Toothbrush having antibacterial-treated part

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a toothbrush having an antibacterial head part. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the toothbrush having an antibacterial-treated part is provided, the toothbrush comprising: a head part including toothbrush bristles; and a handle part connected from the head part so as to be holdable by a user, wherein at least a portion of the head part in which the toothbrush bristles are inserted into the head part and the handle part has an antibacterial alloy layer or contains an antibacterial alloy.

Description

Toothbrush with antibacterial treatment

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a toothbrush having an antibacterial treatment portion.

[0002]

[0003] In an era where health and hygiene are paramount, toothbrush technology has also undergone significant technological advancements. Toothbrushes are used to brush and cleanse the teeth and mouth after meals, and moisture and food residue can cause bacteria to thrive on them. Therefore, antibacterial toothbrushes and toothbrush sterilizers have been developed and are now available. While toothbrush sterilizers are cumbersome to use after each brushing, most antibacterial toothbrushes focus on the antibacterial properties of the bristles.

[0004]

[0005] However, the area on a toothbrush that is most prone to contamination and bacterial growth is the area between the bristles, where the bristles are planted. This area is densely packed with bristles, making it difficult for food particles to be washed away. Therefore, suppressing bacteria at the bristles' planted area is the key to keeping your toothbrush clean. Furthermore, suppressing bacteria in this area, where the bristles are inserted into the mouth, helps reduce oral bacteria and significantly prevents bad breath and periodontitis.

[0006]

[0007] An embodiment of the present invention provides a toothbrush having improved antibacterial performance at the boundary of the head portion where toothbrush bristles are planted and / or at the toothbrush handle.

[0008] And, an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush that can suppress bacterial growth in the oral cavity, thereby reducing bad breath and preventing periodontitis.

[0009]

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a toothbrush is provided, which comprises a head portion including toothbrush bristles; and a handle portion connected to the head portion and grippable by a user; wherein an antibacterial alloy layer is formed on at least a portion of the head portion on which the toothbrush bristles are planted and the handle portion, or an antibacterial alloy is contained therein.

[0011] The above antibacterial alloy layer or the above antibacterial alloy can be formed by selecting from among a copper alloy, an alloy of copper and tin, an alloy of copper and zinc, a silver alloy, silver nano, silver ions, a titanium alloy, and an alloy obtained by depositing or coating an organic material for making brassware on a thin stainless steel plate.

[0012] The above antibacterial alloy layer may be in the form of a thin plate or film.

[0013] The above antibacterial alloy can be deposited or coated on at least a portion of the head portion and the handle portion in the form of nanoparticles or fine powder.

[0014] The antibacterial alloy may be formed on the entirety of the head portion or on the entirety or at least a portion of the upper portion.

[0015] The above antibacterial alloy may be formed into nano-powder or fine powder and contained within the entirety or part of the handle portion.

[0016]

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the antibacterial performance can be improved at the boundary of the head portion where the toothbrush bristles are planted and / or at the toothbrush handle.

[0018] And, according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to suppress bacterial growth in the oral cavity, thereby reducing bad breath and preventing periodontitis.

[0019]

[0020] Figure 1 is a drawing showing a toothbrush having an antibacterial head according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 is a drawing showing the configuration of an antibacterial head according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 is a drawing showing a toothbrush having an antibacterial head according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 is a drawing showing the configuration of an antibacterial head according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing that an antibacterial alloy is contained in the head and handle of a toothbrush according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0025]

[0026] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following detailed description is provided to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the methods, devices, and / or systems described herein. However, these are merely examples, and the disclosed embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0027] In describing the embodiments, if it is determined that a specific description of related known technology may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the disclosed embodiments, the detailed description will be omitted. In addition, the terms described below are terms defined in consideration of their functions in the disclosed embodiments, and this may vary depending on the intention or custom of the user or operator. Therefore, the definitions should be made based on the contents throughout this specification. The terminology used in the detailed description is only for the purpose of describing the embodiments and should not be limited in any way. Unless clearly used otherwise, the singular form includes the plural form. In this description, expressions such as "comprises" or "having" are intended to indicate certain features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts or combinations thereof, and should not be construed to exclude the presence or possibility of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts or combinations thereof other than those described.

[0028]

[0029] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a toothbrush having an antibacterial head according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a drawing showing the configuration of an antibacterial head according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 1, a toothbrush (10) having an antibacterial head according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a head portion (100) including toothbrush bristles (115) and a handle portion (200) connected to the head portion (100) to provide a space for a user to grip.

[0031]

[0032] For toothbrush bristles (115), the strength and elasticity can be affected by the thickness and length of the bristles. If the strength of the toothbrush bristles (115) is too strong, it may injure the user's gums and cause tooth wear. On the other hand, if the strength of the toothbrush bristles (115) is too weak, the removal of foreign substances present between teeth during tooth brushing may not be efficient. Therefore, it is desirable to form toothbrush bristles (115) with appropriate strength and elasticity that can protect the user's gums, minimize tooth wear, and contribute to the efficient removal of foreign substances during tooth brushing.

[0033]

[0034] The toothbrush bristles (115) can be formed of a synthetic resin composed of one or a combination of two or more of polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide, polyurethane, acrylonitrile, silicone, and nylon.

[0035]

[0036] The edge of the head portion (100) on which the toothbrush bristles (115) are planted may be rounded, and since there are no corners, the impact between the head portion (100) and the gums that may occur during brushing can be alleviated.

[0037] The head portion (100) and the handle portion (200) may be connected to each other and formed as an integral part. The head portion (100) and the handle portion (200) may be formed as an integral part and may be made of the same material or may be reinforced with silicone or the like to stably hold the handle or for an angle. The head portion (100) may be bent to form a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the handle portion (200). In this way, by being bent to form a predetermined angle, the head portion (100) enables easy brushing of teeth up to the molars located deep in the oral cavity, and the toothbrush bristles (115) may efficiently contact the tooth surface, which may be advantageous for brushing teeth up to the gum line.

[0038]

[0039] An antibacterial alloy layer (111) may be formed on the upper portion (110) of the head portion (100) where toothbrush bristles are planted to suppress bacteria occurring at the boundary between the toothbrush bristles (115) and the head portion (100). As illustrated in FIG. 2, the toothbrush bristles (115) are planted while the antibacterial alloy layer (111) is formed on the upper portion (110) of the head portion (100), thereby suppressing bacteria from occurring at the boundary between the toothbrush bristles (115) and the head portion (100), which is difficult to clean.

[0040]

[0041] The antibacterial alloy layer (111) may be a copper alloy, an alloy of copper and tin, an alloy of copper and zinc, a silver alloy, silver nano, silver ions, a titanium alloy, or an organic material used to make brassware on stainless steel, coated or deposited. A representative example of such an alloy may be an organic material used for making brassware, etc., and since organic material has a strong antibacterial effect, it can be used to perform antibacterial action on the toothbrush (10). In FIGS. 1 and 2, the antibacterial alloy layer (111) is shown as being formed on the entire upper part (110), but it is not limited thereto, and if necessary, it may be formed on a part of the upper part (110) limited to a part that particularly requires antibacterial action. In addition, the antibacterial alloy may be nano- or finely powdered and included in the injection material so that it is contained in the entirety or part of the handle part (200) when the handle part (200) is injected.

[0042]

[0043] Various methods can be used to form the antibacterial alloy layer (111) on the upper part (110) of the head part (100). For example, the antibacterial alloy layer (111) can be formed in the form of a thin plate or film, and the antibacterial alloy layer (111) can be injected onto the upper part (110) of the head part (100) of a toothbrush (10) manufactured through injection molding, or can be bonded by a pressurizing or bonding method. Alternatively, in order to form the antibacterial alloy layer (111), the alloy described above can be formed into nanoparticles, mixed into an organic solvent to form a nano organic solvent, and the nano organic solvent can be deposited or coated on the entirety of the head part (100) or the entirety or part of the upper part (110) of the toothbrush (10), and then the organic solvent can be evaporated to form a coating layer composed of nanoparticles. Alternatively, as described above, the antibacterial alloy may be nano- or micro-powdered and injected together with the handle portion (200) during injection molding so that it is contained in all or part of the handle portion (200). The nanoparticles may be nanoparticles of a copper alloy, nanoparticles of an alloy of copper and tin, or nanoparticles of an alloy of copper and zinc, nanoparticles of an alloy containing silver, silver nanoparticles, nanoparticles containing silver ions, titanium alloy nanoparticles, or nanoparticles containing organic compounds in stainless steel.

[0044]

[0045] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a toothbrush having an antibacterial head according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the configuration of an antibacterial head according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0046]

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, in this embodiment, unlike the previous embodiment, an antibacterial alloy layer (111') can be formed not only on the upper portion (110) of the head portion (100), but also on both the side and lower portion of the head portion (100). In particular, in this embodiment, it is preferable to use a method of depositing or coating a nano organic solvent to form the antibacterial alloy layer (111') on the entire head portion (100).

[0048]

[0049] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing that an antibacterial alloy is contained in the head portion (100) and the handle portion (200) of a toothbrush (10) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 5, an antibacterial alloy (210) may be contained in a nano- or micro-powdered form in the head portion (100) and the handle portion (200) of the toothbrush (10). However, since the size of the antibacterial alloy (210) is microscopic, it may not be visible from the outside. In the case where the entire head portion (100) and the handle portion (200) of the toothbrush (10) are manufactured at once through injection molding, if the nano- or micro-powdered antibacterial alloy (210) is dispersed in a raw material for injection molding (e.g., plastic) and then injected, the antibacterial alloy (210) may be distributed throughout the head portion (100) and the handle portion (200).

[0051]

[0052] If the head part (100) and the handle part (200) are injected separately and then combined, the amount of antibacterial alloy (210) added to the injection raw material can be controlled so that the antibacterial alloy (210) is included in one or both of the head part (100) and the handle part (200).

[0053]

[0054] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the antibacterial alloy layer suppresses the growth of bacteria at the border of the toothbrush head where the bristles are planted, thereby enabling hygienic management of the toothbrush. This prevents bacterial growth during brushing, thereby reducing bad breath and preventing periodontitis. Furthermore, the handle also contains an antibacterial alloy, thereby suppressing the growth of bacteria on the user's hands.

[0055]

[0056] Although representative embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined not only by the claims described below but also by equivalents thereof.

[0057]

[0058] [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 10: Toothbrush

[0060] 100: Head

[0061] 110: Upper part of the head

[0062] 111: Antibacterial alloy layer

[0063] 115: Toothbrush bristles

[0064] 200: Handle

[0065] 210: Antibacterial alloy

Claims

1. A head portion including toothbrush bristles; and It includes a handle part that is connected to the head part and can be gripped by the user; A toothbrush having an antibacterial treatment portion, wherein an antibacterial alloy layer is formed on at least a portion of the head portion on which the toothbrush bristles are planted and the handle portion, or wherein an antibacterial alloy is contained.

2. In claim 1, A toothbrush having an antibacterial treatment portion, wherein the antibacterial alloy layer or the antibacterial alloy is formed by selecting from among a copper alloy, an alloy of copper and tin, an alloy of copper and zinc, a silver alloy, silver nano, silver ions, a titanium alloy, and an alloy obtained by depositing or coating an organic material for making brassware on a thin stainless steel plate.

3. In claim 1, A toothbrush having an antibacterial treatment portion, wherein the antibacterial alloy layer is in the form of a thin plate or film.

4. In claim 1, A toothbrush having an antibacterial treatment portion, wherein the antibacterial alloy is deposited or coated in the form of nanoparticles or micropowder on at least a portion of the head portion and the handle portion.

5. In claim 1, A toothbrush having an antibacterial treatment portion, wherein the antibacterial alloy is formed on the entirety of the head portion or the entirety or at least a portion of the upper portion.

6. In claim 1, A toothbrush having an antibacterial treatment portion, wherein the antibacterial alloy is formed as a nano- or fine powder and contained within the entirety or part of the head portion and the handle portion.

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