Toothbrush

Abstract

To provide a toothbrush in which a replaceable brush part hardly comes off in brushing while maintaining the thinness of a head part of the toothbrush.SOLUTION: A brush part 4 includes a base plate 5, a bristle part 6 provided on the surface of the base plate 5, and engaging parts 7 formed on the base plate 5. The engaging parts 7 are formed in both end parts of the base plate 5 in the width direction of the toothbrush. A head part 1 of a toothbrush body 3 is provided with engaged parts 8 that are engaged with the engaging parts 7 formed in the brush part 4 at positions corresponding to the engaging parts 7 respectively. The brush part 4 can be attached to the toothbrush body 3 when the engaging parts 7 are engaged with the engaged parts 8.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a toothbrush.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below describes a toothbrush in which a brush part is detachably attached to the tip of a handle part. According to this toothbrush, when the bristles are deformed or soiled, the function as a toothbrush can be restored by replacing the brush part. In addition, since the handle part can be reused without being discarded, it contributes to waste reduction. Furthermore, since only the brush part needs to be stored for replacement, it contributes to reducing the storage space.

[0003] By the way, in this toothbrush, a protrusion is provided at the center of the back surface of the brush part, and the brush part is attached to the handle part by fitting this protrusion into the tip of the handle part.

[0004] However, with such a structure, there is a risk that the brush part may overturn and come off the handle part due to the force acting on the toothbrush during brushing (especially the force from the side of the toothbrush). In order to avoid this, a method of increasing the mounting strength by enlarging the protrusion can be considered, but in this case, the thickness of the brush part and the tip of the handle part increases, and there is a risk that the usability or functionality as a toothbrush may deteriorate.

[0005] Patent Document 2 below describes a toothbrush in which a brush part is attached to the tip of a handle part by a plurality of protrusions formed in a row at the center in the width direction. Even with this technology, it is considered that the brush part may not be able to withstand the force (overturning force) acting on the toothbrush during brushing and may overturn and come off the handle part.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0007] As a result of various studies on a structure in which a replaceable brush part is difficult to come off during brushing while maintaining the thinness of the head part of a toothbrush, the inventor has obtained the knowledge that this can be achieved by devising the attachment structure of the brush part.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above-described knowledge. The main object of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush that maintains the thinness of the head part of the toothbrush and in which a replaceable brush part is difficult to come off during brushing.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0009] The present invention can be expressed as the invention described in the following items.

[0010] (Item 1) A toothbrush having a toothbrush body having a head part and a handle part, and a brush part detachably attached to the head part, The brush part has a substrate, a hair part provided on the surface of the substrate, and an engaging part formed on the substrate, The engaging parts are respectively formed at both ends of the substrate in the width direction of the toothbrush, On the head part of the toothbrush body, engaged parts that engage with the engaging parts formed on the brush part are respectively provided at positions corresponding to the engaging parts, and the brush part can be attached to the toothbrush body by engaging the engaging parts with the engaged parts. Toothbrush.

[0011] (Item 2) The hair part is provided on the surface of the substrate at a predetermined distance from the periphery of the substrate. The engaging portion is provided so as to be continuous from the substrate within the range of the predetermined distance. The toothbrush according to Item 1.

[0012] (Item 3) The engaging portion includes two engaging pieces provided on one side in the width direction of the toothbrush and two engaging pieces provided on the other side. The engaged portion includes two engaging recesses provided on one side in the width direction of the toothbrush and two engaging recesses provided on the other side. The toothbrush according to Item 1 or 2.

[0013] (Item 4) At the positions between the two engaging recesses provided on the one side in the width direction of the toothbrush and at the positions between the two engaging recesses provided on the other side, notches into which a user's finger can be inserted are respectively formed between the head and the substrate. The toothbrush according to Item 3.

[0014] (Item 5) A through hole penetrating in the thickness direction is formed at the central portion in the width direction of the head. The toothbrush according to Item 1 or 2. [Effect of the Invention]

[0015] According to the technology of the present invention, it is possible to provide a toothbrush in which the replaceable brush part is difficult to come off while maintaining the thinness of the head part of the toothbrush. [Brief Explanation of the Drawings]

[0016]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, the toothbrush according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] (Configuration of the Toothbrush of the First Embodiment) The toothbrush of the present embodiment is composed of a toothbrush body 3 having a head 1 and a handle portion 2, and a brush portion 4 detachably attached to the head 1 (see FIGS. 1 to 3).

[0019] (Brush Portion) The brush portion 4 is composed of a substrate 5, a hair portion 6 provided on the surface of the substrate 5, and an engaging portion 7 formed on the substrate 5 (see FIG. 3).

[0020] The hair portion 6 is provided on the surface of the substrate 5 at a predetermined distance from the peripheral edge (side edge) of the substrate 5 (see FIG. 4).

[0021] The engaging portion 7 is formed at both ends of the substrate 5 in the width direction of the toothbrush. The engaging portion 7 is provided so as to be continuous from the substrate 5 within a predetermined distance (that is, the distance from the peripheral edge of the substrate 5 to the installation position of the hair portion 6) (see FIG. 4).

[0022] Specifically, the engaging portion 7 of the present embodiment is composed of two engaging pieces 71 provided on one side in the width direction of the toothbrush and two engaging pieces 72 provided on the other side (see FIG. 3).

[0023] As the substrate 5 of the present embodiment, a hard and elastically deformable material, such as a synthetic resin such as polypropylene, can be used.

[0024] As the hair portion 6 of the present embodiment, ordinary materials such as nylon and saturated polyester resin can be used.

[0025] (Toothbrush body) On the head 1 of the toothbrush body 3, engaged portions 8 that engage with the engaging portions 7 formed on the brush portion 4 are provided at positions corresponding to the engaging portions 7, respectively. Specifically, the engaged portion 8 of the present embodiment includes two engaging recesses 81 provided on one side in the width direction of the toothbrush, and two engaging recesses 82 provided on the other side (see FIG. 2).

[0026] In the toothbrush of the present embodiment, the brush portion 4 can be attached to the toothbrush body 3 by engaging the engaging portion 7 with the engaged portion 8. Specifically, on the inner surface of the engaging portion 7 and the outer surface of the engaged portion 8 of the present embodiment, mutually engaging concave and convex shapes are formed, and the two can be engaged by pushing the brush portion 4 in the direction of the toothbrush body 3.

[0027] At the positions between the two engaging recesses 81 provided on one side in the width direction of the toothbrush body 3 and the positions between the two engaging recesses 82 provided on the other side, notches 11 into which the user's finger can be inserted are formed between the head 1 and the substrate 5, respectively (see FIGS. 2 and 5).

[0028] The lower surface of the notch 11 (the lower surface in FIG. 5) is an inclined surface that gradually rises from the inside to the outside of the head 1 of the toothbrush body 3. Thereby, a gap into which the tip of the user's finger can be inserted is formed between the notch 11 and the substrate 5.

[0029] (Method of using the toothbrush of the present embodiment) When using the toothbrush of the present embodiment, similar to a conventional toothbrush, toothpaste (toothpaste or cream for brushing teeth) is applied to the bristle part 6, and brushing is performed on the teeth and gums. Here, in the toothbrush of the present embodiment, since the engaging part 7 provided on the side part of the substrate 5 of the brush part 4 is engaged with the engaged part 8 provided on the head part 1 of the toothbrush body 3, against the lateral force (tipping force) acting on the toothbrush during brushing, the brush part 4 can be continuously held by the toothbrush body 3. That is, the possibility that the brush part 4 detaches from the toothbrush body 3 during brushing can be reduced.

[0030] Also, if an attempt is made to increase the strength of the engaging part while forming the engaging part at the center of the substrate 5, the substrate 5 becomes thick because the thickness for attaching the bristle part 6 to the substrate 5 is originally required. As a result, there is a problem that the usability or functionality of the toothbrush deteriorates. In contrast, in the present embodiment, since the engaging part 7 is formed on the side of the substrate 5 (specifically, the peripheral region where the bristle part 6 is not attached), even when the strength of the engaging part 7 is increased, it is possible to keep the thickness of the substrate 5 in a relatively thin state. As a result, the usability and functionality of the toothbrush can be maintained in a good state.

[0031] When replacing the brush part 4, while inserting the tip of the user's finger into the notch part 11 of the head part 1, a force is applied so that the brush part 4 separates from the head part 1. Then, the engaging part 7 is slightly deformed by its own elasticity, and the engagement with the engaged part 8 is released. Thereby, the brush part 4 can be removed from the head part 1.

[0032] Here, in the present embodiment, since the notch part 11 is provided, there is an advantage that even when the strength of the engaging part 7 is increased, the operation of removing the brush part 4 from the head part 1 can be easily performed. Further, by increasing the strength of the engaging part 7, the possibility that the brush part 4 detaches from the toothbrush body 3 during brushing can be further reduced.

[0033] According to the toothbrush of the present embodiment, when the bristle part 6 is deformed or soiled, the function of the toothbrush can be restored by replacing the brush part 4. In addition, since the toothbrush body 3 can be reused without being discarded, it contributes to garbage reduction. Furthermore, since only the brush part 4 needs to be stored for replacement, there is also an advantage of contributing to reduction of storage space.

[0034] (Second Embodiment) Next, the configuration of the toothbrush according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. In the description of this second embodiment, components that are basically common to the toothbrush of the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals to simplify the description.

[0035] In the toothbrush of the second embodiment, through holes 12 penetrating in the thickness direction are formed at the center in the width direction of the head 1. The number of through holes 12 is three in this embodiment, but it is not limited to this, and may be one or two, or four or more. Further, in the illustrated example, the shape of the through hole 12 is square in plan view, but it may be circular.

[0036] According to the toothbrush of the second embodiment, the operation of brushing while pressing the head 1 with a finger from the back side (the upper surface side in FIG. 7) becomes easy. Here, the present inventor has found that the brushing effect can be enhanced by brushing while pressing the head 1 with a finger from the back side thereof. On the other hand, toothpaste or the like tends to adhere to the back side of the head 1, and the finger tends to slip. In this embodiment, since the toothpaste penetrates into the through holes 12, the toothpaste intervening between the finger and the head 1 can be reduced. Further, the peripheral edge of the opening of the through hole 12 serves as an anti-slip for the finger. Due to these actions, in this embodiment, when the head 1 is pressed with a finger from the back side, the finger is less likely to slip, and as a result, the brushing operation becomes easy.

[0037] Other configurations and advantages of the toothbrush in the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment described above, and thus further detailed description is omitted.

Description of Symbols

[0038] 1 Head 11 Notch 12 Through-Hole 2 Handle Part 3 Toothbrush Body 4 Brush Part 5 Substrate 6 Bristle Part 7 Engagement Part 71·72 Engagement Piece 8 Engaged Part 81·82 Engagement Recess

Claims

1. A toothbrush having a toothbrush body with a head and a handle portion, and a brush portion detachably attached to the head, wherein the brush portion has a substrate, a tuft portion provided on the surface of the substrate, and an engaging portion formed on the substrate, the engaging portion is formed at both ends of the substrate in the width direction of the toothbrush, respectively, and on the head of the toothbrush body, engaging portions that engage with the engaging portions formed on the brush portion are provided at positions corresponding to the engaging portions, respectively, and the brush portion can be attached to the toothbrush body by engaging the engaging portion with the engaging portion. Toothbrush.

2. The tuft portion is provided on the surface of the substrate at a predetermined distance from the peripheral edge of the substrate, and the engaging portion is provided so as to be continuous from the substrate within the range of the predetermined distance. The toothbrush according to claim 1.

3. The engaging portion includes two engaging pieces provided on one side in the width direction of the toothbrush and two engaging pieces provided on the other side, and the engaged portion includes two engaging recesses provided on one side in the width direction of the toothbrush and two engaging recesses provided on the other side. The toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2.

4. At positions between the two engaging recesses provided on one side in the width direction of the toothbrush and positions between the two engaging recesses provided on the other side, notches are formed between the head and the substrate into which a user's finger can be inserted, respectively. The toothbrush according to claim 3.

5. A through hole penetrating in the thickness direction is formed at the central portion in the width direction of the head. The toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2.

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