Flexible Toothbrush Gap Design Prevents Tissue Pinching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Toothbrushes with movable elements can pinch soft tissue in the oral cavity due to changing tolerances between moving parts, leading to discomfort and potential injury.
Innovation Solution
A toothbrush design featuring a handle, head, and neck with a gap of less than 3.5 mm between flexible portions, reducing the likelihood of pinching and minimizing pressure on soft tissue, while allowing for effective cleaning with adjustable cleaning elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If movable elements are added to the toothbrush to improve cleaning effectiveness, then cleaning performance is improved, but the risk of pinching soft tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by providing a cushioning element positioned between the movable cleaning element carrier and the oral cavity soft tissue. This cushioning element anticipates and prevents pinching harm before it occurs by absorbing excess movement and reducing the force transmitted to soft tissue during brushing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a cushioning element as a mediator between the movable cleaning mechanism and the soft tissue. This intermediary component decouples the harmful mechanical interaction while preserving the beneficial cleaning function, allowing the movable elements to operate effectively without directly pinching the tissue.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the gap between movable portions is reduced to prevent pinching, then pinching risk is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical state or characteristics of the gap space. Instead of merely reducing the gap dimension, the invention introduces a cushioning element that changes the nature of the gap from a dangerous void to a protected space with controlled compliance, thereby reducing pinching risk without imposing stringent gap tolerance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The cushioning element functions as a sacrificial or replaceable component that absorbs wear and deformation over time. By using a dedicated cushioning element that can be replaced if needed, the system maintains reliable pinching protection without requiring ultra-precise permanent gap control in the movable mechanisms.
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 minimizes the risk of pinching and discomfort by maintaining a controlled gap size, ensuring comfortable and effective oral hygiene without compromising the functionality of movable elements.
Implementation Method 1
The first portion is flexible with respect to the second portion
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A toothbrush includes a handle, a head, and a neck extending between the handle and the head. The head has a first portion and a second portion defining a gap of less than about 3.5 mm between a lower surface of the first portion and a top surface of the second portion. Each of the first portion and the second portion have a plurality of cleaning elements.