Rotatable Dental Floss Assembly for Improved Oral Hygiene
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Many individuals do not floss their teeth regularly due to dissatisfaction with existing dental flossing methods, which require reaching inside the mouth and lack flexibility in orienting the floss between teeth.
Innovation Solution
An oral hygiene instrument featuring a rotatable dental floss assembly with a support frame and replaceable dental floss unit, allowing for selective orientation and tensioning of the floss without needing to reach inside the mouth, combined with an elongated handle for improved accessibility and usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional dental flossing methods are used, then the floss can be inserted between teeth, but the user must reach inside the mouth which reduces ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame is made selectively rotatable relative to the handle around an axis of rotation, allowing dynamic adjustment of the floss orientation to match different tooth positions. This dynamic adaptability enables users to floss various tooth surfaces without reaching deep into the mouth, improving ease of operation while maintaining manageable device complexity through a simple rotational joint.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the floss orientation is fixed, then the device structure is simple, but the user cannot tailor the floss orientation for specific adjacent teeth
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame rotates selectively relative to the handle, providing adaptability in floss orientation for different tooth positions. The rotational mechanism is kept simple through a straightforward pivot joint, balancing versatility with manageable complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is divided into separable components: a handle, a rotatable support frame, and a detachable dental floss unit. This segmentation allows the support frame to be independently rotatable while maintaining overall device simplicity, and enables the floss unit to be replaced without affecting the rotational mechanism.
3Reliability
If the dental floss unit is permanent, then the device structure is simpler, but the user cannot replace worn or contaminated floss
Solution Approach 1:
The dental floss unit is segmented as a separate, detachable component from the support frame. This allows the floss to be easily removed and replaced while keeping the support frame and handle as reusable components. The segmentation maintains reasonable device complexity by using simple attachment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The dental floss unit is designed to be disposable or replaceable, while the support frame and handle are recovered and reused. This approach ensures hygiene by allowing frequent replacement of the floss portion that contacts the mouth, while maintaining the investment in the more complex handle and support frame components.
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
Enhances the flossing experience by allowing for tailored orientation and tensioning of dental floss, potentially increasing the frequency of flossing and improving dental hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
The support frame is elastically deformable by the user to reduce a distance between the first receptacle and the second receptacle to accommodate mounting of the dental floss unit to the support frame
Data Source
AI summary
An oral hygiene instrument includes a handle for gripping by a user and a dental floss assembly coupled with the handle. The dental floss assembly includes a support frame and a length of dental floss attached to the support frame for flossing between teeth. The support frame is selectively rotatable relative to the handle around an axis of rotation.