Toothbrush Grip with Segmented Rim and Resilient Body
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toothbrush designs face limitations in material selection for resilient handles due to bonding issues between rigid and resilient plastic components, restricting the desired level of resilience and design flexibility.
Innovation Solution
An oral care implement with a handle featuring a socket and annular rim structure, where a resilient body is mounted over a central opening in the annular rim, allowing for improved grip functionality using distinct materials for the annular rim and resilient body, enhancing comfort and grip without compromising bonding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a two-component injection molding process is used to bond rigid and resilient plastic parts, then the toothbrush can be manufactured with integrated components, but the selection of plastic materials is restricted due to bonding difficulties between extremely resilient plastic and rigid plastic
Solution Approach 1:
The grip component is divided into two separate parts: an annular rim made of rigid plastic and a resilient body made of resilient plastic. These parts are assembled together rather than molded as a single integrated component, allowing independent material selection for each part without bonding constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate assembly structure where the resilient body is placed inside the annular rim, and the combination is then bonded to the handle. This intermediary approach allows the use of different materials that would be difficult to bond directly in a two-component molding process.
2Ease of manufacture
If a single plastic material is used for the entire toothbrush, then manufacturing is simplified, but the grip comfort and resilience are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The toothbrush is designed with different material properties in different regions: the annular rim is made of rigid plastic for structural support, while the resilient body is made of resilient plastic for grip comfort. This local differentiation of material quality allows optimized performance in each region.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip component uses a composite construction combining rigid plastic (annular rim) and resilient plastic (resilient body) in a single assembly. This composite approach provides both structural integrity and grip comfort that would be difficult to achieve with a single material.
3Adaptability or versatility
If an annular rim and resilient body structure is used for the grip component, then material selection flexibility and grip comfort are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The annular rim and resilient body are designed to fit together as a single grip component assembly that functions as one unit. This merging of parts simplifies the overall device structure compared to having separate components, while still allowing material flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An oral care implement having a grip component. In one embodiment, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: an elongated body comprising a head portion and a handle portion, the handle portion comprising a socket; at least one tooth cleaning element mounted to the head portion of the elongated body; and a first grip component comprising: an annular rim defining a central opening, the annular rim formed of a rigid material; and a resilient body mounted to the annular rim that covers the central opening, the resilient body formed of a resilient material; the first grip component mounted within the socket.