Comb-Shaped Toothpick With Stepped Portions for Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional comb-shaped toothpicks have insufficient structural strength and lack features for safe and effective removal of food residue from teeth, leading to breakage and risk of injury due to smooth sides and limited functionality.
Innovation Solution
A method for manufacturing a comb-shaped toothpick structure with a rotary cutter that forms toothpicks with stepped portions and a bottom groove, allowing for separation and enabling the use of shoulder portions for removing food residue safely, while maintaining structural integrity through specific cutting and polishing steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the toothpick has two smooth arcuate outer sides for convenient use, then the ease of operation is improved, but the structural strength is insufficient causing the toothpick to be apt to break
Solution Approach 1:
The toothpick structure applies different surface qualities to different functional areas: the grip section has smooth arcuate outer sides for comfortable holding, while the body section features stepped portions with exposed wood grain surfaces that provide enhanced structural strength and rigidity. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and structural strength.
2Device complexity
If only the tooth picking section at the front end is used to remove food residue, then the device complexity is simple, but the effectiveness is poor requiring repeated use and risking injury to oral epidermis
Solution Approach 1:
The toothpick is designed with multiple functional surfaces: the front end tooth picking section for removing food residue between teeth, and additional stepped portions with exposed wood grain surfaces along the body that can also contact tooth surfaces. This multi-functional design allows different sections to be used for cleaning purposes, reducing the need for repeated use of the sharp front end and minimizing injury risk.
3Ease of operation
If the toothpick has smooth sides for convenient use, then the ease of operation is improved, but the utility is poor due to insufficient force application capability
Solution Approach 1:
The toothpick structure applies different surface qualities to different functional areas: the grip section has smooth arcuate outer sides for comfortable holding, while the body section features stepped portions with exposed wood grain surfaces that provide enhanced structural strength and rigidity. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and structural strength.
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 enhanced toothpick design provides improved structural strength and safe, effective removal of food residue, reducing the risk of breakage and injury, and allowing for better force application during use.
Implementation Method 1
cutting the wooden block by a rotary cutter. The rotary cutter includes a plurality of dies on a surface thereof. Each of the plurality of dies includes a top end having a blade
Implementation Method 2
positioning a wooden block by a positioning device, moving the wooden block to a cutting position
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a comb-shaped toothpick structure includes cutting a wooden block by a rotary cutter having a plurality of dies to form a plurality of toothpick shapes arranged in a row. Each toothpick shape includes a top edge formed by a cutter groove between two dies. Each toothpick shape further includes at least one stepped portion formed by at least one stepped cutting portion of one of the dies. The bottoms of the toothpick shapes are connected to each other. A bottom groove is located between two adjacent toothpick shapes and is formed by a blade of one of the dies. The toothpick shapes is further cut by partial cutting at an end of the toothpick shapes to form a front end of each toothpick shape. The toothpick shapes are cut from the wooden block to obtain a toothpick structure including a plurality of toothpicks.