Electric Razor Cooling via Thermocouple and Passive Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric razors cause skin irritation due to heat generated by mechanical friction between blades, and previous cooling solutions are inefficient, complex, or costly.
Innovation Solution
An electric razor with a passive cooling element thermally coupled to an active thermocouple, designed as a solid body for efficient heat transfer, and a separate power source for the cooling function to minimize heat conduction losses and enhance cooling efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a shaving foil is used as a cooling element, then the cooling function is integrated into the cutting element, but the perforated design prevents effective heat conduction
Solution Approach 1:
A separate passive cooling element made of thermally conductive material is introduced as an intermediary between the active thermocouple and the skin. This mediator efficiently transfers heat from the skin to the thermocouple without the heat conduction problems of a perforated shaving foil design.
2Temperature
If Peltier elements are arranged circumferentially around the shearing system with direct skin contact, then cooling effect is achieved, but electrical insulation complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The passive cooling element serves as a thermal mediator that physically contacts the skin while being thermally coupled to the thermocouple. This intermediary approach eliminates the need for complex electrical insulation schemes while maintaining effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling function is extracted from the cutting mechanism by using a separate passive cooling element. This separation allows the cooling system to be optimized independently from the electrical insulation requirements of the cutting elements.
3Device complexity
If the shaving foil is used for cooling, then no additional cooling component is needed, but the active cooling must first counteract the heating of the foil itself
Solution Approach 1:
The passive cooling element acts as a dedicated thermal conductor that efficiently transfers heat from the skin to the thermocouple. This separate component avoids the energy waste of heating and cooling the same element simultaneously, as the passive element is not involved in the cutting friction that generates heat.
4Temperature
If multiple Peltier elements are used to provide sufficient cooling, then cooling capacity is increased, but the structure becomes extremely complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
A single passive cooling element with high thermal conductivity serves as an efficient heat transfer mediator between the skin and the thermocouple. This simple intermediary structure provides effective cooling without the complexity of multiple Peltier elements arranged circumferentially.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal conductivity parameter of the passive cooling element is optimized to maximize heat transfer efficiency. By selecting materials with high thermal conductivity and designing the element geometry for optimal thermal contact, sufficient cooling capacity is achieved with a single element rather than multiple elements.
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 provides improved cooling efficiency and reduced skin irritation by optimizing heat transfer between the thermocouple and skin, using standard thermocouples and independent power sources, ensuring effective and cost-efficient cooling without compromising shaving performance.
Implementation Method 1
an electrically actuable active thermocouple (7), which during operation has a side (28) that can be cooled relative to the ambient temperature and a side that can be heated relative to the ambient temperature
Implementation Method 2
A passive cooling element (6) is thermally coupled to the side (28) that can be cooled
Implementation Method 3
The heat you can feel is caused in particular by mechanical friction between the upper and lower blades
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to an electrically driven shaver and an associated charging station, wherein at least one driveable cutting or shearing element (4, 5) is mounted on a shaving head (3) arranged on the shaver housing (2), and wherein at least one electrically actuated active thermocouple (7) is provided, which is thermally coupled with a passive cooling element (6; 16) at its side that can be cooled relative to the ambient temperature. The passive cooling element (6; 16) is arranged on or in the area of the shaving head (3) with at least one free end section (20, 21) such that it comes into contact with the user's skin during shaving.