JP6942037B2 - Manufacturing method of interdental cleaning tool and interdental cleaning tool - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an interdental cleaning tool.

Conventionally, an interdental cleaning tool for cleaning the interdental space has been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an interdental cleaning tool including a base portion having a shape extending in a specific direction and a cleaning portion made of a resin material (elastomer). The base portion has a shaft portion having a shape that can be inserted between teeth and a grip portion having a shape that can be gripped by a finger. The shaft portion has an insertion end portion formed at one end thereof and a base end portion formed at the other end, and the grip portion is connected to the base end portion. The cleaning portion has a shape that covers a part of the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion (including the insertion end portion).

International Publication No. 2013/176297

In the interdental cleaning tool as described in Patent Document 1, there is room for improvement in the cleanability between teeth.

An object of the present invention is to provide an interdental cleaning tool capable of improving the cleanability between teeth and a method for producing the same.

As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention presents a shaft portion having a shape that can be inserted between teeth, the insertion end portion formed at one end of the shaft portion, and the shaft portion. The shaft portion includes a base portion including a shaft portion having a base end portion formed at an end, and a cleaning portion that covers at least a part of the shaft portion and can clean between teeth, and the shaft portion is the insertion end portion. A shaft portion main body including the base end portion and having a cylindrical outer peripheral surface, and a concave portion having a shape of recessing inward from the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion main body in the radial direction of the shaft portion main body. The cleaning portion has a shape that covers a portion of the shaft portion main body located closer to the insertion end portion than the recess in the axial direction of the shaft portion main body, and the cleaning portion has a shape that covers the axial direction of the cleaning portion. The cleaning base end, which is the end on the base end side, is connected to the outer end on the insertion end side, which is the end on the insertion end side in the axial direction of the recess. Provide cleaning tools.

In this inter-tooth cleaning tool, after the cleaning part is inserted between the teeth, when the cleaning part is pulled out from the inter-tooth, plaque or the like scraped off at the cleaning base end of the cleaning part or a portion in the vicinity thereof. Is held in the recess of the shaft portion. Therefore, the cleanability between teeth is improved. Further, when the cleaning portion is inserted between the teeth, the cleaning base end portion is elastically deformed so as to enter the recess, so that the insertability of the cleaning portion between the teeth is improved.

In this case, it is preferable that the recess has a shape that is continuously connected along the circumferential direction of the shaft body.

In this way, a portion for holding plaque or the like is secured over the entire circumference of the shaft portion, so that the cleanability between the teeth is further improved.

Further, the recess has an entry portion that enters inward in the radial direction from the outer end portion on the insertion end side along an axis orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to the axial direction, and the entry portion in the direction orthogonal to the axis. A connecting portion that connects the inner end portion on the insertion end portion side, which is the inner end portion of the portion, and the outer end portion on the proximal end portion side, which is the end portion on the proximal end portion side in the axial direction, among the concave portions. It is preferable to have.

In this way, it is possible to effectively secure a space for holding the plaque or the like scraped off by the cleaning base end portion of the cleaning portion.

In this case, it is preferable that the connecting portion has a shape gradually outward in the radial direction from the inner end portion on the insertion end side toward the outer end portion on the base end portion side.

In this way, it is possible to secure both the space and the strength of the shaft portion. In addition, the boundary between the concave portion and the shaft portion main body (the outer end portion on the base end portion side) becomes less noticeable.

Specifically, it is preferable that the connecting portion has a shape curved so as to be convex inward in the radial direction.

Further, the cross section of the shaft portion main body on a plane orthogonal to the axial direction is preferably circular or elliptical.

By doing so, it is possible to effectively clean the space between the teeth at an arbitrary portion on the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning portion, and it becomes easy to rotate the shaft portion during cleaning.

Further, it is preferable that the shaft portion has a shape extending linearly from the insertion end portion toward the base end portion.

In this way, cleaning between the teeth of the back teeth (molars) becomes easy.

The present invention also includes a base member preparation step of preparing the method for manufacturing the interdental cleaning tool, which is a base member for forming the base portion and includes a shaft portion having no recess. The cleaning portion is formed around a part of the shaft portion including the insertion end portion when the held portion which is a portion including the base end portion of the base member can be held and the held portion is held. The resin material can be filled in the filling space in a state where the held portion is held by a secondary molding mold having a shape that can be filled with the resin material for cleaning and has a shape corresponding to the cleaning portion. The secondary molding mold used in the cleaning portion forming step includes a cleaning portion forming step of forming the cleaning portion by filling the cleaning portion with a holding portion for holding the held portion and the cleaning portion. It has a cleaning portion forming portion for forming a cleaning portion and a shape that protrudes from the inner peripheral surface of the holding portion and corresponds to the recess, and when the holding portion holds the held portion, the shaft portion has a shape. The convex portion that bites into the shaft portion, and the end portion of the convex portion on the insertion end side in the axial direction is connected to the end portion of the cleaning portion forming portion on the base end portion side in the axial direction. In the cleaning portion forming step, the resin material is filled in the filling space in a state where the holding portion holds the held portion and the convex portion bites into the shaft portion. Provided is a method for manufacturing an interdental cleaning tool for filling.

In the method for manufacturing the interdental cleaning tool, the concave portion is formed in the shaft portion by the convex portion biting into the shaft portion of the base member in the cleaning portion forming step, that is, the shaft portion is formed at the same time as the cleaning portion is formed. Since the recess is formed (the base is formed from the base member), it becomes easier to manufacture the interdental cleaning tool provided with the recess as compared with the case where the recess is provided in the shaft portion by cutting or the like after the cleaning portion forming step.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an interdental cleaning tool capable of improving the cleanability between teeth and a method for manufacturing the same.

It is a front view of the interdental cleaning tool of one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. It is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the recess shown in FIG. It is the schematic which shows the process of forming a cleaning part. It is the schematic which shows the modification of the concave part.

The interdental cleaning tool 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. First, the interdental cleaning tool 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, and then a method for manufacturing the interdental cleaning tool 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the interdental cleaning tool 1 includes a base 10 and a cleaning unit 40.

The base 10 is formed of a synthetic resin such as polypropylene, polyethylene, ABS, polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, or polyacetal. In this embodiment, the base 10 is made of polypropylene containing 30% by weight of glass fiber. The base portion 10 has a shaft portion 20 and a grip portion 30.

The shaft portion 20 has a shape that extends in a specific direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1) and can be inserted between teeth. As shown in FIG. 2, the shaft portion 20 has a shaft portion main body 22 and a recess 24.

The shaft portion main body 22 has a cylindrical outer peripheral surface. An insertion end 22a is formed at one end (upper end of FIG. 2) of the shaft body 22, and a base end 22b is formed at the other end (lower end of FIG. 1) of the shaft body 22. .. In the present embodiment, the shaft portion main body 22 has a shape extending linearly. The cross section of the shaft portion main body 22 on a plane orthogonal to the axial direction of the shaft portion main body 22 is circular. The cross section may be elliptical.

The recess 24 has a shape that is recessed inward from the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body 22 in the radial direction of the shaft body 22. In the present embodiment, the recess 24 has an entry portion 25 and a connecting portion 26.

The insertion portion 25 is formed from the outer end portion 25a on the insertion end portion side, which is the end portion of the recess 24 on the insertion end portion 22a side in the axial direction, along the axial orthogonal direction which is the direction orthogonal to the axial direction. It has a shape that penetrates inward in the radial direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the distance W from the outer end 25a on the insertion end side to the inner end 25b on the insertion end side, which is the inner end of the insertion portion 25 in the direction orthogonal to the axis, is the shaft portion 22. From the viewpoint of maintaining the strength of the above and effectively scraping and retaining plaque and the like, it is preferably set to 0.001 mm or more and 0.05 mm or less, and 0.005 mm or more and 0.03 mm or less. Is more preferable. In this embodiment, the distance W is set to 0.01 mm. Further, the distance D1 between the outer end portions 25a on the insertion end side in the direction orthogonal to the axis is 0.5 mm or more from the viewpoint of maintaining the strength of the shaft portion 22 and effectively scraping and holding plaque and the like. It is preferably set to 2.5 mm or less, and more preferably 0.8 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less. In this embodiment, the distance D1 is set to 1.02 mm. From the viewpoint of effectively scraping and retaining dental plaque and the like, the distance W is preferably 0.04% or more and 10% or less, and 0.25% or more and 3.75% or less of the distance D1. More preferably.

The connecting portion 26 connects the inner end portion 25b on the insertion end side and the outer end portion 26a on the proximal end portion side, which is the end portion of the recess 24 on the proximal end portion 22b side in the axial direction. The connecting portion 26 has a shape gradually outward in the radial direction from the inner end portion 25b on the insertion end side toward the outer end portion 26a on the base end portion side. In the present embodiment, the connecting portion 26 has a shape curved so as to be convex inward in the radial direction. The length L of the connecting portion 26 in the axial direction is preferably set to 0.1 mm or more and 1 mm or less, and 0.3 mm or more and 0, from the viewpoint of effectively scraping and holding dental plaque and the like. It is more preferable to set it to 8.8 mm or less. In this embodiment, the length L is set to 0.5 mm.

The grip portion 30 extends along the axial direction of the shaft portion main body 22 so as to be separated from the base end portion 22b, and has a flat shape that can be gripped by a finger. As shown in FIG. 1, the gripping portions 30 of each interdental cleaning tool 1 are connected by a connecting piece 32.

The cleaning portion 40 is a portion for cleaning the space between teeth, and is formed of a resin material having a hardness lower than the hardness of the base 10. Specifically, a styrene-based elastomer is used as the resin material. However, as the resin material, silicon, an olefin-based elastomer, a polyester-based elastomer, or the like may be used. In the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 40 has a cleaning unit main body 42 and a plurality of brush units 44.

The cleaning portion main body 42 has a shape that covers a part of the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion main body 22 including the insertion end portion 22a. Specifically, the cleaning portion main body 42 has a shape that covers a portion of the shaft portion main body 22 located closer to the insertion end portion 22a than the recess 24 in the axial direction. In the present embodiment, the length of the cleaning unit main body 42 in the axial direction is 15.38 mm. The cleaning base end portion 42a, which is the end portion of the cleaning portion main body 42 on the base end portion 22b side in the axial direction, is connected to the insertion end side outer end portion 25a of the recess 24. The cleaning base end portion 42a functions as a portion for scraping plaque or the like between the teeth when the cleaning portion 40 is pulled out from between the teeth, and the recess 24 is scraped from between the teeth by the cleaning base end portion 42a. It functions as a part to hold the removed plaque. The cross section of the cleaning unit main body 42 on the plane orthogonal to the axial direction is formed in a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter D2 of the cleaning base end portion 42a is preferably set to 0.7 mm or more and 2.7 mm or less, and 0.9 mm or more and 2.1 mm, from the viewpoint of effectively scraping and holding plaque or the like. It is more preferable to set as follows. In this embodiment, the distance D2 is set to 1.53 mm. The thickness of the cleaning base end portion 42a of the cleaning portion main body 42 is 0.255 mm. From the viewpoint of effectively scraping and retaining dental plaque and the like, the distance W is preferably 0.037% or more and 7.1% or less, and 0.24% or more and 3.3% of the distance D2. The following is more preferable.

Each brush portion 44 has a shape protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning portion main body 42. In the present embodiment, each brush portion 44 has a shape that projects outward from the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning portion main body 42 in the direction orthogonal to the axis. Each brush portion 44 has a shape in which the outer shape of the brush portion 44 gradually becomes smaller as the distance from the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning portion main body 42 increases. Specifically, each brush portion 44 is formed in a conical shape. The brush portion 44 may be omitted.

Next, a method of manufacturing the interdental cleaning tool 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In this manufacturing method, a base member preparation step for preparing a base member (a member having a shaft portion 20 having no recess 24 and a grip portion 30) for forming the base portion 10 and a cleaning portion 40 are formed. Includes a cleaning section forming step.

In the base member preparation step, the base member is filled with a synthetic resin (polypropylene containing 30% by weight of glass fiber in the present embodiment) in a primary molding die (not shown) having a space having a shape corresponding to the base member. Is formed.

In the cleaning portion forming step after the base member preparation step, as shown in FIG. 4, a secondary molding die 50 for forming the cleaning portion 40 is used. The secondary molding die 50 is composed of a first mold 50A and a second mold 50B that can be divided and connected to each other. These first mold 50A and second mold 50B have a holding portion 51, a cleaning portion forming portion 52, and a convex portion 55.

The holding portion 51 holds a portion of the grip portion 30 and the shaft portion 20 including the base end portion 22b (hereinafter, referred to as “held portion 28”).

The cleaning portion forming portion 52 is a portion for forming the cleaning portion 40. The cleaning portion forming portion 52 includes a cleaning portion main body forming portion 53 for forming the cleaning portion main body 42, and a brush portion forming portion 54 for forming each brush portion 44. Specifically, the cleaning portion main body forming portion 53 is a part 29 of the shaft portion 20 including the insertion end portion 22a (other than the held portion 28 among the base members) in a state where the holding portion 51 holds the held portion 28. It has a shape that forms a space for forming the cleaning unit main body 42 around the portion). The brush portion forming portion 54 is connected to the cleaning portion main body forming portion 53, and has a shape that forms a space corresponding to each brush portion 44. That is, the space partitioned by the cleaning portion main body forming portion 53 and the brush portion forming portion 54 and the outer peripheral surface of a part 29 of the shaft portion 20 can be filled with the resin material for forming the cleaning portion 40. Moreover, a filling space S having a shape corresponding to the cleaning portion 40 is formed. The first mold 50A and the second mold 50B have a filling port 50h for filling the resin material from the insertion end 22a side of the shaft portion 20 toward the base end 22b side with respect to the filling space S. doing.

The convex portion 55 has a shape that protrudes from the inner peripheral surface of the holding portion 51 so as to bite into the shaft portion 20 when the holding portion 51 holds the held portion 28. The convex portion 55 has a shape corresponding to the concave portion 24. That is, the end of the convex portion 55 in the axial direction on the insertion end 22a side is connected to the end of the cleaning portion main body forming portion 53 in the axial direction on the base end 22b side, and the convex portion 55 is , Has a shape that bites into the shaft portion 20 over the entire circumferential direction of the shaft portion 20.

In the cleaning portion forming step, the shaft is held in a state where the holding portion 51 holds the held portion 28 and the convex portion 55 bites into the shaft portion 20 (a state in which the filling space S is formed in the secondary molding die 50). While the outer peripheral surface of a part 29 of the portion 20 is sandwiched by the holding pins 61 to 63, the resin material (styrene in the present embodiment) is inserted into the filling space S through the filling port 50h from the insertion end portion 22a side to the base end portion 22b side. Elastomer) is filled. Here, since the convex portion 55 bites into the shaft portion 20 over the entire circumferential direction of the shaft portion 20, the resin material is the end portion on the base end portion 22b side of the cleaning portion main body forming portion 53 in the axial direction. When the filling space S is advanced to, the resin material is blocked from further progress by the convex portion 55. Therefore, leakage of the resin material from the gap between the molds 50A and 50B and the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion 20 is suppressed. Therefore, deterioration of the appearance of the interdental cleaning tool 1 manufactured through the cleaning portion forming step is suppressed, and moreover, the vicinity of the tip end side of the brush portion forming portion 54 in the filling direction of the resin material ( Insufficient filling of the resin material into the space corresponding to the brush portion located near the base end portion 22b side end portion of the cleaning portion main body forming portion 53 is suppressed.

Then, after the cleaning portion forming step, the interdental cleaning tool 1 is taken out from the secondary molding die 50. A recess 24 is formed in the shaft portion 20 of the extracted interdental cleaning tool 1.

As described above, since the interdental cleaning tool 1 of the present embodiment has the recess 24, when the cleaning portion 40 is pulled out from the inter-tooth after the cleaning portion 40 is inserted between the teeth. In addition, plaque or the like scraped off at the cleaning base end portion 42a of the cleaning portion 40 or a portion in the vicinity thereof is held in the recess 24. Therefore, the cleanability between teeth is improved. Further, when the cleaning portion 40 is inserted between the teeth, the cleaning base end portion 42a is elastically deformed so as to enter the recess 24, so that the insertability of the cleaning portion 40 into the teeth is also improved.

Further, since the recess 24 has a shape of being continuously connected along the circumferential direction of the shaft portion main body 22, a portion for holding plaque or the like is secured over the entire circumference of the shaft portion 20. Therefore, the cleanability between teeth is further improved.

Further, since the recess 24 has an entry portion 25 and a connecting portion 26, it is possible to effectively secure a space for holding the plaque or the like scraped off by the cleaning base end portion 42a of the cleaning portion 40. Become.

Further, since the connecting portion 26 has a shape gradually outward in the radial direction of the shaft portion main body 22 from the inner end portion 25b on the insertion end side toward the outer end portion 26a on the base end portion side, the space is secured. It is possible to secure the strength of the shaft portion 20 at the same time. Further, the boundary between the concave portion 24 and the shaft portion main body 22 (base end side outer end portion 26a) becomes less noticeable.

Then, in the method for manufacturing the interdental cleaning tool 1 of the present embodiment, the convex portion 55 bites into the shaft portion 20 of the base member in the cleaning portion forming step, so that the concave portion 24 is formed in the shaft portion 20, that is, that is, Since the recess 24 is formed in the shaft portion 20 at the same time as the cleaning portion 40 is formed (the base portion 10 is formed from the base member), as compared with the case where the recess 24 is provided in the shaft portion 20 by cutting or the like after the cleaning portion forming step. The interdental cleaning tool 1 provided with the recess 24 can be easily manufactured.

It should be noted that the above-described embodiment disclosed this time is merely an example in all respects and is not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown by the scope of claims rather than the description of the above-described embodiment, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims.

For example, the connecting portion 26 may have a shape curved so as to be convex outward in the radial direction, or may be a straight line from the inner end portion 25b on the insertion end side toward the outer end portion 26a on the base end side. It may have a shape extending in a shape. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, the connecting portion 26 has a portion extending along the axial direction from the inner end portion 25b on the insertion end portion side, and an end portion and a proximal end portion side on the proximal end portion 22b side of the portion. It may have a portion connecting to the outer end portion 26a.

Further, the cross section of the shaft portion main body 22 on a plane orthogonal to the axial direction may be a polygon or the like.

Further, the axial direction of the shaft portion 20 may intersect with the longitudinal direction of the grip portion 30.

Further, the portion of the shaft portion main body 22 on the base end portion 22b side of the recess 24 and the grip portion 30 (held portion 28) may have a curved shape.

Further, the method of forming the recess 24 in the shaft portion 20 is not limited to the above example. For example, in the cleaning portion forming step, after the cleaning portion 40 is formed by a secondary molding die having no convex portion 55, the concave portion 24 may be provided in the shaft portion 20 by cutting or the like. Alternatively, as the primary molding die, a die having a convex portion capable of forming the concave portion 24 may be used.

1 Inter-tooth cleaning tool 10 Base 20 Shaft 22 Cleaning body 22a Insertion end 22b Base end 24 Recess 25 Intrusion part 25a Insertion end side outer end 25b Insertion end side inner end 26 Connecting part 26a Base end Side outer end 28 Held part 30 Grip part 40 Cleaning part 42 Cleaning part main body 42a Cleaning base end part 44 Brush part 50 Secondary molding mold 50A 1st mold 50B 2nd mold 51 Holding part 52 Cleaning part forming part 53 Cleaning part Main body forming part 54 Brush part forming part 55 Convex part 61 Holding pin 62 Holding pin 63 Holding pin S Filling space

Claims (8)

A shaft portion having a shape that can be inserted between teeth, including an insertion end portion formed at one end of the shaft portion and a shaft portion having a base end portion formed at the other end of the shaft portion. At the base,
A cleaning portion that covers at least a part of the shaft portion and can clean the space between teeth is provided.
The shaft portion
A shaft body including the insertion end and the base end and having a cylindrical outer peripheral surface,
It has a recess having a shape that is recessed inward from the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body in the radial direction of the shaft body.
The cleaning portion has a shape that covers a portion of the shaft portion main body located closer to the insertion end portion than the recess in the axial direction of the shaft portion main body.
The cleaning base end portion, which is the end portion of the cleaning portion on the base end portion side in the axial direction, is outside the insertion end portion side, which is the end portion of the recess on the insertion end portion side in the axial direction. Interdental cleaning tool connected to the end. In the interdental cleaning tool according to claim 1,
An interdental cleaning tool having a shape in which the concave portion is continuously connected along the circumferential direction of the shaft portion main body. In the interdental cleaning tool according to claim 1 or 2.
The recess is
An intrusion portion that enters inward in the radial direction from the outer end portion on the insertion end portion side along the axial orthogonal direction, which is a direction orthogonal to the axial direction.
The inner end on the insertion end side, which is the inner end of the entry portion in the direction orthogonal to the axis, and the outer end on the base end side, which is the end on the base end side in the axial direction among the recesses. An interdental cleaning tool having a connecting portion for connecting and. In the interdental cleaning tool according to claim 3,
The interdental cleaning tool has a shape in which the connecting portion gradually goes outward in the radial direction from the inner end portion on the insertion end side toward the outer end portion on the base end portion side. In the interdental cleaning tool according to claim 4,
An interdental cleaning tool having a shape in which the connecting portion is curved so as to be convex inward in the radial direction. In the interdental cleaning tool according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
An interdental cleaning tool in which the cross section of the shaft portion main body in a plane orthogonal to the axial direction is circular or elliptical. In the interdental cleaning tool according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
An interdental cleaning tool having a shape in which the shaft portion extends linearly from the insertion end portion toward the base end portion. The method for manufacturing an interdental cleaning tool according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
A base member preparation step for preparing a base member for forming the base portion and having a shaft portion having no recessed portion, and a base member preparation step.
The cleaning portion is provided around a part of the shaft portion including the insertion end portion when the held portion which is a portion including the base end portion of the base member can be held and the held portion is held. In a state where the held portion is held by a secondary molding die having a shape that can be filled with a resin material for forming and has a shape corresponding to the cleaning portion, the resin is filled in the filling space. Including a cleaning portion forming step of forming the cleaning portion by filling with a material.
The secondary molding die used in the cleaning portion forming step is
A holding portion that holds the held portion and
A cleaning portion forming portion for forming the cleaning portion and a cleaning portion forming portion
A convex portion that protrudes from the inner peripheral surface of the holding portion and has a shape corresponding to the concave portion and that bites into the shaft portion when the holding portion holds the held portion, and is a convex portion of the shaft portion. The end portion of the convex portion on the insertion end side in the axial direction is connected to the end portion on the base end side of the cleaning portion forming portion in the axial direction.
In the cleaning portion forming step, an interdental cleaning tool that fills the filling space with the resin material in a state where the holding portion holds the held portion and the convex portion bites into the shaft portion. Manufacturing method.

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