Swivel-Mounted Pressure Sensor Handle for Oral Care
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toothbrushes often lead to gum irritation and tooth enamel abrasion due to excessive brushing force, as users find it difficult to determine the optimal force required for cleaning, and existing solutions do not effectively provide feedback on pressure application during brushing.
Innovation Solution
A handle for a personal care implement featuring a swivel-mounted connector-pressure-sensor unit with a pivot lever and motor, which includes an eccentric weight, providing a light indication when excessive pressure is applied, allowing for improved vibration transfer and independent movement from the housing to enhance cleaning performance and user feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If users apply more force during brushing to improve cleaning, then cleaning ability is improved, but gum irritation and tooth enamel abrasion occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a pressure sensor that detects excessive brushing force and provides real-time feedback to the user through visual (LED indicators) and tactile (vibration motor) signals. This feedback mechanism enables users to adjust their brushing pressure dynamically, maintaining effective cleaning while preventing gum irritation and tooth enamel abrasion caused by excessive force.
2Measurement precision
If a pressure sensor is added to detect excessive force, then pressure feedback is provided, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the pressure sensor, evaluation logic, visual feedback (LED indicators), and tactile feedback (vibration motor) into an integrated system within the handle. The control unit consolidates the evaluation logic, and all components are housed together, allowing the system to provide comprehensive pressure monitoring and feedback without requiring multiple separate devices or complex external systems.
3Ease of manufacture
If the connector and pressure sensor are integrated into a single unit, then manufacturing is simplified, but the structure becomes more constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the connector and pressure sensor into a single swivel-mounted unit that is unitarily made as one piece. This integration simplifies the manufacturing process by reducing the number of separate components and assembly steps, while the swivel mounting provides sufficient movement capability for the pressure sensor to detect excessive force during brushing.
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 handle effectively communicates pressure feedback to the user, reducing gum irritation and enhancing cleaning performance by providing consistent vibrations and a watertight, durable design that prevents water and saliva ingress, thus promoting better oral hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
A motor, inside the handle, is mounted on a pivoting rocker... a distal end of the pivot lever towards which the motor is attached... The motor is attached to the pivot lever at said distal end
Implementation Method 2
provide consistent vibrations
Implementation Method 3
a pressure sensor... configured to detect the physical interaction between the first interacting portion and the second interacting portion
Data Source
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AI summary
A handle for a personal care implement comprises: - a housing comprising an inner cavity, the housing having a proximal end closest to a head repeatably attachable to and detachable from the handle, and a distal end, the distal end being opposite the proximal end, - a swivel-mounted connector-pressure-sensor unit unitarily made as one piece, the connector-pressure sensor unit comprising a connector extending through an opening at the proximal end of the housing, and a pivot lever accommodated within the inner cavity of the housing and extending towards the distal end of the housing, the pivot lever being attached to the housing via a pivot axis.