Handheld Treatment Nozzle Sealing Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing handheld skin treatment devices face challenges in maintaining nozzle reliability and efficiency due to the need for frequent maintenance and the difficulty in keeping small, volatile nozzles operational over time, especially when not in use.
Innovation Solution
A handheld treatment apparatus with a nozzle sealing assembly that includes a resiliently deformable sealing element and a support portion, which moves between closed and open configurations to seal and unseal the nozzles, ensuring reliable operation and easy maintenance by locking the cartridge cap to the applicator head, sealing the nozzles when not in use, and opening them for composition delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If nozzles are kept open for composition delivery, then composition can be delivered continuously, but nozzles are prone to dry-out and clogging when not in use
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is positioned in advance to automatically seal the nozzles when the apparatus is not in use, preventing dry-out and clogging before they occur. This preliminary protective action ensures nozzle reliability without requiring manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is designed to be dynamically movable between a sealed position (when apparatus is idle) and an open position (when composition delivery is needed). This dynamic behavior allows the system to automatically adapt between protection mode and operation mode, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
2Reliability
If sealing element is constantly engaged with nozzle, then nozzle is protected from dry-out, but nozzle delivery efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element transitions from a static sealed state to a dynamic state where it can be quickly retracted upon activation. This allows the system to maintain protection during idle periods while achieving full delivery efficiency when needed, eliminating the need to constantly balance between sealing and opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element operates periodically - sealed during idle periods and opened during active composition delivery periods. This periodic switching optimizes both nozzle protection and delivery efficiency by ensuring the sealing element is engaged only when composition delivery is not required.
3Ease of repair
If cartridge assembly is made removable for maintenance, then maintenance ease is improved, but nozzle sealing reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is pre-positioned and pre-configured to automatically engage with the nozzle upon cartridge assembly installation. This preliminary setup ensures that proper sealing is established before the apparatus is activated, maintaining sealing reliability while allowing easy removal for maintenance.
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 solution enhances the operational reliability and efficiency of the handheld treatment device by maintaining nozzle integrity and reducing maintenance needs, ensuring consistent performance and preventing nozzle dry-out, thereby effectively addressing the challenges of volatile compositions and small nozzle sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a resiliently deformable sealing element supported by a support portion at a location within the applicator head
Implementation Method 2
An image capture device captures images of the human skin through an opening in the applicator head
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An apparatus 10 for treating human skin includes an outer housing 12 including a graspable portion 14, an applicator head 20 and a cartridge 36 connected to the applicator head. The cartridge includes a nozzle 130 located in the applicator head. An image capture device 46 captures images of the human skin through an opening in the applicator head. A processor 30 analyzes the images of the human skin to identify skin deviations. A sealing assembly 134 includes a support portion 136 and a resiliently deformable sealing element 138 supported by the support portion at a location within the applicator head. The sealing assembly has a closed configuration where the sealing element is sealed against the nozzle and an open configuration where the sealing element is removed outward away from the nozzle in a composition delivery direction to expose the nozzle for operation.