Toothbrush Head Parallel Displacement via Elastic Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toothbrush designs with resilient devices often result in head part misalignment when loaded, leading to suboptimal bristle contact with teeth due to tilting, and previous solutions like parallelogram devices complicate the design and handling.
Innovation Solution
A toothbrush with an elastic support element featuring an elliptical opening and a support web that allows for approximately parallel displacement of the head part under load, converting pivoting movement into parallel displacement to maintain effective bristle contact with teeth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a resilient device is used to connect the head part to the handle part, then the head part can move under load, but the head part tilts and becomes misaligned with the teeth
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient device is segmented into a web component and a separate elastic support element with an opening. This segmentation allows the support element to independently control the head part's movement path, preventing tilting while maintaining adaptability under load.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic support element acts as an intermediary between the web and the head part. It mediates the connection by providing a controlled deformation path that converts vertical compression into parallel displacement, ensuring bristle alignment with teeth during use.
2Manufacturing precision
If a parallelogram device is used to maintain head part alignment, then bristle contact with teeth is improved, but the design becomes complex and difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The complex parallelogram mechanism is simplified by extracting only the essential function and implementing it through a basic elastic support element with an opening. This reduces the device to a simple, handleable structure while maintaining alignment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic support element's geometry (opening shape and size) is optimized to change under load, automatically maintaining parallel displacement. This parameter-based solution replaces complex mechanical linkages with a simple geometric deformation mechanism.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the elastic support element is made of a different material than the head and handle parts, then the parallel displacement function is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The toothbrush employs composite construction with a web made of one material and an elastic support element made of a different, more compliant material. This material combination enables the parallel displacement function while allowing separate manufacturing processes.
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 design ensures that the bristles remain in full contact with teeth over their entire length during use, improving brushing efficiency without the complexity of previous solutions.
Implementation Method 1
the device has an elastic support element (15) with an opening (16) and wherein the support element comprises a support web (17) bordering the opening (16), which, together with the web (14), when the head part (11) is loaded, causes an approximately parallel displacement of the head part (11) from a starting position into at least one loading position
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The toothbrush (100) has a head part (11) for supporting bristles (10), and a handle part (12) extending into a handle part axis. The head part is movably connected with the handle part by an elastic device (13). The elastic device has a rod (14) for connecting the head part with the handle part. The elastic device has an elastic supporting element (15) with an opening (16). The supporting element has a supporting rod (17) that produces parallel displacement of the head part from an initial position to a loading position together with the rod during loading of the head part.