Strand Bracket Crimper Alignment Guide

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing crimper devices face challenges in achieving consistent and optimal hair styling results due to difficulties in accurately positioning the crimper plates, leading to unsatisfactory crimping, unnecessary thermal and mechanical stress, and complications in self-application, especially when styling hair on the back of the head.

Innovation Solution

A strand holder with a first and second base body that can be fastened together, featuring openings for the crimper plates and guide aids, which securely fixes the hair strand and ensures correct crimper placement, preventing misalignment and double treatment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the crimper is manually repositioned on the hair strand, then the styling process can continue, but the positioning accuracy deteriorates leading to unsatisfactory results

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestyling efficiencyVSAvoidcrimper placement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a positioning aid as an intermediary element between the crimper and the hair strand. This positioning aid includes reference marks that guide the correct placement of the crimper on the hair strand, ensuring consistent and accurate positioning without requiring manual measurement or visual alignment by the user.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning aid enables the crimper to be self-positioned on the hair strand using visual reference marks. The system serves itself by providing built-in guidance features that automatically indicate the correct placement location, eliminating the need for external measurement tools or complex alignment procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If the crimper plates are heated for effective hair styling, then the styling result improves, but thermal stress on the hair increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestyling result qualityVSAvoidthermal stress on hair
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies heating only to the specific areas where crimping is needed, rather than heating the entire hair strand. The positioning aid ensures that the heated crimper plates contact only the intended portions of the hair, providing sufficient thermal action for styling while minimizing overall thermal exposure and reducing cumulative thermal stress.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If the crimper is applied frequently to ensure complete coverage, then the styling completeness improves, but mechanical stress on the hair increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestyling completenessVSAvoidmechanical stress on hair
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The positioning aid provides preliminary guidance before the crimper is applied to the hair. By marking the correct placement positions in advance, the system allows for complete coverage to be achieved with fewer crimping passes, as each application is precisely positioned to cover a specific section without overlap or gaps, thereby reducing cumulative mechanical stress.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If the crimper plates are made larger to cover more hair, then the styling speed improves, but the precision of application deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestyling speedVSAvoidapplication precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the hair strand into multiple sections, with each section having its own positioning reference marks. This allows the crimper plates to be of moderate size while still achieving efficient styling, as each pass covers a specific segmented portion accurately. The segmentation enables parallel processing of multiple hair sections, maintaining overall styling speed without sacrificing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2837301B1Strand bracket for a crimper
Publication Date: 2016.04.20 BOSCH SIEMENS HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP2837301B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP2837301B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

A strand holder (10) for a crimper (20) is described, comprising a first base body (1a) and a second base body (1b). The base bodies (1a, 1b) can be attached to one another. The first base body (1a) and the second base body (1b) each have at least one opening (4) into which a crimper plate (21) of the crimper (20) suitable for hair shaping can be inserted.