Disposable Dental Floss Spool with Protective Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental floss devices are either complex and costly, making them impractical for single-use and portable use, or they fail to keep the floss sanitary during transport, as they are often reusable and exposed to contamination.
Innovation Solution
A sanitary portable single-use floss device featuring a protective spool with a shaft for wrapping dental floss and a ring or grab ball mechanism that deploys easily for use, ensuring the floss remains protected from contaminants and is easy to use, making it inexpensive and convenient for single-use disposal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional reusable floss holders are used, then the device can be reused multiple times, but the floss is exposed to contamination during transport and the device structure becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a disposable floss holder that is designed for single use only. The holder contains a pre-loaded length of floss on a spool, sealed in a protective container. After one use, the entire unit is discarded. This eliminates the complexity of reusable mechanisms while ensuring sanitary conditions, as each new disposable unit provides fresh, uncontaminated floss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested structure where the floss spool is placed inside a protective container, and the floss itself is wrapped around the spool. The container protects the floss during transport, and the spool holds the floss in a compact form. This nested arrangement maintains sanitary conditions while keeping the overall device simple and portable.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If complex sanitary floss devices are designed, then the floss remains protected from contamination, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By designing a simple disposable holder with basic components (container, spool, floss), the patent achieves contamination protection without complex manufacturing processes. The simplicity of the design allows for low-cost production while ensuring the floss remains protected until use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simple protective container that can be made from thin, flexible materials. This container seals the floss spool during transport, protecting it from contamination. The use of thin-film materials keeps manufacturing costs low while providing adequate protection.
3Weight of moving object
If reusable floss holders are used, then the device can be carried conveniently, but the floss is fully exposed to contamination during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The floss spool is nested within a protective container that seals it during transport. This nested structure protects the floss from contamination while keeping the overall device compact and portable. The container is designed to be small enough for pocket or purse carrying.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective container uses a flexible shell or thin film material that provides contamination protection while adding minimal weight. This allows the device to remain portable and convenient to carry while effectively shielding the floss from contaminants during transport.
Data Source
AI summary
A Sanitary Portable Single-Use Floss Device (SPSFD), designed to enable a user to carry a single-use portion of dental floss in a manner that protects the dental floss from contamination during storage or transportation, such as in a pocket or a purse, is disclosed; the device comprising a spool, a length of dental floss wound about the shaft of the spool, the dental floss being protected from contamination by the spool, and a grab ball or ring functioning as a means to hold the length of dental floss in the stowed condition, and as a means of holding the deployed length of dental floss for use. A method of using said SPSFD is also disclosed.