Personal Care Head Structure for Strong Cleaning Element Retention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing personal care device heads, such as those for electric toothbrushes, lack an effective design for securing cleaning elements that ensures robust retention without compromising ease of manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A head design featuring a carrier with embedded and non-embedded cleaning elements, where the embedded portion has a larger cross-sectional area at its top end than the base end, secured through injection molding and chemical/physical bonding with the carrier, enhanced by structural features like widening and lateral arms for increased retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If cleaning elements are embedded in the carrier with a uniform cross-sectional area, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the retention force is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning element features an asymmetric cross-sectional area variation along its length, with the embedded portion having a larger cross-sectional area than the non-embedded portion. This asymmetric design creates a mechanical interference fit within the carrier that significantly enhances retention force while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through injection molding.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameter of the cleaning element by varying its cross-sectional area along the length. The embedded portion has a larger cross-sectional area than the non-embedded portion, creating a tapered or stepped profile that increases friction and mechanical interlocking with the carrier, thereby improving retention without complex assembly steps.
2Strength
If the cleaning element has a larger cross-sectional area throughout, then retention force improves, but material consumption and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning element applies the principle of local quality by having different cross-sectional areas in different regions. The embedded portion has a larger cross-sectional area specifically where retention is needed within the carrier, while the non-embedded portion has a smaller cross-sectional area to reduce overall material consumption. This localized variation optimizes both retention force and material efficiency.
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 design provides a retention force of at least 3 N, ensuring cleaning elements remain securely attached while allowing for efficient manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
secured through injection molding and chemical/physical bonding with the carrier
Implementation Method 2
secured through injection molding and chemical/physical bonding with the carrier
Data Source
AI summary
A head for a personal care device having a carrier including a front surface, at least one cleaning element partly embedded in the carrier and thus having an embedded cleaning element portion and a non-embedded cleaning element portion extending from the front surface of the carrier between a base end on the front surface and a free end; the embedded cleaning element portion extending from the front surface between a top end on the front surface and a bottom end, wherein the base end of the non-embedded cleaning element portion has a base end cross-sectional shape and a base end cross-sectional area, and the top end of the embedded cleaning element portion has a top end cross-sectional shape that is different to the base end cross-sectional shape and a top end cross-sectional area that is larger than the base end cross-sectional area.