Pivotable Split-End Tool Wedge and Slot Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tools are inefficient in quickly and effectively exposing split-ends along the length of hair for removal, particularly due to uneven hair growth, cutting, and chemical treatments.
Innovation Solution
A split-end tool with a pivotable wedge and slotted arm design that captures hair, bends it at a high angle, and exposes split-ends for easy cutting, featuring adjustable wedge ends and handles for comfortable use, allowing for quick removal of split-ends along the hair length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional manual methods are used to remove split-ends, then split-ends can be removed, but the process is time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The tool divides the hair processing task into segments by using multiple teeth (first tooth, second tooth, third tooth) that can independently engage with different sections of hair. Each tooth can capture and bend hair segments separately, allowing simultaneous processing of multiple hair strands and enabling faster removal of split-ends along the hair length
Solution Approach 2:
The tool employs movable jaws that can open and close to capture and release hair dynamically. The first jaw and second jaw can move relative to each other to grip hair bundles, bend them around the teeth, and then release for cutting. This dynamic action allows continuous processing of hair without manual repositioning, significantly improving productivity
2Ease of operation
If hair is bent at a high angle with small bend radius, then split-ends are exposed for cutting, but the tool structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The teeth serve multiple functions: they act as bending surfaces to create the high-angle hair bend, serve as cutting guides for positioning scissors, and provide structural support for the jaw mechanism. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components for each function, reducing overall device complexity while achieving effective split-end exposure
Solution Approach 2:
The tool design creates an equipotential bending geometry where the hair is forced through a consistent arc radius by the tooth arrangement. The first tooth, second tooth, and third tooth are positioned to create a uniform bending path, ensuring that hair regardless of thickness or texture achieves the same high-angle bend configuration for optimal split-end exposure
Data Source
AI summary
A manual split-end tool is configured to capture hair over a wedge and within a slot to expose split-ends for removal. The split-end tool has a wedge arm having a wedge that is configured to extend through the slot in a slotted arm. The split-end tool pivots open and closed and in one embodiment has an opening feature to force the slotted arm away from the wedge arm when the tool is in a closed configuration. Hair is captured over the wedge and captured between a first and second slot side. The tool can be slid down along a person's hair, thereby enabling quick removal of split-ends along the length of a person's hair. The wedge may have a smooth rounded extended end, a scalloped edge or a plurality of teeth.