ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSHDESIGN PROJECT

Team 15:

Mike Roemer

John Shrefler

Troy McCrum

10/7/2011

Project Outline• Customer Needs Assessment and Revised Problem

Statement• Focus group opinions and individual interviews• Organized hierarchy created with weighting (AHP)

• External Searching• Patent search, benchmarking, and literature review

• Product Dissection• Bill of materials, component separation

• Concept Generation• Sketches, morphological chart

• Concept Selection• Pugh charts• Final Design

Project Management• Customer Needs: Mike Roemer & Troy McCrum

• Benchmarking: John Shrefler

• Literature Review and Patent Search: Troy McCrum

• Bill of Materials: Mike Roemer

• Morphological and Pugh Charts: Mike Roemer

• Sketches: John Shrefler & Mike Roemer

• SolidWorks Models: John Shrefler

Customer Needs Chart1. Portable 1.1 Light 1.2 Rechargeable F.1 Plug-in Dock C.1 No more than 6 -8 inches in length2. User friendly 2.1 Durable F.2 Removable brush heads F.3 Rubberized Grip 2.2 Easy to use 2.3 Quiet 2.4 Safe F.4 Waterproof F.5 Small parts secured 2.5 Powerful F.6 Up to date brushing technology 2.6 Stylish3. Flexible 3.1 Works for all ages 3.2 Fits all mouths4. Durable 4.1 Easy Maintenance 4.2 Relatively maintenance free C.2 Retails under $20.00

Hierarchal Customer Needs List Obtained from Focus Group and Individual Interviews

External Search Activities

• Literature Review• Patent Search• Benchmarking• Product Dissection• Design Target

FUNCTION     ART    

  Highly-Efficient Motor

Same button turns toothbrush off and on

 Built into body

Two separate brushes on head

Recharges inside body of the toothbrush

Low noise US 7356866        

On/off Button   US 5943723      

Battery usability light

    US 5003250    

Dual toothbrush       US 3800350  

Rechargeablebattery

        US 4374354

Brush Head Concepts• Top: standard bristle formation • Bottom: Curved bristle formation• Both: Rubber Drive Shaft Cover

Brush Head Concepts• Large, rotating

brush head

• Angled Bristles

• Dual-Rotation

Body Concepts• On/off switch in one button

• Thicker body for

better grip

• “Battery is low” light

Body Concepts• Hook on back for hanging

• Longer Neck

Energy Mechanism Concepts• Rotating Drive Shaft

• Vibration-Based

• Rubber coating on drive shaft

to reduce noise

Power Generation Concepts• Removable Battery

• Rechargeable Battery Built in(Plug in at bottom)

• Rechargeable Battery Built in

(USB Plug-in)

Power Generation Concepts

• Rechargeable Battery Dock

• Rechargeable “Quick-swap” Packs

(One sits in dock while other is used)

Morphological Chart

Morphological Chart

  Brush Head Body / Grip Power Generation Energy Mechanism

Concept 1 standard bristle placement single on/off button on face of grip replaceable AA battery thin drive shaft that connects to rotating brush head to turn bristles

Concept 2  360 degree-rotation head thick body for better grip built-in rechargeable battery that plugs in at bottom

thicker drive shaft that delivers large vibrations

Concept 3 large, rotating brush head "low battery" light USB capable rechargeable battery rubber-coated drive shaft to reduce noise

Concept 4 vibration-powered angled bristles hanging hooks that snap on the back docking station for charging none

Concept 5 2 small, rotating brush heads longer neck for more brushing leverage

rechargeable "quick-swap" packs for charging none

Concept Selection: Pugh Charts

Brush Head Concepts

Durable (.2) Quiet (.42) Powerful (.12) Total Rank

Standard bristle placement

0 0 0 0 2

360-degree rotation

-1 0 -1 -0.32 4

Large, circular brush head

0 1 1 0.54 1

Vibration-powered only

0 0 0 0 2

2 small circular heads

-1 -1 1 -0.5 5

Concept Selection: Pugh Charts

Body & Grip Concepts

Durable (.2) Ease of Use (.2) Weight (.35) Total Rank

“low battery” and single on/off

button0 0 0 0 1

Thicker body 1 -1 -1 -0.35 2

Hanging hooks 0 -1 -1 -0.55 3

Longer neck 0 -1 -1 -0.55 3

Concept Selection: Pugh Charts

Power Generation Concepts

Safe (.06) Weight (.35) Ease of Use (.2) Total Rank

Replaceable AA battery

0 0 0 0 2

Built-in rechargeable

battery that plugs directly into wall

0 -1 1 -0.15 3

USB-rechargeable battery

0 0 -1 -0.2 5

Charge dock 1 0 1 0.26 1

“quick-swap” packs

0 -1 1 -0.15 3

Concept Selection: Pugh Charts

Energy Mechanism Concepts

Durable (.2) Quiet (.42) Powerful (.12) Total Rank

Thin drive shaft for less

noise0 0 0 0 2

Thicker drive shaft for more

vibration0 -1 1 -0.3 3

Rubber-coated drive shaft to reduce noise

1 1 0 0.62 1

Concept Selection: Pugh Charts

Final Concepts

Portable (.29)User Friendly

(.61)Flexible (.1) Durable (.2) Total Rank

Roemer (single AA battery, rotating

head) 0 0 0 0 0 2

Shrefler (rechargable battery, rotating head)

-1 1 0 1 0.52 1

Mccrum (built-in rechargable battery, oscillating head)

0 -1 -1 0 -0.71 3

Final Design• Single on/off function

• “Battery is Low” Light

• Rechargeable battery with small charging dock

• Rubber coating on drive shaft to reduce noise

Final Design (Drawings)

How It Works• When toothbrush is turned on, the DC motor starts running.

• Power generated from the motor is converted by the driveshaft into a spinning brushing motion that is used to clean teeth.

• Rubber drive shaft cover eliminates clacking from the vibrations in the brush

• When battery life decreases to a certain point, battery light turns on, warning consumer that the brush is close to dying.

Closing Remarks• We believe that our redesigned product has successfully

addressed customer needs at a good cost.

• “Low Battery” light, a single on/off button, and the drive shaft cover were all accomplished objectives from our revised problem statement

• Overall, our product is an effective electric toothbrush that is reasonably priced, convenient to consumers and travel-friendly.