aperture accommodates each of the multiple teeth and the multiple springs. Each of the multiple teeth has an operation portion, a head, and a ball.