Dehydrated Dentifrice Pellets in Toothbrush Pockets
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a toothbrush and dentifrice combination that makes teeth brushing attractive for children, uses pre-measured amounts of dentifrice without special packaging, and is compact for travel, while also providing ease of handling and conversion from solid to gel form for effective cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A toothbrush with half-round pockets on the bristle face to hold dehydrated toothpaste pellets that transform into a gel when wetted, allowing for pre-measured, compact, and versatile dental cleaning, with the option to load and store the pellets in the handle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If dehydrated toothpaste is used in solid form for travel, then compactness and portability are improved, but ease of handling and application becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The toothpaste undergoes a parameter change from solid dehydrated form to gel form upon contact with water. The brush head contains water-absorbing material that transforms the solid toothpaste pellets into a gel consistency, making it easy to handle and apply while maintaining compact travel storage
Solution Approach 2:
A water-absorbing intermediary material in the brush head serves as a mediator between the solid toothpaste pellets and the user. This intermediary absorbs water and transfers it to the toothpaste, transforming it into an usable gel form without requiring the user to manually add water
2Device complexity
If pre-measured amounts of dentifrice are provided without special packaging, then device complexity is reduced, but protection and preservation of the dentifrice becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The toothpaste is segmented into individual pre-measured pellets, each sealed in its own protective coating. This segmentation allows each pellet to be independently preserved without special bulk packaging, while the collective simplicity of using multiple identical units reduces overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Each toothpaste pellet is enclosed in a thin protective film or coating that preserves the dehydrated toothpaste while allowing for simple, minimal packaging. The thin film protection is sufficient to maintain reliability during storage and transport
3Measurement precision
If dehydrated toothpaste is made into pellets for pre-measurement, then dosing precision is improved, but ease of handling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The toothpaste pellets are designed to change from a hard solid state to a soft gel state upon contact with water. This parameter change maintains the precision of pre-measured dosing while transforming the physical form to be easily handled and applied during brushing
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
Ensures consistent and effective dental cleaning with pre-measured dentifrice, promotes children's oral hygiene through fun flavors and colors, and offers a travel-friendly, space-saving solution by eliminating the need for separate packaging.
Implementation Method 1
Balls or pellets of solid dehydrated toothpaste having a matching shape are placed in the pockets, the brush is wetted and the pellets turn to a gel
Implementation Method 2
the pellets turn to a gel—ready for brushing
Data Source
AI summary
A toothbrush has one or two part-spherical pockets formed in the brush surface. Balls or pellets of matching shape of dehydrated toothpaste are placed in the depressions, the brush is wetted and the pellets turn to a gel, ready for brushing. The pellets may be of various colors and flavors to entice children to brush their teeth and may be dispensed from a storage chamber carried in the tooth brush handle.