Dental Flossing Pick with Bow-String Floss Band
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental hygiene methods, such as brushing and hand flossing, are inadequate for removing food debris from the crevices and irregularities between teeth, especially outside the home and in public settings.
Innovation Solution
A disposable, hand-held dental flossing pick with lateral protrusions and a notch, where a band of dental floss is mounted to exert an outward force when inserted between teeth, effectively cleaning crevices and irregularities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If straight floss is used to clean between teeth, then the floss can reach some areas, but it cannot effectively clean crevices and irregularities between teeth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a curved or bent floss configuration instead of a straight piece of floss. The floss is shaped to conform to the contours of teeth and gums, allowing it to reach into crevices and irregularities more effectively. This curved geometry enables the floss to adapt to the complex three-dimensional anatomy of the oral cavity, improving cleaning reliability in hard-to-reach areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The floss is designed to be flexible and dynamic rather than rigid. It can bend, flex, and adapt its shape as it is inserted and moved between teeth. This dynamic property allows the floss to automatically conform to different tooth geometries and crevices, making the cleaning process more effective without requiring additional time for manual positioning.
2Reliability
If hand flossing is done immediately after eating in public, then food debris can be removed, but it is socially unacceptable and inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the flossing function with a handheld applicator device, merging two separate actions (holding floss and inserting between teeth) into a single integrated tool. This combination allows for discreet, one-handed operation that is more socially acceptable in public settings while maintaining effective food debris removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed as a disposable unit that can be quickly used and discarded. This eliminates the need for cleaning and storing floss, making it convenient for public use. The disposable nature also ensures hygiene and allows users to carry multiple units without concern for contamination or maintenance.
3Reliability
If more time is spent flossing to reach all crevices, then cleaning completeness improves, but the process becomes excessively time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The curved floss configuration allows multiple tooth surfaces and crevices to be cleaned in a single insertion motion. The curved shape naturally follows the contours of adjacent teeth, enabling the user to clean several areas simultaneously rather than requiring multiple separate movements for each crevice, thus improving productivity while maintaining completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The floss is configured to operate in three-dimensional space rather than along a single linear path. By incorporating curves and bends, the floss can access crevices at different depths and angles simultaneously, adding spatial dimensions to the cleaning action. This allows comprehensive cleaning of multiple surfaces without proportionally increasing the time required.
Data Source
AI summary
A disposable, personal dental flossing device that includes a continuous or partially continuous band of floss attached near the nose of the device and spanning both the left and right sides of the device. A small protrusion pulls the floss away from the pick body toward the rear of the active part of the pick so that when the pick is inserted between two teeth and moved in and out, the floss is stretched inward like a bow string. The outward force pushes the floss into the small indentations and difficult to access areas as the device is moved, hence releasing trapped food particles.