Head cap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing head caps for medical and cosmetic treatments face challenges in hygiene and comfort due to complex seams, residue accumulation, and difficulty in achieving sterility, particularly with multi-part designs and deformable foam constructions.
Innovation Solution
A head cap design featuring a carrier shell and a cover shell with a flexible cover layer, providing a seamless and hygienic surface for easy cleaning, with optional padding for enhanced comfort and stability, and a holding mechanism for adjustable positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a multi-part cover construction is used in the head rest, then the head rest can be assembled from separate components, but it creates visual transitions and seams that accumulate residue and are difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the support shell and cover shell into a single integrated head rest structure. The cover shell is formed as one continuous piece that envelops the support shell, eliminating the need for separate cover components and their associated seams. This integration removes the harmful transitions where residue accumulates, while maintaining the functional benefits of a multi-component design through the nested shell structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The head rest is segmented into an inner support shell and an outer cover shell that are integrated together. This segmentation allows each shell to fulfill specific functions (structural support vs. hygienic covering) while their integration eliminates the harmful effects of separate assembly seams. The cover shell acts as a removable protective layer that can be detached for cleaning without creating permanent structural seams.
2Ease of operation
If deformable foam material is used for the head cushion, then the head rest provides soft and elastic comfort, but it is easily damaged and cannot be maintained sufficiently sterile
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a cover shell made of flexible, smooth material that envelops the support structure. This thin film-like cover provides the necessary comfort and elasticity while being non-porous and easy to clean. The flexible nature of the cover shell allows it to conform to the head shape, providing comfort similar to foam, while its smooth, continuous surface prevents residue accumulation and maintains sterility.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the structural support element from soft foam material, the patent inverts the approach by using a rigid or semi-rigid support shell and covering it with a flexible, easy-to-clean layer. This inversion allows the structural component to be durable and sterilizable, while the flexible cover provides comfort and can be easily removed for cleaning, thus maintaining sterility without sacrificing comfort.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a head cap (1) for placing on the head of a person. The head cap (1) comprises a support shell (40) with an inner face (40i) facing the head and an outer face (40o) facing away from the head and a cover shell (60) with an inner face (60i) facing the head and an outer face (60o) facing away from the head, wherein at least the inner face (40i) of the support shell (40) is cushioned by a cushion layer (80) optionally at least along the outer edge (41) of the inner face (40i), preferably over the entire surface, and is covered by a flexible cover layer (90) which encloses the inner face (40i) and extends up to the outer face (40o) of the support shell (40) at least in a peripheral support shell edge region (43), at least one cover layer edge (91) being covered by the cover shell (60).