Toothbrush

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush capable of ensuring the degree of freedom in arrangement of bristle bundles and capable of efficiently heating gingiva with low power, the toothbrush being provided with a head (10), a plurality of bristle bundles (11) protruding from the front surface of the head (10), and a heating element comprising a film-like heater (13), the heating element being configured so that the bristle bundles (11) protrude from the front surface of the head (10) and the bristle bundles (11) protrude from the front surface of the head (10). The film-like heater (13) is disposed at least at a position separated from the protruding region (A1) of the bristle bundle (11) on the outer surface of the head part (10).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a toothbrush.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-104554 filed in Japan on June 29, 2022, and the contents are incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0003] A toothbrush has been proposed that has a function of providing thermal stimulation to the gums when the oral cavity is cleaned with the brush (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0004] The toothbrush described in Patent Document 1 has a heating unit made of metal wires disposed inside a resin head with protruding bristles (brush). The heating unit generates heat to keep the temperature of the head at about 40°C to 50°C by supplying power from a power source.

[0005] The toothbrush described in Patent Document 2 has near-infrared LEDs disposed near the root of the bristles (brush) on the front of the head. The near-infrared LEDs irradiate near-infrared rays from the vicinity of the root of the bristles toward the gums in the oral cavity by supplying power from a power source.

[0006] Prior art literature

[0007] Patent Literature

[0008] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2006 / 068215

[0009] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-299454 Summary of the invention

[0010] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0011] In the toothbrush described in Patent Document 1, the heating unit made of metal wire is arranged inside the resin head, so in order to transfer sufficient heat to the gums in the oral cavity, a large amount of power must be supplied to the heating unit. Currently, from the perspective of low power consumption, it is desired to reduce the power consumption of the heating unit.

[0012] In addition, in the toothbrush described in Patent Document 2, the near-infrared LED is arranged in the vicinity of the root of the hair bundle in the front of the head, so the arrangement of the hair bundle desired for cleaning the oral cavity is easily restricted by the near-infrared LED. From the perspective of improving the cleaning power in the oral cavity, it is desirable to increase the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the hair bundle.

[0013] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush capable of efficiently heating gums with low power while ensuring the degree of freedom in the arrangement of bristle bundles.

[0014] Technical solutions to solve problems

[0015] A toothbrush according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a head; a bristle bundle protruding from the front of the head; and an electric heating element arranged on the head, the heating element being composed of a film heater and being arranged at least at a position on the outer surface of the head separated from the protruding area of ​​the bristle bundle.

[0016] In the toothbrush of this structure, the heating element is composed of a film heater, so the film heater as the heating element can be flexibly arranged to follow the shape of the outer surface of the head. Therefore, when the head is inserted into the oral cavity and approaches or abuts against the gums, the gums can be efficiently heated by the film heater.

[0017] In the toothbrush of this structure, since the film heater as the heating element is arranged at least at a position on the outer surface of the head away from the protruding area of ​​the bristle bundle, it is less likely to cause the heating element to restrict the arrangement of the bristle bundle desired for cleaning the oral cavity.

[0018] The film heater may be formed in a strip shape that is long in one direction and arranged along an outer peripheral edge portion of the head.

[0019] In this case, since the film heater as the heating element is a strip-shaped element extending in one direction, the film heater can flexibly follow the shape of the outer peripheral edge of the head. Therefore, the film heater will not deviate from the outer surface of the head, and the product quality and durability of the toothbrush are improved.

[0020] Furthermore, when this configuration is adopted, since the film heater can be arranged sufficiently long along the outer peripheral edge of the head, a sufficient warming effect by the film heater (heat generating element) can actually be felt when using the toothbrush.

[0021] Alternatively, an inclined surface that inclines from an outer peripheral side surface of the head toward the protruding region and / or toward a central region of a back surface may be provided at an outer peripheral edge portion of the head, and the film heater may be arranged along the inclined surface.

[0022] In this case, since the film heater is arranged along the inclined surface of the outer peripheral edge of the head, when the toothbrush is used, the film heater can be brought sufficiently close to the gums in the oral cavity while the front end of the bristle bundle is pressed against the teeth. Therefore, sufficient heat can be applied to the gums while suppressing overheating of the film heater. Therefore, when this structure is adopted, the power consumption of the film heater can be further reduced, and the gums can be heated to a suitable temperature.

[0023] In addition, in the present structure, since the film heater is arranged on the outer side of the protruding area of ​​the hair bundle of the head and / or the inclined surface arranged on the outer side of the central area of ​​the back, the film heater is unlikely to affect the desired arrangement of the hair bundle. Therefore, when the present structure is adopted, the hair bundle can be arranged at a more suitable position to improve the cleaning ability and ensure the user's cleaning feeling.

[0024] Alternatively, the inclined surface may be a curved surface that curves convexly toward the outside of the outer surface.

[0025] In this case, since the film heater is arranged along the curved surface of the outer peripheral edge of the head, when the toothbrush is used, the film heater becomes easier to approach the gums in the oral cavity, and it becomes easier to transfer the heat generated by the film heater to the gums over a wider angle range.

[0026] Preferably, the film heater is arranged over a range of 25% or more of the total length of the outermost contour of the outer circumference of the head.

[0027] In this case, when the head is brought close to the gums, a wide range of the gums can be heated by the film heater, and the warming effect can be more actually felt.

[0028] Preferably, at least the surface of the heater body of the film heater facing outward is covered with a covering portion made of a resin material.

[0029] In this case, when the head is inserted into the oral cavity, the film heater contacts the gums and cheek flesh via the covering portion, so that the contact feeling in the oral cavity becomes good, and the waterproofness of the heater body is improved, thereby improving safety.

[0030] Furthermore, since the covering portion is made of a resin material, the film heater can be easily welded to the head portion via the covering portion during manufacturing.

[0031] The outer peripheral edge portion of the head portion may be provided with a fitting groove, at least a portion of an inner side surface of the fitting groove is continuous with the inclined surface, and the fitting groove accommodates one end side in the width direction of the film heater.

[0032] In this case, since one end side of the film heater in the width direction is held in the fitting groove, the film heater can be easily fixed to the head by fitting the film heater in the fitting groove when manufacturing the toothbrush. In addition, by fitting the film heater in the fitting groove, when the head is inserted into the oral cavity, the deviation width between the cheek flesh in the oral cavity and the film heater can be expanded to a certain width or more, and safety can be further improved.

[0033] The head may include a bristle bundle supporting block that supports the bristle bundle and a base block to which the bristle bundle supporting block is detachably mounted, and the film heater may be disposed on the base block.

[0034] In this case, when the bristles are damaged due to repeated use of the toothbrush, only the bristle bundle support block can be replaced. Therefore, the base block having the film-shaped heater can be continuously used without change, and economic efficiency can be improved.

[0035] In addition, when manufacturing the toothbrush, the hair bundle can be implanted in the hair bundle support block while the hair bundle support block is separated from the base block. Therefore, when this structure is adopted, there is no need to worry about damage to the film heater accompanying the implantation of the hair bundle, so the freedom of the configuration of the hair bundle can be further improved.

[0036] A heat blocking portion having a lower thermal conductivity than that of the protruding region may be arranged between the protruding region of the head portion and the film heater.

[0037] In this case, the heat conduction from the film heater to the protruding region can be blocked by the heat blocking portion, and the hair bundles or the supporting portions of the head can be prevented from being damaged by the heat of the film heater.

[0038] Effects of the Invention

[0039] According to the toothbrush of the present invention, the gums can be heated efficiently with low power while ensuring the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the bristle bundles. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Figure 1 It is a front view which shows the whole structure of the toothbrush which concerns on 1st Embodiment.

[0041] Figure 2 The toothbrush of the first embodiment Figure 1 Cross-sectional view along line II-II.

[0042] Figure 3 The toothbrush manufacturing process of the first embodiment is shown in FIG. Figure 2 Same cross-section view.

[0043] Figure 4 The toothbrush of the first embodiment Figure 1 An enlarged view of section IV.

[0044] Figure 5 A modification of the toothbrush of the first embodiment is shown. Figure 2 Same cross-section view.

[0045] Figure 6 It is a front view which shows the brush body of the toothbrush of 2nd Embodiment.

[0046] Figure 7 The toothbrush of the second embodiment Figure 6 A cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII.

[0047] Figure 8 It is an exploded perspective view of the film heater according to the second embodiment.

[0048] Fig. 9 It is a cross-sectional view of a mold and a film heater showing a manufacturing process of a toothbrush according to a second embodiment.

[0049] Fig.10 A modification of the toothbrush according to the second embodiment is shown. Figure 7 Same cross-section view.

[0050] Fig.11 It is a front view which shows the brush body of the toothbrush of 3rd Embodiment.

[0051] Fig.12 It is along Fig.11 A cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII.

[0052] Fig.13 It is along Fig.11 A cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII.

[0053] Fig.14 A toothbrush according to a modification of the third embodiment Fig.13 Same cross-section view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. In the embodiments and their modifications described below, the same reference numerals are used for the same parts, and some overlapping descriptions are omitted.

[0055] <First embodiment>

[0056] Figure 1 1 is a front view showing the overall structure of the toothbrush 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 It is the edge of toothbrush 1 Figure 1 Cross-sectional view along line II-II.

[0057] The toothbrush 1 includes a handle portion 2 for the user to hold, and a brush body 3 that can be detachably mounted on the handle portion 2. The toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment is an electric toothbrush, and a driving portion and a power supply for generating vibration are built into the interior of the handle portion 2. The handle portion 2 is formed into a substantially cylindrical shape, and a power switch 4 is arranged on a part of the outer peripheral surface. A driving shaft (not shown) is protrudingly provided at one axial end of the handle portion 2. The brush body 3 can be detachably mounted on the driving shaft, and vibration is transmitted from the driving portion for generating vibration through the driving shaft. In addition, a power supply line (not shown) in the handle portion 2 and a connector portion (not shown) for connecting the wiring 5 inside the brush body 3 are provided at the detachable portion between the handle portion 2 and the brush body 3.

[0058] It should be noted that, in the description of this embodiment, an electric toothbrush is illustrated as an example of a toothbrush method, but the toothbrush involved in 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 formed integrally with a handle that does not have a power supply or a drive unit. The method of the toothbrush is not limited to an electric toothbrush, and the same is true in each embodiment or modified example described below.

[0059] The brush body 3 is provided with a truncated cone-shaped connecting base 6 which is detachably mounted on the driving shaft of the handle portion 2 at one end in the longitudinal direction, and a head 10 which is approximately elliptical in front view is provided at the other end in the longitudinal direction. The connecting base 6 and the head 10 are connected by a neck 7 which is narrower than the head 10 in front view. The brush body 3 is integrally formed from a resin material such as polypropylene (PP), polyacetal (POM), or ABS resin from the connecting base 6 to the head 10. It should be noted that the brush body 3 is preferably formed from polypropylene (PP) from the viewpoint of welding with the covering portion 15 described later and from the viewpoint of cost.

[0060] In the following description, the head 10 is directed toward Figure 1 The surface on the front side of the paper surface is called the "front side", and the surface on the opposite side to the front side is called the "back side". In addition, regarding the head 10, the side connected to the neck 7 is called the "base side", and the side opposite to the base side is called the "front end side". These names are the same in other embodiments or modified examples described later.

[0061] A protruding area A1 where a plurality of bristle bundles 11 (brushes) protrude is provided on the front of the head 10. The protruding area A1 is located inside the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head 10 which is substantially elliptical in plan view. Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , a plurality of hair implantation holes 12 are formed in the protruding area A1. The hair bundles 11 are inserted and fixed to the respective hair implantation holes 12. An inclined surface 10i is provided at the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head 10, which is inclined from the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head 10 toward the protruding area A1 of the hair bundles 11 on the front of the head 10. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown, the inclined surface 10 i is composed of a curved surface that is convexly curved toward the outside of the outer surface of the head 10 .

[0062] It should be noted that, in the present embodiment, the inclined surface 10i is provided which is inclined from the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head 10 toward the protruding area A1 of the hair bundle 11 on the front of the head 10, but an inclined surface may be provided which is inclined from the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head 10 toward the central area of ​​the back of the head 10. In this case, only the inclined surface which is inclined from the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head 10 toward the central area of ​​the back of the head 10 may be provided, or both the inclined surface 10i which is inclined from the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head 10 toward the protruding area A1 and the inclined surface which is inclined from the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head 10 toward the central area of ​​the back of the head 10 may be provided. The heater body 14 of the film-shaped heater 13 described later is arranged on these inclined surfaces.

[0063] A film heater 13 as an electric heating element is mounted on the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head 10 in a manner along the contour of the outer peripheral edge 10e. The film heater 13 includes, for example, a heater body 14, which forms a heater circuit with an aluminum foil film; and a covering portion 15, which covers at least one side of the heater body 14 facing the outside. The heater circuit of the heater body 14 is formed, for example, by aluminum etching. In addition, the covering portion 15 is formed, for example, of a resin material (thermoplastic resin material) such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) having insulating properties. The thickness of the portion of the covering portion 15 that covers the outside of the heater body 14 is set to be less than 1 mm.

[0064] The heater body 14 of the film heater 13 is formed into a thin film of less than 0.5 mm, preferably less than 0.2 mm. The heater body 14 is formed into a strip having a substantially constant width and extending long in one direction. In the present embodiment, the film heater 13 is continuously arranged over substantially the entire area of ​​the periphery of the substantially elliptical head 10 except for a portion on the base side (neck 7 side). However, the film heater 13 may also be arranged only on a portion of the periphery of the head 10. In this case, it is preferred that the length of the film heater 13 in the longitudinal direction is at least 10 mm or more.

[0065] Here, when the portion where the head 10 narrows toward the neck 7 and becomes the smallest width is referred to as the base end of the head 10, it is more preferred that the film heater 13 is arranged with the base end of the head 10 as the starting point over a range of more than 25% of the total length of the outermost contour of the outer periphery of the head 10. In addition, when the area of ​​the innermost outer shell of the back of the head 10 starting from the base end of the head 10 is set to 100, the film heater 13 is preferably an area of ​​more than 10% of the area of ​​the innermost outer shell of the back of the head 10. In this case, the oral cavity can be heated at multiple angles (over a wide range), and a sufficient warming effect on the gums can be obtained. Furthermore, in this case, since the cheeks in the oral cavity can also be heated, a warming effect and a relaxing effect on the muscles located in the cheeks can also be obtained.

[0066] Figure 3 A part of the manufacturing process of the toothbrush 1 (brush body 3) is shown. Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the same toothbrush 1 (brush body 3 ).

[0067] like Figure 3 As shown, in the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment, after the head 10 is formed by injection molding, the heater body 14 of the film heater 13 is installed on the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head 10. In the toothbrush 1, the outer side of the heater body 14 is then covered by the covering part 15, and in this state, the covering part 15 is fused to the head 10. The hair bundle 11 is implanted in the hair implantation hole 12 of the protruding area A1.

[0068] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, a fitting groove 16 is formed in the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 10 in such a manner that the inner surface (inner side surface) of the head 10 is continuous with the inclined surface 10i. Here, a shelf-like (corresponding to Japanese: shed-like) step surface 10d extending inwardly (in the direction of the protruding area A1) is formed on the upper portion of the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head 10. The fitting groove 16 is recessed from the inner end edge of the step surface 10d toward the back side of the head 10. The outer wall of the fitting groove 16 is composed of a locking piece 17 of a given thickness formed by a part of the outer peripheral side surface 10s. The fitting groove 16 extends in a generally elliptical shape along the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 10.

[0069] like Figure 3 As shown, the outer end of the heater body 14 in the width direction is fitted into the fitting groove 16 extending in a substantially elliptical shape along the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head 10. When the heater body 14 is fitted into the fitting groove 16 in this way, the outer end in the width direction is held by the locking piece 17, so that the inner region in the width direction is close to the curved inclined surface 10i of the head 10.

[0070] In this state, the resin covering portion 15 of the film heater 13 is adhered to the outer side surface of the heater body 14, and the inner edge and the outer edge in the width direction are fixed to the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 10 by heat welding or the like. In the present embodiment, the outer edge in the width direction of the covering portion 15 is also adhered (welded) to the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head 10. In this way, when the resin covering portion 15 is welded to the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 10, the heater body 14 of the film heater 13 is closely attached along the substantially elliptical contour of the head 10, and is also closely attached to the curved inclined surface 10i of the outer peripheral edge portion 10e in the width direction.

[0071] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 An enlarged view of section IV.

[0072] The brush body 3 manufactured as described above is as follows. Figure 4 As shown, in the front view of the head 10, the separation width w between the heater body 14 of the film heater 13 and the protruding area A1 (the outermost hair implantation hole 12) of the hair bundle 11 is set to be greater than 0.3 mm. As a result, when the heater body 14 generates heat, the roots of the hair bundle 11 are less likely to be damaged by heat.

[0073] Figure 5 This is a modification example of the present embodiment. Figure 2 Same cross-section view.

[0074] In the head 10A of this modification, the resin material constituting the covering portion 15 of the film heater 13 adheres not only to the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head 10 but also to the back surface of the head 10. With this configuration, peeling of the covering portion 15 can be further suppressed.

[0075] In addition, the resin material constituting the covering portion 15 does not necessarily need to have a constant wall thickness. For example, the wall thickness of the portion with a small curvature of the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head portion 10 may be thicker than that of other portions to improve durability. In addition, from the viewpoint of suppressing peeling of the heater body 14, the wall thickness of the outer region of the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head portion 10 may be thicker than that of the inner region.

[0076] Furthermore, the heater body 14 may partially change the density of the meandering portion of the heater circuit according to the curvature of the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 10. By increasing the density of the meandering portion of the heater circuit, the amount of heat in the portion that is difficult to heat can be increased.

[0077] As described above, in the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment, the heating element is composed of the film heater 13, so the film heater 13 as the heating element can be flexibly arranged to follow the shape of the outer surface of the head 10. Therefore, when the head 10 is inserted into the oral cavity for use, the film heater 13 can approach or abut against the gums in the oral cavity and heat the gums efficiently.

[0078] Furthermore, in the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment, since the film heater 13 as a heating element is arranged at least at a position separated from the protruding area A1 of the bristle bundle 11 on the outer surface of the head 10, the film heater 13 is unlikely to significantly restrict the arrangement of the bristle bundle 11 desired for cleaning the oral cavity.

[0079] Therefore, when the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment is used, the gums can be heated efficiently with low power while ensuring the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the bristle bundles 11.

[0080] In the present embodiment, the film heater 13 is disposed only at a portion of the outer surface of the head 10 that is separated from the protruding region A1 by a predetermined distance or more. However, a portion of the film heater 13 may partially extend over the protruding region A1.

[0081] In addition, in the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment, the film heater 13 is formed in a strip shape that is long in one direction and is arranged along the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 10. Therefore, the film heater 13 can flexibly follow the shape of the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 10. In particular, in the present embodiment, the thickness of the heater body 14 of the film heater 13 is set to be as thin as 0.5 mm or less, and the length of the film heater 13 is set to be as long as 10 mm or more, so that the film heater 13 can more flexibly follow the shape of the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 10.

[0082] Therefore, in the case of the toothbrush 1 of this structure, the film heater 13 does not deviate from the outer surface of the head 10, and the product quality and durability of the toothbrush 1 are improved. In addition, since the film heater 13 can be arranged along the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head 10 with a sufficient length, when the toothbrush 1 is used, the sufficient warming effect of the film heater 13 can be actually felt.

[0083] In addition, in the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment, an inclined surface 10i is provided on the peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 10, which is inclined from the peripheral side surface 10s of the head 10 toward the protruding area A1 of the hair bundle 11 and / or toward the central area of ​​the back, and the film heater 13 is arranged along the inclined surface 10i. Therefore, when the toothbrush 1 is used, the film heater 13 can be brought sufficiently close to the gums in the oral cavity while the front end of the hair bundle 11 is pressed against the teeth. Therefore, when this structure is adopted, sufficient heat can be applied to the gums while suppressing excessive heating of the film heater 13, so that the power consumption of the film heater 13 can be further reduced, and the gums can be heated to a suitable temperature.

[0084] Furthermore, in the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment, since the film heater 13 is arranged on the outer side of the protruding area A1 of the hair bundle 11 of the head 10 and / or on the inclined surface 10i arranged on the outer side of the central area of ​​the back of the head 10, the film heater 13 is unlikely to affect the desired arrangement of the hair bundle 11. Therefore, the hair bundle 11 can be arranged at a more suitable position to improve the cleaning ability and ensure the user's cleaning feeling.

[0085] In addition, in the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment, the inclined surface 10i of the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 10 is formed into a curved shape that is convexly curved toward the outside of the outer surface of the head 10. Therefore, the heater body 14 of the film heater 13 is formed into a curved shape along the curved surface of the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 10. Therefore, when this structure is adopted, when the toothbrush 1 is used, it becomes easier for the film heater 13 to approach the gums in the oral cavity, and it becomes easier to transfer the heat generated by the film heater to the gums in a wider angle range.

[0086] The inclined surface 10i of the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 10 does not necessarily need to be curved, but may be linearly inclined from the outer peripheral side surface 10s toward the protruding area A1 or toward the central area of ​​the back surface.

[0087] In the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment, the film heater 13 is arranged along the curved contour of the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head 10. Therefore, when the head 10 is inserted into the oral cavity and the direction of the head 10 is changed, the film heater 13 can be efficiently brought close to the gums.

[0088] Furthermore, in the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment, the film heater 13 is arranged over 25% or more of the total length of the outermost contour of the periphery of the head 10. Therefore, when the head 10 is brought close to the gums, the film heater 13 can heat a large area of ​​the gums and further actually feel the warming effect.

[0089] In addition, in the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment, at least the outer surface of the heater body 14 of the film heater 13 is covered by the covering portion 15 made of a resin material. Therefore, when the head 10 is inserted into the oral cavity, the film heater 13 contacts the gums and cheeks through the covering portion 15, the contact feeling in the oral cavity becomes good, and the waterproofness of the heater body 14 is improved, and the safety is also improved.

[0090] Furthermore, in the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment, since the coating 15 is made of a resin material (thermoplastic resin material), the film heater 13 can be easily welded to the head 10 via the coating 15 during manufacturing.

[0091] In addition, in the toothbrush 1 of the present embodiment, the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 10 is provided with a fitting groove 16 whose inner side surface is continuous with the inclined surface 10i and accommodates the outer end portion in the width direction of the film heater 13. Therefore, when manufacturing the toothbrush 1, the outer end portion in the width direction of the film heater 13 can be fitted and held in the fitting groove 16, and the film heater 13 can be easily fixed to the head 10.

[0092] Furthermore, in the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment, since the outer end of the film heater 13 in the width direction is embedded in the embedding groove 16, when the head 10 is inserted into the oral cavity, the deviation width between the cheek flesh in the oral cavity and the film heater 13 can be expanded to more than a certain width, thereby further improving safety.

[0093] In the present embodiment, the entire inner side surface of the fitting groove 16 is continuous with the inclined surface 10i, but the fitting groove 16 may be shaped such that only a portion of the inner side surface is continuous with the inclined surface 10i.

[0094] <Second embodiment>

[0095] Figure 6 1 is a front view showing a brush body 103 (toothbrush 101 ) according to the second embodiment. Figure 7 The edge of the brush body 103 (toothbrush 101) Figure 6 A cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII.

[0096] In the brush body 103 of the toothbrush 101 of the present embodiment, the connection base 6 and the head 110 are connected by the neck 7. The front view shape of the head 110 is formed into a substantially elliptical shape. The head 110, the connection base 6, and the neck 7 are integrally formed of a resin material such as polypropylene (PP), polyacetal (POM), or ABS resin.

[0097] A protruding area A1 where a plurality of bristles 11 (brushes) protrude is provided on the front of the head 110. An inclined surface 10i is provided on the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head 10, which is inclined from the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head 10 toward the protruding area A1 on the front of the head 10. The inclined surface 10i is curved convexly toward the outside of the outer surface of the head 10. A film heater 113 as an electric heating element is attached to the outer peripheral side surface 10s and the inclined surface 10i of the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head 110.

[0098] In the present embodiment, the inclined surface 10i may be an inclined surface that inclines from the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head 10 toward the central area of ​​the back surface of the head 10. In this case, the film heater 113 is also attached to the inclined surface.

[0099] Figure 8 It is an exploded perspective view of the film heater 113 .

[0100] like Figure 8 As shown, the film heater 113 includes: a heater body 14, which is formed of an aluminum foil film to form a heater circuit; and a covering portion 115, which covers the front and back surfaces and the outer peripheral edge of the heater body 14. It should be noted that the heater body 14 can be as follows Figure 8 The folding member 115 may be a zigzag shape as shown in the figure, or may be a non-zigzag strip shape. The covering portion 115 is composed of an inner sheet 115i covering the inner side of the heater body 14, and an outer sheet 115o covering the outer side of the heater body 14. The inner sheet 115i and the outer sheet 115o are formed of a polymer material (resin material) such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) having insulating properties. The inner sheet 115i and the outer sheet 115o are welded to each other in a state where the heater body 14 is sandwiched therebetween. The thickness of the inner sheet 115i and the outer sheet 115o is set to be less than 1 mm.

[0101] The heater body 14 is formed in a strip shape having a substantially constant width and extending long in one direction. The heater body 14 is formed in a thin film shape of 0.5 mm or less, preferably 0.2 mm or less. When the area of ​​the innermost outer shell of the back side of the head 10 starting from the base end of the head 10 is set to 100, the film heater 13 is preferably an area of ​​10% or more of the area of ​​the innermost outer shell of the back side of the head 10.

[0102] Fig. 9 This is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the manufacturing process of the toothbrush 101 (brush body 103 ). Fig. 9 The cross section of the mold 30 shown is similar to that of the toothbrush 101. Figure 7 The cross sections shown correspond.

[0103] In the toothbrush 101 of this embodiment, the head 110 is used Fig. 9 The mold 30 shown is used for injection molding. The mold 30 is formed with a cavity 31 for molding the head 110. A groove 32 having a substantially arc-shaped cross section is formed at a position corresponding to the portion from the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the head 110 to the inclined surface 10i in the cavity 31. The groove 32 is open on the side opposite to the outer peripheral side surface 10s and the inclined surface 10i of the head 110. In addition, the front side of the head 110 ( Fig. 9 The end portion (on the upper side) is composed of a thin-walled hook-shaped piece 33 with a roughly L-shaped cross-section.

[0104] The hook piece 33 of the mold 30 extends along the outer peripheral edge 10e of the head 110. The film heater 113 is installed in the groove 32. The film heater 113 is deformed along the curved shape of the groove 32, and the inner end in the width direction is locked by the hook piece 33.

[0105] The cavity 31 of the mold 30 is filled with a molten high-temperature base resin in a state where the film heater 113 is installed in the groove 32. At this time, the covering 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 110. The toothbrush 101 (brush body 103) molded in this way is taken out from the mold 30.

[0106] On the front side of the toothbrush 101 formed as described above, a gap 29 corresponding to the thickness of the hook-shaped sheet 33 is formed between the protruding area A1 of the head 110 and the film heater 113. The gap 29 forms an air layer that blocks the high heat of the film heater 113 from being transferred to the hair bundles 11 of the protruding area A1. In the present embodiment, the air layer in the gap 29 constitutes a heat blocking portion having a lower thermal conductivity than the protruding area A1 of the head 110.

[0107] However, the heat blocking portion may be formed of another member having a lower thermal conductivity than that of the protruding region A1.

[0108] Fig.10 This is a modification example of the present embodiment. Figure 7 Same cross-section view.

[0109] The head 110A of this modification example is Figure 7 Compared with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the width of the film heater 113A ( Fig.10 The film heater 113A is attached to the inclined surface 10i of the head 110A, but is not attached to the outer peripheral side surface 10s of the head 110A.

[0110] As described above, the toothbrush 101 of this embodiment has substantially the same basic structure as that of the first embodiment, and thus can obtain the same basic effects as those of the first embodiment.

[0111] The toothbrush 101 of this embodiment can obtain the following effects in addition to the effects of the above-mentioned first embodiment.

[0112] In the toothbrush 101 of this embodiment, a gap 29 constituting a heat blocking portion is provided between the protruding area A1 where the hair bundle 11 in the head 110 protrudes and the film heater 113. Therefore, heat conduction from the film heater 113 to the protruding area A1 is blocked by the air layer of the gap 29. Therefore, when this structure is adopted, it is possible to prevent the hair bundle 11 of the head 110 or its supporting part from being damaged by the heat of the film heater 113 in advance.

[0113] <Third embodiment>

[0114] Fig.11 2 is a front view showing a toothbrush 201 (brush body 203) according to the third embodiment. Fig.12 It is along Fig.11 The cross-sectional view of the XII-XII line, Fig.13 It is along Fig.11 A cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII.

[0115] In the toothbrush 201 of the present embodiment, the head 210 includes a bristle bundle support block 210a for supporting bristle bundles 11, and a base block 210b to which the bristle bundle support block 210a can be detachably mounted. The bristle bundle support block 210a and the base block 210b are formed 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 210. A substantially elliptical recess 39 opening toward the front side is formed in the base block 210b. The bristle bundle support block 210a is formed in a substantially elliptical front view shape, and the front side thereof is provided as a protruding area A1 where a plurality of bristle bundles 11 protrude. The bristle bundle support block 210a can be detachably mounted in the recess 39 of the base block 210b.

[0116] A film heater 13 including a heater body 14 and a cover 15 is mounted on the outer peripheral edge portion 10e of the base block 210b. The film heater 13 may have the same structure as that of the first embodiment or the same structure as that of the second embodiment.

[0117] In addition, a plurality of locking protrusions 37 are protrudingly provided on a portion of the inner peripheral surface of the recessed portion 39 of the base block 210b (see Fig.13). On the other hand, an engaging hole 35 (recessed portion) into which the engaging protrusion 37 is engaged is formed at a position corresponding to the engaging protrusion 37 on the outer peripheral surface of the hair bundle support block 210a. The hair bundle support block 210a is engaged with the engaging protrusion 37 on the side of the base block 210b in the engaging hole 35, thereby being detachably engaged with the base block 210b.

[0118] In addition, the locking protrusion 37 may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the bristle bundle supporting block 210a, and the engaging hole 35 may be formed in the recessed portion 39 of the base block 210b.

[0119] Fig.14 This is a modification example of the present embodiment. Fig.13 Same cross-section view.

[0120] The head 210A of this modified example has a locking claw 40 protruding from the front end side of the bottom of the hair bundle support block 210a, and an elastically deformable spring locking piece 44 extending from the base side of the hair bundle support block 210a. On the other hand, a claw receiving portion 41 for inserting the locking claw 40 is formed at the front end side of the bottom of the recess 39 of the base block 210b.

[0121] The hair bundle support block 210a inserts the locking claw 40 at the front end side into the claw receiving portion 41 on the base block 210b side, compresses the spring locking piece 44 in this state, and causes the terminal end 44e of the spring locking piece 44 to be locked to the end edge 39e of the recess 39 on the base block 210b side. Thus, the hair bundle support block 210a is fixed to the base block 210b. In addition, when the hair bundle support block 210a is removed from the base block 210b, the terminal end 44e of the spring locking piece 44 is separated from the end edge 39e of the recess 39, thereby releasing the engagement of the spring locking piece 44 side and pulling the locking claw 40 out of the claw receiving portion 41.

[0122] It should be noted that the means for attaching and detaching the bristle bundle supporting block 210a and the base block 210b described here is an example, and the present invention is not limited to this means for attaching and detaching.

[0123] As described above, the toothbrush 201 of this embodiment has substantially the same basic structure as that of the first embodiment, and thus can obtain the same basic effects as those of the first embodiment.

[0124] The toothbrush 201 of this embodiment can obtain the following effects in addition to the effects of the above-mentioned first embodiment.

[0125] In the toothbrush 201 of this embodiment, the head 210 includes a bristle bundle support block 210a that supports the bristle bundle 11, and a base block 210b to which the bristle bundle support block 210a can be detachably mounted, and the film heater 13 is provided on the side of the base block 210b. 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 used, the base block 210b having the film heater 13 can be continuously used without change, which can improve economic efficiency.

[0126] Furthermore, when manufacturing the toothbrush 201, the bristle bundle support block 210a can be separated from the base block 210b, and the bristle bundle 11 can be implanted in the bristle bundle support block 210a. Therefore, when the toothbrush 201 of this embodiment is used, the film heater 13 is not damaged during the implantation operation of the bristle bundle 11, so the degree of freedom of the arrangement of the bristle bundle 11 can be further improved.

[0127] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various design changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0128] For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the film heater is configured in a roughly C-shape in the area other than a portion of the base side (neck side) of the roughly elliptical head, but the film heater can also be configured in a ring shape in a manner that spans the front of the head and is closer to the base end side than the protruding area.

[0129] In addition, the film heater may be disposed only on the side surface or the back surface of the head among the outer surface of the head.

[0130] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the film heater is disposed only on the outer peripheral edge portion of the head, but the film heater may be disposed so that a part thereof straddles the neck.

[0131] Furthermore, the shape of the film heater is not limited to a strip shape that is long in one direction. The film heater may be formed in a shape other than a strip shape depending on the location where the film heater is disposed.

[0132] Explanation of symbols

[0133] 1.101.201: Toothbrush

[0134] 10, 10A, 110, 110A, 210, 210A: Head

[0135] 10e: Outer periphery

[0136] 10i: Inclined surface

[0137] 10s: Peripheral side

[0138] 11: hair bundle

[0139] 13, 113, 113: Film heater

[0140] 14: Heater body

[0141] 15, 115: Coating

[0142] 16: Fitting slot

[0143] 29: Gap (heat blocking part)

[0144] 210a: Hair tuft support block

[0145] 210b: Base block

[0146] A1: Highlight area.

Claims

1. A toothbrush comprising: head; a tuft of hair projecting from the front of the head; and An electric heating element is arranged on the head. The heating element is formed of a film heater and is disposed at least at a position separated from a protruding region of the hair bundle on the outer surface of the head.

2. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein: The film heater is formed in a strip shape that is long in one direction and is arranged along the outer peripheral edge of the head.

3. The toothbrush according to claim 2, wherein: An inclined surface is provided on the outer peripheral edge of the head, which is inclined from the outer peripheral side surface of the head toward the protruding area and / or toward the central area of ​​the back side. 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 entire length of the outermost contour of the outer circumference of the head.

6. The toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: At least the surface of the heater body of the film heater facing outward is covered with a covering portion made of a resin material.

7. The toothbrush according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: The outer peripheral edge portion of the head portion is provided with a fitting groove, at least a portion of an inner side surface of the fitting groove is continuous with the inclined surface, and the fitting groove accommodates one end side in the width direction of the film heater.

8. The toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The head has: a tuft support block that supports the tuft; and a base block on which the hair bundle support block can be detachably mounted, The film heater is disposed on the base block.

9. The toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: A heat blocking portion having a lower thermal conductivity than that of the protruding region is arranged between the protruding region of the head and the film heater.

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