Powered Toothbrush Movable Tuft Block Oscillation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toothbrushes have difficulty reaching and effectively cleaning areas of the teeth located at a greater distance from the head, including interproximal spaces between teeth, due to their rigid design and inflexible tooth cleaning elements.
Innovation Solution
A powered toothbrush design featuring at least one fixed tuft block and one movable tuft block driven by a drive assembly, with the movable tuft block being flexibly connected to the fixed blocks via an elastomeric member, allowing for oscillating movement to access and clean hard-to-reach areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional toothbrushes use a rigid head with stationary cleaning elements, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the cleaning elements cannot flexibly adapt to complex tooth contours and interproximal spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transitioning from stationary cleaning elements to movable carriers that can oscillate and adapt to tooth surfaces. The head portion includes mechanically-driven movable carriers that dynamically adjust their position and orientation to contact areas of teeth at greater distances, including interproximal spaces, thereby resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the cleaning elements into separate movable carriers attached to the head portion, rather than having them fixed directly to the head. This segmentation allows each carrier to move independently and adapt to different tooth surfaces, improving flexibility while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through modular design.
2Ease of operation
If conventional toothbrushes have cleaning elements fixed to a rigid head, then manufacturing is simple, but the orientation of cleaning elements is inflexible and cannot reach distant tooth areas
Solution Approach 1:
The movable carriers are designed to oscillate mechanically, providing dynamic movement that enables access to distant tooth areas and interproximal spaces. This dynamic capability improves ease of operation by allowing the cleaning elements to reach previously inaccessible areas, while the mechanical oscillation mechanism maintains reasonable manufacturing simplicity through established mechanical principles.
3Reliability
If conventional toothbrushes use stationary cleaning elements, then the device structure is simple, but optimal cleaning of teeth and gums cannot be achieved due to rigid attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs mechanical vibration through oscillating movable carriers to enhance cleaning effectiveness. The mechanical oscillation allows the cleaning elements to contact and clean tooth surfaces more effectively, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, while using conventional mechanical vibration principles that do not significantly increase device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
By making the carriers movable and oscillating rather than stationary, the patent improves cleaning reliability and effectiveness. The dynamic movement enables better contact with tooth surfaces and gums, achieving optimal cleaning while maintaining a mechanically simple drive mechanism based on conventional oscillation principles.
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
The powered toothbrush improves cleaning of teeth and gums by enabling better access and contact with areas distant from the head, including interproximal spaces, enhancing oral hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
A movable tuft block is flexibly connected to each fixed tuft block and has a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending outwardly away from the first surface
Data Source
AI summary
A powered toothbrush includes a handle having a neck. A head is mounted to the neck and has a first surface and an opposed second surface. At least one fixed tuft block is mounted to the head in a fixed orientation and has a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending outwardly away from the first surface. A movable tuft block is flexibly connected to each fixed tuft block and has a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending outwardly away from the first surface. A drive assembly is operably connected to the movable tuft block to move the movable tuft block with respect to each fixed tuft block.