Rotary Toothbrush Carousel for Universal Clean Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toothbrush holders are unable to accommodate the variety of electric toothbrush designs and their larger footprint, leading to clutter and unsanitary storage issues, as they do not effectively store both electric and manual toothbrushes in a secure, accessible, and clean manner.
Innovation Solution
A universal carousel with a spindle-type rotary dispenser that holds electric and manual toothbrushes in queued positions, featuring a clover-shaped disc with U-shaped recesses for electric toothbrushes and apertures for manual toothbrushes, which can be mounted on a wall or placed on a counter, allowing for drainage and easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional toothbrush holders are used, then they are simple in structure and easy to manufacture, but they cannot accommodate the variety of electric toothbrush designs and their larger footprint
Solution Approach 1:
The carousel holder is designed with multiple aperture configurations (single aperture for manual toothbrushes, multiple apertures for electric toothbrushes) and adjustable positioning mechanisms that allow the same holder structure to accommodate various electric toothbrush designs, sizes, and orientations, making it a universal solution for diverse toothbrush types
2Ease of operation
If electric toothbrushes are stored upright or laid flat on the countertop, then they are easily accessible, but they create clutter and result in water and toothpaste residue leaching around the sink area
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from horizontal countertop storage to vertical wall-mounted carousel storage, utilizing the vertical dimension to elevate toothbrushes away from the sink area. This dimensional change prevents water and toothpaste residue from leaching onto the countertop while maintaining easy accessibility through rotational access
3Reliability
If conventional toothbrush holders are used, then they have simple construction, but they do not provide secure storage for multiple electric toothbrushes
Solution Approach 1:
The carousel holder is segmented into multiple independent aperture positions arranged radially around the rotation axis. Each aperture can independently hold a toothbrush securely, and the segmented structure allows the holder to accommodate varying numbers of electric toothbrushes while providing secure storage for each individual brush
4Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple electric toothbrushes are stored in a carousel, then cross-contamination risk is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple toothbrush storage functions into a single integrated carousel holder unit. By combining multiple apertures, rotation mechanism, and wall-mounting features into one unified device, it provides isolated storage for each toothbrush (reducing cross-contamination) while avoiding the need for multiple separate holders
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a universal electric toothbrush carousel that stores one or more electric and/or standard toothbrushes in a convenient rotary dispenser that is seated inside a walled base unit. The rotary dispenser comprises a top-mounted knob atop a clover-shaped disc, the disc being connected to a rod in a spindle-type manner. The bottom of the rod is connected to a concave base. In some embodiments, the concavity of the base collects and contains runoff. In other embodiments, the base may be defined by one or more drain holes to allow drainage of the residue. The rod offsets the disc from the base. The disc is four-leaf-clover-shaped and defined by alternate apertures (for holding standard and electric toothbrushes) and U-shaped recesses for holding electric toothbrushes. The spindle-type holder revolves around and holds one or more electric toothbrushes as well as standard toothbrushes in queued positions. The rotary dispenser may be seated in a freestanding base unit (various sizes and shapes) having a vertical notch for access to the queued toothbrushes, or may be seated on a wall mounting as desired.