Disposable Shield with Foam Seal for Dental Eye Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional protective eye wear in the dental industry is inadequate for supine positions, being expensive, requiring sterilization, and uncomfortable, with existing designs not fully protecting the user's eyes.
Innovation Solution
A flexible shield with transverse edge portions and a resilient seal extending beyond the shield to secure it to the face, including loops for ear engagement and optional headbands, made from materials like foam, plastics, or rubber, to provide comprehensive eye protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional protective eye wear is used in dental industry, then eye protection is provided, but the protection is incomplete for supine position and comfort is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is divided into multiple sections with gaps at side edge portions, allowing ventilation while maintaining eye protection. The seal is segmented to engage different facial areas (forehead, nose, cheeks) independently, providing both protection and comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield extends beyond traditional eyewear boundaries to cover the forehead and cheeks, transitioning from a simple eye-covering device to a comprehensive facial protective shield that addresses both protection and ventilation needs.
2Reliability
If conventional protective eye wear is used, then some protection is provided, but the cost is high due to sterilization requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is designed as a disposable item made from flexible sheet material, eliminating the need for expensive sterilization processes. After use, the entire shield can be discarded, significantly reducing costs while maintaining protection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The material properties are changed from reusable sterilizable materials to disposable flexible sheet materials, fundamentally altering the cost structure by eliminating sterilization requirements while maintaining protective function.
3Reliability
If conventional protective eye wear is used, then some protection is provided, but the design is complex requiring multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The shield combines multiple functions into a single integrated structure: protection (shield), sealing (seal), and securing (loops/headband) are merged into one component, simplifying the overall design while maintaining comprehensive protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it protects eyes, seals against the face, secures itself through loops or headband, and provides ventilation through gaps, eliminating the need for separate components for each function.
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 solution offers effective eye protection, reduces costs by eliminating the need for sterilization, enhances comfort with ventilation gaps, and accommodates various users, while being easy to manufacture and dispose of.
Implementation Method 1
a seal including a first seal length to engage the user's forehead and extending along the first portion, and a second seal length to engage the user's nose and cheek and extending along the second portion; and wherein the seal further provides securing parts
Data Source
AI summary
Eye wear (10) that may be employed in the health industry. The eye wear (10) includes a shield (11) that is formed of a sheet of flexible material, such as plastic. A seal (19) is secured to a major face of the shield (11) and is formed of a strip of flexible plastics material such as foam, with the seal (19) extending beyond the shield (11) so as to provide the loops (23) that engage a user's ears to aid in securing the eye wear to the user's face.