Oral Care Package Retainer and Flexible Bag Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current oral care implement packaging is costly and inadequate in protecting toothbrush bristles against physical damage and bacteria, as clamshell packages do not fully safeguard the bristles and require significant materials.

Innovation Solution

A package comprising a flexible bag with a retainer that holds oral care implements in a fixed orientation, eliminating the need for paperboard backer cards and PVC thermoformed blister components, and featuring a sealable design to prevent fluid penetration and contamination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If clamshell packages with backer cards are used, then oral care implements are protected from bacteria, but manufacturing costs increase and material usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against bacteriaVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the backer card component from the packaging system, extracting only the essential protective functions. The flexible bag alone provides both structural support and barrier protection, eliminating the need for separate cardboard backer cards and reducing material complexity while maintaining protective reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible bag serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the enclosure structure, provides bacterial barrier protection, and replaces the backer card's support function. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of components needed while maintaining all essential protective functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If clamshell packages are used, then oral care implements are packaged individually, but protection against physical damage is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindividual packagingVSAvoidprotection against physical damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The retainer is designed with pre-formed cavities and support structures that hold the toothbrush in a fixed, protected orientation before the consumer opens the package. This preliminary positioning prevents bristle splaying and physical damage during transport and handling, addressing the protection deficiency of traditional clamshell packages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If multiple components are used in packaging, then protection is enhanced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection capabilityVSAvoidpackaging structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the enclosure and retainer functions into a single integrated flexible bag structure. The retainer is formed as an integral part of the flexible bag, eliminating separate components and assembly steps while maintaining comprehensive protection capabilities. This merging reduces structural complexity without compromising protective reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9155601B2Package of oral care implements

Publication Date: 2015.10.13 COLGATE PALMOLIVE CO

AI summary

A package (1000) of oral care implements comprises an enclosure (100) having an internal cavity (110), a retainer (200), and a plurality of oral care implements (300) detachably mounted to the retainer (200) in a fixed orientation relative to one another. The retainer (200) and the oral care implements (300) are disposed within the internal cavity (110) of the enclosure (100).