Pumice Handle with Ribbed Post for Secure Adhesive Attachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pumice stone handles are prone to detachment, consume excessive material, and lack ergonomics, leading to user discomfort and environmental concerns due to non-recyclable materials.

Innovation Solution

A handle design featuring a gripping portion and a support portion with ribs and cavities for adhesive attachment, made from recyclable polypropylene, providing a secure and ergonomic grip while reducing material usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional handles are used to attach to pumice stones, then the handle provides basic support functionality, but the handle is prone to detaching and requires excessive material

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment reliabilityVSAvoidmaterial consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The handle is divided into multiple functional segments: a gripping portion with ergonomic contours, a support portion with a post and ribs, and a base member. The ribs are spaced apart to create cavities that accommodate adhesive, segmenting the attachment interface to optimize both bonding reliability and material efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the handle have different structural properties optimized for their specific functions. The gripping portion features curved surfaces for comfort, the support portion has rigid ribs for structural integrity, and the cavities between ribs provide localized adhesive accommodation. This local optimization achieves reliable attachment without excessive material throughout the entire handle

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If conventional handles are designed for basic support, then manufacturing is simple, but the handles are not ergonomically shaped causing user discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveergonomic comfortVSAvoidhandle structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gripping portion features asymmetric curved surfaces that conform to the natural contours of human fingers and palms. The upper surfaces of the arms are curved away from the lower surfaces, creating an ergonomic shape that is more complex than a simple cylindrical handle but provides significant user comfort benefits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The handle incorporates curved surfaces throughout the gripping portion, with upper surfaces of the arms curved away from lower surfaces. This curvature follows ergonomic principles to distribute pressure evenly across the user's hand, transforming a simple linear structure into a comfort-optimized form

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional handles use non-recyclable materials, then manufacturing cost may be lower, but environmental impact increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidenvironmental impact

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The handle is constructed from a single homogeneous material - pure polypropylene suitable for level 5 recycling. This material uniformity simplifies the manufacturing process while enabling complete recyclability, eliminating the environmental harm associated with multi-material composite handles that are difficult or impossible to recycle

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

Data Source

PatentUS11260520B2Pumice device and handle

Publication Date: 2022.03.01 IRON OUT INC D B A SUMMIT BRANDS

AI summary

A handle configured to be attached to a pumice stone. The handle includes a gripping portion and a post extending from the gripping portion. The post is configured to support the pumice stone. The post includes a support member, a series of ribs spaced apart along a length of the support member, and a series of cavities defined between adjacent ribs. The cavities are configured to accommodate an adhesive for coupling the post of the handle to the pumice stone.