High Density Handle Composite for Toothbrush Balance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manual toothbrushes with exchangeable heads have handles made of lightweight materials, leading to poor maneuverability, reduced plaque removal efficiency, and low product quality perception during use.
Innovation Solution
An oral care implement with a head and handle made from materials with different densities, where the handle is made from a magnetic and/or ferromagnetic material with a density of 2.1 g/cm3 to 3.1 g/cm3, and the head from a material with a density of 0.5 g/cm3 to 1.2 g/cm3, providing improved balance and handling properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the handle is made from lightweight materials (e.g., polypropylene), then the toothbrush is easier to manufacture and less expensive, but the bending stiffness is reduced and maneuverability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The handle is made from a composite material comprising a polymer matrix combined with inorganic fillers (such as glass fibers, metal particles, or mineral additives). This composite structure provides both the manufacturing advantages of plastics and the mechanical strength of inorganic materials, achieving high bending stiffness while maintaining ease of injection molding and cost-effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical and chemical parameters of the handle material by adjusting the polymer composition, filler type, filler content, and molecular weight. These parameter changes enable optimization of the balance between manufacturing ease and bending stiffness, allowing the handle to achieve sufficient structural rigidity without sacrificing processability or increasing cost significantly.
2Ease of manufacture
If the handle is made from common plastic materials, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the product quality perception is low
Solution Approach 1:
By incorporating inorganic fillers into the polymer matrix, the handle achieves a premium appearance and feel that enhances product quality perception. The composite material can provide metallic luster, improved surface finish, and a heavier more substantial feel, all while maintaining the cost advantages of plastic manufacturing and injection molding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes material parameters including filler particle size, distribution, and concentration to achieve desirable aesthetic properties. By controlling these parameters, the handle attains a premium appearance and tactile feedback that enhances quality perception, while the base polymer matrix ensures cost-effective manufacturing through standard injection molding processes.
3Strength
If the handle cross-sectional area is increased to compensate for low bending stiffness, then the bending stiffness is improved, but the ease of rotating the brush in the hand is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The composite material allows achievement of high bending stiffness through material composition rather than increased dimensions. By incorporating high-strength inorganic fillers into the polymer matrix, the handle attains sufficient rigidity with a compact cross-sectional area, thereby maintaining ease of rotation and maneuverability in the hand while eliminating the need for oversized handle design.
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 oral care implement offers enhanced comfort, improved quality perception, better maneuverability, and improved plaque removal efficiency due to its balanced design and higher density handle, allowing for more precise and effective brushing.
Implementation Method 1
the handle being at least partially made from a magnetic and/or ferromagnetic material
Data Source
AI summary
An oral care implement comprises a head and a handle, the head being repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the handle. The head is at least partially made from a material having a density from about 0.5 g/cm3 to about 1.2 g/cm3, while the handle is at least partially made from a material having a density from about 2.1 g/cm3 to about 3.1 g/cm3.