• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    DENTAL BRUSH A toothbrush in which longitudinally between its neck region and the handle handle is a wavy region of transversal extensions integrally connected by folds with cavities between the extensions, to cavities containing a thermoplastic elastomer material glued to the plastic material of said extensions with a Shore A hardness of 60-70. Structures and specific dimensions of extensions and folds are exposed.
    公开号:BR112013022165B1
    申请号:R112013022165-8
    申请日:2012-03-07
    公开日:2021-01-19
    发明作者:Hans Kraemer
    申请人:Glaxosmithkline Consumer Healthcare Gmbh & Co. Kg；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    [001] This invention relates to toothbrushes, in particular to toothbrushes having a flexible region on their handle.
    [002] Toothbrushes generally comprise a head and a handle handle arranged to define a longitudinal toothbrush direction (not necessarily a straight line) between them, with a neck region longitudinally between the handle handle and the head. Typically, toothbrush heads and handles are made of a hard plastic material such as polypropylene. Tooth cleaning elements, such as bristles, for example, typically nylon filaments, are mounted on the head and project in a transverse direction in relation to this longitudinal direction from the head.
    [003] It is known to provide toothbrushes with a resiliently flexible region in their structure to absorb excessive brushing pressures during use and, therefore, reduce the likelihood of damage to teeth and soft oral tissues, such as the gums, which results from excessive pressure. US-A-5.054.154 exposes a toothbrush with an elastic segment between its handle and its head, in the form of cutouts across the width through the toothbrush containing an elastic rubberized material. Another known form of such a flexible region is that exposed in EP-A-0 336 641A being in the form of a wavy S-shaped region longitudinally between the head and the cable, comprising extensions that extend in the transverse direction and integrally connected by folds with cavities between the extensions, and preferably made more rigid by means of a longitudinal rib through the folds. A modification of such a region of extensions and folds is exposed in WO-A-01/43580, in which there is a thermoplastic elastomer material in the folds between the extensions, and in which the flexibility can be controlled by a longitudinally movable cursor that intercepts the extensions.
    [004] Since these toothbrushes from previous publications were marketed by the present depositor under the trademarks AQUAFRESHTM and DrBESTTM incorporating such a wavy region and trying to optimize flexibility. The solution adopted in such commercial modalities always has the incorporation of a longitudinal rib, as described in EP-A-0 336 641. Such toothbrushes have also been marketed, additionally incorporating a flexible connection between the toothbrush head and the neck region of the tooth. toothbrush, or positioned in the neck region of the toothbrush itself. Such toothbrushes are disclosed, for example, in WO-A-98/37788.
    [005] The incorporation of parts of elastomer material in the toothbrush heads and handles to modify flexibility and for other purposes is also known. For example, WO-A-96/28993 exposes a wavy S-shaped region longitudinally penetrated by a core of elastomer material. WO-A-97/25899 exposes elastomer segments on the toothbrush head to modify flexibility and on the handle to improve grip and for aesthetic purposes. WO-A-98/05241 exposes elastomer-filled grooves in the toothbrush head to modify flexibility. EP-A-1350442 exposes a toothbrush head made flexible by means of an elastomer-containing joint. The US-D-450928 S exposes a toothbrush handle with a wavy S-shaped region.
    [006] A problem has been found with toothbrushes that incorporate such a wavy region, especially such toothbrushes that also include the aforementioned flexible connection between the toothbrush head and the toothbrush neck region. The problem is that, with the region of the anterior waviness that incorporates the longitudinal rib, the tension suffered by the toothbrush during tooth brushing is not optimally distributed and the toothbrush is incident to break during use. In toothbrushes that also include a flexible connection between the toothbrush head and the neck region of the toothbrush, it has been found that the wavy regions of extensions and folds can be so rigid that the flexible connection between the toothbrush head and the neck region can be subjected to excessive tension during use, resulting in breakage and reduced service life. It is an objective of the present invention to address these problems. Other objectives and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.
    [007] In accordance with this invention, a toothbrush is provided, comprising a head and a handle, integrally made of a plastic material and arranged along a longitudinal head-handle direction, with a neck region between the handle handle and the head, with bristles protruding from the head in a transverse direction in relation to this longitudinal direction, the toothbrush having a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction, in which longitudinally between the region of The neck and the handle are in a wavy region, comprising extensions extending in the transverse direction and integrally connected by folds with cavities longitudinally between the extensions, the cavities between the extensions having a direction of transverse depth and containing a thermoplastic elastomer material bonded to the plastic material of said extensions, in which the thermoplastic elastomer material has a Shor hardness and A of 60-70.
    [008] It is inventively found that the use of such a thermoplastic elastomer material optimizes the resilient flexibility of the wavy region, especially in the proportions referred to here.
    [009] Preferably there are four such extensions.
    [0010] Preferably, the thermoplastic elastomer material occupies at least 60% of the depth "D" and at least 60% of the width of at least one, preferably each, cavity, more preferably 75-90% of the depth "D" and 75 -90% of the width. Preferably, the thermoplastic elastomer material occupies at least 60% of the volume of at least one, preferably each, well, more preferably 65-80%.
    [0011] The term "transverse", when used here, includes perpendicular, and refers to a direction at an angle between 45 ° and 90 ° with respect to the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the transverse directions, that is, the direction of a plane at mid-distance between longitudinally opposite surfaces of the extension, of longitudinally adjacent pairs of extensions, are aligned at an angle of 0-15 ° to each other.
    [0012] Preferably, each of the four extensions has a longitudinal thickness "J" of 1.2-2.2 mm, and a length "L" extending transversely from 9 to 13 mm between the transverse opposite folds, and a width "W" of 9-14 mm in the width direction, the four extensions defining longitudinally between longitudinally adjacent pairs of extensions three cavities each with a transverse depth "D" of 6-11 mm, a longitudinal width "B" of 1- 2 mm for at least 60% of the lowest depth of the cavity, each cavity containing Shore A 60-70 hardness thermoplastic elastomer material bonded or glued to the plastic material of the extensions between which the cavity is located.
    [0013] It is inventively found that such alignments, dimensions and proportions optimize the resilient flexibility of the wavy region, without any need for a rib that extends longitudinally penetrating the extensions to modify the flexibility of the wavy region. Thus, in a preferred embodiment of this invention, the wavy region does not include a rib extending longitudinally. Such flexibility optimization is in relation to the toothbrush's ability to resiliently absorb excessive brushing pressures, while also being economically rigid and providing the user with a sense of "feedback" through the handle during use.
    [0014] Typically, the toothbrush of this invention has a length of 190-200 mm from the extreme longitudinal end of its handle to the extreme opposite longitudinal end of its head.
    [0015] Typically the head is 33-35 mm in length from the point where the neck region begins to widen in width to form the head towards the end of the head longitudinally further from the handle handle.
    [0016] Typically the handle cable has a length of 105-115 mm from the longitudinal end of the handle cable the most remote from the head to the beginning of the wavy region.
    [0017] Typically, the wavy region has a total length of 15-20 mm.
    [0018] Typically, the neck region is 3040 mm long from the end of the wavy region closest to the head to the point where the neck region begins to widen in width to form the head. Typically, the neck region may have a thickness in the transverse direction of 5.5-3.5 mm, and typically the thickness may become thinner, decreasing in the direction towards the toothbrush head. The cross section of the neck region can be of any convenient or conventional shape, for example, semicircular, rectangular (optionally with rounded corners). The neck region can incorporate longitudinal flow channels to allow elastomer injected at adjacent points of the cable during an injection molding manufacturing process to flow along the neck towards the head, or vice versa.
    [0019] Preferably, the transverse directions of longitudinally adjacent pairs of extensions are aligned at an angle of 710 ° to each other. The transverse directions can be parallel to each other.
    [0020] Preferably, when viewed in the longitudinal direction, the extensions may have a generally rectangular shape (the term includes square), preferably with rounded corners.
    [0021] In a preferred embodiment, the longitudinal thickness "J" of the extensions is 1.5-2.0 mm.
    [0022] In another preferred embodiment, the length extending transversely "L" of the extensions is 9-12 mm between the ends of transversely opposite folds.
    [0023] In another preferred embodiment, the "W" width of the extensions is 9-12 mm in the width direction. Appropriately, the width W of the extensions decreases towards the toothbrush head. For example, the two extensions closest to the toothbrush handle can be substantially the same width "W", and the two extensions closest to the head may be progressively less wide. Such narrowing of the width can improve the flexibility of the wavy region by concentrating flexibility at the end of the wavy region closest to the toothbrush head, in which pressure is applied during tooth brushing.
    [0024] In another preferred embodiment, the depth "D" of the cavities is 6-11 mm. For example, the three cavities can vary in depth, with the longitudinal center of the three cavities being the deepest.
    [0025] In another preferred embodiment, the longitudinal width "B" of the cavities tapers, narrowing towards the bottom of the cavity, and being 1 - 1.5 mm to at least 60% of the cavity depth.
    [0026] In a preferred embodiment, the folds are in the form of an arc of a circle with an external radius of curvature defining the fold end of 2.0-2.5 mm, more preferably 2.25-2.35 mm . In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the folds in the radial direction is 1.5-2.0 mm. It was found that such a radius of curvature and thickness of the folds can optimize the flexibility of the wavy region, while reducing the tendency of the wavy region to break during use.
    [0027] In a preferred embodiment, at each longitudinal end of the wavy region there is an end cavity in the plastic material, connected on one longitudinal side by an adjacent extension and on the other longitudinal side by an adjacent surface of the handle or head, these end cavities also containing the thermoplastic elastomer material of Shore A 60-70 hardness and glued to the plastic material.
    [0028] Such an end cavity can act as a force-absorbing buffer between the neck region at one longitudinal end of the wavy region, and the handle handle, at the other. Preferably, such end cavities can have a transverse depth "E" of 5-7 mm, a longitudinal width "B" of 1-2 mm for at least 60% of the lowest depth of the cavity. Preferably, the thermoplastic elastomer material occupies at least 60% of the transverse depth "D" and at least 60% of the width of each cavity.
    [0029] The neck region is preferably flattened in the transverse direction. Typically, the neck region has a thickness "TN" in the transverse direction of 3.5-4.5 mm, for example, about 4.0 mm. Typically, the neck region has a width in the range of 5-10 mm, and typically the neck tapers, narrowing towards the head, for example, by about 9.5 mm wide at its end closest to the wavy region and about 6.0 mm at the point where the neck region begins to widen in width to form the head. Various cross-sectional shapes, when cut through the longitudinal direction, can be used for the neck region, for example, rectangular, trapezoidal, semicircular, or such aforementioned shapes cut by molding channels that extend longitudinally for the fluid flow of elastomer material during an injection molding process, in which thermoplastic elastomer is injected to form spaced parts of the toothbrush's thermoplastic elastomer.
    [0030] In a preferred embodiment, the toothbrush of the invention also includes a flexible connection located longitudinally between the corrugated region and the toothbrush head.
    [0031] Preferably, such a flexible connection is located in the neck region thus dividing the neck region into two longitudinally separated parts, one on each longitudinal side of the flexible connection, a first part being closer to the handle handle and a second part closest to the head. The relative longitudinal proportions of the first part: the second part may appropriately be in the range of 8.5 - 8.0: 1. Such proportions have been found to optimize the distribution of forces between the flexible wavy region and the flexible connection.
    [0032] Appropriately, such a flexible connection comprises a tapered part, integral with the neck region, which is tapered transversely and / or by width in relation to the longitudinally immediately adjacent parts of the neck region or in relation to the longitudinally immediately adjacent parts of the toothbrush neck and head region.
    [0033] Alternatively, such a flexible connection can be located between the neck region and the toothbrush head. Suitably such a flexible connection comprises a part, integral with the toothbrush head and neck region, which is tapered transversely and / or by width in relation to the immediately adjacent longitudinal parts of the toothbrush head and neck region.
    [0034] Preferably, the tapered part is in the form of a spine that extends longitudinally of plastic material having a longitudinal dimension of 1-2 mm, a dimension by the width of 2-3 mm, and a transverse dimension of 1.5- 2.5 mm. Appropriately, the cross section of such a spine cut through its longitudinal direction is circular or oval.
    [0035] In a preferred embodiment, such a spine is surrounded around all of its surfaces turned transversely and sideways by a thermoplastic elastomer material, suitably having a spherical shape, suitably with a spherical diameter of 6-7 mm. Suitably, such a thermoplastic material can be the same thermoplastic elastomer material that is located in the cavities, so that the same thermoplastic elastomer material can be used everywhere. This can be achieved by providing one or more flow channels in the plastic material of the toothbrush, through which the thermoplastic elastomer material injected into an injection orifice in an injection mold enclosing the plastic material part of the toothbrush can flow. from one location to another. The use of such flow channels to transport thermoplastic elastomer from one location on the toothbrush to another during manufacture is conventional in the toothbrushing technique. Alternatively, multiple injection points can be used to inject the thermoplastic elastomer material into separate positions on the toothbrush.
    [0036] In a preferred embodiment, the end of such a flexible connection closest to the wavy region is positioned within 30 mm from the end of the wavy region closest to the wavy region.
    [0037] When the toothbrush of this invention includes such a flexible connection, it is preferred that the part of the neck region between the flexible connection and the corrugated region (here the "first part") is constructed in such a way that, under the forces found during tooth brushing, this first part remains rigid in relation to the flexibility of the flexible connection and the wavy region. For example, this can be provided by a first part having a transverse thickness of at least 3.5 mm, preferably at least 4 mm, and a transverse width of at least 5 mm, preferably at least 5.5 mm. Such a construction helps to transmit force from the toothbrush head to the corrugated region during use, so that the corrugated region can absorb much of the brushing forces of the teeth and protect the flexible bond, when present, from such forces thus reducing the probability of breaking the flexible link.
    [0038] It has been found that the aforementioned dimensions and construction can provide a toothbrush in which flexibility during tooth brushing is improved over known toothbrushes, and in which the tendency to break a flexible bond in the neck region is reduced. It is believed that this advantage is obtained by means of the above-mentioned wavy S-shaped region having an optimized flexibility that spreads the tension out along the toothbrush, reducing the breaking tension in the region of the flexible connection.
    [0039] Plastic materials suitable for the toothbrush of this invention include those with an elastic modulus of at least about 500 MPa, preferably at least about 1000 MPa, these being conventional in the toothbrushing technique. Suitable materials include, for example, polyamides and polypropylenes. An example of a suitable polyamide is the Ultramid B3TM material (marketed by BASF, Federal Republic of Germany), having an elastic modulus (DIN 53452) of 3000. An example of a suitable polypropylene is Novolene 1100 HXTM material (marketed by BASF , Federal Republic of Germany), which is a homopolymer and has an elastic modulus (DIN 53457) of 1400. Such a homopolymer polypropylene can optionally be used in admixture with a polypropylene block copolymer, such as Novolene 2500 HXTM material ( marketed by BASF, Federal Republic of Germany), for example, in a mixture by weight of 80:20 (1100 HX: 2500 HX). Other suitable polypropylenes include Polypropylene PM 1600TM (marketed by Shell) and having an elastic modulus (ISO 178) of 1500 MPa and Apryl 3400 MAITM of E1f Atochem, Novolen 2400 H and 1106, and Borealis HG 365 P. A preferred plastic material is polypropylene, especially the commercially available polypropylene 100-GA04 material, supplied by Ineos.
    [0040] Thermoplastic elastomer materials suitable for the toothbrush of this invention include those available under the trade names MegolTM and SantopreneTM, and silicone elastomeric materials may also be used. Other suitable elastomeric polymers include styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers (for example, styrene ethylene butadiene styrene, or styrene butadiene styrene). Preferred thermoplastic elastomer materials are the commercially available TF7 GST and TH7 GSN materials provided by Kraiburg.
    [0041] The toothbrush of this invention can be made using a known injection molding process, in which the plastic material part of the toothbrush is made in a first stage by injection molding as a single integral part, and including one or more spaces defining the position and shape of the thermoplastic elastomer material part (s) of the toothbrush, including the position and shape of the thermoplastic elastomer material between the extensions. Then, in a second stage, the plastic material part thus formed, is enclosed in a cavity of a second injection mold that defines the external profile of the thermoplastic elastomer part (s) of the toothbrush, including the shape of the thermoplastic elastomer material between the extensions. Thermoplastic elastomer material is then injected into the cavity of this second injection mold to thus occupy one or more spaces and thus form the pair (s) of thermoplastic elastomer material. The injection of this thermoplastic elastomer material is suitably under conditions of temperature and pressure so that the thermoplastic elastomer material binds tightly to the plastic material. Appropriate temperature and pressure conditions are known in the art.
    [0042] Bristles and / or other oral cleaning elements can be mounted on the toothbrush head of this invention in a number of conventionally known ways. In one way, socket holes can be formed in the plastic material of the toothbrush head during the first injection molding stage, and tufts of bristles can be retained in these socket holes using small metal collars around the ends of the tufts , in a well-known way. Otherwise, the ends of tufts of bristles can be inserted into the cavity part of the first injection mold that defines the toothbrush head, so that plastic material injected into the cavity flows around those ends, and, when the plastic material solidifies around the ends of the tufts, keeps the tufts in place.
    [0043] The toothbrush of this invention will now be described only by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
    [0044] Figure 1 shows a view of the plastic material part of a toothbrush of this invention, looking in the wide direction of the plastic material part, without any thermoplastic elastomer present.
    [0045] Figure 2 shows a toothbrush of the invention in the same direction of view as Figure 1 with the thermoplastic elastomer present.
    [0046] Figure 3 shows a view of the plastic part of figure 1 looking in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and in relation to the width direction, in a transverse direction approximately aligned with the direction of the fences.
    [0047] Figure 4 shows a view of a toothbrush from figure 3 in the same direction as the view as figure 3 with thermoplastic elastomer material present.
    [0048] Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the wavy region of the plastic part shown in figure 1, enlarged to show more clearly the dimensions referred to in the description.
    [0049] With reference to figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the total plastic material part 10 of a toothbrush 20 of the invention comprises the plastic part of a head 11 and a handle handle 12 made entirely of a material plastic and arranged along a longitudinal direction of head AA cable, with a neck region 13 between the handle cable 12 and the head 11. Holes 14 are formed in the head 11 for the mounting of bristles 15 (shown in figures 2 and 4, not shown in figures 1 and 3) projecting from the head 11 in a transverse direction TT transverse to the longitudinal direction AA. The toothbrush 10 has a width direction W-W indicated in the views of figures 3 and 4, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction A-A and the transverse direction T-T.
    [0050] Longitudinally between the neck region 13 and the handle handle 12 is a wavy region 16. This region 16 is seen enlarged in figure 5 in the same direction as the view as in figure 1. The wavy region 16 comprises four extensions 161, 162, 163, 164 extending in a transverse direction TD. The transverse direction TD is shown in figure 5 for extension 164, the direction of a plane being at mid distance between the longitudinally opposite surfaces of the extension. The transverse directions of the other extensions 161, 162, 163 are analogous, but are omitted for clarity. The extensions 161, 162, 163 and 164 are integrally connected by three folds 171, 172, 173 with a cavity 181, 182, 183 longitudinally between longitudinally adjacent extensions 161, 162, 163, 164.
    [0051] The toothbrush 20 of this invention has a length of about 195 mm from the extreme longitudinal end of its handle handle 12 to the extreme opposite longitudinal end of its head 11.
    [0052] The head 11 has a length of about 34 mm from the point 132 where the neck region 13 begins to widen in width to form the head 11 towards the end 111 of the head 11 longitudinally further from the cable handle 12.
    [0053] The handle cable 12 has a length of about 110 mm from the longitudinal end of the handle cable 12 the most remote from the head 11 to the beginning of the corrugated region 16.
    [0054] The wavy region 16 has a total length of about 17 mm.
    [0055] The neck region 13 has a length of about 35 mm from the end 131 of the neck 13 closest to the wavy region 16 to the point 132 where the neck region 13 begins to widen in width to form the head 11 The neck region 13 is flattened in its transverse direction BB. The thickness in the transverse direction BB of the neck region is about 4.0 mm along its length, for example, the thickness can be about 5 mm at the 131 point and about 4 mm at the 132 point. The width of the region neck 13 tapers from about 9.5 mm wide at its end at the 131 point closest to the wavy region 16 to about 6.0 mm at the 132 point where the neck 13 region begins to widen in width to form the head 11. The cross section of the neck region 13, when cut through the longitudinal direction AA can, for example, be of a generally rectangular shape, or, for example, be semicircular or other shapes of cross section, and the region of neck may include longitudinal flow channels for elastomer material.
    [0056] As seen more clearly in figure 5, the transverse directions "TD" of longitudinally adjacent pairs of extensions 161, 162, 163, 164 are aligned at an α angle of 7-10 ° to each other. As seen more clearly in figure 5, the transverse direction TD of each extension is constructed as the direction of a plane at the average distance between the two longitudinally opposite surfaces of the extension. For clarity, only the TD for extensions 163 and 164 are shown, but the other extensions are analogous. Each of the four extensions 161, 162, 163, 164 has a longitudinal thickness "J" of 1.5-2.0 mm, and a length "L" extending transversely from 9-12 mm between the transverse opposite folds 171 , 172, 173, and between the folds 171 and 173 and the adjacent edges of the cavities 181, 183. Each of the four extensions 161, 162, 163, 164 has a "W" width of 912 mm in the wide direction, as indicated in figure 3. the width W of the folds 171, 172, 173 decreases towards the head 11. The two extensions 161, 162 closest to the cable 12 both have a width W of about 11.5 mm. The two extensions 163 and 164 progressively closer to the head 11 have respective widths 11.2 and 10.2 mm. When viewed in the longitudinal direction, the extensions 161, 162, 163, 164 have a generally rectangular shape with rounded corners.
    [0057] The three cavities 181, 182, 183, each, have a transverse depth "D" of 6-9 mm. The measurement of the depths of the cavities 181, 182, 183 is seen more clearly in figure 5. The depth D1 of the cavity 181 is measured from the central point of the line L1-L2, built between the outermost curve of the adjacent fold 172 and the adjacent edge 166 of cavity 181 to the bottom of the cavity. The depth D3 of cavity 182 is measured from the central point of line L4-L5, built between the outermost curve of the adjacent folds 171, 173 to the bottom of cavity 182. The depth D2 of cavity 183 is measured from the point central line L2-L3, built between the outermost curve of the adjacent fold 172 and the adjacent edge 167 of the cavity 183, that is, the convex external inflection point of the extension 164 to the bottom of the cavity 183. The lines constructed L1- L2, L2-L3 and L4-L5 each contact the convex inflection points of the folds 171, 172, 173.
    [0058] The three cavities vary in depth. The cavity 183 closest to the head 11 has a D2 depth of about 7.0 mm, the central cavity 182 has a D3 depth of about 10.0 mm, and the cavity 181 closest to the handle handle 12 has a depth D1 of about 8.0 mm, i.e., the central cavity 182 is the deepest.
    [0059] The three cavities 181, 182, 183 have a longitudinal width "b" of 1-2 mm for at least 60% of the depth of each cavity 181, 182, 183. The longitudinal width "b" tapers, narrowing in the direction towards the bottom of the cavity 181, 182, 183, and being 1 - 1.5 mm for at least 60% of the depth of the cavity 181, 182, 183.
    [0060] Each of the folds 171, 172, 173 is externally in the form of an arc of a circle with an external radius of curvature of 2.25-2.35 mm. The thickness of the folds measured in the radial direction of this circle is 1.5-2.0 mm.
    [0061] The plastic material part 10 is made of the polypropylene plastic material 100-GA04 supplied by Ineos.
    [0062] Figures 2 and 4 show the toothbrush of the complete invention 20, including thermoplastic elastomer material 21 which extends over part of the handle handle 12 to improve the handle by a user.
    [0063] Each cavity 181, 182, 183 contains thermoplastic elastomer material 21, seen in figures 2 and 4. The thermoplastic elastomer material is the commercially available TF7 GST or TF7 GSN material supplied by Kraiburg and having a Shore A hardness of 60 - 70. The thermoplastic elastomer material 21 is bonded to the plastic material of the extensions 161, 162, 163, 164. The thermoplastic elastomer material 21 occupies at least 75% of the transverse depth "D" and at least 75% of the width "W "of each cavity 181, 182, 183.
    [0064] At each longitudinal end of the corrugated region 16 there is an end cavity 184, 185 in the plastic material, which also contains thermoplastic elastomer material 21. These end cavities 184, 185 can act as a force absorption absorber between the neck region 13 at one longitudinal end of the corrugated region 16, and the handle handle 12 at the other. The end cavity 184 between the corrugated region 16 and the handle handle 12 has a cross-sectional depth "E1" of 5.5 - 6.5 mm, preferably about 6 mm, measured as shown in figure 5 between a longitudinal projection of the surface of the handle handle 12 and the opposite extension surface 161, and has a longitudinal width "b" of 1-2 mm over its entire depth. The end cavity 185 between the corrugated region 16 and the neck region 13 has a transversal depth "E2" of about 6.0 mm, measured as shown in figure 5 between a longitudinal projection of the surface of the neck region 13 and the opposite extension surface 164, and has a longitudinal width "b" of 1-2 mm over its entire depth.
    [0065] As seen in figures 2 and 4, these end cavities 184, 185 also contain the thermoplastic elastomer material of Shore A hardness of 60-70, attached to the plastic material of the extensions 161, 164 and, respectively, the cable of handle 12 and the neck region 13, and occupying at least 75% of the transverse depth E1, E2 and at least 60% of the width of the end cavities 184, 185.
    [0066] The toothbrush 20 of the invention also includes a flexible connection 30 (total), seen completely in figures 2 and 4, located longitudinally between the wavy region 16 and the toothbrush head 11. This flexible connection 30 is located in the region neck 13, thus dividing the neck region 13 into two longitudinally separated parts 133, 134 on each longitudinal side of the flexible connection 30, a first part 133 being closer to the handle handle 12, the second part 134 being closer to the head 11.
    [0067] The flexible connection 30 comprises a part of plastic material 31, clearly seen in figures 1 and 3, integral with the neck region 13, which is transversely and by the tapered width in relation to the longitudinally immediately adjacent parts of the neck region 13 This part 31 is in the form of a spine that extends longitudinally of plastic material having a longitudinal dimension of 1-2 mm, a dimension by the width of 2-3 mm, and a transverse dimension of 1.5-2.5 mm . The cross section of the part 31 cut through the longitudinal direction is approximately circular.
    [0068] The relative longitudinal proportions of the first part 132: second part 133, are approximately 8.25: 1. These proportions are based respectively as the length of the first part 132 being the longitudinal distance from the edge 185A of the end cavity 185 closest to the head 11, to the end of the tapered part 31 closest to the handle handle 12 (this distance is about 28 mm), and the length of the second part 133 as the longitudinal distance from the end of the tapered part 31 closest to the head 11, to the point 131 where the neck region 13 begins to widen to form the head 11, this distance is about 3.5 mm. As seen in figures 2 and 4, the tapered part 31 is encircled around all of its surfaces turned transversely and to the side by thermoplastic elastomer material 32 having a spherical shape, with a spherical diameter of 6-7 mm. Thermoplastic material 32 is the same thermoplastic elastomer material 21 that is located in cavities 181, 182, 183, 184, 185.
    [0069] The first part 133 of the neck region between the flexible connection 30 and the corrugated region 16 is constructed in such a way that, under the forces encountered during tooth brushing, this first part 133 remains rigid in relation to the flexibility of the connection flexible 30 and the wavy region 16. This is achieved by the first part 133 having a transversal thickness "J" of at least 3.5 mm, being about 5 mm at point 131 where the part 133 meets the wavy region 16 and 4 - 4.5 mm at the end of the first part 133 adjacent to connection 30. The first part 133 has a width transversely of at least 5 mm, with a width of about 9 mm at point 131, and about 5.9 mm at the end of the first part 133 adjacent to connection 30.
    [0070] At various locations in the plastic material part 10, molding openings and channels, such as 40, are provided inside and through which the elastomer material 21 can flow from a single injection point or from multiple injection points to reach the other parts of the plastic material part 10 of the toothbrush 20.
    [0071] The toothbrush according to the example above was subjected to bending forces applied to the head and the stresses at various points on the toothbrush were measured. It was found that the structure and dimensions of the toothbrush described in the example above showed an acceptable degree of deformation in response to the brushing pressures of the teeth. This toothbrush showed more deformation in its wavy S-shaped region than in its brushhead region, thus reducing the potential breaking stress in the flexible connection 30 between the head and handle. The deformation in the wavy S-shaped region during use was greater than in the S-shaped region exposed in the previous references mentioned above, with deformation concentrated in the extension 164 and fold 173 closer to the toothbrush head 11.
    权利要求:
    Claims (8)
    [0001]
    1. Toothbrush (20) comprising a head (11) and handle handle (12) entirely made of a plastic material and arranged along a longitudinal direction of the head-handle, with a neck region (13) between the handle handle (12) and the head (11), with bristles (15) protruding from the head (11) in a transverse direction in relation to this longitudinal direction, the toothbrush (20) having a direction of perpendicular width to the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction, where longitudinally between the neck region (13) and the handle handle (12) is a wavy region (16) comprising four extensions (161, 162, 163, 164) extending in the transverse direction and integrally connected by folds (171, 172, 173) with cavities (181, 182, 183) between the extensions (161, 162, 163, 164), the cavities (181, 182, 183) between the extensions (161 , 162, 163, 164) having a transverse depth direction and containing a thermoplastic elastomer material (21) c compared to the plastic material of said extensions (161, 162, 163, 164), the thermoplastic elastomer material (21) having a Shore A hardness of 60-70, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the transverse directions of longitudinally adjacent pairs of extensions ( 161, 162,163, 164) are aligned at an angle of 0-15 ° to each other, each of the four extensions (161, 162, 163, 164) having a longitudinal "T" thickness of 1.2-2.2 mm, and a length "L" extending transversely of 9-13 mm between the transverse opposite folds (171, 172, 173, 174), and a width "W" of 9-14 mm in the width direction, the four extensions ( 161, 162, 163, 164) defining longitudinally between longitudinally adjacent pairs of the extensions (161, 162, 163, 164) three cavities (181, 182, 183), each with a transversal depth "D" of 6-11 mm, a longitudinal width "B" of 1-2 mm for at least 60% of the lowest depth of the cavity (181, 182, 183), each cavity (181, 182, 183) containing the thermoplastic elastomer material (21) occupying at least 60% of the transverse depth "D" and at least 60% of the width of at least one cavity (181, 182, 183), also including a flexible connection (30) located longitudinally between the wavy region (16) and the toothbrush head (11) located in the neck region (13) thus dividing the neck region (13) into two longitudinally separated parts (133, 134), one on each side longitudinal part of the flexible connection (30), a first part (133) being closer to the handle cable (12) and a second part (134) closer to the head (11), the flexible connection (30) comprising a part (31 ), integral with the neck region (13), which is tapered transversely and / or by width in relation to the immediately adjacent longitudinal parts (133, 134) of the neck region (13).
    [0002]
    2. Toothbrush (20) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that at each longitudinal end of the wavy region (16) there is an end cavity (184, 185), connected on one longitudinal side by an adjacent extension (161, 164) and on the other longitudinal side by an adjacent surface of the handle handle (12) or head (11), the end cavities (184, 185) also contain the thermoplastic elastomer material (21).
    [0003]
    3. Toothbrush (20), according to claim 1 or 2, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the neck region (13) is flattened in the transverse direction.
    [0004]
    4. Toothbrush (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the relative longitudinal proportions of the first part: second part are in the range of 8.5-8.0: 1.
    [0005]
    5. Toothbrush (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the part (31) that is tapered transversely and / or by the width is encircled around all of its surfaces facing transversely and to the side by a thermoplastic elastomer material (32).
    [0006]
    6. Toothbrush (20), according to claim 5, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the thermoplastic elastomer material (32) that surrounds the tapered part (31) has a spherical shape.
    [0007]
    7. Toothbrush (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the end of the flexible connection (30) closest to the corrugated region (16) is positioned within 30 mm from the end of the region wavy (16) closest to the head (11).
    [0008]
    8. Toothbrush (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the plastic material (10) has an elastic modulus of at least about 500 MPa, and is a polyamide or polypropylene, and the thermoplastic elastomer material (21, 32) is a thermoplastic elastomer based on styrene.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    JP2014507237A|2014-03-27|
    CL2013002583A1|2014-03-28|
    JP5991550B2|2016-09-14|
    NZ614282A|2015-04-24|
    RU2564610C2|2015-10-10|
    AU2012224623B2|2015-03-19|
    TW201249368A|2012-12-16|
    CN103402394B|2015-11-25|
    CA2828514A1|2012-09-13|
    BR112013022165A2|2020-07-21|
    AR085701A1|2013-10-23|
    RU2013139062A|2015-04-20|
    CN103402394A|2013-11-20|
    EP2683270B1|2019-05-22|
    US8763196B2|2014-07-01|
    EP2683270A1|2014-01-15|
    WO2012120014A1|2012-09-13|
    US20120227200A1|2012-09-13|
    US20130340189A1|2013-12-26|
    PL2683270T3|2019-11-29|
    AU2012224623A1|2013-05-02|
    GB201104024D0|2011-04-20|
    TWI488599B|2015-06-21|
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    法律状态:
    2020-08-04| B06U| Preliminary requirement: requests with searches performed by other patent offices: procedure suspended [chapter 6.21 patent gazette]|
    2020-12-08| B09A| Decision: intention to grant [chapter 9.1 patent gazette]|
    2021-01-19| B16A| Patent or certificate of addition of invention granted [chapter 16.1 patent gazette]|Free format text: PRAZO DE VALIDADE: 20 (VINTE) ANOS CONTADOS A PARTIR DE 07/03/2012, OBSERVADAS AS CONDICOES LEGAIS. |
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    GBGB1104024.3A|GB201104024D0|2011-03-09|2011-03-09|Novel device|
    GB1104024.3|2011-03-09|
    PCT/EP2012/053832|WO2012120014A1|2011-03-09|2012-03-07|Toothbrush with a flexible region in the handle|
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