WO2024004362A1 - Toothbrush - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to provide a toothbrush that is able to effectively heat the gums with low electrical power while assuring freedom in arranging bristles, this toothbrush comprises a head section (10), a plurality of bristles (11), and a heating element, wherein: the bristles (11) protrude from the front surface of the head section (10); the heating element is configured by a film-like heater (13); and the film-like heater (13) is disposed at least at a position spaced apart from a protrusion region (A1) of the bristles (11) on the outer surface of the head section (10).

Description

toothbrush

The present invention relates to a toothbrush.
This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-104554 filed in Japan on June 29, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein.

A toothbrush has been devised that has a function of applying thermal stimulation to the gums when cleaning the oral cavity with the brush (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

In the toothbrush described in Patent Document 1, a heat generating part made of a metal wire is arranged inside a resin head part from which a bundle of bristles (brush) protrudes. The heat generating portion generates heat to maintain the temperature of the head portion at about 40° C. to 50° C. when power is supplied from the power source.

In the toothbrush described in Patent Document 2, a near-infrared LED is arranged in a region near the base of the bristle bundle (brush) on the front surface of the head. The near-infrared LED irradiates near-infrared rays from a portion near the base of the hair bundle to the gums in the oral cavity when powered by a power source.

International Publication No. 2006/068215 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-299454

In the toothbrush described in Patent Document 1, the heat generating part made of metal wire is placed inside the head part made of resin. Therefore, in order to transmit a sufficient amount of heat to the gums in the oral cavity, a large amount of electric power is required for the heat generating part. must be supplied. Currently, from the viewpoint of reducing power consumption, it is desired to reduce power consumption in heat generating parts.

In addition, in the toothbrush described in Patent Document 2, the near-infrared LED is arranged in a region near the base of the bristle bundle on the front surface of the head, so that the arrangement of the bristle bundle that is desirable for cleaning the oral cavity is infrared rays. Easily limited by LEDs. From the viewpoint of improving the ability to clean the oral cavity, it is desired to increase the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the hair bundles.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a toothbrush that can efficiently heat the gums with low power while ensuring flexibility in the arrangement of the bristle bundles.

A toothbrush according to one aspect of the present invention includes a head portion, a tuft of bristles protruding from the front surface of the head portion, and an electric heating element disposed in the head portion, the heating element being a membrane heater. and is arranged at least on the outer surface of the head portion at a position spaced apart from the protruding region of the hair bundle.

In the toothbrush having this configuration, since the heating element is constituted by the membrane heater, the membrane heater, which is the heating element, can be arranged so as to flexibly follow the shape of the outer surface of the head portion. Therefore, when the head portion is inserted into the oral cavity and comes close to or in contact with the gums, the membrane heater can efficiently heat the gums.
In addition, in the toothbrush with this configuration, since the film heater, which is a heating element, is located at least at a position on the outer surface of the head part that is spaced apart from the protruding area of the bristle bundle, the heating element can be used to clean the oral cavity. Inconveniences that limit the desired arrangement of hair bundles are less likely to occur.

The film heater may have a strip shape that is long in one direction, and may be arranged along the outer peripheral edge of the head portion.

In this case, since the film heater serving as the heating element has a strip shape long in one direction, the film heater can flexibly follow the shape of the outer peripheral edge of the head portion. Therefore, the film heater does not separate from the outer surface of the head portion, and the product quality and durability of the toothbrush are improved.
In addition, when this configuration is adopted, the membrane heater can be arranged sufficiently long along the outer periphery of the head, so when using the toothbrush, the membrane heater (heating element) can provide sufficient energy. You can feel the thermal effect.

The outer peripheral edge of the head section is provided with an inclined surface that slopes from the outer peripheral side surface of the head section toward the protruding region and/or the central region of the back surface, and the film heater is arranged along the inclined surface. It may be arranged.

In this case, the membrane heater is placed along the inclined surface of the outer periphery of the head, so when using a toothbrush, the membrane heater is applied to the gums in the oral cavity while the tips of the bristles are pressed against the teeth. They can be brought close enough together. Therefore, a sufficient amount of heat can be applied to the gingiva while suppressing excessive heating of the membrane heater. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the gingiva can be heated to a suitable temperature while further reducing the power consumption of the membrane heater.
In addition, in this configuration, since the membrane heater is arranged on the inclined surface located outside the protruding area of the hair bundle of the head part and/or outside the central area of the back surface, the membrane heater is arranged in a desirable position of the hair bundle. hard to affect. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the bristle bundle can be arranged in a more suitable position to improve the cleaning ability, and the user can have a good experience of cleaning.

The inclined surface may be a curved surface that is convexly curved toward the outside of the outer surface.

In this case, the membrane heater is disposed along the curved surface of the outer peripheral edge of the head, so when using the toothbrush, the membrane heater comes closer to the gingiva in the oral cavity, and the membrane heater It becomes easier to transmit the heat generated by the gums to a wider angular range of the gums.

It is preferable that the film heater is disposed over a range of 25% or more of the total length of the outermost part of the outer periphery of the head part.

In this case, when the head portion is brought close to the gums, a wide area of the gums can be heated by the membrane heater, so that the thermal effect can be more felt.

In the film heater, it is desirable that at least the surface facing the outside of the heater main body is covered with a covering portion made of a resin material.

In this case, when the head part is inserted into the oral cavity, the membrane heater comes into contact with the gums and cheeks through the covering part, which improves the contact feeling in the oral cavity and makes the heater body waterproof. This improves both safety and safety.
Furthermore, since the covering portion is made of a resin material, the membrane heater can be easily welded to the head portion through the covering portion during manufacturing.

The outer peripheral edge portion of the head portion may be provided with a fitting groove in which at least a portion of the inner side surface is continuous with the inclined surface and receives one end side in the width direction of the membrane heater.

In this case, one end of the membrane heater in the width direction is held in the fitting groove, so when manufacturing a toothbrush, by fitting the membrane heater into the fitting groove, the membrane heater can be easily attached to the head part. can be fixed to. In addition, by fitting the membrane heater into the fitting groove, when the head part is inserted into the oral cavity, the gap between the buccal meat in the oral cavity and the membrane heater is increased to a certain width or more, thereby increasing safety. It can be increased further.

The head section includes a hair bundle support block that supports the hair bundle, and a base block to which the hair bundle support block is removably attached, and the membrane heater is disposed on the base block. It's okay.

In this case, when the bristle bundle is damaged due to repeated use of the toothbrush, it becomes possible to replace only the bristle bundle support block. Therefore, the base block with the membrane heater can be continued to be used as it is, and economical efficiency can be improved.
Furthermore, when manufacturing a toothbrush, it is possible to perform the work of implanting the bristle bundles into the bristle support block while the bristle support block is separated from the base block. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, there is no fear of damage to the membrane heater due to the work of driving the hair bundles, so the degree of freedom in arranging the hair bundles can be further increased.

A heat shielding portion having a thermal conductivity lower than that of the projecting region is disposed between the projecting region of the head portion where the hair bundle projects and the film heater. Also good.

In this case, heat conduction from the membrane heater to the protruding area is blocked by the heat shielding part, thereby preventing the hair bundle of the head part and its supporting part from being damaged by the heat of the membrane heater. Can be done.

According to the toothbrush of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently heat the gums with low power while ensuring flexibility in the arrangement of the bristle bundles.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of a toothbrush according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the toothbrush of the first embodiment taken along line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing the manufacturing process of the toothbrush of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of section IV in FIG. 1 of the toothbrush of the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modification of the toothbrush of the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a front view showing the brush body of the toothbrush of the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the toothbrush of the second embodiment taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the membrane heater of the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a mold and a membrane heater showing the manufacturing process of the toothbrush of the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 7 showing a modification of the toothbrush of the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a front view showing the brush body of the toothbrush of the third embodiment. FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 11. FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 11. FIG. 14 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 13 of a toothbrush according to a modification of the third embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. In each of the embodiments and modifications thereof described below, the same parts are given common reference numerals, and some redundant explanations will be omitted.

<First embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of a toothbrush 1 according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the toothbrush 1 taken along line II-II in FIG. 1.
The toothbrush 1 includes a handle portion 2 that is held by a user, and a brush body 3 that is detachably attached to the handle portion 2. The toothbrush 1 of this embodiment is an electric toothbrush, and has a built-in drive unit for generating vibrations and a power source inside the handle part 2. The handle portion 2 is formed into a substantially cylindrical shape, and a power switch 4 is disposed on a part of the outer peripheral surface. A drive shaft (not shown) is provided protruding from one end of the handle portion 2 in the axial direction. The brush body 3 is detachably attached to the drive shaft, and vibrations are transmitted from the vibration-generating drive section through the drive shaft. Further, a connector portion (not shown) for connecting a power supply line (not shown) inside the handle portion 2 and a wiring 5 inside the brush body 3 is provided at the attachment/detachment portion between the handle portion 2 and the brush body 3. There is.
In addition, in the description of this embodiment, an electric toothbrush is illustrated as an example of the form of a toothbrush, but the toothbrush according to the present invention is not limited to an electric toothbrush. The toothbrush may not have the function of imparting vibration to the brush body. In this case, the brush body is integrally formed with the handle without a power source or drive unit. The shape of the toothbrush is not limited to an electric toothbrush, and this also applies to each of the embodiments and modifications described below.

The brush body 3 has a truncated cone-shaped connection base 6 that is removably attached to the drive shaft of the handle portion 2 at one end in the longitudinal direction, and has a substantially elliptical shape in front view at the other end in the longitudinal direction. A head section 10 is arranged. The connecting base portion 6 and the head portion 10 are connected by a neck portion 7 that is narrower in width than the head portion 10 in front view. The part from the connecting base 6 to the head 10 of the brush body 3 is integrally formed of a resin material such as polypropylene (PP), polyacetal (POM), or ABS resin. In addition, from the viewpoint of welding with the covering part 15 mentioned later and the viewpoint of cost, it is desirable to form from the connection base 6 of the brush body 3 to the head part 10 with polypropylene (PP).
In the following description, regarding the head unit 10, the surface facing the front side of the paper in FIG. 1 will be referred to as the "front surface", and the surface opposite to the front surface will be referred to as the "back surface". Further, regarding the head portion 10, the side connected to the neck portion 7 will be referred to as the “base side”, and the side opposite to the base side will be referred to as the “tip side”. These names are the same in other embodiments and modified examples described later.

A protrusion area A1 from which a plurality of hair bundles 11 (brushes) protrude is provided on the front surface of the head portion 10. The protruding region A1 is located inside the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head portion 10, which has a substantially elliptical shape in plan view. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of tuft holes 12 are formed in the protrusion area A1. The hair bundle 11 is inserted into each tuft hole 12 and fixed. The outer peripheral edge 10e of the head section 10 is provided with an inclined surface 10i that slopes from the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head section 10 toward the protruding area A1 of the hair bundle 11 on the front surface of the head section 10. In this embodiment, the inclined surface 10i is constituted by a curved surface that is convexly curved toward the outside of the outer surface of the head portion 10, as shown in FIG.
Note that in this embodiment, an inclined surface 10i that slopes from the outer circumferential side surface 10s of the head section 10 toward the protruding area A1 of the hair bundle 11 on the front surface of the head section 10 is provided. From 10s onwards, an inclined surface may be provided that slopes toward the central region of the back surface of the head section 10. In this case, even if only an inclined surface that slopes from the outer circumferential side surface 10s of the head section 10 toward the central region of the back surface of the head section 10 is provided, the inclined surface that slopes from the outer circumferential side surface 10s of the head section 10 toward the protrusion area A1. 10i and an inclined surface that slopes from the outer circumferential side surface 10s of the head section 10 toward the central region of the back surface of the head section 10. A heater main body 14 of a membrane heater 13, which will be described later, is arranged on these inclined surfaces.

A membrane heater 13, which is an electrothermal heating element, is attached to the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head portion 10 so as to follow the contour of the outer peripheral edge 10e. The membrane heater 13 includes, for example, a heater body 14 in which a heater circuit is formed using an aluminum foil film, and a covering portion 15 that covers at least the surface of the heater body 14 facing the outside. The heater circuit of the heater body 14 is formed by, for example, aluminum etching. Further, the covering portion 15 is formed of, for example, a resin material (thermoplastic resin material) such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) having insulation properties. The thickness of the covering portion 15 that covers the outside of the heater main body 14 is 1 mm or less.

The heater body 14 of the film heater 13 is formed into a thin film having a thickness of 0.5 mm or less, preferably 0.2 mm or less. The heater main body 14 is formed in a band shape having a substantially constant width and extending in one direction. In this embodiment, the film heater 13 is continuously arranged over almost the entire outer circumference of the substantially elliptical head portion 10 except for a portion on the base side (neck portion 7 side). However, the film heater 13 may be arranged only on a part of the outer periphery of the head section 10. In this case, the length of the film heater 13 in the longitudinal direction is preferably at least 10 mm or more.
Here, if the head portion 10 narrows toward the neck portion 7 and the minimum width is referred to as the base end of the head portion 10, then the membrane heater 13 starts from the base end of the head portion 10. It is more desirable that the grooves be arranged over a range of 25% or more of the total length of the outermost part of the outer periphery of the head part 10. Further, when the area of the innermost outer shell on the back surface of the head section 10 starting from the base end of the head section 10 is 100, the membrane heater 13 has an area of 10% of the innermost outer shell area on the back surface of the head section 10. It is desirable that the area is larger than that. In this case, the inside of the oral cavity can be heated from multiple angles (over a wide range), and a sufficient thermal effect on the gums can be obtained. Furthermore, in this case, since the cheeks in the oral cavity can also be heated, a thermal effect and a relaxing effect on the muscles in the cheeks can also be obtained.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the toothbrush 1 (brush body 3) similar to FIG. 2, showing a part of the manufacturing process of the toothbrush 1 (brush body 3).
In the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, after the head portion 10 is formed by injection molding, the heater main body 14 of the membrane heater 13 is attached to the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head portion 10. In the toothbrush 1, the outer side of the heater main body 14 is then covered with the covering part 15, and the covering part 15 is welded to the head part 10 in this state. The hair bundles 11 are implanted into the implantation holes 12 in the protrusion area A1.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a fitting groove 16 is formed in the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head portion 10 so that the inner surface (inner side surface) of the head portion 10 is continuous with the inclined surface 10i. There is. Here, a shelf-shaped step surface 10d extending inward (in the direction of the protrusion area A1) is formed at the upper part of the outer circumferential side surface 10s of the head portion 10. The fitting groove 16 is recessed toward the back side of the head portion 10 from the inner edge of the stepped surface 10d. The outer wall of the fitting groove 16 is constituted by a locking piece 17 having a predetermined thickness and formed by a part of the outer circumferential side surface 10s. The fitting groove 16 extends in a substantially elliptical shape along the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head portion 10.

As shown in FIG. 3, the outer end in the width direction of the heater main body 14 is fitted into the fitting groove 16 that extends in a substantially elliptical shape along the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head portion 10. When the heater main body 14 is thus fitted into the fitting groove 16, the outer end in the width direction is held by the locking piece 17, and the inner region in the width direction is close to the curved inclined surface 10i of the head section 10. It becomes like this.

The resin covering part 15 of the membrane heater 13 is attached to the outer surface of the heater main body 14 in this state, and the inner edge in the width direction and the outer edge are connected to the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head part 10. It is fixed by heat welding, etc. In this embodiment, the outer edge of the covering portion 15 in the width direction is also adhered (welded) to the outer circumferential side surface 10s of the head portion 10. In this way, when the resin covering part 15 is welded to the outer peripheral edge part 10e of the head part 10, the heater main body 14 of the membrane heater 13 closely follows the approximately elliptical outline of the head part 10, and the width In this direction, it also comes into close contact with the curved inclined surface 10i of the outer peripheral edge 10e.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of section IV in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 4, the brush body 3 manufactured as described above has the heater main body 14 of the membrane heater 13 and the protruding area A1 (outermost implant) of the bristle bundle 11, as shown in FIG. The separation width w from the pores 12) is set to be 0.3 mm or more. Thereby, when the heater main body 14 generates heat, the base of the hair bundle 11 is less likely to be damaged by heat.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modification of this embodiment.
In the head section 10A of this modification, the resin material constituting the covering section 15 of the membrane heater 13 is adhered not only to the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head section 10 but also to the back surface of the head section 10. With this configuration, peeling of the covering portion 15 can be further suppressed.

Furthermore, the resin material forming the covering portion 15 does not necessarily have to have a constant thickness. For example, the thickness of a portion of the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head portion 10 having a small curvature may be made thicker than other portions to enhance durability. Further, from the viewpoint of suppressing peeling of the heater main body 14, the thickness of the outer region of the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head portion 10 may be made thicker than the thickness of the inner region.

Further, the heater main body 14 may partially change the density of the meandering portion of the heater circuit depending on the curvature of the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head portion 10, etc. By increasing the density of the meandering portion of the heater circuit, it is possible to increase the amount of heat in the portion that is difficult to heat.

As described above, in the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment, the heating element is constituted by the membrane heater 13, so the membrane heater 13, which is the heating element, can be made to flexibly follow the shape of the outer surface of the head portion 10. can be placed. Therefore, when the head portion 10 is inserted into the oral cavity and used, the membrane heater 13 is close to or in contact with the gums in the oral cavity, and can efficiently heat the gums.
Furthermore, in the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment, the membrane heater 13, which is a heating element, is disposed at least at a position on the outer surface of the head section 10 that is spaced apart from the protruding area A1 of the bristle bundle 11. It becomes difficult for the heater 13 to greatly restrict the arrangement of the hair bundles 11 that is desirable for cleaning the oral cavity.
Therefore, when the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment is adopted, the gums can be efficiently heated with low power while ensuring the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the bristle bundles 11.
Note that in this embodiment, the film heater 13 is disposed only at a portion of the outer surface of the head portion 10 that is spaced apart from the protrusion area A1 by a predetermined distance or more; It is also possible to partially straddle the

Further, in the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment, the membrane heater 13 is formed in a strip shape long in one direction, and is arranged along the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head portion 10. Therefore, the film heater 13 can be made to flexibly follow the shape of the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head section 10. In particular, in this embodiment, the thickness of the heater body 14 of the membrane heater 13 is as thin as 0.5 mm or less, and the length of the membrane heater 13 is set to be longer than 10 mm. It is possible to flexibly follow the shape of the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head portion 10.
Therefore, when the toothbrush 1 having this configuration is adopted, the film heater 13 will not separate from the outer surface of the head portion 10, and the product quality and durability of the toothbrush 1 will be improved. Furthermore, since the membrane heater 13 can be arranged sufficiently long along the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head section 10, the sufficient thermal effect of the membrane heater 13 can be experienced when using the toothbrush 1. .

In addition, the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment has an inclined surface 10i on the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head section 10, which slopes from the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head section 10 toward the protruding region A1 of the bristle bundle 11 and/or toward the central region of the back surface. is provided, and a film heater 13 is arranged along the inclined surface 10i. Therefore, when using the toothbrush 1, the membrane heater 13 can be brought sufficiently close to the gums in the oral cavity with the tips of the bristle bundles 11 pressed against the teeth. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, a sufficient amount of heat can be applied to the gingiva while suppressing excessive heating of the membrane heater 13, so that the power consumption of the membrane heater 13 can be further reduced. , the gums can be heated to a suitable temperature.

Furthermore, in the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment, the membrane heater 13 is arranged on the inclined surface 10i, which is arranged outside the protruding area A1 of the bristle bundle 11 of the head part 10 and/or outside the central area of the back surface of the head part 10. Therefore, the membrane heater 13 is less likely to affect the desired arrangement of the hair bundles 11. Therefore, the bristle bundle 11 can be arranged in a more suitable position to improve the cleaning ability and ensure the user's experience of cleaning.

Furthermore, in the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment, the inclined surface 10i of the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head portion 10 has a curved shape convexly curved toward the outside of the outer surface of the head portion 10. Therefore, the heater body 14 of the film heater 13 has a curved shape along the curved surface of the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head portion 10. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, when the toothbrush 1 is used, the membrane heater 13 can more easily approach the gums in the oral cavity, and the heat generated by the membrane heater can be easily transmitted to a wider angular range of the gums. Become.
Note that the inclined surface 10i of the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head portion 10 does not necessarily have to have a curved shape, and may have a shape that slopes linearly from the outer peripheral side surface 10s toward the protrusion area A1 or the central area of the back surface. good.

Further, in the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment, the membrane heater 13 is arranged along the curved contour of the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head portion 10. Therefore, when the head portion 10 is inserted into the oral cavity and the direction in which the head portion 10 is moved is changed, the membrane heater 13 can be efficiently brought close to the gums.

Further, in the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment, the membrane heater 13 is arranged over a range of 25% or more of the total length of the outermost part of the outer periphery of the head part 10. Therefore, when the head portion 10 is brought close to the gums, a wide range of the gums can be heated by the membrane heater 13, so that the thermal effect can be more felt.

Moreover, in the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment, at least the surface facing the outside of the heater body 14 of the membrane heater 13 is covered with a covering portion 15 made of a resin material. Therefore, when the head part 10 is inserted into the oral cavity, the membrane heater 13 comes into contact with the gums and cheeks through the covering part 15, which improves the contact feeling in the oral cavity, and also makes the heater body 14 will be more waterproof and safer.
Furthermore, in the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment, since the coating portion 15 is made of a resin material (thermoplastic resin material), the membrane heater 13 can be easily welded to the head portion 10 through the coating portion 15 during manufacturing. can.

In addition, the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment is provided with a fitting groove 16 on the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head portion 10, the inner side surface of which is continuous with the inclined surface 10i, and which receives the outer end of the membrane heater 13 in the width direction. It is being Therefore, when manufacturing the toothbrush 1, the outer end of the membrane heater 13 in the width direction can be fitted and held in the fitting groove 16, and the membrane heater 13 can be easily attached to the head part 10. Can be fixed.
Furthermore, in the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment, since the outer end in the width direction of the membrane heater 13 is fitted into the fitting groove 16, when the head part 10 is inserted into the oral cavity, The separation width between the meat and the membrane heater 13 can be increased to a certain width or more, and safety can be further improved.
Note that in this embodiment, the entire inner side surface of the fitting groove 16 is continuous with the inclined surface 10i, but the fitting groove 16 has a shape in which only a part of the inner side surface is continuous with the inclined surface 10i. Also good.

<Second embodiment>
FIG. 6 is a front view showing the brush body 103 (toothbrush 101) of the second embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the brush body 103 (toothbrush 101) taken along line VII-VII in FIG.
In the brush body 103 of the toothbrush 101 of this embodiment, the connecting base 6 and the head portion 110 are connected by the neck portion 7. The head portion 110 has a substantially elliptical shape when viewed from the front. The head portion 110 is integrally formed with the connecting base portion 6 and the neck portion 7 from a resin material such as polypropylene (PP), polyacetal (POM), or ABS resin.

A protrusion area A1 from which a plurality of hair bundles 11 (brushes) protrude is provided on the front surface of the head portion 110. The outer circumferential edge 10e of the head section 10 is provided with an inclined surface 10i that is inclined from the outer circumferential side surface 10s of the head section 10 toward the protruding area A1 on the front surface of the head section 10. The inclined surface 10i is curved convexly toward the outside of the outer surface of the head portion 10. A film heater 113, which is an electrothermal heating element, is attached to the outer circumferential side surface 10s and the inclined surface 10i of the outer circumferential edge portion 10e of the head portion 110.
In addition, also in the case of this embodiment, the inclined surface 10i may be an inclined surface inclined from the outer circumferential side surface 10s of the head section 10 toward the central region of the back surface of the head section 10. Also in this case, the membrane heater 113 is attached to the inclined surface.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the membrane heater 113.
As shown in FIG. 8, the film heater 113 includes a heater body 14 in which a heater circuit is formed using an aluminum foil film, and a covering portion 115 that covers the front and back sides and outer peripheral edge of the heater body 14. . The heater main body 14 may have a meandering shape as shown in FIG. 8, or may have a non-meandering band shape. The covering portion 115 includes an inner sheet 115i that covers the inner side of the heater body 14, and an outer sheet 115o that covers the outer side of the heater body 14. The inner sheet 115i and the outer sheet 115o are made of a polymeric material (resin material) such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) having insulation properties. The inner sheet 115i and the outer sheet 115o are welded to each other with the heater body 14 sandwiched therebetween. The thickness of the inner sheet 115i and the outer sheet 115o is 1 mm or less.

The heater main body 14 is formed into a band shape having a substantially constant width and extending in one direction. The heater body 14 is formed into a thin film having a thickness of 0.5 mm or less, preferably 0.2 mm or less. When the area of the innermost outer shell on the back surface of the head section 10 starting from the base end of the head section 10 is 100, the membrane heater 13 has an area of 10% or more of the innermost outer shell area on the back surface of the head section 10. Preferably the area.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a part of the manufacturing process of the toothbrush 101 (brush body 103). The cross section of the mold 30 shown in FIG. 9 corresponds to the cross section of the toothbrush 101 shown in FIG.
In the toothbrush 101 of this embodiment, the head portion 110 is injection molded using a mold 30 as shown in FIG. A cavity 31 for molding the head portion 110 is formed in the mold 30. A groove 32 having a substantially arcuate cross section is formed in the cavity 31 at a position corresponding to a portion extending from the outer circumferential side surface 10s of the outer circumferential edge 10e of the head portion 110 to the inclined surface 10i. The groove 32 is open on the side facing the outer circumferential side surface 10s of the head portion 110 and the inclined surface 10i. Further, the end of the groove 32 on the front side (the upper side in FIG. 9) of the head portion 110 is constituted by a thin hook-shaped piece 33 having a substantially L-shaped cross section.

The hook-shaped piece 33 of the mold 30 extends along the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head portion 110. The above-mentioned film heater 113 is attached to the groove 32 . The inner end of the membrane heater 113 in the width direction is locked by the hook-shaped piece 33 in a state in which it is deformed so as to follow the curved shape of the groove 32 .

The cavity 31 of the mold 30 is filled with molten high-temperature base material resin while the film heater 113 is attached to the groove 32 . At this time, the coating portion 115 of the film heater 113 is melted by the heat of the base resin, and the film heater 113 is welded to the inclined surface 10i and the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head portion 110. The thus shaped toothbrush 101 (brush body 103) is taken out from the mold 30.

On the front side of the toothbrush 101 formed as described above, a gap 29 corresponding to the thickness of the hook-shaped piece 33 is formed between the protruding area A1 of the head portion 110 and the membrane heater 113. This gap 29 forms an air layer that blocks high heat from the membrane heater 113 from being transmitted to the hair bundle 11 in the protrusion area A1. In this embodiment, the air layer in the gap 29 constitutes a heat shielding part having a lower thermal conductivity than that of the protruding area A1 of the head part 110.
However, the heat shielding part can also be configured by a separate member whose thermal conductivity is lower than that of the protrusion area A1.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 7 showing a modification of this embodiment.
In the head portion 110A of this modification, the width of the membrane heater 113A (width in the vertical direction in FIG. 10) is set narrower than in the embodiment shown in FIG. The film heater 113A is attached to the inclined surface 10i of the head section 110A, but is not attached to the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head section 110A.

As described above, since the toothbrush 101 of this embodiment has substantially the same basic configuration as the first embodiment, it can obtain the same basic effects as the first embodiment described above.
The toothbrush 101 of this embodiment can obtain the following effects in addition to the effects of the first embodiment described above.

In the toothbrush 101 of this embodiment, a gap 29 is provided between the protrusion area A1 of the head portion 110 where the bristle bundle 11 protrudes and the membrane heater 113, which constitutes a heat cutoff portion. Therefore, heat conduction from the membrane heater 113 to the protrusion area A1 is blocked by the air layer in the gap 29. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, it is possible to prevent the hair bundle 11 of the head portion 110 and its support portion from being damaged by the heat of the membrane heater 113.

<Third embodiment>
FIG. 11 is a front view showing a toothbrush 201 (brush body 203) of the third embodiment. 12 is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 11, and FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 11.
In the toothbrush 201 of this embodiment, the head portion 210 includes a bristle support block 210a that supports the bristle 11, and a base block 210b to which the bristle support block 210a is detachably attached. The hair bundle support block 210a and the base block 210b are made of a resin material such as polypropylene (PP), polyacetal (POM), or ABS resin. The base block 210b constitutes the outer peripheral edge portion 10e and the back portion of the head portion 210. A substantially elliptical recess 39 that opens toward the front side is formed in the base block 210b. The hair bundle support block 210a is formed in a substantially elliptical shape when viewed from the front, and the front side thereof is a protrusion area A1 from which a plurality of hair bundles 11 protrude. The hair bundle support block 210a is detachably attached to the recess 39 of the base block 210b.

A membrane heater 13 consisting of a heater body 14 and a covering portion 15 is attached to the outer peripheral edge 10e of the base block 210b. The configuration of the membrane heater 13 may be the same as the first embodiment or the second embodiment.

Furthermore, a plurality of locking protrusions 37 (see FIG. 13) are protruded from a part of the inner circumferential surface of the recess 39 of the base block 210b. On the other hand, an engagement hole 35 (recess) into which the engagement protrusion 37 is fitted is formed at a position corresponding to the engagement protrusion 37 on the outer peripheral surface of the bristle support block 210a. The locking protrusion 37 on the base block 210b side is fitted into the engagement hole 35, so that the hair bundle support block 210a is removably locked to the base block 210b.
Note that the locking protrusion 37 may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the hair bundle support block 210a, and the engagement hole 35 may be formed in the recess 39 of the base block 210b.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 13 showing a modification of this embodiment.
In the head portion 210A of this modification, a locking pawl 40 is provided protruding from the bottom end side of the hair bundle support block 210a, and an elastically deformable spring locking piece 44 is provided extending from the base side of the hair bundle support block 210a. has been done. On the other hand, a claw receiving part 41 into which a locking claw 40 is inserted is formed on the bottom end side of the recess 39 of the base block 210b.

The hair bundle support block 210a inserts the locking claw 40 on the tip side into the nail receiving part 41 on the base block 210b side, and in this state, while compressing the spring locking piece 44, the terminal part 44e of the spring locking piece 44 is pressed. It is engaged with the edge 39e of the recess 39 on the base block 210b side. Thereby, the hair bundle support block 210a is fixed to the base block 210b. Furthermore, when removing the hair bundle support block 210a from the base block 210b, the engagement on the spring locking piece 44 side is released by separating the end portion 44e of the spring locking piece 44 from the edge 39e of the recess 39. , pull out the locking claw 40 from the claw receiving part 41.
Note that the means for attaching and detaching the hair bundle support block 210a and the base block 210b described here is one example, and the attachment and detachment means are not limited to this.

As described above, since the toothbrush 201 of this embodiment has substantially the same basic configuration as the first embodiment, it is possible to obtain the same basic effects as the first embodiment described above.
The toothbrush 201 of this embodiment can obtain the following effects in addition to the effects of the first embodiment described above.

In the toothbrush 201 of this embodiment, the head portion 210 includes a bristle support block 210a that supports the bristle 11, a base block 210b to which the bristle support block 210a is detachably attached, and a membrane heater 13. It is installed on the base block 210b side. Therefore, when the bristle bundle 11 is damaged due to repeated use of the toothbrush 201, only the bristle bundle support block 210a can be replaced. Therefore, when the toothbrush 201 of this embodiment is adopted, the base block 210b with the membrane heater 13 can be continued to be used as is, and economical efficiency can be improved.

Furthermore, when manufacturing the toothbrush 201, the bristle bundles 11 can be implanted into the bristle support block 210a while the bristle support block 210a is separated from the base block 210b. Therefore, when the toothbrush 201 of this embodiment is employed, the membrane heater 13 will not be damaged during the work of driving the bristle tufts 11, so that the degree of freedom in arranging the bristle tufts 11 can be further increased.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various design changes can be made without departing from the gist thereof.
For example, in the above embodiment, the film heater is arranged in a substantially C-shape in the region excluding a part of the base side (neck part side) of the substantially elliptical head part. It may be arranged in an annular manner so as to straddle the proximal end side of the front surface of the head portion rather than the protruding region.
Further, the film-like heater may be arranged only on the side or back side of the head of the outer surface of the head.
Further, in the above embodiment, the film heater is arranged only on the outer peripheral edge of the head part, but the film heater may be arranged so that a part thereof straddles the neck part.
Furthermore, the shape of the membrane heater is not limited to a long strip in one direction. The film heater may be formed in a shape other than a band shape depending on the location where the film heater is arranged.

1,101,201... Toothbrush 10,10A,110,110A,210,210A...Head part 10e...Outer peripheral edge part 10i...Slope 10s...Outer peripheral side 11...Bristle bundle 13,113,113...Membrane heater 14... Heater body 15, 115... Covering part 16... Fitting groove 29... Gap (thermal cutoff part)
210a...Hair bundle support block 210b...Base block A1...Protrusion area

Claims (9)

1. The head part and
   a tuft of hair protruding from the front surface of the head portion;
   an electric heating element disposed in the head part,
   In the toothbrush, the heating element is constituted by a membrane heater, and is arranged at least at a position on the outer surface of the head part that is spaced apart from a protruding area of the bristle bundle.
2. 2. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the film heater has a strip shape that is long in one direction and is arranged along the outer peripheral edge of the head portion.
3. The outer peripheral edge of the head part is provided with an inclined surface that slopes from the outer peripheral side surface of the head part toward the protruding area and/or the central area of the back surface,
   The toothbrush according to claim 2, wherein the film heater is arranged along the inclined surface.
4. The toothbrush according to claim 3, wherein the inclined surface is a curved surface that is convexly curved toward the outside of the outer surface.
5. The toothbrush according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the film heater is disposed over a range of 25% or more of the outermost total length of the outer periphery of the head portion.
6. The toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the membrane heater has at least a surface facing the outside of the heater body covered with a coating made of a resin material.
7. 3. The outer peripheral edge of the head part is provided with a fitting groove in which at least a part of the inner side surface is continuous with the inclined surface and receives one end side in the width direction of the membrane heater. 4. The toothbrush according to item 4.
8. The head portion is
   a hair bundle support block that supports the hair bundle;
   a base block to which the hair bundle support block is removably attached;
   The toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the membrane heater is arranged on the base block.
9. A heat shielding portion having a thermal conductivity lower than that of the projecting region is disposed between the projecting region of the head portion where the hair bundle projects and the film heater. The toothbrush according to 1 or 2.

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