Electric Shaver Coupling for Skin Contour Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric shaver couplings fail to effectively adapt to the contour of the skin due to limitations in transmitting forces from a driven part to a cutter element, allowing six degrees of freedom that hinder precise movement and adaptation.
Innovation Solution
A coupling design that allows relative vertical translation, forward horizontal translation, gyration, swiveling, and tilting of a cutter unit with respect to a transmitter, constraining the cutter element in a direction parallel to the horizontal axis while providing degrees of freedom in rotational and translational directions, enabling improved adaptation to the skin contour.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cutter element is freely movable with respect to the transmitter (six degrees of freedom), then the cutter unit can adapt to skin contours, but the relative movement becomes uncontrolled and imprecise
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism is divided into separate functional components: a first coupling part that allows vertical translation and gyration, and a second coupling part that allows horizontal translation and swiveling. This segmentation enables precise control of each degree of freedom independently while maintaining overall adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling design implements dynamic constraints that change based on operational needs. The cutter element is constrained in the horizontal direction during cutting operations to ensure precision, while vertical translation and rotational movements are permitted to allow adaptation to skin contours.
2Manufacturing precision
If the cutter element is constrained in all directions, then precise movement is maintained, but the ability to adapt to skin contours is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different degrees of freedom are applied locally to different directions. The coupling provides strong constraints in the horizontal direction for precise cutting movement, while allowing vertical translation and rotational movements for contour adaptation. This local differentiation of constraint quality resolves the contradiction between precision and adaptability.
3Force
If a rigid coupling between transmitter and cutter element is used, then force transmission is efficient, but the cutter unit cannot adapt to varying skin contours
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism acts as an intermediary between the transmitter and cutter element. It transmits forces efficiently while simultaneously allowing controlled movements in specific directions. The coupling part serves as a mediator that decouples the force transmission function from the movement freedom function.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the coupling allows multiple degrees of freedom, then the cutter unit can adapt to skin contours, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple coupling parts are merged into a single integrated coupling mechanism. The first and second coupling parts work together as a unified system that provides multiple degrees of freedom without requiring separate complex mechanisms for each movement type. This merging reduces overall structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention refers to a coupling for transmitting a driving movement from an oscillating transmitter of an electric shaver to a cutter element.