JP2002010832A - Toothbrush - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toothbrush with excellent brushing effect on any parts inside the oral cavity as the tufts of bristles can be freely moved in every direction, frontward, backward, left, right, upward or downward, according to the brushing force and the tip of bristles can excellently fit the various unevenness inside the oral cavity. SOLUTION: The root of a tuft of bristles 1 is held by an elastic material 2 for holding the tuft of bristles, and the elastic material 2 for holding the tuft of bristles is connected to a bristle planting surface 4 of a head 3 at a position C-C with a smaller area of the cross section than that of the cross section at a position B-B with the largest area of the cross section. Further, in connecting the elastic material 2 for holding the tuft of bristles, the area SC of the cross section of the connecting part is 3/4 of or less than the area SB of the cross section at the position with the largest area of the cross section of the elastic material 2 for holding the tuft of bristles.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toothbrush in which a bundle of brushes moves according to a brushing force.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a toothbrush having mobility provided to a head portion or a brush bundle, a head portion is provided with a notch to give a hinge effect (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-5012).
No. 21), one in which the cut portion is filled with an elastic resin (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-502846), and one in which the root of the brush bundle is held by a spring structure (for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-66).
No. 928). Further, a brush bundle whose root is held by an elastic body (for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-938)
No. 29, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-81924) are also known.

[0003]

However, in the case where the cut portion is formed in the head portion, there is a possibility that the cut portion may be plastically deformed during brushing, and the fit of the hair tip to the tooth surface may be reduced. there were.

Further, the cut-out portion filled with an elastic material is movable (flexible) in the unit of a flocked portion at the cut-out portion.
To move the parts that do not need to move,
There was a risk that the fit of the hair tips to the tooth surface was reduced.

Further, the brush bundle holding the root portion with a spring structure requires a space between the back surface of the head portion and the end portion on the side where the brush bundle is held. In many cases, water and food debris easily entered, which was not hygienic, and furthermore, due to its structure, the head portion became thick and the operability in the oral cavity was reduced.

[0006] Further, as the brush bundle holding the root portion with an elastic body, a frame of a head portion is formed of a hard resin, and the elastic body is held in the frame made of the hard resin. (Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-93829), an elastic base is formed on the head-planted surface, and a brush bundle is implanted thereon (Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 1-81924). In the former case, a hard resin framework is used. Is necessary, the dimension from the head edge to the bristle bundle on the flocked surface becomes too large, the operability in the oral cavity is reduced as compared with a normal toothbrush, and the movement of the bristle bundle can be taken sufficiently. In the latter case, it is difficult to realize the ideal movement of the brush bundle because the brush bundle is movable only by the expansion and contraction of the elastic base.

The present invention has been made under the above circumstances, and the brush bundle can freely move in all directions of front and rear, right and left, and up and down according to the brushing force, and the brush tip has various irregularities in the oral cavity. An object of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush that fits well and can achieve an excellent brushing effect on any part of the oral cavity.

[0008]

FIG. 1 shows the principle structure of a toothbrush according to the present invention. (A) is a schematic enlarged side view of one brush bundle portion in the toothbrush of the present invention, (b) is (a)
FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view taken along a line BB in FIG. 2C, and FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view taken along a line CC in FIG.

In order to achieve the above object, the toothbrush of the present invention holds the root portion of the brush bundle 1 with an elastic member 2 for holding the brush bundle, and the elastic member 2 for holding the brush bundle is positioned at the maximum cross-sectional area thereof. (Maximum cross-sectional area position in the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction of the brush bundle 2) The cross-sectional position CC having a smaller area than BB is connected to the flocking surface 4 of the head portion 3.

The cross-sectional area S _{C at the} position of the line CC, which is the coupling portion, is the cross-sectional area S _{B at} the position of the line BB, which is the maximum cross-sectional area of the brush bundle holding elastic body 2. 3
The area is preferably ４ or less, more preferably ２ or less.

In the case of such a configuration, FIG.
As shown by an arrow and a chain line in (b), the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 holding the brush bundle 1 can freely move in all directions of front and rear, right and left, and up and down by a force acting at the time of brushing. Become. For this reason, the brush tip can satisfactorily fit various irregularities in the oral cavity, and an excellent brushing effect can be obtained for any part of the oral cavity.

The cross-sectional area S _C of the connecting portion is the brush bundle 1
Influence the movement of If the cross-sectional area S _C is too large, the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 cannot be tilted, and the movement of the brush bundle 1 becomes only the vertical expansion and contraction of the brush bundle holding elastic body 2, so that the optimum movement is obtained. I can't. Conversely, if the cross-sectional area S _C is too small, the brush bundle will move excessively due to the force acting during brushing, and the brushing effect may be reduced.
Therefore, while taking into account the material of the brush bundle holding elastic body 2, within the range of ／ or less of the maximum cross-sectional area S _B ,
It is desirable to set appropriately according to the specifications of the toothbrush.

The size, shape, and material of the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 are also appropriately set so as to have a sufficient bristle implantation strength (brush bundle pull-out strength) according to the specifications of the brush bundle 1 to be held. Is desirable.

The elastic body in the present invention is, for example,
It refers to a soft resin that exhibits rubber elasticity at room temperature, such as a thermoplastic elastomer resin or a silicone resin. When a thermoplastic elastomer is used, an olefin-based or styrene-based resin that can provide a soft resin hardness is more preferable.

[0015] The softness of the soft resin used as the elastic body is not particularly limited, and is appropriately selected according to the required degree of elasticity.
5 to 60, preferably 20 to 5 as measured by JISA
A hardness of 0 is desirable. Further, different materials and hardnesses may be mixed in one head portion.

The brush bundle holding elastic body 2 need not be entirely made of a soft resin, but may be made by surrounding or covering a part of the hard resin with the soft resin. It is.

The brush bundle holding elastic body 2 may be connected to the flocked surface 4 of the head portion 3 by fusion or fitting. In particular,
On the bottom surface of the brush bundle holding elastic body, a rod-shaped fitting body having a predetermined length and a bulged portion having a predetermined shape is integrally formed, and this rod-shaped fitting body is embedded in the flocked surface of the toothbrush head unit 3 or the rod-shaped fitting body is embedded therein. In the case where the union is penetrated to the back of the head portion and embedded so as to be locked on the back side of the head portion, the coupling with the head portion 3 is performed without sacrificing the mobility of the brush bundle holding elastic body 2. The force can be increased, which is more favorable.

An elastic body 2 for holding the brush bundle 1
In order to fix the brush, a method of implanting the hair into the flocked hole of the elastic body using a flat metal wire, a method of fusing the end of the brush bundle and fusing it to the flocked hole of the elastic body, or the like can be adopted. In addition, when the elastic body is injection-molded with a mold, it is also possible to insert the brush bundle into the mold and perform integral molding. In the case where the hair is implanted using a metal flat wire, an implanted tip may be used, and the implanted tip may be held by the brush bundle holding elastic body 2.

The number of the brush bundles 1 held by one brush bundle holding elastic body 2 may be one or more, and the cross-sectional shape of the brush bundle 1 is not limited, and may be circular or polygonal. In addition, for example, a shape similar to a letter of an alphabet such as a C shape, a U shape, and a V shape may be used.

The brush bundle 1 held by the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 may be located anywhere on the head section 3, and the number thereof can be appropriately selected according to the specifications of the toothbrush.

The embedding depth of the brush bundle 1 into the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 and the protrusion size of the brush bundle 1 from the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 are not particularly limited, and can be set as appropriate. The brush implantation of the brush bundle other than the brush bundle 1 held by the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 onto the head section transplanting surface is performed even after the elastic body holding section 2 on which the brush bundle is transplanted is connected to the head section transplanting surface. , Or before that.

The direction of the brush bundle 1 held by the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 may be parallel to the direction of other bristle bundles not held by the brush bundle holding elastic body 2. It is not necessary.

As the shape of the head portion 3, a conventionally known head shape such as a straight shape, a curved shape, and a refraction shape can be adopted. Further, as the shape of the flocking surface 4, various conventionally known shapes can be adopted.

The brush bundle holding elastic body 2 may be formed by a plurality of gates simultaneously with the embedding of an elastic body such as an elastomer resin embedded in a toothbrush handle for preventing slippage. When the bundle holding elastic body 2 and the elastomer resin of the toothbrush handle are made of the same material, the bundle holding elastic body 2 and the elastomer resin embedment area of the toothbrush handle may be connected to each other by a groove and molded at the same time by the same gate.

The material of the hard portion of the toothbrush handle including the head portion may be a thermoplastic resin, and examples thereof include polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polyamide, polymethyl methacrylate, cellulose propionate, and ABS. However, polypropylene is preferable in terms of physical properties, cost, and the like. It is also preferable to form a multicolor molded handle in which these resins are combined with each other or with a thermoplastic elastomer.

Regarding the hair cutting shape at the tip of the brush bundle 1,
As with a normal toothbrush, various bristle cutting shapes such as mountain cutting, flat cutting, round cutting, and a convex front portion can be adopted.

The material of the brushes constituting the brush bundle 1 is as follows.
A commonly used polyamide (eg, nylon 6-1)
2, nylon 6-10, 12 nylon, etc.), polyester (eg, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, etc.), polypropylene and the like can be used. Of course, a composite material combining these may be used.

The cross section of the brush is also mainly circular, but is not particularly limited. For example, various cross-sectional shapes such as a triangular cross section, a quadrangular cross section, and a hexagonal cross section can be adopted.

The brush thickness is 3 to 10 mils (0.076 to
0.254 mm), preferably 5-8 mils (0.127 mm).
０．２0.203 mm) is good for general toothbrushes.

Normally, the diameter of a single brush is the same except for the rounded portion of the brush tip, but the diameter gradually increases toward the tip of the brush near the root of the brush, even if the brush thickness is the same as above. It may be in the form of tapered bristles.

The tip shape of the brush may be a spatula shape, a tapered wide shape, a spherical shape, or the like, or a brush having a different thickness may be mixed in the flocked portion.

[0032]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of a toothbrush according to the present invention. In the first embodiment, the head portion 3 is formed in a straight shape, and the brush bundle 1 is attached to the tip of the flocked surface 4 of the head portion 3 having the straight shape.
Are held together in two or two rows. The brush bundle denoted by reference numeral 5 is a brush bundle directly planted on the flocking surface 4 of the head unit 3.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the toothbrush according to the present invention. In the second embodiment, the head 3
Is bent upward to incline and a portion thereof is inclined, and two or two rows of elastic members 2 for holding the brush bundle holding the brush bundle 1 are coupled to the inclined portion.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the head portion 3 of the elastic member 2 for holding the brush bundle in the first and second embodiments.
A specific example of a method of bonding the hair to the flocking surface 4 will be described. FIG. 5 shows an example in which the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 is bonded to the flocked surface 4 of the head section 3 by fusion, and as shown in FIGS. By changing the embedding depth of 2, the bonding strength and the mobility of the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 can be adjusted.

FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b) show an example in which the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 is connected to the flocked surface 4 of the head portion 3 by fitting. FIGS. On the bottom surface of the elastic body 2, a rod-shaped fitting body 2a of a predetermined length having an enlarged portion (for example, a spear shape or a sphere) at the tip is integrally formed. FIG. 6 (c) shows an example in which the rod-shaped fitting body 2a of a predetermined length having an enlarged portion (for example, a disk shape) at the tip is integrally formed on the bottom surface of the elastic member 2 for holding the brush bundle. This shows an example in which the rod-shaped fitting body 2a is penetrated to the back surface of the head portion 3 and is buried, and is locked on the back side of the head portion 3 by an enlarged portion. When the coupling method as shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C is employed, the coupling force with the head unit 3 can be increased without sacrificing the mobility of the elastic holding unit 2.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show a third embodiment of the toothbrush according to the present invention. In the third embodiment, the shape of the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 is an ellipsoid, and a single bunch of brushes having a large cross-sectional area with a large number of brushes bundled on the top surface of the ellipsoid. 1 is embedded.

FIG. 8 shows a fourth embodiment of the toothbrush according to the present invention. In the fourth embodiment, the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 has an elliptical shape, and two brush bundles each having a small cross-sectional area in which a small number of brushes are bundled are formed on the top surface of the ellipsoid. 1 is embedded.

FIGS. 9A to 9G show other examples of the shape of the elastic member 2 for holding the brush bundle, and FIGS. 10A to 10H show the flocking of the head portion of the elastic member 2 for holding the brush bundle. The example of the arrangement pattern to a surface is shown, respectively. As shown in the drawing, the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 can take various shapes and arrangement patterns.

FIG. 11 shows an example of the protrusion size of the brush bundle 1 and the length of the elastic member 2 for holding the brush bundle. (A) is elastic body holding 2
(B) shows an example in which the length of the brush bundle 1 and the projecting dimension of the brush bundle 1 from the elastic body holding 2 are substantially the same.
(C) shows an example in which the length of the brush bundle 1 is longer than the length of the elastic member 2 for holding the brush bundle. Things. As described above, the protrusion size of the brush bundle 1 and the length of the brush bundle holding elastic body 2 can be freely set according to the specifications of the toothbrush.

[0040]

As described above, according to the toothbrush of the present invention, the root portion of the brush bundle is held by the elastic member for holding the brush bundle, and the elastic member for holding the brush bundle is positioned at the maximum cross-sectional area. It is connected to the flocked surface of the head at the cross-sectional position where the area is smaller than the area, so that the brush bundle can move freely in all directions, back and forth, left and right, up and down according to the brushing force, and the brush tip It can satisfactorily fit irregularities and can provide an excellent brushing effect on any part of the oral cavity.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows the principle structure of a toothbrush of the present invention.
(A) is a schematic enlarged side view of one brush bundle portion, (b) is a cross-sectional view at a BB line position (a maximum cross-sectional area position) in (a), and (c) is in (a) FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining the movement of the brush bundle held by the brush bundle holding elastic body, wherein FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating the movement when viewed from the side, and FIG. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the first embodiment of the toothbrush according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a second embodiment of the toothbrush according to the present invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams showing a specific example in a case where the brush bundle holding elastic body is bonded to the flocked surface of the head portion by fusion.

FIGS. 6A to 6C are diagrams showing a specific example in a case where a brush bundle holding elastic body is connected to a flocked surface of a head portion by fitting.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show a third embodiment of the toothbrush according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 7A is a side view and FIG.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a fourth embodiment of the toothbrush according to the present invention.

9A to 9G are side views showing other examples of the shape of the brush bundle holding elastic body.

FIGS. 10A to 10H are plan views showing examples of arrangement patterns of a brush bundle holding elastic body on a head-planted surface.

FIGS. 11A to 11C are explanatory diagrams showing the relationship between the protrusion dimension of the brush bundle 1 and the length of the brush bundle holding elastic body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 brush bundle held by brush bundle holding elastic body 2 brush bundle holding elastic body 3 head unit 4 flocking surface 5 conventional brush bundle directly planted on head unit flocking surface

Claims (2)

[Claims] The brush bundle holding elastic body is held at a root portion of the brush bundle by a brush bundle holding elastic body, and the brush bundle holding elastic body is placed at a cross-sectional position having a smaller area than the maximum cross-sectional area of the head portion. A toothbrush characterized by being combined with a toothbrush. 2. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the connecting portion is equal to or less than 断面 of a cross-sectional area of a maximum cross-sectional area of the elastic member for holding the brush bundle.