Interdental Brush Flexible Neck Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional interdental brushes lack flexibility, making it difficult to adjust brushing angles and can cause damage to teeth and gums due to their rigid design.

Innovation Solution

The interdental brush features a thinner neck with a conduit and lumen design that allows for increased flexibility of the brush rod, enabling users to adjust brushing angles and reduce the risk of damage with a soft rubber handle and soft plastic neck sleeve for enhanced cushioning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the brush rod is made rigid to maintain structural stability, then the strength and stability are improved, but the flexibility and ease of operation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidflexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The brush rod is divided into multiple segments that can bend relative to each other, allowing the rod to maintain overall strength while gaining flexibility. The segmentation enables the rod to adapt to different angles and contours during oral cleaning without compromising structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs flexible materials and thin-walled structures in the brush rod design, allowing it to bend and flex during use. This enables the rod to accommodate various brushing angles and positions while maintaining sufficient strength to support the brush head and transmit user applied forces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Strength

If the neck wall thickness is increased to improve structural strength, then the strength is improved, but the bending flexibility of the brush rod deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveneck structural strengthVSAvoidbrushing angle adjustment
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The neck structure employs varying wall thickness along its length, with thinner sections positioned to allow bending and flexibility while thicker sections provide structural support where needed. This local variation in quality enables the neck to simultaneously achieve strength and adaptability for angle adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the neck wall thickness parameter to a specific range that balances structural strength and flexibility. By carefully selecting and controlling this parameter, the design achieves the desired compromise between maintaining neck integrity and allowing sufficient bending for brushing angle adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If the brush rod is made highly rigid to maintain positioning accuracy, then the measurement precision is improved, but the ease of operation and user comfort deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrush head positioning accuracyVSAvoiduser comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The brush rod transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure that can adapt its shape during use. This dynamic flexibility allows the rod to bend and conform to oral contours while maintaining positioning accuracy through controlled elasticity, thereby improving user comfort without sacrificing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

This design enhances the bending flexibility of the brush rod, allowing for more thorough cleaning and reducing the risk of damage to teeth and gums by accommodating necessary elastic deformation during use.

Implementation Method 1

the neck of the brush handle provided by the embodiments of the present invention is thinner for covering the brush rod, such design is conducive to weakening the restraint of the neck on the bending deformation of the brush rod and improving the bending flexibility of the brush rod

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a handle shell, the said handle shell is formed of a soft rubber material; and a handle core formed of a hard rubber material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP4331432A1Interdental brush
Publication Date: 2024.03.06 PACIFIC CARE LTD
  • EP4331432A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4331432A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4331432A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of oral cleaning technology, and disclose an interdental brush. The interdental brush comprises: a brush head and a brush rod; two ends of the said brush rod are respectively a first rod end and a second rod end; the said brush head is disposed at the said first rod end; and a brush handle, one end of the said brush handle is a neck configured with a orifice, and the said neck is configured with a conduit in communication with the said orifice, the interior of the said brush handle is configured with a lumen in communication with the said conduit; the said second rod end is inserted into the said lumen through the said orifice and the said conduit; the wall thickness of the said neck adjacent to the said orifice is 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm.