Plastic filament, bristle made of a plastic filament and brush with bristles made of a plastic filament

Abstract

A plastic filament contains a colored additive, wherein the additive contains or is formed from natural pigments and / or natural dyes. The colored pigments and / or natural dyes are preferably present in the plastic filament in a mass fraction of 0.1 to 0.5 mass%, and in particular of 5 to 15 mass%. The natural pigments and / or natural dyes can be natural pigments and / or natural dyes of plant origin.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a plastic filament with a colored additive.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a bristle for dental and / or cosmetic purposes and / or for technical purposes and / or for household purposes made of a corresponding plastic filament and to a brush for dental and / or cosmetic purposes and / or for technical purposes and / or for household purposes with bristles made of a corresponding plastic filament.

[0003] The usual production of a plastic filament takes place using an extruder, into which at least one plastic material and any additives are fed. The extruder mixes the materials under the application of heat and processes them into a viscous plastic mass, which is forced through nozzle openings under pressure, producing a so-called continuous filament. The additives can be dyes, flavorings, or antibacterial additives. Dyes based on fossil raw materials are usually used as colored additives. This is critical with regard to the purity of the plastic filament and, in particular, its environmental compatibility.

[0004] The colored additive can be fed to the extruder used to produce the plastic filament in the above-mentioned manner in solid phase (granulate or powder form) and / or in liquid phase.

[0005] The invention is based on the object of creating a plastic filament with a colored additive that is environmentally friendly.

[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention with a plastic filament in which the colored additive contains colorants in the form of natural pigments and / or natural dyes or is formed by them.

[0007] If the colorants are present undissolved in the mass of the plastic filament, they are called natural pigments.

[0008] If the colorants are soluble in the mass of the plastic filament, they are called natural dyes.

[0009] According to the invention, natural pigments are preferably used to color the plastic filament.

[0010] It has proven advantageous if the natural pigments and / or natural dyes are contained in the plastic filament in a mass fraction of 0.01 mas% to 25 mas%, in particular in a mass fraction of 0.5 mas% to 15 mas%, preferably in a mass fraction of 2 mas% to 15 mas%, and in particular in a mass fraction of 5 mas% to 15 mas%. The mass fraction is understood to mean the mass of the natural pigments and / or natural dyes relative to the total mass of the plastic filament, ie the mass of the base plastic or all base plastics of the plastic filament (matrix) and all additives.

[0011] According to the invention, the colored additive is based on purely biological ingredients and can be designed in so-called food-grade quality, i.e. the colored additive can be absorbed by the human body in a safe manner.

[0012] In a further development of the invention, it can be provided that natural pigments and / or natural dyes of plant origin are used. The natural pigments and / or natural dyes should make up more than 80% and in particular more than 90% of the mass of the colored aggregate, and preferably the colored aggregate should consist entirely of the natural pigments and / or natural dyes, in particular of plant origin.

[0013] The natural, organic pigments are preferably contained undissolved in the mass of the plastic filament. The average particle diameter is preferably in the range of 0.008 µm to 25 µm, and in particular in the range of 0.01 µm to 10 µm. The particle size and the dispersion of the pigments in the plastic matrix of the filament influence the color strength.

[0014] Preferably, the natural pigments and / or natural dyes are dispersed and prepared in a high concentration in a carrier material. The plastic of the carrier material should preferably be the same as or compatible with the plastic material to be colored, i.e., the plastic material of the filament matrix.

[0015] It has been found that the aforementioned colored additive is particularly effective with plastic filaments that have very small dimensions. In a further development of the invention, the plastic filament can therefore have a maximum diameter in the range of 0.05 mm to 1.0 mm, preferably in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, and in particular in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm.

[0016] In one possible embodiment of the invention, the plastic filament can be a single-component filament. This means that the matrix of the plastic filament consists only of a uniform plastic material or a plastic material blend and does not contain any regions of different plastic materials in its cross-section. The single-component filament contains at least the natural colored pigments and / or natural dyes of the type mentioned and can also contain other additives.

[0017] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the plastic filament is a two-component filament with a core extending in the longitudinal direction of the plastic filament made of a first plastic material and a sheath completely surrounding the core made of a second plastic material, wherein the natural colored pigments and / or the natural dyes are contained at least in the second plastic material of the sheath.

[0018] In a further development of the invention, it can be provided that the natural colored pigments are only contained in the second plastic material of the shell and not in the plastic material of the core.

[0019] As a plastic material for the matrix, a polymer or a polymer blend from the following group is preferred: - Polyesters - Polyolefins - Polyamides - Polyurethanes or a block polymer from the following group: - modified polyesters - modified polyamides - modified polyurethanes.

[0020] As a plastic material for the jacket, a polymer or a polymer blend from the following group is preferred: - Polyesters - Polyolefins - Polyamides - Polyurethanes or a block polymer from the following group: - modified polyesters - modified polyamides - modified polyurethanes.

[0021] The core can preferably be made of at least 90 mas% and in particular at least 95 mas% of at least one plastic material or a polymer blend from the group - Polyesters - Polyolefins - Polyamides - Polyurethanes or a block polymer from the following group: - modified polyesters - modified polyamides - modified polyurethanes consist.

[0022] A further aspect of the invention consists in producing a bristle for dental and / or cosmetic purposes from the plastic filament by cutting it to length. The invention thus also encompasses the use of said plastic filament as a bristle for dental and / or cosmetic purposes.

[0023] The bristles mentioned are preferably used in brushes for dental and / or cosmetic purposes and / or for technical purposes and / or for household purposes. The invention thus also relates to the use of bristles made of the plastic filaments mentioned in a brush for dental and / or cosmetic purposes and / or for technical purposes and / or for household purposes. The brush for dental purposes can in particular be a toothbrush or a brush for cleaning the spaces between the teeth (interdental cleaner). The brush for cosmetic purposes can in particular be a brush for applying mascara. The brush for technical purposes can in particular be a dishwashing brush.

[0024] The invention will be explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. They show: Fig. 1 A cross section through a plastic filament according to a first embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 a cross section through a plastic filament according to a second embodiment of the invention, Fig. 3 a modification of the embodiment according to Fig. 2.

[0025] Fig. 1 shows a cross-section through a plastic filament 10, which is designed as a single-component filament, ie the entire filament body consists of a uniform plastic or a uniform plastic blend. Fig. 1 it is indicated that a colored additive in the form of colorants in the form of natural pigments 13 and / or natural dyes is embedded in the plastic material of the plastic filament 10.

[0026] The Fig. The plastic filament 10 shown in Figure 2 has, in cross-section, an inner core 11 made of a first plastic material, which is completely surrounded by a sheath 12 made of a second plastic material. The core imparts elasticity and flexural rigidity to the filament or a bristle made therefrom, while the colored additive in the form of natural pigments 13 and / or natural dyes is mixed into the second plastic material of the sheath 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the first plastic material of the core 11 does not contain any natural colorants.

[0027] Fig. 3 shows a modification of the design according to Fig. 2, according to which the coloured additive in the form of natural colourants is now also contained in core 11.

[0028] In all cases, natural pigments and / or natural dyes, particularly of plant origin of the type mentioned, are used as colored additives, which are preferably present undissolved in the plastic matrix.

Claims

[1] Plastic filament (10) with a colored additive (13), characterized by that the additive (13) contains or is formed from colorants in the form of natural pigments and / or natural dyes. [2] Plastic filament (10) according to claim 1, characterized by that the natural pigments and / or the natural dyes (13) are contained in the plastic filament (10) in a mass fraction of 0.1 mas% to 25 mas%. [3] Plastic filament (10) according to claim 2, characterized by that the natural pigments and / or the natural dyes (13) are contained in the plastic filament (10) in a mass fraction of 0.5 mas% to 15 mas% and in particular in a mass fraction of 2 mas% to 15 mas%. [4] Plastic filament (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that natural pigments (13) and / or natural dyes of plant origin are used. [5] Plastic filament (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the natural pigments (13) are contained undissolved in the matrix of the plastic filament (10). [6] Plastic filament (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the natural dyes (13) are contained undissolved in the matrix of the plastic filament (10) [7] Plastic filament (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the filament (10) has a maximum diameter in the range of 0.05 mm to 1.0 mm. [8] Plastic filament (10) according to claim 7, characterized by that the plastic filament (10) has a maximum diameter in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm and in particular in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm. [9] Plastic filament (10) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that the plastic filament is a one-component filament. [10] Plastic filament (10) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that the plastic filament (10) is a two-component filament with a core (11) extending in the longitudinal direction of the plastic filament and made of a first plastic material and a sheath (12) completely surrounding the core (11) made of a second plastic material, wherein the natural pigments (13) and / or the natural dyes are contained at least in the second plastic material of the sheath (12). [11] Plastic filament (10) according to claim 10, characterized by that the natural pigments (13) and / or the natural dyes are only contained in the second plastic material of the casing (12). [12] Plastic filament (10) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by that the sheath (12) is made of PA6 (polyamide 6). [13] Plastic filament (10) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized bythat the jacket (12) is made of a polymer or a polymer blend consisting of the group polyesters, polyolefins, polyamides and polyurethanes or of a block polymer consisting of the group modified polyesters, modified polyamides, modified polyurethanes. [14] Plastic filament (10) according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized by that the core (11) is made of a polymer or a polymer blend consisting of the group polyesters, polyolefins, polyamides and polyurethanes or of a block polymer consisting of the group modified polyesters, modified polyamides, modified polyurethanes. [15] Bristle for dental purposes made of a plastic filament according to one of claims 1 to 14. [16] Bristle for cosmetic purposes made of a plastic filament according to one of claims 1 to 14. [17] Bristle for technical purposes made of a plastic filament according to one of claims 1 to 14. [18] Bristle for household purposes made of a plastic filament according to one of claims 1 to 14. [19] Brush for dental purposes with bristles made of a plastic filament according to one of claims 1 to 14. [20] Brush for cosmetic purposes with bristles made of a plastic filament according to one of claims 1 to 14. [21] Brush for technical purposes with bristles made of a plastic filament according to one of claims 1 to 14. [22] Brush for household purposes with bristles made of a plastic filament according to one of claims 1 to 14.

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