Prismatic Chewable Object for Pet Oral Hygiene

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for maintaining oral hygiene in pets, such as dogs and cats, are inefficient in reaching all parts of the oral cavity and effectively eliminating plaque and tartar, leading to dental issues like gingivitis and parodontitis, due to the shape and design of existing chewable objects and the lack of regularity in their use.

Innovation Solution

An elongated, edible, and digestible chewable object with a polygonal prismatic section and dihedrons that extends along its length, featuring abrasive agents and active constituents, designed to mechanically clean teeth and prevent tartar formation by ensuring thorough contact with all tooth surfaces and interstices, and releasing active agents throughout the oral cavity upon disintegration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional chewable objects are used, then pets can chew and some cleaning occurs, but they fail to reach all parts of the oral cavity and effectively eliminate plaque and tartar

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness of plaque and tartar eliminationVSAvoidcomprehensiveness of oral cavity coverage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The chewable object is designed with a multi-faceted prismatic structure featuring multiple planar surfaces and edges that segment the contact area. This segmentation allows different portions of the object to contact different regions of the pet's teeth and oral cavity simultaneously, ensuring comprehensive coverage of all tooth surfaces including interstices, thereby resolving the contradiction between effectiveness and comprehensiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from conventional simple geometric shapes to a three-dimensional prismatic structure with multiple faces and edges. This dimensional complexity enables the object to engage with teeth from multiple angles and orientations during chewing, allowing thorough cleaning of all tooth surfaces and interstices that single-dimension objects cannot reach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Strength

If existing chewable objects are designed for durability, then they resist breaking, but they fail to release active constituents throughout the oral cavity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedurability of chewable objectVSAvoidrelease of active constituents

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The chewable object incorporates active constituents at controlled concentrations within its matrix, and its structural parameters (facets, edges, surface area) are optimized to balance durability with progressive breakdown. The object maintains sufficient strength to withstand initial chewing forces while its designed geometry promotes gradual fragmentation that releases active constituents throughout the oral cavity over time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The prismatic structure with multiple surfaces ensures continuous contact with various tooth surfaces throughout the chewing process. As the pet chews, different facets and edges sequentially contact different teeth, providing continuous mechanical cleaning action and progressive release of active constituents, maintaining useful action throughout the entire chewing duration rather than releasing all at once or not at all.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If oral hygiene is improved through chewing, then plaque and tartar are reduced, but gingivitis and parodontitis still develop due to insufficient hygiene coverage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereduction of plaque and tartarVSAvoiddevelopment of gingivitis and parodontitis

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The chewable object's prismatic structure creates localized high-contact zones at its edges and facets that concentrate mechanical cleaning action on specific tooth surfaces and interstices. This local quality enhancement ensures thorough cleaning of previously neglected areas, preventing the accumulation of plaque that leads to gingivitis and parodontitis, thereby addressing the harmful factors despite overall hygiene improvement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 object provides effective mechanical cleaning and therapeutic activity, reducing plaque and tartar accumulation, preventing gingivitis and parodontitis, and improving overall oral hygiene by ensuring comprehensive contact with all tooth surfaces and interstices, with the active constituents being released systemically after disintegration.

Implementation Method 1

featuring abrasive agents and active constituents, designed to mechanically clean teeth and prevent tartar formation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Implementation Method 2

releasing active agents throughout the oral cavity upon disintegration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDisintegration: Decomposition (biological)

Data Source

PatentUS9681642B2Edible, chewable object for carnivorous pets and method of controlling the hygiene of the oral cavity of said pets using one such object

Publication Date: 2017.06.20 VIRBAC SA

AI summary

The invention relates to a chewable object for carnivorous pets. The inventive object (1) is provided with an elongated shape and comprises a chewable, edible and digestible substance. The invention is characterised in that the shape of the object (1) comprises at least two dihedrals (d1, d2) having edges (a1, a2) which essentially extend along the entire length of the object.