Dental pick container and dispenser
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current storage and dispensing systems for dental picks are cumbersome, requiring users to manually separate and handle individual picks from sheets, which is time-consuming and inefficient, and existing containers are not designed to accommodate separated picks, leading to difficulties in storage and retrieval.
Innovation Solution
A container system that includes a mechanism to separate sheets of interconnected dental picks into individual units and a dispensing mechanism to provide one pick at a time, using blades or pressure to slice or snap apart the picks, and a design that allows for easy loading and storage of the separated picks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If dental picks are sold in sheets of interconnected picks and users manually separate them, then the picks can be stored and dispensed, but the process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the sheet of interconnected dental picks into individual picks using a separating device with blades or cutting edges that slice through the connections between picks, allowing automatic separation without manual breaking
Solution Approach 2:
The separating device performs the separation action in advance as the sheet is loaded into the container, so that by the time the picks are dispensed, they are already separated and ready for individual use
2Quantity of substance
If existing storage containers are used for bulk sheets of dental picks, then the picks can be stored, but opening and retrieving picks requires both hands and manual separation
Solution Approach 1:
The device allows one-handed operation where the user simply opens the container and pulls out the desired number of picks, which are automatically dispensed without requiring manual separation or complex manipulation
Solution Approach 2:
The container serves multiple functions: it stores bulk sheets of dental picks, automatically separates them into individual picks, and dispenses them one at a time, replacing the need for separate storage and separation processes
3Adaptability or versatility
If all dental picks are separated from the sheet at once, then individual picks are available, but aligning and placing them in the container becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The separating device automatically separates picks as the sheet is loaded into the container, eliminating the need for manual alignment and placement operations
Solution Approach 2:
The separating device extracts the connection between picks through cutting or slicing action, removing the need for manual separation while the picks are being stored in the container
Data Source
AI summary
A container for separating, storing, and dispensing dental picks includes a container to receive a sheet of dental picks, wherein the sheet of dental picks includes multiple interconnected dental picks, a separating device to separate the sheet of dental picks into singular dental picks, and a dispensing device to dispense the singular dental picks, one at a time. A method for separating and dispensing dental picks includes obtaining a sheet of dental picks, wherein the sheet of dental picks includes multiple interconnected dental picks, loading the sheet of dental picks into a container, separating the sheet of dental picks into singular dental picks, and dispensing the singular dental picks one at a time.