Motion-Controlled Dental Light for Curing and Diagnosis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dental devices lack versatility in functions and user interaction methods for efficiently curing photocurable materials and diagnosing oral conditions, often requiring complex user inputs or multiple components for different operations.

Innovation Solution

A dental care device with integrated light emission capabilities for curing and diagnosis, utilizing user input through movement and button interactions to switch between curing and diagnosis modes, accompanied by visual and audio feedback for mode indication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a toothbrush with a single head is used, then the structure is simple and easy to use, but it requires multiple passes to clean both arches of teeth, increasing cleaning time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of useVSAvoidcleaning time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The toothbrush is divided into two separate heads mounted on a single handle, allowing simultaneous cleaning of both upper and lower tooth arches. Each head can be independently positioned and used to clean different areas of the mouth, eliminating the need to switch between separate toothbrushes or make multiple passes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The single toothbrush handle supports multiple brush heads that can be used for different cleaning purposes - one head for the upper arch and another for the lower arch. The device thus performs multiple cleaning functions simultaneously, reducing overall cleaning time while maintaining ease of use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Loss of time

If a toothbrush with multiple heads is used, then cleaning time is reduced by enabling simultaneous cleaning of both arches, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning timeVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The toothbrush is divided into two separate heads mounted on a single handle, allowing simultaneous cleaning of both upper and lower tooth arches. Each head can be independently positioned and used to clean different areas of the mouth, eliminating the need to switch between separate toothbrushes or make multiple passes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Two functional brush heads are combined onto a single handle structure, allowing the user to clean both upper and lower teeth simultaneously or alternately. This merging of multiple cleaning functions into one device reduces overall cleaning time while the integrated design keeps the structure manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If a single toothbrush is used for both upper and lower teeth, then the device is simple, but it cannot effectively clean all areas of the mouth simultaneously

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice simplicityVSAvoidcleaning efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The toothbrush is divided into two separate heads mounted on a single handle, allowing simultaneous cleaning of both upper and lower tooth arches. Each head can be independently positioned and used to clean different areas of the mouth, eliminating the need to switch between separate toothbrushes or make multiple passes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The single toothbrush handle supports multiple brush heads that can be used for different cleaning purposes - one head for the upper arch and another for the lower arch. The device thus performs multiple cleaning functions simultaneously, reducing overall cleaning time while maintaining ease of use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4337138B1Dental care device
Publication Date: 2026.04.29 ULTRADENT PROD INC
  • EP4337138B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4337138B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4337138B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

A dental care device may include a light emitting device configured to emit light according to a selected function of multiple functions of operation. The dental care device may also include a sensor configured to output movement signals representing movement of the dental care device and at least one processor. The processor may be configured to perform operations including determine a first movement of the dental care device based on the movement signals and in response to the first movement of the dental care device and in response to the light emitting device having a first status, direct a change in a function of operation of the light emitting device. The operations may also include in response to the first movement of the dental care device and in response to the light emitting device having a second status, direct a change in a status of the light emitting device.