Flexible Toothbrush Handle Hinge Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional toothbrushes with flexible handles are costly to manufacture due to their multi-component construction and often have limited flexibility, which can lead to breakage when flexed beyond a certain point, failing to provide adequate force control during brushing.

Innovation Solution

A toothbrush design featuring a handle with a rigid gripping section, a rigid neck section, and a hinge section that includes a flexible strut encased in a resilient material, allowing the neck section to pivot relative to the gripping section upon force application, enhancing flexibility while preventing overflexure and breakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional toothbrushes use multiple mechanically coupled components to provide flexibility, then flexibility is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple components (bulbous body, basin, longitudinal strut, and resilient material) into a single integrally formed handle structure. This eliminates the need for separate mechanically coupled components while maintaining the hinge mechanism's flexibility function, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The handle combines rigid material for structural sections (bulbous body, basin, longitudinal strut) with resilient material for the hinge section. This composite construction allows different regions to have optimized properties (rigidity where needed, flexibility where needed) while being formed as a single piece, reducing both material and manufacturing costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional toothbrushes use multiple components to achieve flexibility, then flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveflexibilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the hinge mechanism directly into the handle structure through integral formation, eliminating separate components and their associated mechanical couplings. This reduces device complexity while preserving the flexibility function through the resilient material section.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Stability of the object's composition

If conventional toothbrushes are designed with limited flexibility, then structural integrity is maintained, but reliability decreases due to breakage when flexed beyond certain point

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidresistance to breakage

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter (from purely rigid to resilient) in the hinge section to allow controlled flexibility. The resilient material enables the handle to flex beyond previous limits without breaking, while the integral construction maintains overall structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The resilient material in the hinge section acts as a cushioning element that absorbs and distributes flexing forces before they can propagate to critical structural points. This prevents sudden breakage by providing gradual deformation and stress distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

4Ease of manufacture

If conventional toothbrushes use rigid handles, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but force control during brushing deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidforce control

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making only the hinge section resilient while keeping other handle sections rigid. This localized flexibility provides force control during brushing where needed, while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through integral formation of the entire handle structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 design provides improved flexibility and force control during brushing, reducing the risk of breakage and manufacturing costs, while maintaining structural integrity and user comfort.

Implementation Method 1

a resilient material encasing the flexible strut of the hinge section

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

preventing overflexure and breakage

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnergy absorption: Damping

Data Source

PatentUS9737134B2Oral care implement having flexible handle

Publication Date: 2017.08.22 COLGATE PALMOLIVE CO

AI summary

An oral care implement having a flexible handle. In one embodiment, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a head; and a handle extending along a longitudinal axis and connected to the head, the handle comprising: a main body integrally formed of a rigid material, the main body comprising a rigid gripping section terminating in a bulbous body, a rigid neck section terminating in a basin, and a flexible strut having a first end connected to the bulbous body and a second end connected to a floor of the basin; a resilient material encasing the flexible strut; and the flexible strut and the resilient material forming a hinge about which the rigid neck section pivots relative to the rigid gripping section upon a force being applied to the head.