Toothbrush and handle body for toothbrush

Abstract

To provide a handle body for toothbrushes without using plastic.SOLUTION: A handle body for toothbrushes comprising a head part having a plurality of bristle holes to be filled with bristle bundles, a neck part extending from the head part, and a handle part extending from the neck part, the handle body is so configured that one or a plurality of bristle hole-forming layers including a plurality of through-holes formed at a head part position, and one or a plurality of bristle hole-non-forming layers including no holes formed at the head part position are superposed, where the head part includes non-penetrating bristle holes, and where the bristle hole-forming layers and the bristle hole-non-forming layers are layers of multilayer paper or derived from the multilayer paper.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a toothbrush and a handle for a toothbrush. [Background technology]

[0002] A toothbrush is known that has a tuft of bristles attached to the tip of the handle. Toothbrushes that are generally available for household use, portable use, and as amenities provided to guests at hotels and inns generally have a long handle with a head where the tuft of bristles is attached and a handle that extends from the head via a neck. The head is often molded thinly in consideration of operability in the oral cavity, and the neck is often shaped to be smaller in diameter than the head in consideration of operability in the oral cavity. Toothbrush handles are generally made of hard plastics such as polypropylene polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyarylate in terms of moldability, strength required for use and for tufting by flat wire hammering, etc. (Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 below).

[0003] On the other hand, in recent years, marine pollution caused by microplastics has attracted attention, and the move away from plastics is progressing worldwide from the viewpoint of environmental protection. In Japan, the "Act on Promotion of Resource Circulation Related to Plastics" was enacted, which, for example, requires certain businesses to reduce the use of disposable plastic products. Moreover, this "Act on Promotion of Resource Circulation Related to Plastics" specifies toothbrushes provided to guests by hotels and inns as "specific plastic-containing products," and there is an increasing demand for the move away from plastic in toothbrushes.

[0004] Techniques for replacing plastic with natural materials such as paper, wood, bamboo, etc. for toothbrush handles and the like are disclosed in the following Patent Documents 3, 4, and 5. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-16496 [Patent Document 2] JP 2013-458 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2005-110727 A [Patent Document 4] Utility Model Registration No. 3175154 [Patent Document 5] JP 2003-325231 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the technologies described in Patent Documents 3 and 4 are based on the premise of being disposable, have a simple structure in which the brush part is affixed to the handle part with adhesive, and do not fully consider strength. As a result, the feel of use is significantly different from that of commonly available hard plastic products, and they are not suitable as a substitute for commonly available hard plastic products.

[0007] The technology described in Patent Document 5 is to mold the brush body by pressing natural plant fibers and paper material made of natural plant fibers in a mold, or by stacking multiple sheets of paper material, thereby increasing the strength of the brush body and creating a shape of a general-purpose hard plastic product, but it is difficult to achieve sufficient strength to be used in the same way as general-purpose hard plastic products by simply pressing paper material in a mold or stacking multiple sheets of paper material. Also, it is difficult to implant bristles by flat wire driving, as with conventional general-purpose hard plastic products.

[0008] Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a plastic-free toothbrush handle that has the same feel as conventional, commonly used hard plastic products, but can be easily manufactured by flat wire hammering in the same way as commonly used hard plastic products, and a toothbrush having such a handle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The first means for solving the above problem is: A toothbrush handle body having a head portion having a plurality of bristle implantation holes into which tufts of bristles are implanted, a neck portion extending from the head portion, and a handle portion extending from the neck portion, This toothbrush handle is characterized in that one or more tufting hole-forming layers having a plurality of through holes formed at the head portion and one or more tufting hole non-forming layers having no through holes formed at the head portion are laminated together, so that the head portion has non-through tufting holes, and the tufting hole-forming layer and the tufting hole non-forming layer are layers made of multilayer paper or layers derived from multilayer paper.

[0010] The second method is The handle body for a toothbrush relating to the above-mentioned first means is a multilayer paper or layer derived from multilayer paper that constitutes the tuft hole forming layer and the tuft hole non-forming layer, which are joined by at least one of an adhesive and an engaging structure that engages the layers with each other by inserting the tip portion of a cut piece formed on a part of the front and back surfaces of the handle body into at least an adjacent layer.

[0011] The third method is A toothbrush handle according to the first or second aspect of the present invention contains a siloxane compound.

[0012] The fourth measure is The toothbrush has a handle body including a head portion having a plurality of bristle implantation holes into which tufts of bristles are implanted, a neck portion extending from the head portion, and a handle portion extending from the neck portion, A toothbrush in which bristles are planted in the bristles planting holes by flat-line driving, The toothbrush handle is one or more tufting hole-forming layers having a plurality of through holes formed at the head portion and one or more tufting hole-non-forming layers having no through holes formed at the head portion are laminated together to form a head portion having non-through tufting holes, and the tufting hole-forming layers and the tufting hole-non-forming layers are formed of multilayer paper or layers derived from multilayer paper; The toothbrush is characterized by the above.

[0013] The fifth measure is: This toothbrush relates to the fourth means described above, in which the multilayer paper or layers derived from the multilayer paper that constitute the tuft hole-forming layer and the tuft hole-non-forming layer are joined by at least one of an adhesive and an engaging structure that engages the layers with each other by inserting the tip portion of a cut piece formed on a part of the front and back surfaces of the handle body into at least an adjacent layer.

[0014] The sixth measure is: The toothbrush according to the fourth or fifth aspect of the present invention has a handle that contains a siloxane compound.

[0015] The seventh measure is: This is the toothbrush according to the fourth or fifth aspect, wherein the bristle bundle is made by bundling at least one selected from the group consisting of biomass filaments, natural bristles, and paper yarns. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, there is provided a plastic-free toothbrush handle which has the same feel as conventional, commonly used hard plastic products, and which can be easily manufactured by wire hammering in the same manner as commonly used hard plastic products, and a toothbrush having the same handle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view of a toothbrush handle according to the embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of a cross section along the longitudinal direction of a toothbrush handle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 3]FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the structure of a toothbrush handle according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A to 1C are diagrams for explaining a locking structure according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 5] 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the multilayer paper according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a head portion of a toothbrush handle according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the toothbrush according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a toothbrush according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a first diagram for explaining an example of a manufacturing method for a toothbrush handle according to the present embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a second diagram for explaining an example of a manufacturing method for a toothbrush handle according to this embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a method for measuring the bending strength of a toothbrush handle according to the present embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the results of bending strength measurement of the toothbrush handle according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 12. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0019] As shown particularly in Figures 1 and 2, the toothbrush handle body 10 of this embodiment is composed of a head portion 11 having a plurality of bristle implantation holes 11H into which bristles 2 are implanted, a neck portion 12 which extends from the head portion 11 and is narrower than the head portion 11, and a handle portion 13 which extends from the neck portion 12 and is wider than the neck portion 12, and has an overall thin, elongated shape.

[0020] The toothbrush 1 according to this embodiment shown in Figures 7 and 8 is formed by implanting bristle bundles 2 into the bristle implantation holes 11H of the toothbrush handle body 10. Note that the toothbrush 1 according to this embodiment will also be described together with the embodiment of the toothbrush handle body 10, with the same reference numerals given to parts corresponding to those of the toothbrush handle body 10 of this embodiment.

[0021] The toothbrush handle body 10 of this embodiment is formed by laminating a tuft hole forming layer 20 and a tuft hole non-forming layer 30 having the same outer edge shape in a plan view in the thickness direction, as shown in particular in Figures 1 to 3. Characteristically, these layers 20, 30 are multilayer paper 10M or layers derived from multilayer paper, and the lamination direction of the tuft hole forming layer 20 and the tuft hole non-forming layer 30 coincides with the lamination direction of the paper layers in the multilayer paper 10M or layers derived from multilayer paper. The layer derived from multilayer paper is a layer whose precursor is the multilayer paper 10M, and is, for example, a layer that has been subjected to an appropriate treatment to further increase the strength of the multilayer paper 10M. More specifically, examples of the layer derived from multilayer paper include a layer obtained by pressing the multilayer paper 10M, a layer obtained by compressing the multilayer paper 10M in the thickness direction, a layer obtained by heat-treating the multilayer paper 10M, a layer obtained by applying a coating agent to the multilayer paper 10M to increase its strength, and a layer containing an additive that increases the strength of the multilayer paper 10M. Furthermore, the multilayer paper 10M may be a layer that has been subjected to multiple treatments, such as a layer that has been impregnated with an additive and then compressed or heat-treated. In the following, when describing matters common to the multilayer paper 10M that constitutes the flocked hole-forming layer 20 and the flocked hole-non-forming layer 30 and the multilayer paper 10M that is a precursor of a layer derived from the multilayer paper, there is no distinction between them and they may simply be referred to as the multilayer paper 10M. The multilayer paper 10M may be a commercially available product, such as Eripla Paper manufactured by Dainichi Paper Co., Ltd. The press processing pressure when compressing the multilayer paper 10M in the thickness direction and the heating temperature when heat-treating the multilayer paper 10M are not necessarily limited.

[0022] The toothbrush handle 10 of this embodiment is not made of plastic, but is made of at least one of the multilayer paper 10M, which is paper, and layers derived from multilayer paper, as described above, so that it is possible to achieve a plastic-free state. A single layer of paper material is difficult to increase in strength to the same level as a plastic material, but the multilayer paper 10M has a plurality of paper layers 60, 51 laminated therein, so that it can have sufficient strength. The toothbrush handle 10 of this embodiment is made of the multilayer paper 10M or layers derived from multilayer paper, so that it can achieve a thin, long shape as a whole in which the head part 11 and the handle part 13 are connected via a narrow neck part 12, similar to a general popular hard plastic product, while having sufficient strength, and can have a similar feel to a general popular hard plastic product. In addition, since the multilayer paper is an aggregate of pulp fibers, it will not break in the mouth even if it is bitten with teeth during use, and is therefore sufficiently safe to use.

[0023] Here, the toothbrush handle 10 and toothbrush 1 of this embodiment are not necessarily limited in strength, but the bending strength in a three-point bending load test by the secant line method in accordance with JIS K 7171 is preferably 15 N or more when the bending deflection is 1 mm, and 30 N or more when the bending deflection is 2 mm. In this three-point bending test, as shown in FIG. 11, the positions of the support bases 80A and 80B are two points sandwiching the neck portion 12, and the distance L15 between the two points is 70 mm. One support base 80A is located at the position of the head portion 11 (preferably a position where the distance L16 from the tip is 15 mm), and the other support base 80B is preferably located at the position of the handle portion 13. The load cell capacity is 1 kN, the pressing speed is 10 mm / min, the radius R1 of the indenter 81 is 5 mm, and the radius of the tip of each support base is R2=2 mm. The measurement sample is set with the bristles facing upwards, and the pushing position is 75 mm from the tip, closer to the handle than the center between the support stands. With the above bending strength, it is easy to obtain the same feeling of use as a general-purpose hard plastic product.

[0024] On the other hand, the toothbrush handle 10 and toothbrush 1 of this embodiment preferably have water resistance for 3 minutes or more, more preferably 5 minutes or more, although this is not necessarily limited thereto. Here, water resistance means that the layers do not separate or disintegrate when completely immersed in water. However, it is particularly desirable that the bending strength in the three-point bending load test according to JIS K 7171 is maintained even when immersed for 5 minutes.

[0025] On the other hand, the toothbrush handle body 10 of this embodiment is characterized in that the tufting hole forming layer 20, in which a plurality of through holes 21H are formed at the head portion position 21, and the tufting hole non-forming layer 30, in which no through holes are formed at the head portion position, are laminated to form non-through tufting holes 11H in the head portion 11. That is, the tufting holes 11H formed in the head portion 11 have a bottom, and the bottom is composed of the high-strength multilayer paper 10M or the tufting hole non-forming layer 30, which is a layer derived from the multilayer paper. Therefore, in the toothbrush handle body 10 of this embodiment, tufting can be performed by flat wire driving technology, which is performed in conventional general-purpose products made of hard plastic. In other words, the multilayer paper 10M and the layer derived from the multilayer paper are a type of paper that is an aggregate of fibers, so they have excellent microscopic deformability, and have a layer structure in which multiple paper layers are laminated, so they have excellent Z-axis strength. Therefore, if the head portion 11 has a structure in which layers of multilayer paper or layers derived from multilayer paper are stacked, when the flat wire is driven in, the flat wire firmly bites into the fibers, there is little risk of the head portion cracking, and there is also little risk of the flat wire penetrating the bottom of the hair implantation hole 11H, making it easy to implant hair using the flat wire.

[0026] Furthermore, in particular, in terms of the ease of bristles implantation by the flat wire driving and in order to increase the rigidity and strength of the entire handle body, it is desirable to include a siloxane compound in the tufting hole forming layer 20 and the tufting hole non-forming layer 30 of the toothbrush handle body 10 of this embodiment. When a siloxane compound is contained, the layer is derived from the multilayer paper, in which the strength and water resistance of the multilayer paper are increased by siloxane bonds. In particular, when a siloxane compound is contained in the tufting hole non-forming layer 30 in the range including the portion laminated on the through hole 21H of the tufting hole forming layer 20 (head portion position), it is possible to suitably prevent a decrease in strength due to water accumulating in the tufting hole 11H when brushing teeth. Here, the siloxane compound may simply be coated as a surface coating on the outer surface of the toothbrush handle body 10. More preferably, the siloxane compound penetrates to a certain depth from the outer surface of the handle 10 and is contained in such a manner that it bonds to the pulp fibers and cellulose fibers that make up the multilayer paper and layers derived from the multilayer paper, or coats the pulp fibers and cellulose fibers. This further increases the stiffness and strength of the entire handle.

[0027] The siloxane compound is not necessarily limited as long as it has a siloxane bond, but since the toothbrush is inserted into the oral cavity, it is desirable that the siloxane compound is non-toxic or has low toxicity to the living body. In addition, in order to incorporate the siloxane compound into the handle body 10, the toothbrush 1 or the handle body 10 may be coated, coated, impregnated, or dipped with the siloxane compound, or the multi-layer paper 10M may be coated, coated, or especially impregnated with an appropriate alkoxysilane solution or an alkoxysilane solution processed product, and then heated, heated, and compressed. In this way, the siloxane compound is incorporated in the pulp fibers or cellulose fibers themselves that constitute the layers derived from the multi-layer paper, or in a manner that coats the pulp fibers or cellulose fibers.

[0028] On the other hand, the toothbrush 1 and the handle 10 according to the present embodiment may contain at least one of an antibacterial agent and an antiviral agent. In addition, known functional auxiliaries may be added within a range that does not impede the effects of the present invention. The antibacterial agent and the antiviral agent are not limited, and known agents that can be used for toothbrushes can be used. In particular, the toothbrush 1 and the handle 10 according to the present embodiment are composed of a multilayer paper 10M, which is a paper made by papermaking pulp fibers, or a layer derived from a multilayer paper, so there is no need to knead an antibacterial agent or the like into a resin material as in plastic products, and there is an advantage in that the antibacterial agent or the antiviral agent can be easily applied so as to penetrate into the paper layer by coating, coating, impregnation, dipping, etc. Note that the antibacterial agent and the antiviral agent can be applied together with the above-mentioned siloxane compound. Furthermore, they can be applied together with the siloxane compound. Furthermore, the siloxane compound itself may have antiviral and antibacterial properties.

[0029] Here, the tufting hole forming layer 20 and the tufting hole non-forming layer 30 do not necessarily have to be a single layer, but can be a multi-layer. The illustrated embodiment shows a two-layer tufting hole forming layer 20 and a single tufting hole non-forming layer 30. However, the present invention is not limited to this laminated structure. In addition, the handle body 10 according to this embodiment may have other layers as long as they do not impede the effects of the present invention. For example, an adhesive layer may be provided to bond the layers together. This adhesive must be one that can achieve a plastic-free state, and it is preferable to use an adhesive made of a natural material or a natural material. In addition, a layer of a material other than plastic may be laminated so that the handle portion 13 is thicker and easier to grip. Of course, this layer may be made of the same material as the multi-layer paper 10M for forming the tufting hole forming layer 20 and the tufting hole non-forming layer 30.

[0030] The multilayer paper 10M and layers derived from the multilayer paper that make up the tufted hole-forming layer 20 and the tufted hole-non-forming layer 30 are not necessarily limited, but it is preferable that the longitudinal direction from the head portion 11 side to the handle portion 13 side coincide with the longitudinal direction (MD) of the paper. By aligning the longitudinal direction (MD) of the paper with the longitudinal direction, the toothbrush becomes less likely to break and more flexible.

[0031] The method of joining the layers constituting the tufted hole forming layer 20 and the tufted hole non-forming layer 30 is not necessarily limited. As long as the effect of the present invention is not hindered, the layers can be joined by joining means such as adhesives, crimping means, rivet means, eyelet means, wedge means, staple means, and joining by a locking structure also called a coreless staple. In addition, a plurality of joining means may be used in combination. As adhesives for joining, starch, various modified starches, modified cellulose such as carboxymethyl cellulose, water-soluble polymer adhesives such as polyvinyl alcohol, acrylic esters, water-based emulsion resins such as vinyl acetate, etc. may be used. Starch and cellulose-based natural materials are preferable in terms of environmental load. Rivets and staple needles constituting the rivets and eyelets for joining are preferably made of wood or metal other than plastic, and are preferably made of materials other than plastic. One of the preferred joining means is, for example, a locking structure in which cut-up pieces 70, 70 are formed on a part of the front and back surfaces by punching or the like, and the tip portions 70t, 70t are pushed into at least the adjacent layers to mechanically join the layers together, as shown in FIG. 4(A) and FIG. 4(B) showing the cross-sectional view BB of the handle body 10. In this locking structure, a half-cut line may be provided at the same position as the edge 70e of the cut-up piece 70 in at least the adjacent layer in a plan view so that the tip portion 70t can be easily inserted. In the toothbrush handle body 10 and toothbrush 1 of this embodiment, the handle body is made of multilayer paper 10M or a layer derived from multilayer paper, and is made of a stiff paper material, so that the layers can be joined together by joining using such an locking structure. This locking structure is desirable in that the tuft hole forming layer 20 and the tuft hole non-forming layer 30 are joined by partial engagement themselves, so no other parts are used. However, as described above, a mechanical locking structure including this locking structure may be used in combination with an adhesive. In this case, there is also the advantage that the amount of adhesive used can be reduced. As another locking structure, although not shown, a pressure may be applied to a portion of the handle body from the front and back sides in the thickness direction, and the pressurized portion may be pressed into at least the adjacent layer to lock the pressurized portion and bond them together.

[0032] Here, the multilayer paper 10M constituting the bore-forming layer 20 and the bore-free layer 30, and the multilayer paper 10M serving as a precursor of the layer derived from the multilayer paper, have a basis weight of 700 g / m 2 More preferably, 850 g / m 2 More preferably, 950 g / m 2 That's all. Multilayer paper 10M in this range is likely to have sufficient stiffness. Also, multilayer paper of this basis weight is likely to have sufficient stiffness and strength, and is likely to have a similar feel to commonly used products made of harder plastic. There is no upper limit to the basis weight of multilayer paper 10M, but there is a risk that creases may easily occur due to the calendar rolls during papermaking, and from this point of view, the upper limit is set at 1470 g / m 2 is preferred, and 1240 g / m 2 The paper thickness is preferably 900 μm or more and 1,500 μm or less, and more preferably 1,000 μm or more and 1,350 μm or less. The basis weight is a value measured in accordance with "Paper and paperboard - Basis weight measurement method" described in JIS P 8124 (2011), and the paper thickness is a value measured in accordance with "Paper and paperboard - Thickness and density test method" described in JIS-P8118 (2014).

[0033] The multilayer paper 10M constituting the pore-forming layer 20 and the pore-free layer 30, and the multilayer paper 10M serving as a precursor of the multilayer paper-derived layers, are preferably made of only fibers derived from natural materials and do not contain synthetic fibers including plastics. Preferably, the paper is made of only pulp fibers.

[0034] Preferred constituent pulp fibers are coniferous kraft pulps such as coniferous unbleached kraft pulp (NUKP), coniferous semi-bleached kraft pulp (NSBKP), and coniferous bleached kraft pulp (NBKP), and hardwood kraft pulps such as hardwood unbleached kraft pulp (LUKP), hardwood semi-bleached kraft pulp (LSBKP), and hardwood bleached kraft pulp (LBKP). It is particularly preferred to use coniferous bleached kraft pulp and hardwood bleached kraft pulp, since it is easy to achieve both the appearance and strength of the product after processing. As other pulps, various known pulps such as chemical pulps such as waste paper pulp, hardwood sulfite pulp, and coniferous sulfite pulp, or pulps produced chemically or mechanically from non-wood fibers such as kenaf, hemp, and reed may be used in appropriate combination.

[0035] The multilayer paper 10M constituting the tufted hole-forming layer 20 and the tufted hole-non-forming layer 30, and the multilayer paper 10M serving as a precursor to layers derived from the multilayer paper, desirably have a tensile strength of 50 kN / m or more in both the longitudinal and transverse directions measured in accordance with JIS P 8113 (2006). If the multilayer paper has this tensile strength, it is easy to ensure the strength required for a toothbrush.

[0036] In addition, it is desirable to add at least one of a sizing agent and a paper strength agent as a papermaking additive to the multilayer paper 10M that constitutes the hole-forming layer 20 and the hole-free layer 30, and to the multilayer paper 10M that serves as a precursor to layers derived from the multilayer paper. This makes it easy to adjust the strength to the desired level.

[0037] Examples of sizing agents include styrene-based sizing agents, alkyl ketene dimers (AKD), alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA), neutral rosin sizing agents, rosin sizing agents, modified rosin emulsion sizing agents, etc. Among these, rosin sizing agents and modified rosin emulsion sizing agents are preferred. The rosin sizing agent is not particularly limited. Examples of rosin-based substances include reinforced rosins obtained by modifying rosins such as gum rosin, wood rosin, and tall oil rosin with α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids or their anhydrides such as fumaric acid, maleic acid, and acrylic acid, and rosin esters obtained by reacting rosins with polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin, trimethylolethane, trimethylolpropane, pentaerythritol, and diglycerin. In addition, the rosin sizing agents include those obtained by emulsifying these alone or a mixture thereof, and those obtained by emulsifying these alone and then mixing them. In addition, those obtained by adding various polymers to the emulsions in order to further improve the size expression are also included.

[0038] As the paper strength enhancer, various known ones such as polyacrylamide resin, polyamide resin, polyamine resin, acrylic resin, melamine resin, urea resin, polyamide epichlorohydrin resin, etc. can be used. Among these, it is preferable to use an amphoteric paper strength enhancer. Examples of amphoteric polyacrylamides include copolymers of acrylamide with anionic monomers and cationic monomers, Mannich modified copolymers of acrylamide with anionic monomers, and Hoffman decomposition products. In particular, amphoteric polyacrylamides have a self-fixing function, so that even if they are added in an increased amount to improve the inter-paper strength, they do not become excessively cationic, and can be stably fixed by including them together with a modified rosin emulsion sizing agent.

[0039] The amount of sizing agent added is preferably 0.5 kg / t or more and 5.0 kg / t or less in terms of solids. The amount of paper strength agent added is preferably 12 kg / t or more and 30 kg / t or less in terms of solids. Note that "kg / t" indicates the mass (kg) per ton of pulp. By adding the amount of sizing agent within this range, water resistance can be improved, making the paper suitable for use as a toothbrush.

[0040] The multi-layer paper 10M may contain various other additives within the scope of the present invention, such as polyvinyl alcohol and wax.

[0041] As shown in the schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 5, it is particularly preferable that the multilayer paper 10M has surface layers 51, 51 and a middle layer 60. Compared to plastic materials, it is difficult to increase the strength of a single-layer paper material, but the multilayer paper 10M can easily achieve the same strength. In addition, the characteristics of each layer of the multilayer paper 10M can be changed, and it is easy to ensure elasticity while maintaining high density, and to impart water resistance. For example, by combining a pair of surface layers 51, which are excellent in water resistance but hard and prone to breaking, with a flexible middle layer 60, the toothbrush is excellent in water resistance, toughness, and durability. Therefore, the toothbrush is easy to improve the water resistance of the entire toothbrush, and the handle, especially the neck portion, is easy to flex, and it is easy to provide a feeling of use similar to that of a general popular product made of hard plastic. The multilayer paper can be manufactured by multi-layer papermaking. Such characteristics of the multilayer paper 10M are not lost even when the multilayer paper is compressed in the thickness direction by pressing or the like to obtain a layer derived from the multilayer paper.

[0042] The number of layers of the multilayer paper 10M is not limited, but is preferably five to nine layers, and the number of middle layers 60 is preferably three or more, particularly five layers. In particular, the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 has three middle layers 60. By having a total number of middle layers 60 of three or more, the toughness and durability of the multilayer paper can be further improved. From the viewpoint of maintaining interlayer strength, the upper limit of the total number of middle layers 60 is preferably seven or less. Furthermore, three to seven layers make it easier to operate while maintaining interlayer strength when using a cylinder net multi-cylinder type combined papermaking machine.

[0043] The basis weight of the surface layer 51 and the middle layer 60 in the multi-layer paper 10M is not particularly limited, but the basis weight of the surface layer 51 is 50.0 g / m per layer. 2 More than 200.0g / m 2 The basis weight of the entire middle layer is preferably 400 g / m 2 More than 950g / m 2 or less. Furthermore, the ratio of the total basis weight of the pair of surface layers 51, 51 to the basis weight of the entire multilayer paper is preferably 20.0% or more and 35.0% or less. The pair of surface layers have high rigidity, and the middle layer has excellent flexibility. In addition, by setting the ratio of the total basis weight of the pair of surface layers in the above range in the multilayer paper, it is possible to impart a property of being difficult to bend. The density is 0.65 to 1.00 g / cm 3 , especially 0.73 to 0.85 g / cm 3 When the density of the multi-layer paper is in this range, the paper has a high basis weight, excellent rigidity, and is less likely to break.

[0044] Moreover, in the multilayer paper 10M, it is preferable to add at least one of the above-mentioned sizing agent and paper strength agent as a papermaking additive to each of the surface layers 51, 51 and the middle layer 60. In this case, the amount of sizing agent added to the surface layer 51 is preferably 0.5 kg / t or more and 5.0 kg / t or less in solids. The amount of sizing agent added to the middle layer 60 is preferably 2.0 kg / t or more and 5.0 kg / t or less in solids. The amount of paper strength agent added to each layer is preferably 12 kg / t or more and 30 kg / t or less in solids. By setting the amount within this range, it is easy to impart various paper strengths, such as interlaminar strength, to the multilayer paper.

[0045] In addition, it is preferable that the pulp fibers constituting each layer of the multilayer paper 10M are a mixture of softwood kraft pulp and hardwood kraft pulp in the surface layer 51 and the middle layer 60. This increases the thickness of the paper and ensures sufficient strength. In addition, by setting the mass ratio (%) of the softwood kraft pulp to the hardwood kraft pulp in the surface layer to 5 / 95 or more and 20 / 80 or less, a large amount of hardwood kraft pulp, which is rigid and easy to densify, is contained, and the surface layer has high density and rigid characteristics, and is likely to have excellent strength. In addition to the surface layer, it is preferable that the mass ratio (%) of the softwood kraft pulp to the hardwood kraft pulp in the middle layer is 20 / 80 or more and 40 / 60 or less. In particular, by adding 5% or more more softwood kraft pulp, which is more flexible than the surface layer, the paper has better flexibility.

[0046] Furthermore, the Taber stiffness of the multilayer paper 10M, measured in accordance with JIS P 8125 (2000), is 125 mN·m or more in the longitudinal direction, preferably 150 mN·m or more, and 40 mN·m or more in the transverse direction, preferably 60 mN·m or more. This multilayer paper 10M has sufficient stiffness and strength, and is likely to have a similar feel to commonly available hard plastic products.

[0047] Furthermore, the multi-layer paper 10M has a Z-axis strength of 400 kN / m, measured in accordance with JAPAN TAPPI Paper and Pulp Test Method No. 18-1:2000. 2 More than 450kN / m 2 The above is desirable. The tufted hole-forming layer, the through holes in the tufted hole-forming layer, and the tufted hole non-forming layer can be easily produced by punching using a Thomson process or the like, or by cutting using a cutting plotter or the like.

[0048] The size and specific size of the toothbrush handle 10 and toothbrush 1 of this embodiment are not limited, but as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the overall length L1 can be 150-190 mm, the width L3 of the head 11 can be 9.5-15.0 mm, the thickness L4 of the handle of the head can be 3.0-6.0 mm, the length L5 of the head 11 can be 20.0-30.0 mm, the width L6 of the handle 13 can be 10.5-14.5 mm, the length L7 of the neck 12 can be 30-40 mm, and the width L8 of the neck 12 can be 4-8 mm. With this shape, the head 11 and the handle 13 are connected via the narrow neck 12, which is similar to a general hard plastic product, and the toothbrush can have the same feel when used as a general hard plastic product. In addition, the multi-layer paper or layers derived from the multi-layer paper can easily ensure sufficient strength and water resistance.

[0049] In addition, the toothbrush handle body 10 of this embodiment can be made into a toothbrush 1 by attaching a bristle bundle, which is made by bundling a plurality of filaments and folding them in half, to each bristle hole 11H by a known method using a flat wire. The thickness of the flat wire and the width of the flat wire over the bristle hole can be designed appropriately. As shown in FIG. 6, the through holes 21H in the bristle hole forming layer 20 and the diameter L9 of the bristle hole 11H in the head part 11 formed thereby are not limited, but are about 1.2 to 2.4 mm, preferably 1.3 to 1.9 mm. The number and arrangement of the bristle holes 11H in the head part 11 are not necessarily limited. However, the distance L10 from the outer edge of the head part 11 to the bristle hole 11H is not limited, but is preferably 0.7 to 1.9 mm. The interval L11 between the bristle holes is also not limited, but is preferably 0.7 to 1.9 mm. With this distance and spacing, cracks caused by driving in the flat wire are unlikely to occur, and a usability similar to that of a general-purpose product can be obtained.

[0050] The filaments of the bristle bundles 2 that are implanted in the implantation holes 11H and that constitute a part of the toothbrush are not limited. They may be artificial bristles made of resin materials such as nylon, polyester, polyolefin, etc., but from the perspective of eliminating plastics, filaments derived from natural materials such as biomass filaments derived from castor oil extracted from castor beans, natural bristles such as hog bristles and horse bristles, and paper threads made of natural fibers such as Manila hemp are preferable. When artificial bristles are implanted, lines, perforations, half slits, etc. may be provided at appropriate positions on the neck portion so that the head portion can be easily separated from the other portions and only the head portion can be disposed of separately, within a range that does not reduce the strength of the toothbrush.

[0051] The manufacturing method of the toothbrush of this embodiment is not limited, but for example, it can be preferably manufactured as follows. First, as shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of sheets of multilayer paper 10m, 10m to be the tuft hole forming layer 20 are laminated and laminated so that the depth of the tuft hole 11H is ensured, and then only the portion to be the tuft hole 11H is punched to form the through hole 21H. This lamination can be performed by pressing or adhesive processing. Next, as shown in FIG. 10, another multilayer paper 10s to be the tuft hole non-forming layer 30 is laminated on one side of the laminated multilayer paper 10m, 10m to be the tuft hole forming layer 20, and the two are further laminated. This lamination can be performed by pressing or adhesive processing. Next, the outer edge of the handle body 10 of the toothbrush is punched out to form each individual handle body 10. Note that, prior to or after this punching, a treatment for, for example, containing a siloxane compound can be performed. Furthermore, pressing can be performed simultaneously with punching. Next, once each individual handle body is obtained, tufts of bristles are implanted into the implantation holes by a known flat wire driving method to form individual toothbrushes. With this manufacturing method, multiple handle bodies 10 can be manufactured from a single multilayer paper sheet 10m, 10m, 10s, enabling industrial and stable manufacturing. EXAMPLES

[0052] Next, the bending strength of the toothbrushes according to the present invention (Examples 1 and 2) was measured and compared with that of conventional plastic toothbrushes (Comparative Examples 1 and 2).

[0053] The test method was a three-point bending load test using the secant line method in accordance with JIS K 7171. As shown in FIG. 11, the positions of the support bases 80A and 80B were set to two points sandwiching the neck portion 12, and the distance L15 between the two points was set to 70 mm. One of the support bases 80A was set to the position of the head portion 11, and the distance L16 from the tip was set to 15 mm. The load cell capacity was set to 1 kN, the pressing speed was set to 10 mm / min, the radius R1 of the indenter 81 was set to 5 mm, and the radius of the tip of each support base was set to R2 = 2 mm. The measurement sample was set with the flocked portion facing upward, and the pressing position was set to a position where the distance L17 from the tip was set to 75 mm.

[0054] The handle body according to Example 1 has a three-layer structure with one layer of tufting hole-forming layer and two layers of tufting hole-non-forming layer, and each layer is bonded with a polyvinyl alcohol adhesive. The bristles are implanted by flat-line shaping. Each layer is made of multi-layer paper with a basis weight of 1000 g / m2 containing a siloxane compound. The multi-layer paper used has a surface layer with a basis weight of 140 g / m2 and a middle layer with a total basis weight of 720 g / m2 (total of three layers). Example 2 uses the toothbrush according to Example 1 that has been immersed in water for five minutes. Comparative Example 1 is a commercially available plastic toothbrush for general household use, and Comparative Example 2 is a commercial plastic toothbrush distributed at accommodation facilities.

[0055] The results of the bending strength test are shown in Figure 12. As shown in Figure 12, it can be confirmed that the toothbrush according to the present invention, although made of multi-layer paper, is able to maintain the same bending strength as a plastic toothbrush even after being immersed in water for 5 minutes. In addition, no decrease in strength was confirmed, even though the bristles are planted by flat-wire braiding.

[0056] Therefore, according to the present invention, there is provided a plastic-free toothbrush handle which has the same feel as commonly available hard plastic products, and which can be manufactured simply by wire hammering in the same way as commonly available hard plastic products, and a toothbrush having this handle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1...toothbrush, 2...tuft of bristles, 10...handle, 10M, 10m, 10s...multilayer paper, 11...head, 11H...tufting hole, 12...neck, 13...handle, 20...tufting hole forming layer, 21...head position, 21H...through hole, 30...tufting hole non-forming layer, 51...surface layer, 60...middle layer, 80A, 80B...support, 81...indenter, L1...total length of toothbrush and toothbrush handle, L2...thickness of toothbrush handle L3...width of head, L4...thickness of head, L5...length of head, L6...width of handle, L7...length of neck, L8...width of neck, L9...diameter of tufting hole (through hole), L10...distance from outer edge of head to tufting hole, L11...spacing between tufting holes (through holes), L15...distance between supports, L16...distance from tip to support, L17...distance from tip to pushing position.

Claims

1. A toothbrush handle body having a head portion having a plurality of bristle implantation holes into which tufts of bristles are implanted, a neck portion extending from the head portion, and a handle portion extending from the neck portion, one or more tufting hole-forming layers having a plurality of through holes formed at the head portion and one or more tufting hole-non-forming layers having no through holes formed at the head portion are laminated to form a non-through tufting hole at the head portion, and the tufting hole-forming layer and the tufting hole-non-forming layer are multi-layered paper having a plurality of paper layers laminated thereon or layers derived from the multi-layered paper; A toothbrush handle characterized by the above.

2. A handle body for a toothbrush as described in claim 1, wherein the multilayer paper in which the multiple paper layers are stacked, or a layer derived from the multilayer paper, which constitutes the tuft hole forming layer and the tuft hole non-forming layer, is joined by at least one of an engaging structure that engages the layers with each other by inserting the tip portion of a cut piece formed on a part of the front and back surfaces of the handle body into at least an adjacent layer, and an adhesive.

3. 3. The toothbrush handle according to claim 1, further comprising a siloxane compound.

4. The toothbrush has a handle body including a head portion having a plurality of bristle implantation holes into which tufts of bristles are implanted, a neck portion extending from the head portion, and a handle portion extending from the neck portion, A toothbrush in which bristles are planted in the bristles planting holes by flat-line driving, The toothbrush handle is one or more tufting hole-forming layers having a plurality of through holes formed at the head portion and one or more tufting hole-non-forming layers having no through holes formed at the head portion are laminated to form a non-through tufting hole at the head portion, and the tufting hole-forming layer and the tufting hole-non-forming layer are multi-layered paper having a plurality of paper layers laminated thereon or layers derived from the multi-layered paper; A toothbrush characterized by

5. The toothbrush of claim 4, wherein the multilayer paper in which the multiple paper layers are stacked, or layers derived from the multilayer paper, which constitute the tuft hole-forming layer and the tuft hole-non-forming layer, are joined by at least one of an adhesive and an engaging structure that engages the layers with each other by inserting the tip portion of a cut piece formed on a part of the front and back surfaces of the handle body into at least an adjacent layer.

6. 6. The toothbrush according to claim 4, wherein the handle contains a siloxane compound.

7. The toothbrush according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the bristle bundle is made by bundling at least one selected from the group consisting of biomass filaments, natural bristles, and paper yarns.

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