Pivotable Treatment Head Cam Spring Feedback Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing personal care devices, such as epilators, lack an effective return force mechanism that provides a clear feedback to the user during pivoting of the treatment head, leading to inconsistent operation and potential user discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A personal care device with a treatment head pivot-mounted around a pivot axis, utilizing a pin and cam element with a spring biasing system, where the cam surface is shaped to increase the spring force with increasing pivot angle, providing a defined rest position and return force mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a spring element is used to bias the pin head and cam surface against each other, then the treatment head can be pivoted out of the rest position, but the return force is insufficient to provide clear user feedback and consistent operation
Solution Approach 1:
The cam surface is shaped with a specific curvature profile that converts rotational pivoting motion into linear compression of the spring element. As the treatment head pivots away from the rest position, the cam surface geometry ensures the spring is compressed, storing energy that provides a progressive return force. This curved surface design transforms the simple spring bias into a controlled mechanical advantage system that delivers consistent tactile feedback and reliable return action.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring force parameter is dynamically changed during pivoting through the cam mechanism. At the rest position, the spring maintains a baseline bias force. As pivoting increases, the cam surface geometry causes progressive compression of the spring, increasing the return force non-linearly. This parameter change ensures the return force is sufficient at all positions while providing varying tactile feedback that guides user operation.
2Reliability
If the spring force is increased to provide better return force, then the treatment head returns more consistently to the rest position, but the force required to pivot the head out of the rest position becomes too high
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism creates a dynamic force system where the spring compression varies continuously with the pivoting angle. The mechanical advantage provided by the cam surface geometry allows the system to be soft at the rest position (requiring minimal force to initiate pivoting) while progressively becoming stiffer as the head moves away from center. This dynamic characteristic ensures easy operation throughout the pivoting range while maintaining reliable return force.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring element is pre-compressed to establish a baseline bias force even at the rest position. This preliminary action ensures the treatment head is always under light spring pressure, ready to return to center, without requiring additional force during normal operation. The pre-loaded spring works in conjunction with the cam geometry to provide smooth, controlled pivoting throughout the range of motion.
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 user feedback and control by requiring a deliberate force to pivot the head out of its rest position and ensures consistent return to the original position, improving the operational stability and comfort of the device.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element biasing the pin head and the cam surface against each other, wherein the pin head is in contact with the cam surface and the cam surface is shaped such that it defines a rest position at which the biasing spring force provided by the spring element
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure is concerned with a personal care device with a treatment head being pivot-mounted around a pivot axis, the personal care device having a pin having a pin head, a cam element having a cam surface, a spring element biasing the pin head and the cam surface against each other, wherein the cam surface is shaped such that it defines a rest position at which the biasing spring force provided by the spring element with which the pin head and the cam surface are pushed against each other has a non-zero minimum value, and wherein a pivoting of the head around the pivot axis causes the pin head to move along the cam surface and the cam surface is further shaped such that the spring force pushing the pin head and the cam surface against each other increases with increasing pivoting angle.