TOOTHBRUSH HANDLE, TOOTHBRUSH AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a toothbrush handle and includes heating a pelletized polyolefin based (preferably polyethylene based) polymeric material having a biobased content of at least 60% by weight, and injection moulding the heated polymeric material into a moulding cavity thereby forming a toothbrush handle. The moulding cavity has the shape of a toothbrush handle comprising a gripping portion and a bristle support portion. The disclosure also relates to toothbrush handle, a toothbrush and a method of manufacturing a toothbrush.

Claims

1. Method of manufacturing a toothbrush handle, the method comprising heating a pelletized polyolefin based polymeric material having a biobased content of at least 60% by weight when determined according to standard ASTM D6866, and injection moulding the heated polymeric material into a moulding cavity thereby forming a toothbrush handle, wherein the moulding cavity has the shape of a toothbrush handle comprising a gripping portion and a bristle support portion, wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material has a flexural modulus of at least 1500 MPa, and wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material has an impact strength fulfilling at least one of the criteria; having an izod impact strength of at least 40 J/m determined according to standard ASTM D256, and having a notched izod impact strength of at least 20 J/m when determined according to standard ASTM D256.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material has a flexural modulus of at least 1550 MPa.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material comprises less than 5%, preferably less than 2%, by weight of flexural modulus enhancing filler material.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material has a biobased content of at least 80%, more preferably at least 90% by weight.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material is a polyethylene based polymeric material.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material has a melt flow rate being less than 5 g/10 min, preferably less than 2 g/10 min, when determined according to standard ASTM D1238 under conditions 190/2.16.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material has an impact strength fulfilling at least one of the criteria; having an izod impact strength of at least 60 J/m determined according to standard ASTM D256 and having a notched izod impact strength of at least 20 J/m determined according to standard ASTM D256.

8. Method according to claim 1, the method further comprising mixing the polyolefin based polymeric material with a coloured masterbatch, preferably before the polyolefin based polymeric material is injection moulded into the moulding cavity, wherein the masterbatch preferably is a pelletised coloured resin.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the masterbatch is provided in an amount of between 0.2 and 8%, preferably between 0.2 and 4%, by weight of a mix of the masterbatch and the polymeric material.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the bristle support portion is provided with a plurality of recesses each configured to receive a group of bristles, the recesses preferably being formed by a portion of the moulding cavity forming the bristle support portion being provided with a plurality of protrusions extending into the moulding cavity.

11. Method of manufacturing a toothbrush, the method comprising providing a toothbrush handle according to the method of claim 1, the method further comprising attaching bristles to the bristle support portion by providing a plurality of bristles in groups and attaching respective group of bristles to the bristle support portion by folding the bristles of a group over an anchor element and inserting the anchor element and folded bristles of the group into a recess among a plurality of recesses in the bristle support portion.

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein the anchor element has at least one surface being provided with undulations as seen along a depth direction (d) of the recess in which the anchor element is inserted into.

13. Toothbrush handle comprising a gripping portion and a bristle support portion, the gripping portion and bristle support portion being integrally formed of a polyolefin based polymeric material having a biobased content of at least 60%, more preferably 80% and most preferably at least 90%, by weight when determined according to standard ASTM D6866, wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material has a flexural modulus of at least 1500 MPa, and wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material has an impact strength fulfilling at least one of the criteria; having an izod impact strength of at least 40 J/m determined according to standard ASTM D256, and having a notched izod impact strength of at least 20 J/m when determined according to standard ASTM D256.

14. Toothbrush handle according to claim 13, wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material has a flexural modulus of at least 1550 MPa.

15. Toothbrush handle according to claim 13, wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material comprises less than 5%, preferably less than 2%, by weight of flexural modulus enhancing filler material.

16. Toothbrush handle according to claim 13, wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material has a melt flow rate being less than 5 g/10 min, preferably less than 2 g/10 min, when determined according to standard ASTM D1238 under conditions 190/2.16.

17. Tooth brush handle according to claim 13, wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material has an impact strength fulfilling at least one of the criteria; having an izod impact strength of at least 60 J/m determined according to standard ASTM D256 and having a notched izod impact strength of at least 20 J/m determined according to standard ASTM D256.

18. Tooth brush handle according to claim 13, wherein the polyolefin based polymeric material is a polyethylene based polymeric material.

19. Toothbrush comprising: a toothbrush handle according to claim 13, and a plurality of bristles attached to the bristle support portion by providing the plurality of bristles in groups and respective group of bristles being attached to the bristle support portion by the bristles of a group being folded over an anchor element and which anchor element and folded bristles of the group being inserted into a recess among a plurality of recesses in the bristle support portion, wherein the anchor element preferably has at least one surface being provided with undulations as seen along a depth direction of the recess in which the anchor element is inserted into.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The invention will by way of example be described in more detail with reference to the appended schematic drawings, which shows a presently preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toothbrush handle.

[0039] FIG. 2 is an enlargement of a bristle supporting portion, or head, of the toothbrush handle showing a plurality of recesses configured to each receive a group of bristles.

[0040] FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 also showing a group of bristles and an associated anchor element to be inserted into a recess.

[0041] FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 where the bristles are shown to be folded about the anchor element.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 4 where the bristles and the anchor element has been inserted into the recess.

[0043] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along line VI-VI in FIG. 5.

[0044] FIGS. 7a-d discloses different embodiments of an anchor element.

[0045] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a toothbrush.

[0046] FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically disclosing a method of manufacturing a toothbrush.

[0047] FIG. 10 schematically discloses a mould which may be used in injection moulding of a toothbrush handle of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0048] With reference to figures and 9, the disclosure may generally be said to relate to a method of manufacturing a toothbrush handle 10. The toothbrush handle 10 comprises a grip portion 11 and a bristle support portion 12. The bristle support portion 12 may also be referred to as a head. The toothbrush handle 10 preferably also comprises a neck portion 13 interconnecting the grip portion 11 and bristle support portion 12.

[0049] The toothbrush handle 10 of FIG. 1 is, with reference to FIG. 9, in short manufactured by heating 120 a pelletized polyolefin based polymeric material, preferably a pelletized polyethylene based polymeric material, having a biobased content of at least 60%, more preferably at least 80% and most preferably at least 90% by weight, and injection moulding 130 the heated polymeric material into a moulding cavity thereby forming a toothbrush handle 10. The moulding cavity has the shape of a toothbrush handle 10 comprising a gripping portion 31, 11 and a bristle support portion 32, 12.

[0050] A moulding cavity 30 is schematically shown in FIG. 10. The moulding cavity 30 is formed of two recesses 30a, 30b; one in each of two mould halves 40a, 40b. The two recesses 30a, 30b together forms the cavity 30 when the mould halves 40a, 40b are clamped together and the mould is closed. The polymeric material is e.g. injected into the moulding cavity 30 the inlet port 36, which may have other positions and designs than that shown in FIG. 10.

[0051] The bristle support portion 12 is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, provided with a plurality of recesses 15. Each recess 15 is configured to receive a group 20 of bristles 21 (as shown in FIGS. 3-6). The recesses 15 are preferably formed by a portion 32 of the moulding cavity 30 intended to form the bristle support portion 12 being provided with a plurality of protrusions 35 extending into the moulding cavity 30 (as shown in FIG. 10). It may be noted that the moulding halves 40a, 40b schematically disclosed in FIG. 10 forms a single moulding cavity 30. However, in practice the moulding halves 40a, 40b may be provided with a plurality of recesses 30a, 30b intended to form a plurality of moulding cavities 30 when the halves are clamped together and the mould is closed.

[0052] As mentioned above, the polyethylene based polymeric material preferably has a flexural modulus of at least 1500 MPa, preferably at least 1550 MPa. Moreover, the polyethylene based polymeric material preferably comprises less than 5%, preferably less than 2%, by weight of flexural modulus enhancing filler material. The polyethylene based polymeric material preferably has a melt flow rate being less than 5 g/10 min, preferably less than 2 g/10 min. The polyethylene based polymeric material preferably has an izod impact strength of at least 40 J/m, preferably at least 60 J/m. The polyethylene material preferably has a notched izod impact strength of at least 20 J/m.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment the toothbrush handle is generally formed of a polyethylene based polymeric material having the following properties and characteristics; [0054] high density polyethylene homopolymer,

[0055] a biobased content of about 96%,

[0056] a flexural modulus (1% secant) of about 1600 MPa,

[0057] a melt flow rate (190/2.16) of about 0.70 g/10 min,

[0058] a melt flow rate (190/21.6) of about 50 g/10 min,

[0059] izod impact strength of about 89 J/m.

[0060] Such a high density polyethylene homopolymer is especially designed for blow moulding processing and is typically not considered suitable for injection moulding processing (due to its low melt flow rate (a 190/2.16 melt flow rate of about 0.70 g/10 min). Corresponding high-density polyethylenes developed for injection moulding has typically melt flow rates (190/2.16) of about 20 g/10 min. However, such polyethylenes do not have the necessary flexural modulus.

[0061] Several tests of different materials and designs of the attachment of the bristles or tufts to the toothbrush handle has been performed.

[0062] In the table below the materials tested and their properties are presented.

TABLE-US-00001 Flexural Polymer Modulus Melt flow rate Grade (MPa) g/10 min Impact strength at 23° C. CA 2400 40-56 7,0 kJ/m2 (notched, (230° C./5 kg) Charpy) (ISO 179) CAP 1448 — 416 J/m (notched, Izod) = 1139 kJ/m2 (Charpy) PE (A) 1250 20 20 J/m (notched, Izod) = (190° C./2,16 kg) 68 kJ/m2 (Charpy) PE (B) 1350 7,2 35 J/m (notched, Izod) = (190° C./2,16 kg) 96 kJ/m2 (Charpy) PE (C) 1600 0,7 89 J/m (Izod) = (190° C./2,16 kg) 245 kJ/m2 (Charpy) Filled PE 1270 13-16,5 3,1 kJ/m2 (notched, (D) (190° C./2,16 kg) Charpy) and 15,4 kJ/m2 (Charpy) (ISO179) Filled PE 1745 17-19 2,2 kJ/m2 (notched, (E) (190° C./2,16 kg) Charpy) and 36 kJ/m2 (Charpy) (ISO179) Filled PE 2620 3-4 3,5 kJ/m2 (notched, (F) (190° C./2,16 kg) Charpy) and 8 kJ/m2 (Charpy) (ISO179)

[0063] CA is short for Cellulose Acetate. CAP is short for Cellulose Acetate Propionate. PE is short for polyethylene. Three different grades (A, B, C) of unfilled biobased polyethylene has been tested. Three different grades (D, E, F) of filled biobased polyethylene has been tested.

[0064] The materials presented in the table below has been tested in different designs of the toothbrush handle. The result of these tests and an evaluation of their overall performance is presented in the table below.

TABLE-US-00002 Tuft retention Tuft retention (double-sided Polymer (un-grooved grooved Impact Renewable Grade anchor) anchor) strength content CA Good Good Non- Moderate acceptable CAP Good Good Acceptable Moderate PE (A) Non- Non- Good High acceptable acceptable PE (B) Non- Non- Good High acceptable acceptable PE (C) Acceptable Acceptable Good High PE (D) Non- Non- Non- High acceptable acceptable acceptable PE (E) Non- Non- Non- High acceptable acceptable acceptable PE (F) Non- Non- Non- High acceptable acceptable acceptable PP/PE Non- Non- Non- Moderate acceptable acceptable acceptable

[0065] As indicated above, the material denoted PE (C) was found to meet the criteria of being environmentally friendly by having a high renewable content and having the required mechanical properties.

[0066] The polyethylene based polymeric material, such as the above disclosed preferred high density polyethylene homopolymer is according to a preferred embodiment mixed with a coloured masterbatch. The masterbatch is preferably provided in an amount of between 0.2 and 8%, preferably between 0.2 and 4%, by weight of a mix of the masterbatch and the polymeric material. The masterbatch is in a preferred embodiment added in an amount of about 1% by weight of the polyethylene based polymeric material. The mixing of the polyethylene based polymeric material with the coloured masterbatch is performed before the polyethylene based polymeric material is injection moulded into the moulding cavity. The mixing may occur before, during or after the heating of the pelletized polyethylene based polymeric material. The masterbatch may e.g. be a pelletised coloured resin. In such a case it may be advantageous to mix the pelletized masterbatch and the pelletized polyethylene based polymeric material before the materials are heated.

[0067] In the preferred embodiment, the mixture injection moulded into the moulding cavity has about 0% of flexural of flexural modulus enhancing filler material.

[0068] With reference to FIG. 9 and FIGS. 3-6, the toothbrush handle 10 of FIG. 1 may be transformed into a toothbrush 50 (as shown in FIG. 8) by attaching (step 140 in FIG. 9) bristles 21 to the bristle support portion 12. As shown in FIGS. 3-6, this may be accomplished by providing a plurality of bristles 21 in groups 20 and attaching respective group 20 of bristles 21 to the bristle support portion 12. The bristles 21 of a group 20 are folded over an anchor element 22 (as shown in FIG. 4) and the anchor element 22 and folded bristles 21 of the group 20 are inserted into a recess 15 among a plurality of recesses 15 in the bristle support portion 12. The operations shown in FIGS. 3-6 are basically formed by providing a group 20 of bristles 21 and then pushing an anchor element 22 into a recess 15 with the group 20 of bristles 21 caught between the anchor element 22 and the bottom and walls of the recess 15 (as indicated in FIG. 4 and shown in FIG. 6).

[0069] The anchor element 22 may be provided as a long strip being cut into short pieces in connection with the insertion of the anchor element 22 and the group 20 of bristles 21. This is indicated in FIG. 3, where the extension of the strip 23 is indicated by the dashed lines and the cuts are indicated by the arrows 24.

[0070] The anchors element 22 may be designed with different cross-sectional shapes. In FIGS. 7a-d there is shown a number of such different cross-sectional shapes. In FIG. 7a, the anchor element 22 has a cross-sectional shape with two flat major surfaces 22a, 22b. In FIG. 7b, the anchor element 22 has a cross-sectional shape with one of the major surfaces 22b being flat and the other major surface 22a being provided with undulations or grooves and ridges having varying extension in a normal direction N of a centre plane P of the anchor element 22. The centre plane P may be said to extending along the longitudinal direction of the anchor element 22 (and thus typically also of the strip 23) and along the depth direction d. In FIG. 7c, the anchor element 22 has a cross-sectional shape with both major surfaces 22a, 22b being provided with undulations or grooves and ridges having varying extension in a normal direction N of a centre plane P of the anchor element 22. In FIG. 7d, the anchor element 22 has a cross-sectional shape being formed of an undulating piece of material. When following the depth direction d, the position of the material varies along the normal direction N. The thickness t (along the normal direction N) may thereby be the same along the depth direction d and still undulations are provided on both major surfaces.

[0071] The anchor element 22 has preferably at least one surface being provided with undulations as seen along a depth direction d of the recess 15 in which the anchor element 22 is inserted into. Preferably the anchor element 22 has two major surfaces being provided with undulations as seen along the depth direction of the recess 15 in which the anchor element 22 is inserted into.

[0072] The result of the manufacturing process disclosed above is a toothbrush handle 10 comprising a gripping portion 11 and a bristle support portion 12. The gripping portion 11 and bristle support portion 12 are integrally formed of a polyethylene based polymeric material having a biobased content of at least 90% by weight. In the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 1, there is neck portion 13 in between the gripping portion 11 and the bristle support portion 12. The gripping portion 11, the neck portion 13 and the bristle support portion 12 are integrally formed of a polyethylene based polymeric material having a biobased content of at least 90% by weight. The polyethylene based polymeric material has preferably a flexural modulus of at least 1500 MPa, preferably at least 1550 MPa. In the preferred embodiment of the toothbrush handle 10, the polyethylene based polymeric material has a flexural modulus (1% secant) of about 1600 MPa. The polyethylene based polymeric material comprises less than 5%, preferably less than 2%, by weight of flexural modulus enhancing filler material. In the preferred embodiment of the tooth brush handle 10, the polyethylene based polymeric material comprises about 0% flexural modulus enhancing filler material. The polyethylene based polymeric material preferably has a melt flow rate being less than 5 g/10 min, preferably less than 2 g/10 min. In the preferred embodiment of the toothbrush handle 10, the polyethylene based polymeric material has a melt flow rate being about 0.7 g/10 min. As mentioned above, such a toothbrush handle 10 (as shown in FIG. 1) is transformed into a toothbrush 50 (as shown in FIG. 8) by attaching bristles 21 to the bristle support portion 12. As shown in FIG. 8, there is inserted a group 20 of bristles 21 in each recess 15 of the bristle support portion 12. Each group 20 of bristles 21 is preferably folded about an anchor element 22 and inserted into the respective recess 15 together with the anchor element 22.

[0073] It is contemplated that there are numerous modifications of the embodiments described herein, which are still within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0074] The toothbrush handle may for instance be designed with a grip improving portion 51b generally indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 8.

[0075] The bristle supporting portion 12 may for instance comprise bristles 21 of different kinds, sizes, orientations, etc. rather than the uniform design shown in the preferred embodiment.