Shaving Device with Shape-Changing Smart Material

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Solution Overview

Problem

Shaving devices face a challenge in achieving close-to-skin shaving while minimizing skin irritation, as increasing closeness to the skin increases the risk of damage, requiring special skills and additional time due to varying skin properties and user handling behaviors.

Innovation Solution

Incorporation of a shape-changing smart material that can reversibly change its shape or dimensions in response to external stimuli, allowing for dynamic adaptation of the relative position and orientation between the skin-contacting surface and the hair-cutting area, enabling closer shaving with reduced irritation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the hair-cutting area is brought closer to the skin to increase shaving closeness, then the closeness of shaving is improved, but the risk of skin damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshaving closenessVSAvoidskin damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the skin-contacting structure dynamically adaptable through shape-changing smart materials. The structure can reversibly change its shape and/or dimensions in response to external stimuli, allowing the distance between the hair-cutting area and skin to be dynamically adjusted based on real-time conditions, thus achieving close shaving without constant skin contact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes parameter changes by employing shape-changing smart materials that can reversibly alter their physical parameters (shape and/or dimensions) in response to external stimuli. This enables the system to change the relative position between the skin-contacting surface structure and the hair-cutting area, optimizing the balance between shaving closeness and skin safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the shape-changing smart material is activated to adapt the relative position between skin-contacting surface and hair-cutting area, then shaving closeness is optimized, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshaving closenessVSAvoiddevice structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs parameter changes by incorporating shape-changing smart materials that can reversibly alter their shape and/or dimensions in response to external stimuli. This allows the system to dynamically adjust the relative position between the skin-contacting surface structure and the hair-cutting area, optimizing shaving closeness without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies mechanics substitution by replacing traditional mechanical adjustment systems with shape-changing smart materials. Instead of using complex mechanical linkages, motors, or actuators to adjust the position of the hair-cutting area, the system uses materials that can autonomously change their shape and dimensions in response to external stimuli, thereby simplifying the overall device structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

This solution allows for instantaneous adaptation of shaving closeness in a skin-location-dependent and time-dependent manner, making it easier to achieve a favorable closeness/irritation balance, reducing skin irritation while maintaining close shaving results.

Implementation Method 1

a shape-changing smart material of a class of materials that can reversibly change their shape and/or dimensions in a controlled way as a result of an externally applied electric stimulus and/or as a result of an externally applied thermal stimulus and/or as a result of an externally applied magnetic stimulus and/or as a result of an externally applied chemical stimulus and/or as a result of an externally applied optical stimulus

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShape-changing smart material response to external stimuli: Electroactive Polymer

Data Source

PatentUS10179418B2Shaving device for skin hairs

Publication Date: 2019.01.15 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV

AI summary

The invention relates to a shaving device for skin hairs. The device comprises a skin-contacting surface structure (14, 15), a cutter (6) for cutting hairs in a hair-cutting area (16), a shape-changing smart material (7), and a controller for controlling activation of the shape-changing smart material during use of the shaving device. The shape-changing smart material is configured, arranged and effective to adapt the relative position and/or relative orientation between at least part of the skin-contacting surface structure (14) and at least part of the hair-cutting area (16).