Three-in-one tooth-cleaning device with elastic bristles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tooth-cleaning tools, such as floss picks, interdental brushes, and toothpicks, often damage the gums and interdental papillae due to improper force application, leading to bleeding and bacterial infections, and fail to effectively remove food debris from tight interdental gaps without causing harm.
Innovation Solution
A three-in-one tooth-cleaning device with a main body formed of a tough plasticized material for structural strength, featuring a gripping portion, a U-shaped floss holding portion, an interdental-brush portion, and a toothpick portion, along with an elastic-bristle portion and an elastic toothpick-coating layer, allowing precise and gentle removal of plaque and food debris without damaging the tooth surface, gums, or interdental papillae.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional floss picks are used to scrape plaque from teeth, then food debris removal is achieved, but the floss holding portion deforms and causes friction or collision with gums and interdental papillae leading to bleeding and infection
Solution Approach 1:
The floss holding portion is designed with a flexible, resilient material that allows the floss to be pressed gently into interdental gaps without rigid force transmission. This flexibility prevents deformation that would cause gum collision while maintaining effective plaque removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the floss holding portion by using material with specific elasticity and resilience properties. This allows the structure to adapt its stiffness dynamically - firm enough to hold floss taut for effective cleaning, but soft enough to prevent gum injury during insertion.
2Productivity
If interdental brushes are used to clean interdental gaps, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the rigid structure may damage tooth surface, gums, or interdental papillae
Solution Approach 1:
The interdental brush portion is constructed with flexible bristles and a resilient body that can adapt to the contours of teeth and gums. This flexibility maintains cleaning effectiveness while preventing rigid contact that would cause damage to delicate oral tissues.
Solution Approach 2:
The device combines materials with different mechanical properties - a resilient base material providing structural support while softer bristle materials perform the actual cleaning. This composite structure enables effective plaque removal without concentrating excessive force on small areas that could cause tissue damage.
3Ease of operation
If toothpicks are used to remove food debris, then interdental cleaning is achieved, but the pointed tip and tough material can puncture gums and damage tooth surface
Solution Approach 1:
The toothpick portion is made from resilient material that flexes during insertion rather than transmitting rigid puncturing force. This flexibility maintains the ability to reach into interdental spaces while preventing gum puncture and tooth surface damage that occurs with traditional rigid toothpicks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent fundamentally changes the mechanical parameters of the toothpick from rigid and brittle to resilient and flexible. This parameter change preserves the penetrating capability needed for effective cleaning while eliminating the harmful puncture effect through controlled elasticity.
4Manufacturing precision
If force is applied to press floss into tight interdental gaps, then cleaning of tight gaps is achieved, but the floss holding portion twists or deforms causing friction with gums
Solution Approach 1:
The floss holding portion's flexible construction allows it to bend and conform to the geometry of tight interdental gaps without twisting or deforming permanently. This flexibility enables precise penetration into difficult-to-reach areas while maintaining structural integrity and preventing gum friction during the cleaning motion.
Data Source
AI summary
A three-in-one tooth-cleaning device structured as a toothpick, an interdental brush, and a floss pick includes a main body and an interdental elastic-bristle portion. The main body is integrally formed of a first plasticized material by injection molding and is structured as a floss pick at one end and as a toothpick at the opposite second end. The interdental elastic-bristle portion is integrally formed by injection molding a second plasticized material over the periphery of the main body in a section adjacent to the second end of the main body and forms a plurality of bristles. The second plasticized material has a lower hardness than the first plasticized material. The three-in-one tooth-cleaning device can be carried around to perform diversified, thorough, and effective removing operations on the dental plaque or food debris on and/or between teeth anytime and anywhere to prevent dental caries (especially interdental caries) and periodontal disease.