Self-cleaning oral care cup
Through the mechanical structure design of the self-cleaning oral care cup, automatic centrifugal drying is achieved using a transmission and locking mechanism, which solves the problems of residual water stains and microbial growth in oral care cups, providing hygiene protection and a convenient cleaning experience.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-27
AI Technical Summary
Existing oral care cups are prone to leaving water stains after use, creating a damp environment that breeds microorganisms, posing hygiene risks and being inconvenient to clean.
A self-cleaning oral care cup was designed to achieve self-drying without human intervention using a purely mechanical structure. The inner cup converts potential energy into rotational kinetic energy through a transmission mechanism, and uses centrifugal force to throw away water droplets. Combined with a locking mechanism and a retractable handle assembly, automatic cleaning is achieved.
It effectively removes residual moisture from the cup, inhibits the growth of microorganisms, improves convenience, avoids potential electrical safety hazards, and has the advantages of reliable structure, long life and low cost.
Smart Images
Figure CN121730644A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of oral care cup technology, and more particularly to a self-cleaning oral care cup. Background Technology
[0002] Oral care cups, as daily personal care tools, primarily function to hold water for rinsing the mouth and to hold a toothbrush. Most existing oral care cups use a single-layer plastic structure, with a simple design and limited functionality. After use, water stains easily remain on the inner wall and bottom of the cup, creating a damp environment that provides conditions for the growth of microorganisms such as E. coli and mold. This not only produces odors but may also lead to oral health problems and pose hygiene risks. Furthermore, the interior of the cup, especially the bottom corners, is difficult for a cleaning brush to reach, creating hard-to-reach areas and making cleaning and maintenance inconvenient. Summary of the Invention
[0003] This application provides a self-cleaning oral care cup, which solves the problems mentioned in the background art.
[0004] This application provides a self-cleaning oral care cup, comprising: an outer cup; an inner cup, which is contained within the outer cup and is movable relative to the outer cup; wherein the inner cup is used to hold water; a transmission mechanism disposed between the outer cup and the inner cup, for converting the potential energy of the inner cup into rotational kinetic energy of the inner cup relative to the outer cup; and a locking mechanism disposed between the outer cup and the inner cup, having a locked state and an unlocked state; in the locked state, the locking mechanism restricts the movement of the inner cup relative to the outer cup; in the unlocked state, the locking mechanism allows the inner cup to generate rotational motion through the transmission mechanism under the drive of potential energy.
[0005] In one possible implementation, the transmission mechanism includes a screw, a nut, and an idler assembly; the screw is disposed at the middle of the bottom wall of the outer cup; the middle of the bottom wall of the inner cup is provided with a receiving groove corresponding to the screw; the nut is fixedly disposed at the bottom of the receiving groove and matches the screw; the idler assembly is coaxially disposed at the top of the screw and has the same diameter as the screw, and its outer wall is provided with a thread matching the nut; the top outer wall of the idler assembly is provided with a limit structure to prevent the nut from continuing to move axially when it moves to this position; the idler assembly is configured to disengage the nut from the thread of the screw when the nut moves to contact the idler assembly, thereby allowing the nut and the inner cup connected thereto to continue rotating about the axis of the screw under inertia.
[0006] In one possible implementation, the idling component is a miniature deep groove ball bearing.
[0007] In one possible implementation, the transmission mechanism further includes an elastic element; the elastic element is disposed between the outer cup and the inner cup, and is configured to store elastic potential energy when the locking mechanism is in the locked state, and release the elastic potential energy when the locking mechanism switches to the unlocked state, so as to drive or assist in driving the movement of the inner cup.
[0008] In one possible implementation, a connector is coaxially disposed at the top of the screw; the connector is a hollow structure with one end open; the idling assembly is sleeved on the outer wall of the connector; one end of the elastic element extends into the hollow structure and abuts against the bottom wall of the hollow structure, and the other end abuts against the top wall of the receiving groove.
[0009] In one possible implementation, the locking mechanism includes a slider, a first guide ring, a second guide ring, multiple connecting rods, and multiple snap-fit components; the inner wall of the outer cup is provided with an annular guide groove; the first guide ring is disposed within the annular guide groove; the second guide ring is rotatably connected above the first guide ring; the slider is fixedly connected to the second guide ring for driving the second guide ring to rotate; the multiple snap-fit components are distributed circumferentially along the first guide ring and are rotatably connected to the first guide ring via rotating shafts, and are used to abut against the top wall of the inner cup; one end of each of the multiple connecting rods is rotatably connected to the corresponding snap-fit component near its rotating shaft, forming a... The connecting rod has an eccentric structure, with the other end rotatably connected to the top surface of the second guide ring. When the snap-fit is in the retracted state, it is located between the bottom of the connecting rod and the top of the first guide ring. When the slider drives the second guide ring to rotate in the first direction, the connecting rod pushes the snap-fit to rotate around its axis, causing multiple snap-fits to extend radially synchronously to clamp the top wall of the inner cup. When the slider drives the second guide ring to rotate in the second direction opposite to the first direction, the connecting rod pulls the snap-fit to rotate in the opposite direction around its axis, causing the snap-fit parts of multiple snap-fits to retract radially synchronously to release the inner cup.
[0010] In one possible implementation, the side wall of the outer cup has a through hole, and the slider is partially disposed in the through hole and configured to rotate in the through hole.
[0011] In one possible implementation, the second guide ring is provided with a plurality of guide holes along its circumference; the top of the first guide ring is provided with a plurality of guide posts corresponding to the guide holes, the guide posts passing through the corresponding guide holes to limit the second guide ring from radially offset relative to the first guide ring when rotating.
[0012] In one possible implementation, the outer wall of the slider is provided with a friction surface.
[0013] In one possible implementation, the self-cleaning oral care cup further includes a retractable handle assembly; the retractable handle assembly includes a handle body, two limiting mounting seats, and multiple limiting members; both limiting mounting seats are fixedly connected to the outer wall of the outer cup and are spaced apart along the height direction of the outer cup; the handle body is slidably inserted through the two limiting mounting seats and has an extended working position and a retracted storage position; the multiple limiting members are disposed on the outer wall of the corresponding handle body for selectively holding the handle body in the extended working position or the retracted storage position.
[0014] One or more technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application have at least the following technical effects: The self-cleaning oral care cup provided in this application includes an outer cup, an inner cup, a transmission mechanism, and a locking mechanism. Its core working principle lies in achieving "self-drying without human intervention" using a purely mechanical structure. When the user finishes rinsing and inverts the cup, triggering the locking mechanism to the unlocked state, the released inner cup, driven by its own gravity, efficiently converts its stored potential energy into rotational kinetic energy through the transmission mechanism. The centrifugal force generated in this process is sufficient to overcome the surface tension of the liquid, thereby forcibly shaking off water droplets adhering to the inner wall, achieving physical self-drying. This design directly and effectively solves the inherent problems of traditional oral care cups described in the background art: First, this application actively removes most of the residual moisture inside the cup through active mechanical centrifugal action, rather than passively inhibiting it, effectively suppressing the moist environment required for microbial growth and ensuring hygiene and safety from the source. Second, this application seamlessly integrates the cleaning process into the natural action of "unlocking after inversion," achieving a maintenance-free experience of "one-click triggering and automatic completion," improving convenience and reducing the burden on users to manually clean hard-to-reach areas. Finally, its fully mechanical, electronic-free structure effectively avoids potential electrical safety hazards, while also possessing the combined advantages of reliable structure, long lifespan, and low manufacturing cost. Attached Figure Description
[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the self-cleaning oral care cup provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission mechanism provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the inner cup provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the nut provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the locking mechanism provided in this application embodiment when the latching member is extended; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the locking mechanism provided in this application embodiment when the latch is retracted; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the retractable handle assembly provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0017] Icons: 1-Outer cup; 11-Through hole; 2-Inner cup; 21-Receiving groove; 3-Transmission mechanism; 31-Screw; 32-Nut; 33-Idle assembly; 331-Limiting structure; 34-Elastic element; 35-Connector; 4-Locking mechanism; 41-Slider; 42-First guide ring; 421-Guide post; 43-Second guide ring; 431-Guide hole; 44-Connecting rod; 45-Snap-fit; 46-Rotating shaft; 5-Retractable handle assembly; 51-Handle body; 52-Limiting mounting base; 53-Limiting element. Detailed Implementation
[0018] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0019] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. The terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Furthermore, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application according to the specific circumstances.
[0020] This application provides a self-cleaning oral care cup, such as... Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the self-cleaning oral care cup includes an outer cup 1, an inner cup 2, a transmission mechanism 3, and a locking mechanism 4. The inner cup 2 is housed within the outer cup 1 and is movable relative to the outer cup 1. The inner cup 2 is used to hold water. The transmission mechanism 3 is disposed between the outer cup 1 and the inner cup 2, and is used to convert the potential energy of the inner cup 2 into rotational kinetic energy of the inner cup 2 relative to the outer cup 1. The locking mechanism 4 is disposed between the outer cup 1 and the inner cup 2, and has a locked state and an unlocked state. In the locked state, the locking mechanism 4 restricts the movement of the inner cup 2 relative to the outer cup 1. In the unlocked state, the locking mechanism 4 allows the inner cup 2 to rotate under the drive of potential energy via the transmission mechanism 3.
[0021] The self-cleaning oral care cup provided in this application embodiment operates on the principle of achieving "self-driving without human intervention" through a purely mechanical structure. When the user finishes rinsing and inverts the cup, triggering the locking mechanism 4 to the unlocked state, the released inner cup 2, driven by its own gravity, efficiently converts its stored potential energy into rotational kinetic energy through the transmission mechanism 3. The centrifugal force generated in this process is sufficient to overcome the surface tension of the liquid, thereby forcibly shaking off water droplets adhering to the inner wall, achieving physical self-drying. This design directly and effectively solves the inherent problems of traditional oral care cups described in the background art: First, this application actively removes most of the residual moisture inside the cup through active mechanical centrifugal action, rather than passively inhibiting it, effectively suppressing the humid environment required for microbial growth and ensuring hygiene and safety from the source. Second, this application seamlessly integrates the cleaning process into the natural action of "unlocking after inversion," achieving a maintenance-free experience of "one-click triggering and automatic completion," improving convenience and reducing the burden on users to manually clean hard-to-reach areas. Finally, its fully mechanical, electronic-free structure effectively avoids potential electrical safety hazards, while also possessing the combined advantages of reliable structure, long lifespan, and low manufacturing cost.
[0022] In this embodiment, the transmission mechanism 3 includes a screw 31, a nut 32, and an idler assembly 33. The screw 31 is disposed in the middle of the bottom wall of the outer cup 1. The middle of the bottom wall of the inner cup 2 is provided with a receiving groove 21 corresponding to the screw 31. The nut 32 is fixedly disposed at the bottom of the receiving groove 21 and matches the screw 31. The idler assembly 33 is coaxially disposed at the top of the screw 31 and has the same diameter as the screw 31. Its outer wall is provided with a thread that matches the nut 32. The top outer wall of the idler assembly 33 is provided with a limit structure 331 to prevent the nut 32 from continuing to move axially when it moves to this position. The idler assembly 33 is configured such that when the nut 32 moves to contact the idler assembly 33, the nut 32 disengages from the thread of the screw 31, thereby allowing the nut 32 and the inner cup 2 connected thereto to continue to rotate around the axis of the screw 31 under inertia.
[0023] In this embodiment, the idling component 33 is a miniature deep groove ball bearing. Utilizing the principle of rolling friction, the miniature deep groove ball bearing provides the inner cup 2 with an extremely low-resistance, highly stable rotational platform after the nut 32 disengages from the screw 31, extending the centrifugal drying time and ensuring a self-cleaning effect.
[0024] It should be noted that the core working principle of the transmission mechanism 3 in this embodiment, specifically the idling component 33 (preferably a miniature deep groove ball bearing), lies in achieving a seamless switch from forced transmission to inertial idling. When the nut 32 rotates and descends to the top of the screw 31 under the drive of potential energy, its internal thread first disengages from the screw 31, and then engages with the thread on the outer wall of the idling component 33. Because the idling component 33 provides extremely low rotational resistance, the originally forced helical transmission is immediately converted into low-resistance inertial rotation, allowing the inner cup 2 to continue idling for several seconds under the drive of remaining kinetic energy. This maximizes the effective centrifugal drying time, ensuring that even the most firmly adhered water droplets on the inner cup 2 and in complex corners due to surface tension can be effectively removed. Simultaneously, this design achieves a continuous drying function similar to that of an electric product in a purely mechanical manner, improving the product's drying efficiency and reliability without increasing any power consumption or electronic complexity.
[0025] In this embodiment, the transmission mechanism 3 further includes an elastic element 34. The elastic element 34 is disposed between the outer cup 1 and the inner cup 2, and is configured to store elastic potential energy when the locking mechanism 4 is in the locked state, and release the elastic potential energy when the locking mechanism 4 switches to the unlocked state, so as to drive or assist in driving the inner cup 2 to move.
[0026] In this embodiment, a connector 35 is coaxially disposed on the top of the screw 31. The connector 35 is a hollow structure with one end open. The idling assembly 33 is sleeved on the outer wall of the connector 35. One end of the elastic element 34 extends into the hollow structure and abuts against the bottom wall of the hollow structure, while the other end abuts against the top wall of the receiving groove 21.
[0027] It should be noted that this application constructs a highly efficient drive module integrating energy storage, guidance, and idling functions: when the nursing cup is locked upright, the inner cup 2 presses down, compressing the elastic element 34 within the hollow structure of the connector 35, efficiently storing mechanical energy as elastic potential energy; when the user finishes rinsing and unlocks the cup by inverting it, this potential energy is released in conjunction with the gravitational potential energy of the inner cup 2, providing a strong and stable initial force for the inner cup 2 to rotate at high speed around its axis via the screw 31 and nut 32 by pushing the bottom of the inner cup 2. Therefore, the hollow connector 35 of this application, as the core skeleton, provides precise radial guidance for the elastic element 34 to prevent instability and provides a reliable mounting base for the idling component 33; this design greatly optimizes the axial space utilization and makes the structure more compact, while ensuring that the inner cup 2 can obtain a sufficiently large initial torque to reliably overcome the static friction of the system and continuously and smoothly accelerate during descent, thereby ensuring that the self-cleaning mechanism can be effectively and consistently triggered each time.
[0028] In this embodiment, the locking mechanism 4 includes a slider 41, a first guide ring 42, a second guide ring 43, multiple connecting rods 44, and multiple snap-fit pieces 45. An annular guide groove is provided on the inner wall of the outer cup 1. The first guide ring 42 is disposed within the annular guide groove. The second guide ring 43 is rotatably connected above the first guide ring 42. The slider 41 is fixedly connected to the second guide ring 43 and is used to drive the second guide ring 43 to rotate. Multiple snap-fit pieces 45 are distributed circumferentially along the first guide ring 42 and are rotatably connected to the first guide ring 42 via rotating shafts 46, and are used to abut against the top wall of the inner cup 2. One end of each connecting rod 44 is rotatably connected to the corresponding snap-fit piece 45 near its rotating shaft 46, forming an eccentric structure; the other end of the connecting rod 44 is rotatably connected to the top surface of the second guide ring 43. When the snap-fit piece 45 is in the retracted state, the snap-fit piece 45 is located between the bottom of its corresponding connecting rod 44 and the top of the first guide ring 42. When the slider 41 drives the second guide ring 43 to rotate in the first direction, the connecting rod 44 pushes the locking member 45 to rotate around its axis 46, causing multiple locking members 45 to extend radially synchronously to lock the top wall of the inner cup 2. When the slider 41 drives the second guide ring 43 to rotate in the second direction opposite to the first direction, the connecting rod 44 pulls the locking member 45 to rotate in the opposite direction around its axis 46, causing the locking parts of multiple locking members 45 to retract radially synchronously to release the inner cup 2.
[0029] It should be noted that in this application, the rotation of the slider 41 drives the second guide ring 43 to rotate synchronously, thereby actuating the connecting rod 44, which is hinged to it at one end. The other end of the connecting rod 44 is eccentrically connected to the snap-fit member 45, which constitutes a highly efficient lever mechanism. When the connecting rod 44 is pulled or pushed by the second guide ring 43, the torque generated drives the snap-fit member 45 to rotate precisely around its own axis 46, thereby achieving synchronous radial extension or retraction of multiple snap-fit members 45. When extended, the snap-fit member 45 firmly clamps the top wall of the inner cup 2 from above, forming a reliable lock; when retracted, it completely releases the inner cup 2, making room for its free rotation and cleaning. The locking mechanism 4 of this application brings several significant technical effects: First, the lever structure provides mechanical gain, allowing the user to apply only a small torque to rotate the slider 41 to generate a sufficiently large locking force at the end of the snap-fit member 45, achieving effortless and reliable locking. Secondly, multiple locking elements 45 are strictly synchronized through a second guide ring 43, ensuring that the inner cup 2 is locked with uniform force, avoiding jamming or wear caused by uneven loading. Finally, the mechanism has a self-locking characteristic in the locked state. The angle formed by the connecting rod 44 and the locking elements 45 can resist the reverse force of the inner cup 2 attempting to press down, ensuring high reliability of the locked state under impact or vibration, thereby comprehensively improving the user experience and safety of the product.
[0030] In this embodiment of the application, the side wall of the outer cup 1 is provided with a through hole 11, and the slider 41 is partially disposed in the through hole 11 and configured to rotate in the through hole 11.
[0031] It should be noted that when users push or rotate the slider 41 to perform unlocking, locking, or other operations, they can use the guidance and rotation space of the through hole 11 to control the movement of the slider 41 more precisely and effortlessly, which effectively improves the feel and smoothness of operation, while reducing the possibility of the slider 41 getting stuck or damaged due to improper operation, thereby ensuring the stable realization of the function of the nursing cup locking mechanism 4.
[0032] In this embodiment, the second guide ring 43 is provided with a plurality of guide holes 431 along its circumference. The top of the first guide ring 42 is provided with a plurality of guide posts 421 corresponding to the guide holes 431. The guide posts 421 pass through the corresponding guide holes 431 to limit the second guide ring 43 from radially offset relative to the first guide ring 42 when rotating.
[0033] It should be noted that, through the cooperation of the guide post 421 and the guide hole 431, this application effectively limits the radial offset of the second guide ring 43 relative to the first guide ring 42 during rotation, thus ensuring the stability and accuracy of their relative rotation.
[0034] In this embodiment, the outer wall of the slider 41 is provided with a friction surface.
[0035] It should be noted that the friction surface on the outer wall of the slider 41 can increase the friction when the user's finger contacts the slider 41, effectively preventing the user from slipping when operating the slider 41 to unlock or lock.
[0036] In this embodiment, the self-cleaning oral care cup further includes a retractable handle assembly 5. The retractable handle assembly 5 includes a handle body 51, two limiting mounting seats 52, and multiple limiting members 53. The two limiting mounting seats 52 are fixedly connected to the outer wall of the outer cup 1 and are spaced apart along the height direction of the outer cup 1. The handle body 51 slidably passes through the two limiting mounting seats 52 and has an extended working position and a retracted storage position. Multiple limiting members 53 are disposed on the outer wall of the corresponding handle body 51 to selectively hold the handle body 51 in the extended working position or the retracted storage position.
[0037] It should be noted that this application allows the handle body 51 to flexibly switch between the extended working position and the retracted storage position and maintain this position stably. This not only allows users to adjust the handle state according to actual needs, such as when using it by hand or storing it, improving ease of use, but also optimizes the overall space occupied by the nursing cup, enhancing the product's practicality and portability.
[0038] The working principle of the self-cleaning oral care cup in this application is as follows: When the nursing cup is in its normal upright position, the locking mechanism 4 initiates the locking procedure. At this time, the user operates the slider 41 on the outer cup 1 wall. The slider 41 is partially set in the through hole 11 on the side wall of the outer cup 1 and can rotate within the through hole 11. The friction surface on the outer wall of the slider 41 increases the contact friction between the user's fingers and the slider 41, facilitating precise operation. The user rotates the slider 41. Since the slider 41 is fixedly connected to the second guide ring 43, it can drive the second guide ring 43 to rotate synchronously. The second guide ring 43 has multiple guide holes 431 along its circumference. The first guide ring 42 is set in the annular guide groove on the inner wall of the outer cup 1, and its top is provided with multiple guide posts 421 corresponding to the guide holes 431. The guide posts 421 pass through the corresponding guide holes 431, limiting the radial offset of the second guide ring 43 relative to the first guide ring 42 during rotation, ensuring the stability and accuracy of their relative rotation. When the second guide ring 43 rotates, it pulls the connecting rod 44, which is hinged to it at one end, to move. The other end of the connecting rod 44 is eccentrically connected to a snap-fit member 45. Multiple snap-fit members 45 are distributed circumferentially along the first guide ring 42 and are rotatably connected to the first guide ring 42 via a rotating shaft 46, serving to abut against the top wall of the inner cup 2. When the slider 41 drives the second guide ring 43 to rotate, the connecting rod 44 pushes the snap-fit members 45 to rotate around their rotating shaft 46, causing multiple snap-fit members 45 to extend radially synchronously and precisely engage with the top wall of the inner cup 2, thereby firmly fixing the inner cup 2 to the outer cup 1 and preventing rotation or movement of the inner cup 2 relative to the outer cup 1. Simultaneously, the elastic element 34 sleeved on the screw 31 is compressed due to the weight of the inner cup 2. The screw 31 is located in the middle of the bottom wall of the outer cup 1. The bottom wall of the inner cup 2 has a corresponding receiving groove 21. The nut 32 is fixedly located at the bottom of the receiving groove 21 and matches the screw 31. One end of the elastic element 34 extends into the connecting piece 35 (a hollow structure with one open end) coaxially arranged at the top of the screw 31 and abuts against the bottom wall of the hollow structure. The other end abuts against the top wall of the receiving groove 21, thus storing sufficient elastic potential energy. At the same time, the inner cup 2 also has a certain gravitational potential energy due to its height. These two potential energy reserves provide the energy basis for the subsequent self-cleaning action.
[0039] After rinsing, the user inverts the nursing cup and then pushes the slider 41 on the outer cup 1 wall to the unlocked position with their thumb. Guided by the second guide ring 43, the slider 41 causes the locking piece 45 to retract, disengaging it from the inner cup 2. At this point, the inner cup 2 is completely released and gains free movement.
[0040] Entering the core working stage (rotational drying), which is also the key to achieving the self-cleaning function, the inner cup 2 begins to move under the combined action of its own gravity and the elastic restoring force released by the elastic element 34 at the moment of unlocking. Since the nut 32 at the bottom of the inner cup 2 engages with the screw 31 fixed to the bottom of the outer cup 1, the inner cup 2 does not fall in a straight line, but rather undergoes a combined motion of rotation and axial downward movement along the thread of the screw 31. In this process, the previously stored gravitational potential energy and elastic potential energy are efficiently converted into the kinetic energy of the inner cup 2's rotation. The idler component 33 (preferably a miniature deep groove ball bearing) in the transmission mechanism 3 plays an important role. When the nut 32 rotates and descends to the top of the screw 31 under the drive of potential energy, its internal thread will disengage from the screw 31 and instead engage with the thread on the outer wall of the idler component 33. Since the idler component 33 can provide extremely low rotational resistance, the originally forced helical drive is immediately converted into low-resistance inertial rotation, allowing the inner cup 2 to continue to idle for several seconds under the drive of the remaining kinetic energy.
[0041] During the high-speed rotation and descent of the inner cup 2, a strong centrifugal force acts on the water droplets adhering to the wall of the inner cup 2. This centrifugal force overcomes the surface adhesion between the water droplets and the cup wall, forcibly throwing the water droplets off the cup wall, achieving the initial and primary drying effect. When the inner cup 2 rotates and descends to the top of the screw 31 and continues to spin idling, it uses residual kinetic energy for a secondary spin-drying process, ensuring that moisture in corners and fine areas is also effectively removed, achieving a visually dry state where the cup wall is free of water.
[0042] After the self-cleaning process is complete, the user places the care cup back in its upright position and manually rotates the inner cup 2, causing the nut 32 on it to rotate and descend along the screw 31 until it returns to its initial position. Finally, slide the slider 41 to the locking position, allowing the locking piece 45 to lock the inner cup 2 again, restoring the product to a ready state for the next use.
[0043] To further optimize performance and verify effectiveness, the following design and testing were performed in a preferred embodiment: In terms of material selection, considering both food safety and performance, the inner cup 2 is made of food-grade polypropylene with a hydrophobic coating that achieves a static water contact angle of ≥110°, effectively assisting water droplets to slide off and reducing water residue on the surface of the inner cup 2. The outer cup 1 is made of Tritan copolyester with high transparency and strong impact resistance, meeting the user's need to observe the inside of the cup, and its anti-creep performance ensures the long-term stability of the screw rod fixing seat. The screw 31 and nut 32 are made of corrosion-resistant 304 or 316 stainless steel, ensuring stable performance and smooth thread transmission in humid environments. The elastic element 34 is made of 304 stainless steel wire, and the stiffness coefficient (k value) has been precisely calculated and experimentally determined, ensuring sufficient torque to overcome the initial static friction within the range of 0.5-1.2 N / mm.
[0044] In terms of parameter design, the lead of screw 31 is set between 8mm and 15mm to achieve the best balance between rotational speed and centrifugal force; when the idling component 33 is installed, its inner diameter and the connecting part 35 are interference fit, and its outer diameter is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of nut 32 to ensure smooth idling; the single-sided gap between inner cup 2 and outer cup 1 is controlled within the range of 0.5mm-1mm to ensure smooth rotation of inner cup 2 and reduce noise.
[0045] To verify the product's reliability, multiple rigorous tests were conducted. Following the QB / T4049-2021 standard, the prototype underwent over 1000 cycles of inversion-unlocking-rotation-reset. Results showed no rotational obstruction or structural damage throughout the testing process. After injecting 50ml of water into the inner cup 2 and inverting it to trigger the self-cleaning mechanism, under ambient temperatures of 25±3°C and humidity of 50±10%, a moisture meter showed an average reduction of over 95% in residual water on the cup wall, achieving a visually "water-free" effect. This fully demonstrates the product's excellent drying efficiency and long-term stability.
[0046] In summary, the design logic of this self-cleaning oral care cup is clear, with all components working together to achieve a highly efficient self-cleaning function through a purely mechanical structure. It has also undergone rigorous testing and verification, demonstrating reliability and practicality, and is able to achieve the expected design goals.
[0047] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. For the same or similar parts between the various embodiments, please refer to each other. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments.
[0048] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit this application. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of this application.
Claims
1. A self-cleaning oral care cup characterized by, The utility model relates to a cup, and particularly relates to a cup with a locking mechanism and a transmission mechanism. The cup comprises: an outer cup (1); an inner cup (2) accommodated in the outer cup (1) and capable of moving relative to the outer cup (1), wherein the inner cup (2) is used for containing water; a transmission mechanism (3) arranged between the outer cup (1) and the inner cup (2) and used for converting potential energy of the inner cup (2) into rotational kinetic energy of the inner cup (2) relative to the outer cup (1); a locking mechanism (4) arranged between the outer cup (1) and the inner cup (2) and having a locked state and an unlocked state; 2. The self-cleaning oral care cup according to claim 1, wherein, in the locked state, the locking mechanism (4) restricts movement of the inner cup (2) relative to the outer cup (1); in the unlocked state, the locking mechanism (4) allows the inner cup (2) to generate rotational movement under the drive of potential energy through the transmission mechanism (3). The transmission mechanism (3) comprises a screw rod (31), a nut (32), and an idling assembly (33); the screw rod (31) is arranged at a middle portion of a bottom wall of the outer cup (1); a middle portion of a bottom wall of the inner cup (2) is provided with a receiving groove (21) corresponding to the screw rod (31); the nut (32) is fixedly arranged at a bottom portion of the receiving groove (21) and matches the screw rod (31); the idling assembly (33) is coaxially arranged at a top portion of the screw rod (31) and has a diameter equal to that of the screw rod (31), an outer wall of the idling assembly (33) is provided with threads matching the nut (32), and a top outer wall of the idling assembly (33) is provided with a limiting structure (331) for stopping the nut (32) from continuing to move axially when the nut (32) moves to the limiting structure (331); 3. The self-cleaning oral care cup of claim 2, wherein, the idling assembly (33) is configured to cause the nut (32) to disengage from the threads of the screw rod (31) when the nut (32) moves to contact the idling assembly (33), thereby allowing the nut (32) and the inner cup (2) connected to the nut (32) to continue to rotate around an axis of the screw rod (31) under the action of inertia.
4. The self-cleaning oral care cup of claim 2, wherein, The idling assembly (33) is a micro deep groove ball bearing. The transmission mechanism (3) further comprises an elastic element (34); 5. The self-cleaning oral care cup of claim 4, wherein, the elastic element (34) is arranged between the outer cup (1) and the inner cup (2) and is configured to store elastic potential energy when the locking mechanism (4) is in the locked state and release the elastic potential energy when the locking mechanism (4) switches to the unlocked state to drive or assist in driving the inner cup (2) to move. a connecting piece (35) is coaxially arranged at a top portion of the screw rod (31); the connecting piece (35) is a hollow structure with an open end; the idling assembly (33) is sleeved on an outer wall of the connecting piece (35); 6. The self-cleaning oral care cup of claim 1, wherein, one end of the elastic element (34) extends into the hollow structure and abuts against a bottom wall of the hollow structure, and the other end of the elastic element (34) abuts against a top wall of the receiving groove (21). The locking mechanism (4) comprises a sliding block (41), a first guide ring (42), a second guide ring (43), a plurality of connecting rods (44), and a plurality of clamping pieces (45); an inner wall of the outer cup (1) is provided with an annular guide groove; The first guide ring (42) is arranged in the annular guide groove; The second guide ring (43) is rotatably connected above the first guide ring (42); The slider (41) is fixedly connected to the second guide ring (43) for driving the second guide ring (43) to rotate; A plurality of clamping pieces (45) are distributed circumferentially along the first guide ring (42) and are rotatably connected to the first guide ring (42) through shafts (46) respectively, and are used for abutting against the top wall of the inner cup (2); One end of each of the plurality of connecting rods (44) is rotatably connected to the corresponding clamping piece (45) near the shaft (46) of the clamping piece (45), forming an eccentric structure, and the other end of the connecting rod (44) is rotatably connected to the top surface of the second guide ring (43); When the clamping piece (45) is in the retracted state, the clamping piece (45) is located between the bottom of the corresponding connecting rod (44) and the top of the first guide ring (42); When the slider (41) drives the second guide ring (43) to rotate in the first direction, the connecting rod (44) drives the clamping piece (45) to rotate around the shaft (46) of the clamping piece (45), so that the plurality of clamping pieces (45) are radially extended synchronously to clamp the top wall of the inner cup (2); When the slider (41) drives the second guide ring (43) to rotate in the second direction opposite to the first direction, the connecting rod (44) drives the clamping piece (45) to rotate reversely around the shaft (46) of the clamping piece (45), so that the clamping portions of the plurality of clamping pieces (45) are radially retracted synchronously to release the inner cup (2).
7. The self-cleaning oral care cup according to claim 6, wherein, The side wall of the outer cup (1) is provided with a through hole (11), and the slider (41) is partially arranged in the through hole (11) and is configured to rotate in the through hole (11).
8. The self-cleaning oral care cup of claim 6, wherein, The second guide ring (43) is provided with a plurality of guide holes (431) along the circumference thereof; The top of the first guide ring (42) is provided with a plurality of guide columns (421) corresponding to the guide holes (431), and the guide columns (421) are arranged in the corresponding guide holes (431) to limit the radial deviation of the second guide ring (43) relative to the first guide ring (42) during rotation.
9. The self-cleaning oral care cup of claim 6, wherein, The outer wall of the slider (41) is provided with a friction surface.
10. The self-cleaning oral care cup of claim 1, wherein, Further comprising a telescopic handle assembly (5); The telescopic handle assembly (5) comprises a handle body (51), two limiting mounting seats (52) and a plurality of limiting pieces (53); Both of the two limiting mounting seats (52) are fixedly connected to the outer wall of the outer cup (1) and are arranged in the height direction of the outer cup (1) at intervals; The handle body (51) is slidably arranged in the two limiting mounting seats (52) and has an extended working position and a retracted storage position; A plurality of limiting pieces (53) are arranged on the outer wall of the corresponding handle body (51) for selectively retaining the handle body (51) in the extended working position or the retracted storage position.