Stand-alone shelf power solution for electric toothbrush

Kurzfassung

A multinational is interested in identifying a solution that is able to provide enough power to the shelf display units (so-called Touch & Feel/T&F units) to promote its power brushes in store, without the need to service the T&F unit for at least 6 months. The company is open to various types of partnerships.

Details

In the past, this Brussels-based multinational active in the consumer goods sector put into the market an electric toothbrush which has very successfully used shelf display units (so called Touch & Feel/T&F units) to promote its power brushes in store. These units are very effective in reducing purchase barriers because shoppers can take the handles off the unit, feel them and most importantly switch them on.
To allow handles to be switched on, these T&F units require power supply, which means mains electricity at the moment.

Further driving power handle sales through T&F units is hindered as many stores, especially smaller stores and stores in given geographies, do not have mains supply at the shelf and are not willing to install it.

Ideally the company would like to identify a solution that is able to provide enough power without the need to service the T&F unit for at least 6 months.

Actually, to keep the batteries in one power handle charged they need to supply 40mW (1Wh per day). Ideally the technical solution should be able to power several handles, but minimum is 1.

Technical Specifications / Specific technical requirements:
The solution sought needs to fulfill the following criteria:

• Long lasting, at least 6 months for at least 1 power handle
• Safe, e.g., no hazards that go beyond what is normally found in drugstores/electronics stores
• Regulatory compliant, e.g. CE approved
• Simple, no complicated routines necessary for maintenance/exchange
• Small, should not exceed 5 l in volume and 0.05m2 in area per powered handle
• Cheap, running costs not greater than €20/year and powered handle or greater than €50 onetime costs per powered handle
• Reasonable weight, should not exceed 3kg per powered handle

Possible Routes to Investigate (BUT not limited to):

1.Battery technology :
The company is already aware of simple alkaline battery technology with a capacity of 170Ah@9 V at approx €40 (size 19cm x 16cm x 12cm, 3kg). This would power at least 4 handles for 1 year. Downsides are the high weight and volume of these batteries. Any battery solution that is offered should be lighter and smaller at a similar cost per capacity.

2.Autonomous power supply:
The ideal scenario is an autonomous power supply solution that would allow the T&F units to stay in stores for 2+ years without maintenance. This power supply could be either tapping into energy sources that are already available (e.g. store lighting, movement of store visitors) or it could invite shoppers to “power their toothbrush”. For the latter option they would still maintain batteries in the power handles, hence “power your toothbrush” would be actually “charge the batteries”.

Solutions that ARE NOT of interest:

Battery solutions that:
- exceed their already identified solution in weight and/or dimensions
- have a capacity below 350Wh or higher cost/capacity.