EP3829392A1 - Brush - Google Patents

Abstract

A toothbrush comprising a handle and a head, the head having a front and a back with bristles protruding from the front of the head and in which the handle, the head and the bristles are many from the same class of polymeric re-cyclable material.

Description

BRUSH

This invention relates to a brush and is especially relevant to toothbrushes.

Different types of toothbrushes are known. A toothbrush usually has bristles or similar components for cleaning a user’s teeth. These bristles will tend to extend from a face of a head of the toothbrush. The bristles are usually formed from nylon or a similar material.

As consumer concern grows with the effect of consumables on the environment it has become apparent that there is a need to mitigate any harm a toothbrush may cause the environment in that it needs to be recyclable.

US5458400A discloses a toothbrushes in which the bristles are separated from the material of the tooth brush handle and neck. The brush heads with the bristles are thrown away into a waste dump.

There is a need for a toothbrush that can be re-cycled easily without undue burden on the consumer.

Description of the Invention

Accordingly, the present invention relates to a toothbrush comprising a handle and a head, the head having a front and a back with bristles protruding from the front of the head and in which the handle, the head and the bristles are made from the same class of polymeric re-cyclable material.

In the context of the present invention the term“same class of polymeric re-cyclable materials” refers to polymeric materials that are broken down to the same type of monomeric units, preferably identical monomeric units.

Preferably the re-cyclable material is selected from poly- oxymehtylene , polyethyleneglycol , polypropyl- eneglycol, polytetramethyleneglycol, polyeth-yleneoxide, polypropyleneoxide , polytetrahydrofu-ran and polytetramethyleneetherglycol , a poly- alkene, a polyalkane, a polypeptide, a polyamide, a polyamine, a polyester, a polystyrene or mixtures thereof.

Preferred re-cyclable material comprises a polyester or a polyamide. Preferred poly esters are preferably selected from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene furanoate (PEF), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polytri- methylene terephthalate (PTT), polyglycolic acid (PGA), pol- ylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyethylene adipate (PEA), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), Poly (3-hydroxy butyrate- co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), and a polycondensate of 4- hydroxybenzoic acid and 6-hydroxynaphthalene-2-carboxylic acid (VECTRAN).

It is particularly advantageous if the toothbrush comprises a polyester selected form PET, PBT and/or PTT or a polyamide comprising nylon 6 and/or nylon 6 12.

A particularly preferred polyester combination is a PET handle with PBT, PTT bristles, or preferred polyamide combination a nylon 6 handle with nylon 6 12 bristles.

In one embodiment the toothbrush is a manual toothbrush. Preferably the shape of the manual toothbrush head is substantially rectangular.

In a further embodiment the toothbrush is designed for attachment to a motor and is thus classified as a toothbrush head for use with an electronic toothbrush. In such instances the toothbrush head is preferably substantially circular.

The toothbrush may contain protrusions either on the head for cleaning the gums or on the handle to aid grip of the brush.

The peripheral edge of the head and the back of the head may be formed separately from one another and then attached to one another by any convenient means. However, in some embodiments of the invention, the peripheral edge and the back of the head of the oral care implement are formed integrally with one another. In such embodiments, the peripheral edge will tend to merge into the back of the head and there will be no clear boundary between the peripheral edge and the back of the head.

It is preferable if the bristles are prepared by extruding molten polymer through a spinneret or any other method that is commonly used in the toothbrush industry.

It is preferable if the handle and the brush are prepared by a procedure that facilitates subsequent recycling process by making it easy to maximise the surface area to volume ratio such methods include blow moulding, gas assisted injection moulding and foaming. Preferably the handle and the head are produced by a blow moulding process.

Blow moulding is a specific manufacturing process by which hollow plastic parts are formed and can be joined together: In general, there are three main types of blow moulding: extrusion blow moulding, injection blow moulding, and injection stretch blow moulding. The blow moulding process begins with melting down the plastic and forming it into a parison or in the case of injection and injection stretch blow moulding a preform. The parison is a tube-like piece of plastic with a hole in one end through which compressed air can pass. The parison is then clamped into a mould and air is blown into it. The air pressure then pushes the plastic out to match the mould. Once the plastic has cooled and hardened the mould opens up and the part is ejected.

It is preferable that the blow moulding process occurs such that when the toothbrush is

shredded/chopped for re-cycling the thickness of the resultant plastic flakes/chips ensures that the speed of the recycling process maximised.

In a preferred embodiment the handle and/or head of the brush is hollow, meaning that less material is needed to the form the brush.

In a further embodiment the bristles can be hollow.

The bristles are attached to the head of the brush by any standard procedure .

In some embodiments of the invention the handle and head of the oral care implement are formed integrally with one another, and the face of the head of the oral care implement is formed separately. This enables the front of the head to be inserted separately which may be

advantageous during the manufacturing process.

Claims

1. A toothbrush comprising a handle and a head, the head having a front and a back with bristles protruding from the front of the head and in which the handle, the head and the bristles are made from the same class of polymeric re-cyclable material.

2. A toothbrush according to claim 1 in which the handle and the head are produced by a blow moulding process.

3. A toothbrush according to any preceding claim in which the re-cyclable material is selected from poly- oxymethylene , polyethyleneglycol , polypropyl- eneglycol,

polytetramethyleneglycol, polyeth-yleneoxide, polypropyleneoxide , polytetrahydrofuran and polytetramethyleneetherglycol , a poly- alkene, a polyalkane, a polypeptide, a polyamide, a polyamine, a polyester, a polystyrene or mixtures thereof.

4. A toothbrush according to any preceding claim in which the re-cyclable material comprises a polyester or a polyamide.

5. A toothbrush according to claim 4 in which poly ester is selected from polyethylene

terephthalate (PET), polyethylene furanoate (PEF), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), polyglycolic acid (PGA), polylactic acid (PLA),

polycaprolactone (PCL), polyethylene adipate (PEA), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), Poly (3-hydroxy butyrate- co-3- hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), and a polycondensate of 4- hydroxybenzoic acid and 6- hydroxynaphthalene-2-carboxylic acid (VECTRAN).

6. A toothbrush according to claim 5 in which the polyester is PET, PBT and/or PTT.

7. A toothbrush according to claim 4 in which the polyamide is nylon 6 and/or nylon 6 12 .

8. A toothbrush according to any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the handle is formed from PET and the handle is formed from PBT and/or PTT.

9. A toothbrush according to claim 7 in which the handle is formed from nylon 6 and the bristles are formed from nylon 6 12.

10. A toothbrush according to any preceding claim that is a manual brush.

11. A toothbrush according to any preceding claim that is a toothbrush head for an electric toothbrush.

12. A toothbrush according to any preceding claim in which the handle is hollow.

13. A toothbrush according to any preceding claim in which the head is hollow.

14. A toothbrush according to any preceding claims in which the bristles are hollow.