JP2002165640A - Toothbrush - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toothbrush manufacturable at a low cost, wherein plural bristle bundles having arbitrary cross-sectional shape are fixed to a brush head. SOLUTION: In this toothbrush, the plural bristle bundles each comprising bundled filaments are fixed to the brush head. At least a part of the plural bristle bundles are bundles wherein one ends are fixed, while the brush head comprises a bristle bundle detachment prevention member and a bristle bundle fixing member formed with plural branch parts through hinge parts. The bristle bundle having the fixed end can be fitted and fixed by opening cutout parts around support parts that are the hinge parts of the bristle bundle fixing member.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toothbrush having a plurality of bristle bundles fixed to a brush head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a toothbrush is formed by bundling a plurality of filaments to form a bristle bundle, and bending an intermediate portion of the bristle bundle to form a bristle.
Many are known in the form of a letter and inserted and fixed in a flocked hole of a brush head together with a locking piece such as a wire. by the way,
In the case of the above-described toothbrush, the number of filaments that can be fixed by one locking piece is limited, and the interval for inserting and fixing the bristle bundle is limited by the size of the locking piece. The cross-sectional area is small and the shape becomes substantially circular. For this reason, there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain a plurality of effects, such as plaque removal, debris removal between teeth, and gum massage, which are required for the toothbrush, with only one toothbrush.

As a solution to the above problem, there is known a toothbrush in which one end of a bristle bundle bundled into an arbitrary shape is integrally embedded and fixed in a brush head. For example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 5-31628 discloses a toothbrush in which the base of a bristle bundle previously bundled into an arbitrary shape in cross section is enlarged to form a retaining portion, and the retaining portion is embedded and fixed integrally with a brush base. .

[0004]

By the way, the above-mentioned toothbrush which embeds and fixes the bristle bundle integrally in the brush head is manufactured integrally with the brush head in a state where the bristle bundle is held in a mold. It is necessary to employ so-called insert molding for molding. However, since the equipment used for insert molding is more expensive than ordinary molding equipment, there is a problem that the manufacturing cost of the toothbrush increases. An object of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush that can manufacture a toothbrush in which a plurality of bristle bundles having an arbitrary cross-sectional shape are fixed to a brush head at low cost.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a toothbrush comprising a plurality of bundles of filaments fixed to a brush head, wherein the plurality of bundles are at least partially fixed at one end. In addition, the brush head includes a bristle retaining member and a bristle fixing member, the bristle fixing member has a hinge portion, and is configured by a plurality of branches through the hinge portion. The gist of the present invention is a toothbrush in which a cutout portion for arranging a bristle bundle is formed, and the bristle bundle can be fixed by closing a hinge portion.

[0006]

FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front view of the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the first embodiment (a cross-sectional view along AA ′ in FIG. 1). Reference numeral 1 denotes a bristle bundle formed by bundling a large number of filaments obtained by processing one end of a synthetic resin fiber into a tapered shape, fixing the other end by a method such as heat welding or bonding, and forming a flange 1a. This hair bundle 1
Is composed of a straight portion 1b and a tapered portion 1c whose outer diameter becomes smaller as approaching the end face. In the present embodiment, the hair bundles 1 are formed in three rows, and the outer two rows of the hair bundles are arranged with a circular cross section having a large cross section and a small circular cross section. The bundle has a star shape with a large cross-sectional shape at the tip and a circular shape at the back. The cross-sectional shape of this hair bundle can be arbitrarily formed according to the purpose, and a shape other than a circle, for example, an oval shape, an oval shape, a star shape, a clover shape,
A toothbrush can also be formed by combining circular bristle bundles having different diameters. The cross-sectional shape of the hair bundle 1 can be easily adjusted by, for example, inserting a filament into a through hole having a desired shape and fixing the other end of the filament. Also, the flange portion 1a can be easily formed by pressing a plate-shaped object against a portion melted by heat when the other end is fixed, or by applying an excessive adhesive. In addition, the form of the end where the filament is not fixed is not limited to the tapered shape as in the present embodiment, and one or more conventionally known shapes such as an unprocessed shape and a spherical shape can be adopted in combination. It is not limited to the shape shown in the example. As the material of the synthetic resin fiber used for the filament, polyamide (6,6-nylon, 6-nylon, 12-nylon, 6,10-nylon, 6,12-nylon), polyester (polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate) And acryl (polyacryl, polyacrylonitrile, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, etc.).

[0007] Reference numeral 2 denotes a hair bundle fixing member. The bristle bundle fixing member 2 includes a lid 2d provided with a cutout 2f having substantially the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the bristle bundle 1, a side wall 2c provided vertically downward from a side end surface of the lid 2d, and a side wall 2c. A cross-section connected to 2c is formed by a extending portion 2e having a right-angled triangular shape, and the extending portion 2e is formed with a hole into which a hair bundle retaining member and a protrusion of a handle described later are press-fitted. The hair bundle fixing member 2 in FIG. 1 shows the state after the hair bundle 1 is arranged and fixed, and the hair bundle fixing member in FIG. 3 shows the state before the assembly.
The bristle bundle fixing member 2 has hinge portions 2a arranged on both rear side surfaces of the brush head, and forms branch portions 2h on the left and right through the hinge portions 2a. The left and right branches 2h can be opened and closed with the hinge 2a as a fulcrum, and when the left and right branches 2h are fitted together, the cutout 2f in the center row is closed at the same time, and the cutout 2
The hair bundle can be fixed to f. Hinge portions 2b are further disposed on both sides of the front side of the hinge portion 2a, and branch portions 2i are formed on the left and right through the hinge portion 2b. The left and right branches 2i can be opened and closed with the hinge 2b as a fulcrum. When the left and right branches 2i are combined with the branches 2h, the cutouts 2f in the outer row are closed at the same time, and the bristle bundle is fixed to the cutout 2f. I can do it.

Reference numeral 3 indicates a bristle bundle retaining member. The hair bundle retaining member 3 prevents the detachment of the hair bundle attached to the hair bundle fixing member 2 and is formed integrally with the handle 4. The bristle bundle retaining member 3 has substantially the same appearance as the bristle bundle fixing member 2 (as viewed from above), and has a convex portion 3a having the same shape as the lid 2d of the bristle bundle fixing member 2 formed inside thereof. ing. Further, the hair bundle retaining member 3 and the handle 4 are formed with a convex portion 3c which can be pressed into the hole of the hair bundle fixing member 2.

The hair bundle 1 is fitted into the cutout 2f of the hair bundle fixing member 2 so that the tapered portion 1c is directed upward, and the cover 2
d, the flange 1a at the lower end abuts and locks the lower surface of the lid 2d. The hair bundle fixing member 2 is arranged so as to cover the convex portion 3a of the hair bundle retaining member 3,
The side wall end surface 2g of the hair bundle fixing member 2 and the step portion 3b of the hair bundle fixing member 3 are fixed. At this time, the brim portion 1a of the bristle bundle 1 is sandwiched and fixed between the lower surface of the bristle bundle fixing member 2 and the convex portion 3a of the bristle bundle retaining member 3. The hair bundle fixing member 2 and the hair bundle retaining member 3 can be fixed to each other by a conventionally known method such as adhesion, heat welding, ultrasonic welding, press fitting, and rib fitting fixing. At this time, the hair bundle 1 and the hair bundle fixing member 2 can be exchanged by fixing the hair bundle fixing member 2 and the hair bundle retaining member 3 by detachable fixing such as press-fitting fixing or rib fitting fixing. It can be.

Next, the operation when assembling the toothbrush of the first embodiment will be described. In assembling the toothbrush, the bristle bundle is inserted into the notch 2f of the fixing member. At this time, in the toothbrush according to the present invention, since the notch 2f is opened with the hinge of the bristle fixing member as a fulcrum, the notch 2f is opened before the bristle bundle is attached, so that the bristle straight portion 1b
Can be attached to the notch 2f, so that the hair can be easily attached without protruding.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 5 shows Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the second embodiment corresponding to FIG. 4 of the first embodiment. The second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except that the outer branch 12i is thicker than the center branch 12h in the first embodiment. In the toothbrush according to the second embodiment, the outer branch 12i is connected to the center branch 12h.
Because it is made thicker, the durability against the warpage of the bristle bundle of the toothbrush is improved.

Third Embodiment FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an enlarged front view of the hair bundle fixing member before assembly according to the third embodiment. The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a cut is made in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction between the center of the cut portion of the hair bundle fixing member 2 and the center of the cut portion, and hinge portions 22a are provided at both ends. The embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except that the branch portion is connected in series from the root portion of the brush head.

FIG. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 14 is an enlarged front view of a hair bundle fixing member before assembly according to a fourth embodiment. The fourth embodiment is different from the third embodiment in that one of the notch shapes is formed into a horseshoe shape 32f by moving a cut position between the opposed notches upward, so that the hair bundle can be securely inserted. This is the same as the third embodiment.

[0014]

The toothbrush according to the present invention, as a bristle bundle,
Since the hair bundle with one end fixed is used, it is easy to adjust the cross-sectional shape of the hair bundle, so it is necessary to remove plaque, remove debris between teeth, massage the gums, etc. required for toothbrushes Of course, this effect can be obtained with a single toothbrush, and furthermore, this bristle bundle has a simple structure in which a bristle bundle is attached to the cutout portion of the bristle bundle fixing member and the bristle bundle retaining member fixes the bristle bundle. Therefore, it is not necessary to use an expensive molding machine called an insert molding machine in the production, so that the production can be performed at low cost. Further, by disposing the hinge portion on the hair bundle fixing member, the cutout portion can be opened around the hinge portion as a fulcrum, so that the hair bundle can be securely and easily attached.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a main part of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of the hair bundle fixing member before assembly according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of Example 1 (AA ′ cross section).

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a main part of a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a hair bundle fixing member before assembly according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a hair bundle fixing member before assembly according to a fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 hair bundle 2 hair bundle fixing member 3 hair bundle retaining member 4 handle

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A toothbrush comprising a plurality of bundles of filaments fixed to a brush head, wherein the plurality of bundles are at least partially fixed at one end, and the brush head comprises: The hair bundle fixing member includes a hair bundle retaining member and a hair bundle fixing member. The hair bundle fixing member has a hinge portion, and is configured by a plurality of branches through the hinge portion. The branch portion has a cutout portion for arranging the hair bundle. A toothbrush that is formed and can fix a hair bundle by closing a hinge portion.