JP3138318U - toothbrush - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a toothbrush that has both cleanability in a tooth gap and cleanability of a tooth surface.
A toothbrush comprising a long handle portion and a head portion provided on the distal end side of the handle portion, wherein a plurality of hair bundles are implanted on a flocked surface of a head portion. The first hair bundle row 6 is configured by a plurality of hair bundles arranged in the length direction of the head portion 3 at the center portion of the flocked surface 3a, and both sides sandwiching the first hair bundle row 6 A plurality of hair bundles are arranged in the length direction of the head portion 3 and the second hair bundle row 7, and the first hair bundle row 6 and the second hair bundle row 7 are hairs. It is constituted by a hair bundle of taper hairs whose diameter gradually decreases toward the tip, and the first hair bundle row 6 repeats a peak portion and a valley portion alternately in the length direction of the head portion 3. The tip of each hair bundle is pruned into a mountain shape.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement in a toothbrush using a brush (hereinafter referred to as a taper bristles) whose diameter gradually decreases toward the tip of the hair.

In the toothbrush, in order to improve the cleaning performance in the gap between teeth, it has been conventionally proposed to use taper hair whose diameter gradually decreases toward the hair tip (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 6). However, the conventional toothbrush using the taper bristles can improve the cleaning performance in the gap between the teeth, but has a drawback that the cleaning performance of the tooth surface is deteriorated due to weakness of the fur.
Japanese Patent No. 3265324 JP 2006-244383 A Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-45577 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-66873. JP-A-9-127875 JP 2005-196023 A

  Therefore, the present invention has been proposed in view of such conventional circumstances, and in the above-described toothbrush using the taper bristles, it is possible to achieve both cleanability in the tooth gap and cleanability of the tooth surface. An object of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush that can be used.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
That is, the device according to claim 1 is a toothbrush comprising a long handle portion and a head portion provided on the distal end side of the handle portion, and a plurality of hair bundles are implanted on the flocked surface of the head portion. A first hair bundle row formed by arranging a plurality of hair bundles in the length direction of the head portion at the center portion of the flocked surface, and a plurality of hairs on both sides of the first hair bundle row And a second hair bundle row configured by arranging the bundles in the length direction of the head portion, and the first hair bundle row and the second hair bundle row have gradually increasing diameters toward the hair tips. The first bristles are composed of tapering bristles that become thinner, and the front ends of each bristles are chamfered so that crests and troughs are alternately repeated in the length direction of the head. A toothbrush that is pruned into a shape.

  In the invention according to claim 2, the total sum of the cross-sectional areas of the flock holes in which the hair bundles constituting the first hair bundle row are planted on the flocked surface of the head portion is the second hair bundle row. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the toothbrush is 1.5 to 2.0 times the total cross-sectional area of each flock hole in which the bristles constituting the bristles are planted.

  As mentioned above, in the toothbrush which concerns on Claim 1 of this invention, the 1st hair | bristle bundle row | line | column provided in the center part of the flocked surface is by the hair | bristle bundle | flux of the taper hair | bristle which becomes a diameter gradually toward a hair tip. In addition, since the tip of each hair bundle is pruned into a mountain shape so as to alternately repeat crests and troughs in the length direction of the head portion, this first hair bundle row The cleanability of the tooth surface can be improved. In addition, since the second hair bundle row provided on both sides of the first hair bundle row is constituted by a hair bundle of taper hairs that gradually decreases in diameter toward the hair tip, this second hair bundle row. The ability to clean the tooth gap can be enhanced by the row of hair bundles. Therefore, with this toothbrush, it is possible to achieve both the cleanability in the tooth gap and the cleanability of the tooth surface even when taper bristles are used.

  Moreover, in the toothbrush which concerns on Claim 2 of this invention, the total of the cross-sectional area of each flock hole in which the hair | bristle bundle which comprises the 1st hair | bristle bundle row | line was planted on the flocked surface of a head part is set to 2nd hair. By making the total cross-sectional area of each flock hole in which the hair bundles constituting the bundle row are implanted 1.5 to 2.0 times, the cleaning performance in the tooth gap and the cleaning performance of the tooth surface Can be balanced.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a toothbrush having both cleanability in the tooth gap and cleanability of the tooth surface.

Hereinafter, a toothbrush to which the present invention is applied will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
In the drawings used in the following description, in order to make the features easy to understand, there are cases in which the portions that become the features are schematically shown for convenience, and the dimensional ratios of the respective components are not always the same as the actual ones. Absent. Further, in some cases, the illustration of the hair is omitted, and only the flocking hole into which the hair bundle of the hair is planted is shown.

  As an embodiment of the present invention, a toothbrush 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a brush handle 1A having a long shape as a whole. The brush handle 1A includes a long handle portion 2 and a distal end side of the handle portion 2. And a neck portion 4 provided between the handle portion 2 and the head portion 3.

  The brush handle 1A includes a handle portion 2, a neck portion 4 connected to the handle portion 2, and a head portion 3 connected to the handle portion 2, which are integrally formed of, for example, a hard resin material. Examples of the hard resin material used for the brush handle 1A include polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polycyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate, saturated polyester resin, polymethyl methacrylate, cellulose propionate, polyurethane, polyamide, ABS (acrylonitrile). Thermoplastic resin materials such as (tolyl, butadiene, styrene) can be mentioned, but the material is not necessarily limited to these materials.

  In addition, since the handle portion 2 is a portion that is gripped by the user, the grip performance may be improved by partially or entirely covering the handle portion 2 with a flexible resin such as an elastomer. The neck portion 4 is a portion that connects the handle portion 2 and the head portion 3, but is not necessarily clearly distinguished from the handle portion 2 and the head portion 3. Some are not distinguished from 4. Therefore, the brush handle 1A may have a shape in which the head portion 3 is directly provided at the tip of the handle portion 2, and the shape, size, design, and the like can be arbitrarily changed and implemented. it can.

  The head portion 3 may have any shape or size that can easily clean the inside of the oral cavity, and the shape is not particularly limited, but generally has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. A plurality of flocking holes 5 for planting hair bundles are provided in a row in the length direction and in the width direction on one surface (referred to as flocking surface) 3a of the head portion 3.

  The head portion 3 includes a first hair bundle row 6 formed by arranging a plurality of hair bundles in the length direction of the head portion 3 and a first hair bundle row 6 at the center portion of the flocked surface 3a. It has the 2nd hair | bristle bundle row | line | column 7 comprised by arranging the several hair | bristle bundle in the length direction of the said head part 3 on the both sides which pinched | interposed. In addition, in FIG. 1, while not showing illustration of each hair | bristle bundle which comprises the 1st and 2nd hair | bristle bundle row | line | columns 6 and 7, among the several flock holes 5 provided in the flocked surface 3a, the 1st hair The one constituting the bundle row 6 and the one constituting the second hair bundle row 7 are shown distinguished by color coding.

  Each of the hair bundles constituting the first hair bundle row 6 and the second hair bundle row 7 has taper hairs 8 as shown in FIG. 2 in which the diameter gradually decreases from the central portion toward the hair ends at both ends. The taper hair 8 is bundled and folded in half, and is inserted into the flocked surface 3a by driving it into the flocked hole 5 with a retainer (not shown) called a flat wire in between. Yes.

  The material for the taper hair 8 is not particularly limited. For example, polyamide (eg 6-12 nylon, 6-10 nylon), polyester (eg polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate). ), Polyolefin (e.g., polypropylene), elastomer (e.g., olefin, styrene), and other synthetic resin materials can be used. A plurality of these resin materials may be used in combination. For example, different resin materials may be used for the core and the sheath, such as a core-sheath structure. Among them, the taper bristles 8 have a hair tip tapered by immersing and dissolving hair (filament) made of polybutylene terephthalate cut to a predetermined length in an alkaline hydrolysis treatment agent. It is preferable to use it.

  The cross-sectional shape of the taper bristles 8 is preferably circular, but is not necessarily limited to such a shape. For example, an elliptical shape, a polygonal shape (for example, a triangle, a quadrangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, etc.) .), Etc. (for example, a star shape, a three-leaf clover shape, a four-leaf clover shape, etc.), etc., and can have any shape according to the intended use of the toothbrush 1. Further, the taper bristles 8 may be formed in a spiral shape or provided with embossing or the like.

  The hair length of the taper hair 8 is preferably 8 mm to 13 mm for adults and 6 mm to 9 mm for children from the flocked surface 3 a of the head portion 3. The thickness (maximum diameter) of the taper hair 8 is preferably 0.12 mm to 0.26 mm from the viewpoint of usability in the oral cavity and usability. Further, in consideration of a feeling of use, a feeling of cleaning, a cleaning effect, durability, and the like, a plurality of taper hairs having different thicknesses may be used in any combination. For example, the thick taper hair 8 may be used for the hair bundle constituting the first hair bundle row 6 and the thin taper hair 8 may be used for the hair bundle constituting the second hair bundle row 7.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the first hair bundle row 6 only needs to be arranged in at least one row in the central portion of the flocked surface 3a. In this example, the head portion is arranged in the central portion of the flocked surface 3a. The first hair bundle row 6 is configured by providing a plurality of hair bundles arranged in parallel in the length direction of 3 and arranging one hair bundle between both ends of these two rows.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the first hair bundle row 6 has a peak portion (convex portion) for every two adjacent hair bundles B among the plurality of hair bundles B arranged in the length direction of the head portion 3. Each hair bundle B has a hair cutting shape in which the tip of each hair bundle B is pruned into a mountain shape so as to alternately repeat 6a and valleys (concave portions) 6b. As for the hair cutting shape at the tip of the first hair bundle row 6, it is preferable that the height difference between the peak (projection) 6a and the valley (depression) 6b is about 2 mm. In addition, after the first hair bundle row 6 is pruned into a mountain shape, it is preferable to polish the hair tips with a file or the like in order to improve the contact with the gums.

  In contrast, as shown in FIG. 1, a pair of second hair bundle rows 7 are provided side by side on both sides of the first hair bundle row 6 of the flocked surface 3 a. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, in the second hair bundle row 7, the hair lengths of the hair bundles B are aligned without pruning the tips of the hair bundles B. In addition, the peak part (convex part) 6a of the 1st hair | bristle bundle row | line | column 6 and the 2nd hair | bristle bundle row | line | column 7 have the hair length substantially the same in order to make it easy for a hair tip to hit the clearance gap between teeth. Is preferred.

  In the toothbrush 1 having the above-described structure, the first bristle row 6 provided in the central portion of the flocked surface 3a is constituted by the bristle bundle B of the taper bristles 8 whose diameter gradually decreases toward the bristle tip. In addition, the tips of the hair bundles B are pruned in a mountain shape so that the peak portions 6a and the valley portions 6b are alternately repeated in the length direction of the head portion 3. In this case, the cleaning performance for the tooth surface and the interdental portion can be enhanced by the first hair bundle row 6. On the other hand, the 2nd hair | bristle bundle row | line | column 7 provided in the both sides on both sides of the 1st hair | bristle bundle row | line | column 6 is comprised by the hair | bristle bundle B of the bristle taper 8 whose diameter decreases gradually toward a hair tip. In this case, the second hair bundle row 7 can enhance the cleanability of the tooth gap and the tooth neck (periodontal pocket). Therefore, in this toothbrush 1, even if it is a case where the bristle for taper 8 mentioned above is used, it is possible to make the cleaning property in a crevice, and the cleaning property of a tooth surface compatible.

  In the toothbrush 1 to which the present invention is applied, the total cross-sectional area of each flock hole 5 in which the hair bundle B constituting the first hair bundle row 6 is planted on the flocked surface 3a of the head portion 3 is The total cross-sectional area of the flock holes 5 in which the hair bundles B constituting the two bunch rows 7 are planted is preferably 1.5 to 2.0 times (hereinafter referred to as flock hole area ratio). That said.) Thereby, it is possible to make the cleaning property in the above-mentioned tooth gap and the cleaning property of the tooth surface compatible in a balanced manner.

In addition, the toothbrush 1 to which this invention is applied is not necessarily limited to the thing of the said embodiment, A various change can be added in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention.
For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, the hair cutting shape at the tip of the first hair bundle row 6 is adjacent to the adjacent two of the plurality of hair bundles B arranged in the length direction of the head portion 3. It is not necessarily limited to the one in which the tips of the hair bundles B are pruned in a mountain shape so that the peak portions 6a and the valley portions 6b are alternately repeated for each of the hair bundles B. For example, as shown in FIG. 5B, the hair cutting shape at the tip of the first hair bundle row 6 is for each hair bundle B among the plurality of hair bundles B arranged in the length direction of the head portion 3. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5 (c), the length direction of the head portion 3 is obtained by cutting the tips of the hair bundles B so as to alternately repeat the peak portions 6a and the valley portions 6b. Among the plurality of hair bundles B arranged in parallel to each other, the tips of the hair bundles B are cut into a mountain shape so that the peak portions 6a and the valley portions 6b are alternately repeated for every two adjacent hair bundles B and one hair bundle B. It may be pruned.

  It should be noted that a plurality of circular flocking holes 5 are usually arranged on the flocked surface 3a of the head part 3 in a lattice shape or a staggered pattern at predetermined intervals in the length direction and the width direction of the head part 3. The arrangement and spacing of the flock holes 5 and the combination thereof are not particularly limited as long as they constitute the first and second hair bundle rows 6 and 7.

  In addition, the hair bundle B is usually a bundle of a plurality of taper hairs 8 bundled in a substantially circular shape, but is not limited to a bundle of such a substantially circular shape, and may be a substantially triangular or substantially rectangular shape. They may be bundled in a substantially polygonal shape, and further, those bundled in a shape having a different major axis and minor axis such as a substantially elliptical shape, a substantially oval shape, a substantially rectangular shape, or a substantially polygonal shape may be used.

  Further, as a method for flocking the hair bundle B, a hair bundle other than the flat wire flocking method in which the hair bundle B of the taper hair 8 described above is folded in two and a flat wire is sandwiched therebetween and fixed to the flock hole 5 is used. A heat fusion method in which the lower end of B is press-fitted into the molten resin to be the head portion 3 and fixed, or a molten mass is formed by heating the lower end of the hair bundle B, and then the molten resin is filled into the mold cavity Thus, an in-mold method or the like that is molded integrally with the head portion 3 can be used.

  Hereinafter, the effect of the present invention will be made clearer by examples. In addition, this invention is not limited to a following example, In the range which does not change the summary, it can change suitably and can implement.

  In this example, first, as the toothbrushes of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, a brush handle substantially similar to the brush handle 1A of the toothbrush 1 shown in FIG. 1 is prepared and provided on the flocked surface of the head portion. The first hair bundle row and the second hair bundle row thus obtained were made different from each other. Table 1 below summarizes the specifications of the toothbrushes of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3.

And about each toothbrush of these Examples 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-3, evaluation of "cleaning property" and "usability" and these "comprehensive evaluation" were performed. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2.
For the evaluation of “cleanability”, the removal rate of artificial plaque applied to the teeth of the jaw model using a brushing machine manufactured by Lion was set to “tooth surface”, “interdental”, “tooth neck” Was measured and evaluated. The evaluation criteria are as follows.
<Evaluation criteria>
Tooth surface (○… 80% or more △… 70% or more, less than 80% ×… less than 70)
Interdental part (○ ... 60% or more △ ... 40% or more, less than 60% × ... less than 40)
Tooth neck (○… 70% or more △… 50% or more, less than 70% ×… less than 50)
Further, the brushing machine brushing conditions are brushing force = 200 g, stroke = 20 mm, and speed = 40 mm / sec. The removal rate was obtained by applying artificial plaques to the maxillary second premolars, the first molars and the second molars and performing image analysis after brushing.
The “use feeling” is evaluated by sensory evaluation by 10 expert panelists, “◯” is “very good”, “Δ” is “neither”, and “x” is “not good”. The same applies to “overall evaluation”.

  From the evaluation results shown in Table 2, in the toothbrushes of Examples 1 to 4, good results are obtained for the tooth surface, interdental part and tooth neck part among the cleaning properties, and the evaluation of the feeling of use is also good. Good results were shown for the overall evaluation. On the other hand, in the toothbrushes of Comparative Examples 1 to 3, although good results were obtained for the tooth surface among the cleaning properties, the interdental and cervical parts were poorer than the toothbrushes of Examples 1 to 4. As a result. Moreover, since a usability | use_condition is also inferior, the result worse than the toothbrush of Examples 1-4 was shown about comprehensive evaluation.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a toothbrush to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the taper hair. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the first hair bundle row. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the second hair bundle row. FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating the hair cutting shape at the tip of the first hair bundle row.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Toothbrush 1A ... Brush handle 2 ... Handle part 3 ... Head part 3a ... Flocking surface 4 ... Neck part 5 ... Flocking hole 6 ... First hair bundle row 6a ... Mountain part 6b ... Valley part 7 ... Second hair bundle Row 8 ... Taper hair B ... Hair bundle

Claims (2)

A toothbrush comprising a long handle part and a head part provided on the distal end side of the handle part, wherein a plurality of hair bundles are implanted on the flocking surface of the head part,
A plurality of hair bundles formed by arranging a plurality of hair bundles in a central portion of the flocked surface in the length direction of the head portion; and a plurality of hair bundles on both sides of the first hair bundle row Having a second hair bundle row configured by being arranged in the length direction of the head portion,
The first hair bundle row and the second hair bundle row are constituted by a hair bundle of taper hairs whose diameter gradually decreases toward the hair tips, and the first hair bundle row The toothbrush characterized by the front-end | tip of each hair | bristle bundle being pruned in the shape of a mountain so that a peak part and a trough part may be repeated alternately in the length direction of a head part.   On the flocked surface of the head portion, the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the flocked holes in which the hair bundles constituting the first hair bundle row are planted is the hair bundle constituting the second hair bundle row. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the toothbrush is 1.5 to 2.0 times the total cross-sectional area of each flocked hole.

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