Flushable Brush Head Structure for Force Transfer and Fast Breakdown

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing toilet brush heads face issues such as clogging, unsuitability for sensitive plumbing systems, material degradation during use, and high production costs, along with the challenge of efficiently transmitting scrubbing force and preventing unpleasant odors and water splashing during storage.

Innovation Solution

A brush head design featuring a stack of water-degradable material layers with a compressed region and interlocking indentations, allowing for secure mounting and efficient degradation in plumbing systems, while maintaining structural integrity and preventing premature disassembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If water-degradable material is used for brush heads, then degradation in plumbing systems is improved, but material falls apart before cleaning process is completed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedegradation in plumbing systemsVSAvoidmaterial integrity during use

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The brush head is divided into multiple functional zones: a reinforced rear portion with compressed layers and interlocking features for structural integrity, and a front portion with looser bristle arrangement for cleaning. This segmentation allows different regions to serve different purposes - the rear maintains strength during handling and scrubbing while the front enables effective cleaning and controlled degradation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The brush head uses composite construction combining water-degradable material layers with non-degradable or slowly degradable components such as the handle interface, bristle anchors, and reinforcing elements. This composite approach allows the brush head to maintain structural integrity during use while ensuring the disposable portion degrades appropriately in the plumbing system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If highly water-degradable material is used, then rapid degradation occurs, but material is too flexible to transmit scrubbing force

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedegradation speedVSAvoidscrubbing force transmission

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the brush head have different material properties and structural characteristics. The rear portion features compressed, interlocked layers for rigidity and force transmission, while the front bristle portion has more flexible, loosely arranged material for cleaning effectiveness and controlled degradation. This local differentiation of material quality resolves the contradiction between needing flexibility for degradation and rigidity for force transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If disposable brush heads are designed for flushing, then clogging is avoided, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclogging preventionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The brush head is designed as a disposable component that can be flushed after use, eliminating the need for complex cleaning and sterilization processes. By using simple water-degradable materials and straightforward construction methods, the unit cost of each brush head is kept low, making the disposable approach economically viable compared to permanent brushes requiring maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The complex, expensive components are extracted from the disposable brush head and placed in the permanent handle portion. Only the essential cleaning function is implemented in the disposable head using simple, cheap materials, while the handle contains the expensive motor, battery, or mechanical mechanisms that justify reuse.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Strength

If brush heads are permanently affixed to handle, then structural integrity is maintained, but contamination and odor during storage occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidcontamination and odor

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The brush head is designed to be discarded after a single use and replaced with a fresh unit. This eliminates the problem of contamination and odor accumulation that occurs with permanent brushes during storage. The disposable nature ensures that used brushes are promptly removed from the storage environment, preventing harmful factors from developing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentUS7650663B2Replaceable/disposable brush head

Publication Date: 2010.01.26 SC JOHNSON & SON INC

AI summary

Disclosed is a brush head useful for cleaning toilet bowls and for other cleaning applications. The brush head is flushable after use and insertable in a permanent type wand. The brush head may be a stack of sheets of water-dissolvable material. The sheets are compressed to bind them together into a stack. Surface indentations and piercing of layers at the indentations are used to bind the brush head layers together more securely without the need for binding adhesives, and to facilitate clamping.