Monofilament Dental Tape Surface Indentations

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing monofilament dental tapes face issues with fibrillation, limited surface area, and restricted incorporation of binding agents and additives, leading to reduced effectiveness in interdental cleaning and user comfort.

Innovation Solution

The development of monofilament dental tapes with indentations on their surface, which increase the surface area for anchoring coatings and additives, enhance gripping, and prevent fibrillation, while maintaining mechanical strength and pliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If monofilament dental tapes with smooth surface are used, then the tape maintains structural integrity and does not fibrillate, but the surface area is limited and binding agent incorporation is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidsurface area

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the principle of porous materials by creating a monofilament tape surface with controlled voids, cavities, and roughness features. This porous/rough surface structure increases the effective surface area available for binding agent incorporation while maintaining the monofilament's structural integrity and preventing fibrillation during use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Ease of operation

If binding agents are increased to enhance gripping and additive carrier capacity, then the cleaning effectiveness improves, but the mechanical strength and pliability of the tape may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegripping capacityVSAvoidmechanical strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by concentrating the binding agent and additive formulation specifically on the surface roughness features and indentations of the monofilament tape, rather than requiring bulk incorporation. This localized application enhances gripping capacity at the contact points while preserving the mechanical strength and pliability of the underlying monofilament structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If multifilament construction is used to increase surface area and cleaning capacity, then the cleaning efficiency improves, but the filaments separate during rubbing causing user discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoiduser comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by creating a monofilament tape with segmented surface features (indentations, cavities, roughness) that provide multiple contact points for cleaning. This segmented surface structure increases cleaning efficiency through enhanced surface area and binding agent capacity while maintaining the unity of the single filament, preventing the separation and discomfort associated with multifilament construction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS7854235B2Dental tape and process for obtaining a dental tape

Publication Date: 2010.12.21 LG HOUSEHOLD & HEALTH CARE LTD

AI summary

Monofilament dental tapes including a core body having first and second opposing external faces, where at least one of the external faces has a plurality of indentations protruding into the core body of the dental tape, where the plurality of indentations are provided in from about 5% to about 95% of the total area of the first or second external faces, the indentations having a depth within the core body corresponding to from about 0.1% to about 95% of the thickness of the core body, taken transversally to the external face containing the plurality of indentations.