Fabric care device
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fabric care devices are cumbersome, inefficient, and limited in functionality, as they often require power input and are designed for specific tasks like depilling and delinting, without the ability to easily switch between different attachments for various fabric types or uses.
Innovation Solution
A modular fabric care device with detachable and interchangeable attachments, including depillers, delinters, and fabric pile restorers, featuring different abrasive surfaces and attachment mechanisms like screw locks and hook locks, allowing for versatile use on various fabrics and surfaces without the need for power input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If powered depilling devices are used, then depilling effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces powered mechanical systems with a manual mechanical system. The depilling device uses manual abrasion through a abrasive surface (sandpaper or similar material) attached to a support structure, eliminating motors, batteries, and power requirements while maintaining effective pill removal through friction-based mechanical action.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential depilling function from complex powered systems, isolating the core mechanism of abrasion. By removing unnecessary components (power supply, control systems, housing), the invention retains only the critical elements: abrasive surface, support structure, and fabric contact mechanism.
2Device complexity
If manual depilling devices with fixed functions are used, then device simplicity is improved, but adaptability to different fabric types decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal depilling device through a modular attachment system. The support structure can accommodate multiple types of attachments (different abrasive surfaces, delinting surfaces, brushing surfaces) that can be interchanged based on fabric type and desired function, making a single device adaptable to various fabric care needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the depilling device into separable components: a main support structure and interchangeable attachments. This segmentation allows users to swap attachments for different fabric types (natural, synthetic, blends) and functions (depilling, delinting, brushing) without replacing the entire device, maintaining simplicity while enhancing versatility.
3Productivity
If delinting surfaces with tacky material are added, then loose material removal capability is improved, but device awkwardness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates delinting capability into the existing support structure through interchangeable attachments. The same support that holds abrasive surfaces can also hold delinting surfaces (tacky material, hook pile, or fabric with slant), allowing multiple functions in one device without creating awkwardness, as the attachment interface standardizes the design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges depilling and delinting functions into a single integrated device. By combining the support structure with interchangeable attachments that include both abrasive surfaces and delinting surfaces, the invention creates a unified tool that performs multiple fabric care functions without requiring separate devices.
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 efficient and ergonomic removal of pills and debris from multiple fabric types, extending usability to pet care and upholstery, with interchangeable attachments that can be replaced or swapped as needed, improving user convenience and versatility.
Implementation Method 1
the first fabric care attachment is a depiller comprising an abrasive surface for cutting or detaching pills from fabric
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
A fabric care device comprising a body having first and second ends for attaching respective first and second fabric care attachments, wherein at least one of the first and second ends is adapted to detachably attach one of the first and second fabric care attachments. An attachment for a fabric care device selected from the group consisting of a depiller, a delinter, a fabric pile restorer, and a brush.