Image-Guided Water Flosser Control for Safe Targeted Cleaning

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing water flossers lack the ability to automatically recognize oral conditions and adjust rinsing intensity, leading to incomplete removal of foreign objects or potential mouth damage due to inconsistent water jet force.

Innovation Solution

A controlling method and system for a water flosser that uses an image acquiring device to obtain oral images, allowing the water outlet nozzle to discharge water only when a teeth area is recognized and adjusting the rinsing intensity based on the area of foreign objects, ensuring targeted and comfortable cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the water jet force is increased to improve cleaning effect, then foreign objects can be removed more effectively, but the mouth or face may be injured and user comfort decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectVSAvoidmouth or face injury

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The water flosser dynamically adjusts the water jet force based on real-time oral cavity conditions detected by the image acquiring device. When foreign objects are detected, the system increases water jet force to enhance cleaning effect; when no foreign objects are present or the oral cavity is sensitive, the system reduces water jet force to prevent injury and improve user comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously acquires oral cavity images, analyzes the presence and position of foreign objects, and uses this feedback to automatically adjust the water jet force. This closed-loop control ensures the water jet force is optimized for each specific oral condition, resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and user comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the water jet force is decreased to improve user comfort, then mouth and face injury is prevented, but foreign objects cannot be removed completely and cleaning effect decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemouth or face injuryVSAvoidcleaning effect

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The water flosser dynamically adjusts the water jet force based on real-time oral cavity conditions detected by the image acquiring device. When foreign objects are detected, the system increases water jet force to enhance cleaning effect; when no foreign objects are present or the oral cavity is sensitive, the system reduces water jet force to prevent injury and improve user comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously acquires oral cavity images, analyzes the presence and position of foreign objects, and uses this feedback to automatically adjust the water jet force. This closed-loop control ensures the water jet force is optimized for each specific oral condition, resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and user comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If automatic recognition of oral conditions is implemented to enable precise control, then cleaning effectiveness and user comfort are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an image acquiring device as an intermediary component that captures oral cavity images and provides visual information to the control system. This intermediary enables automatic recognition of oral conditions, foreign objects, and their positions, allowing precise control of water jet force without requiring complex direct sensing mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical sensing systems with an optical-based image acquiring device. Instead of using complex mechanical sensors to detect oral conditions, the system uses image capture and analysis, substituting mechanical complexity with optical and computational approaches that achieve the same control objectives with simpler hardware.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS20230255735A1Controlling method of water flosser, water flosser control system, and water flosser

Publication Date: 2023.08.17 XIAMEN SOLEX HIGH TECH INDUSTRIES CO LTD

AI summary

A controlling method of a water flosser, a water flosser control system, and a water flosser are provided. The controlling system comprises obtaining an oral image through an image acquiring device installed on the water flosser and controlling a water outlet nozzle of the water flosser to discharge water based on the oral image acquired by the image acquiring device.