Toothbrush Undulating Handle With Elastomer Troughs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Toothbrushes with undulating regions and flexible links between the head and neck region often experience suboptimal stress distribution, leading to breakage due to excessive stress on the flexible link, which shortens the toothbrush's useful life.
Innovation Solution
A toothbrush design featuring an S-bend undulating region with thermoplastic elastomer material in the troughs between limbs, optimized by specific dimensions and alignment, eliminating the need for a longitudinal rib, and incorporating a flexible link in the neck region to distribute forces effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an undulating region with longitudinal rib is incorporated into the toothbrush, then flexibility is improved, but stress distribution becomes suboptimal leading to breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by placing thermoplastic elastomer material specifically in the troughs between the limbs of the undulating region, while leaving other areas with different properties. This localized modification allows the elastomer to absorb stress in critical areas without compromising the overall structural integrity and flexibility of the toothbrush handle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining rigid plastics material for the main handle structure with thermoplastic elastomer material in the troughs. This composite approach creates a multi-phase structure where the rigid plastic provides structural support and the elastomer provides stress absorption and flexibility, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and stress distribution.
2Strength
If the undulating region is made rigid with longitudinal rib, then structural strength is improved, but the flexible link becomes subject to excessive stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating thermoplastic elastomer material in the troughs of the undulating region before the toothbrush is used. This pre-installed cushioning material is positioned to absorb and distribute brushing forces, preventing excessive stress from reaching the flexible link during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the undulating region by filling the troughs with thermoplastic elastomer material, which has different mechanical properties (softer, more compliant) than the rigid plastics material. This parameter change allows the structure to deform more easily under load, reducing peak stresses on the flexible link while maintaining overall structural strength.
3Reliability
If thermoplastic elastomer material is added to the troughs, then stress distribution is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining the formation of the undulating region and the insertion of thermoplastic elastomer material into a single integrated structure. The elastomer material is placed directly into the troughs during manufacturing, creating a unified component rather than assembling separate parts. This reduces device complexity despite adding the stress-distributing elastomer material.
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 optimized design enhances resilience and flexibility, reducing the likelihood of breakage by evenly distributing brushing pressures and providing ergonomic feedback, while maintaining rigidity to protect the flexible link from excessive stress.
Implementation Method 1
the toothbrush having a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and to the transverse direction, wherein longitudinally between the neck region and the grip handle is an undulating region, comprising limbs extending in the transverse direction and integrally linked by folds with troughs longitudinally between the limbs, the troughs between the limbs having a transverse depth direction and containing a thermoplastic elastomer material bonded to the plastics material of said limbs
Data Source
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AI summary
A toothbrush wherein longitudinally between its neck region and the grip handle is a an undulating region of transverse limbs integrally linked by folds with troughs between the limbs, the troughs containing a thermoplastic elastomer material bonded to the plastic material of said limbs with a ShoreA hardness of 60-70. Specific structures and dimensions of limbs and folds are disclosed.