Flexible Flat Toilet Brush Head for Under-Rim Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toilet brushes struggle to effectively clean the inner surfaces of toilet bowls, particularly under the curved rim, due to thin and widely spaced bristles that are difficult to clean and lack sufficient rigidity to reach the inner edges, while also being hard to maintain free of dirt.
Innovation Solution
A toilet brush with a flat, flexible cleaning head featuring bristles with varying cross-sectional shapes and a hollow base body that can be stiffened for increased pressure and cleaning effectiveness, allowing easy insertion under the curved edge and efficient dirt removal, with a handle that can be adjusted for universal use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If thin and widely spaced bristles are used, then the bristles are easier to clean, but the cleaning effectiveness on the toilet bowl surface is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the bristle diameter, length, and spacing to optimize both cleaning effectiveness and ease of maintenance. Different bristle parameters are used in different zones of the cleaning head to balance these two requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning head is segmented into multiple zones with different bristle characteristics. Some areas have denser bristles for effective cleaning, while other areas have sparser bristles for easy maintenance, resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and ease of bristle cleaning.
2Productivity
If bristle rigidity is increased to improve cleaning effect on bottom and side surfaces, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the ability to bend and penetrate under the cranked edge is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the cleaning head have different bristle rigidity characteristics. Bristles in areas that need to reach under the cranked edge are more flexible, while bristles in areas requiring strong cleaning action are stiffer, allowing both functions to be performed effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The bristle system is designed to be dynamic, allowing flexible bending when needed to reach under edges, while maintaining sufficient rigidity for effective cleaning when applied to surfaces. The bristles can adapt their stiffness based on the cleaning task.
3Productivity
If additional plate-shaped brush parts are added to reach under the edge, then cleaning under the cranked edge is improved, but the cleaning head becomes difficult to clean and may not fit through the drain pipe
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding a large plate-shaped brush that would be difficult to clean, the patent uses a partially extended bristle structure that reaches under the edge just sufficiently to perform the cleaning function, while maintaining a compact overall size that allows easy cleaning and passage through the drain pipe.
Data Source
Figure 1a~2
Figure 1b
Figure 3
AI summary
The brush has a cleaning head (2) comprising a base plate (3), and cleaning units e.g. bristles (5), arranged at the cleaning head, where the base plate has a larger expansion in a main extending level than in a transverse direction. The base plate comprises an edge area (3a) that is differently and easily bendable in both transverse directions to the main extending level of the base plate. The cleaning units have a non-circular form in the cross section, and the base plate is formed as a single piece with a handle.