Oral Cleaning Device Pulsating Ejection Low-Output Pump

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing oral cleaning devices face challenges in achieving sufficient ejection pressure without high-output pumps, leading to reduced cleaning power, and often have high manufacturing costs and noise issues due to the combination of piston and air pumps, as well as difficulties in maintaining optimal ejection states with manual air pumps.

Innovation Solution

An oral cleaning device that uses an electric air pump to pressurize the cleaning liquid tank, reducing the load on the pump and ensuring sufficient ejection pressure, while employing a low-cost and low-output air pump, and incorporates pulsation means to improve cleaning effectiveness by alternately supplying cleaning liquid and air or mixing fine air bubbles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stress or pressure

If a piston pump is used to directly pressurize the cleaning liquid, then sufficient ejection pressure can be obtained, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to requiring high-output pump driving means

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveejection pressureVSAvoidpump driving means
Core Design Contradiction:
Stress or pressureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the air supply function and liquid pressurization function into a single air pump system. The air pump supplies air to a liquid container, and the air pressure generated is transmitted to the cleaning liquid to achieve pressurization and ejection, merging two separate systems (air pump + piston pump) into one integrated system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses pneumatic pressure from the air pump to drive the cleaning liquid through the ejection nozzle. By supplying air to the liquid container and using the resulting air pressure to push the cleaning liquid, the system achieves liquid ejection without requiring a piston pump or complex mechanical pressurization mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Power

If both piston pump and air pump are used to achieve sufficient ejection pressure, then cleaning power is improved, but manufacturing cost and noise increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning powerVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the air supply function and liquid pressurization function into a single air pump system. The air pump supplies air to a liquid container, and the air pressure generated is transmitted to the cleaning liquid to achieve pressurization and ejection, merging two separate systems (air pump + piston pump) into one integrated system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The air pump performs multiple functions: it supplies air to the liquid container for pressurization, and the generated air pressure simultaneously drives the cleaning liquid through the ejection nozzle. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate piston pump and air pump systems, reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining cleaning power.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Device complexity

If manual air pump is used to pressurize cleaning liquid, then device complexity is reduced, but it is difficult to maintain optimal ejection state

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepump structureVSAvoidejection state control
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The air pump automatically regulates the air pressure supplied to the liquid container, and this pressure is transmitted to the cleaning liquid to maintain optimal ejection state without requiring manual adjustment. The system self-regulates the pressure and flow rate, eliminating the need for user intervention while maintaining simple device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Area of stationary object

If cleaning liquid is continuously ejected from nozzle, then cleaning coverage is improved, but cleaning effectiveness for periodontal pockets is reduced due to liquid collision and energy dissipation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning coverageVSAvoidcleaning effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The air pump supplies air in a periodic manner to the liquid container, creating pulsating pressure that causes the cleaning liquid to be ejected in pulses rather than continuously. This periodic ejection allows the liquid to discharge from periodontal pockets between pulses, reducing collision and energy dissipation while maintaining effective cleaning coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP2918242B1Oral cleaning device
Publication Date: 2020.03.04 SUNSTAR INC
  • EP2918242B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2918242B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2918242B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is an oral cleaning device capable of ensuring a sufficient ejection pressure for a cleaning liquid while employing a small and low-cost electric air pump with a low output. An oral cleaning device is provided with an air-tightly closable cleaning liquid tank 2 which stores a cleaning liquid, a cleaning liquid supply passage 24 which has an ejection port 4a for ejecting the cleaning liquid into the oral cavity on one end and an introduction port 23a open inside the bottom part of the cleaning liquid tank 2 on the other end, and an electric air pump 44 which supplies air into the cleaning liquid tank 2 to pressurize the inside of the cleaning liquid tank 2. The cleaning liquid inside the cleaning liquid tank 2 is supplied to the ejection port 4a through the cleaning liquid supply passage 24 by air pressure inside the cleaning liquid tank 2. An air introduction hole 71 which is open on the midway part of the cleaning liquid supply passage 24 is provided and part of the air supplied to the cleaning liquid tank 2 from the air pump 44 is supplied to the cleaning liquid supply passage 24 through the air introduction hole 71 to eject the cleaning liquid in a pulsatile manner from the ejection port 4a.