KR20240030354A - Tongue cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tongue cleaner and, more specifically, to a tongue cleaner capable of enabling hygiene and health management of a tongue by simultaneously providing massage and cleaning functions of the tongue through a head as well as removing tongue pollack. in particular, a head is detachably formed on a main body of a simplified frame structure to facilitate attachment and detachment work of the head, to cleanly manage the tongue cleaner, and to greatly reduce production costs through the simplified structure. therefore, the tongue cleaner can be expanded and supplied at low costs and high utility can be expected.

Description

Tongue cleaner

The present invention relates to a tongue cleaner, and more specifically, to remove tongue stains as well as to massage and clean the tongue through the head, thereby enabling hygiene and health management of the tongue, and in particular, to a simplified framework. The head is made removable on the body of the structure, making it easier to attach and detach the head, allowing for cleaner management of the tongue cleaner, and significantly reducing production costs through a simplified structure. This is about a tongue cleaner that can be expected to provide expanded supply and high effectiveness through cost.

For effective oral care, in addition to toothbrushing, it is recommended to use dental floss, interdental brushing, gargling, gum massage, whitening, etc. In particular, to clean the tongue build-up on the tongue, use a tongue cleaner (hereinafter referred to as a tongue cleaner). Therefore, it is important to keep your tongue clean and clean on a regular basis.

In particular, unlike teeth, the tongue is a soft tissue, with an overall rough surface and a protruding mucous membrane. This area is called the lingual papillae, and lingual papillae are distributed in increasing numbers toward the root (inside) of the tongue. The surface cells of the lingual papillae distributed on the tongue gradually become keratinized and fall off, which acts as a major factor in forming tongue coating. The area corresponding to the inner third (root) of the tongue has a rougher surface than the tip of the tongue, so it becomes an area where tongue coating, which consists of saliva, food, oral microorganisms, and epithelial cells shed in the oral cavity, including the tongue papilla, easily accumulates. Once tongue stains accumulate, it is difficult for them to come off naturally in the oral cavity without a physical cleaning process.

Therefore, for effective oral hygiene management, it is very important to remove the tongue coating. However, the problem is that the tongue coating cannot be properly removed with a toothbrush that is intended to clean the teeth and gums, and the three-dimensional shape of the tongue cannot be properly removed. It is desirable to use a dedicated tongue cleaner that matches the tissue elasticity and takes into account the characteristics of the tongue papillae.

Therefore, conventionally, oral care accessories with various functions such as tongue cleaner, interdental brush, dental floss, etc. are integrated into a general toothbrush body, or each accessory is configured to be detachable (hereinafter referred to as replaceable type). ), prior technologies (Public Patent No. 10-2022-0033789, Registered Patent No. 10-2049109, etc.) have been proposed.

However, in the case of the above replaceable structures, they are generally made up of a somewhat complicated structure to achieve a stronger attachment and detachment of the main body and the accessory in order to prevent the accessory from arbitrarily disassembling in the oral cavity during use. Not only did it not ensure ease of use because it was not easy to put on and take off, but there was also the problem that hygiene management was somewhat difficult due to the complex structure.

In addition, due to the complex structure, the production cost increases, and accordingly, the reality is that the utility value in terms of cost is not great when viewed from the perspective of a consumable oral care product.

Public Patent No. 10-2022-0033789 Registered Patent No. 10-2049109

The present invention was created to solve the problems in the prior art in consideration of the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and provides not only tongue stain removal but also tongue massage and cleaning functions through the head to enable hygiene and health care of the tongue. In particular, the head is made removable on the main body with a simplified frame structure, making it easier to attach and detach the head, allowing the tongue cleaner to be managed more cleanly, and significantly reducing production costs through the simplified structure. The purpose is to provide a tongue cleaner that can be expected to be widely supplied and highly effective at a low cost.

The present invention is a means for achieving the above object, comprising: a hard body in the form of a frame with a mounting space formed therethrough; and a soft head that is detachably coupled to the mounting space to clean and massage the tongue, wherein the main body includes: a handle frame with a first mounting space formed therein; And a head frame extending from the top of the handle frame and internally forming a second mounting space in communication with the first mounting space, wherein the frame-shaped body is made of an elastically deformable material and forms the handle frame. According to the compression deformation, the head frame is compressively deformed in conjunction with this, and thus the head coupled to the second mounting space is compressed and fixed within the second mounting space.

According to another preferred form of the present invention, a scraper protrusion for removing tongue stains may be formed at the top of the main body.

According to another preferred form of the present invention, at least one head may be stored in a row in the first mounting space.

According to another preferred form of the present invention, a support may be formed at the lower part of the first mounting space.

The present invention not only removes tongue stains, but also provides tongue massage and cleaning functions through the head, enabling hygiene and health management of the tongue. In particular, the head is configured to be detachable on a body with a simplified frame structure. This makes it easier to attach and detach the head, allows for cleaner management, and significantly reduces production costs through a simplified structure, making it an advantageous product that can be expected to provide expanded supply and high utility through low cost. Provides effect.

1 is a view showing the overall appearance of the tongue cleaner according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a view showing the exploded configuration of the tongue cleaner according to the present invention.
Figure 3 is a diagram schematically showing the rear configuration of the main body.
Figure 4 is a diagram showing the front configuration of the main body.
Figure 5 is a diagram showing the operation of the tongue cleaner according to the present invention.
Figure 6 is a view showing a partially cut state of the main body.
Figure 7 is a diagram showing the planar configuration of the head.
FIG. 8A is a diagram showing a cross-sectional configuration based on line AA shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 8B is a diagram showing a cross-sectional configuration based on line BB shown in FIG. 1.
Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a head frame and head.
Figure 10 is a view showing the rear of the head.
Figure 11 is a view showing one side of the upper structure of the tongue cleaner according to the present invention.
Figure 12 is a view showing a modified example of a support.
Figure 13 is a view showing the storage state of the tongue cleaner.
Figure 14 is a diagram showing the state of use of the tongue cleaner.

In order to fully understand the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described in detail below. This example is provided to more completely explain the present invention to those with average knowledge in the art. Therefore, the shapes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated to emphasize a clearer description. It should be noted that identical members in each drawing may be indicated by the same reference numerals. Detailed descriptions of well-known functions and configurations that are judged to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention are omitted.

Prior to the description of the invention, for convenience, if we refer to the accompanying drawings to specify non-strict direction standards, in the state as shown in Figure 1, up and down (y), left and right (x), and front and back (z) In explanations related to other drawings, the direction is specified and explained according to this standard.

Figure 1(a) is a form without a scraper, and Figure 1(b) is a form with a scraper. Hereinafter, the description will be based on Figure 1(b) with a scraper.

The tongue cleaner according to the present invention not only removes tongue stains, which are the functions of a typical tongue cleaner, but also cleans, massages, and delicately finishes the tongue at once, enabling more efficient oral hygiene management, and at the same time, oral hygiene. A structure is in place to ensure convenience of management.

To this end, the configuration of the tongue cleaner according to the present invention can be broadly defined as including a main body 100 and a head 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The main body 100 is configured to serve as a handle that the user holds with his or her hand, and can support various heads 10 in a detachable manner.

A scraper protrusion 130 may be formed on the top of the main body 100 to remove tongue stains, and the head 10 is detachably coupled to the lower part of the scraper protrusion 130 to form a scraper protrusion 130 on the surface of the tongue. ) and the head 10 are brought into contact at the same time.

When the tongue cleaner is swept down while the scraper protrusion 130 and the head 10 are in contact with the tongue at the same time, the head 10 acts on the surface of the tongue, and the part where the head 10 passed is connected to the scraper. It is a structure in which the protrusions 130 come into contact.

At this time, it is desirable for the scraper protrusion 130 and the head 10 to have different hardnesses. Usually, in order to remove tongue stains, the surface of the tongue must be strongly physically stimulated to be effective. In the case of the scraper protrusion 130, Depending on the material of the main body 100, which is integrally molded with synthetic resin, it can be formed into a linear protrusion structure with appropriate strength and hardness, and in the case of the head 10, the three-dimensional shape of the tongue and elastic tissue characteristics are taken into consideration. , In addition, it is preferably made of a soft soft material with weaker strength and hardness than the scraper protrusion 130, for example, silicone, rubber, etc., so that cleaning and soft massage can be performed more effectively. More preferably, the head 10 is made of heat-resistant silicone to enable sterilization in boiling water.

Accordingly, as shown in Figure 14, when a tongue cleaner is used to sweep from the inside of the tongue down to the tip of the tongue, the head 10 performs the primary cleaning and massage action, and then the head 10 performs the primary cleaning and massaging action. A structure is provided in which the scraper protrusions 130 sweep more strongly at the passed position to gradually remove tongue stains that were not removed by the head 10. Accordingly, not only is the tongue stain removal and cleaning efficiency improved, but the scraper projections 130 ) Before applying a strong stimulus to the tongue, the surface of the tongue is sufficiently activated with a weak stimulus through the head (10) and then exposed to a stronger stimulus through the scraper protrusion (130) to minimize physical stress on the tongue. To provide possible beneficial effects.

More specifically, the main body 100 is made in the form of a frame so that a mounting space can be formed therethrough, and the head 10 can be detachably coupled to the mounting space.

Accordingly, both the front and back sides of the head 10 combined inside the frame-shaped body 100 can be exposed to the outside, and both the exposed front and back sides of the head 10 can be appropriately utilized alternately for tongue hygiene management. This becomes possible.

For example, the main body 100 is formed to extend from the handle frame 110 and the top of the handle frame 110 in which the first mounting space 111 is formed inside, and communicates with the first mounting space 111 inside. It may be illustrated as including a head frame 120 in which a second mounting space 121 is formed.

At this time, the main body 100 has an ergonomic structure roughly shaped like a 'T'. For example, the handle frame 110 is formed to extend vertically to allow the user to easily hold and manipulate it with his or her hand. , the head frame 120 extends left and right from the top of the handle frame 110 to form a structure that corresponds to the width of the tongue and forms a wider contact area with the tongue.

Here, the roughly 'T' shape does not necessarily mean that the shape of the head frame 120 is straight, and includes a semicircular shape as shown in Figure 9, as well as circular, oval, and polygonal shapes. It means to do.

In addition, the first mounting space 111 and the second mounting space 121 may be implemented in a separate form, but are preferably implemented as a single channel connected to each other, and may be implemented as a 'T'-shaped space.

Meanwhile, the head 10 may be detachably coupled to the first mounting space 111 and the second mounting space 121, and the head 10 coupled to the first mounting space 111 may be stored or replaced. It may be a head 10, and the head 10 coupled to the second mounting space 121 may be a head 10 that acts directly on the tongue.

At this time, in the first mounting space 111, at least one head 10 can be lined up in a row along the longitudinal direction for combined storage, and in the second mounting space 121, only a single head 10 is coupled. It can be.

The plurality of heads 10 are each configured to have different strength and hardness characteristics and are classified by color, etc., so that the appropriate heads 10 can be visually identified according to the situation and easily replaced.

That is, the user can appropriately replace the head 10 in the second mounting space 121 with the head 10 coupled to the first mounting space 111 according to the situation. At this time, the main body 100 To ensure that the head 10 is properly coupled and maintained, fixing protrusions 112 and 122 are formed to protrude along the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the main body 100, and fixing grooves corresponding to the fixing protrusions 112 and 122 are formed on the edge of the head 10 ( 11) It has a structure in which a depression is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the fixing protrusions 112 and 122 are formed in the form of protrusions protruding toward the center of the mounting space. As an example, they are formed in a triangular shape with vertices disposed, During the attaching and detaching process, the head 10 can be guided by the slopes 112a and 122a formed before and after the fixing protrusions 112 and 122.

That is, when the head 10 is coupled to the main body 100, line contact is made with the slopes 112a and 122a, so the head 10 is guided to the center of the mounting space, and in this state, the head 10 is When forcibly inserted inward, the head (10) is elastically deformed to fit the volume of the mounting space and enters the mounting space. When it is completely seated in the mounting space, it is restored to its original state and the fixing protrusions (112, 122) and fixing groove (11) are formed. This groove protrusion structure engages and combines with each other to provide a structure in which the head 10 does not easily fall out in the front and back directions.

In particular, the head 10 can be fixedly coupled in the second mounting space 121 not only in the front-back direction but also in the up-down and left-right directions, and in the first mounting space 111, the length of the first mounting space 111 is fixed. It can be coupled to slide up and down along the direction, allowing the order or position of the storage head 10 to be appropriately varied to suit preference.

In addition, the head 10 coupled to the second mounting space 121 also has a structure in which both the front and rear sides are exposed to the outside, so there is an advantage that the head 10 can be managed more hygienically.

To describe the main body 100 in more detail, the handle frame 110 may be composed of, for example, a pair of vertical frames 113 spaced apart at a certain distance on the left and right and forming the first mounting space 111 between them, At this time, the fixing protrusions 112 are formed on the surfaces of each vertical frame 113 facing each other, and the lower ends of the pair of vertical frames 113 can be connected to each other through the connecting frame 114. Let it happen.

In the case of the head frame 120, the structure is not particularly limited, but according to the embodiment of the accompanying drawings, the main body 100 is formed as one frame by bending and extending the pair of vertical frames 113 multiple times to form a square structure. It is necessary to have a frame form connected to .

The main body 100 in the form of such a frame is preferably made of an elastically deformable synthetic resin material. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5, the handle frame 110 is held by hand to form a pair of vertical frames 113. When compressed in the inward direction, according to the compression deformation of the handle frame 110, the head frame 120 becomes a structure capable of compression deformation in conjunction with this, and the head 10 coupled to the second mounting space 121 Compression fixation is performed within the second mounting space 121.

This is due to the fact that the first mounting space 111 and the second mounting space 121 communicate with each other to form one channel, and the main body 100 itself is formed in the form of a frame. Accordingly, the head 10 Due to the nature of the main body 100 that supports the head 10 with a structure that opens both the front and back of the Naturally, the main body 100 strongly presses and grips the edge of the head 10, so that the head 10 in the second mounting space 121 can be firmly positioned without being arbitrarily disassembled.

In addition, when attaching or detaching the head 10 coupled to the first mounting space 111 or the second mounting space 121, a pair of vertical frames 113 are used instead of relying only on the elastic deformation of the head 10. By spaced outward to expand the first mounting space 111 and the second mounting space 121, the process of attaching and detaching the head 10 can be performed more easily.

In addition, since the inside of the main body 100 is provided with an empty space, not only does it provide ease of cleanliness, but the tongue cleaner itself can be made lighter and its structure can be simplified, thereby providing convenience of use and significantly reducing production costs. This ensures profitability.

Meanwhile, a support 115 may be formed at the lower part of the first mounting space 111. The support 115 is a component to reinforce the strength of the lower part of the handle frame 110 and prevent bending, and stabilizes the structure of the main body 100 by limiting excessive elastic deformation of the vertical frame 113 during use of the tongue cleaner. Responsible for the role of ordering.

The support 115 may have various structures. For example, it may be in the form of a plate that shields a certain lower area of the first mounting space 111 as shown in FIG. 12A, or as shown in FIG. 12B. As shown, the first mounting space 111 is made up of a plurality of support pins 115a that cross each other diagonally.

In particular, in the case of the embodiment of the support 115 shown in Figure 12b, through holes 115b are formed between the support pins 115a that are crossed with each other, so water is easily discharged during washing and quick drying is achieved due to sufficient ventilation. This allows for cleaner management.

As shown in Figure 13, the tongue cleaner can be reversed and stored by hanging it on a hook or the like through the support 115.

Next, the head 10 is detachably coupled to the mounting space and plays a role in cleaning and massaging the tongue.

At this time, a first protrusion 12 is formed on the front of the head 10, and a second protrusion 13 is formed on the rear of the head 10, respectively, so that at least one of the first protrusion 12 and the second protrusion 13 is formed. It can be used by touching the tongue.

Meanwhile, in the case of the scraper protrusion 130, the basic embodiment is formed on the front upper part of the head frame 120, so when it is desired to maintain tongue hygiene with the rear configuration of the tongue cleaner, the action of the scraper protrusion 130 is excluded. And only the head 10 can be applied to the tongue. However, if necessary, as shown in FIG. 11, the scraper protrusions 130 are formed symmetrically on the front and rear tops of the head frame 120, so that both sides of the tongue cleaner can be used for removing tongue stains. Reveal.

The first protrusion 12 and the second protrusion 13 are preferably made of protrusions of different shapes, and the shape or arrangement of the protrusions is not specifically limited, but in the case of the first protrusion 12, a scraper protrusion ( 130), it is a long triangular protrusion on the left and right to perform a similar function, and a plurality of protrusions on the top and bottom can be formed at equal intervals.

In the case of the second protrusion 13, it is made of a thin and long rod-shaped structure and can be densely arranged in plural pieces to gently massage the soft tissue and clean foreign substances between the fine lingual papillae of the tongue with minimal stimulation. Let it happen. In some cases, as shown in FIG. 10, a plate-shaped third protrusion (13a) may be mixed between the second protrusions (13) on the back of the head 10, so that cleaning and cleaning due to more complex stimulation can be achieved. Ensure massage efficiency.

It should be noted that the above-described embodiments of the first protrusion 12 and the second protrusion 13 are merely exemplary and that the head 10 having various protrusion structures can be used.

Meanwhile, the first protrusion 12 and the second protrusion 13 must be used in a state in which they are coupled to the main body 100 in a predetermined direction to expect optimal effects.

Preferably, when the head 10 is coupled to the correct position so that the first protrusion 12 is disposed on the front of the tongue cleaner, the scraper protrusion 130 and the first protrusion 12 can be arranged up and down, so Accordingly, effective tongue stain removal can be performed on the front side of the tongue cleaner, and cleaning, massage, and finishing treatments can be performed on the back side.

However, when the first protrusion 12 and the second protrusion 13 are arranged backwards and forwards, the second protrusion 13 is disposed below the scraper protrusion 130, so that the front of the tongue cleaner is effective in removing tongue stains. falls, and on the contrary, the first protrusion 12 is disposed on the rear side, which causes the problem of reduced cleaning, massage, and finishing efficiency.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 9, the shape of the head frame 120 can be implemented in various ways. As an example, the upper left and right corners and the lower left and right corners are formed to be curved in an arc shape, and the upper left and right corners are curved in an arc shape. An example is to implement the upper left and right corners and the lower left and right corners of the head frame 120 as an asymmetrical structure by configuring the arc radius size of the lower left and right corners to be larger, or to implement the head frame 120 in a semicircular shape. there is. In addition, it is natural that the external shape of the head 10 also has a structure complementary to this.

The embodiments of the present invention described above are merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and other equivalent embodiments are possible. Therefore, it will be understood that the present invention is not limited to the forms mentioned in the detailed description above. Therefore, the true scope of technical protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the attached patent claims. In addition, the present invention should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents and substitutes within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

100: body
10: head
110: Handle frame
120: Head frame
130: scraper protrusion

Claims (4)

A hard body in the form of a frame with a mounting space formed inside it; and
It includes a soft head that is detachably coupled to the mounting space to clean and massage the tongue,
The main body is,
A handle frame in which a first mounting space is formed inside; and
It includes a head frame that extends from the top of the handle frame and has a second mounting space internally communicating with the first mounting space,
The frame-shaped body is made of an elastically deformable material, and according to the compression deformation of the handle frame, the head frame is compressively deformed in conjunction with it, and the head coupled to the second mounting space is compressed and fixed within the second mounting space. Tongue cleaner characterized by: In claim 1,
A tongue cleaner, characterized in that a scraper protrusion is formed on the top of the main body to remove tongue stains. In claim 1,
A tongue cleaner, characterized in that at least one head is stored in a row in the first mounting space. Tongue cleaner, characterized in that a support is formed at the lower part of the first mounting space.

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