Abstract
A brush, particularly a toothbrush, includes a head part with a cleaning structure that includes bristles, a hand part and a neck part, a cavity including at least one outlet opening for an active substance being located in the head or neck part. In one embodiment, the cavity incorporates an active substance element, containing the active substance in a carrier material and releases said substance in a controlled manner when it comes into contact with water. In another embodiment, the cavity is adapted to the shape of an active substance element through defined external contours. The volume of the cavity is preferably 1-2 times and no more than 4 times greater than the volume of the active substance element, ensuring that the latter is preferably surrounded by water during use. This allows the active substance to be effectively metered and ensures that the brush is easy to use.
Claims
1. A toothbrush comprising: a head part made from a hard material component and a soft material component, the head part including: a cleaning structure having bristles on a front side of the head part, a handle part, a neck part, and a cavity or a corresponding recess configured to accommodate an active substance element, the cavity or recess having at least one outlet opening configured to release a dissolved active substance from the active substance element during use, wherein: the at least one outlet opening is located on a rear side of the head part in an area having a soft material structure, and the soft material component has a Shore A hardness of less than 70.
2. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the active substance element contains an injection moldable polymer.
3. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the active substance element is water soluble.
4. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the active substance element contains flavoring agents and/or antibacterial substances.
5. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rear face of the head part is made of hard material which is perforated like a mesh.
6. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cavity or the corresponding recess extends substantially over a whole surface of the head part.
7. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein a wall of the cavity has a small material thickness and at least one of perforations and outlet openings.
8. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein a part of the cavity is covered on the rear face by a membrane of soft material in which slits are arranged in a star shape which serve as insertion opening for the active substance element.
9. A toothbrush comprising: a head part made from a hard material component and a soft material component, the head part including: a cleaning structure having bristles on a front side of the head part, a handle part, a neck part, and a cavity or a corresponding recess configured to accommodate an active substance element, the cavity or recess having at least one outlet opening adapted to release a dissolved active substance from the active substance element during use, wherein: the at least one outlet opening is located on a lateral side of the head part in an area having a soft material structure, and the soft material component has a Shore A hardness of less than 70.
10. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 9, wherein the soft material structure comprises massaging or cleaning elements for invigorating or cleaning the gums, oral cavity or tongue.
11. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 9, wherein the soft material structure is formed as a flexible membrane.
12. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 11, wherein the flexible membrane has a thickness of less than 3 mm.
13. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 11, wherein the flexible membrane has a thickness of 0.7-1.5 mm.
14. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 11, wherein the flexible membrane is bound to a hard material component of the brush head through multi-component injection molding.
15. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 11, wherein the flexible membrane has three laterally arranged, gill-like areas with lamella-like cleaning/massaging elements and with the at least one outlet opening arranged between them.
16. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 15, wherein the gill-like areas are interconnected on the rear face by a material bridge of soft material.
17. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 9, wherein the head part is made from a hard material component and a soft material component.
18. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 9, wherein a rear face of the head part is provided with an insertion opening formed by intersecting slits.
19. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 9, wherein various outlet openings are distributed uniformly over the lateral side of the head part and are each surrounded by knobs of soft material.
20. A toothbrush comprising: a head part with a cleaning structure, a handle part and a neck part, wherein: the cleaning structure comprises bristles on a front side of the head part, the head part includes a cavity or a corresponding recess adapted to accommodate an active substance element, the cavity or recess comprising at least one outlet opening adapted to release dissolved active substance from the active substance element during use, the at least one outlet opening is located on a lateral side of the head part in an area comprising a soft material structure, and a rear face of the head part is provided with an insertion opening formed by intersecting slits.
21. A toothbrush comprising: a head part with a cleaning structure, a handle part and a neck part, wherein: the cleaning structure comprises bristles on a front side of the head part, the head part includes a cavity or a corresponding recess adapted to accommodate an active substance element, the cavity or recess comprising at least one outlet opening adapted to release dissolved active substance from the active substance element during use, the at least one outlet opening is located on the rear side of the head part in an area comprising a soft material structure, and various outlet openings are distributed uniformly over the lateral side of the head part and are each surrounded by knobs of soft material.
22. A toothbrush comprising: a head part with a cleaning structure, a handle part and a neck part, wherein: the cleaning structure comprises bristles on a front side of the head part, the head part includes a cavity or a corresponding recess adapted to accommodate an active substance element, the cavity or recess comprising at least one outlet opening adapted to release dissolved active substance from the active substance element during use, the at least one outlet opening is located on a lateral side of the head part in an area comprising a soft material structure, and various outlet openings are distributed uniformly over the lateral side of the head part and are each surrounded by knobs of soft material.
23. A toothbrush comprising: a head part with a cleaning structure, a handle part and a neck part, wherein: the cleaning structure comprises bristles on a front side of the head part, the head part includes a cavity or a corresponding recess adapted to accommodate an active substance element, the cavity or recess comprising at least one outlet opening adapted to release dissolved active substance from the active substance element during use, the at least one outlet opening is located on the rear side of the head part in an area comprising a soft material structure, and the rear face of the head part is largely made of hard material which is perforated like a mesh.
24. A toothbrush comprising: a head part with a cleaning structure, a handle part and a neck part, wherein: the cleaning structure comprises bristles on a front side of the head part, the head part includes a cavity or a corresponding recess adapted to accommodate an active substance element, the cavity or recess comprising at least one outlet opening adapted to release dissolved active substance from the active substance element during use, the at least one outlet opening is located on the rear side of the head part in an area comprising a soft material structure, and the wall of the cavity comprises flexibility which is achieved by a suitably small material thickness and by perforations and/or outlet openings.
25. A toothbrush comprising: a head part with a cleaning structure, a handle part and a neck part, wherein: the cleaning structure comprises bristles on a front side of the head part, the head part includes a cavity or a corresponding recess adapted to accommodate an active substance element, the cavity or recess comprising at least one outlet opening adapted to release dissolved active substance from the active substance element during use, the at least one outlet opening is located on the rear side of the head part in an area comprising a soft material structure, and a part of the cavity is covered on the rear face by a membrane of soft material in which slits are arranged in a star shape which serve as insertion opening for the active substance element.
26. A toothbrush comprising: a head part with a cleaning structure, a handle part and a neck part, wherein: the cleaning structure comprises bristles on a front side of the head part, the head part includes a cavity or a corresponding recess adapted to accommodate an active substance element, the cavity or recess comprising at least one outlet opening adapted to release dissolved active substance from the active substance element during use, the at least one outlet opening is located on a lateral side of the head part in an area comprising a soft material structure, the soft material structure is formed as a flexible membrane, and the flexible membrane has three laterally arranged, gill-like areas with lamella-like cleaning/massaging elements and with the at least one outlet opening arranged between them.
Description
(1) Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below and are shown purely schematically in the drawings, in which:
(2) FIGS. 1-4 show different views of a head part of a toothbrush;
(3) FIGS. 5-7 show different possibilities for forming the cavity in a toothbrush according to FIGS. 1-4;
(4) FIGS. 8, 9 show different views of a head part of a toothbrush with a flexible bend zone;
(5) FIGS. 10, 11 show different views of a head part of a toothbrush with a flexible zone which is circular in a plan view;
(6) FIGS. 12, 13 show different views of a head part of a toothbrush with a flexible zone at the tip of the brush head;
(7) FIGS. 14, 15 show different views of a head part of a toothbrush with several clusters of outlet openings;
(8) FIGS. 16-21 show examples of different shapes of the flexible area in a toothbrush according to the invention;
(9) FIGS. 22, 23 show different views of a head part of a toothbrush with outlet openings on the rear face;
(10) FIGS. 24-27 show examples of different shapes of the active substance element and of cavities adapted to the latter;
(11) FIG. 28 shows a head part of a toothbrush with funnel-shaped outlet openings on the rear face;
(12) FIG. 29 shows a toothbrush with a cavity in the neck area;
(13) FIGS. 30-32 show different assembly methods for a toothbrush with a cavity;
(14) FIG. 33 shows a toothbrush with an active substance element that is encapsulated by injection molding upon production;
(15) FIGS. 34, 35 show an example of a self-explanatory package for a toothbrush according to the invention;
(16) FIG. 36 shows a household brush according to the invention.
(17) In the drawings, elements with the same functions are in each case provided with the same reference numbers, FIGS. 1-4 show different views of a head area 10 of a toothbrush according to the invention. A cleaning structure 12 composed of conventional bristles 14, gathered in bundles, and of pliable cleaning elements 16 is applied to the front face 18. Instead of the conventional bristles 14, in some cases only the anchoring areas 38 of the bristle bundles are indicated. The head area 10 is made from a hard component 30 which is solid (see also FIGS. 5-7) and in which in particular the conventional bristles 14 are anchored with a certain anchoring depth. Located within the hard component 30 there is an aperture 31 which, in a plan view of the front face 18, has a circular or elliptic shape and which is covered front and back by in each case an outwardly curved flexible wall in the form of an elastic membrane 28, 26 made of soft material 32. In this way, a cavity 22 is formed within the head area 10. The pliable structure 16 is anchored in the membrane 28 on the front face. The membrane and the pliable structure are preferably made together, in one production step, from the same material and starting from the same injection point. The membrane 26 on the rear face 20 has two intersecting slits which serve as a recloseable insertion opening 34 for an active substance element 24. As is shown in the sectional drawings in FIGS. 5-7, the membrane 28 on the front face has outlet openings 36 through which water can pass into the cavity 22 and can emerge again, this time enriched with active substance. The wall area of the cavity 22 is made from soft material 32 and forms a flexible zone 29. Under the pressure exerted when cleaning the teeth, the toothbrush deforms in this zone 29 in such a way that water is sucked into the cavity 22 and forced back out again.
(18) Instead of a soft material, the membranes 26, 28 can also be produced from a hard component with suitably small wall thickness in order to achieve the necessary flexibility. However, the use of a soft component has advantages insofar as the anchoring of cleaning elements in a thin layer of hard material is problematic from the production point of view, whereas the simultaneous injection of pliable elements onto a soft membrane does not cause problems. Alternatively, a combination of hard and soft materials can also form the membrane. In this case, the flexible elements of the membrane and cleaning elements are made from soft material. The hard component only forms structuring and stabilizing elements of the membrane, or it is used only as a material connection required for production reasons.
(19) As is shown in FIGS. 4-7, the cavity 22 is adapted to the shape of an active substance element 24 in such a way that the latter is at least partially spaced apart from the inner wall 23 of the cavity 22. To permit secure holding of the active substance element 24, projections or edges 40 are formed that extend inward from the flexible membranes 26, 28 (FIGS. 5-7). The flexibility of the membranes 26, 28 means that the active substance element 24 is well positioned, even as it continues to break up.
(20) In the examples from FIGS. 6 and 7, an insertion opening 34, provided with intersecting and mutually inclined closure flaps 42, additionally ensures that the active substance element 24 does not emerge again from the insertion opening under the effect of pressure when cleaning the teeth. The closure flaps 42 also serve as the abovementioned projections 40.
(21) In the examples according to FIGS. 1-7, the outlet openings 36 are in each case located between the pliable cleaning elements 16 in the membrane 28 on the front face. The membrane surface thus has a perforated structure like a mesh.
(22) FIGS. 8 and 9 show another example of a toothbrush composed of hard and soft components 30, 32. Here, the soft component 32 forms a flexible zone 29 which interconnects the two otherwise separate parts 10, 10 of the brush head 10 made from hard component 30. In contrast to the above examples, the whole front part 10 of the brush head can be deflected relative to the rear part 10 of the brush head. As in the above examples, the cavity 22 is delimited on the front and rear faces, and also on the side, by thin material layers (membranes 26, 28) made from soft component 32, and, in the longitudinal direction, it is delimited by the hard component 30. This configuration provides particular flexibility of the brush head 10 and an increased pump/suction effect in the cavity 22. Alternatively, a connection piece made from hard component 30 can also be guided through the inside of the soft component 32, which allows the two parts 10, 10 of the brush head to be produced from hard component 30 in one operating step. This connection piece is preferably made very thin in order to ensure that the flexibility is not negatively affected. As in the above examples, it is mainly conventional bristles 14 that are anchored in the hard component 30, whereas the soft component 32 is provided with pliable cleaning elements 16. The insertion opening 34 is designed as intersecting slits, as in FIGS. 1-7.
(23) FIGS. 10 and 11 show an example which largely corresponds to FIGS. 1-7 and in which the flexible zone 29 with the cavity 22 is not located centrally within the bristle region, but is instead located more toward the neck area 52. This has the advantage that the most extensively loaded zone in the front part of the brush head can be formed from conventional bristles.
(24) In FIGS. 12 and 13, the flexible zone 29 formed from soft material 32 occupies the entire tip of the brush and has, in plan view, a substantially circular shape. In a concentric arrangement, it here supports, from the inside outward, pliable cleaning elements 16, outlet openings 36 and conventional bristles 14 (or their anchoring areas). In the direction of the neck area 52, it is adjoined by a region of conventional bristles that is embedded in the hard component 30. The outlet openings 36 are large enough to allow the cavity 22 lying behind to be seen into.
(25) In the example from FIGS. 14 and 15, although the part of the brush head made from the hard component 30 is designed in one piece, it does have apertures, with the result that a continuous flexible zone 29 on the rear face 20 is formed with three areas (clusters) 44 of outlet openings 36. These are located at the tip and on the sides of the head area 10, in each case in an outwardly curved flexible wall/membrane 28, preferably made of soft material 32. The remaining area of the head part 10 is provided with conventional bristles 14 on the front face 18. On the rear face, there is once again an insertion opening 34 formed by intersecting slits, as in FIGS. 5-7.
(26) FIGS. 15-21 show examples of different shapes of the flexible zone 29 in a toothbrush according to the invention, in a front view and rear view (FIGS. 16-19), and only in a front view (FIGS. 20 and 21). In all the examples, the rear face once again is provided with an insertion opening 34 formed by intersecting slits, as in FIGS. 5-7 (only shown in some). In FIGS. 16 and 17, the flexible zone 29 has three laterally arranged, gill-like areas 46 (or clusters 44) with lamella-like cleaning/massaging elements 16 and with outlet openings 36 arranged between them. The areas 46 are interconnected on the rear face by a material bridge of soft material 32 (see FIG. 17). In FIGS. 18 and 19, the lamellae/gills are less pronounced, and only two lateral clusters 44 are present. FIG. 20 shows a modification of this, with an asymmetrically curved geometry. In FIG. 21, the outlet openings 36 are distributed uniformly over the lateral edge of the head area 10 and are each surrounded by knobs of soft material, such that a massaging effect is also provided here by the knobs during cleaning of the teeth.
(27) FIGS. 22 and 23 show a brush in a front view and rear view, where the outlet openings 36 are located on the rear face 20 directed away from the bristles and, therefore, the active substance is essentially released on the rear face 20. The rear face 20 is largely made of hard material 30 which is perforated like a mesh and allows a view of the cavity 22 inside the brush head 10. The cavity 22 extends substantially over the whole surface of the head part 10. The sufficient flexibility of the wall of the cavity 22 is achieved by a suitably small material thickness and by the perforations or outlet openings 36. Part of the cavity 22 is covered on the rear face by a membrane 26 of soft material 32 in which slits, arranged in a star shape, serve as insertion opening 34.
(28) In the example shown in FIG. 24, the brush head 10 is composed of two parts (the tip 10, and the area 10 toward the neck) which are made from a hard component 30 and which are connected to one another by a flexible zone 29 made from soft material 32 or from a combination of hard and soft material. A cavity 22 in the shape of a tubular recess with an elliptical cross section is formed in the flexible zone 29. The cavity 22 is delimited toward the front face 18 by three webs 48 of soft material 32. Located between the webs 48 there are two outlet openings 36 with a total width of about half the width of the head. The underside of the cavity 22 is made completely from soft material 32 or from a combination of hard and soft material. Pliable cleaning elements 16 are arranged on the webs 48, while conventional bristles 14 are anchored on the hard areas at the tip and in the area toward the neck. An elliptical insertion opening 34 for the active substance element 24 is formed between the webs 48 and the underside 66 of the cavity 22. The active substance element 24 has basically the shape of a cylinder with an elliptical cross section and rounded edges. The active substance element 24 is clamped between the webs and the underside 66. However, at the sides, it is spaced apart from the inner wall of the cavity 22, such that water washes round it there and in the area of the outlet openings 36. By virtue of the spatial configuration with a substantially two-part hard component 30 and a flexible zone 29 of soft material 32 connecting the parts, the brush head is particularly flexible. Alternatively, the webs 48 can likewise be made from the hard component 30 and can form a hinge-like connection between the tip and the area toward the neck; the flexibility is in this case ensured by the webs 48 having a suitably thin wall.
(29) FIGS. 25-27 show modifications of the example from FIG. 24, again with a substantially two-part head area 10 made from a hard component 30 and with a flexible zone 29 which connects the parts 10, 10 and is made from soft component 32 or from a combination of hard and soft component, and in which the cavity 22 for receiving the active substance element 24 is accommodated. In FIGS. 25 and 26, the cavity 22 and the active substance element 24 itself are cylindrical with a circular cross section. The insertion opening 34 is likewise circular and can have a smaller diameter than the cavity 22 itself, such that water can wash at least partially round the active substance element 24 in the cavity 22. In the direction radial to its longitudinal direction, the cavity 22 is substantially surrounded by soft material 32, except for the outlet openings 36 in the membrane 28 on the front face. In the case of FIG. 25, pliable, tubular cleaning elements are formed integrally onto the membrane 28, the interior of these cleaning elements 16 communicating with the cavity 22 in such a way that dissolved active substance is also released via outlet openings 36 at the upper end of the cleaning elements 16. The release of active substance is intensified by the capillary effect. In the case of FIG. 26, no pliable cleaning elements are arranged on the soft component.
(30) FIG. 27 shows an analogous example with an elastic zone 29 which is lengthened in the longitudinal direction of the brush head and in which a substantially cuboid cavity 22 is formed. The latter is adapted to a plate-shaped or film-shaped active substance element 24. In this embodiment variant, the plate-shaped or film-shaped cavity 22 can be applied as a rucksack-shaped structure on the rear face of the brush head. The active substance element 24 has a thickness of 0.01 to 5.0 mm, preferably of 0.05 to 1.0 mm.
(31) In all the examples in FIGS. 24-27, in order to form the tunnel-like cavity for the active substance element, a suitable lateral slide is fitted in the injection-molding tool for the injection molding of the hard and/or soft component.
(32) In the example from FIG. 28, the cavity 22 is covered on the rear face 20 of the brush head by a flexible membrane 26 of soft material 32 and is otherwise formed within the hard component 30. The outlet openings 36 on the membrane 26 are formed in knob-like or funnel-like elevations that can at the same time act as cleaning or massaging elements 16, in particular for the palate and the tongue. The front face 18 made from the hard component 30 can thus also be provided conventionally with bristles outside the cavity 22. A combination of this embodiment with a previously shown flexible membrane on the front face of the brush head is also conceivable. The movement of the knobs during cleaning of the teeth means that water is sucked into the cavity and, enriched with active substance, is ejected again.
(33) FIG. 29 shows a toothbrush in which the cavity 22 is formed by a cage-like thickening which is provided in the neck area 52 and which is adapted to a spherical or ellipsoid shape of the active substance element. It has a multiplicity of outlet openings 36 through which the cavity 22 can be seen. The boundary of the cavity can be formed from hard and/or soft component, and, in the latter case, a damping zone is obtained in the neck area 52. The flexibility of this zone promotes the pump effect around the active substance element, which effect is discussed in more detail above.
(34) FIGS. 30-33 are schematic representations of different production methods for brushes according to the invention. These production methods can of course be employed for all the embodiment variants shown.
(35) In FIG. 30, the toothbrush, composed of two parts, is produced from hard and/or soft component 30 in the injection-molding technique, specifically, on the one hand, the upper half of the brush head provided with the bristles, and, on the other hand, the cover 54 on the rear face. A recess for the active substance element 24 is formed in the upper half, and this recess is later closed by the cover 54 to form the cavity 22. On the upper half, the outlet openings 36 and, if appropriate, the cleaning elements 16 are formed from soft component 32. Conventional bristles are anchored, laterally of the cleaning elements 16, by conventional plugging or in-mold tufting (IMT). Further outlet openings 36 are formed in the hard component 30 on the cover 54. Alternatively, the cover 54 can also contain a membrane made from soft component, in which the outlet openings are formed in knob-like elevations. The cover 54 and the rest of the brush head are then connected, with inclusion of a flat active substance element 24, either releasably (snap-fit, sliding fit, locking fit, etc.) or non-releasably (adhesive bonding, welding, positive locking, etc.).
(36) In FIG. 31, the toothbrush is likewise produced as two parts from a hard and/or soft component in the injection-molding technique. The half of the brush head forming its rear face has a saucer-shaped depression which, upon connection to a support plate 56, forms a cavity 22. The support plate is produced including openings which, in a further injection-molding step, are closed with soft component 32 to form a membrane 26 and possibly also with pliable cleaning elements 16 made from soft component. The conventional bristles 14 are then anchored in the support plate 56. Alternatively, the support plate 56 can also be provided with bristles by the anchor-free tufting method, which has the advantage that the support plate can be made thinner. The support plate is then connected to the rest of the toothbrush either releasably (snap-fit, sliding fit, locking fit, etc.) or non-releasably (adhesive bonding, welding, positive locking, etc.), with an active substance element 24 being enclosed in the cavity 22.
(37) FIG. 32 shows a combination of the examples from FIGS. 30 and 31, with a brush head composed of three parts (annular body, support plate 56 and rear cover 54).
(38) FIG. 33 shows a further example in which, during the production of the toothbrush, the active substance is inserted or injected into a recess in the hard component 30, and the soft component 32 is injected over it. By doing so, a cavity 22 with a flexible wall in the form of a thin membrane 26 made from soft component 32 is formed. The membrane 26 is provided with openings 36 for the entry and exit of water or of active substance dissolved in water.
(39) In all the examples, the flexibility of the wall of the cavity 22 is achieved through the choice of a wall material having a certain elasticity, particularly by at least one membrane made of soft material 32 being present, and/or through the existing overall flexural elasticity of the brush made of hard and/or soft material. As long as sufficient contact with water is guaranteed, or sufficient dissolving of the active substance, it suffices if the pump/suction effect, or the change in volume of the cavity due to the cleaning pressure, is only slight or is even non-existent.
(40) FIGS. 34 and 35 show a self-explanatory package 58 for a toothbrush with active substance, which package 58, in addition to having a recess 60 adapted to the brush shape, also comprises a detachable area with an active substance element 24. The user therefore sees immediately what product it is.
(41) The embodiment variants described above can of course also be used on electric toothbrushes. The mechanical movement or vibration of at least part of the brush head additionally favors the exchange of liquid into and out of the cavity. If the brush head is divided into a movable brush-head segment and a non-movable brush-head segment, the cavity, in the above-described variants, is preferably accommodated in the non-movable segment.
(42) FIG. 36 shows a household brush, also with a head part, neck part and handle part 10, 52, 62. In the head area 10 there is a cavity 22 which, on the face directed away from the cleaning structure 12, can be reclosed by a flap 64 and can receive an active substance element 24. The outlet openings for the dissolved active substance are located in the flap 64. In the washing-up brush, a solid soap is preferably inserted as the active substance element. All the embodiment variants described above can be applied analogously to the washing-up brush. The stated dimensions are to be adapted to the dimensions of the brush head.
(43) Combinations of elements from the examples shown also come within the scope of the invention.
(44) A brush with a flexible membrane which is provided in the head part, and which supports cleaning and/or massaging elements, has advantages even without a cavity situated below it, and even without an active substance element inserted in the cavity, particularly because of the flexible suspension of the cleaning and/or massaging elements. All the examples shown can be accordingly modified, for example by no cavity being provided, or by providing a cavity that does not communicate with the outside. For this purpose, the examples shown in FIGS. 1-27 are particularly suitable, in which the flexible zone 29 is retained but has no function in terms of the admission and release of active substance.
