WO2013085006A1

WO2013085006A1 - Toothbrush

Info

Publication number: WO2013085006A1
Application number: PCT/JP2012/081695
Authority: WO
Inventors: 浩子松尾
Original assignee: ライオン株式会社
Priority date: 2011-12-07
Filing date: 2012-12-06
Publication date: 2013-06-13
Also published as: TW201328632A; CN103957744B; KR101971310B1; KR20140107191A; JP2013118944A; CN103957744A; JP5806922B2; TWI520696B

Abstract

The present invention provides a toothbrush which exhibits a high cleaning effect even if the neck of the toothbrush is thinned. The present invention relates to a toothbrush which comprises: a head having bristle bundles embedded therein; a neck extended from the head; and a handle extended from the neck, and the toothbrush is configured so that the profile of a cross-section of the neck changes as the neck extends from the head side toward the handle side. The profile of a cross-section of the neck taken on the head side has a substantially circular shape. The profile of the substantially circular cross-section changes to a substantially square shape as the neck extends toward the handle side, and the sides of the substantially square shape consist of a front surface, a rear surface, and side surfaces. Also, the profile of the substantially square cross-section changes to a substantially polygonal shape as the neck extends toward the handle side. The substantially polygonal shape has apexes on both side surfaces and is flat in the thickness direction.

Description

toothbrush

The present invention relates to a toothbrush.
This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-267939 filed in Japan on December 7, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

A typical toothbrush includes a head portion in which a hair bundle is implanted, a handle portion that is gripped during use, a handle body that includes a neck portion that connects the head portion and the handle portion, and bristles on the flocked surface of the head portion. And a hair transplantation part in which the hair bundle is planted.
In the toothbrush which is an intraoral cleaning device, various inventions have been made in order to enhance the cleaning effect which is the most necessary function. In order to enhance the cleaning effect, it is important to bring the flocked portion into contact with the site to be cleaned and to scrub the site to be cleaned with an appropriate brushing pressure. If the flocked portion does not properly contact the site to be cleaned, it will not be possible to sufficiently remove plaque adhering to the tooth surface, the occlusal surface of the back teeth, the interdental region, the neck portion, and the like. In addition, when cleaning the oral cavity, if the brushing pressure is too low, it will be difficult to remove plaque, especially the narrow parts of the interdental and cervical parts, and if the brushing pressure is too high, the gums and teeth will be damaged. There is a fear.

In general, the toothbrush is devised in the arrangement of the hair bundle, the shape of the bristles, the hair cutting shape of the hair bundle, etc. so that the flocked portion properly contacts the site to be cleaned.
In recent years, due to the increasing hygiene orientation, toothbrushes have been required to further improve the cleaning effect. To meet these demands, toothbrushes that combine different diameters of hair bundles and hair bundles of different hair lengths are required. A combined toothbrush has been proposed.

In addition, attempts have been made to enhance the cleaning effect by devising the handle body.
For example, a brush having a round rectangle or an ellipse with a small numerical value with respect to the thickness of the brush portion in the flocking direction over the entire neck has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1). According to the invention of Patent Document 1, the brushing pressure is reduced by narrowing the neck so that it bends smoothly.
Or the toothbrush by which the outline of the thickest part which applies the thumb of a grasping part was made into the hexagonal shape of a specific shape is proposed (for example, patent documents 2). According to the invention of Patent Document 2, by changing the surface of the thumb of the grasped hand to be applied to the hexagonal shape, the boundary between the teeth and the gingiva and the angle between the tooth surface and the tip of the toothbrush are determined efficiently. It is intended to clean the oral cavity.

JP 2011-36628 A Japanese Utility Model Publication 1-441306

By the way, in order to make the flocked part properly contact with all the parts to be cleaned such as the tooth surface, occlusal surface, interdental part, and cervical part of the back tooth, the neck part is made thin and the operability in the oral cavity is achieved. Is effective.
However, if the neck portion is simply narrowed to increase the operability of the toothbrush in the oral cavity, the handle body is insufficient in strength, or the amount of bending of the neck portion becomes too large, and the cleaning effect tends to be reduced. Although the handle body can be prevented from being bent or broken by molding the handle body using a high-strength resin (bending elastic modulus of 2000 MPa or more), the amount of bending of the neck portion cannot be controlled, and an appropriate brushing pressure is achieved. There was a problem that the site to be cleaned could not be wiped off.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush having a high cleaning effect even when the neck portion is thinned.

As a result of earnest study, the inventors changed the cross-sectional contour of the neck portion to a specific shape as it goes from the head portion side to the handle portion side, and regulates the bending direction of the neck portion step by step, so that the flocked portion It was found that the cleaning effect can be enhanced by bringing the cleaning material into proper contact with the site to be cleaned and cleaning with an appropriate brushing pressure.

That is, an aspect of the toothbrush of the present invention includes a head portion in which a bunch of hair is implanted, a neck portion that extends to the head portion, and a handle portion that extends to the neck portion. In the toothbrush whose section contour changes from the head section toward the handle section, the neck section has a substantially circular section profile near the head section, and the substantially circular section profile is formed in the handle section. As it goes, it becomes a substantially rectangular cross-sectional contour with each side formed on the front surface, back surface, and side surface. Further, as the substantially quadrangle cross-sectional contour goes to the handle portion, the tops are located on both side surfaces and flattened in the thickness direction. It is a substantially polygonal shape.
The substantially polygonal shape flat in the thickness direction is preferably formed such that an arbitrary side is formed on the surface of the neck portion, and a side facing the arbitrary one side is formed on the back surface of the neck portion, It is preferable that the neck portion has a diameter that increases from the head portion toward the handle portion.
That is, the present invention relates to the following.
(1) A head portion in which hair bundles are planted, a neck portion extended to the head portion, and a handle portion extended to the neck portion, wherein the neck portion extends from the head portion side. In the toothbrush whose cross-sectional contour changes as it goes to the handle part side,
The neck portion has a substantially circular cross-section in which the cross-sectional contour on the head portion side is substantially circular, and each side is formed on the front surface, the back surface, and the side surface as the substantially circular cross-sectional contour moves toward the handle portion side. The toothbrush is characterized in that it has a contour, and further, as the substantially square cross-sectional contour moves toward the handle portion, the apex is located on both sides and becomes a substantially polygonal shape flat in the thickness direction.
(2) The substantially polygonal shape flat in the thickness direction is such that any one side is formed on the surface of the neck portion and a side opposite to the arbitrary side is formed on the back surface of the neck portion. The toothbrush according to (1), which is characterized.
(3) The toothbrush according to (1) or (2), wherein the diameter of the neck portion increases from the head portion side toward the handle portion side.

According to one aspect of the toothbrush of the present invention, the neck portion has a substantially circular cross-sectional contour on the head portion side, and each side on the front surface, back surface, and side surface as the substantially circular cross-sectional contour moves toward the handle portion side. As the substantially square cross-sectional outline is further toward the handle part side, the top part is located on both side surfaces and becomes a substantially polygonal shape that is flat in the thickness direction. Even if it is made thinner, the cleaning effect can be enhanced.
According to one aspect of the toothbrush of the present invention, the substantially polygonal shape that is flat in the thickness direction is formed such that an arbitrary side is formed on the surface of the neck portion, and a side facing the arbitrary one side is the neck portion. Since it is formed on the back surface, the brushing pressure can be further relaxed.
According to the aspect of the toothbrush of the present invention, the diameter of the neck portion increases from the head portion side toward the handle portion side, so that the neck portion flexes more flexibly and the brushing pressure can be made more appropriate.

It is a top view of a toothbrush concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view of a toothbrush concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. 1B. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 1B. It is CC sectional drawing of FIG. 1B.

A toothbrush according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
In the toothbrush 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a head portion 2 having a substantially square shape in plan view, a neck portion 4 extending to the head portion 2, and a handle portion 6 extending to the neck portion 4 are integrally formed. A substantially elongated handle body 10 and a flocked portion (not shown) provided on the head portion 2 are provided.

The material of the handle body 10 can be determined in consideration of the rigidity and mechanical characteristics required for the handle body 10, for example, a resin having a flexural modulus (JIS K7203) of 500 MPa or more (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a hard resin) is preferable. A resin having a flexural modulus of 2000 MPa or more is more preferable. Although the upper limit of the bending elastic modulus of resin used for the handle body 10 is not particularly limited, it is set to, for example, 3000 MPa.
Examples of the resin having a flexural modulus of 500 MPa or more include polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polycyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate (PCT), polyacetal (POM), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN). ), Polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile / butadiene / styrene resin (ABS), cellulose propionate (CP), polyarylate, polycarbonate, acrylonitrile / styrene copolymer resin (AS), etc. POM, PEN, PBT and the like as described above are preferable. By using a resin having a flexural modulus of 2000 MPa or more, the head portion 2 is thinned and the neck portion 4 is thinned, so that the operability in the oral cavity can be enhanced and the handle body 10 can be prevented from being damaged.

In addition, the handle body 10 may be partially or entirely covered with a soft resin. Since part or all of the handle part 6 is covered with the soft resin, the fit of the hand when the user grips the handle part 6 is improved, and the gripped fingers can be prevented from slipping.
As the soft resin, for example, a resin of Shore A 90 or less is preferable, and a resin of Shore A 10 to 40 is more preferable. Examples of such soft resins include elastomer resins such as polyolefin-based elastomers, styrene-based elastomers, polyester-based elastomers, polyurethane-based thermoplastic elastomers, and silicon.

The length L1 of the handle body 10 can be determined with respect to operability and the like, and is, for example, 150 to 200 mm.

The head portion 2 is formed in a substantially rectangular flat plate shape in which the length direction of the handle body 10 is a longitudinal direction, and the top portion on the neck portion 4 side in a plan view is cut off with a curve, and is formed on one surface (flocked surface) 20. A plurality of flock holes 22 are formed. A hair bundle in which hairs are bundled is planted in the flock hole 22 to form a flocked portion composed of a plurality of hair bundles.
In this paper, the direction parallel to the flocked surface 20 and orthogonal to the length direction of the handle body 10 is defined as the width, and the direction orthogonal to the flocked surface 20 is defined as the thickness. In addition, the side where the flocked surface 20 faces is the front surface, and the side opposite to the side where the flocked surface 20 faces is the back surface.

The size of the head portion 2 can be determined in consideration of the operability in the oral cavity.
If the width W1 of the head portion 2 is too large, the operability in the oral cavity will be reduced, and if it is too small, the number of hair bundles to be implanted will be too small and the cleaning effect will be easily impaired. For this reason, the width W1 is set to, for example, 5 to 13 mm.
The thinner the thickness T1 of the head portion 2, the higher the operability in the oral cavity. However, when the thickness is too thin, the strength of the head portion 2 tends to be insufficient. For this reason, the thickness T1 can be determined in consideration of the material of the handle body 10 and the like. For example, the thickness T1 is preferably 1.5 to 5 mm, more preferably 2 to 3 mm.
If the length L3 of the head portion 2 is too long, the operability in the oral cavity is liable to be impaired, and if it is too short, the number of hair bundles to be implanted becomes too small, and the cleaning effect is liable to be impaired. For this reason, the length L3 is appropriately determined in the range of 10 to 26 mm.

The shape of the flocking hole 22 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a circle such as a perfect circle or an ellipse, and a polygon such as a triangle or a rectangle.
The number of flock holes 22 is not particularly limited, and is 10 to 60, for example.
The diameter of the flock hole 22 is determined according to the desired thickness of the hair bundle, and is, for example, 1 to 3 mm.
The arrangement pattern of the flock holes 22 is not particularly limited, and may be any arrangement pattern such as a so-called grid pattern or zigzag pattern.

As the hair constituting the hair bundle, there are hair for which the diameter gradually decreases toward the hair tip (taper hair), and hair for which the outer diameter is substantially the same except for the rounded portion of the hair tip (straight hair). Can be mentioned.

The material of the hair is, for example, polyamide such as 6-12 nylon and 6-10 nylon, polyester such as PET, PBT, polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), PEN, polybutylene naphthalate (PBN), and polyolefin such as PP. Synthetic resin materials such as olefin elastomers and styrene elastomers can be used. These resin materials may be used individually by 1 type, and may be used in combination of 2 or more type.
Further, the bristle may have a multi-core structure having a core part and at least one or more sheath parts provided outside the core part.

The cross-sectional outline of the hair is not particularly limited, and is, for example, a circle such as a perfect circle or an ellipse, a polygon such as a triangle, a rectangle, a pentagon, or a hexagon, a star, a three-leaf clover, or a four-leaf clover. Etc.

The thickness of the hair is not particularly limited, and is 3 to 11 mil (1 mil = 1/1000 inch = 0.025 mm) when the cross-sectional outline is circular. The hair bundle may be composed of all the hairs having the same thickness, or two or more hairs having different thicknesses may be combined.
The length of the hair is not particularly limited and is, for example, 6 to 12 mm.

The handle portion 6 is gradually reduced in diameter from the boundary between the neck portion 4 and the handle portion 6 (that is, the rear end of the neck portion) P2 toward the rear end 7 of the handle body, and then the handle body rear end while maintaining an arbitrary diameter. The shape reaches 7. A cross-sectional contour of the handle portion 6 is substantially similar to a cross-sectional contour of a neck portion rear end P2 described later.

The neck portion 4 connects the head portion 2 and the handle portion 6, and has a shape that increases in diameter from the head portion 2 side toward the handle portion 6 side.
The neck part 4 has the smallest cross-sectional area at the boundary P1 between the head part 2 and the neck part 4 (that is, the neck part front end) P1, and the neck part rear end P2 has the largest area. The cross-sectional area at the neck portion tip P1 can be determined in consideration of the material of the handle body 10. For example, when the material is a resin having a bending elastic modulus of 2000 MPa or more, 7 to 12.6 mm ² is preferable. If it is more than the said lower limit, the intensity | strength of the neck part 4 will become sufficient, and if it is below the said upper limit, the operativity in an oral cavity will be improved more.
The cross-sectional area of the rear end P2 of the neck portion can be determined in consideration of the material of the handle body 10. For example, when the material is a resin having a bending elastic modulus of 2000 MPa or more, 60 to 150 mm ² is preferable.
If it is in the said range, the deflection amount of the neck part 4 can be controlled appropriately, and the site | part to be cleaned can be cleaned with an appropriate brushing pressure.
The neck portion tip P1 is an end point of a curve that forms a corner cut in a plan view shape of the head portion 2 (that is, a position where the bending direction of the curve forming the corner cut changes). Moreover, the neck part rear end P2 is a position where the widening of the neck part 4 ends in a plan view.

As for the neck part 4, a cross-sectional outline shall change as it goes to the handle | steering-wheel part 6 side from the head part 2 side. In this paper, the cross-sectional profile is the profile of the cross-section orthogonal to the length direction.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the neck portion 4 of the present embodiment, the neck portion tip P1 has a substantially circular cross-sectional contour (the portion including the neck portion tip P1 and the cross-sectional contour being substantially circular has a circular portion 40). As the substantially circular cross-sectional contour is directed toward the handle portion 6, the cross-sectional contour becomes a substantially quadrangular cross-sectional contour (a portion where the cross-sectional contour is a substantially quadrangular portion is referred to as a quadrangular portion 42). It becomes a substantially hexagonal cross-sectional contour toward the handle portion 6 side (the portion including the neck portion rear end P2 and having a cross-sectional contour that is substantially hexagonal is referred to as a polygonal portion 44). From the polygonal part 44 to the handle body rear end 7, ridge lines 46 are formed on both side surfaces of the handle body 10.
The circular portion 40, the quadrangular portion 42, and the polygonal portion 44 are formed continuously so that the cross-sectional contour of the neck portion 4 gradually changes. The substantially quadrangular shape includes a shape in which the top portion is cut off by a curve, and the substantially hexagonal shape is a concept including a shape in which the top portion is cut by a curve. 2A to 2C is the center line of the cross-sectional contour of the circular portion 40.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the circular portion 40 has a substantially circular cross-sectional outline. A substantially true circle means that the ratio expressed by thickness t1 / width w1 is 0.95 to 1.05. The substantially circular shape is defined in the same manner as the substantially perfect circle. Since the cross-sectional outline of the circular portion 40 is a substantially circular shape, the bending direction is less likely to be regulated, the orientation of the flocked surface 20 varies depending on the site to be cleaned, and the cleaning effect is further enhanced.
The thickness t1 can be determined in consideration of the material of the handle body 10. For example, when the material is a resin having a flexural modulus of 2000 MPa or more, 3.0 to 4.0 mm is preferable, and 3.0 to 3.5 mm is preferable. More preferred. If it is more than the said lower limit, the amount of bending can be controlled moderately, and if it is below the said upper limit, the operativity in an oral cavity can be improved more.
The width w1 is the same as the thickness t1.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the quadrangular portion 42 has a substantially square cross-sectional outline, and the substantially square is formed by forming each side on the front surface, the back surface, and the side surface of the neck portion 4. The term “substantially square” means that the ratio expressed by thickness t2 / width w2 is 0.95 to 1.05. Since the quadrangular portion 42 has a substantially square cross-sectional outline and each side is formed by the front surface, the back surface, and the side surface of the neck portion 4, the bending direction is restricted to the thickness direction or the width direction of the neck portion 4. .
The thickness t2 can be determined in consideration of the material of the handle body 10. For example, when the material is a resin having a flexural modulus of 2000 MPa or more, 3.0 to 6.0 mm is preferable, and 4.0 to 5.0 mm is preferable. More preferred. If it is more than the said lower limit, a bending direction can fully be controlled, and if it is below the said upper limit, the operativity in an oral cavity can be improved more.
The width w2 is the same as the thickness t2.

As shown in FIG. 2C, the polygonal portion 44 has a substantially hexagonal cross-sectional outline. The substantially hexagonal shape is such that the

top portions

50, 50 are located on both side surfaces of the neck portion 4, and the top portions 50 are connected to form a part of the ridge line 46. The substantially hexagonal shape is such that the upper side 52 is formed on the surface of the neck portion 4 and the lower side 54 opposite to the upper side 52 is formed on the back surface of the neck portion 4, and the thickness t3 is shorter than the width w3. The shape is flat in the thickness direction. Since the polygonal portion 44 has such a cross-sectional outline, the polygonal portion 44 is difficult to bend in the width direction by the ridge line 46 formed on the side surface, and is easy to bend in the thickness direction because it is flat in the thickness direction. It is supposed to be. Further, since the polygonal portion 44 has a flat front surface and back surface, bending in the thickness direction is difficult to be regulated.

The ratio represented by the thickness t3 / width w3 can be determined in consideration of the material of the handle body 10, and is, for example, preferably 0.50 to 0.95, and more preferably 0.70 to 0.90.
The thickness t3 can be determined in consideration of the material of the handle body 10. For example, when the material is a resin having a flexural modulus of 2000 MPa or more, 6 to 12 mm is preferable, and 8 to 10 mm is more preferable. If it is more than the said lower limit, a bending direction can fully be controlled, and if it is below the said upper limit, the neck part 4 will bend more flexibly and a brushing pressure can be made more appropriate.
The width w3 can be determined in consideration of the material of the handle body 10. For example, when the material is a resin having a flexural modulus of 2000 MPa or more, it is preferably 8 to 20 mm, and more preferably 10 to 15 mm. If it is more than the said lower limit, the bending of the width direction can fully be controlled, and if it is below the said upper limit, operativity can be improved more.

The length of the neck portion 4 can be determined in consideration of the length L3 of the head portion. For example, the length L2 from the handle body front end 9 to the neck rear end P2 is preferably 70 to 100 mm. The If length L2 is more than the said lower limit, the operativity in an intraoral area will be improved more, and if it is below the said upper limit, the deflection amount of the neck part 4 can be controlled appropriately.
Further, the length L4 from the handle body tip 9 to the tip (ridge tip) 47 of the ridge line 46 is preferably 60 mm or more, and more preferably 65 mm or more. The upper limit of the length L4 is, for example, 90 mm. If length L4 is more than the said lower limit, it can prevent that the ridgeline 46 touches an intraoral area, and can prevent the discomfort produced at the time of cleaning. If length L4 is below the above-mentioned upper limit, the amount of deflection of neck part 4 can be controlled appropriately.

The toothbrush 1 of this embodiment is manufactured according to the manufacturing method of a conventionally well-known toothbrush.
For example, the handle body 10 is molded by injecting hard resin into a mold. Next, the toothbrush 1 is obtained by implanting a hair bundle on the flocked surface 20 of the obtained handle body 10. As a method of planting the hair bundle, for example, the hair bundle is folded in half, and a flat wire sandwiched between the two is driven into the flock hole 22 to plant the hair bundle, and the lower end of the hair bundle is planted. In-mold method that molds the flocked part by injecting the molten resin into the mold after forming the molten lump by heating the lower end of the hair bundle into the molten resin that is pressed into the molten resin to be fixed Is mentioned.

Next, the usage method of the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment is demonstrated.
First, the handle portion 6 is gripped. The form in which the handle portion 6 is gripped is not particularly limited, and may be a palm grip type or a pen grip type. Usually, in order to perform cleaning while applying pressure to the target portion, the handle portion 6 is gripped by placing a thumb or the like near the neck rear end P2 in any gripping form.
Next, the head portion 2 is inserted into the oral cavity, and the flocked portion is slid to the site to be cleaned while pressing the handle portion 6 with a thumb or the like applied to the vicinity of the polygonal portion 44. The force applied to the handle part 6 is transmitted to the head part 2 through the neck part 4, and further transmitted from the head part 2 to the hair transplantation part, so that the hair transplantation part is cleaned while applying pressure to the site to be cleaned. In this case, since the circular portion 40 has a substantially circular cross-sectional outline, the bending direction is not restricted. For this reason, the circular part 40 is bent according to the shape of the site to be cleaned, and the flocked portion is appropriately brought into contact with the site to be cleaned.
Here, if the bending direction is not restricted in the neck part 4 as a whole, the force transmitted from the handle part 6 to the neck part 4 is lost, or the neck part 4 is excessively bent and cannot be cleaned with an appropriate brushing pressure. .
In the present embodiment, the polygonal portion 44 is restricted by the ridgeline 46 formed on both side surfaces and the cross-sectional contour flat in the thickness direction so that the polygonal portion 44 is not easily bent in the width direction and is easily bent in the thickness direction. For this reason, the force applied to the handle portion 6 is restricted by the force in the thickness direction by the polygonal portion 44 and is transmitted to the rectangular portion 42. The quadrangular portion 42 has a substantially square cross-sectional outline, and each side of the substantially square is formed by the front surface, the back surface, and the side surface of the neck portion 4, and the bending direction is restricted to the thickness direction and the width direction. For this reason, the force transmitted to the square portion 42 is transmitted to the circular portion 40 without being excessively lost.
In addition, since the neck portion 4 changes from a neck portion tip P1 to a neck portion rear end P2, the cross-sectional outline changes to a substantially true circle, a substantially square, and a substantially hexagonal shape flat in the thickness direction. The bending direction is gradually restricted from P1 toward the neck rear end P2. For this reason, even if the neck portion 4 is thinned, the neck portion 4 as a whole is not excessively soft, and the force is applied so that the flocked portion is brought into contact with the site to be cleaned in an appropriate state and the brushing pressure is appropriate. This is transmitted to the head unit 2.
Furthermore, the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment has a shape in which the neck portion 4 becomes thinner as it goes from the neck portion rear end P2 to the neck portion front end P1, so that the entire neck portion 4 flexes flexibly and is applied to the portion to be cleaned. Relieve pressure more appropriately and make brushing pressure more appropriate.

As described above, according to the toothbrush of the present embodiment, the neck portion has a substantially circular cross-sectional contour on the head portion side, and each side on the front surface, the back surface, and the side surface as the substantially circular cross-sectional contour moves toward the handle portion side. As the substantially rectangular cross-sectional contour is further toward the handle portion side, the apex is located on both side surfaces and becomes a substantially polygon that is flat in the thickness direction. Even if the neck is thin, a high cleaning effect can be exhibited.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.
In the above-described embodiment, the cross-sectional contour of the circular portion is substantially perfect circle. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the cross-sectional contour of the circular portion may be oval. The cross-sectional contour of the circular portion can be appropriately set in consideration of the function of the toothbrush and the like. For example, in order to obtain a softer and more comfortable toothbrush, the cross-sectional contour of the circular portion is preferably flat in the thickness direction. This is because the brushing pressure can be further reduced by making the shape flat in the thickness direction.

In the above-described embodiment, the cross-sectional contour of the quadrangular portion is substantially square, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the cross-sectional contour of the quadrangular portion may be rectangular. The cross-sectional contour of the rectangular portion can be set as appropriate in consideration of the function of the toothbrush. For example, in order to obtain a softer and more comfortable toothbrush, it is preferable to make the cross-sectional contour of the quadrangular portion flat in the thickness direction. This is because the brushing pressure can be further reduced by making the shape flat in the thickness direction.
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the cross-sectional contour of the quadrangular portion is a shape in which a curved corner cut is formed at the top, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the corner cut is not formed at the top. May be. However, from the viewpoint of alleviating the uncomfortable feeling that occurs when the rectangular part hits the lips or the like during cleaning, it is preferable that a rounded corner is formed at the top.

In the above-described embodiment, the polygonal section has a substantially hexagonal cross-sectional outline. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the polygonal section has a substantially hexagonal or substantially octagonal cross-sectional outline. It may be a substantially polygon other than. A substantially polygonal shape such as a substantially pentagonal shape and a substantially octagonal shape is a concept including a shape in which the top is cut off by a curve, as in the case of a substantially rectangular shape and a substantially hexagonal shape.
In the above-described embodiment, the cross-sectional contour of the polygonal portion has no apex on the front and back surfaces and no ridge lines (that is, the front and back surfaces are flat), but the present invention is not limited to this. It is not limited, The ridgeline may be formed in both or any one of the surface and the back surface. However, from the viewpoint of facilitating the bending of the polygon part only in the thickness direction, it is preferable that the front and back surfaces of the polygon part are flat.

In the above-described embodiment, the cross-sectional contour of the neck portion tip is substantially circular, and the circular portion is formed in a region including the neck portion tip. However, the present invention is not limited to this, for example, the neck portion tip. The cross-sectional outline may be a shape other than a substantially circular shape, and the circular portion may be formed at a position spaced from the tip of the neck portion. However, it is preferable that the cross-sectional contour of the tip of the neck portion is substantially circular from the viewpoint of bringing the flocked portion into contact with the site to be cleaned more appropriately.

In the above-described embodiment, the cross-sectional contour of the rear end of the neck portion is a substantially hexagonal shape that is flat in the thickness direction, and the polygonal portion is formed in the region including the rear end of the neck portion. It is not limited, The polygon part may be formed in the position spaced apart from the neck part rear end. However, from the viewpoint of more appropriately regulating the amount of bending of the neck portion, the cross-sectional contour of the rear end of the neck portion is preferably a substantially hexagonal shape that is flat in the thickness direction.

In the above-described embodiment, the diameter of the neck portion increases from the neck portion front end toward the neck portion rear end. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the neck portion extends from the neck portion front end to the neck portion rear end. The diameter may be reduced toward the head, or the diameter may be approximately the same from the front end of the neck portion to the rear end of the neck portion. The substantially equivalent diameter is an expression that allows a deviation of about −15% to 15% in diameter, and the deviation is preferably −10% to 10%, and preferably −5% to 5%. More preferred. However, from the viewpoint of more appropriately reducing the brushing pressure, it is preferable that the neck portion has a diameter that increases from the neck portion front end toward the neck portion rear end.

In the above-described embodiment, the handle portion is thinner than the rear end of the neck portion. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the handle portion may be larger in diameter than the rear end of the neck portion. Good.
In the above embodiment, the cross-sectional contour of the handle portion is substantially similar to the cross-sectional contour of the rear end of the neck portion. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the shape of the handle portion is not limited. There may be.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, although the hair transplant part is comprised only by the hair | bristle bundle, this invention is not limited to this, For example, members, such as a column shape formed by soft resin, a prismatic shape, are standingly arranged. Also good.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following description.

(Experimental Examples 1-6)
According to the specifications in Table 1, toothbrushes similar to those shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B were produced. Each example toothbrush has a handle body length L1: 185 mm, a length L2 from the handle body tip to the rear end of the neck portion: 75 mm, a head portion length L3: 29 mm, and a head portion width W1: 9.7 mm. there were. In the head part, 23 hairs (made of PBT) having a thickness of 7.5 mil were bundled to form a hair bundle, and this hair bundle was planted in the hair transplantation pattern shown in FIG.
The resulting toothbrush was evaluated for bending strength, intraoral operability and fit, and the results are shown in Table 1.
The AA cross section in the table is the cross section at the tip of the neck portion as in the AA cross section in FIG. 1B, and the CC cross section in the table is the cross section at the rear end of the neck portion as in the CC cross section in FIG. 1B. It is. The cross section BB in the table is a cross section at a position of 60 mm from the front end of the handle body toward the rear end of the handle body.

(Evaluation methods)
<Folding strength>
When the flocked surface is vertically upward, the rear end of the neck is gripped with a fixture, a load of 2 kg is applied vertically below the flocked surface, and there is no damage such as cracking, cracking or whitening on the neck and head Is “A”, and “C” is a case where damage such as cracks, cracks or whitening is observed in the neck portion or the head portion.

<Oral operability>
Ten monitors cleaned the oral cavity and evaluated the operability of the toothbrushes in each case. The operability is evaluated in seven stages from 1 to 7, and the higher the operability, the higher the score. The average score of 10 monitors was classified into the following criteria to determine intraoral operability.

<< Criteria >>
S: The average score is 5 or more.
A: The average score is 4 or more and less than 5 points.
B: The average score is 3 or more and less than 4 points.
C: The average score is less than 3.

<Fit feeling>
Ten monitors cleaned the oral cavity and evaluated the fit of the toothbrushes in each case according to the following evaluation criteria. The average score of 10 monitors was classified into the following criteria to determine fit. It can be said that the higher the evaluation of the fit, the more the flocked portion comes into contact with the site to be cleaned in an appropriate state, and the brushing pressure is more appropriate, thereby increasing the cleaning effect.

≪Evaluation criteria≫
3 points: A feeling of touching the hair bundle with moderate elasticity according to the unevenness in the oral cavity is very felt.
2 points: Feels the hair bundle touching with moderate elasticity according to the unevenness in the oral cavity.
1 point: According to the unevenness | corrugation in an oral cavity, the touch which a hair | bristle bundle contacts with moderate elasticity does not feel much.
0 point: The hair bundle is not touched by moderate elasticity according to the unevenness in the oral cavity.

<< Criteria >>
S: The average score is 2.5 or more.
A: The average score is 2 or more and less than 2.5.
B: The average score is 1.5 points or more and less than 2 points.
C: The average score is less than 1.5 points.

As shown in Table 1, each of Experimental Examples 1 and 2 in which the AA cross section has a substantially perfect circle with a diameter of 3 to 3.5 mm has a good fit.
Based on a comparison between Experimental Examples 1 and 2 and Experimental Examples 4 and 5, when the handle body is made of a resin having a flexural modulus of 2000 MPa or more, the AA cross section should be 3.0 to 4.0 mm in diameter. , It was found that the fit can be further enhanced.
On the other hand, in Experimental Example 3 in which the shape of the neck portion was changed from a substantially perfect circle shape to an ellipse shape in order from the tip of the neck portion, the fit was “C”.
From these results, it was found that by applying the present invention, even when the neck portion is narrowed, the fit feeling can be enhanced and the cleaning effect can be enhanced.

According to the toothbrush of the present invention, the neck portion has a substantially circular cross-sectional contour on the head portion side, and each side is formed on the front surface, the back surface, and the side surface as the substantially circular cross-sectional contour moves toward the handle portion side. As the cross-sectional outline of the substantially square shape further toward the handle portion side, the top portion is located on both side surfaces and becomes a substantially polygonal shape that is flat in the thickness direction. However, since the cleaning effect can be enhanced, it is extremely useful industrially.
According to the toothbrush of the present invention, the substantially polygonal shape flat in the thickness direction has an arbitrary side formed on the surface of the neck portion, and an opposite side to the arbitrary side formed on the back surface of the neck portion. Therefore, the brushing pressure can be further relaxed.
According to the toothbrush of the present invention, since the diameter of the neck portion increases from the head portion side toward the handle portion side, the neck portion flexes more flexibly and the brushing pressure can be made more appropriate. Useful.

1 toothbrush 2 head part 4 neck part 6 handle part 10 handle body 40 circular part 42 square part 44 polygon part 50 top part 52 upper side 54 lower side

Claims

A head portion in which hair bundles are planted; a neck portion extending to the head portion; and a handle portion extending to the neck portion, the neck portion from the head portion side to the handle portion side In a toothbrush whose cross-sectional profile changes as it goes to
The neck portion has a substantially circular cross-section in which the cross-sectional contour on the head portion side is substantially circular, and each side is formed on the front surface, the back surface, and the side surface as the substantially circular cross-sectional contour moves toward the handle portion side. The toothbrush is characterized in that it has a contour, and further, as the substantially square cross-sectional contour moves toward the handle portion, the apex is located on both sides and becomes a substantially polygonal shape flat in the thickness direction.
The substantially polygonal shape flat in the thickness direction is characterized in that an arbitrary side is formed on the surface of the neck portion and a side opposite to the arbitrary side is formed on the back surface of the neck portion. The toothbrush according to claim 1.
The toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the neck portion has a diameter that increases from the head portion side toward the handle portion side.