Smart Pen Sensor for Teeth Whitening Soft Tissue Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer teeth whitening solutions lack effective protection for soft tissues, leading to potential damage as users struggle to apply whitening gel only to tooth surfaces without contaminating gums and other tissues.
Innovation Solution
A handheld whitening smart pen apparatus with a fluid reservoir, nozzle, sensor, and controller that automatically dispenses whitening substance only onto tooth surfaces by detecting the presence of teeth or soft tissues, providing user feedback to ensure safe and targeted application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users manually apply whitening gel to teeth, then the whitening treatment can be performed at home, but the gel may be applied to soft tissues causing potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor provides real-time feedback about the surface being contacted, and the controller adjusts dispensing based on this feedback to stop when soft tissue is detected, preventing harmful application
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically detects the surface type and controls the dispensing process without user intervention, allowing the device to protect itself from causing harm to soft tissues
2Quantity of substance
If users apply enough gel to cover teeth, then effective whitening is achieved, but gel contamination on gums increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor continuously monitors the surface type during application, providing feedback that enables the controller to maintain gel application on teeth while stopping when soft tissue is encountered
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual user control with an automated sensor-controller-dispenser system that uses optical or other sensing mechanisms to distinguish between tooth and soft tissue surfaces
3Object-affected harmful factors
If manual application is used to avoid soft tissue contact, then soft tissue protection is improved, but insufficient tooth coverage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The automated system independently manages the contradiction by self-regulating gel dispensing based on real-time surface detection, ensuring both complete tooth coverage and soft tissue avoidance without user intervention
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
Ensures optimal and safe in-home teeth whitening by preventing the whitening chemical from being applied to soft tissues, ensuring it is only applied where necessary, thus enhancing user experience and safety.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor is positioned for viewing in an advance dispensing direction of the nozzle and configured to sense a target surface that comprises either (i) a tooth surface or (ii) a surface other than the tooth surface
Data Source
AI summary
A whitening smart pen apparatus (10) for automatically dispensing a teeth whitening substance onto one or more teeth of a user comprises a fluid reservoir (16), a nozzle (18) having an output port (26), a fluid dispenser (20), a sensor (22) and a controller (24). The fluid dispenser dispenses the teeth whitening substance from the fluid reservoir to the nozzle and is output via the output port. The sensor, positioned in an advance dispensing direction of the nozzle, senses a target surface that comprises either (i) a tooth surface (12) or (ii) other surface (14). The controller (24) is configured for (i) controlling a gating of the fluid dispenser (20) to dispense the teeth whitening substance from the fluid reservoir (16) in response to the sensor (22) detecting the tooth surface (12), and (ii) stopping or disabling the gating of the fluid dispenser to stop or disable a dispensing of the teeth whitening substance from the fluid reservoir in response to the sensor (22) detecting the other surface (14).