Particle-Filled Elastomer Toothbrush Components for Multi-Function Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toothbrush components made from elastomeric materials serve only a single purpose, lack aesthetic appeal, and do not enhance the manufacturing process without increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
An oral care implement featuring an elastomeric component with a transparent or translucent body and embedded particles of different colors, which can form a grip, tissue cleanser, or tooth cleaning elements, providing both functional and aesthetic benefits while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional elastomeric materials are used for toothbrush components, then the components serve their basic function, but they lack aesthetic appeal and visual interest
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by embedding opaque particles (such as glass beads, metal flakes, or colored particles) within a translucent elastomeric matrix. This creates a visually interesting component that maintains the functional properties of the elastomeric material while adding aesthetic appeal through light scattering and color effects. The composite structure resolves the contradiction by enhancing appearance without fundamentally changing the component's basic structure or function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes color changes by incorporating opaque particles of various colors, opacities, and sizes within the translucent elastomeric material. The interaction between light and these particles creates visual effects such as scattering, absorption, and reflection, resulting in aesthetically pleasing color variations and patterns. This principle directly addresses the aesthetic appeal contradiction by transforming a plain elastomeric component into a visually attractive one through optical properties.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple functional components are added to the toothbrush, then the functionality is enhanced, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single elastomeric component that performs multiple functions: it provides tactile feedback through its textured surface, delivers visual information through embedded particles, and maintains structural integrity as a component holder. By integrating these functions into one component rather than using separate parts, the patent enhances functional versatility while avoiding the increased manufacturing costs associated with assembling multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple functional attributes into a single elastomeric component. The component combines structural support, tactile feedback mechanisms, and visual information display in one integrated element. This merging approach allows the toothbrush to have enhanced functionality without requiring separate parts for each function, thereby maintaining manufacturing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
3Illumination intensity
If opaque particles are embedded in translucent elastomeric material, then visual appeal and information delivery are enhanced, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the optical properties of the embedded particles - specifically their opacity, size, shape, color, and distribution density. By adjusting these parameters, the manufacturer can control the visual effects such as light scattering intensity, color perception, and overall aesthetic appearance. This allows for optimized visual information delivery while managing manufacturing complexity through parameter optimization rather than process complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
An oral care implement that includes an elastomeric component and a method of forming the same. In one embodiment, the oral care implement includes a handle and a head. The elastomeric component is positioned on at least one of the handle and the head. The elastomeric component includes a body, a plurality of first particles, and a plurality of second particles. The body comprises a transparent or translucent elastomeric material. The plurality of first and second particles are embedded in the body of the elastomeric component. The plurality of first particles include a first color and the plurality of second particles include a second color. The elastomeric component may form a tissue cleanser on a rear surface of the head, an elastomeric tooth cleaning element on a front surface of the head, and/or a grip on the handle.