Interdental Cleaning Instrument with Variable Shaft Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing interdental cleaning instruments face difficulty in inserting and effectively cleaning the space between back teeth due to the restricted operation by lips, which limits the insertion direction and reduces the cleaning efficacy.
Innovation Solution
The interdental cleaning instrument features a base part with a shaft that can be flexurally deformed to facilitate insertion into the space between back teeth, with specific strength ranges for the tip and grip parts to ensure effective cleaning without breakage, allowing the cleaning part to be inserted while maintaining sufficient cleaning force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the strength of the shaft part is reduced to enable flexural deformation for insertion, then the insertability into space between back teeth is improved, but the elastic restoring force pressing the cleaning part against teeth is reduced, worsening the cleaning ability
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft part is designed with non-uniform thickness, being thinner at the insertion end section and thicker at the base end section. This creates local quality differences where the thinner insertion end can flexurally deform for easy insertion, while the thicker base end provides sufficient strength and elastic restoring force for effective cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the shaft part, specifically setting the outer diameter of the insertion end section to 0.55mm and the base end section to 1.1mm. This parameter change enables the shaft to have appropriate flexibility for insertion while maintaining sufficient strength for cleaning function.
2Ease of operation
If the strength of the shaft part is reduced to allow flexural deformation, then the insertion operation is simplified, but the shaft part may break during insertion, worsening the reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft part has different thicknesses at different locations, with the insertion end section being thinner (0.55mm) for flexibility and the base end section being thicker (1.1mm) for strength. This local quality differentiation allows the shaft to flex without breaking during insertion while maintaining overall structural reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft part is designed to be dynamically deformable during insertion, allowing flexural deformation to navigate the space between back teeth. The varying thickness provides appropriate dynamic flexibility while preventing breakage through sufficient strength at the base end.
3Productivity
If the cleaning part covers a longer portion of the shaft part, then the cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the insertability into narrow interdental space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning part is designed with a controlled length parameter, covering only the insertion end section and a portion of the intermediate section of the shaft. This parameter optimization ensures the cleaning part is long enough to be effective but short enough to fit into narrow interdental spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning part is positioned to cover specific sections of the shaft (insertion end and part of intermediate section) rather than the entire length. This local coverage provides effective cleaning at the critical insertion point while maintaining insertability into tight spaces.
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 insertability and cleaning effectiveness of the interdental space between back teeth by ensuring the shaft part can be flexurally deformed to align with the space, while maintaining sufficient strength to prevent breakage and ensure effective cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
the shaft part has a shape that can be flexurally deformed so as to allow for a displacement of the insertion end section in an axially perpendicular direction
Implementation Method 2
contamination between the teeth is removed by friction occurring between the teeth and the cleaning part composed of an elastomer
Data Source
AI summary
An interdental cleaning instrument is equipped with a base part and a cleaning part. The base part has a shaft part and a grip part. At least the shape of the base part is set in a manner such that a first pressing force required to press a portion spaced 2.5 mm apart from a tip of the cleaning part in 10 mm is 0.3 N or more and 1.4 N or less in a state in which a portion spaced 10 mm apart from the tip of the cleaning part is fixed, and a second pressing force required to press a portion spaced 8.0 mm apart from the tip of the cleaning part in 10 mm is 0.5 N or more and 2.5 N or less in a state in which a portion spaced 35 mm apart from the tip of the cleaning part is fixed.