Elastomer Interdental Cleaner for Smooth Back-Tooth Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing interdental cleaning tools face difficulties in smoothly inserting between back teeth due to significant bending, necessitating improved usability.
Innovation Solution
An interdental cleaning tool with a grip portion and shaft portion made of synthetic resin, featuring a cleaning portion of elastomer with specific torque and diameter ratios, and optionally containing glass fiber, to ensure flexible bending and adequate force transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cleaning tool is made softer to improve flexibility for insertion between back teeth, then the ease of operation is improved, but the strength and reliability deteriorate, causing the tool to break easily
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft portion is constructed as a composite structure with a core member providing structural strength and an elastomer layer providing flexibility. This composite design allows the tool to be both soft enough for easy insertion and strong enough to resist breaking during use.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the cleaning tool have different material properties: the grip portion is made of hard resin for structural integrity, the shaft portion uses a composite of core member and elastomer for balanced flexibility and strength, and the cleaning portion uses soft elastomer for gentle contact with teeth. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between overall flexibility and localized strength.
2Ease of operation
If the cleaning portion outer diameter is reduced to improve ease of insertion, then the ease of operation is improved, but the cleaning effectiveness deteriorates due to insufficient contact area
Solution Approach 1:
The outer diameter of the cleaning portion is optimized within a specific range (0.4 to 1.5 mm at 6 mm from leading end, 0.5 to 2.0 mm at 15 mm from leading end) to balance insertion ease and cleaning effectiveness. This parameter optimization ensures the tool is thin enough for easy insertion while maintaining sufficient contact area for effective plaque removal.
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 tool maintains structural integrity and effectively cleans between teeth without breaking, enhancing usability and plaque removal efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a cleaning portion configured to clean between teeth, covering a leading end of the shaft portion, and made of an elastomer
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an interdental cleaning tool that can be smoothly inserted between back teeth. An interdental cleaning tool according to the present invention includes: a cleaning tool body that is made of a synthetic resin, and includes a grip portion that is capable of being gripped with fingers of a user and a shaft portion that extends in one direction from the grip portion; and a cleaning portion configured to clean between teeth, covering a leading end of the shaft portion, and made of an elastomer, wherein (angle b)/(angle a) is 0.82 or more, where the angle a is a rotational angle (degrees) when a torque value A is measured, the torque value A being a maximum torque value (N·cm) when the grip portion is rotated at a rotational speed of 10 rpm about a position located 6 mm away from a leading end of the cleaning portion, and the angle b is a rotational angle (degrees) when a torque value B is measured, the torque value B being a maximum torque value (N·cm) when the grip portion is rotated at a rotational speed of 10 rpm about a position located 10 mm away from the leading end of the cleaning portion.