Toothbrush Head With Movable Carrier For Oral Contour Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oral care implements with rigid toothbrush head configurations struggle to adapt to the complex contours of teeth and gums due to their inflexible design, limiting effective cleaning.
Innovation Solution
The oral care implement features a head with a base structure that includes a U-shaped cross-section and resiliently connected cleaning elements, allowing for movable support above the base structure, enabling flexible movement and improved adaptation to oral surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If cleaning elements are rigidly attached to the toothbrush head, then structural stability is improved, but adaptability to complex oral contours deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning element carrier is made movable relative to the head base structure through resilient means (springs), allowing the carrier to dynamically adjust its position and orientation. This enables the cleaning elements to adapt to complex oral contours while the rigid base structure maintains overall stability during brushing operations.
2Ease of manufacture
If cleaning elements are rigidly attached to the toothbrush head, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but cleaning efficacy on intricate surfaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The movable carrier design allows cleaning elements to dynamically conform to intricate tooth and gum surfaces, significantly improving cleaning efficacy. The resilient means provide automatic adjustment without complex mechanisms, maintaining reasonable manufacturing simplicity while achieving superior cleaning performance on complex oral contours.
3Adaptability or versatility
If cleaning elements are movably supported above the base structure, then adaptability to oral contours is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is made movable relative to the head base structure through resilient means (springs), allowing the cleaning elements to dynamically adjust their position and orientation. This enables the cleaning elements to adapt to complex oral contours while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Resilient means (springs) act as intermediary elements between the rigid base structure and the movable carrier, providing the necessary flexibility and movement while maintaining structural integrity. This intermediary mechanism enables adaptability without requiring complex articulated joints or multiple moving parts.
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
This design enhances cleaning efficacy by allowing the tooth cleaning elements to pivot and translate, better conforming to the intricate contours of teeth and gums, thereby improving oral hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
A mass formed of a resilient material is positioned within the passageway
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 3C
AI summary
An oral care implement having a head that achieves an enhanced cleaning action during brushing. In one embodiment, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to the handle and comprising a base structure ( 130 ) having a front surface ( 131 ), a rear surface ( 132 ), an island protruding from the rear surface of the base structure, and a passageway extending through the base structure from the front surface of the base structure to a rear surface of the island; a resilient soft tissue cleanser ( 170 ) on the rear surface of the base structure, the resilient soft tissue cleanser comprising an aperture through which the island extends; a mass ( 180 ) of a first resilient material positioned within the passageway so that a first portion ( 181 ) of the mass protrudes from the front surface of the head and a second portion ( 182 ) of the mass protrudes from the island, the island isolating the resilient soft tissue cleanser from the mass; and a plurality of teeth cleaning elements ( 105 ).