Rotary Lock Mechanism for Sliding Oral Cavity Washing Device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional tank telescopic oral cavity washing devices face difficulties in easily pulling out the device body from the tank, especially when the device or hand is wet, due to slippery conditions.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a lock portion with inclined surfaces that allow for easy release by relative rotation between the device body and tank, along with a pull-out projection and accommodating projection system, enabling smooth extraction without the need for manual gripping and reducing the risk of slipping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the lock portion is disengaged by pulling the device body, then the device body can be removed from the tank, but when the device or hand is wet, the device body becomes slippery and it becomes difficult to pull out

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of removing device body from tankVSAvoidreliability of gripping operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the inclined surface and rotation-based lock release system) between the user and the device body. Instead of directly gripping and pulling the slippery device body, the user rotates the device body to engage/disengage the lock portion, which then allows easy removal. This intermediary mechanical advantage system solves the problem of slippery surfaces by converting a rotational motion into a linear extraction motion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The lock portion utilizes dynamic engagement through rotation. The lock portion includes an inclined surface that, when rotated relative to the tank, transitions from an engaged state to a disengaged state. This dynamic mechanism allows the device body to be securely held during use but easily removed when needed, regardless of surface slipperiness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If the lock portion is designed to hold the device body securely in the tank, then the device body remains stable during use, but it becomes difficult to pull out when wet

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of device body in tankVSAvoidease of removing device body from tank
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The lock portion employs a dynamic locking mechanism where rotation of the device body relative to the tank transitions the lock from an engaged (stable) state to a disengaged (removable) state. The inclined surface geometry ensures that a small rotational motion can easily disengage the lock, providing both secure holding during use and easy removal when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The locking function is segmented into two distinct phases: engagement (for stability) and disengagement (for removal). The inclined surface and rotation mechanism create clear separation between these functions, allowing the system to optimize for both stability during use and ease of removal without compromise.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4066780B1Tank telescopic oral cavity washing device
Publication Date: 2023.11.22 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP4066780B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4066780B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4066780B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a tank telescopic oral cavity washing device capable of easily pulling out a device body from a tank. A tank telescopic oral cavity washing device according to the present disclosure is tank telescopic oral cavity washing device (1) including a device body (5) that a pump is built in, and a tank (3) that comprises a storage unit (9), the tank (3) being capable of accommodating the device body (5) in the storage unit (9) so as to slidably support the device body (5), wherein the device body (5) is slidably supported by the tank (3) between an accommodated state where the device body (5) is accommodated in the tank (3) and a pull-out state where the device body (5) is pulled out from the tank(3), a lock portion that holds the device body (5) in the accommodated state in the tank (3) is formed between the device body (5) and the tank (3), and the lock portion is configured to release holding of the device body (5) with respect to the tank (3) by rotating the device body (5) relatively with respect to the tank (3).