Oral Care Implement Barcode via Protrusion Color Contrast
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumers face difficulty identifying oral care implements without their original packaging, leading to confusion when purchasing the same type of product from a vast market array.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an optical machine-readable representation, such as a barcode, onto the oral care implement using protrusions that contrast with the surface, allowing for easy identification through visual recognition or scanning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the oral care implement is provided in a package with identifying information, then the consumer can identify the product type, but the package is disposed of after removal making subsequent identification difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-attaching the machine-readable identifier directly to the oral care implement body during manufacturing, rather than relying on external packaging. This ensures the identification information is already in place before the product reaches the consumer, eliminating the need for the package to retain identification data after product removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the identification function from the packaging and transfers it directly to the product itself. The machine-readable identifier is integrated into the oral care implement body, separating the identification capability from the disposable package, allowing the identifier to remain with the product throughout its lifecycle.
2Loss of information
If a machine-readable representation is added to the oral care implement, then product identification is facilitated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the identification function with the existing product structure by integrating the machine-readable identifier into the oral care implement body. Rather than adding a separate, distinct identification component, the identifier is combined with the product housing or handle, creating a unified structure that serves both functional and identification purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The oral care implement body serves multiple functions: it houses the cleaning elements, provides structural support, and simultaneously carries the machine-readable identifier. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated identification components, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An oral care implement having an optical machine-readable representation of data, such as a barcode. The oral care implement may include a plurality of protrusions that at least partially define the optical machine-readable representation of data. Specifically, portions of the plurality of protrusions have a color that visually contrasts with a color of a surface that is exposed between the plurality of protrusions. Thus, the protrusions and the exposed surface collectively form the optical machine-readable representation of data. The oral care implement may include a soft tissue cleaner that forms the optical machine-readable representation of data.