Modular Comb Locking Ring and Screen Insert for Short Hair Coiling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The hair care industry lacks a simple, durable, portable, and washable product for creating long-lasting, natural African-American hair coils, as existing products are often complex, costly, and unsanitary, failing to effectively manage short naturally curly hair.
Innovation Solution
A modular comb system comprising a frame, a locking ring with a locking mechanism, and a screen insert that can be easily assembled and disassembled, providing multiple intersecting patterns for different hair textures, and is made from durable, washable materials like injection molded plastic or metal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If prior developments use heating or steaming elements for retaining the curl, then the curl retention is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes heating and steaming elements from the comb system, extracting the thermal styling function entirely. The comb relies solely on mechanical interlocking of teeth patterns to create and maintain curls without any thermal components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining curl retention through the screen insert mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs simple, inexpensive materials such as injection molded plastic or metal for the comb body and screen insert. These components are designed to be durable yet affordable, replacing complex heating elements with basic mechanical structures that achieve the styling function through physical interlocking rather than thermal energy
2Reliability
If prior developments use rotating elements powered by electric motors, then the styling effectiveness is improved, but the cost and device complexity increase with multiple potential failure points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electric motors and rotating elements with a purely manual mechanical system. The comb uses hand-operated back-and-forth motion to engage the screen insert with hair, creating coils through mechanical interlocking of the screen pattern with comb teeth, eliminating all electrical components and associated failure points
Solution Approach 2:
The comb system is designed to be self-sufficient without external power sources. The user's hand motion directly drives the styling action through the comb teeth and screen insert interaction, making the system self-powered and eliminating the need for batteries, motors, or electrical connections that would increase complexity and reduce reliability
3Duration of action of stationary object
If prior developments use sponge or sponge like material, then the moisture retention is improved, but the hygiene deteriorates as sponges can become dirty resulting in unsanitary applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a screen insert made of mesh or grid material that allows moisture to pass through while maintaining structural integrity. This thin film structure prevents moisture retention that would lead to bacterial growth, while still enabling the comb to work effectively with moisturized hair, thus maintaining hygiene without sacrificing moisture management
Solution Approach 2:
The screen insert employs porous or open-mesh material that permits air circulation and prevents moisture accumulation. This porous structure allows the comb to work with hydrated hair while preventing the damp, enclosed environment that sponges create, thereby maintaining hygiene while still allowing moisture retention in the hair itself
4Device complexity
If prior developments are longitudinal and comb-like in configuration, then the structural simplicity is improved, but the effectiveness for short naturally curly hair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the comb structure into distinct functional components: a comb body with specific tooth patterns and a removable screen insert with intersecting patterns. This segmentation allows the screen insert to be positioned at optimal intervals along the comb, creating multiple styling zones that effectively handle short hair sections independently, thereby maintaining structural simplicity while improving effectiveness
Data Source
AI summary
A modular comb system and method can include: a frame including a comb body; a locking ring including a locking mechanism for mating with the comb body and for locking the locking ring to the comb body; and a screen insert configured to be in a fixed position with respect to the frame based on the locking ring being locked to the comb body.