A toothbrush bundled with ultra-fine fiber yarns in units of thousands or tens of thousands of filaments

Abstract

To provide a toothbrush having a structure for improving further tooth aesthetics. 【Solution means】 The toothbrush of the present invention has a brush part in which extremely fine filaments are bundled on one surface of the head, and a handle part connected to the head. The extremely fine filaments of the brush part are densely bundled and arranged so that there is no gap between the extremely fine filaments, and the diameter of each extremely fine filament is characterized by being 0.15 mm or less and 0.05 mm or more.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a toothbrush in which ultrafine fiber filaments in units of thousands of filaments or tens of thousands of filaments, which can provide white teeth to users through toothbrushing and also suppress bad breath through tongue brushing, are bundled.

Background Art

[0002] In order to create a healthy and beautiful impression, toothbrushes are sold for maintaining clean teeth and removing pigments and dental plaque deposited on tooth surfaces. As toothbrushes for improving such tooth aesthetics, there are those with a structure in which a tooth surface polishing bag is put on the brush part of the toothbrush (see, for example, Patent Document 1), and tooth surface cleaning tools equipped with a melamine resin foam processed into a shape that enters the oral cavity (see, for example, Patent Document 2). Also known is a toothbrush (see, for example, Patent Document 3) having a fiber group unit in which a plurality of extremely thin fibers that can uniformly press on teeth and gums and kill periodontal bacteria are uniformly planted and form a group.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a toothbrush with a structure in which a tooth surface polishing bag is put on a brush part of a tooth surface polishing method, when the polishing bag is formed of a soft material, the bag may be relatively easily torn, making it difficult to adjust the strength of brushing. In a tooth surface cleaning tool provided with a melamine resin foam, there are concerns about the harm to environmental hormones caused by the melamine resin, and there may be problems especially when used in the oral cavity. Also, in a toothbrush having a fiber group unit in which a plurality of extremely thin fibers are uniformly planted to form a group, there are platinum nanoparticles with a bactericidal action in the middle of the fibers, and it does not directly improve the aesthetics such as white teeth.

[0005] Therefore, in view of the above technical problems, the present invention aims to provide a toothbrush in which ultrafine fiber threads in units of thousands or tens of thousands of filaments are bundled, having a structure for further improving the aesthetics of teeth.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In view of the above technical problems, the toothbrush of the present invention in which ultrafine fiber threads in units of thousands or tens of thousands of filaments are bundled has a brush part in which extremely fine filaments are bundled on one surface of the head, and a handle part connected to the head. The extremely fine filaments of the brush part are densely bundled and arranged so that there is no gap between the extremely fine filaments, and the diameter of each extremely fine filament is characterized by being 0.15 mm or less and 0.05 mm or more.

[0007] In the toothbrush of the present invention, since the ultra-thin filaments of the brush part are densely bundled and arranged without gaps, each ultra-thin filament can gently and continuously contact the teeth and gums to rub the tooth surface etc. of the user. Therefore, it is possible to remove the pigments and dental plaque deposited on the tooth surface. In order to obtain such characteristics, it is desirable that the diameter of each ultra-thin filament is 0.15 mm or less and 0.05 mm or more, more preferably 0.12 mm or less and 0.06 mm or more, and even more preferably 0.11 mm or less and 0.07 mm or more. Such ultra-thin filaments can be configured to be bundled and arranged in the range of, for example, 1,000 to 30,000, more preferably in the range of 2,000 to 30,000, and even more preferably in the range of 3,000 to 25,000. Since the ultra-thin filaments of the brush part are densely arranged without gaps between the ultra-thin filaments, when the brush part contacts the teeth and gums, an elastic deformation obtained by several hundred to several thousand very soft ultra-thin filaments bending simultaneously by only one can occur. Therefore, the brush part can gently and continuously contact the teeth and gums to rub the tooth surface etc. of the user.

[0008] In the toothbrush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, on the back side of the surface of the head where the ultra-thin filaments are formed, an uneven part composed of a plurality of minute unevennesses is formed. This uneven part is made of a resin piece with a hardness that can be elastically deformed and functions as a tongue brush by rubbing the surface of the tongue. The toothbrush having the uneven part on the back surface of the head, for example, the head has an insertion hole for inserting the ultra-thin filaments bundled in the brush part, and the densely gripped ultra-thin filaments are attached from the back surface side through the insertion hole, and the end of the ultra-thin filament in the insertion hole can be sealed by the uneven part.

[0009] In the toothbrush according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the ultra-fine filaments can have a tapered shape that tapers towards the tip, or the ultra-fine filaments bundled in the brush portion can be configured to adhere to or contain metal catalyst particles having an antibacterial function. In this specification, the ultra-fine fiber yarn and the ultra-fine filament are terms that can be used interchangeably with the same meaning.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a toothbrush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIGS. 1 to 3 show the toothbrush 10 of the present embodiment.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the toothbrush 10 includes a rod-shaped handle portion 12 that serves as a grip, a thin flat plate-shaped head portion 14 connected to the tip of the handle portion 12, and a brush portion 16 provided on the surface that is one surface of the head portion 14. The brush portion 16 is configured by bundling ultra-fine filaments 24 densely.

[0013] The handle portion 12 is made of a polyolefin resin such as relatively hard polypropylene, for example, and a through hole 18 used when hanging the toothbrush 10 is provided at the end opposite to the head portion 14. When holding the toothbrush 10, the toothbrush 10 is operated with the thumb or the like, and a groove portion 20 for maintaining the contact of the thumb at that time is also formed. The portion of the handle portion 12 that communicates with the head portion 14 from the vicinity of the groove portion 20 is made thinner, and its end is connected to the head portion 14.

[0014] The head portion 14 is also a portion formed integrally with the handle portion 12 by resin. Through the insertion hole 22 formed in the head portion 14, using a clamp member or the like, the ultra-thin filaments 24 that are densely held without gaps between each ultra-thin filament are attached from the back side through the insertion hole 22 of the head portion 14, and a brush portion 16 that bundles the ultra-thin filaments 24 so as to be dense is provided. As a method of providing the brush portion 16, the ultra-thin filaments 24 can be inserted into the insertion hole 22 formed in the head portion 14 while maintaining a densely bundled state using a clamp member or the like. However, the ultra-thin filaments 24 in a continuously densely bundled state can be formed on the support member, and the support member together with the ultra-thin filaments 24 can be inserted into the insertion hole 22 formed in the head portion 14 and embedded.

[0015] The ultra-thin filaments 24 constituting the brush portion 16 are fiber yarns made of a polyolefin resin such as polypropylene resin, for example. Compared with hair or the like, each one is extremely thin, and it is desirable that the diameter is 0.12 mm or less and 0.05 mm or more, more preferably 0.10 mm or less and 0.06 mm or more, and even more preferably 0.09 mm or less and 0.07 mm or more. Such ultra-thin filaments 24 are densely arranged so that there are no gaps between each ultra-thin filament, and can be configured to be arranged in the head portion 14 of one toothbrush 10 in the range of, for example, 3,000 to 30,000, and more preferably bundled and arranged in the range of 5,000 to 25,000. The ultra-thin filaments 24 constituting the brush portion 16 do not exhibit elastic resilience when alone due to their thinness. However, by bundling and adhering the ultra-thin filaments 24, the brush portion 16 as a whole exhibits elastic resilience, and can proceed with the cleaning in the oral cavity while having an appropriate elastic resilience when pressed against the teeth and gums.

[0016] The ultra-thin filaments 24 are each formed with a tapered tip at the tip side of the brush portion 16. Therefore, on the surface at the very tip side of the brush portion 16, it presents a softer touch and contacts the teeth and gums. Also, the ultra-thin filaments 24 bundled in the brush portion 16 can be made to adhere to or contain metal catalyst particles having antibacterial and anti-odor functions. For example, by mixing platinum nanoparticles or silver ion nanoparticles to produce a resin filament and using this as the ultra-thin filament 24 of the brush portion 16, it is also possible to reduce bacteria and the like sandwiched between the ultra-thin filaments 24.

[0017] The brush portion 16 is bundled in a form where the ultra-thin filaments 24 are densely packed without interruption. In this embodiment, its height is configured to be about 0.5 to 2.0 cm, preferably about 0.7 to 1.5 cm, from the upper surface of the head 14. Also, the length of the brush portion 16 in the longitudinal direction is in the range of 0.5 cm to 3.0 cm, and the length of the brush portion 16 in the width direction is in the range of 0.4 cm to 2.5 cm. Typically, the shape projected onto the plane of the brush portion 16 is rectangular, but it may also be fan-shaped, circular, or the like. Also, the size of the brush portion 16 can be made even smaller for children's or pet toothbrushes, with dimensions in the longitudinal direction in the range of 0.3 cm to 2.0 cm and in the width direction of about 0.3 cm to 1.5 cm.

[0018] On the back side of the brush part 16 formed by bundling the ultra-fine filaments 24 densely, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, uneven parts 26 are formed. The uneven parts 26 are formed of a polyolefin resin such as polypropylene that is slightly softer than the resin constituting the handle part 12 and the head part 14, and can be molded by filling the resin into the inside of the insertion hole 22 from the back side of the head part 14 in a molten state and performing die pressing. At this time, at the same time, the ultra-fine filaments 24 are also fixed by the resin forming the uneven parts 26 in the insertion hole 22. The uneven parts 26 are arranged in a matrix such that small protrusions 28 spread over, for example, the entire back surface of the head part 14. The interval between the protrusions 28 is about 0.7 mm to 1.5 mm, and one protrusion 28 is, for example, hemispherical with a diameter of about 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm. The uneven parts 26 are configured to show slight elasticity, for example, by blending with an elastomer, and are particularly effective for tongue brushing due to their softness and elasticity. For example, a fluid such as the sticky substance on the surface of the tongue can also be entangled by rubbing against the uneven parts 26 formed by arranging the protrusions 28, and bad breath can also be suppressed.

[0019] The toothbrush 10 of the present embodiment can brush teeth using toothpaste like a normal toothbrush, but it is also possible to brush teeth just by wetting the brush part 16 with water. By wetting the brush part 16 with water and brushing so as to massage the teeth and gums, a sufficient toothbrushing effect can be obtained just by rinsing with water after brushing, and the effect of scraping off dental plaque is also obtained.

[0020] The toothbrush 10 of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration has a brush part 16 in which ultra-fine filaments 24 are densely bundled. Therefore, soft brush tips can be brought into contact with each of the teeth, the back of the teeth, the gums, and the tongue, and each part in the oral cavity can be efficiently cleaned. Further, the toothbrush 10 of the present embodiment can also perform tongue brushing by rubbing the surface of the tongue with the uneven parts 26, and bad breath can also be suppressed.

Explanation of Signs

[0021] 10 Toothbrush 12 Handle part 14 Head part 16 Brush part 18 Through-hole 20 Groove portion 22 Insertion hole 24 Ultra-fine filament 26 Concavo-convex portion 28 Protrusion

Claims

1. The brush has a brush portion having ultra-fine filaments bound to one surface of the head, and a handle portion connected to the head. The toothbrush is characterized in that the ultra-fine filaments of the brush part are densely bundled so that there are no gaps between each ultra-fine filament, and the diameter of each ultra-fine filament is 0.15 mm or less and 0.05 mm or more.

2. 2. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the ultra-fine filaments are arranged in a bundle of between 1,000 and 30,000 filaments.

3. 2. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein an uneven portion consisting of a plurality of minute projections and recesses is formed on the reverse side of the surface of the head on which the ultrafine filaments are formed.

4. 4. The toothbrush according to claim 3, wherein the head portion has an insertion hole through which the bundled ultra-fine filaments of the brush portion are inserted, the ultra-fine filaments held in a dense manner are attached from the back side through the insertion hole, and the ends of the ultra-fine filaments within the insertion hole are sealed by the uneven portion.

5. 2. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein each of said ultra-fine filaments has a tapered shape.

6. 2. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the ultra-fine filaments bound in the brush portion are attached with or contain metal catalyst particles having antibacterial properties.

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