Optical Cleaning Elements for Tooth-Gum Position Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oral care devices, such as toothbrushes and mouthpiece-style dental brushes, face issues with poor alignment between cleaning elements and the user's teeth, leading to suboptimal cleaning results and potential gum tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating optical waveguides within cleaning elements to capture light reflected from the oral cavity, analyzing the wavelength spectrum of the reflected light to determine whether the elements are positioned at a tooth surface or gum tissue, and providing user feedback to adjust positioning for improved cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If optical waveguides are incorporated within cleaning elements to enable real-time positioning feedback, then cleaning precision and gum tissue protection are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the cleaning elements themselves: they serve both as mechanical cleaning components and as optical waveguides for light transmission. This integration eliminates the need for separate positioning detection systems, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high positioning accuracy through real-time light reflection analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning elements are designed with multi-functionality, acting simultaneously as mechanical cleaners and optical sensors. The waveguide structure within each cleaning element allows it to detect its own positioning through light reflection analysis, making the cleaning element a self-monitoring component that provides real-time feedback without requiring additional dedicated sensing components.
2Measurement precision
If wavelength spectrum analysis is performed on reflected light to determine cleaning element positioning, then positioning accuracy is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs wavelength spectrum analysis selectively and partially - analyzing only the reflected light from optical waveguides that are actively engaged with oral surfaces. The processor determines positioning based on wavelength characteristics without requiring complete spectral decomposition of all light, reducing computational energy consumption while maintaining sufficient positioning accuracy for effective cleaning guidance.
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
Enables real-time positioning feedback for enhanced cleaning efficiency and reduced gum tissue damage by ensuring accurate alignment of cleaning elements with tooth surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of cleaning elements for engagement with dental tissue of the user, wherein the plurality of cleaning elements comprises a first optical waveguide configured, in use, to receive light reflected from a surface of the oral cavity illuminated by the light source and to transmit the received light to the light sensor unit
Implementation Method 2
a light source configured to illuminate the oral cavity of the user with light
Implementation Method 3
a light sensor unit configured to detect light
Data Source
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AI summary
Proposed are schemes, solutions, concepts, designs, methods and systems pertaining to aiding and/or improving oral care apparatus having cleaning elements that are adapted, in use, to engage dental tissue of the user. Embodiments propose that, based on light reflected from a surface of the oral cavity during use, an indication of positioning with respect to a tooth surface or gum tissue of the user may be determined. That is, it may be determined whether a cleaning element is positioned at a tooth surface or gum tissue of the user by analyzing light reflected from a surface of the oral cavity.