Luminous Dental Floss with Integrated Light Guide
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental floss tools struggle to effectively clean deep gaps between teeth, particularly between molars, due to lack of illumination, leading to potential gum damage and inefficiency in cleaning, especially in dark oral environments.
Innovation Solution
A luminous dental floss tool with a light source system integrated into the handle, using a light guide material for illumination and a detachable connection mechanism, ensuring clear observation of the cleaning area and preventing accidental gum damage, while being safe and hygienic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If traditional non-illuminated dental floss is used, then the structure remains simple and cost-effective, but the cleaned area cannot be clearly observed in dark oral environments
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is nested within the dental floss structure, with the light-conducting portion embedded in the floss body. This allows the illumination function to be integrated into the existing floss structure without significantly increasing external complexity, while still providing effective lighting in the cleaned area.
Solution Approach 2:
A light guide material acts as an intermediary between the light source (external or integrated) and the cleaned area. The light guide transmits and directs light to illuminate the deep gaps between teeth, enabling clear observation without requiring the entire floss structure to be complex.
2Ease of operation
If external lighting is used to illuminate the oral cavity, then the cleaned area becomes visible, but the user cannot precisely control the light position and may accidentally damage gums
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination function is merged with the dental floss itself, creating an integrated illuminated floss tool. The light guide is positioned within the floss structure, ensuring that light is delivered precisely to the area where the floss is being used. This integration eliminates the risk of mismatched lighting and improves operational control.
Solution Approach 2:
Illumination is provided locally at the tip of the dental floss where the cleaning action occurs. The light guide concentrates light delivery to the specific cleaned area between teeth, rather than providing diffuse illumination. This localized lighting enables precise control and reduces the risk of accidental gum damage.
3Reliability
If deep gaps between molars are cleaned without sufficient light, then the cleaning tool remains simple to use, but the cleaning effectiveness decreases and gum damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is nested within the floss structure, with the light-conducting portion embedded in the floss body. This integration provides reliable illumination for safe cleaning of deep gaps while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that does not significantly increase device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dental floss incorporates composite structure combining the floss material with light guide material. This composite design enables the floss to simultaneously perform mechanical cleaning and optical illumination functions, improving cleaning safety in deep gaps without requiring separate complex devices.
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
The tool provides effective illumination for clear observation during cleaning, preventing gum damage and ensuring thoroughness, with a safe and convenient design that includes a timing function for battery conservation and easy replacement.
Implementation Method 1
The dental floss 1 is made of a light guide material. The dental floss 1 may be made of a light guide material to transmit the illumination light emitted by the light source system 21 to inside of the oral cavity to achieve illumination.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Luminous dental floss of the present application includes dental floss, an illumination system, and a handle. The dental floss is detachably connected to the handle. The illumination system includes a light source system, a circuit system, a switch, and a power supply system. The light source system is connected to the power supply system through the circuit system. The circuit system and the power supply system are mounted in the handle, and the switch is mounted on the handle. Illumination light emitted by the light source system can illuminate an oral cavity, and especially an observation window is designed on the luminous dental floss of the present application. During use, under the illumination of the illumination system, a process of the dental floss entering a gap between teeth can be directly observed, thereby facilitating cleaning and effectively avoiding accidental injury to gingivae.