Oral Care Stand Geometry for Easy Refill Head Detachment
Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals with reduced dexterity face challenges in detaching the refill head from the handle of oral care implements due to the need for a tight grip and precise movements, and existing solutions do not adequately assist in this process.
Innovation Solution
An oral care system comprising a stand with a support feature for upright orientation and an engagement feature that facilitates the detachment of the refill head from the handle by engaging the refill head component, allowing for easy separation through applied forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mouthguard is provided separately from the orthodontic appliance, then the mouthguard can protect against impact forces, but the user must remember to wear both devices separately which reduces compliance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the mouthguard and orthodontic appliance into a single integrated device. The orthodontic appliance includes a housing that receives and secures the mouthguard, allowing both protective and orthodontic functions to be performed by one device that the user wears continuously, eliminating the need to remember to wear separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated orthodontic appliance serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides orthodontic treatment through the appliance mechanism while also providing impact protection through the integrated mouthguard. This multi-functionality ensures the device is worn at all times for both purposes.
2Ease of manufacture
If an orthodontic appliance is made removable for cleaning, then ease of maintenance is improved, but the appliance may be lost or damaged when not in use
Solution Approach 1:
The mouthguard is received within the housing of the orthodontic appliance, with the appliance components nested within each other. When removed from the user's mouth, the entire assembly can be placed in a protective case, and the nested structure allows for compact storage while maintaining accessibility for cleaning.
3Strength
If the orthodontic appliance housing is made of rigid material, then structural strength is improved, but comfort against the user's mouth is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is constructed with different materials for different regions: a rigid outer shell provides structural strength and protection, while the inner surface that contacts the user's mouth is made of a softer, more compliant material to ensure comfort during wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing utilizes composite construction combining rigid materials for structural integrity with softer materials for the user-facing surfaces, achieving both strength and comfort requirements simultaneously.
Data Source
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AI summary
A stand for an oral care implement, an oral care system which includes an oral care implement and a stand, and a method of separating a refill head from a handle using a stand. The stand may include a support feature for supporting the oral care implement in an upright orientation and an engagement feature for engaging the refill head while a user detaches the handle from the refill head. The support feature may be a depression or cavity formed in the stand, and the engagement feature may be one or more recesses or notches formed into a top edge of the stand.