Integrated Oral Care Dispenser with Collapsible Bladder
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oral care products, such as tooth whitening agents, are not conveniently portable or compact for travel, requiring separate storage and handling from toothbrushes, making them inconvenient to use and apply.
Innovation Solution
An oral care system that integrates a toothbrush with a detachable dispenser containing a collapsible bladder filled with oral care material, where a compression device actuated by a sliding mechanism dispenses the material for efficient application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If oral care products are stored separately from toothbrushes, then each component can be optimized for its specific function, but the overall system becomes less portable and more complex to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the toothbrush and oral care material dispenser into a single integrated unit. The dispenser is mounted within the toothbrush handle, merging two previously separate components (toothbrush and whitening agent container) into one portable system that maintains both functions while improving ease of operation during travel
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser is nested within the toothbrush handle structure. The housing of the dispenser fits inside the handle cavity, with the collapsible bladder contained within the dispenser housing. This nested arrangement allows the oral care materials to be stored compactly within the toothbrush itself, eliminating the need for separate packaging
2Reliability
If oral care materials are stored in separate containers, then material freshness is preserved, but the system requires more packaging space and is less convenient for travel
Solution Approach 1:
The collapsible bladder is nested within the dispenser housing, which is in turn nested within the toothbrush handle. This multi-level nesting reduces the overall volume of the system while maintaining the sealed environment that preserves material freshness. The compact nested structure eliminates excessive packaging space while keeping the oral care materials protected
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a collapsible bladder made of flexible material to store the oral care materials. This flexible shell allows the container to be compressed as material is dispensed, reducing wasted space and allowing for a more compact overall design compared to rigid containers, while still maintaining a sealed environment for material freshness
3Device complexity
If manual compression methods are used to dispense oral care material, then the device structure is simpler, but the dispensing consistency and control are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a spring-loaded compression device that automatically dispenses the oral care material when activated. The user simply presses a button or activates the mechanism, and the spring automatically compresses the bladder and pushes the material through the feed slot onto the toothbrush bristles. This self-service mechanism provides consistent dispensing control without requiring complex manual compression techniques from the user
Solution Approach 2:
The spring acts as an intermediary between the user's simple button press and the complex task of compressing the bladder. The spring mechanism translates the user's simple action into controlled, consistent compression force that reliably dispenses the material, bridging the gap between simple operation and consistent performance
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 integrated system provides a portable, convenient, and efficient way to store, dispense, and apply oral care materials, reducing the need for separate packaging and minimizing the risk of misplacement, while ensuring consistent use of the treatment regimen.
Implementation Method 1
The compression device engages opposite sides of the collapsible bladder to compress a portion of the collapsible bladder located in the feed slot
Data Source
AI summary
An oral care system includes a toothbrush and a dispenser detachably coupled to the toothbrush. The dispenser includes a collapsible bladder containing an oral care material. A compression device assembly includes an actuator operably coupled to a compression device movably mounted inside the dispenser. In one embodiment, the compression device includes a feed slot that engages opposite sides of the collapsible bladder. Actuating the actuator translates the compression device in a first longitudinal direction extruding and dispensing the oral care material from the oral care product dispenser. The actuator may be slideably mounted to the dispenser in one embodiment. A ratcheting mechanism may be provided to provide indexed movement of the compression device, thereby dispensing predetermined doses of the oral care material with each indexed movement.