Sonic Wave Bath Cleaning Dental Appliances with Effervescent Tablets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cleaning and disinfecting dental and medical implements, such as sonic cleaners and effervescent tablets, are inefficient and require extensive soaking and subsequent brushing, as they lack sufficient scrubbing action and flavor penetration.
Innovation Solution
A vibrating sonic wave bath system combined with a non-toxic, flavored effervescent cleaning tablet that generates bubbles and foam, reducing cleaning time to five to ten minutes by enhancing the scrubbing action and flavor infusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If effervescent tablets are used in static fluid environments, then cleaning agent dispersal is achieved, but cleaning time is excessive and scrubbing action is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration through a sonic bath device that generates ultrasonic waves in the cleaning fluid. This vibration creates cavitation bubbles that collapse violently, producing intense localized scrubbing action on the dental appliance surfaces. The mechanical energy from vibration accelerates the cleaning process dramatically, reducing soaking time from hours to minutes while eliminating the need for manual brushing.
Solution Approach 2:
The effervescent tablet generates gas bubbles through chemical reaction with water, and the sonic vibration enhances this pneumatic effect by creating cavitation. The combination of chemically-generated bubbles and vibration-induced cavitation creates intense mechanical scrubbing action that dramatically accelerates cleaning compared to static soaking alone.
2Quantity of substance
If effervescent tablets are used alone, then cleaning agent dispersal is achieved, but flavor penetration is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The sonic vibration penetrates the dental appliance material more effectively than static diffusion, forcing the flavored cleaning solution and dissolved tablet components into the appliance matrix. This mechanical penetration accelerates flavor infusion from hours to minutes, achieving thorough flavoring that static methods cannot accomplish in reasonable time.
3Reliability
If sonic bath is used without effervescent tablet, then vibration cleaning is achieved, but cleaning effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two cleaning mechanisms into a unified system: the mechanical vibration from the sonic bath and the chemical-cavitation action from the effervescent tablet. The effervescent tablet dissolves to release cleaning agents and generate bubbles, while the sonic vibration enhances bubble formation and creates cavitation. This combination produces synergistic cleaning effectiveness greater than either method alone, while using simple, readily available 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
The system effectively cleans, disinfects, and flavors dental appliances in a shorter time, eliminating the need for brushing and improving flavor penetration, while being cost-effective and safe.
Implementation Method 1
a vibrating sonic wave bath comprising a vibration means to oscillate a container having at least some fluid therein engaging the item to be cleaned
Implementation Method 2
the bubbles primarily serve to disperse the cleaning agent
Implementation Method 3
a preferably flavored tablet containing a non-toxic cleaning material, the tablet preferably also formulated to effervesce upon contact with water, generating bubbles and foam
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning apparatus and method for cleaning dental and/or medical implements, and in particular to a system for quickly and thoroughly cleaning dental and/or orthodontic retainers, dental/orthodontic aligners, dental appliances, dentures, bridges, and the like. The preferred embodiment of the present invention contemplates a cleaning system utilizing a vibrating sonic wave bath comprising a vibration means to oscillate a container having at least some fluid therein engaging the item to be cleaned, coupled with the utilization of a preferably flavored tablet containing a non-toxic cleaning material, the tablet preferably also formulated to effervesce upon contact with water, generating bubbles and foam. It has been found that the sonic bath substantially enhances the cleaning and flavoring ability of the effervescent cleaning tablet, while reducing the amount of time to clean the dental appliance. The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a relatively cost effective, safe, easy to use and reliable system for cleaning and flavoring dental appliances and the like.