Touchless Hair Foil Dispensing With Sensor-Controlled Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hair foil dispensers are inconvenient and difficult to set and adjust in real-time, often requiring multiple steps and direct interaction with the device, which can lead to messiness and inefficiency during hair treatment processes.
Innovation Solution
A hair foil dispenser with a removable covering that includes a motor-driven mechanism for on-demand foil dispensing, featuring touchless or minimal-contact operation through sensors and programmable control units, allowing for hands-free selection and adjustment of foil length and quantity using gestures or Hall-effect devices, and incorporating RFID authentication for foil rolls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a box of pre-cut pop-up foil sheets is used, then the stylist can easily pull out foil sheets, but each box contains sheets of only one length and requires holding the box in place with one hand
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser allows dynamic adjustment of foil sheet length through a variable stop mechanism that can be positioned at different locations along the dispensing path, enabling the stylist to obtain different lengths from the same roll without changing the dispenser configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser is designed to provide multiple functions: it can dispense foil sheets of varying lengths, cut sheets to precise lengths, and eliminate the need to hold the dispenser in place, all within a single device that accepts standard foil rolls
2Adaptability or versatility
If a serrated edge dispenser is used, then the stylist can tear off foil of desired length, but the tearing is uneven and the stylist's hand may get cut
Solution Approach 1:
The manual tearing action at a serrated edge is replaced with an automated cutting mechanism featuring a rotating blade that precisely cuts foil sheets to the selected length, eliminating the uneven tearing and safety hazards associated with manual tearing at serrated edges
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser automatically performs the cutting function based on the selected length parameter, requiring no manual intervention for the actual cutting action and thereby improving safety and consistency
3Extent of automation
If the Procare 24*7 automated dispenser is used, then the stylist can set the desired number and length of foil sheets, but the machine dispenses too few or too many sheets unless stopped precisely at the right moment
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser incorporates a sensor system that detects when the selected number of foil sheets have been dispensed and automatically stops the motor-driven dispensing mechanism, providing feedback control that eliminates the need for manual intervention to stop the machine at the precise moment
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser autonomously manages the dispensing process including starting, monitoring, and stopping based on the selected parameters, performing the complete cycle without requiring the stylist to press stop or reset buttons during operation
4Productivity
If the Procare 24*7 dispenser operates at 20 sheets per minute, then productivity is high, but the stylist still has to pick up individual sheets from a stack which can lead to unintended creases
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser automatically performs the sheet separation function by ejecting each cut foil sheet individually in a manner that prevents stacking and creasing, eliminating the need for the stylist to manually separate sheets from a stack while maintaining high dispensing speed
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 dispenser provides a convenient, efficient, and hygienic solution by minimizing direct contact with the device, ensuring precise and consistent foil dispensing without the need for manual adjustment, reducing mess and improving user safety and efficiency in hair treatment applications.
Implementation Method 1
The covering includes a marker, such as a magnet, that can be placed by the user on an input surface of the covering to indicate a desired parameter value. A Hall-effect device or other sensor in the unit detects the position of the marker
Implementation Method 2
The unit may include an RFID reader to detect and authenticate a foil roll
Data Source
AI summary
A hair foil dispenser (100) has a main casing (101); a removable covering (200); a roller arrangement including a driving roller (142) and a tensioning roller (140) for pulling foil (300) from a foil roll (320); a motor (830) provided to drive the driving roller (142); a cutting mechanism (160) for cutting at least one sheet of the foil (300) with a predetermined length; a proximity sensor (100, 810); and a control unit (500) provided to receive at least one signal from the proximity sensor and, upon sensing the presence of a user, to actuate the motor (830) to cause the roller arrangement to pull foil from the foil roll (320); and to actuate the cutting mechanism to cut the foil. The user can repetitively direct the dispenser to dispense a predetermined number of the foil sheets without requiring physical contact of the dispenser by the user.