toothbrush

Abstract

To provide a toothbrush with a replaceable brush head that is easy to miniaturize and whose brush head is less likely to come off during brushing. [Solution] The toothbrush body 1 has a head 11 and a handle 12. The brush part 2 is attached to the head 11 in a detachable manner. The brush part 2 has a base plate 21, a bristle part 22 provided on one side of the base plate 21, a holding part 23 formed on the other side of the base plate 21, and a hook part 24 protruding from the base plate 21 in the longitudinal direction of the base plate 21. The holding part 23 has a pair of opposing surfaces 231 and 232 provided so as to extend from both sides in the width direction of the base plate 21 toward the other side of the base plate 21. Guide grooves 233 and 234 are formed in the pair of opposing surfaces 231 and 232 so as to house the side of the head 11 so as to be able to slide inside. The end of the hook part 24 is provided with an engaging part 241 that engages with a locking part 121 formed on one side of the handle 12.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a toothbrush.

Background Art

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 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] In this conventional toothbrush, in order to prevent the brush part from coming off during brushing, an engagement protrusion provided on the side surface of the tip of the handle part is fitted into a locking hole on the inner surface of the brush part.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the technology of Patent Document 1 described above, since an engagement protrusion is provided on the side surface of the tip of the handle part and a locking hole having a size capable of accommodating the engagement protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the brush part, there is a problem that the width of the brush part tends to be large. Since a rotational force or torsional force may be applied to the brush part during brushing, in order to prevent the brush part from falling off, an engagement protrusion of a certain size must be provided, and therefore, it becomes more difficult to miniaturize the brush part.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned findings. The main object of this invention is to provide a toothbrush in which the replaceable brush head can be easily miniaturized and the brush head is less likely to come off during brushing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This invention can be expressed as the invention described in the following items.

[0008] (Item 1) A toothbrush comprising a toothbrush body having a head and a handle, and a brush part that is detachably attached to the head, The brush portion comprises a substrate, a bristle portion provided on one side of the substrate, a holding portion formed on the other side of the substrate, and a hook portion protruding from the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the substrate. The holding portion has a pair of opposing surfaces that extend from both sides in the width direction of the substrate toward the other side of the substrate, The pair of opposing surfaces are provided with guide grooves that allow the sides of the head to be slidably housed inside, thereby enabling the brush portion to be attached to the head. The tip of the hook portion is provided with an engaging portion that engages with a locking portion formed on one side of the handle portion to prevent the substrate from coming off the handle portion. toothbrush.

[0009] (Item 2) The holding portion has a plurality of first protrusions provided on one side of the substrate and a plurality of second protrusions provided on the other side of the substrate. A gap is formed between the multiple first protrusions and between the multiple second protrusions, allowing the user's finger to be hooked into it. The toothbrush described in item 1.

[0010] (Item 3) Between the head and the substrate, a space extending from near the base end to the tip of the head is formed in a state where the brush part is attached to the head. The toothbrush according to item 1 or 2.

[0011] (Item 4) The space is formed substantially over the entire width direction of the head. The toothbrush according to item 3.

[0012] (Item 5) On the side surface of the substrate, convex or concave portions for increasing the frictional force between the user's finger and the side surface of the substrate are formed. The toothbrush according to item 1 or 2.

[0013] (Item 6) The substrate is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape. The toothbrush according to item 1 or 2.

[0014] (Item 7) On the surface of the substrate at the position between the holding portion and the hook portion, a support surface is provided that supports while abutting on the opposing surface of the head with the substrate when sliding the side portion of the head inside the guide groove. 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 can be easily miniaturized and the brush part is difficult to come off during toothbrushing.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is an exploded perspective view of the main part of a toothbrush according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a schematic perspective view of the toothbrush of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a plan view of the brush part used for the toothbrush of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a front view of the brush part in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a right side view of the brush part in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the brush part in FIG. 5, broken along the line A-A in the figure and the main part is enlarged. [Figure 7] It is a schematic end view of the brush part in FIG. 4, broken along the line B-B in the figure. [Figure 8] It is a schematic end view of the toothbrush in FIG. 2, broken along the line C-C in the figure. [Figure 9] It is an enlarged view of the main part in FIG. 7. [Figure 10] ... It is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the head part of the toothbrush body, broken along the line D-D in FIG. 1. [Figure 11] It is a plan view of the main part showing the head part of the toothbrush body. [Figure 12] It is a side view of FIG. 11.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] (Configuration of the Toothbrush of the Present Embodiment) ... Hereinafter, a toothbrush according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] The toothbrush of the present embodiment has, as basic components, a toothbrush body 1 having a head 11 and a handle part 12, and a brush part 2 detachably attached to the head 11.

[0019] (Toothbrush Body) The handle portion 12 is shaped like an elongated length for easy gripping, but only a portion of the head portion 11 side is shown in each figure. The handle portion 12 is molded from a resin material such as polypropylene, polyethylene, ABS resin, or thermoplastic elastomer. A locking portion 121 that engages with the engaging portion 241 described later is formed on one side of the handle portion 12 (the bottom side in Figure 1). In addition, a pair of bulges 122 that protrude in the left-right direction (i.e., the width direction of the handle portion 12) are formed on the left and right sides of the handle portion 12 near the end on the head portion 11 side (see Figure 11).

[0020] The head portion 11 extends from the end of the handle portion 12 (the left end in Figure 1) along the extension direction of the handle portion 12 (to the left in Figure 1), and is formed in a long, roughly lever-like or thin plate shape. More specifically, the head portion 11 extends from the other side near the end of the handle portion 12 (the top side in Figure 1) along the extension direction of the handle portion 12 (i.e., parallel to the extension direction of the handle portion 12), thereby exposing the end face 123 on the tip side of the handle portion 12.

[0021] In this embodiment, stainless steel (e.g., SUS304 or SUS316) is used as the material for the head 11. However, it is not limited to these, and other metal materials that can ensure rigidity and safety may be used, such as titanium, titanium alloys, high-strength aluminum alloys, alloy steels other than stainless steel, nickel-based alloys, and even precious metals. Alternatively, the head 11 may be constructed using a high-rigidity resin that has sufficient strength for practical purposes (e.g., a bending modulus of 1.5 Gpa or more).

[0022] On both the left and right sides of the head 11, there are left and right side portions 111 and 112 that protrude in a stepped manner in the left-right direction (width direction) (see Figures 10 to 12).

[0023] (Brush part) The brush portion 2 includes a substrate 21, a bristle portion 22 provided on one side of the substrate 21 (the bottom side in Figure 1), a holding portion 23 formed on the other side of the substrate 21 (the top side in Figure 1), and a hook portion 24 (see Figures 1 to 9) that protrudes from the substrate 21 in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 21 (to the right in Figure 1).

[0024] The substrate 21 is formed in a roughly rectangular plate shape. Protrusions 25 are formed on the left and right sides of the substrate 21 to increase the frictional force between the user's fingers and the sides of the substrate 21 (see Figures 1 to 5). It is also possible to provide an anti-slip function by forming recesses instead of protrusions 25. For the substrate 21 in this embodiment, a hard and elastically deformable material, such as a synthetic resin like polypropylene, can be used. The material of the substrate 21 can be the same as that of the handle portion 12, but it can also be made of a different material.

[0025] The bristles 22 are bundled together and fixed to the substrate 21 by anchors (not shown). The material of the bristles 22 can be any of the commonly available materials, such as polyamide (so-called nylon resin), and is not particularly restricted.

[0026] The holding portion 23 has a pair of opposing surfaces 231 and 232 that extend from both sides in the width direction of the substrate 21 toward the other side of the substrate 21 (see Figures 5 and 7). Guide grooves 233 and 234 are formed on these pair of opposing surfaces 231 and 232, which allow the sides 111 and 112 of the head portion 11 (see Figures 1 and 11) to be slidably housed inside, enabling the brush portion 2 to be attached to the head portion 11 (see Figures 5 to 9).

[0027] More specifically, the holding portion 23 of this embodiment is composed of a plurality of (specifically three) first protrusions 261, 262, and 263 provided on one side of the substrate 21, and a plurality of (specifically three) second protrusions 271, 272, and 273 provided on the other side of the substrate 21 (see Figures 1 to 9). Gaps G are formed between the plurality of first protrusions 261, 262, and 263, and between the plurality of second protrusions 271, 272, and 273, allowing the user's finger to be hooked (that is, allowing the finger to be pressed against the corner of each protrusion). In this embodiment, two gaps G are formed on both the left and right sides of the substrate 21. The guide groove 233 is formed to pass through the first protrusions 261, 262, and 263 in a straight line, and the guide groove 234 is formed to pass through the second protrusions 271, 272, and 273 in a straight line.

[0028] The hook portion 24 extends from the end face 212 of the substrate 21 toward the base end (to the right in Figure 1). In this embodiment, the hook portion 24 is integrally formed with the substrate 21, for example, by resin molding. The tip of the hook portion 24 is provided with an engaging portion 241 that engages with a locking portion 121 formed on one side of the handle portion 12 (the lower side in Figure 1) to prevent the substrate 21 from coming off the handle portion 12 (see Figures 1 to 4). The engaging portion 241 is formed to protrude toward the locking portion 121 (i.e., upward in Figure 1), and is housed within the locking portion 121 when the brush portion 2 is attached to the head 11. Furthermore, when the engaging portion 241 is housed in the locking portion 121, the hook portion 24 is housed inside the stepped portion 124 (see Figures 1 and 12) provided at the lower part of the handle portion 12, so that the lower surface of the hook portion 24 and the lower surface of the handle portion 12 are flush (see Figure 2).

[0029] The surface of the substrate 21 (upper surface in Figure 1) at the position between the holding portion 23 and the hook portion 24 is provided with a support surface 211 that contacts and supports the surface of the head portion 11 facing the substrate 21 (lower surface in Figure 1) when the sides 111 and 112 of the head portion 11 are slid into the guide grooves 233 and 234. The support surface 211 is a flat surface that extends along the insertion direction of the head portion 11.

[0030] Between the head 11 and the substrate 21, a space S (see Figure 8) is formed, extending from near the base end of the head 11 to near the tip of the head 11 when the brush portion 2 is attached to the head 11. In this embodiment, the space S is formed over almost the entire width of the head 11.

[0031] (How to use the toothbrush of this embodiment) Next, the method of using the toothbrush of this embodiment described above will be explained.

[0032] (Attaching the brush head to the toothbrush body) First, let's assume that the initial state is that the brush head 2 is not attached to the toothbrush body 1 (see Figure 1).

[0033] When using the toothbrush, the tip portion near the end (near the left end in Figure 1) of one side of the head 11 (the bottom surface in Figure 1) is brought into contact with the support surface 211 of the base plate 21, while the sides 111 and 112 of the head 11 are inserted into the guide grooves 233 and 234 and slid toward the tip (to the left in Figure 1). The sides 111 and 112 of the head 11 pass sequentially through the left and right guide grooves 233 and 234 formed in the first projections 261, 262, and 263 and the second projections 271, 272, and 273. At this time, the upper part of the engaging portion 241 of the hook portion 24 comes into contact with the lower surface of the handle portion 12 and is pushed down slightly, resulting in the plate-shaped hook portion 24 being slightly curved elastically as a whole.

[0034] Subsequently, the end face 212 of the substrate 21 (see Figures 1 and 4) comes into contact with the end face 123 of the handle portion 12 (see Figure 12) (see Figure 2). In this state, the tip of the head 11 reaches a position near the tip of the substrate 21. This completes the process of inserting the head 11 into the holding portion 23 of the brush portion 2.

[0035] Furthermore, at this time, the engaging portion 241 of the hook portion 24 reaches the locking portion 121 of the handle portion 12 and becomes housed inside the locking portion 121 (see Figure 2). As a result, the curved state of the hook portion 24 is eliminated and the hook portion 24 returns to a flat state, and the engaging portion 241 engages with the locking portion 121. As a result, the brush portion 2 is less likely to come off the head portion 11 even while brushing teeth. In particular, in this embodiment, the holding portion 23 is formed on the upper side of the base plate 21 to hold the head portion 11, and the engaging portion 241 of the hook portion 24 engages with the locking portion 121 on the lower side of the handle portion 12, which can resist the force acting on the brush portion 2 during brushing teeth and reliably prevent the brush portion 2 from coming off while brushing teeth.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lower surface of the head 11 is brought into contact with the support surface 211 of the substrate 21, while the sides 111 and 112 of the head 11 are inserted into the guide grooves 233 and 234. This stabilizes the position of the sides 111 and 112 of the head 11. This also has the advantage of making it easier to insert the sides 111 and 112 of the head 11 into the guide grooves 233 and 234.

[0037] With the brush head 2 attached to the toothbrush body 1, the user can use the toothbrush as usual. That is, they can apply toothpaste to the bristles 22 and brush their teeth.

[0038] According to this embodiment of the toothbrush, there is no need to use engaging protrusions that protrude in the width direction of the brush portion 2, making it easier to miniaturize the replaceable brush portion 2. Moreover, as mentioned above, it also has the advantage that the brush portion 2 is less likely to come off during brushing.

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the brush portion 2 is attached to the toothbrush body 1, the lower surface of the hook portion 24 and the lower surface of the handle portion 12 are flush, making it less likely for force to be applied to the hook portion 24 during brushing, and thus preventing the brush portion 2 from falling off.

[0040] (Removal of the brush head from the toothbrush body and replacement of the brush head) Next, the operation of removing the brush part 2 from the toothbrush body 1 will be described. The user places their fingertips firmly on both the left and right sides of the base plate 21, pinching (i.e., grasping) the base plate 21 with their fingertips, and in this state pulls the base plate 21 toward the tip of the head 11. This disengages the engagement part 241 and the locking part 121, allowing the brush part 2 to be pulled out and removed from the toothbrush body 1. At this time, the sides 111 and 112 of the head 11 can be removed in the opposite direction from when they were attached by passing through the guide grooves 233 and 234.

[0041] In this embodiment, gaps G are formed between the first protrusions 261, 262, and 263, and between the second protrusions 271, 272, and 273 (see Figures 3 and 4). This allows the fingertips to be inserted into the gaps G while making contact with the corners of the first protrusions 261, 262, and 263 and the second protrusions 271, 272, and 273. In other words, the fingertips can be hooked into the gaps G. As a result, the fingertips are less likely to slip against the substrate 21, and a tensile force can be reliably applied to the substrate 21.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since protrusions 25 are formed on the side surface of the substrate 21, these also help to suppress fingertip slippage on the substrate 21, allowing for a more reliable application of tensile force to the substrate 21 and enabling the brush portion 2 to be removed from the toothbrush body 1.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, bulges 122 that protrude laterally are formed on both the left and right sides near the end of the handle portion 12 on the head portion 11 side. As a result, the user can grasp both sides of the substrate 21 with the fingertips of one hand, while simultaneously contacting these left and right bulges 122 with the fingertips of the other hand to grasp the sides of the handle portion 12. This also suppresses slippage of the fingertips against the handle portion 12, thereby ensuring that the handle portion 12 is securely supported or held, and making it easier to remove the brush portion 2 from the toothbrush body 1.

[0044] According to this embodiment of the toothbrush, if the bristles 22 become deformed or dirty, the toothbrush can be restored to its function by replacing the brush head 2. Furthermore, since the toothbrush body 1 can be reused without being discarded, it contributes to waste reduction. In addition, since only the brush head 2 needs to be stored for replacement, it also has the advantage of reducing storage space.

[0045] To reattach the brush head 2 to the toothbrush body 1, simply follow the same procedure as described above. Therefore, with this toothbrush embodiment, the brush head 2 can be easily replaced.

[0046] In this embodiment, when the brush portion 2 is attached to the toothbrush body 1, a space S is formed between the head 11 and the base plate 21, extending from near the base end of the head 11 to the tip of the head 11, which has the following advantages. That is, as the number of times the toothbrush is used increases, it is conceivable that some of the toothpaste will remain and solidify on the lower surface of the head 11 (the surface that should face the base plate 21). In this case, if this space S were not present, the sliding resistance between the head 11 and the base plate 21 would increase, requiring force to attach the brush portion 2. In contrast, according to this embodiment, since the space S is provided as described above, the increase in sliding resistance between the head 11 and the base plate 21 can be suppressed, and the attachment of the brush portion 2 becomes easier. This effect can be improved by forming the space S over almost the entire width of the head 11.

[0047] Furthermore, the upper surface of the substrate 21 may bulge upward to allow the bristles 22 to be pressed into and fixed to the substrate 21. In this case as well, according to this embodiment, since a space S is formed, interference between the upper surface of the substrate 21 and the lower surface of the head 11 can be prevented, which has the advantage of making it easier to attach the brush part 2.

[0048] The above-described embodiments are merely examples and do not represent configurations essential to the present invention. The configuration of each part is not limited to those described above, as long as it can achieve the spirit of the present invention.

[0049] For example, in the embodiment described above, the number of first and second protrusions was set to three each, but they may be two each, or four or more. The number of first protrusions and the number of second protrusions may be different. If the gap G is omitted, the number of first and second protrusions may be set to one each. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1. Toothbrush body 11 Head 111·112 Side of the head 12 Handle part 121 Locking part 122 Bulge 123 End face of handle 2. Brush section 21 circuit boards 211 Support surface 212 Edge of the substrate 22 Hair part 23 Holding part 231・232 Opposing surfaces 233・234 Guide groove 24 Hook section 241 Engagement part 25 Convex part 261·262·263 1st protrusion 271·272·273 2nd protrusion

Claims

1. A toothbrush comprising a toothbrush body having a head and a handle, and a brush part that is detachably attached to the head, The brush portion comprises a substrate, a bristle portion provided on one side of the substrate, a holding portion formed on the other side of the substrate, and a hook portion protruding from the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the substrate. The holding portion has a pair of opposing surfaces that extend from both sides in the width direction of the substrate toward the other side of the substrate, The pair of opposing surfaces are provided with guide grooves that allow the sides of the head to be slidably housed inside, thereby enabling the brush portion to be attached to the head. The tip of the hook portion is provided with an engaging portion that engages with a locking portion formed on one side of the handle portion to prevent the substrate from coming off the handle portion. toothbrush.

2. The holding portion has a plurality of first protrusions provided on one side of the substrate and a plurality of second protrusions provided on the other side of the substrate. A gap is formed between the multiple first protrusions and between the multiple second protrusions, allowing the user's finger to be hooked into it. The toothbrush according to claim 1.

3. Between the head and the substrate, a space is formed that extends from near the base end of the head to the tip of the head when the brush portion is attached to the head. The toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The aforementioned space is formed over substantially the entire width of the head. The toothbrush according to claim 3.

5. The side surface of the substrate is formed with protrusions or recesses that increase the frictional force between the user's finger and the side surface of the substrate. The toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The substrate is formed in the shape of a substantially rectangular plate. The toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The surface of the substrate at the position between the holding portion and the hook portion is provided with a support surface that supports the head portion while contacting the surface of the head portion facing the substrate when the side portion of the head portion slides inside the guide groove. The toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2.

Images