JPH08224155A - Antibacterial chopstick - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To enhance antibacterial effect and improve hygienic aspect of a chopstick by forming an antibacterial coating layer on surface of the chopstick and by dispersing particulates of an antibacterial ceramics having a specific grain size on the surface layer of the coating layer. CONSTITUTION: An enamel paint layer 4 is formed on surface of a material 3, and an antibacterial coating layer 5 is formed on the enamel paint layer 4, whereas the antibacterial coating layer 5 is composed of an epoxy-based resin paint and a paint mixed with an antibacterial ceramics 6. The antibacterial ceramics 6 is an inorganic silver-based antibacterial agent composed of an apatite-based ceramics contained with silver ions as antibacterial activation species. This antibacterial ceramics 6 consists of ultra-fine particles with a size of 0.5μm or smaller, the majority being 0.1μm to 0.2μm, hence it is used in suspended solution of the ultra-fine particles mixed into a dispersing agent such as toluene. A paint made of this suspension mixed into an epoxy-based resin is the antibacterial paint, which is applied over the enamel paint layer.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to sanitary and safe chopsticks which have been subjected to antibacterial treatment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Antibacterial means killing by suppressing the growth of microorganisms, which is different from sterilization, but today various products are subjected to antibacterial treatment. For example, slippers, toilet seats, stair handrails, train and taxi seats, wheelchairs, public telephones, examination tables, etc. are innumerable. The growth of bacteria is tremendous, and even a small amount of bacteria can grow 100 million times or more overnight.

In particular, in the case of chopsticks that are put in the mouth everyday, the adhesion of bacteria causes food poisoning and infection with various other diseases. If a small amount of nutrients remain on the chopsticks after washing the chopsticks, it will increase by tens of millions of times in a few hours, and when the chopsticks put in the lunch box without lunch at home go home. Proliferating and giving off a smell is also an experience.

The present invention is intended to suppress the growth of bacteria on chopsticks by subjecting the chopsticks to antibacterial treatment, but conventional antibacterial treatments cannot provide sufficient effects. That is, the conventional antibacterial treatment is a kneading method,
The actual situation is that the antibacterial agent is hard to be exposed on the surface, and even if a large amount of the antibacterial agent is kneaded, it is buried in the product, and a large antibacterial effect cannot be obtained.

[0005]

There are an unlimited number of products that have been subjected to such antibacterial treatment, but their effects are by no means sufficient. In particular, there is a problem if the chopsticks to be put in the mouth are subjected to antibacterial measures by the conventional antibacterial treatment method. Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is this problem and provides chopsticks having an excellent antibacterial action.

[0006]

The chopsticks of the present invention have an antibacterial coating layer formed on the surface thereof, and fine particles of antibacterial ceramics are dispersed in the surface layer of this coating layer. That is, it is characterized in that the antibacterial ceramics are not evenly dispersed in the coating layer, but are concentrated in the surface layer. As the antibacterial ceramics, an inorganic silver-based antibacterial agent containing silver ions, which are antibacterial active species, is used in apatite-based ceramics that are harmless to the human body.

This inorganic silver-based antibacterial agent is extremely safe and has the property of gradually releasing silver ions exhibiting a remarkable antibacterial effect in a small amount to maintain the effect. By the way, the particles of the antibacterial ceramics are very small as compared with the conventional ones, and are 0.5 μm or less, preferably about 0.2 μm
The one having a thickness of about 0.1 μm is used. Therefore, the antibacterial ceramics composed of such ultrafine particles do not sink due to the effect of their weight and are uniformly dispersed on the surface of the coating layer.

The fine particles of the above-mentioned antibacterial ceramics can be directly mixed in the coating material forming the coating layer and stirred, but a dispersion medium is used separately for more uniform dispersion. The fine particles of the antibacterial ceramics are mixed in advance with the dispersion medium, and this dispersion medium is put into the paint and mixed. As the dispersion medium, toluene, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, water or the like is used. Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a general chopstick, which has a taper from a handle portion 1 to a tip 2. FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the section A of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, an enamel coating layer 4 is formed on the surface of the material 3, and an antibacterial coating layer 5 is formed on the enamel coating layer 4. Has been formed. Here, the material 3 is a chopstick-shaped base, and the material thereof is not particularly limited, and may be wood or resin, and sometimes metal such as aluminum may be used.

Then, the material 3 is processed into a predetermined shape,
The surface is subjected to the above enamel coating, and an antibacterial coating layer as a top coat layer is formed on the enamel coating layer 4 to form chopsticks. The enamel coating is applied by using a paint obtained by adding a dye or pigment to an epoxy resin, but a transparent clear coating may be performed without adding the dye or pigment. The antibacterial coating layer 5 is formed on the enamel coating layer 4. The antibacterial coating layer 5 is a predetermined epoxy resin paint and is a paint mixed with antibacterial ceramics.

The above-mentioned antibacterial ceramics is an inorganic silver antibacterial agent in which silver ions, which are antibacterial active species, are contained in apatite ceramics. And since this antibacterial ceramic is composed of ultrafine particles and has a particle size of about 0.1 μm to 0.2 μm, it will solidify if left unattended, so use it in a dispersion medium such as toluene, isopropyl alcohol, or ethanol. It is a suspension of mixed ultrafine particles.

A mixture of this suspension with an epoxy resin is an antibacterial coating, which is applied to the above-mentioned enamel-coated chopsticks. This antibacterial coating paint is the same as in the case of enamel paint, but is drawn out. Needless to say, the pull-out coating is a technique that has been used as a coating method for chopsticks, and it is coated by putting the paint in a container and taking the chopsticks in and out through a hole formed in a rubber plate. If the paint has a low viscosity, dip coating is used.

Since the antibacterial ceramics 6, 6, ... Mixed in the antibacterial coating material are ultrafine particles, FIG.
As shown in (3), they concentrate on the surface of the antibacterial coating layer 5. This is a major factor in the antibacterial effect. As described above, the antibacterial chopsticks of the present invention have the antibacterial coating layer formed by using ultrafine particle antibacterial ceramics, and the following effects can be obtained.

[0014]

The chopsticks of the present invention are very hygienic because they have been subjected to antibacterial treatment. In particular, since the chopsticks are put in the mouth, it is possible to prevent food poisoning and other illnesses due to various bacteria attached to the chopsticks. The antibacterial coating layer of the present invention has an extremely excellent antibacterial effect because the antibacterial ceramics composed of ultrafine particles are dispersed in the vicinity of the surface thereof.

Further, since the antibacterial agent used in the present invention is an inorganic silver antibacterial agent containing silver ions which are an antibacterial active species in apatite ceramics which is harmless to the human body, it is highly safe. Then, silver ions are bound to ceramics and become extremely stable, and the heat-resistant temperature thereof is as high as about 800 ° C., and there is no problem at the temperature at which they act on chopsticks. On the other hand, the above-mentioned antibacterial ceramic layer is a mixture of antibacterial ceramics in the topcoat layer formed on the conventional chopsticks, but it loses its beauty as a topcoat layer and the effect of protecting the object to be coated. And does not impair its function as a matte finish.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a typical chopstick.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a section A of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Handle part 2 Tip 3 Material 4 Enamel coating layer 5 Antibacterial coating layer 6 Antibacterial ceramics

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An antibacterial coating layer which is applied to the upper surface of the enamel coating layer or the clear coating layer using a coating material in which an antibacterial ceramic is mixed with an epoxy resin in chopsticks whose surface is enamel-coated or clear-coated. The above-mentioned antibacterial ceramics is an inorganic silver antibacterial agent containing apatite-based ceramics and silver ions as an antibacterial active species, and its particles are ultrafine particles and are about 0.5 μm or less. Antibacterial chopsticks characterized by being concentrated and dispersed near the surface of the antibacterial coating layer.