Oral Surface Detection System for Droplet Spray Oral Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Droplet spray oral cleaning systems face challenges in maintaining sufficient cleaning power while avoiding damage to oral tissues, as high-pressure sprays can harm gums and other soft tissues if not carefully controlled.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses an interrogating signal to detect whether the spray is directed at teeth or oral tissues, providing a warning to the user and adjusting the spray's power or direction to prevent tissue damage, utilizing optical, mechanical, or audio signals to differentiate between surfaces and control the spray's momentum.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the spray power and droplet velocity are increased to improve teeth cleaning effectiveness, then the cleaning capability is improved, but the risk of damage to oral tissues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a detection system that continuously monitors the location of the spray and provides feedback to control the spray power. When the spray is detected to be directed at oral tissues rather than teeth, the system automatically reduces power or shuts off the spray, preventing tissue damage while maintaining high power levels for effective teeth cleaning when properly positioned.
Solution Approach 2:
The spray power is made dynamically adjustable based on real-time detection of spray location. The system transitions between high-power mode for teeth cleaning and low-power or shut-off mode when tissues are detected, allowing the spray characteristics to change dynamically rather than remaining static.
2Power
If the spray is maintained at high power to ensure effective plaque removal, then cleaning performance is improved, but the safety margin for tissue damage decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system provides continuous feedback on spray location, enabling the control system to maintain high spray power when teeth are detected (ensuring reliable cleaning performance) while automatically reducing power or shutting off when tissues are detected (maintaining safety reliability).
Solution Approach 2:
The detection system operates continuously to identify potential tissue damage risks before actual damage can occur. By detecting spray misdirection in advance, the system can preemptively reduce power or shut off the spray, preventing tissue damage before it happens.
3Speed
If the spray velocity is increased to enhance cleaning capability, then the momentum for plaque removal is improved, but the potential harm to gum tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses detection feedback to monitor spray direction and automatically adjusts droplet velocity based on the detected surface. High velocity is maintained when teeth are detected for effective cleaning, while velocity is reduced or spray is shut off when gum tissue is detected, preventing harm.
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
Enables effective teeth cleaning while protecting oral tissues by adjusting the spray's power and direction in real-time, ensuring sufficient cleaning power without causing harm to gums or other soft tissues.
Implementation Method 1
a source of an interrogating signal which accompanies the droplet spray to an oral surface impacted by the spray, wherein the interrogating signal is reflected from the oral surface
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 5~6B
AI summary
The surface detection system includes a source of an optical interrogating signal (44) which accompanies a droplet spray in an oral cleaning device directed to an oral surface (46). The interrogating optical signal is reflected from the oral surface which the spray impacts and detected (48). A selected characteristic of the reflected signal, such as intensity, is indicative of the nature of the oral surface, such as either gum tissue or a tooth surface. The detected reflected signal is then processed to determine the nature of the oral reflecting surface. The processor (50) then provides a resulting output signal which can be used to either warn the user concerning the nature of the oral surface or to change the characteristics of the spray appropriately according to the surface (51).