Infant Jaw-Curving Bite-On with Soft Projections for Gum Massage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing infant toothbrushes and teether devices are either too hard for effective gum massage or too soft for efficient cleaning, and often have loose connections that can lead to accidental detachment, posing a choking hazard and inadequate coverage of the entire gum area, especially the molar region.
Innovation Solution
A device with a non-detachable connection between a hard handle and a soft, plate-shaped bite-on part featuring massage and cleaning projections, designed to match the curvature of an infant's jaw, allowing for stable use and comprehensive gum and tooth cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the device uses a detachable connection between handle and brush head, then the device is easy to disassemble for transport, but the handle may unintentionally become loose or detached, posing a choking hazard
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two main segments: a handle and a bite-on part, which can be separately manufactured and then connected through injection molding. This segmentation allows for easy manufacturing while maintaining connection stability through the integrated molding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle and bite-on part are merged into a single integrated component through injection molding, eliminating the detachable connection while maintaining manufacturing efficiency. This merging ensures the handle cannot detach, preventing choking hazards while still allowing for cost-effective production.
2Force
If the handle is made of hard material, then efficient transmission of user power is achieved, but the connection sites are in close proximity making the device unwieldy
Solution Approach 1:
The bite-on part is designed with a curved shape that corresponds to the curvature of an infant's jaw, distributing the contact points along the curve rather than concentrating them in close proximity. This curvature maintains force transmission efficiency while improving device maneuverability in the infant's mouth.
3Ease of manufacture
If the device is made entirely of hard material, then cleaning of teeth is enabled, but effective gum massage is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates local quality variation by making the bite-on part softer than the handle. The bite-on part, which contacts the gums and teeth, is made of softer material to enable gentle gum massage, while the handle remains hard for efficient force transmission and durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses composite construction with at least two different materials: a harder material for the handle and a softer material for the bite-on part. This composite approach enables both teeth cleaning (through the hard handle structure) and gum massage (through the soft bite-on surface) simultaneously.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the device is made entirely of soft material, then gum massage is enabled, but effective cleaning of teeth is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The bite-on part is designed with localized soft material properties specifically where it contacts the gums, while the handle maintains harder material properties for structural integrity and cleaning effectiveness. This local quality differentiation enables both gum massage and teeth cleaning functions.
5Object-affected harmful factors
If the bite-on part is shaped as a ring, then gum soothing is enabled, but coverage of the entire jaw area including molars is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The bite-on part is designed with a curved shape that corresponds to the curvature of an infant's jaw, extending to cover the entire jaw area including the molar region. This curved geometry allows the soft bite-on surface to contact and soothe gums across the full jaw circumference, not just the front area.
Solution Approach 2:
The bite-on part transitions from a simple ring shape to a three-dimensional curved structure that conforms to the jaw's anatomy. This dimensional enhancement allows coverage of the entire jaw surface area, including hard-to-reach molar regions, while maintaining the gum-soothing function.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for massaging the jaw or cleaning the teeth of a baby. The device has a handle and a plate-shaped bite part which is curbed in such a way that it essentially corresponds to the curbed shape of the jaw. The bite part has massage or cleaning projections on at least one broad side and is of a material which is softer than that of the handle. The handle and the bite part are interconnected in a nondetachable manner.