V-Notch Tick Remover Plate for Pain-Free Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tick removal tools often cause pain by engaging nearby skin or hair, risk releasing bacteria by squeezing or rupturing the tick, and may not remove ticks quickly enough to prevent bacterial discharge, and they are not versatile for different parasite sizes.
Innovation Solution
A tick remover with a substantially rectangular plate featuring multiple V-shaped notches of varying sizes and angles, along with rounded and chamfered edges, allows for secure engagement and removal of ticks without squeezing, and includes indented surfaces for improved user grip and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If tweezers and pinching devices are used for tick removal, then the tick can be grasped and removed, but nearby skin or hair is engaged causing pain
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the engagement function into separate prongs that can independently engage the tick body, allowing precise targeting of the tick without involving surrounding skin or hair. The V-shaped notches are segmented to accommodate different tick sizes while maintaining clean engagement edges.
Solution Approach 2:
The device provides localized engagement through V-shaped notches with specific geometric properties (acute angles, chamfered edges) that are optimized for tick contact only, while the rest of the plate surface has different properties (rounded edges, indented grip areas) for user interaction without affecting the tick removal function.
2Productivity
If the tick is squeezed to remove it, then the tick can be detached from the skin, but bacteria are released from the tick into the bloodstream
Solution Approach 1:
The V-shaped notch acts as an intermediary structure that engages and lifts the tick without direct squeezing force. The notched prongs provide a mechanical advantage that allows gentle extraction, separating the tick from the skin through lifting rather than compression, thus preventing bacterial discharge.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying compressive force to squeeze the tick off, the device applies upward lifting force through the V-shaped notches. This inverted approach - lifting rather than squeezing - achieves tick removal while avoiding the harmful compression that would force bacteria into the host bloodstream.
3Ease of operation
If preliminary manipulation is performed before tick removal, then the tick can be positioned, but the tick has time to disgorge or vomit releasing bacteria
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed so that the tick engagement can be achieved in a single preparatory motion without requiring multiple steps of positioning and adjustment. The V-shaped notches are pre-configured to immediately engage the tick upon contact, eliminating the need for preliminary manipulation that would allow bacterial discharge.
Solution Approach 2:
The device enables rapid tick removal through a single swift motion that skips the intermediate positioning steps. The V-shaped notches are designed to engage the tick immediately upon insertion, rushing through the removal process before the tick can disgorge bacteria, thus eliminating the harmful intermediate state.
4Device complexity
If a single tool design is used for all parasite sizes, then the device is simple, but it cannot effectively remove different sizes of parasite
Solution Approach 1:
The device achieves universality by providing multiple V-shaped notches of varying sizes on a single plate, allowing one tool to effectively engage and remove ticks of different dimensions. The notches are arranged to accommodate various parasite sizes while maintaining the same basic engagement mechanism, eliminating the need for multiple specialized tools.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A device (10) for removing an external parasite from a host comprises a substantially rectangular plate (11) having a projection (13) from a minor or major edge thereof. The projection (13) is of a width less than half a length of the edge and comprises two prongs (134, 135) defining a first inward tapering V-shaped notch (131) between the prongs. The V- shaped notch (131) has a longitudinal axis aligned with an axis of the substantially rectangular plate (11). Opposed inner engagement faces of the prongs (134), (135) are chamfered for engaging substantially opposed sides respectively of the external parasite. One or more similar additional V-shaped notches (14, 15), smaller than the first V-shaped notch 131), may be provided on an edge opposed to the edge on which the projection (13) is located.