Detachable Toothbrush Replacement Head With Rib-Guided Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing replacement heads for powered toothbrushes face challenges in manufacturing complexity, improper loading, and inadequate coupling stability to the body, necessitating an improved design for efficient and stable attachment.
Innovation Solution
The replacement brush features a tubular part with a bulging wall and sidewalls that engage with a protruding part of the stem, along with a rib and guide groove system for precise alignment and secure attachment, ensuring efficient vibration transfer and stable coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple protruding part and recessed part coupling structure is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the coupling stability and vibration transfer efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling structure is divided into multiple functional segments: a protruding part with rib elements on the stem, and corresponding recessed parts with guide grooves on the replacement head. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function (alignment, coupling, vibration transfer) while maintaining overall simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding part and recessed part are designed with specific local features (ribs and guide grooves) at critical locations to enhance coupling stability and vibration transfer. The local quality of these features is optimized to provide necessary mechanical interlocking and guidance without complicating the overall structure.
2Reliability
If a protruding part and recessed part coupling structure is used, then the coupling stability is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding part and recessed part are designed with asymmetric features (ribs and guide grooves) that provide self-alignment and guide the assembly process. This asymmetry helps tolerate dimensional variations by directing the parts into correct alignment during manufacturing and assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide grooves and rib structures perform preliminary alignment and positioning actions during assembly, ensuring that the protruding and recessed parts are correctly oriented before final coupling is achieved. This preliminary action reduces the stringency of final dimensional precision requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the replacement head is detachably coupled to the body, then the adaptability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity of the replacement head increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling features (protruding part with ribs and recessed part with guide grooves) are merged into integral portions of the stem and replacement head structures, respectively. This merging achieves detachable coupling functionality without adding separate complex components, maintaining structural simplicity while enabling adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding and recessed parts with their rib-guide groove features serve multiple functions: mechanical coupling, alignment guidance, vibration transfer, and structural reinforcement. This multi-functionality achieves detachable coupling capability without proportionally increasing manufacturing complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The improved design facilitates easy and secure attachment of the replacement brush, enhancing manufacturing efficiency and ensuring effective vibration transfer while maintaining stability and ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
a bar-shaped stem which has a leading end part, vibrates by a vibration source provided inside the electric toothbrush main body
Implementation Method 2
an open sidewall formed from a trailing end side toward the leading end side of the tubular part to define an opening region... the bulging wall comes into contact with the protruding part region
Data Source
AI summary
A replacement head for detachable coupling to an oral care implement body. The replacement head may include a head having at least one treatment element and a tubular sleeve extending from the head and defining a cavity having an axis that receives a stem of the oral care implement body. The tubular sleeve may have a proximal edge that defines an opening into the cavity. A slot in the tubular sleeve is configured to mate with a boss of the stem of the oral care implement body. The slot may include an entry slot section extending from the proximal edge of the tubular sleeve towards the head and a locking slot section extending from the entry slot section towards the head. The locking slot section may have a first lateral wall that is oblique to the cavity axis and a second lateral wall that is parallel to the cavity axis.