Disposable Sonic Brush Cartridge With Sealed Fluid Reservoir

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current sonic skin cleaning brushes are not adequately designed for surgical skin preparation, as they lack the ability to effectively remove oil, fat, and dirt while sterilizing the skin, which is crucial for enhancing the efficacy of antiseptics and disinfectants applied before surgery.

Innovation Solution

A sonic or ultrasonic skin cleaning brush with a disposable brush cartridge that includes a sealed bristle head with a pre-surgical skin cleaning fluid reservoir, containing antiseptic and detergent solutions, which is removably attached to a handle with a sonic motor, ensuring the bristles remain pre-soaked and sterile for effective skin preparation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a sonic brush is used for cosmetic cleaning, then skin cleaning effectiveness is improved, but it cannot effectively remove oil and fat for surgical preparation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveskin cleaning effectivenessVSAvoidsuitability for surgical prep

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The brush cartridge is pre-moistened with surgical cleaning fluid containing antiseptic and detergent before use, so that the bristles are already saturated with the necessary cleaning agents when the brush is activated, eliminating the need for separate fluid application steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention combines multiple functions into a single brush system: mechanical exfoliation via sonic vibration, oil and fat removal via detergent, and sterilization via antiseptic, all delivered through the pre-moistened bristles in one integrated action

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Device complexity

If a reusable brush head is used, then device complexity is reduced, but contamination risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebrush structure simplicityVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The brush cartridge is designed as a disposable single-use component that is discarded after one use, eliminating cross-contamination risks between patients while keeping the expensive sonic motor in the handle reusable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The system is divided into two segments: a reusable handle containing the expensive sonic motor and battery, and a disposable cartridge containing the bristles and fluid reservoir, allowing the critical contamination-prone part to be discarded while retaining the valuable motor

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Stability of the object's composition

If bristles are stored dry, then storage stability is improved, but cleaning effectiveness decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage stabilityVSAvoidcleaning effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The bristles are pre-moistened with surgical cleaning fluid during manufacturing and sealed in a sterile container, so they are ready for immediate effective use without requiring separate fluid application, while maintaining storage stability through sealing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cleaning fluid is extracted from the user's responsibility and pre-loaded into the brush cartridge by the manufacturer, so the user receives a ready-to-use device that guarantees proper fluid application without requiring separate fluid bottles or preparation steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

The brush effectively removes oil and fat, sterilizes the skin, and reduces the risk of contamination by using a disposable, pre-moistened bristle head with a removable cover, ensuring sterile conditions and efficient skin preparation for surgical procedures.

Implementation Method 1

The bristles in such brushes do not rotate or reciprocate, but oscillate minutely at sonic or ultrasonic frequencies to clean skin more effectively than manual or motorized brushes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltrasonic vibration: Ultrasonic Vibration

Implementation Method 2

The pre-surgical skin cleaning fluid preferably comprises a solution of antiseptic and detergent to simultaneously remove oil and fat and sterilize the skin at the surgical site

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurfactant action: Surfactant

Implementation Method 3

The sealed bristle head comprises a reservoir of pre-surgical skin cleaning fluid around the bristles to keep the bristles in a pre-soaked or pre-moistened condition

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid containment: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentUS11523677B1Surgical brush cartridge for sonic skin cleaner

Publication Date: 2022.12.13 CHUINARD CHRISTOPHER R

AI summary

A disposable brush head cartridge for a sonic or ultrasonic skin cleaning brush, specially adapted for use in surgical skin prep. The disposable brush head cartridge has a base configured to be removably attached to a sonic motor drive handle. The disposable brush head cartridge further comprises an upper bristle head sealed with respect to the base by a surrounding disposable cover spaced from the bristles. The cover defines a reservoir of pre-surgical skin cleaning fluid, in a first form soaking or pre-moistening the brush bristles until the cover is removed, and in a second form stored in a separate fluid-tight compartment in the cover and combined with the brush bristles after the cover is removed.